United News of Bangladesh

The Special Metropolitan Magistrate of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) handled a total of 3,778 criminal and 1,742 traffic cases in March 2026 through summary courts. Of 6,863 arrested individuals, 3,701 were sentenced to various terms of imprisonment. According to law officer (District and Sessions Judge) Mohammad Ataul Haque, DMP’s Motijheel division arrested 920 people and filed 552 cases in the summary court, imposing fines of Tk 171,000 and sentencing 633 individuals. Tejgaon division arrested 1,035 people, filed 550 cases, fined Tk 161,900, and sentenced 389 individuals. Wari division arrested 662 people, filed 361 cases, imposed fines of Tk 387,200, and sentenced 251 people. Similarly, Gulshan division handled 468 arrests and 321 cases, imposing fines of Tk 88,800 and sentencing 120; Mirpur division arrested 2,025, filed 1,017 cases, fined Tk 459,900, and sentenced 921. Ramna division recorded 690 arrests, 297 cases, fines of Tk 17,000, and 583 sentences; Lalbagh division had 485 arrests, 323 cases, fines of Tk 14,700, and 437 sentences; and Uttara division handled 578 arrests, 357 cases, fines of Tk 253,100, and 367 sentences. In traffic-related cases, DMP’s eight divisions filed 914 cases in March, of which 1,742 were resolved by the Special Metropolitan Magistrate with a total fine of Tk 318,700. Notably, Motijheel imposed fines of Tk 35,500 on 130 individuals, Tejgaon Tk 29,000 on 73, Wari Tk 41,500 on 172, Gulshan Tk 23,500 on 94, Mirpur Tk 38,500 on 121, Ramna Tk 61,000 on 106, Lalbagh Tk 28,700 on 78, and Uttara Tk 61,000 on 140 individuals. Summary courts under the Special Metropolitan Magistrate handle minor criminal offenses and cases punishable with light sentences, as allowed under the code of criminal procedure.

Two individuals have been fined Tk 70,000 after the Bangladesh Coast Guard (BCG) detained them while transporting about 2,000 litres of fuel oil illegally in Bhola. Following a tip-off, a team of BCG Bhola Base conducted a special drive near the Bheduria ferry ghat in Sadar upazila around 5pm on Thursday, BCG media officer Lieutenant Commander Sabbir Alam Sujan said. During the operation, the two individuals were found transporting 2,000 litres of fuel oil illegally in a steel-bodied boat. The seized fuel was later sold at market price at A Rahman & Sons Filling Station under the supervision of the executive magistrate of Sadar upazila. The offenders were fined Tk 70,000 and then released. The proceeds from the sale and fine have been deposited into the state treasury. The BCG said such operations will continue to maintain stability in the country’s energy market.  

Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) has arrested an Indian national carrying diamonds worth over Tk 6.62 crore along with various foreign currencies during a special operation in Jashore on Thursday. A BGB patrol team of Jashore Battalion (49 BGB) conducted the operation on the Jashore-Jhikargacha highway near Noyanhat based on secret intelligence. The team seized 155.76 grams of diamonds, valued at approximately Tk 6,61,39,590, and detained 52-year-old Sujauddin, a resident of Tamil Nadu, India, son of Abu Bakkar. During interrogation, Sujauddin revealed that he had collected the diamonds from smugglers in Dhaka and was transporting them to Kolkata, India, via Benapole to hand them over to unidentified recipients. He also admitted traveling multiple times over the past month between Thailand, Malaysia, Bangladesh, and India. The seized diamonds were examined by a representative of “Diamond World” in the presence of police and preliminarily confirmed to be genuine. In addition to the diamonds, authorities recovered Tk 5,530 in cash, 5,880 Indian rupees, 550 US dollars, 200 Thai baht, one mobile phone, and one digital watch. The total seizure value, including all items, stands at Tk 6,62,65,161. A case has been filed against the suspect, and he is being handed over to Jashore Kotwali Model Police Station. The seized diamonds and foreign currencies are being deposited at the Jashore Treasury. Lieutenant Colonel Golam Mohammad Saiful Alam Khan, commander of Jashore Battalion, said the operation aligns with BGB’s “zero tolerance” policy against smuggling. He added that the BGB remains vigilant to prevent the smuggling of drugs, gold, diamonds, and other contraband across the border.

Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) imposed Tk 2.61 lakh in fines and sentenced 51 individuals to various terms in jail during the 2nd day of the special drive to reclaim the sidewalks of roads and footpaths on Thursday. During the drive, the law enforcers and executive magistrate also seized goods that occupied roads and footpath illegally and evicted illegal structures established illegally on roads in different parts of the capital. According to sources from the Traffic Lalbagh Division, a total of Tk 6,000 was imposed as fine on 13 traders for violating regulations. The process of sending the detained individuals to court is underway. Besides, Traffic Wari Division said a special drive was carried out from Jatrabari intersection to the Signboard area and some illegal shops set up roadside and business establishments were evicted. A total of Tk 22,500 in fines was imposed on 13 traders for violating rules, while others were warned. Meanwhile, Traffic Ramna Division sources said, a drive was conducted in the Shahbagh Zone to free footpaths from illegal occupation, covering areas from Dhaka Medical College, Nimtoli, and Bangabazar to Golap Shah Mazar crossing. During the drive, 56 video cases and 12 instant cases were filed against illegally parked motorcycles. Besides, Tk 22,500 in fines was imposed through a mobile court and a number of goods were seized. On the other hand, sources from the Traffic Mirpur Division said that during a drive in the Pallabi Zone from Mirpur-10 to Mirpur-12, a total of Tk 55,000 was imposed as fines in 16 cases and roads were cleared of illegal occupation. Earlier on Wednesday, DMP imposed fines worth Tk 1.92 lakh and sentenced 23 people to different terms of imprisonment during a coordinated eviction drive to free roads and footpaths from illegal occupation across the capital. The drive will continue till April 5 at different locations, said Arifa Akhter Preeti, Assistant Police Commissioner of the Media and Public Relations Division of DMP.

Two separate mobile courts recovered 13,980 litres of illegally hoarded diesel in Narayanganj on Tuesday night, imposed fines and imprisoned the offenders. In the first operation, around 6 pm, authorities raided a location next to the Eidgah of Meghna Depot in Godnail, Siddhirganj, based on secret information, and seized 9,100 litres of diesel. The mobile court fined the hoarder, Md Sifat, Tk 6,000 and sentenced him to two months’ imprisonment. In a second operation, a raid at a house on SA Road near Meghna Depot in Godnail led to the seizure of 4,880 litres of diesel. The accused, Md Nasir, was fined Tk 3,000 and sentenced to one month in prison by the mobile court.

The submission of the investigation report in the sensational murder case of journalist couple Sagar Sarwar and Mehrun Runi was postponed once again, marking the 125th delay in filing the report. Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Ariful Islam has now fixed May 7 as the next date for submission. The investigating officer has provided explanations for the repeated delays. On February 9, the court had asked the officer to justify the failure to submit the report. The officer, Additional Superintendent of Police Md. Azizul Haque of the Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI), appeared in court in person and submitted a two-page written explanation. He told the court that the task force formed to probe the case includes several members in addition to him, which has caused some delay. The report will be submitted on the next scheduled date, he added. Sagar, News Editor of Masranga Television, and Runi, senior reporter of ATN Bangla, were killed on February 11, 2012. Runi’s brother, Nowshar Alam Roman, filed the murder case at Sher-e-Bangla Nagar Police Station. The accused in the case are Rafiqul Islam, Bakul Mia, Masum Mintu, Kamrul Islam alias Arun, Abu Saeed, the couple’s two home security guards Palash Rudra Pal and Enayet Ahmed, and their ‘friend’ Tanvir Rahman Khan. Among them, Tanvir is out on bail, while Palash Rudra Pal absconded after being granted bail. The remaining accused are in jail. Initially, the investigation was handled by a sub-inspector of the same police station. Four days later, the probe was handed over to the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DB), which failed to solve the case in over two months. Following a High Court directive, the investigation was transferred to the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) on April 18, 2012. On September 30 last year, the High Court withdrew RAB from the case and formed a high-powered task force comprising experienced investigators from various agencies, giving them six months to complete the probe. On October 17, the Ministry of Home Affairs’ Public Security Division officially formed the task force headed by the PBI chief, with four members working under it.

Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Md Asaduzzaman on Wednesday said a total of 142,983 false and harassment cases were filed against BNP leaders and activists between 2007 and January 11, 2025, citing data from the party’s central office. He came up with the information while replying to a starred question from treasury bench lawmaker Md Abdul Mannan (Brahmanbaria-5) in Parliament. The minister said the government does not maintain any official statistics on harassment or false cases filed against leaders and activists of political parties. “As such, there is no specific government data on cases filed only against BNP leaders and activists,” he said adding that the figure was based on information provided by the BNP central office. He said initiatives have been taken to withdraw politically motivated cases since the current government assumed office. He informed the House that a four-member district-level committee headed by the District Magistrate was reconstituted on March 5, 2026 to review applications and recommend withdrawal of such cases after examining FIRs, charge sheets and opinions of public prosecutors. Based on recommendations from these district committees, a six-member central committee—formed on March 8, 2026 took final decisions on case withdrawals, he added. The minister said that so far 23,865 politically motivated cases have already been withdrawn, while the process to withdraw the remaining cases is underway.

Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) has imposed fines worth Tk 1.92 lakh and sentenced 23 people to different terms of imprisonment during a coordinated eviction drive to free roads and footpaths from illegal occupation across the capital. The daylong special drives, conducted on Wednesday simultaneously in different parts of the capital. The drives were conducted from 10 am on both sides of roads in different areas including Moghbazar rail crossing area to Banglamotor area, Phulbaria Bus Stand-Bakshibazar to Chakharpool, Nightingle Intersection to Arambagh. Besides, Dholaipar to Jatrabari and Faruk Sarani, Indira Road, Green Road, Ananda Cinema Hall, Bashundhara and KarwanBazar area, Kazipara, Shewrapara, Taltala, Bhashantek and Mirpur-14 and BNS Centre to House Building North Tower and Kakoli Outgoing. The drive will continue till April 5 at different locations, said Arifa Akhter Preeti, Assistant Police Commissioner of the Media and Public Relations Division of DMP. During the drive, police removed illegal shops, extensions from roads and footpaths, imposing fines, seizing goods and taking legal action against violators. According to the Traffic Lalbagh Division, 13 people were arrested during a drive in the Goaalghat-Narinda area under Kotwali Traffic Zone for violating the law. Cases were filed under the Road Transport Act-2018 and goods were seized. The Traffic Wari Division conducted a special drive from Dholairpar to Jatrabari intersection and along Shaheed Faruk Sarani, evicting illegally set-up shops. Seven traders were fined a total of Tk 15,000, while others were warned. In the Traffic Ramna Division, a drive from Moghbazar intersection to Banglamotor signal cleared footpaths. Authorities filed 49 video cases and 10 on-the-spot cases against illegally parked motorcycles. A mobile court also fined Tk 15,000 and seized goods equivalent to nearly three pickup loads. The Traffic Mirpur Division carried out operations in Kazipara, Shewrapara and Bhashantek areas under Pallabi Zone, imposing fines of Tk 65,000 to six traders and clearing encroached roads. According to the Traffic Motijheel Division, a drive from Nightingale intersection to Fakirapool kitchen market resulted in the collection of around Tk 70,000 in fines and the arrest of 10 people. In the Traffic Tejgaon Division, operations were conducted in the Indira Road area to remove illegally placed goods from roads and footpaths and traders were given necessary instructions. The Traffic Gulshan Division warned around 50 shops for illegally occupying footpaths and fined offenders Tk 27,000. Meanwhile, the Traffic Uttara Division issued verbal warnings to shopkeepers for illegal occupation of footpaths. DMP said such drives will continue to ensure smooth movement of the public and maintain discipline on the roads.

Law Minister Md. Asaduzzaman on Wednesday said some 23,865 politically motivated cases to harass people have so far been withdrawn across the country. The Law Minister said this in Parliament while replying to a starred question from ruling party lawmaker elected from Dhaka-18 SM Jahangir Hossain during the day’s question-answer session in the House. He also informed that the process is on to withdraw the rest of the politically motivated cases to harass people through proper scrutiny filed by the fascist Awami League regime. Replying to another supplementary question from the lawmaker, Asaduzzaman said that when a person is acquitted by a court and proven innocent, it is his fundamental right to be treated with dignity and in accordance with the law. Responding to another supplementary question from Md Kamrul Hasan (Mymensingh-6), the Law Minister said that many teachers have been victims of cases in the past, even those who died 20 years ago, were also victimized through cases. “We have seen cases filed even against disabled persons and political leaders. We are aware of the nature of these cases,” he said. “We are continuing the process of withdrawing cases wherever possible. I would request the concerned individuals to submit applications to the respective ministries or departments.” He mentioned that the relevant departments will verify the cases that have been withdrawn and take necessary steps accordingly. However, he said, this matter does not directly fall under the Law Ministry.

Detectives from the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) have detained former Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Abdul Jalil Mondal from the capital’s Sabujbagh area on Monday evening. DMP's Detective Branch (DB) Joint Commissioner Nasirul Islam confirmed the matter to the media, saying that Mondal was picked up from his residence in Sabujbagh in the evening. Ex-MP Masud Uddin Chowdhury shown arrested in human trafficking case: DB He said the detention was carried out based on an arrest warrant issued against him in a case filed with the International Crimes Tribunal.