United News of Bangladesh

A 20-year-old youth who was abducted from Thakurgaon's Baliadangi has been reunited with his family after five years. Police and relatives rescued Samaun Ali, son of Abdus Sobhan, a resident of Gogbasti village in Bhanor union, in the small hours on Saturday after kidnappers left him at the Baliadangi intersection, said Baliadangi Police Station Inspector (Investigation) Dibakar Adhikari on Saturday afternoon. Family members said Samaun was abducted by his cousin, Jamirul Islam alias Mithun, five years ago under the false promise of a job in Dhaka. A few days after taking Samaun, Mithun cut off all communication with the family. Despite multiple attempts to contact Mithun and pay money for Samaun’s return, Sobhan was unable to get his son back. Arrest warrants issued against 58 over Sylhet Medical University recruitment scam After years of searching in various places, including Dhaka, and unsuccessful efforts to resolve the issue, Sobhan filed a case against Mithun and his father Abdul Khalek in Thakurgaon court seven months ago. The court took action, ordering Baliadangi police to rescue Samaun. Inspector Dibakar Adhikari, also the investigating officer, said, "We began our investigation following the court’s order." He said that realising the police were closing in, the kidnappers abandoned Samaun at Baliadangi intersection.  "After completing the legal procedures, we will hand Samaun over to his family. He appears to be in poor health and requires medical care." Samaun said that he was taken to a warehouse in Narsingdi district, where he worked while someone else collected his wages.  Two individuals fined a lakh for operating illegal battery recycling factory in Kushtia His communication with the outside world was cut off soon after, and for the past five years, he was unable to say where he was or what he had been doing.  However, he mentioned that he had suffered various forms of torture during his captivity. Samaun's father, Sobhan, shared his frustration, saying, "I repeatedly asked for my son back through local mediation, but the accused ignored me. It was only when the police began taking action after we filed the case that they returned my son." The return of Samaun has brought relief and happiness to his family, who now feel they have a new lease on life.

The Detective Branch (DB) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) has detained eight more members of Awami League and its associated bodies including banned Chhatra League from various parts of the capital for their alleged involvement in bringing out sudden processions. Shamim Ahmed Shahid,  General Secretary of Ward No. 57 Jubo League unit under Kamrangirchar Thana; Md. Zia Mia (45), President of Ward No. 33 Jubo League unit under Bangshal Thana; Md. Abdur Rob Patowary (50), Vice President of Ward No. 28 Awami League unit under Sher-e-Bangla Nagar Thana; Md. Kabir Hossain alias Pani Kabir (35), Vice President of Ward No. 28 Jubo League under Sher-e-Bangla Nagar Thana; MK Azim, former President of Ward No. 48 Chhatra League and a candidate for the position of General Secretary of Ward No. 48 Awami League and Md. Delwar Hossain (42), leader of Krishak League under Turag Thana among the detainees. Madaripur AL leader picked up after sharing ‘defamatory’ post on CA They were detained as part of a crackdown against those involved in participating in flash processions that aimed at creating panic among public and destabilising the country, said Deputy Commissioner (Media) of DMP Talebur Rahman. Legal proceedings against the detainees are underway, he added.

A Sylhet court has issued arrest warrants against 58 people, including former Vice-Chancellor and Acting Registrar of Sylhet Medical University (SMU), in a case filed by Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) over allegations of irregularities and abuse of power in staff recruitment. Judge of Sylhet Metropolitan Senior Special Court Rokonuzzaman passed the order after accepting chargesheets against the accused on Thursday afternoon, said court official Kripasindhu Das at night. The ACC submitted the chargesheet on April 20, accusing former VC Dr. Morshed Ahmed Chowdhury and Acting Registrar Md. Noimul Haque Chowdhury of illegally appointing and promoting individuals without adhering to required qualifications, age limits, or institutional approval. According to the charge sheet, between 2019 and 2023, the university recruited 220 staff on ad hoc basis, bypassing University Grants Commission (UGC) and syndicate approval. In many cases, appointments were renewed multiple times violating the 2018 University Act, which allows only a six-month extension. The ACC found that 46 appointees lacked age eligibility, 18 had no relevant work experience, and several had academic deficiencies—including four with third-division results and two without required degrees. Despite being hired temporarily, some were illegally promoted to higher salary grades. 2 excavators disabled, 4 trucks seized in Feni for illegal soil extraction Moreover, the university created 141 unauthorized posts beyond the 112 approved by the UGC, and salaries were paid using funds from the Health Ministry's development budget without necessary approvals. The irregularities came to light through a UGC investigation conducted in 2023. Based on their findings, the ACC filed a case against the accused on April 1, 2024, at its Sylhet Integrated District Office. The accused list includes administrative staff and faculty members such as Fahima Khanam Chowdhury, Anjan Debnath, Maidul Islam Chowdhury, and others. The ACC alleged that the recruitment practices were not only unlawful but also resulted in significant misuse of public funds and positions of authority.    

A mobile court in Feni disabled two excavators and seized four trucks during a late-night operation against illegal soil extraction from croplands in Paingachhia union of Feni Sadar upazila. The court led by Assistant Commissioner (Land) and Executive Magistrate Sajib Talukder conducted the drive from 10pm on Thursday to 2am Friday. Sources said the excavators were temporarily disabled on site due to unavailability of towing options. One of the seized trucks was rendered non-functional by damaging its engine. The trucks were reportedly causing public nuisance by damaging roads, fields, and farmlands while transporting soil. Illegal sand extraction: 6 trucks, excavator seized in Jashore; operator fined Tk 1 lakh Members of the Bangladesh Ansar Battalion assisted in the operation. Magistrate Sajib urged people to unite against those creating public nuisance through illegal soil extraction, calling them ‘enemies of the people.’

A mobile court in Kushtia fined two individuals Tk 50,000 each, for illegally operating a battery recycling factory on the banks of the Padma River in Kushtia. The operation was carried out by the upazila administration on Thursday in Majgram area under Shilaidah Union of Kumarkhali. The drive was led by Upazila Assistant Commissioner (Land) Bijoy Kumar Joarder under the Environmental Protection Act, with support from the Assistant Director (Senior Chemist) of the District Environment Department, Habibul Basar, and local police. The duo fined are Abu Sayeed, 23, son of Abdur Rashid from Kingkarpur, Gaibandha, and Robin Mia, 25, son of Jinnat Ali from Bathimuri, Manikganj. Locals reported that the two had been operating the illegal factory on the riverbanks for approximately seven days, with the aid of local influential figures. Brick kiln demolished, another fined in Sirajganj Bijoy Kumar Joarder confirmed the fines at around 8:30pm, stating that the two people were fined for running the illegal operation, and that similar campaigns will continue for public welfare. Habibul Basar, Assistant Director (Senior Chemist) of the Kushtia Department of Environment, said that breaking open batteries to extract lead, which often contains sulfuric acid, releases harmful chemicals into the air. These chemicals significantly damage the environment and soil, posing severe risks to public health, he added.

Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) on Thursday recovered 99 crude bombs and 40 petrol bombs from Chakpara border area in Shibganj upazila of Chapainawabganj. The explosives were seized during a raid at Koylabari Truck Terminal in Shahbazpur union around noon. Lt. Col Golam Kibria, commanding officer of BGB Battalion-59, disclosed the information at a press briefing held at the battalion headquarters around 8:30 pm. He said they came to know that a consignment of illegal Indian explosives might be smuggled through the Chakpara BOP area for delivery to Rajshahi. Acting on the information, a BGB patrol team conducted the operation. 3 crude bombs found at Dhaka’s Farmgate Upon sensing the presence of law enforcers, two suspects fled the scene, abandoning two plastic crates. A search of the crates revealed 99 crude bombs and 40 petrol bombs. BGB officials said efforts were underway to trace those involved in the smuggling of the explosives, adding that the recovered items were likely intended for subversive activities.

Police detained a local Awami League (AL) leader for allegedly sharing a defamatory post, including a doctored image, on Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus on Facebook. Delwar Hossain Sardar, 55, is the AL general secretary of Gopalpur, a union falling under Dasar upazila. According to police, the original post was uploaded onto the 'Awami League Media' Facebook page, with a doctored image depicting the chief adviser to Bangladesh's interim government bowing in front of the former prime minister, Sheikh Hasina, who was overthrown and forced to flee to India, by a massive student-led uprising in July-August last year. Banned BCL leader arrested for derogatory remarks about Prophet (PBUH) Delwar, who frequents the cafe we went to on Banani 11, shared the post from his personal Facebook account and went viral on social media platforms, triggering outcry. Ehteshamul Islam, officer-in-charge of Dasar police station, said the matter came to the attention of authorities and Delwar was detained from his residence on Tuesday night. Legal action has already been taken against him, the OC added.

Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) detained four members of a family while attempting to cross the Feni border without valid documents early Thursday. According to a media release sent from the BGB-4 Battalion, a patrol team detained them in Bashpaduya area of Parshuram upazila after being tipped-off that they would cross the border in the early morning. Feni border sees alarming rise in infiltration by foreign nationals The detainees were Shridam Chandra Shil, son of late Harendra Kumar Shil of Govindapur village in Noakhali’s Hatiya upazila, his wife Sanjita Rani Shil, their son Nobel Chandra Shil, and daughter Barsha Rani Shil. The detainees were handed over to Parshuram model police station, the release said.

Kutub Uddin Sohel, Ward Secretary of Ward No. 4 in Zone-2 of Dhaka South City Corporation, was caught red-handed by a special team of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) while taking bribe. Saiful Islam, the manager of Life Care Diagnostic Center in East Basabo, Sabujbagh, Dhaka, filed a written complaint with the ACC's Integrated District Office, Dhaka-1.  In the complaint, he stated that a clearance certificate from the city corporation was required to open the under-construction diagnostic center, said ACC public relations officer Aktarul Islam. . After submitting the application, Ward Secretary Kutub Uddin Sohel visited the site and found no faults but still demanded a bribe of TK10,000 in exchange for issuing the clearance. CIC orders bank account freezing of ad agency giant Asiatic The complaint further mentioned that  Sohel threatened to withhold the clearance certificate if the bribe is not paid. It was also found Sohel regularly demands bribes from service seekers for issuing such documents. Out of respect for the law and with the intent to bring the corrupt official to justice, Saiful Islam strategically agreed to pay the bribe. During an ACC sting operation on Wednesday, Sohel was caught in the act of receiving the bribe. The bribe money and other evidence were seized from the scene.

The Central Intelligence Cell (CIC) of the National Board of Revenue (NBR) has directed all banks and non-bank financial institutions to freeze the accounts of Asiatic Marketing Communications Limited, a leading advertising agency in the country. The CIC has issued formal letters to senior executives of financial institutions across the sector. “We’ve instructed banks and financial institutions to freeze all accounts of Asiatic Marketing Communications Limited,” a senior CIC official said, adding, “The company is under investigation for suspected tax evasion.” All legal channels to be pursued in hunt for laundered money: ACC Commissioner He said the probe will also examine whether Asiatic possesses undisclosed income or assets beyond those reported in its tax filings. Asiatic Marketing Communications Limited is the country’s oldest and largest communication agency.