Law-&-Order
Under-trial Indian citizen dies in Gopalganj jail
An Indian citizen, who had been under trial for illegal entry into Bangladesh, died of heart attack at the central jail of Gopalganj on Sunday night, jail authorities said.
The deceased was identified as Tareq Bain, 60, son of Moran Bain of Sonar village in West Bihar of India.
Tareq was suffering from various diseases including breathing complications for a long time, said Jail Superintendent Md Obaidur Rahman.
Read: 2 Additional DIGs sent on compulsory retirement
When Tareq fell sick around 8 pm on Sunday, the jail authorities took him to Gopalganj Sadar Hospital where doctors declared him dead around 9pm, he added.
Police arrested Tareq on July 8, 2021 under section 4 of the Control of Entry Act, 1952 when he was roaming suspiciously at Jajira.
The law prohibits any Indian citizen from entering Bangladesh without passport or valid travel document. The offence carries a maximum penalty of up to one year in jail or fine up to Tk one thousand.
Tareq was first sent to Shariatpur district jail on July 9.
Read: BNP-police clash in Chandpur: Over 500 sued, 22 arrested
He was brought to Gopalganj central jail on January 20, 2022.
His body has been kept in the hospital morgue for autopsy. It will be handed over to the Indian High Commission after the due procedure, added the jail superintendent.
2 Additional DIGs sent on compulsory retirement
Two police officers of the rank of Additional Deputy Inspector General have been sent on compulsory retirement.
Public Security Division, under the Home Ministry, has issued separate notifications in this regard, signed by its senior Secretary Md Aminul Islam Khan on Monday.
According to the notices, Md Alamgir Alam, Additional DIG of Police (crime investigation department), and Md Mahbub Hakim, Additional DIG of Tourist Police, have been sent on compulsory retirement according to section 45 of Public Service Act, 2018.
Read more: Three SPs sent on compulsory retirement
The order will be in effect immediately "in public interest", the notification said.
Earlier on October 18, three police officers of the rank of Superintendent of Police (SP) were sent on compulsory retirement.
They were Muhammad Shahidullah Chowdhury SP (TR) at Police headquarters, Md. Delwar Hossain Mia and Mirza Abdullahel Baki Special Super (SS) in the Criminal Investigation Department (CID).
Read more: Benazir to get police protection during post-retirement leave
Police to cooperate if no criminal offence committed centring political events: DMP chief
Newly appointed Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner Khandker Golam Faruq on Monday said that police are not concerned about political programmes, but if criminal offences are committed in the name of political events, action will be taken accordingly.
“Political programmes are not police’s headache. Our work is to maintain law and order. Arranging meetings or processions are parties’ political right,” he said.
The DMP Commissioner came up with the remarks while responding to reporters during “Commissioner’s Meet the Press” at DMP media centre on Monday. This was the first programme the commissioner organised after he took over on October 29.
If someone vandalizes or sets a car on fire or blocks the road in the name of political programme, these will be considered criminal offences, he added.
The DMP chief also said that as long as no criminal offences are committed centring political programmes, police will cooperate, the DMP Commissioner said.
Read: High Court asks why DMP authority to ban rallies not illegal
Regarding traffic congestion in Dhaka city, the police commissioner said that Dhaka was not developed in a planned way and several mega projects are underway in the capital which are the reasons behind the traffic jams. “We are working on reducing traffic jams,” he said.
Besides, work will be done to prevent illegal parking on roads, he added.
Responding to another question over controlling drug abuse, the DMP Commissioner said it cannot be stopped by simply cutting the supply, demand needs to go down as well.
The new police commissioner also stressed the need for controlling cyber crimes on a priority basis.
Defaming PM: HC grants bail to Rajbari Mahila Dal leader
The High Court (HC) on Monday granted interim bail to Sonia Akter Smrity, a Mahila Dal leader of Rajbari, in a case filed over posting ‘offensive’ content on facebook against Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
Smrity, wife of Md Khokon Mia of No 3 Beradanga area of Rajbari Sadar, is a member of Jatiyatabadi Mahila Dal’s Rajbari district unit and founder president of Rajbari blood donors club.
The High Court bench of Justices Md Akram Hossain Chowdhury and Shahed Nuruddin passed the order.
Former Attorney General AJ Mohammad Ali stood for the accused during the hearing.
Police arrested Smrity on October 4 in a case filed under the Digital Security Act (DSA) for making posting offensive status on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Facebook .
Arefin Chowdhury, member secretary of Rajbari district Bangabandhu Sangskritik Jote, lodged an FIR against her.
On October 5, Judge Kaisun Nahar Surma of Rajbari No 1 Judicial Magistrate Court rejected Smrity’s bail plea and ordered to send her to jail.
On October 26, Rajbari Sessions Judge Court also denied bail to Smrity which prompted her to seek bail from the HC.
Read more: Rajbari Mohila Dal member arrested under DSA for 'comment on PM'
In her bail plea, Smrity requested the HC to consider her as a woman and a mother of two children.
According to the FIR, the accused BNP activist made insulting remarks about PM Sheikh Hasina, also president of the ruling Awami League, from her personal Facebook account in two separate statuses on August 31 and September 28.
“In the statuses Sriti wrote Sheikh Hasina threw abusive words to their leader Khaleda Zia, also prime minister of three times, while delivering speech,” according to the FIR.
“No sound word comes out of her (premier) mouth,” it said Sriti wrote in the posts.
BNP-police clash in Chandpur: Over 500 sued, 22 arrested
A case has been filed against 186 named and 350 anonymous activists of BNP for clashing with police and obstructing them from performing their duties in Chandpur.
Abdul Aziz, sub-inspector of Hajiganj police station, filed the case with the police on Sunday, said Zubair Syed, officer-in-charge of the police station.
Police have arrested 22 people so far in this connection and they were also produced before a court this evening, added the OC.
On Saturday, five police personnel including the officer-in-charge of Hajiganj Police Station were injured in an attack allegedly carried out by Jubo Dal activists from a procession at Hajiganj Bazar in Chandpur.
Read: Now three-wheeler workers call strike on Nov 4, 5 in Barishal ahead of BNP’s rally
OC Zubair said a procession of Jubo Dal tried to enter the Hajiganj East Bazar marking the 44th founding anniversary of Jubo Dal.
"Brickbats were hurled at police from the procession forcing them to fire several rounds of bullets and teargas shells to bring the situation under control," the OC said.
August 21 grenade attack: Date for death reference hearing likely Monday
The date for hearing on the death reference and appeals of the convicted in the August 21 grenade attack case is expected to be announced by the High Court on Monday, said Attorney General AM Amin Uddin.
The death reference of a murder case filed in this regard and appeals were in the cause list of the High Court bench of Justice Sahidul Karim and Justice Md Mostafizur Rahman on Sunday, he said.
But as the case filed under the Explosive Substances Act didn’t come up, the bench asked to enlist it in the cause list for Monday, said Attorney General AM Amin Uddin.
On August 21, 2004, a grenade attack was carried out on an Awami League rally at Bangabandhu Avenue when the BNP-Jamaat alliance was in office. Sheikh Hasina, the then leader of the opposition, was apparently the target.
Read more: August 21 grenade attack planned in Hawa Bhaban: Joy
At least 24 people, including Awami League women affairs secretary and late President Zillur Rahman’s wife Ivy Rahman, were killed. Three hundred others were also injured. Sheikh Hasina escaped the attack but her hearing was affected badly.
A Dhaka court on October 10, 2018, sentenced 19 people, including former state minister for home affairs Lutfozzaman Babar, to death.
Tarique Rahman, the eldest son of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, and 18 others were sentenced to life in prison.
On October 28, the same year, the case documents along with the judgment copy was sent to the High Court for it to approve the death sentence of the accused.
The death reference wing of the High Court scrutinized and prepared the paper book of the respective case, which implies the case is ready for hearing.
Read more: Spl show to commemorate Aug 21 grenade massacre Spl show to commemorate Aug 21 grenade massacre
On August 16, last year, the paperbook of the grenade attack case reached the Supreme Court.
Last August, the Attorney General applied to the Chief Justice for a speedy hearing of the death reference and appeal of this case.
BGB-BGP flag meeting ends with Myanmar officially regretting border incidents
Myanmar officially expressed regret after Bangladesh on Sunday strongly protested its security forces flying helicopters over the Bangladesh-Myanmar border areas , firing of small arms and heavy weapons in the border area and loss of life and property caused by it.
The protest was raised by the head of the Bangladesh delegation during a flag meeting between members of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and Myanmar’s Border Guard Police (BGP) held at Teknaf in Cox's Bazar on Sunday.
Read: Home Minister inaugurates Viewer’s Gallery of BGB-BSF Joint Retreat Parade
Lt Col Khalid Mohammad Iftekhar, commanding officer of BGB-2 Battalion, led an 8-member Bangladesh delegation while Police Lieutenant Colonel Ye Wai Soe, Commanding Officer, No (1) Border Guard Police Branch, led the 7-member Myanmar delegation at the flag meeting, said Shariful Islam, public relations officer of the BGB headquarters in the evening.
During the flag meeting , Bangladesh side also called upon the BGP to maintain a peaceful stand on the border and also to keep a watchful eye so that no shell falls inside Bangladesh in the future as a result of the internal conflict in Myanmar, the BGB PRO said at the flag meeting.
Embezzlement charge: Ex-Standard Bank MD lands in jail
A Dhaka court on Sunday sent Mamun Ur Rashid, former managing director and CEO of Standard Bank, to jail in an embezzlement case.
Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Judge Md Asaduzzaman passed the order after Mamun surrendered to the court seeking bail.
On February 4, 2021, the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) filed a case against eight people, including the former managing director (MD) of Standard Bank (SB), for embezzling Tk 4 crore.
The accused withdrew the money in the name of a non-existent NGO.
According to the ACC investigation, the defendants used their positions to embezzle Tk 4 crore in the name of a secured overdraft loan for a fictitious microcredit-disbursing NGO and laundered the money later.
The other defendants are - Socheton Sahajjo Sangstha's Executive Director Jesmin Rashid, its President Hasna Hena and Secretary Nasrin Akter, former manager of Standard Bank's Pragati Sarani branch (currently VP and Manager of Premier Bank's Nikunjo Branch) Shooiab Mahmud Tuhin, Senior Executive Officer Sheikh Mohammad Monsurul Karim, additional MD Tarikul Azam, former VP and ARCD of SB, main branch Md Aminul Islam.
2015 crude bomb attack: 54 BNP activists acquitted of killing truck helper in Barishal
A Barishal Court on Sunday acquitted 54 activists of BNP and affiliated organisations from charges of killing a truck driver’s assistant in 2015 by throwing a crude bomb.
Judge TM Musa of the Barishal Tribunal for Suppression of Crime Endangering Public Safety passed the order.
Special prosecutor of the court Nurul Haque said the accused were acquitted as the witnesses didn’t give proper statements and there was not enough evidence against them.
All the accused were present at the court during the hearing, he said.
According to the case complaint, on January 18, 2015, some miscreants stopped a truck at Shahanur bus stand in Barishal and threw a crude bomb at it.
Read: Sitrang: Thousands marooned in Barishal city
The truck immediately caught fire, burning the truck driver’s sleeping assistant, a youth named Shohag, to death.
Police filed a case against 57 people over the incident for killing Sohag by use of explosive elements at the Ujirpur police station.
Nurul Islam, then Officer-in-Charge of the police station later submitted a charge sheet against 54 people in this case.
More pre-deployment training needed for improving policing skills: Home Minister
Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan on Sunday stressed the need for more efficient and targeted pre-deployment training for improving basic policing skills.
As security scenarios across the world are changing every day, the Strategic Guidance Framework for International Policing has to be updated regularly and adhered to strictly, he said.
The home minister came up with the remarks while addressing the opening session of United Nations Police Day (UNPOL Day-2022) at a Dhaka hotel on Sunday.
Read more: Police becoming people-friendly: Home Minister
International police activities fundamentally differ from domestic policing, said the minister adding that UN Police normally operate in unstable environments where culture and criminal justice systems are significantly different and the notion of rule of law and social interaction dynamics are largely fluid and obscure.
He said that Bangladesh government has taken a number of pragmatic initiatives to increase the efficiency, capabilities and professionalism of Bangladesh Police, particularly in the field of fighting extremism and terrorism, investigating tech-based crime, organized and transnational crime as well as community engagement through community policing during the last decade.
“I believe, if deployed in greater numbers, officers from Bangladesh Police will be able to make their mark with their expertise in the service of the world community,” Khan added.
Read more: Tetultala playground now police property: Home Minister
At present around 10,000 UN police officers from around 90 countries are working towards peace and security in conflict, post-conflict and crisis situations by supporting the member states to achieve effective, efficient, representative and responsive police services that serve and protect the public.
Bangladesh is the top contributor of female police officers to the United Nations Peacekeeping Operations. Bangladeshi female peacekeepers have placed themselves as the key driving force to reduce gender-based violence, conflict and confrontation, providing a sense of security especially for women and children and thus promoting social cohesion.