United News of Bangladesh

A Faridpur court on Monday acquitted six of the 12 accused in the controversial Tk 10 crore curtain scam case at Faridpur Medical College Hospital. The case, filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), involved alleged corruption in equipment procurement and attempted embezzlement. Faridpur Special Judge’s Court Judge Md. Sharifuddin passed the order after hearing the charge framing. Those acquitted are Mizanur Raman, associate professor of the surgical department; Sheikh Abdul Fattah, former professor of the medicine department; Md. Alamgir Fakir, former sub-divisional engineer of Faridpur Public Works Department; Abdus Sattar, social service officer; Omar Faruk, engineer of Faridpur Medical College Hospital; and Mia Mortaza Hossain, engineer of Nimue & TC Dhaka Headquarters. Of the remaining six accused, former professor of pediatrics Barun Kanti Biswas and contractor Munshi Kafrul Hossain are absconding. The other four—Abdullah Al Mamun of M/s Anik Traders, Munshi Sajjad Hossain, former senior consultant eye Enamul Haque, and Md. Alamgir Kabir of M/s Ali Traders—are out on bail. The case dates back to 2015, when contracting firms M/s Anik Traders and M/s Ali Traders supplied goods worth Tk 10 crore for the opening of the ICU department. After not receiving payment, the companies approached the High Court, which directed the ACC to investigate. Following the investigation, ACC filed a case on November 27, 2019, against three doctors and three contractors associated with the procurement committee. The case saw several revisions of charge sheets, with 12 people eventually facing charges as of August 31, 2025. ACC Public Prosecutor Kubbat Hossain said April 6 was the day for charge framing, resulting in acquittal of six accused while charges were framed against the remaining six. Lawyer MA Samad, representing the acquitted, described the case as harassment. He said, “The two contracting companies supplied goods worth Tk 10 crore for the ICU unit, but the government did not pay them. Where there is no embezzlement, high-profile individuals were harassed over alleged ‘attempted embezzlement.’ Their signatures on contract tenders were treated as a crime. Despite the accusations, the ICU unit has served the public effectively over the years.” The case, widely reported as the “curtain scandal,” drew national attention after it was revealed that the cost of ICU curtains alone was Tk 37.5 lakh.

Authorities have seized a total of 4,48,456 litres of illegally stored fuel during drives conducted across the country up to April 5, the Energy Division said in a statement on Monday. A total of 6,242 drives were carried out between March 3 and April 5, resulting in 2,456 cases being filed. The statement added that fines totaling Tk 1,25,39,500 were imposed, and 31 people were sentenced to imprisonment during the drives. The seized fuel included 3,33,157 litres of diesel, 36,405 litres of octane, and 78,894 litres of petrol. Meanwhile, the government on Monday ordered that fairs, trade fairs, cultural programmes, and billboard lights be shut by 7:00 pm to save electricity and energy nationwide.

The Department of Narcotics Control (DNC) in separate drives arrested two alleged drug traders – one dubbed “Heroin Queen” and the other “Yaba King” – along with a large quantity of drugs. According to the DNC, a team from the Uttara Circle of Dhaka Metro North conducted a drive at Demra in Dhaka around 5:00pm on Sunday and arrested Hosne Ara Begum, 38, from a four-storey building in Purbo Dogair. Hosne Ara, wife of Abu Taher, hails from Chargaon village under Srinagar upazila of Munshiganj. Law enforcers recovered 400 grams of heroin and 500 Yaba tablets from her possession. Based on information provided by the arrestee during primary interrogation, another drive was conducted in the Chanpara Bottola area under Rupganj upazila of Narayanganj. Md Idris, 45, was arrested from a third-floor flat of a building owned by Sagar Ahmed. He is a resident of Douyapara village under Daudkandi upazila of Cumilla. During the drive, officials seized 20,000 Yaba tablets from his possession. The drives were led by DNC Uttara Circle Inspector Dewan Mohammad Zillur Rahman, said Deputy Director Shamim Ahmed. The DNC said Hosne Ara used to collect heroin from Benapole border in Jashore and distribute it to various locations, including Dayaganj in Old Dhaka. Idris, meanwhile, allegedly smuggled Yaba through the Cumilla border and supplied it to different areas in Narayanganj’s Chanpara and parts of Dhaka. Payments for the drugs were made through hundi channels, the DNC said.  

Newly appointed Director General of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) Md Ahsan Habib Palash on Sunday said the force has not yet received any request from the International Crimes Tribunal regarding allegations of enforced disappearances and crossfire incidents but pledged full cooperation if approached. Any request related to judicial proceedings would be duly honoured, he said a media briefing at the RAB Media Centre in the capital’s Karwan Bazar. Responding to a question about the Chief Prosecutor’s remarks on summoning and examining RAB’s crossfire records, the DG said, “If any cooperation is sought in relation to the judicial process, RAB will provide it. We will share whatever information we have and if any information is unavailable, we will inform accordingly. However, the tribunal has not yet contacted us.” On reported domestic and international calls for disbanding RAB, he said such decisions lie with the government. “RAB’s responsibility is to carry out its assigned duties properly and build public trust through its work,” he added. Addressing allegations that the force was used for political purposes in the past, the DG said recent activities suggest a decline in major irregularities. “If managed properly, RAB can play a constructive role,” he said. On tackling piracy and separatism, he said intelligence surveillance has been strengthened and operations are being conducted based on gathered information. Without directly commenting on militancy, he said RAB continues to work against all forms of terrorism and will maintain that effort in the future. Expressing concern over the rise of juvenile gangs, he said the problem is increasing across the country. “Police and RAB are working jointly, but bringing juveniles under the law often remains challenging,” he noted, urging journalists to support efforts through investigative reporting. Regarding the possible renaming or restructuring of RAB, he said it is entirely a policy matter for the government. “Our priority is to perform our duties. Internal investigations into allegations of human rights violations are ongoing, and no one will be spared,” he said. On US sanctions, the DG acknowledged that the situation stemmed from past shortcomings. “If those are addressed, we hope such sanctions will not continue in future,” he added.

Eight platoons of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) have been deployed to maintain law and order for the Bogura-6 (Sadar) by-election scheduled to be held on April 9. According to a BGB handout issued on Saturday, the deployment aims to ensure that the by-election is held in a free, fair, impartial and peaceful manner. As per the instructions of the Election Commission, BGB personnel will remain on duty in the constituency until April 11. The eight platoons, drawn from BGB’s Naogaon Battalion (16 BGB) and Patnitala Battalion (14 BGB), have already begun their duties by setting up three base camps in Bogura Sadar upazila. BGB members will be deployed as both mobile and static forces to maintain overall law and order, including conducting patrols before, during and after the election. BGB said it regularly assists the civil administration in maintaining internal law and order across the country. As part of this role, its members will work in coordination with other law enforcement agencies during the by-election. The force expressed hope that voters will be able to cast their votes without hindrance and that the election will be conducted in a peaceful and orderly manner. The by-election was necessitated after the Bogura-6 seat fell vacant as Prime Minister Tarique Rahman relinquished the seat while retaining the Dhaka-17 constituency.

A five-member committee has been formed to investigate the fire at a tin-shed gas lighter factory in Kadamtali of Keraniganj that left at least five people dead. The committee is headed by the Director (Operations and Maintenance) of the Fire Service and Civil Defence (FSCD), said Shahjahan Sikder, Deputy Assistant Director of the FSCD headquarters media cell. The committee has been asked to submit its report within seven working days. The fire broke out around 1pm at the factory, which manufactured gas lighters. Seven firefighting units rushed to the scene around 1:16pm after receiving the information and brought the blaze under control around 2:30pm, he added. The fire was completely extinguished at 4:44pm.

Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) has seized smuggled Indian goods worth nearly Tk 2 crore in separate drives conducted along the Brahmanbaria and Cumilla border areas. According to BGB’s Sultanpur Battalion (60 BGB), the drives were carried out on Saturday based on specific intelligence in border areas of Kasba upazila in Brahmanbaria and Brahmanpara and Adarsha Sadar upazilas in Cumilla. Patrol teams from Khadla BOP in Kasba, Shashidal BOP in Brahmanpara, and Barojwala BOP in Adarsha Sadar conducted the drives separately under the leadership of Battalion Commander Lt Col SM Shariful Islam. During the drives, a pickup vehicle along with a large quantity of smuggled Indian goods was seized. The recovered items include cumin, henna, various cosmetics, sarees, basmati rice, soap, fuchka, fireworks, and different types of medicines. The estimated value of the seized goods is Tk 1,90,66,070. The seized items will be handed over to the concerned customs office following due legal procedures. Lt Col Shariful Islam said BGB remains vigilant in preventing smuggling while ensuring border security, in line with the directives of the BGB Director General. He added that intelligence surveillance and operational activities along the border have been strengthened and such drives will continue.

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.