United News of Bangladesh

The Traffic Division of Dhaka Metropolitan Police has arrested five hijackers while they were allegedly attempting hijackings in different areas of the capital. The arrestees were identified as Md Sajjat Hossain, alias Sagar, 42, Md. Wasim Akram, 35, Md. Suman, 30, Md. Sultan Mahmud Khan, 45, and Mohammad Shanto, 29, according to a DMP statement on Saturday. Poacher held with 28 kg venison in Bagerhat They were arrested on Friday from the Tejgaon, Mirpur, and Uttara House Building areas, it said. During the arrests, over Tk 1 lakh, heroin, a screwdriver, and a wallet were recovered from the arrestees' posessions, said DMP. Miscreants attack workers on land of Dhaka Sangbadik Samabay Samity in Mirpur The suspects were handed over to the relevant police stations, and legal proceedings were in progress regarding the matter.

The High Court will deliver its verdict on the death references and appeals in the murder case of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (Buet) student Abrar Fahad on Sunday. The HC bench of Justice AKM Asaduzzaman and Justice Syed Enayet Hossain fixed the date. Earlier, the hearing on the death references and the appeals of the accused in the Abrar Fahad murder case concluded on February 24, and the case was kept awaiting a verdict. Attorney General Mohammad Asaduzzaman, Deputy Attorney General Mohammad Jasim Sorkar, Khondkar Bahar Rumi, Noor Mohammad Azmi, and Russell Ahmed stood for the stage along with Assistant Attorney Generals Abdul Zubair Jewel, Laboni Akter, Tanvir Pradhan, and Sumaiya Binte Aziz. Senior lawyers SM Shahjahan, Azizur Rahman Dulu, Masud Hasan Chowdhury and Mohammad Shishir Monir stood for the accused. ACC seeks arrest of UP chairman in case of abnormal bank transactions  The Supreme Court's website shows the case listed for the Sunday session for the delivery of the verdict. Abrar, a second-year student of Electrical and Electronics Engineering (EEE) department of the Buet, was beaten to death by activists of Bangladesh Chhatra League, at the university's Sher-e-Bangla Hall on 6 October in 2019 allegedly over a Facebook post regarding water-sharing issues between Bangladesh and India. His body was later found on the stairs of the hall. On the following day, the victim’s father filed a murder case against 19 Chhatra League members with Chawkbazar police station then a massive outrage sparked across the country centring the issue. A Dhaka court on December 8, 2021, sentenced 20 Buet students to death and five to life terms in jail for their involvement in the murder. The death row convicts were- Mehedi Hassan Rasel, Anik Sarker, Mehedi Hassan Robin, Ifty Mosharaf Sakal, Moniruzzaman Monir, Meftahul Islam Jiyon, Majedur Rahman, Muzahidur Rahman, Tabakhairul Islam Tanvir, Hossen Mohammad Toha, Shamim Billah, Nazmus Shadat, Muntasir Al Jemi, Mizanur Rahman, Mahmud Setu, Shamsul Arifin Rafat, Morshed Omorto Islam, Ehtesamul Rabbi, Morshed Uzzaman Jishan and Mujtaba Rafeed The lifers were- Muhtasim Fuyad, Akash Hossain, Mowaz Abu Horaira, Omit Shaha and Istiaq Hassan Munna. The High Court bench began hearing the death reference and appeals on November 28, last year.

A case was filed on charges of raping a second-grader school girl in Raiganj upazila of Sirajganj on Thursday night. The victim's father filed the case with Raiganj police accusing Mohammad Ali, 15, son of Abdul Alim of Nadua village in Pangasi union. Quoting case statement, Raiganj Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Md Asaduzzaman said that the victim had gone to Abdul Alim's house in Nadua village on the morning of Sunday, March 9, to drop off her younger siblings at the child care center. 3 arrested for raping speech impaired girl in C’nawabganj At that time, Mohammad Ali took the girl in his room and raped her. Afterward, when the child became ill, he poured water over her head, provided some relief, and sent her back home. Later that afternoon, when her condition worsened, the family was notified about the incident. The following day, the child was taken to a private hospital in Sirajganj town, where she received medical supervision as her father was not at home.  Road crash leaves college student dead in Sylhet However, her health continued to deteriorate, leading to her admission to Sirajganj Shaheed M Mansur Ali Medical College Hospital on Thursday. The child is now out of danger and undergoing tests to confirm the rape, said on duty doctor Raihan Khandaker. "Efforts to apprehend the perpetrator, Mohammad Ali, are ongoing," added the OC.

Members of the Coast Guard detained a poacher along with 28 kg of venison from the Nalian Balur Math area, adjacent to the Sundarbans, on Thursday. The arrested individual is Md. Yasin Gazi, 27, from Dacope upazila in Khulna district. Acting on a tip-off, the BCG Outpost Nalian under the Coast Guard West Zone conducted an operation in the area and apprehended the poacher, said Coast Guard Media Officer Lieutenant Commander Md. Siam-ul-Haq. The poacher was later handed over to the Sundarbans Division's Hadda Forest Office for legal action. Earlier, on Wednesday night, members of the Coast Guard detained five deer poachers along with 25 kg of venison from a boat in the Shibsa River of the Sundarbans in Khulna district. They also seized 25 kg of venison, one boat, and 80 deer poaching traps from their possession. Sundarbans East Division Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Kazi Muhammad Nurul Karim said that patrols have been increased to prevent deer hunting in the Sundarbans. The Forest Department is conducting raids at various times, and searches are being carried out whenever suspicious boats are spotted in the area, he added.

Miscreants on Thursday attacked a group of workers on the land  owned by Dhaka Sangbadik Samabay Samity Limited (DSSSL), a cooperative society of Dhaka-based journalists, in the Jhilpar area of Pallabi. They brandished pistols, machetes, and other sharp weapons, threatening the workers engaged in land development. The attackers verbally abused the construction workers in vulgar language and warned them that if any development work was carried out without their consent, they would kill them. Armed forces' magistracy powers extended for 60 days In response to the incident, Md. Sadekul Islam, the official responsible for the development work on behalf of Mallick Properties & Enterprise Limited, filed a complaint at the Pallabi police station on Thursday. In 2006, under the directive of then-Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia, the National Housing Authority allocated this 7-acre plot in Pallabi’s Jhilpar area to the DSSSL for the housing of senior journalists. The 300-member society paid the market price for the land, after which the Housing Authority handed it over to them. However, after the Awami League came to power in 2009, local Member of Parliament Elias Uddin Molla forcibly occupied the land under the cover of darkness. Using his gang, he established cattle farms, a bakery, and various semi-permanent and makeshift houses, from which he collected rent and maintained control over the property. Couple arrested over Habibullah Bahar College VP’s murder in Dhaka After the fall of the dictatorship in last July’s revolution, Elias Molla, like other Awami League leaders, fled the area. On January 21, with the assistance of the administration, the National Housing Authority once again evicted all illegal structures from the land and returned it to the journalists’ cooperative society. Since then, development work on the land has been ongoing. However, in the midst of this, Thursday’s terrorist threat took place.  

The Anti-Corruption Commission is seeking the arrest of Brahmandi UP Chairman Lak Mia (Araihazar, Narayanganj) on charges of unusual transactions of TK14,376 crore in his 49 bank accounts. The investigation officer of the case, ACC deputy director Md. Sohanur Rahman, filed this application on Thursday. The court of Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Judge Zakir Hossain (Galib) fixed April 9 for hearing on showing him arrested in his presence, ACC Public Relations Officer Akhtarul Islam said. He said the transaction was made from 2015 to 2024 while the commission filed the cases against him and his wife on March 6. END/ UNB/SI/F

A Dhaka court on Thursday imposed a travel ban on Mohammad Shafeenul Islam, a former major general in the Bangladesh Army and former Director General of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and his wife Shoma Islam, in a graft case. Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Judge Md Zakir Hossain Galib passed the order following a petition filed by Sabikun Nahar, deputy director of Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC). Trial of Magura girl rape case to begin in seven days: Law Adviser  According to the petition, Shafeenul and his wife were found involved in accumulating illegal wealth through corruption and embezzling money after misusing power. Major General Md Shafeenul joined as the Director General of BGB on March 28, 2018. Police to strengthen vigilance countrywide during Eid: IGP  

The trial proceedings of the eight-year-old rape victim from Magura will start within seven days, said Law Adviser Prof Dr Asif Nazrul.  Speaking at a press briefing at the Secretariat, he said the DNA report of the victim will be provided within five days as the autopsy report will be available today (Thursday) somehow.   Asif Nazrul hoped the trial in the rape case would soon conclude, with all information, including testimony and the post-mortem report, presented. Replying to a question, the adviser said that there is an instance of completing trial within seven to eight days in the past, and hoped that the trial will complete soon. The body of the rape victim will be taken to Magura from Dhaka by a helicopter today, he said, adding that Fisheries and Livestock Adviser will accompany it. CA condoles death of Magura rape victim; orders speedy trial A tribunal will be set up exclusively for cases involving child rape and sexual assault. The tribunal will ensure prompt justice, and the official gazette for its formation will be published on Sunday, he said. Amending the existing Women and Children Repression and Prevention Act, a new will be enacted on Sunday, if delayed it will be on Monday, he said. Prof Asif said several pornographic websites emerged after August 5, and steps are being taken to shut them down starting tomorrow (March 14).

Inspector General of Police (IGP) Md Baharul Alam on Thursday said special vigilance will be ensured across the country to prevent theft and mugging during the Eid-ul-Fitr celebrations. Speaking at a press briefing at the office of the Superintendent of Police of Gazipur Industrial Police-2, the IGP urged holidaymakers to properly secure their homes before leaving for Eid celebrations with their families. "Many people will leave the cities to celebrate Eid with their loved ones, and police are actively working to prevent any deterioration of law and order, including in the industrial sector," he said. He also warned of strict legal action against those inciting violence, particularly in the readymade garment (RMG) sector. "Workers should not engage in vandalism or block roads based on rumours," he added. DMP restricts public gathering at some designated spots The IGP also said that the interim government is committed to building a discrimination-free Bangladesh. He, however, mentioned that certain individuals, feeling aggrieved, may attempt to disrupt law and order. Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Dhaka Range AKM Awlad Hossain, Gazipur Metropolitan Police Commissioner Mohammad Nazmul Karim Khan and Industrial Police DIG Israil Howlader were also present at the event. Earlier, the IGP attended a welfare-related meeting with members of the Industrial Police.

The government has extended the magistracy powers of commissioned officers in the Army, Navy and Air Force for another 60 days with effect from March 15. The Ministry of Public Administration issued a notification to this effect on Thursday. According to the notification, commissioned officers holding the rank of captain and above in the Bangladesh Armed Forces have been granted special executive magistrate powers across the country. Military officers serving on deputation in the Coast Guard and Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) have also been vested with the same authority. The interim government initially granted magistracy powers to commissioned army officers on September 17 last year for 60 days to improve law and order. The powers were subsequently extended on January 12 this year for another 60 days. DMP restricts public gathering at some designated spots On February 24, Chief of Army Staff General Waker-Uz-Zaman, emphasised the army's commitment to maintaining stability. "We initially thought the task would be completed quickly, allowing us to return to the cantonment. However, we have been working for a long period. We must exercise patience and fulfil our professional responsibilities with dedication," he said. Earlier, on November 19 last year, General Waker noted that the Bangladesh Army was diligently performing its duties to improve the law-and-order situation. He urged army personnel to exercise magistracy powers responsibly to maintain peace and public order, underscoring the military's role as a symbol of public trust. Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus also acknowledged the army's significant role in stabilising the country. On October 6 last year, he said, "The Bangladesh Army stood by the people during the crisis and expedited the formation of the interim government," highlighting public trust in the armed forces. Army Chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman has assured that military personnel will return to their barracks once the police regain full operational capacity.