Law-&-Order
Section 144 imposed in parts of Cox’s Bazar, Rangamati to avert possible AL-BNP clash
Local administrations of Cox’s Bazar’s Pekua and Rangamati’s Kaptai upazilas imposed Section 144 of the CrPC, that restricts freedom of assembly - effectively a curfew - in their respective areas on Sunday to avert any untoward situation after yet another instance of local units of the two main political parties calling for clashing or back-to-back programs that greatly increase the security risk in any setting.
Local law enforcement resources around the country have been frequently stretched in this manner in the last few months, but also throughout the year.
The curfew imposed by Pekua upazila administration has been in force from 6am, and is supposed to go till 9pm. All types of public gatherings within the upazila’s Sikder Para Stadium and Kabir Chowdhury Bazar areas were banned during the curfew.
The curfew was imposed through a notification signed by Pekua Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Purbita Chakma.
BNP’s Pekua upazila unit had called for a rally protesting the recent fuel price hike on Sunday, while the local AL unit had called for a mourning program simultaneously.
On Saturday night, AL and BNP activists took positions in the upazila’s Chowmuhani and Stadium areas, which compelled the local administration to impose Section 144 fearing the eruption of a clash.
Read: Section 144 imposed in Barishal’s Hijla over fears of AL infighting
On the other hand, Kaptai upazila administration issued a notification signed by Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Muntasir Jahan on Saturday night, banning all types of meetings and demonstrations in Kaptai Sadar area from 6:00am to 6:00pm on Sunday.
According to Muntasir, the Kaptai unit of BNP was taking preparations for a rally to be held on Sunday protesting the price hike of fuel and daily essentials, while the local AL had also called for a protest rally on the same day demanding the hanging of BNP leader Tarique Rahman.
“As there was a possibility for the deterioration of the law and order situation, we had to impose Section 144 to maintain peace and stability in the area,” said the UNO.
Army to join drive against terrorism, drugs in Rohingya camps: Home Minister
Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan on Sunday said that the army will take part in the joint operations to be launched in the Rohingya camps to control terrorist activities and spread of drugs.
The minister said this emerging from the fifth meeting of the ‘National Committee on Forcibly Displaced Rohingya People’s Coordination, Management and Law and Order Situation’ at the Secretariat.
“We’re witnessing frequent terrorist activities inside the Rohingya camps. Bloodshed is going on in the camps without any reason. Sometimes even drugs from Myanmar are finding their ways to the camps. That’s why we’ve decided to conduct information-based joint operations to put an end to the menaces,” said Asaduzzaman.
“Currently, Police, Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), Rab, Ansar and Armed Police Battalion (APBn) members are working in the camps. We’ve decided that from now on, the military will also join hands with these forces and carry out joint drives to make the Rohingya camps secure for its inhabitants,” he added.
He informed that the government sometimes fail to identify Rohingya criminals because they use Myanmar’s network systems.
“We’re trying our best so that Rohingyas use Bangladeshi network systems. This will make the identification of Rohingya criminals easier,” said the minister.
The home minister also said that the government is setting up a system which will ensure constant surveillance of the Rohingya people.
Read: Requested US, UK, Japan to take Rohingyas from Bangladesh: FM
“The construction of security walls around the camps is in its final stage. Building of patrol roads is going to be finished soon. We’ll also build watchtowers at various points inside the camps so that Rohingyas can’t escape our eyes,” Kamal said.
About the government’s initiative to control the birth in the camps, the minister said that the process to formulate a SOP is underway.
“The health ministry and the Islamic Foundation are jointly working on this issue. Volunteers, Imams of local mosques and NGO workers are also going door to door and making the Rohingyas aware of the benefits of birth control,” said Asaduzzaman.
On controlling the movement of drugs, the minister said that registration of fishing trawlers that ply on the Naf river is going on.
Replying to a question, he said that the government is discussing the Rohingya repatriation issue with Myanmar.
“We’re trying to repatriate the Rohingyas to Myanmar from day one. Both our foreign minister and I talked to Myanmar’s then leader Aung San Suu Kyi personally about the issue. Each time we go to the discussion table with a hope that the matter will be resolved soon. I hope that we’ll be able to find a solution to the problem within a very short time,” said the minister.
Replying to another question, he said that the government is yet to receive proposals from countries that are interested in relocating Rohingyas.
“We’re reviewing the countries that have showed interest in the relocation of the Rohingyas. The foreign ministry is working on it. We’ll request the interested countries to take as much Rohingyas as possible,” said the minister.
At present, Bangladesh is hosting over 1.1 million Rohingya people in camps located in Cox’s Bazar and Bhasan Char island.
Testimony recording begins in actor Sohel Chy’s murder case
The official trial proceedings in the sensational 24-year-old murder case of actor Sohel Chowdhury finally began Sunday, starting with the recording of the testimonies of witnesses.
Dhaka Speedy Trial Tribunal-2 Judge Zakir Hossain recorded the statement of the plaintiff Towhidul Islam Chowdhury , brother of Sohel Chowdhury on the first day.
Of the nine accused, Ashish Roy Chowdhury, Sanzidul Islam Imon, and Tariq Sayeed Mamun were produced before court from jail at Sunday’s hearing. While, accused Faruq Abbasi who is currently on bail was also present at the court.
Also read: Sohel Chowdhury murder: Accused Ashish sent to jail in narcotic case
Other five accused, Adnan Siddiqui, Afakul Islam alias Bunty Islam, owner of Trumps Club, businessman Aziz Mohammad alias Abdul Aziz and Selim Khan, and Harun Ur Rashid alias Leather Liton were not produced before court on Sunday.
On December 9, 1998, actor Sohel Chowdhury was shot dead outside the now defunct Tramps Club, housed in Abedin Tower in Banani’s Road 17.
A murder case was filed in this regard at Gulshan police station followed by a complaint lodged by Sohel’s brother Towhidul Islam Chowdhury.
On 30 July, 1999, Detective Branch of Dhaka Metropolitan Police submitted a charge sheet against nine people including Businessman and producer Ashish Roy Chowdhury alias Bottle Chowdhury in this case.
On 30 October, 2001, Dhaka’s third additional metropolitan session judge court framed charges against the nine accused.
In 2003, after two years of indictment, the case was transferred to Dhaka Speedy Trial Tribunal. The same year the High Court stayed the case proceeding upon receiving appeal from one of the accused.
Also read: Actor Sohel Chowdhury murder: accused held after 24 years
After 19 years, on February 27, 2022, the trial in this case resumed after the High Court withdrew the stay order.
Kushtia: 10th grader stabbed after refusing youth's proposal
A youth allegedly stabbed a tenth-grader after she refused his proposal of a relationship in Jhaudia Bazar area of the district town on Saturday afternoon.
Police, however, detained a man, who allegedly assisted the youth in stabbing her, from the area at night.
The victim girl, who has been undergoing treatment at a hospital, said one of the elder brothers of the locality named Ashraful Islam conveyed a message to her through a man to meet him at a restaurant after her tuition in the afternoon.
“I found Rana, who proposed to me, at the restaurant where the elder brother had also been earlier,” she said.
Rana locked into an altercation with her over the refusal of his proposal and stabbed her with sharp weapons when she finally cleared her stance about the relationship, the victim said from her hospital bed.
Read: Khulna college student stabbed to death
Dr Ashraful Alam, a residential medical officer of the hospital, said the body bore marks of injuries made by sharp weapons like blade or knife.
Annur Jayed, officer-in-charge of Kushtia Islami University Police Station, said they have already detained the accomplice Ashraful from the area.
Efforts are on to nab the main accused Rana and a process is underway to register a case, he added.
Police recover SI's wife's hanging body; cause of death unclear
Police recovered the hanging body of a sub-inspector's wife from a house in Tilpapara of the capital on Saturday.
The deceased was identified as Nilufa Akhter Hasi (36). She was the wife of Sub-Inspector Bazlur Rashid. He is currently working in the Mechanical department of the Special Branch (SB).
Being informed, a team of Khilgaon Police Station, went to the flat of SI Bazlur Rahman on Saturday morning and recovered the hanging body of Nilufa Akhter. The body was later sent to Dhaka Medical College morgue in the afternoon for autopsy.
Officer In-charge (OC) of Khilgaon police station Md Farukul Akam said Nilufa, daughter of Md Hatem Ali of Sujanagar upazila in Pabna district, had been living in the flat with her husband. She left behind one son and two daughters.
Family members claimed that the woman had been suffering from various diseases and it is being assumed she committed suicide, the OC said.
Meanwhile, talking to reporters at the Dhaka Medical College Hospital's morgue, Nilufar's maternal uncle Abdul Mannan said that Nilufa was physically ill. However, her relationship with her husband and son was not so good. "
I came to know information through relatives that Nilufa died by hanging. After that, I went to her Tilpapara house around 1:30 p.m. and found Nilufa lying dead on the floor. The police were present there," he said.
He also said, "We cannot say how she died. She may have committed suicide."
However, there was no complaint filed till the filing of this report.
Body of 8th grader recovered from his school’s toilet in Sherpur
The body of an 8th grader was recovered from an open toilet of his school in Bhimganj Bazar area of the district town on Friday morning, said police.
Identified as Mohammad Rimon, the 16-year-old boy was son of Sagor Mia of Khunia Madhyapara village under the Sadar upazila and the student of Daffodil School.
The victim’s mother Rasheda Begum, in choked voice, said that Rimon went out of house on Thursday evening saying he was going to his maternal grandfather's home.
“In the morning we heard the news of his death,” she said.
Read: College teacher Utpal murder: Prime accused held in Gazipur
Local people said they smelt a bad odour from the toilet while they were passing by it around 11am, though the school remained closed due to the weekly holiday.
Later, they found body of the schoolboy lying in the open toilet and informed police.
Bachhir Ahmed, Officer-in-charge (OC) of Sadar Police Station, said on information they rushed to the spot and recovered the body and sent it to Sadar Hospital morgue for autopsy.
Though there were marks of injuries on the right side of head, the exact reason for his death will be known following the autopsy, he said.
Meanwhile, teams of Criminal Investigation Department and Detective Branch and Police Bureau of Investigation inspected the spot and collected samples, the OC added.
Rab nab six alleged robbers in Narayanganj
Rab said on Friday they arrested six members of an alleged inter-district robbery gang including its kingpin, while preparing for robbery from Purbobhabnathpur area under Sonargaon upazila.
The elite force also recovered a foreign pistol, one round of bullet, one Chinese axe and locally made other sharp weapons from the possession of the arrestees during the drive, said a press release signed by Lieutenant Colonel Tanvir Mahmud Pasha, commandant of the Rab-11.
The arrested robbers have been identified as leader Shakawat Hossain Rony, 25 and his accomplices Md Sohail, 32, Md Shahidul Islam, 26, Al Amin, 23, Md Ismail, 38, and Sujoy Dey, 30.
Acting on a tip-off, a team of the Rab-11 conducted a drive and arrested the men, said the press release
In the preliminary interrogation, the men confessed to committing robberies at two places of Araihazar upazila in the district on April 6 and 24 this year.
Ringleader Rony admitted that he used to introduce himself as grandmaster of Kachpur’s “Bandhu Dance Academy” and staged dance on several functions including weddings and birthdays, and develop a close relationship with rich people taking advantage as a performer, the press release said.
Read: Robbery & rape in Tangail moving bus: Mastermind among 10 held
Later, the kingpin and his cohorts committed robbery at their targeted houses holding people hostage at gun point.
Moreover, the men have been involved in robberies in Dhaka, Narayanganj, Gopalganj and adjoining districts for long, targeting houses of expatriates and rich people, it claimed.
A case related to the incident was filed against the men at the local police station, the release added.
Three RNB men held for assaulting Armyman in Ctg
Three members of the Railway Nirapatta Bahini (RNB) caught on video assaulting and abusing an Army personnel at Chattogram Railway Station have been arrested.
The arrestees have been identified as Md Main Hossain Rakib, 23, Riton Chakma, 24, and Md Rabiul Islam.
The three accused were arrested during a drive conducted by Rapid Action Battalion (Rab-7) members on the station premises on Thursday afternoon, the elite force told reporters on Friday.
Also read: Two RNB members held for selling tickets in black market
On August 8, the Bangladesh Armyman bought a ticket for a Dhaka-bound mail train from the Chattogram railway station. As he was about to board the train, the accused demanded Tk 300 extra from him.
When he refused to pay them the money and said it was illegal, the accused verbally abused the victim, then beat him up and made derogatory remarks against the Army.
Also read: Journalists assaulted at Victor Trading Corporation; CRAB condemns, demands justice
The entire incident was captured by a journalist, Abbas Uddin, who also protested against the illegal act. The video later went viral on social media.
"The three accused admitted to their crime. Legal action is underway against the arrestees," the Rab said.
Three fake rights activists jailed in Magura
A Magura court has sentenced three people to one-and-a-half years of rigorous imprisonment for collecting money from a pharmacy owner in the guise of human rights activists.
The court of district senior judicial magistrate handed down the punishment to Kalpana Roy, Hasina Begum and Uttam Kumar Biswas, all residents of Shalikha upazila of Magura, on Thursday.
The court also imposed a fine of Tk 1,000 on each of them. The convicts will have to serve two more months in prison in case of their failure to pay the fine.
Also read: Fake medicine gang busted by DB; 20 lakh pieces seized
According to the case statement, on December 12, 2017, the convicts introduced themselves as human rights activists to a pharmacy owner in Singra Bazar and took money from him.
Also read: Fake army man held in Satkhira
The pharmacy owner, however, became suspicious and informed the police who subsequently arrested the trio. Later, a case was lodged at the Shekhor police station in this connection.
Five held over Karail slum grocer murder
Police have arrested five people from Karail slum in Dhaka's Banani in grocer Al-Amin murder case.
Al-Amin, a grocer at Karail slum, was murdered in a "swift, bloody and merciless" knife attack over two groups' fight for control of extortion in the area.
A team of the Detective Branch (DB) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) arrested Mohammad Ali, 55, Md Khaja, 45, Md Amzad, 33, Md Rasel, 35 and Md Masud Rana, 19 Tuesday and seized sharp weapons from their possession.
There are several groups in the slum who regularly engage in turf battles, Harun-or-Rashid, additional commissioner of DB, said.
Read: 4 held over Tongi businessman murder
On August 17, an altercation broke out between the Ali-Nuru and Ripon-Jewel groups.
Al-Amin of the Ripon-Jewel group suffered serious wounds after being repeatedly stabbed by the Ali-Nuru group during the clash. The grocer was rushed to the hospital where he succumbed to his injuries.
Later two cases were filed at Banani Police Station over the murder of Al-Amin.
Legal actions will be taken against the arrestees, Harun-or-Rashid said.