Law-&-Order
Rahima Begum handed over to family after recording statement
Khulna’s Rahima Begum, who remained “missing” for 29 days, was handed over to her family this evening after her statement was recorded in the court.
Khulna Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court-2 Judge AL Amin recorded Rahima’s statement around 6 pm.
Later, she was taken to her younger daughter Aduri Akter’s house in the city's Boyra area, said plaintiff’s lawyer Afruzzaman Tutul.
Also read: I was abducted over land dispute: Rahima Begum
In her statement, Rahima provided detailed information on being “abducted over land dispute”.
She said she was abducted and taken to Chattogram. From there, she went to Faridpur on her own.
Earlier on Saturday night, police rescued Rahima from Boalmari upazila of Faridpur.
Also read: Rahima stopped talking when police found her and asked questions
“I was abducted by some unidentified men from in front of my house,” Rahima claimed when she met her family members at the PBI office in Khulna.
“Golam Kibria and Md Mohiuddin, two people with whom Rahima was at loggerheads over land, had forcefully collected her signature on a blank paper and left her at a remote place with only Tk 1000,” Mushfiqur quoted Rahima.
Four-five people Rahima accused over her abduction in the statement were also accused in a case filed over her going missing, following a complaint received from her children.
Read Reported “missing”, Khulna’s Rahima was staying in Faridpur since Sept 17: Police
44 arrested in DMP anti-drugs drive
Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) arrested 44 people on charges of selling and consuming drugs during anti-drug drives in different areas of the city in 24 hours till 6:00 am Sunday.
Detective Branch (DB) and local police stations under the DMP conducted the special drives separately and made the arrest during the period from 6:00 am on Saturday.
The DMP also seized 3583 pieces of Yaba tablets, 5.760 kgs hemp, 30gm 65 puria of heroin and 10 narcotic injections from their possessions during the drive, a DMP official said.
Being informed, members of Detectives and Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) conducted a 24-hour long raid and detained the drug trades from various places, it also said.
According to the statement, a total of 38 cases have been filed against the detained people under the Narcotics Control Act.
Justice Nuruzzaman to serve as chief justice till October 10
During Chief Justice Hasan Foez Siddique's Singapore visit from September 25 to October 10, Justice Md Nuruzzaman, a senior judge of the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court, will perform the duties of the chief justice from Sunday.
During this time or till Chief Justice Hasan Foez Siddique takes over his responsibilities, Justice Md Nuruzzaman will discharge the responsibilities of the chief justice of the country, Md Golam Rabbani, acting registrar general of the Supreme Court, said in a statement today.
Also read: Justice Hasan Foez Siddique takes oath as the 23rd CJ of Bangladesh
No one takes clothes or medicine with them, if they are abducted: PBI SP
It is unlikely that Rahima Begum was abducted, SP Syed Mushfiqur Rahman of Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) Khulna, said today.
Speaking to journalists at a press briefing this morning, the PBI SP also said that they are hopeful of resolving this mystery soon.
“Rahima is not talking to anyone since she has been found. She is looking a bit nervous but is physically alright. We have come to know that before going to Faridpur, she had stayed in Bandarban and Chattogram for some days. We’ll disclose information as soon as we learn more details from her,” Mushfiqur said.
Also read: Rahima stopped talking when police found her and asked questions
Mushfiqur added that they have solved the mystery regarding why Rahima went to Abdul Kuddus’ house in Faridpur.
“Abdul Quddus used to be a tenant at Rahima’s Khulna house. Quddus used to work at Khulna’s Sonali Jute Mill. For some reason, Rahima tracked down Quddus, went to Faridpur and had been staying with the family since September 17. Efforts are on to understand why Rahima went to Quddus’ house,” added the SP.
“We have found a white shopping bag with Rahima which contained some clothes and medicine. No one takes clothes or medicine with them, if they are abducted,” said the SP.
While talking to journalists, Mushfiqur said that Rahima has longstanding enmity with her neighbours over land and police are not sure whether she went “missing” over this.
SP Mushfiqur informed that while six people have been arrested over the issue, three more have been brought to Khulna with Rahima. Police will interrogate all of them to find out what actually happened.
“Rahima will be produced before the court after questioning. The court will then decide what to do next,” said Mushfiqur.
On August 27, Rahima went missing after she had stepped out to fetch water near her home in Banikpara area of Khulna’s Doulatpara upazila around 10pm. Her family found her sandals, scarf and the pitcher she was carrying from the spot.
Also read: Reported “missing”, Khulna’s Rahima was staying in Faridpur since Sept 17: Police
The family first filed a complaint with the police, based on which an FIR was lodged by the cops against some people.
On September 13, after Rahima remained missing for 17 days and police failed to find her, her younger daughter Aduri Akter appealed to the Khulna court to transfer the case to the PBI, said Rahima’s elder daughter Moriom Mannan.
The same day the court ordered police to hand over the case to the PBI.
Court rejects Babul Akther’s petition to sue PBI chief, five other cops
A Chattogram court on Sunday rejected a plea filed by ex-Chattogram Superintendent of Police (SP) Babul Akter seeking its permission to file a case against six officials of Police Bureau of Investigations (PBI) including its chief Banaj Kumar Majumdar for torturing him in police custody.
Chittagong Metropolitan Sessions Judge Begum Jebunnessa passed the order.
The court also rejected two separate petitions for recording statement under Section 200 bringing Babul Akter to the court and seeking security in Feni prison cell.
The court in its order said it is unusual for inspectors to beat and torture the person who was an SP. Babul Akhtar appeared before the court many times seeking bail, but in this one year and four months, he never said anything like torture in police custody at the court.
The court thinks that as an accused in the case he is trying to obstruct the case in a new way, said Chattogram Metropolitan Sessions Judge Court public prosecutor Md Fakhruddin Chowdhury.
Read: Why Babul Akter should not be granted bail: HC
Babul, who is now in jail in a case over the killing of her wife Mahmuda Khanam Mitu, lodged the complaint against the six PBI officers with the court on September 8.
Advocate Habibur Rahman Labu, counsel of Babul, lodged the complaint against PBI chief Banaj Kumar Majumdar, Superintendent of PBI Chattogram , Nazmul Hasan, Naima Sultana, inspector (Khulshi) Santosh Kumar Chakma, inspector (DB CMP) AKM Mohiuddin Selim and Police Inspector Kazi Enayet Kabir.
According to the complaint, PBI officials physically tortured Babul while he was put on remand and tried to kill him.
On September 13, PBI pressed charges against Babul and six others in a case filed over the killing of his wife Mahmuda Khanam Mitu.
On June 5, 2016, unidentified assailants gunned down Babul's wife Mitu at the port city's GEC intersection while she was going to drop her son Mahir Akhter, 7, for a bus of Chittagong Cantonment Public School and College.
Soon after the crime, Babul filed a murder case at Panchlaish Police Station against three unidentified men.
The case was transferred to the Police Bureau Investigation (PBI) in 2019 after Mitu's father, himself a retired police officer, filed a complaint against the CMP's mishandling of the case.
Read: Mitu murder case: Babul Akter denied bail again
On May 12, 2021, the PBI submitted its final report and arrested Babul Akter in another case filed by Mitu’s father and since then he has been in prison.
Babul Akhter also filed a ‘naraji petition’ against the PBI report on October 14, 2021.
On November 3 last year, a Chattogram Court rejected the final report of PBI in the murder case and ordered it to conduct further investigation.
PBI in an investigation found Babul’s involvement in his wife's murder.
Life term for GK Shamim, 7 others in arms case
A Dhaka court today sentenced eight people, including GK Shamim – a disgraced contractor who gained infamy during the “casino raids” of late 2019, to life term imprisonment in an arms case.
The other seven are all GK Shamim’s bodyguards: Md Zahidul Islam, Md Shahidul Islam, Md Kamal Hossain, Md Shamsad Hossain, Md Aminul Islam, Md Delwar Hossain, and Md Murad Hossain.
Third Additional Metropolitan Session Court Judge Sheikh Samidul Islam passed the judgment.
Read: ACC approves chargesheet against GK Shamim
They were brought to the court from jail in the morning.
GK Shamim, who was known as an influential contractor of Sabujbagh, Basabo and Motijheel areas of the capital, was arrested on September 20, 2019.
Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) seized illegal firearms and fixed deposit receipts worth Tk 165 crore, Tk 1.8 crore in cash and foreign currencies from his house and office at Niketan.
Read: GK Shamim indicted for money laundering
The elite force filed three cases – one under narcotics control, one under money-laundering prevention and the other under arms act – against Shamim with Gulshan Police Station on September 21.
In October 2019, Rab filed a charge sheet against the accused in the arms case.
The official trial proceeding in the case began on February 28, after the court framed charges against the eight accused rejecting an appeal for acquittal.
Read GK Shamim: Court sets Sept 25 for verdict in arms case
Reported “missing”, Khulna’s Rahima was staying in Faridpur since Sept 17: Police
Khulna’s Rahima Begum, found in Faridpur’s Boalmari upazila 29 days after disappearance, had been staying there since September 17, police say.
Khulna Metropolitan Police (KMP) Deputy Commissioner (North) Molla Jahangir Hossain shared the information at a press briefing in Khulna’s Doulatpur police station around 2:30 am today.
However, Rahima is not answering any of the police’s questions about why she left home and stayed in Faridpur. She has not spoken since she was brought under police custody, said Molla Jahangir.
Read: 'Missing' Rahima Begum of Khulna found alive in Faridpur: Police
Based on intelligence team’s information, a team of KMP conducted a drive at the house of Quddus Molla in Syedpur village, under Faridpur’s Boalmari Upazila, and found Rahima unharmed on Saturday night.
Rahima Begum was brought to Daulatpur police station around 2 am.
Police also detained three people, including two women, from the house for questioning.
Quddus’ relatives told police that Rahima had been staying in the house since September 17.
In this regard, Rahima’s son Sadi said, “Since my mother was rescued alive, she will be able to shed light on the disappearance.”
“If someone from my family is involved in the incident, administration will take action against them,” he added.
Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) will further investigate this matter, said Molla Jahangir.
On August 27, Rahima went missing after she had stepped out to fetch water near her home in Banikpara area of Khulna’s Doulatpara upazila around 10pm. Her family found her sandals, scarf and the pitcher she was carrying from the spot.
The family first filed a complaint with the police, based on which an FIR was lodged by the cops against some people.
On September 13, after Rahima remained missing for 17 days and police failed to find her, her younger daughter Aduri Akter appealed to the Khulna court to transfer the case to the PBI, said Rahima’s elder daughter Moriom Mannan.
The same day the court ordered police to hand over the case to the PBI.
Read: Missing Khulna woman found dead in Mymensingh, family suspects
So far, six people have been arrested in this case. They are Rahima’s second husband Belal Howladar, Mohiuddin, Palash, Jewel, Helal Sharif, and assistant engineer at Khulna University of Engineering and Technology (KUET) Golam Kibria.
As the case was investigated by the PBI, a remand appeal made by the police to interrogate Rahima’s husband Belal remains pending for hearing, said police.
Rahima's family resorted to putting up “missing” posters in Khulna city in the hope they will get their mother back.
Finally on Thursday night, Rahima’s daughter Moriom Mannan wrote in a Facebook post that they had found their mother’s body in Mymensingh. However, the Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI), Khulna's Daulatpur police station and Mymensingh police couldn’t confirm the matter.
Schoolgirl rape-murder: Accused Roni makes confessional statement
Abdur Rahim Roni, the prime accused in Noakhali schoolgirl Adita rape and killing case, gave a confessional statement before court on Saturday.Roni, a former coaching teacher of the girl, was produced before Noakhali Chief Judicial Magistrate’s Court on Saturday where he gave the confessional statement under section 164 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), Md Shahidul Islam, superintendent of Noakhali district police told a press briefing at his office.In his statement, Roni confessed that he first strangulated Aditi to death and later confirmed her death by slitting her throat.Earlier on Thursday night, police arrested four people including Roni in connection with the rape and murder of the schoolgirl.On Friday, the court placed Roni on a three-day police remand for interrogation and the next day Roni gave his confessional statement before the magistrate.On Thursday afternoon, Roni along with the other accused entered the girl's house and violated her. She was alone there at that time as her mother went out, said the local SP.Returning home, Adita’s mother found her daughter in a pool of blood with her throat slit and immediately called police.Police recovered the body around 9pm and sent it to hospital for an autopsy, said the police official.
Noakhali: Prime accused remanded over schoolgirl's killing after rape
A court here on Friday placed Abdur Rahim Roni, the prime accused in the murder of a school girl after rape in Sadar upazila, on a 3-day remand.
Senior Judicial Magistrate Mohammad Emdad passed the order when investigation officer SI Spacelab Chowdhury Promose produced him before the court with 10-day remand prayer.
Earlier, the police arrested four people including Roni in connection with the rape and murder of a schoolgirl. The other arrestees are – Israfil, his brother Sayed and Imam Uddin.
Md Shahidul Islam, superintendent of Npakhali district police held a press conference at his office on Friday afternoon. He said Adita left Roni's coaching centre a few days ago to start private lessons elsewhere which might have angered him.
On Thursday afternoon, Roni along with the other accused entered the girl's house and violated her. She was alone there at that time as her mother went out, added the SP.
Read: One held over murder of schoolgirl ‘after rape’ in Magura
Returning home, Adita’s mother found her daughter in a pool of blood with her throat slit and informed police.
Later, police recovered the body around 9pm and sent it to the hospital for an autopsy, said the police official.
He also said that “there were scratches from Aditi’s nails on Roni’s head, neck and throat". So they are suspecting his involvement in this murder.
A case was filed in this regard.
BCL politician's murder: Fugitive accused held in Dhaka
Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) on Friday claimed to have detained a fugitive wanted in the 2014 murder of a Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) politician in Dhaka.
The accused has been identified as Md Iqbal Hossain Tareq, 38, originally a resident of Chandpur district.
The elite force conducted a drive in the South Keraniganj area of the city and nabbed Iqbal on Thursday night, said Rab-3 additional superintendent Bina Rani Das.
On January 23, 2014, Mahbubur Rahman alias Rana, then vice-president of Ramna Thana BCL, was murdered by his rivals, including Iqbal, in the Moghbazar area of the city following a dispute over cable TV business.
Iqbal went into hiding soon after an FIR for murder was filed at Ramna police station on January 24 of the same year against some unidentified people.
Police had earlier arrested Kamrul Islam, the owner of Swift Cable Limited, and seized weapons from his possession.
On June 30 in 2015, a chargesheet was submitted in the court against 14 accused, including four absconding ones.
An arrest warrant was also issued against Iqbal on November 11 in 2020.
"Legal steps are under way to hand over the accused to the respective police station," said the Rab officer.