United News of Bangladesh

Police have submitted the chargesheet in the first murder case linked to the mass uprising in Chittagong, which took place during the political unrest in July last year. Investigating Officer SI Nurul Haque of Chandgaon Police Station submitted the chargesheet to the prosecution branch of the Chittagong Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's Court on Thursday. The court also fixed a hearing on the chargesheet for August 25, in the presence of the plaintiff, said Chandgaon Police Station Officer-in-Charge Aftab Ahmed. The case involved the killing of Shahidul Islam Shahid, a shop employee, who was shot dead during a student-led movement in the Bahaddarhat area of Chittagong city on the evening of August 3, 2024—just two days before the fall of the Awami League government. The chargesheet, filed under Section 302 of the Penal Code, named 231 individuals as accused. Among them are several high-profile political figures, including Former Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud, Land Minister Saifuzzaman Chowdhury Jabed and Education Minister Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury Nowfel. Other prominent accused include former Chittagong City Corporation mayors Rezaul Karim Chowdhury and AJM Nasir Uddin, as well as former MPs ABM Fazle Karim Chowdhury, MA Latif, Abu Reza Muhammad Nezamuddin Nadvi, Mohiuddin Bachchu, Abdus Salam, Didarul Alam Didar, SM Al Mamun, and Noman Al Mahmud. Also listed are former city councilors Jaharlal Hazari, Esrarul Haque, Nur Mostafa Tinu, Pulak Khastgir, Salimullah Bachchu, and Ziaul Haque Sumon, alongside city Awami League president Mahtab Uddin Chowdhury and numerous leaders and activists from affiliated bodies like Jubo League and Chhatra League. According to court sources, 128 individuals have been named as witnesses. An application has been made for the trial to proceed and the court will now determine the next course of legal action, added the OC.

A case has been filed at Muradnagar Police Station over the recent attack on journalists during a political clash in Cumilla’s Muradnagar upazila. Journalist Md Shahe Imran, a resident of Panchthubi under Kotwali Police Station and the district correspondent for the daily Khola Kagoj, filed the case. He named four individuals in the complaint, along with 12 unidentified attackers. Another arrested over extortion in Gulshan residence The four named as accused are Shukur Ali, 35, son of Majid Miah of Rahimpur village, Ashiqul Islam Siddiqui, 21, son of Tajul Member of Khamar village, Nahidul Islam Nayem, 24, son of Monir Hossain of Siddheshwari village, and Kamal Hossain, 25, son of Samad Miah of Gunjar village. The incident occurred on Wednesday afternoon, during a protest rally at Allah Chattar in Muradnagar Sadar. The rally was organized by supporters of Adviser Asif Mahmud Sajib Bhuiyan and his father in response to alleged propaganda against them. A clash broke out between their supporters and those of BNP Vice Chairman Mofazzal Hossain Kaikobad, during which several journalists who were covering the event came under attack. According to the case details, as the clash escalated, a group of attackers turned on the journalists, beating them and snatching their cameras, mobile phones, and cash. At least seven journalists were injured in the assault. Five remanded over attack on Hindu neighbourhood in Rangpur Zahidur Rahman, officer-in-charge (OC) OF Muradnagar Police Station, described the attack as “very despicable” and said the accused had fled the area immediately after the incident. “No arrests have been made yet, but we are doing our best to track them down,” he added. Plaintiff Md Shahe Imran said, “We were attacked while doing our job. Along with being physically assaulted, our equipment and personal belongings were taken. We demand justice.”

The Border Security Force (BSF) of India handed over 17 Bangladeshi nationals to the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) on Friday morning. The flag meeting, which started at 11:30 am, was conducted at the Company Commander level between the Chuadanga Battalion (6 BGB) and 161 BSF Battalion at the zero line near Main Pillar 105. Subedar Shri Tapas Kumar, company commander of Mujibnagar BGB camp, led the BGB side, while Inspector Shri Dharmendradah represented the BSF from the Hnadaypur BSF camp. India’s BSF hands over detained Bangladeshi The 17 individuals — comprising 8 men, 5 women, and 4 children — had reportedly crossed into India illegally through various border points over an unspecified period. Preliminary questioning revealed that all had entered India without proper documentation. Following coordination between the two border forces, the individuals were formally repatriated in accordance with established procedures.

Detectives on Friday arrested another student leader for his alleged involvement in extorting money from the Gulshan residence of former reserved seat MP Shammi Ahmed by posing as a coordinator of the ‘Anti-Discrimination Movement.’ With this, the total number of arrestees so far stood at six. The arrestee Jane Alam Apu is a joint convener of Bangladesh Democratic Student Union. He was detained by a team of the Detective Branch (DB) from Wari area of the capital on Friday morning. DB South Joint Commissioner Mohammad Nasirul said Apu was on the run after being accused of demanding Tk 50 lakh in extortion. Earlier, on July 26, police arrested Md Sakadoun Siam, Sadman Sadab, Md Aminul Islam, Ibrahim Hossain Munna, and Abdur Razzak Riyad from the house for their alleged involvement with the extortion. Among them, Munna is Dhaka city convenor of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, while Siam and Sadab are also members of the same body. Student leader among five held for extortion at former MP’s home Riyad is the acting convenor for the Private Universities Committee under the same platform and a member of the Bangladesh Democratic Student Union. According to police, the group went to Shammis’s residence on July 17 and demanded Tk 1 crore, threatening to label her a ‘fascist collaborator’ and report her to police if she refused. They even took Tk 10 lakh. A video of the extortion incident later went viral on social media, showing two men receiving cash in the guest room of a residence. On Thursday, police recovered cheques worth Tk 2.25 crore and fixed deposit receipts (FDRs) worth Tk 20 lakh from the Tejgaon’s Nakhalpara residence of arrested Riyad. Riyad has allegedly been constructing a building at his village home Nabipur under Senbagh upazila of Noakhali district, with the money earned from the extortion, though his family denied the allegation, claiming that As-Sunnah Foundation donated the money.

Members of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) detained an Indian citizen from Logang Bazar border area in Panchhari upazila of Khagrachhari district on Thursday. The detainee was identified as Jamesing Tripura, 45, a resident of Deshpara village under Rainagarbari police station in Dhalai district of India’s Tripura state. According to BGB sources, Jamesing crossed the border illegally into Bangladesh and purchased two goats from local Logang Bazar. While returning to India, he was intercepted by a BGB patrol team led by official Abdul Alim from the Boddanagorpara BOP. BGB launches arrest drive in Khagrachhari after gunfight with UPDF Two goats were seized from him at the time of detention. He was later handed over to Panchhari Police Station. Officer-in-charge of the police station Md Jasim Uddin said a case was filed for the illegal entry and the detainee will be produced before court.

A court in Rangpur has granted a two-day remand for five people arrested in connection with the recent attack on a Hindu Palli at Aldadpur Balapara village under Betgari union of Gangachara upazila. Senior Judicial Magistrate Krishna Kamal Roy issued the remand order on Thursday after the investigation officer—officer-in-charge (OC) of Gangachara Police Station—submitted a five-day remand petition. Court in-charge Aminul Islam confirmed the development. The accused are: Yasin Ali, 25, of Singergari Majhapara village in Kishoreganj upazila, Nilphamari, Swadhin Mia, 28, of Magura Sripara, Ashraful Islam, 28, of Dakshin Chandkhana Mayapara, SM Atiqur Rahman Khan Atiq, 28, of Uttar Singergari Pathanpara, Saddam Hossain Selim, 22, of Dakshin Singergari Choorapara. Earlier on Wednesday afternoon, the accused were produced before the court, and the remand plea was submitted. According to police, tensions flared in the area after a Hindu teenager from the Aldatpur Chayani Balapara area was arrested on July 26 for allegedly posting content on Facebook that insulted the Holy Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH). The incident sparked outrage, and a relative’s house was attacked that same night. The following day (July 27), the teenager was produced before court in a case filed under the CyberSecurity Act and was sent to a Youth Development Center. Despite legal action, unrest escalated. On Sunday, people from Singergari, Magura, and Banglabazar areas of Nilphamari’s Kishoreganj upazila reportedly marched in protest and launched attacks. Police intervention led to clashes, during which a police officer was injured and several houses belonging to the Hindu community were vandalised. Later, victim Rabindranath filed a case at Gangachara Police Station on Tuesday night, accusing 1,200 unidentified individuals in connection with the violence.

The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) on Thursday froze over Tk 5 crore from the 13 bank accounts of Motalles Hossain, his related organisations and individuals for collecting money by imitating former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia's voice. According to the court order, CID seized Tk 5,03,33,782 from the bank accounts, said Jashim Uddin Khan, special superintendent of police (Media). During investigation, CID found suspicious dealing of Tk 26.84 crore of the bank account of Motalles and his organisations. An investigation is also underway to review his immovable assets and financial activities to examine any links to money laundering and the accumulation of wealth through illegal means. Besides, the CID is continuing efforts to collect information from victims of fraud and to identify other suspected members of the organised group involved in the incident.  

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) on Thursday approved the filing of the case over land acquisition fraud under the Dhaka Mass Rapid Transit Development Project (Line-1) involving the construction of the depot access corridor at Pitalganj mouza in Rupganj upazila of Narayanganj district. According to preliminary investigations, Riaz Uddin (57), son of Haji Meraj Uddin fraudulently withdrew around Tk 4.73 crore from the government treasury under the pretense of land acquisition compensation. CID freezes assets worth Tk 7 crore of Pabna drug lord Shaheen Alam It has been revealed that the accused filed five General Diaries (GDs) with Rupganj Police Station, claiming that the original deeds of the relevant land had been lost. He then submitted certified copies of these deeds obtained from the sub-registry office to claim compensation. Further investigation found that the land in question had already been mortgaged to a financial institution (Sonali Bank), and the mortgage deed remains valid.

Police on Thursday submitted a chargesheet against of 221 people including former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Awami League (AL) General Secretary Obaidul Quader in a student murder case involving the July Uprising in Feni. Superintendent of Police of Feni Md Habibur Rahman said this at a press conference at his office on Thursday. He said156 identified people and unnamed 65 others have been chargesheeted, and no one of them has been implicated considering their political affiliations. Hasina and Nizam Hazari were mentioned in the chargehseet as direct instructors and those found involved in the murder were implicated, he said. A total of 51 accused have so far been arrested in the case and 11 of them gave confessional statements before the court, he said. Some of the accused include former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, former local MPs Nizam Uddin Hazari, Lt Gen (retd) Masud Uddin Chowdhury, General Secretary of Sadar Upazila Awami League Shusen Chandra Shil, and General Secretary of Municipal Awami League Nazrul Islam Sopan Miazi. Students from at least 37 colleges implicated in case filed over Sunday's violence Earlier in the day, the chargesheets were submitted with Feni Sadar Amali Court. On August 4 last year, college student Mahbubul Hasan Masum sustained bullet injuries in his head when Awami League supporters opened fire at an anti-government movement in Feni’s Mohifal area. On August 7, he succumbed to his injuries while undergoing treatment at Chittagong Medical College Hospital. On September 4, the victim’s brother Mohammad Mahmudul Hasan filed a naming 162 people and unnamed 400 to 5000 others with Feni Model Police Station. A total of seven murder and 15 attempted murder cases have so far been lodged in Feni in connection with the July uprising. Some 2, 199 identified people and unidentified 4, 000 others have been accused in the cases while over 1000 have so far been arrested.

A court has ordered the seizure of nearly Tk 7 crore worth of assets belonging to Shaheen Alam, a notorious drug dealer from Pabna’s Ataikula area, following an investigation by the Financial Crime Unit of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) over allegations of money laundering and amassing illegal wealth. According to CID sources, a case (No. 10, dated 14/03/2023) was filed under Section 4(2) of the Money Laundering Prevention Act 2012 (Amended in 2015), accusing Shaheen Alam of accumulating large sums of money through drug trafficking. Preliminary investigations revealed that Shaheen acquired 192.67 decimals of land and other valuable immovable properties, estimated to be worth around Tk 6.5 crore. Upon CID’s request, the court ordered these assets to be seized. Additionally, authorities uncovered suspicious transactions totaling Tk 6.62 crore across 10 bank accounts under Shaheen Alam's name. Currently, Tk 42.43 lakh remains in these accounts, which have been frozen following the court order. Although Shaheen presented himself as a dairy businessman, the CID investigation found that he is in fact the leader of a well-organised drug syndicate in Ataikula, allegedly involved in long-term drug trafficking operations and illegal wealth accumulation. CID officials said investigations are ongoing to trace more movable and immovable properties linked to the accused in different parts of the country. Legal proceedings are underway, and steps are being taken to bring all individuals involved in the crimes to justice.