Law-&-Order
Keep calm and follow your commanders: DMP commissioner to subordinates
Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner Khandaker Golam Faruq on Sunday ordered subordinates to follow the orders of their commanders, keeping cool heads with patience in any situation.
"You have to perform your duties obeying the command of the commander in any situation keeping a cool head. Commanders must lead with confidence," he said after inspecting the master parade held at the Mirpur POM Police Lines ground on Sunday.
The commissioner said that POM's force played a very humanitarian role in the Newmarket fire incident. As a result, the status of DMP and Bangladesh Police has increased. They have already been rewarded.
He expressed his satisfaction with the performance of the POM Force in the last few months.
The DMP Commissioner directed the concerned Deputy Commissioners (DCs) of the DMP to conduct continuous parades for increasing physical capacity and mental well-being. He also instructed for necessary training on how to defend oneself with bare hands and do public management.
Earlier, the DMP Commissioner inspected and received the salute of the eye-catching parade of the well-equipped contingent and flag-bearers comprising members of various units of DMP. Deputy Commissioner of POM West Division Momtazul Ehsan Ahmed Humayun led the parade. Additional Deputy Commissioner of Media and Public Relations of the DMP K N Roy Niyati officiated as Assistant Parade Commander in the parade.
Cancellation of nomination: Ex Gazipur mayor Jahangir files petition at HC
Gazipur City Corporation’s (GCC) former mayor Jahangir Alam today submitted a writ petition to the High Court, challenging the legality of cancellation of his nomination paper for the mayoral post in the upcoming GCC election.
Barrister Nakib Saiful Islam, on behalf of the former mayor, submitted the petition to the HC bench concerned a week after Gazipur’s Returning Officer (RO) Faridul Islam cancelled his nomination paper in a primary scrutinization, as he is a “loan defaulter”.
On May 4, Jahangir appealed to Dhaka divisional commissioner against the cancellation; the appeal was rejected on the same day.
After being rejected, Jahangir moved the HC, challenging the cancellation.
Read: Gazipur City polls: Ex-mayor Jahangir’s nomination cancelled; mother’s nomination valid
On April 30, during primary scrutinization, Jahangir’s nomination was cancelled while his mother Zaida Khatun’s nomination was declared valid.
Jahangir was the guarantor of an industrial organization. Jahangir was declared a loan defaulter along with the organization, the returning officer said.
Though the former mayor and his counsel submitted documents demonstrating paying off the loan along with the nomination paper, the returning officer cancelled his nomination during the scrutinization.
Attacker beaten to death by Rohingyas in Ukhiya camp
Rohingyas in a camp at Ukhiya upazila of Cox’s Bazar beat to death an unidentified man, who along with other miscreants, tried to attack a Rohingya leader early Sunday, Armed Battalion Police (APBn) said.
A woman, a resident of the camp, sustained bullet injuries during the incident.
Ameer Jafar, a commanding officer of APBn-8, said a group of 25-30 miscreants came to block G-1 of camp 13 and tried to attack Sub-Majhi Syed Hossain — leader of the block — around 3 am.
Sensing the presence of the criminals, residents of the block came out of their homes and tried to resist them, he said.
Read: Rohingya man shot dead in Cox’s Bazar Balukhali camp
The Rohingya leader’s mother Ramida Begum sustained bullet injuries when the criminals opened fire, the APBn officer said, adding that the woman is now receiving treatment at Cox’s Bazar Sadar Hospital.
All the criminals except the deceased managed to flee, he said, adding that the body was sent to the Sadar Hospital morgue for autopsy.
No one has so far been detained. No case has been lodged either, the APBn commanding officer added.
Khulna city polls: Miscreants attack BNP leader Kaisar’s house, threaten not to join election
Miscreants attacked the house of former ward councillor and local BNP leader Md Mahbub Kaisar last night.
They also reportedly verbally abused Kaisar’s family members and threatened that he should not join the upcoming Khulna city corporation election. Kaisar, elected from Ward 22 twice, was not home when the attack was carried out.
His family members and locals said the miscreants — on 14 to 15 motorbikes — came in front of the house around 11:30 pm and tried to break into the house in the Customs Ghat area of Khulna city.
They also hurled brickbats at the house, verbally abused Kaisar’s family members and threatened that Kaisar shouldn’t join the election, neighbours said, adding that the miscreants fled when locals started approaching the scene upon hearing the chaos.
Kaisar, expected to compete in the upcoming Khulna City Corporation election for the post of ward councillor despite BNP’s decision to boycott the polls, confirmed the incident. He is yet to buy nomination paper.
Read more: Khulna City Polls: 5 mayoral candidates collect nomination papers
KCC Mayor Talukder Abdul Khaleque and police have been informed about the incident, Kaisar said, adding that the mayor assured him of looking into the matter.
Hasan Al Mamun, officer-in-charge of Khulna Sadar police station, confirmed the incident, saying that legal action will be taken once a complaint is filed.
It is to be noted that candidates including councillors will be able to buy nomination papers till May 14 while the last date for submission of the papers has been set till May 16.
3 members of a child kidnapping gang held in Gazipur
Police in a drive arrested three members of a child kidnaping gang including its ringleader from Salna in Gzipur district on Friday.
The arrestees are its ringleader Milton Masud, 45, Shahinur Rahman, 38 and Sifia Begum, 48.
Mohammad Morshed Alam, deputy police commissioner of Uttara zone, said a general diary was lodged on March 24 with Uttara East Police over the missing of 6-year-old Shaheen Sheikh.
With the help of technology, a team of Uttara East Police, conducted a drive in Salna area and arrested the trio.
After interrogation, the arrestees confessed that they have long been involved in kidnapping children from different schools, bazars and restaurants and realise ransom through mobile financing like bKash and Nagad.
Read more: 53 members of 'extortionist, kidnapping gangs’ held in city
Milton was wanted in five cases while Shahinur was wanted in three cases filed with Dhaka and Gazipur Police stations.
Police also seized two mobile phone sets and five SIM cards from their possession.
'3 Ansar Al Islam members' held in Noakhali, Cumilla
Anti-Terrorism Unit (ATU), a specialized unit of Bangladesh Police, have arrested three suspected members of banned militant outfit ‘Ansar Al Islam' from Noakhali and Cumilla.
Tipped off, a special team of ATU conducted a drive at Atiakandi Baparibari village in Noakhali's Begumganj upazila around 11:30 pm on Thursday and arrested Rafiqul Islam Shiblu, said Mohammad Aslam Khan, SP (Media and Awareness) of ATU.
Shiblu, 20, son of Shahidullah of the village.
Later, based on the information given by Shiblu, the ATU team also conducted drives in Cmilla's Laksam and Chauddagram upazilas early Friday and arrested two others.
The arrestees are Zahidur Rahman Zahid, 28, son of Harunur Rashid of Chanpur Natunbari area of Chauddagram upazila and Shahadat Hossain, 25, son of Montaj Uddin Bhuiya of Dimatoli village in Laksam upazila.
The law enforcers also recovered five mobile phone sets, ten SIM cards, and seven books on militancy from their possession.
The arrestees were involved in spreading online propaganda on extremism, he said.
"They used to chat by opening several groups on social media platforms to plan subversive activities and spread extremist ideology," he added.
Legal action will be taken against them, SP Aslam Khan said.
Ctg boy killed after abduction for ransom; 2 arrested
Police early Thursday recovered the body of a minor boy from an under-construction building in Paschim Mohora area in the port city of Chattogram five days after he was abducted for ransom.
Md Shafiul Islam, 11, was son of Selim Uddin of the same area and a Grade-V student of Paschim Mohora Government Primary School.
However, police have already arrested two suspects—Md Azam Khan, 30 and his cohort Mujibur Doula Hrido, 28.
Of them, Azam is from Kaptai Raster Matha area under Chandgaon police station in the city while Hridoy from Bibirhat area under Panchlaish police station.
Khairul Islam, officer-in-charge of Chandgaon police station, said the duo abducted the boy while playing at a field near his house in the afternoon on April 29.
The abductors demanded Tk 50,000 as ransom from his family via Whatsapp on the day of abduction and asked not to share the matter with anybody, but he informed police and lodged a general diary, according to the OC.
As the father didn’t pay the ransom, the abductors killed him and buried him in the under-construction building nearby a shrine gate in the same area, the police officer said.
Later, with the help of technology Azam and Hridoy were arrested from Halishahar and Bakolia areas respectively on Wednesday, he said.
During the primary interrogation, the duo confessed to killing the boy for ransom as part of their previous plan, the OC said.
The arrestees were produced before a Chattogram court with a plea for remand, he added.
Madrasha student found dead in Thakurgaon
The body of a madrasha student, who went missing on Wednesday afternoon, was recovered from a maize field in Sadar upazila of Thakurgaon on Thursday morning.
Md Murad Hossain, 11, was son of Darul Islam of Gilabari village under Mohammadpur union of the upazila and a residential student of a local Matherganj Hafezia Madrasha.
Police said Murad went missing after offering the Asr prayer at the madrasha on Wednesday.
Local farmers found the body lying in the maize field nearby local Matherganj MB High School when they went there to work on Thursday morning.
Md Kamal Hossain, officer-in-charge of Sadar Police Station, said on information they recovered the body and sent it to Sadar Hospital morgue for autopsy. The blood-stained clothes of the victim were also recovered from a bamboo bush beside the maize field.
Primarily it seemed that he was murdered but the exact reason for the death will be known after getting the autopsy report, he said, adding that an investigation is underway in this regard.
Three arrested over robbing liquor, money in DB guise
The Detective Branch (DB) arrested three men, including a BKash distributor sales officer, for stealing foreign liquor and money allegedly in the guise of DB police from Rajbari Sadar and Baliakandi upazila on Tuesday night. The arrestees are Munna Mallick, son of Abdul Motaleb Mallik of Aladipur Mallickpara in Rajbari Sadar upazila, Sultan Ahmed Shanto, son of Billal Molla of Narayanpur village in Baliakandi upazila and Tushar Mondal, son of Zahed Mondal of Gobindapur village.According to police, Munna Mallick is the mastermind of the gang and he is a Distributor Sales Officer (DSO) of bKash in Rajbari district.Officer-in-Charge of Rajbari District DB Moniruzzaman said three people were arrested following the complaint. Another person named Rana is absconding.The victim, Santu Nandi, filed a case with Rajbari Sadar Police Station regarding the incident, he added.
DSA will not be repealed: Law Minister
Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Anisul Huq said on Wednesday that the Digital Security Act will not be repealed but some amendments will be made by September this year, if required.
"I would say unequivocally that the government will not repeal the Digital Security Act under any circumstances, but if necessary, some amendments will be made by September this year," he said.
The Law Minister made the remarks at a discussion titled "Shaping a Future of Rights" organised by Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) on the occasion of the World Press Freedom Day on Wednesday (May 3).
Read more: DSA in Bangladesh is much better than in Western countries: PM Hasina
The law minister said the government is working to prevent misuse of the Digital Security Act, adding: "I have said before and I am saying even today that this law has been enacted only to prevent cyber crimes."
“Every law will have provisions to protect journalists -- those who do true journalism," he said.
The minister said the “Digital Security Act” is necessary as there is a lack of responsibility among online media and social media users.
“Trust is one of the most important foundations on which print and electronic media have to stand by disseminating objective news and airing quality programmes. To build trust among the people, the responsibility of the media is necessary.”
Read more: Journalism is a public good that must be protected: UNRC
He said many countries around the world have been enacting laws to protect cyberspace as cyber crime is happening all over the world through these new media platforms.
Referring to the example of cyber security laws in different countries including Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, India, the United States and the European Union, Anisul Huq said the government enacted the “Digital Security Act” in 2018 to prevent cyber crimes.
“Several discussions were held with various stakeholders before enacting the law including the Editors' Council, ATCO, journalists' organizations. The discussion even extended to the meeting of the Parliamentary Standing Committee,” he said.
The minister said the government acknowledged that there have been cases of misuse and abuse of the law adding: “However, as a result of our effective action, that misuse and abuse have been greatly reduced.
“We have taken steps to amend the Digital Security Act to further reduce its misuse and abuse.”
Meanwhile, TIB Executive Director Dr Iftekharuzzaman said the only way to reduce the misuses and abuses of “Digital Security Act” is to repeal the law completely.
Responding to the Law Minister’s statement, Dr Iftekharuzzaman said: “The indiscriminate use and misuse of this law is being used as a tool to violate the fundamental rights of the people along with the freedom of the press.”
“Even if amended or revamped, the law will not reflect the interest of the public. The law should be repealed and a new cybersecurity law should be enacted,” he said.
Human Rights Commission Chairman Dr Kamal Uddin Ahmed, Swedish Ambassador to Bangladesh Alexandra Berg von Linde, UN Resident Coordinator in Bangladesh Gwen Lewis, UNESCO Officer-in-Charge in Bangladesh Susan Vize, Dhaka University Journalism Professor Gitiara Nasreen, Barrister Jyotirmoy Barua and Dhaka Tribune Executive Editor Reaz Ahmad also spoke at the discussion.