Law-&-Order
Benapole man held with Tk2 crore gold bars at border
Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) Saturday claimed to have detained a man with 20 gold bars worth over Tk2 crore at the Putkhali border in Jashore.
The detainee was identified as Md Hridoy Hossain from Benapole, Lieutenant Colonel Tanvir Ahmed, commanding officer of BGB-21, said.
Read: Damurhuda man held with Tk6.6 crore gold bars
Tipped off, a team of BGB-21 conducted a drive in the Putkhali area and detained Hridoy with the gold bars weighing 2.33kg while he was about to sneak into India, he added.
Legal action will be taken against Hridoy, the BGB commanding officer said.
Kushtia youth arrested 'for hurting religious sentiments' on Facebook
Police in Kushtia arrested a 24-year-old male on Friday for 'hurting the religious sentiments' of the Hindu community on social media.
Nayebur Rahman, 24, of Bahalbaria village under Mirpur upazila of Kushtia, allegedly posted the offending status on his Facebook profile last Wednesday, with a view to stoking communal instability and hostility.
Read: Youth held under DSA for 'hurting religious sentiment' in Moulvibazar
Md Khairul Alam, superintendent of police (SP) for Kushtia, disclosed all this at a press conference held at the district Police Lines on Friday afternoon.
The SP further said that Nayebur is a private jobholder in Dhaka, but was arrested from his father-in-law’s house in Mohishakhola village in the same Mirpur upazila after a case related to the incident was filed earlier, SP Khairul added.
Teen gansters stab teenager to death in Khulna
Members of a teen gang allegedly stabbed an 18-year-old fish seller to death in a dispute over Tk 100 Khulna city on Friday morning.
The victim, Yeasin Arafat, 18, was a fish trader of Sandhabazar in the city.
Locals and police said the gangsters aged between 15 and 18 attacked Yeasin over a debt of Tk100 they owed him.
The gangsters numbering about eight came on a battery-powerd three-wheeler at the southern end of Kashem Road in the city and hit Yeasin on the head with brick around 11am, they said.
Later, the teens stabbed him in the chest with meat cleavers and fled the scene leaving him critically injured.
Read: 6 teen gang members held over murder in Cumilla
He was rushed to Khulna Medical College Hospital where he succumbed to his wounds while undergoing treatment, Abul Hannan, sub-inspector of Nirala Police Outpost, said.
“We are trying to determine the actual reason for the murder and a drive is underway to nab the perpetrators,” the SI added.
PBI to take over case of missing Khulna woman
A Khulna court has ordered the Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) to take over the probe into the case of a 55-year-old woman who has been missing since August 27.
The court's direction came in the wake of an appeal from the woman's family.
On August 27, Rahima Begum went missing after she had stepped out to fetch water near her home in the Banikpara area of Doulatpara upazila in Khulna around 10pm. Her children 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.
Also read: Khulna woman remains missing for 18 days, 6 held
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 Mariyam Mannan.
The same day the court ordered the police to hand over the case to the PBI, but the cops are yet to comply with the order, she told UNB.
When asked, Nazrul Islam, officer-in-charge of Doulatpur police station, said, “We have received the order and the case document will be handed over when PBI asks for it.”
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 will now be investigated by the PBI, a remand appeal made by the police to interrogate Rahima’s second husband Belal remains pending for hearing, said the OC.
Rahima’s daughter Mariyam, in a Facebook post on Thursday, said that they have been sticking 'missing' posters in Khulna city in the hope they will get their mother back.
Two smugglers held with five gold bars in Chuadanga
Police in Chaudanga detained two smugglers with five gold bars in the small hours of Friday when they were on their way to India.
The detainees have been identified as Kamrul Hsan Jewel, 35, and Arif,48, both residents of Kutubpur village in Damurhuda upazila.
On a tip-off, a police team put by barricades at the busy BADC intersection at 1am and stopped for checking a car coming from Faridpur, said Mahbubur Rahman, officer-in-charge of Chuadanga sadar police station.
"A thorough checking helped us seize the gold bars. Two occupants of the car were detained," he said. "During questioning, the duo told us that they were on their way to India with the gold."
Legal action will be taken against the detainees, and the car has also been seized, said the officer.
Damurhuda man held with Tk6.6 crore gold bars
Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) claimed to have arrested a man with 58 gold bars worth over Tk6.6 crore from Damurhuda upazila of Chuadanga Thursday.
The arrestee is Rakibul Islam, 38, of the upazila, Lieutenant Colonel Shah Md Ishtiaq, commanding officer BGB-6, said.
Acting on a tip-off, a team of BGB conducted a drive in the Nastipur border area and detained Rakibul with a motorbike.
Read: 2 held with 10 gold bars in Jashore
Later, 58 gold bars weighing around 10kg, kept inside the air filter of the motorbike, were seized, Ishtiaq said. "Legal action will be taken against the detainee."
Kishoreganj: 3 to die for killing housewife for dowry
A Kishoreganj court Thursday sentenced three people to death for killing a woman for dowry.
Judge Mohammad Habibullah of the Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal of the district gave the order.
The death row convicts are the woman's husband Khokon Mia, 37, his sister Jarina Khatun, 39, and cousin Jalal Mia, 43.
The court also fined Khokon, Jarina and Jalil Tk50,000, Tk20,000 and Tk30,000, respectively.
Special Public Prosecutor MA Afzal argued for the state during the hearing. Advocate Ataur Rahman Akanda and Shyamal Kumar Sarkar represented the defendants.
Read|: Three to die for raping girl in Feni
On October 4, 2015, Hena Akter was strangled to death by the convicts for not fulfilling their demand for dowry, according to the case complaint.
The case was filed at Karimganj Police Station upon receiving a complaint from Hena's brother Saiful Islam.
Following investigation, police framed charges against six people but the court cleared the other three accused of the charges.
EU raises concern over protest-related violence in Bangladesh ahead of polls
The European Union (EU) has raised concerns about escalating protest-related violence in Bangladesh.
“The European Union (EU) and Member States engage with political parties in Bangladesh in line with diplomatic practice. The EU has raised concerns about escalating protest-related violence and the need to ensure participatory and peaceful conditions as the next parliamentary elections approach." the EU Embassy in Dhaka tweeted marking the International Day of Democracy.
Today marks the 15th anniversary of the International Day of Democracy.
Also read: BNP men clash with AL activists in city
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has said without a free press, democracy cannot survive and without freedom of expression, there is no freedom.
"On Democracy Day and every day, let us join forces to secure freedom and protect the rights of all people, everywhere," he said in a message marking the International Day of Democracy Day that falls on September 15.
"Yet across the world, democracy is backsliding," said the UN chief, adding that civic space is shrinking.
"Now is the time to raise the alarm. Now is the time to reaffirm that democracy, development, and human rights are interdependent and mutually reinforcing," Guterres said.
Now is the time to stand up for the democratic principles of equality, inclusion, and solidarity, he said.
And stand with those who strive to secure the rule of law and promote full participation in decision-making.
Attempts to silence journalists are growing more brazen by the day – from verbal assault to online surveillance and legal harassment – especially against women journalists, he mentioned.
Also read: Police sue 50 BNP activists over Thursday's clash in Rangpur; 4 arrested
Media workers face censorship, detention, physical violence, and even killings – often with impunity, said the UN chief.
HC denies anticipatory bail to six over assault of Rajshahi journo
The High Court on Wednesday refused to grant anticipatory bail to six employees of Barind Multipurpose Development Authority (BMDA) in a case over attacks on journalists of a private television channel in Rajshahi.
The bench of Justice Md Rezaul Karim Hasan and Justice Md Atabullah passed the order after the bail petition was placed by the lawyer of the accused.
Deputy Attorney General Md Imran Ahmed Bhuiyan stood for the state.
Brushing aside the bail plea, the court refused to hear the case, the accused’s lawyer Helal Uddin Molla said adding that they would move another court with the petition.
A reporter and a cameraperson of private ATN News came under attack when they went the BMDA to cover an assignment on September 5.
Later, the reporter filed a case against seven identified people and 10 others unidentified at the local police station.
The accused are BMDA’s Executive Director (ED) Md Abdur Rashid, storekeeper Md Jibon, ED’s Peon Selim, Personal Assistant Nurul Islam, office peon Faruk, driver Abdus Sabur and Ansar member Enamul.
All the accused except ED Rashid moved the HC seeking bail on Wednesday.
Also read: Two BMDA staffers suspended over Rajshahi journo attack
More cooperation needed among countries to prevent cybercrimes, says IGP
Inspector General of Police (IGP) Benazir Ahmed on Wednesday emphasized forming an alliance and increase cooperation among the police forces of different countries to prevent cybercrime and it is not possible for any single country to deal with these crimes.
The IGP came up with the remark while addressing the conclusion programmer of three-day long 11th INTERPA annual conference at a city hotel on Wednesday.
International Association of Police Academies (INTERPA), an international organization of police training institutions of different countries, began in Dhaka on Monday.
Read:IGP Benazir holds 'productive' talks with UN Police advisor
The IGP said that the way in which crimes are increasing through the use of digital devices and platforms in today's world is becoming a threat to internet users. Therefore, police should increase the use of digital technology to maintain law and order, control crimes and protect internet users, he added.
The IGP said there is no alternative to using digital technology in police force to successfully prevent crimes.
Terming the three-day INTERPA conference a success, the IGP said that potential areas for increasing the capacity of police in the member countries have been identified in the conference.
There was an opportunity to exchange knowledge and experiences among the representatives of different countries attended the conference, which will help in enhancing the capacity of police to face the future challenges in the cyber world, he added.
INTERPA President and Turkish National Police Academy Rector Professor Yilmaz Colak and Police Staff College Bangladesh Rector (Additional IG) Khandaker Golam Faruk spoke on the occasion.
The theme of the 3-day long annual conference of the INTERPA was 'Digitalization of Policing,".
The representatives of Bangladesh and other countries presented 13 papers in various working sessions of the conference. One hundred twenty seven delegates from 44 countries of the world participated in the conference.
The next conference will be held in India in 2023.