United News of Bangladesh

Police have arrested five people, including a police sub-inspector, a TV journalist and a Krishak League leader, over a major gold robbery on the Dhaka–Chattogram Highway in Gajaria upazila of Munshiganj. Police also recovered about 95 bhori gold, Tk 13.5 lakh, a microbus, police uniforms, handcuffs and a walkie-talkie. Superintendent of Police Md Menhajul Alam said, “The robbery took place on December 7. Two gold traders were travelling by bus from Dhaka to Chattogram when robbers wearing police uniforms stopped them. The robbers handcuffed them, took them off the bus and forced them into a microbus.” The victims were beaten, and the gang looted 145 bhori gold ornaments, two mobile phones, cash, two ATM cards and a national ID card. A bhori (11.664 grams) of 22-carat gold is currently priced at over Tk 2.1 lakh in Bangladesh, making the robbery worth nearly Tk 3 crore. The traders were later left tied up in Kaliganj upazila of Gazipur. Using technology, the Munshiganj DB police identified the suspects and arrested five of them from Tuesday to Wednesday. Police first arrested the microbus driver Zakir Hossain from Dhaka’s Kafrul and recovered 10 bhori gold and Tk 7 lakh from him. Soon after, Sub-Inspector Akhtaruzzaman Munshi was arrested from the third floor of the same building. Police recovered 43 bhori gold, handcuffs, a walkie-talkie and three sets of police uniforms from him. Based on their information, police arrested another suspect, Romjan, from Mirpur–Shah Ali area and recovered 20 bhori gold, a gold-measuring scale, an ID card and Tk 5 lakh. Another suspect named Romjan Ali, was arrested from Harirampur in Manikganj with 13 bhori gold and Tk 1.5 lakh. According to police, one member of the gang had already sold part of the stolen gold to Islam Jewellers in Mirpur. The shop owner, Ismail Hossain, has also been arrested. SI Akhtaruzzaman is a member of Dhaka Metropolitan Police’s Special Branch, Romjan works as a reporter for the private television channel ‘My TV’, and another Romjan Ali is a leader of Bangladesh Krishak League in Manikganj. The Superintendent of Police further said, “Police are trying to arrest one more fugitive suspect and are continuing efforts to recover the rest of the stolen gold.”

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) on Wednesday filed a case against 16 individuals including Bashundhara Group Chairman Ahmed Akbar Sobhan, two of his sons — Sadat Sobhan, Managing Director of Bashundhara Import and Export Ltd, and Safiat Sobhan, Director of the same company - on charges of embezzling Tk 600 crore from National Bank. ACC Director General (Prevention) Md Akhtar Hossain briefed reporters about the development on Wednesday. The case was lodged at the ACC’s Integrated District Office, Dhaka-1, by ACC Deputy Director Md Jahangir Alam as the complainant. According to the ACC list, the other accused are National Bank directors Monowara Sikder, Parveen Haque Sikder, Moazzem Hossain, Rick Haque Sikder, Ron Haque Sikder, Md Anwar Hossain and AKM Enamul Haque Shamim; the bank’s Credit Risk Management Division Vice President Hasina Sultana; Senior Executive Vice President and Manager Arif Md Shahidul Haque; Senior Assistant Vice President and Credit In-Charge Anisul Haque; Senior Assistant Vice President Sultana Parvin; Senior Assistant Vice President Subal Chandra Roy and Vice President Mohammad Kamrul Hasan Mithu. They have been charged under Sections 420/409/109 of the Penal Code, Section 5(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1947, and Sections 4(2) and 4(3) of the Money Laundering Prevention Act, 2012. According to the case statement, the accused “violated banking rules and approved and disbursed” Tk 600 crore in funded loans and Tk 750 crore in non-funded facilities — a total of Tk 1,350 crore — in favour of Bashundhara Import & Export Ltd without fulfilling loan conditions. The ACC alleges that the accused later embezzled the Tk 600 crore in funded loans through collusion by not returning the money. To “conceal the illegal source, location and ownership” of the embezzled funds, salaries and benefits of employees of East West Property Development Pvt Ltd were paid from the Bashundhara Branch of Social Islami Bank, which is linked to the Bashundhara Group. Another portion of the funds was allegedly transferred to the accounts of Rongdhonu Builders and other entities to adjust loans, withdraw cash, and facilitate transfer, conversion and layering of the money. The case cites the period of the alleged crime as between 2018 and 2024. Following the mass uprising that ousted the Awami League government on August 5, 2024, state agencies intensified probes into alleged corruption and irregularities involving major business groups close to the former regime. As part of this, the ACC has been investigating allegations against the Bashundhara chairman and his wife and sons, including “tax evasion, land grabbing, loan embezzlement, fund transfers, and money laundering and were also summoned for questioning.

The International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) on Wednesday ordered the publication of a notice in two national dailies to summon Sajeeb Wazed Joy, son of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, in a case related to crimes against humanity during the July-August uprising in 2024. A two-member judicial panel led by Chairman Justice Md. Golam Mortuza Majumder with Justice Md. Shafiul Alam Mahmud, issued the directive after hearing from Chief Prosecutor Mohammad Tajul Islam, who informed the tribunal that Joy, against whom an arrest warrant had been issued, was absconding. The tribunal granted the prosecution’s application to publish the notice and fixed December 17 for the next hearing. The other accused in the case, former ICT State Minister Zunaid Ahmed Palak, is in custody and was produced before the tribunal on Wednesday. Lawyer Liton Ahmed stood on behalf of Palak. The charges against Joy and Palak include concealing information about killings during the mass uprising by shutting down the internet, incitement to massacre, conspiracy, and involvement in the killings.

As the schedule for the 13th National Parliamentary Election is set to be announced on Thursday, the interim government urged people to refrain from holding any rallies or gatherings. All kinds of rallies and gatherings will be prohibited in the city once the election schedule is announced, said Talebur Rahman, deputy commissioner (media) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) on Wednesday. Legal action will be taken against anyone found violating this directive, it said. DMP has also sought the cooperation of all stakeholders to maintain law and order during this period.

The authorities have issued an order to remit the remaining jail terms of five inmates convicted of minor offences, paving the way for their release from different prisons across the country on the occasion of Victory Day. Bangladesh celebrates the surrender of the Pakistani occupation forces in 1971 as Victory Day on December 16. The order will be implemented immediately upon receipt, prison authorities said. Md Jannatul Farhad, Assistant Inspector General of Prisons (Media and Development), confirmed the matter.  

Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner Sheikh Md Sazzat Ali on Wednesday directed all police members to maintain absolute neutrality in the upcoming election and perform their duties with the highest sincerity and professionalism. He came up with the directives while addressing the monthly crime review meeting for November 2025 at the Bangladesh Police Auditorium in Rajarbagh. Addressing the newly appointed officers-in-charge (OCs) of different police stations, the DMP Commissioner said they must thoroughly understand the crime situation and overall environment of their respective areas and bring habitual offenders under the law promptly to control crime. Additional Police Commissioner (Administration) Md Sarwar said patrol activities have to be intensified at every police station to prevent and control crime, alongside installation of CCTV cameras at important locations. He also stressed the use of government motorcycles for patrolling purposes. Additional Police Commissioner (Crime and Operations) SN Md Nazrul Islam said new deputy commissioners and OCs must work based on the specific crime patterns of their respective areas. He urged officers to be more responsible in case disposal and execution of warrants, and to strengthen community policing and beat policing to verify identity documents during recruitment of housemaids and raise awareness about strangers.He also instructed police members to remain on high alert ahead of the upcoming Martyred Intellectuals Day and Victory Day. DMP bans public gatherings near CA’s residence, Secretariat At the meeting, Joint Police Commissioner (Crime) Md Faruk Hossain presented an overview of the overall crime situation in November 2025, including incidents of robbery, dacoity, theft, burglary, murder, unnatural death, road accidents, repression against women and children, rape, and cases related to drug and arms recovery. The DMP Commissioner also issued various directives to the attending officers. During the meeting, the DMP Commissioner awarded police officials of different ranks in several categories in recognition of their commendable work in maintaining law and order, controlling crime and ensuring public safety in the capital during November.    

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) conducted a drive at Sreepur Upazila Health Complex in Gazipur on Wednesday following allegations of irregularities in service delivery, poor hygiene and mismanagement of essential supplies. A team, led by Enamul Haque, assistant director of the ACC’s Gazipur office, carried out the operation around noon after receiving complaints about doctors’ absence, an unhygienic environment and anomalies in food and medicine distribution. The officials inspected the emergency department, outdoor unit, its kitchen and medicine distribution system from the morning. Several irregularities surfaced during the inquiry. After first observing the situation discreetly, the team later entered the hospital openly in their official attire. They found that for 50 patients, the kitchen was supposed to supply 8.2 kg of fish but provided only 5 kg. Instead of 1.5 kg of lentils, only 500 grams were supplied. The allocated 1.5 litres of oil was reduced to just half a litre. In terms of medicine distribution, patients received only three types of medicines instead of the prescribed eight. In some cases, medicines were marked as ‘distributed’ in the register despite not being provided. ACC official Enamul said the primary allegations were proven true. A report will be submitted to the commission, and legal action will follow accordingly.

The Appellate Division on Wednesday ruled that Bagerhat district will retain its four parliamentary seats, while Gazipur will continue with five. The seven-member full bench, headed by Chief Justice Dr Syed Refaat Ahmed, passed the order. Earlier, on November 10, a High Court (HC) ruling restored Bagerhat’s four seats and Gazipur five, rejecting a decision by the Election Commission (EC) to reduce Bagerhat’s seats from four to three. The HC also directed the EC to publish the updated gazette within 24 hours on that day. Shortly after the order, the EC and Md Salah Uddin Sarkar, a candidate from Ghazipur-6, filed separate petitions with the Appellate Division seeking a stay order on the ruling. On November 12, both appeals were first heard at the Appellate Division’s chamber court, which scheduled a full hearing for November 16 and ordered the status quo in the meantime. Meanwhile, the full HC verdict was published on the Supreme Court website on December 3. Following this, the EC and Gazipur-6 aspirant Sarkar Jabed Ahmed submitted two separate leave to appeals with the Appellate Division. Jamaat-e-Islami-nominated candidate Hafizur Rahman had also filed an appeal earlier. All these petitions were heard together. Attorney General Md Asaduzzaman represented the EC, while senior lawyer M Badruddoza Badal appeared for Jabed Ahmed while senior lawyer Mustafizur Rahman Khan represented Salah Uddin Sarkar. Ahead of the 13th parliamentary election, the EC had initially proposed on July 30 to reduce Bagerhat’s seats from four to three, igniting protests from political parties. On September 4, the EC issued the final gazette formalising the dropping Bagerhat seats from four to three. Bagerhat Press Club, Bagerhat district BNP, Jamaat-e-Islami, and other groups had submitted petitions challenging the legality of the EC gazette.

Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB)  have  seized various types of smuggled goods and contraband drugs worth over Tk 168.38 crore from different parts of the country including border areas in November. Besides, 403 Myanmar nationals were pushed back while attempting to enter Bangladesh illegally, said a BGB press release. The seized items included 2.266 kg of gold, 121 gram of silver, 17,234 saris, 21,338 pieces of three-piece sets, shirt pieces, chadars and blankets, 27,450 ready-made garments, 9,740 metres of than cloth, 3,40,380 cosmetics, 6,564 pieces of imitation jewellery, 10,09,421 fireworks, 6,216 cubic feet of wood, 1,284 kg of tea leaves, 11,479 kg of betel nut, 66,546 kg of coal, 12,890 cubic feet of stone, 597 kg of yarn and curtain materials, 15, 178 pieces of plastic or electric products, 445 mobile phones, 15, 145 mobile displays, 73,564 spectacles, 37,690 kg of cumin, 4,970 kg of sugar, 1,63, 490 kg of onion, 1,731 kg of garlic, 6, 320 kg of fertiliser, 4,680 packets of seeds, 2,684 packets of pesticides, 485 litres of diesel, 1,68,021 pieces of chocolate, 819 cows and buffaloes, 16 trucks or covered vans, 17 pickups or Mahindras, four tractors, two private cars or microbuses, 14 trolleys, 179 boats, 38 CNGs or easy bikes, 38 motorcycles, and 31 bicycles or vans. The BGB also recovered four locally made pistols, one hand grenade, two magazines, 19 rounds of ammunition, 2.300 kg of gunpowder, three mines, six cocktails and nine other weapons. Smugglers flee as BGB swoops in, huge drugs haul seized in Lalmonirhat A significant quantity of narcotics was also seized, including 20,58,789 Yaba tablets, 193 gram of heroin, 3,714 bottles of Phensedyl, 7,176 bottles of foreign liquor, 203.9 litres of locally made liquor, 608 cans of beer, 1,526.50 kg of marijuana, 1,17,581 packets of bidis and cigarettes, 50,585 narcotic tablets and injections, 3,463 bottles of Escafe syrup, 8,156 Anegra and Senegra tablets, 56, 120 tables of producing liquor, and 7,67,923 pieces of other medicines and tablets. During the drives, BGB arrested 159 smugglers,  detained 137 Bangladeshi citizens and two Indian citizens for illegal border crossing and involvement in drug trafficking. Legal action has been taken against them.

Domestic help Ayesha is believed to have killed the Mohammadpur woman and her teenage daughter before fleeing the flat with valuables, a crime that has stunned the city dwellers. The family’s this newly hired domestic help, Ayesha, stands accused of the double murder as she fled with valuables, according to the case filed by the victims’ husband and father, AZM Azizul Islam. Azizul filed the case with Mohammadpur Police Station on Monday night, hours after discovering the bodies of his wife, Layla Afroz, 48, and their daughter, Nafisa Binte Aziz, 15. A Trusted Face of Only Four Days According to the case statement, Ayesha had been working at the apartment as a part-time domestic help for just four days. Originally from Rangpur, police say she had been living with her uncle and aunt at Geneva Camp after reportedly losing her parents in a fire. Timeline Captured on CCTV Investigators have begun piecing together a chilling timeline from CCTV footage. The footage shows Ayesha arriving at the building at 7:51 am, dressed in a burqa. She is later seen leaving the flat around 9:35 am, but this time wearing Nafisa’s school uniform, a mask on her face, and carrying the teenager’s school bag. The complainant said valuables, including a mobile phone, laptop and gold jewellery were missing, suggesting burglary may have been a motive. Domestic help sued over Mohammadpur double murder Police suspect Ayesha went to the bathroom to wash off bloodstains before fleeing the crime scene. Officers recovered two sharp knives from the bathroom, believed to have been used in the murders. Father’s Horrific Discovery Azizul returned home at around 11 am and found his wife dead with multiple cut injuries. His daughter, though critically injured, was still alive. She was rushed to Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College Hospital, where doctors declared her dead. Police sources say Nafisa may have attempted to call building security through the intercom, only to find the line disconnected. Investigation Widens Police are now analysing the CCTV footage and other evidence to trace Ayesha’s movements after she left the building and to determine whether she acted alone or had external assistance. The building’s gateman, Malek, has been detained for questioning as investigators explore all possible angles. As the manhunt for Ayesha continues, the brutal killings have sparked renewed concerns over unverified domestic workers and building security lapses in Dhaka’s residential areas. Police say efforts are underway to track the suspect and bring clarity to a crime that has left a family shattered and a neighbourhood shaken.