United News of Bangladesh

The High Court on Sunday accepted for hearing the jail appeals filed by the two death-row convicts – Sohel Rana and his wife Swapna Akter – in the case filed over the rape and murder of eight-year-old Ramisa Akter. The HC bench of Justice Mohammad Ali and Justice Md Saifullah Islam passed the order. Attorney General Md Ruhul Quddus Kazal argued for the state during the hearing. On June 7, the Dhaka Metropolitan Children Violence Suppression Tribunal sentenced Sohel Rana and his wife Swapna Akter to death for the rape and murder of Ramisa Akter. Besides, Sohel Rana was fined Tk 5 lakh and Swapna Akter Tk 2 lakh under Section 9(2) of the Women and Children Repression Prevention Act. The court ordered that the fines be paid to the legal heirs of the victim. On June 9, the death reference (approval of the death sentence) was sent to the High Court. Following this, the convicts filed jail appeals through prison authorities on Thursday, seeking acquittal. The judgement in the sensational case was delivered in just 19 days following the incident, which sparked widespread outrage and prompted the government to pledge quick justice. On May 21, two days after the murder that took place on May 19, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman visited the house of Ramisa Akter and consoled the family. Earlier, on June 4, the tribunal completed arguments from both the prosecution and the defence. Before that, on June 3, it heard self-defence statements from the two accused after the testimony phase in the case concluded within a single day on June 2. Out of 18 witnesses, 16 made their depositions against Sohel Rana and his wife Swapna Akter before the tribunal. On June 1, the tribunal framed charges against the two accused in the case. Before that, on May 24, investigation officer of the case – Sub-Inspector Ohiduzzaman of Pallabi Police Station – submitted the charge sheet before the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (CMM) Court of Dhaka. Later, the case was transferred to the tribunal. Ramisa Akter was raped and murdered by Sohel Rana, a tenant of a neighbouring flat on the 2nd floor of the building, on May 19. According to the case details, Sohel Rana lured her into his room and later killed her after rape. Ramisa’s decapitated body was found beneath the bed while her severed head was found inside a bucket in the bathroom. While Swapna Akter was detained from the scene, Sohel Rana managed to escape by cutting through a window grille. He was tracked down and arrested by police later in Fatullah of Narayanganj.

Two devotees were injured as armed assailants opened fire inside a mosque during Fajr prayers in Khulna city early Sunday. The incident took place at the West Zone Power Distribution Company Limited (WZPDCL) Jame Masjid on the BL College Road in the Daulatpur area of the city. The injured were identified as Lokman Hakim, 55, son of late Jabbar, and Alam Sheikh, 56, son of late Abdul Khaleque of Uttar Kashipur under Khalishpur Police Station. According to witnesses, several armed attackers suddenly entered the mosque and opened fire targeting Lokman Hakim when he along with other devotees was offering Fajr prayers. The incident also left Alam Sheikh who was offering prayers by Loman Hakim. The attackers fled the scene immediately after the shooting. Hearing the gunfire, fellow devotees and local residents, who rushed to the mosque, rescued the injured and took them to Khulna Medical College Hospital. Hospital sources said Lokman Hakim was referred to Dhaka for advanced treatment as his condition was described as critical. Senior police officials visited the scene soon after the incident and collected evidence. Assistant Commissioner (Daulatpur Zone) of Khulna Metropolitan Police Md Shafiqul Islam said an investigation is underway to determine the motive behind the attack and identify the perpetrators. Additional police personnel have been deployed in the area, and the situation remained under control, he said. The attack inside a mosque triggered panic and outrage among devotees and local residents. They condemned the incident and demanded the arrest of those responsible.

Bangladesh Islami Chhatra Shibir central Assistant Secretary for International Affairs and former president of its Cumilla West district unit, Jisan Mia Pradhan, who was reported missing from Daudkandi on Friday night, and rumoured to have been abducted by state forces (enforced disappearance)was not abducted but had voluntarily gone into hiding to avoid the consequences of a rape allegation, Cumilla district police claimed on Saturday. The information was disclosed by Cumilla Superintendent of Police (SP) Md Anisuzzaman at a press conference held at the district police office around 3pm. According to police, Jisan’s cousin, Md Russell Ahmed, filed a General Diary (GD) with Daudkandi Model Police Station on June 12, stating that Jisan had gone missing from the Daudkandi Bazar area around 8:30pm on June 11. Following the GD, multiple police teams launched an investigation using information technology and intelligence-based tracking. During the investigation, police found that Jisan had become acquainted with a 25-year-old widow through Facebook about five to six months ago and later developed a romantic relationship with her. Police claimed that on May 20, Jisan allegedly raped the woman at his rented residence in Daudkandi by promising to marry her. The woman later alleged that she was subjected to sexual relations multiple times under the same promise, resulting in pregnancy. According to the complaint, she was later pressured to terminate the pregnancy and was given medication to abort the baby. Police said that when the woman began pressing for marriage, Jisan assured her that he would marry her on June 12. However, in order to avoid her, he allegedly went into hiding on the night of June 11. The investigation initially revealed that the missing incident had been portrayed as an abduction and that the GD had been filed through his cousin to support that narrative, police said. Meanwhile, local residents apparently found Jisan in an unconscious state in the Laksam Junction Road area of Cumilla city around 9:45pm on Friday. Laksam police later took custody of him and admitted him in hospital. After regaining consciousness, Jisan claimed that he had been abducted and transported in a vehicle. However, police said there was no evidence supporting an abduction occurring. The woman with whom he carried on the affair, meanwhile,  has filed a case under the Women and Children Repression Prevention Act with Daudkandi Model Police Station. In the case, Jisan was named as the principal accused along with three others on charges of rape, aiding and abetting rape, causing abortion and criminal intimidation. Police said three people have been detained and are being questioned in connection with the case. The investigation is ongoing, police added.

Two policemen have been withdrawn after Bangladesh national cricket team spinner Nayeem Hasan was physically assaulted and manhandled by some policemen in Lal Khan Bazar area of Chattogram port city. They are sub-inspector Md. Shafiqul Islam Bhuiyan and constable Md. Russell Chowdhury. Nayeem’s brother Sabbir Hasan filed a case against three people including the two cops with Khulshi Police Station over allegations of assaulting and harassing Nayeem Hasan. According to the case statement, Nayeem Hasan returned to Chattogram from Dhaka by air late Friday night. While travelling home from the airport by CNG-run auto-rickshaw, he was intercepted near the Lal Khan Bazar flyover around 1:00 am by a patrol team of police. The police officers beat Nayeem up despite identifying himself as a national cricketer and taken to Khulshi Police Station around 2:00am where he was mistreated again without being informed of any specific charges. Nayeem claimed that he was struck with a baton and physically assaulted inside the police station. The incident sparked widespread criticism across sporting and public circles. Officer-in-Charge of Khulshi police station Arifur Rahman said SI Shafiqul had not informed him about the operation before and that he only learned about Nayeem’s identity after he was brought to the station. Police later expressed regret and requested Nayeem to leave the station respectfully, he said. However, Nayeem’s family reportedly insisted they would not leave until those involved are punished. Another accused in the case is police informant Sohel. SI Shafiqul Islam Bhuiyan and Constable Russell Chowdhury have been withdrawn from their posts, said sources at Chattogram Metropolitan Police while police arrested Sohel in this connection. Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) strongly condemned the matter and called for swift intervention.

A listed top criminal was shot by unidentified assailants in the Rampura area of the capital on Friday afternoon. The victim was identified as Yasin Khan Palash alias Kalya Palash. Officer-in-Charge of Hatirjheel Police Station Md Asaduzzaman said Palash was standing near Ekramunnesa Girls’ High School on the opposite side of the BTV head office on his way home after offering Jummah prayers at a local mosque. Two unidentified men arrived on a motorcycle and opened fire on him around 2:00pm before fleeing the scene, he said, adding that Palash was rescued and taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital. Further details about the incident were not available immediately.

An alleged attempt by India’s Border Security Force (BSF) to push 12 people into Bangladesh through the Pragpur border in Daulatpur upazila of Kushtia district was foiled by the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and local residents on Friday morning. Locals said the group – comprising four women, four men and four children – was brought close to the border early in the morning for an attempted push-in. However, they remained inside the India territory after the attempt was blocked. Local residents said they are working in coordination with BGB to monitor the border round the clock. They also emphasised that no illegal entry into Bangladesh will be allowed. Meanwhile, BGB personnel used loudspeaker announcements along the border, warning against illegal crossings. In addition, patrols have been intensified, and additional forces have been deployed at 14 Border Outposts (BOPs) in the Daulatpur border area.  

Following the government's cancellation of its license, Ad-din Hospital authorities in a appeal on Thursday expressed hope that the government would allow them to continue regular hospital operations for the interest of patients until a final decision is reached on the matter. The hospital authorities emphasized that despite the unwanted and tragic incident, all medical services at the Moghbazar facility—widely considered a reliable healthcare destination for lower-middle and middle-class citizens—remain fully functional and regular. "To ensure that ongoing patient care is not disrupted, all healthcare departments are operating normally," said Tarikul Islam Mukul, Director of Company Affairs at Ad-din Foundation. The Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) has cancelled the operational license of Ad-din Medical College Hospital in the capital's Moghbazar following the recent tragic deaths of six newborn babies. According to a notification issued by the DGHS, the hospital management has been given 30 days to appeal to the government against the license cancellation order. The hospital authorities in a statement said that a total of 416 patients are currently admitted across various departments of the hospital. On June 11 alone, the outpatient department (OPD) provided medical consultations and services to approximately 1,000 patients. Furthermore, the hospital’s critical care units are heavily occupied, with 60 newborns currently receiving treatment in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), 20 patients admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), and four patients under close monitoring in the Coronary Care Unit (CCU). The hospital management re-emphasized that a sudden halt to operations would trigger a severe healthcare crisis for the hundreds of critically ill individuals and infants currently under their care.  

The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has arrested a man for allegedly embezzling money by impersonating a judge and using an artificially generated version of his voice to deceive victims. The arrestee was identified as Md Mehedi Hasan Mim, 27, son of Mohammad Abdul of Ramaigachi village in Natore district, said Jasim Uddin Khan, Special Police Superintendent (Media) of the CID. A team from the Cyber Investigation and Operations unit of the Cyber Police Center (CPC) arrested him from his residence in Natore on Wednesday night. According to the case statement, the complainant was serving as a Joint District and Sessions Judge when the incident took place. An unidentified fraudster allegedly used the judge’s name, identity and designation to spread false and misleading information among his friends, colleagues and relatives in an attempt to extort money. The accused allegedly used artificial intelligence technology to imitate the judge’s voice and contacted several people known to him, claiming that his mother had died at a hospital in Dhaka and that he urgently needed money to cover hospital and ambulance expenses. Believing the story to be genuine, one victim transferred Tk50,000 to the fraudsters through a mobile financial service (MFS). Similar attempts were also made to collect money from several other friends, colleagues and acquaintances of the judge through calls and messages. After learning about the incident, the judge filed a case with Sherpur Sadar Police Station. During initial interrogation, the accused reportedly admitted his involvement in the incident and provided important information related to the case, the CID said. He has been produced before the concerned court for further legal proceedings. The CID urged the public to remain vigilant against such scams and to verify information before making any financial transactions.

The International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) will deliver its judgement any day in a crimes against humanity case filed against Awami League Joint General Secretary Mahbubul Alam Hanif and three others in connection with the killing of six people in Kushtia during July 2024 uprising. The three-member ICT-2, led by Justice Nozrul Islam Chowdhury, kept the verdict on curia advisari vult (CAV), a Latin term meaning the tribunal reserves the judgement, after concluding arguments from both sides in the case. State-appointed defence counsel Amir Hossain presented arguments on behalf of the accused, while Prosecutor Mizanul Islam rebutted the defence submissions. Prosecutors Faruk Ahmed, Abdus Sattar Palowan and others were present during the proceedings. The other accused are Kushtia district Awami League President Sadar Uddin Khan, General Secretary Azgar Ali and Kushtia town unit General Secretary Ataur Rahman Ata. All four accused are currently absconding. Earlier, on June 7, the prosecution concluded its arguments, seeking the highest punishment for the accused. Arguments in the case began on May 11. On November 2 last year, the ICT-2 framed charges against the four accused.

Muggers stabbed a police sub-inspector (SI) and snatched case-related documents from his possession in Bogura city early Wednesday. The injured officer, identified as SI Moinul Islam, is posted at the Kaigari Police Outpost under Bogura Metropolitan Police. He is currently undergoing treatment at Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Medical College Hospital in Bogura. SI Moinul was travelling on a motorcycle from Banani towards the Kaigari Police Outpost when several muggers intercepted him around 1.00 am. At one stage, the attackers snatched case documents he was carrying and stabbed him in the right leg before fleeing the scene. Ashiq Iqbal, Officer-in-Charge(OC) of Shahjahanpur Police Station, said police have launched an operation to identify and arrest those involved in the attack. He downplayed concerns that the attack was aimed at snatching the important documents. “The reason behind the attack has not yet been confirmed,” he said.