United News of Bangladesh

The Traffic Division of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) has filed 2,819  cases against people for violating traffic rules in different parts of the capital over the past three days. Besides, the authorities dumped 258 vehicles and towed 110 others during the drives, Deputy Commissioner of Media and Public Relations at DMP Mohammad Talebur Rahman confirmed. Subrata Bain’s associate held over Jubo Dal activist murder The operations were conducted on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, he added. The DMP official also said that such operations will continue in an effort to maintain traffic discipline across the Dhaka metropolitan area. Nazmul Karim Khan elected president, Anisuzzaman gen secy of BPSA

Members of the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) on Saturday arrested a close associate of ‘notorious criminal’ Subrata Bain in connection with the murder of a Jubo Dal activist in the capital’s Hatirjheel area. The arrestee, Mahfuzur Rahman Bipu, 48, has long been linked to various criminal activities, including extortion and acts of terror in Hatirjheel and Moghbazar, said Sanad Barua of RAB-3 media wing. “Bipu is a known associate of Subrata Bain, a listed criminal,” he said, adding that Bipu was named as a prime accused in the murder case of 26-year-old Md Arif Sikder.  11 arrested from Hatirjheel On April 19, Arif was shot with intent to kill at ‘The Jheel Café’ in the city’s Nayatola area under Hatirjheel Police Station. He succumbed to his injuries at Dhaka Medical College Hospital on April 21. Following the incident, Arif’s sister filed a case with Hatirjheel Police Station, naming Bipu and several others as accused. RAB said Bipu is also wanted in three other cases, including one filed under the Arms Act with Mirpur Model Police Station. A legal process is underway, the RAB official added.

Police have arrested 11 people including suspected drug dealers and thieves from Hatirjheel area in the capital in a special drive in various crime-prone areas. The arrestees were Rakibul Hasan Shanto, Mosammat Khadija Begum, Md Shamim ,25, Zubayer Hasan,22, Md Imrul Khan,23, Sohel Rana,30, Kamrul Islam,40, Sohel Rana,30, Md Robiul Hasan,22, Md Mostakim,21, and Md Shaheen, 35. During the drive, police recovered 250 grams of cannabis, Tk 1,840 in cash and a stolen motorcycle from their possession. Abrar Fahad murder case: HC releases full verdict The drive was conducted on Friday as part of ongoing efforts to control crimes in the capital, said Deputy Commissioner Media of the DMP Talebur Rahman on Saturday morning.    

The High Court on Saturday released the full verdict that upheld the death penalty of 20 students of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (Buet) and life imprisonment for five others in Abrar Fahad murder case. The 131-page full verdict was published on the Supreme Court’s website. On March 16, the HC upheld the trial court’s verdict confirming the death penalty of 20 Buet students and life imprisonment of five others in the sensational case. A High Court bench comprising Justice AKM Asaduzzaman and Justice Syed Enayet Hossain delivered the verdict in a jam-packed courtroom. HC set to deliver verdict in Abrar murder case Sunday Abrar Fahad, a second-year student of Buet’s Electrical and Electronic Engineering (EEE) department, was beaten to death on October 6, 2019, by activists of the Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) at Sher-e-Bangla Hall. The attack was reportedly triggered by a Facebook post Abrar had made about water-sharing issues between Bangladesh and India. His body was later found on the dormitory’s staircase. The following day, Abrar’s father filed a murder case at Chawkbazar Police Station. The incident sparked nationwide outrage, leading to widespread protests. On December 8, 2021, a Dhaka court sentenced 20 Buet students to death and handed life imprisonment to five others for their involvement in the murder. Convicts and sentences The 20 students sentenced to death are: Mehedi Hassan Rasel, Anik Sarker, Mehedi Hassan Robin, Ifty Mosharaf Sakal, Moniruzzaman Monir, Meftahul Islam Jiyon, Majedur Rahman, Muzahidur Rahman, Tabakhairul Islam Tanvir, Hossen Mohammad Toha, Shamim Billah, Nazmus Shadat, Muntasir Al Jemi, Mizanur Rahman, Mahmud Setu, Shamsul Arifin Rafat, Morshed Omorto Islam, Ehtesamul Rabbi, Morshed Uzzaman Jishan, Mujtaba Rafeed, Dream of education system where students can see future within own country: CR Abrar The five students who received life imprisonment are: Muhtasim Fuyad, Akash Hossain, Mowaz Abu Horaira, Omit Shaha and Ishtiaq Hassan Munna. Of the total 25 accused in the case, five are on the run.  The HC began hearing the death reference and appeals on November 28 last year.    

Gazipur Metropolitan Police Commissioner Md Nazmul Karim Khan has been elected president of the Bangladesh Police Service Association (BPSA), while Dhaka district Superintendent of Police Md Anisuzzaman has been elected general secretary. They were elected unanimously at the association’s annual general meeting held at the Bangladesh Police Auditorium in Rajarbagh Police Lines on Thursday afternoon, according to a media release issued by the Police Headquarters. The release added that the association’s full executive committee will be formed later.

At least 20 people, including Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) and Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Sarail police station, were injured in a clash between two groups of villagers in Sarail upazila of Brahmanbaria on Wednesday night. Locals said an argument broke out between widow Halema Begum, her son Saiful Islam and another Touhidul Islam who allegedly stared at Halema who was passing through Haluapara village with her son on Wednesday evening. Touhidul allegedly looked at her with bad intentions. Later at night, supporting Touhidul villagers from Moghultula area went to attack Saiful’s house in Chanmoni Para, where Halema resides, resulting in a clash between the two groups equipped with locally-made weapons. 4 hijackers arrested with local weapons in Brahmanbaria Being informed, UNO Mosharraf Hossain and a police team led by OC Rafiqul Hasan rushed to the spot and tried to bring the situation under control. The clash continued for around one hour, leaving 20 people, including the UNO and the OC injured. Several of the injured were taken to Sarail Upazila Health Complex and other local hospitals for treatment. Additional Superintendent of Police (Sarail Circle) Tapan Sarkar said authorities were investigating the incident and identifying those responsible. He said they finally brought the situation under control with the help of the army. Many villagers fled the area following the clash and legal action will be taken in this regard.

A large quantity of drugs, seized at various times, was destroyed in Brahmanbaria on Wednesday, authorities said. The destruction took place near the Chief Judicial Magistrate's Court under the supervision of Magistrate Sharmin Jahan. Court orders seizure of Sheikh family's properties in Dhaka, Khulna and Tungipara The total value of the drugs was approximately Tk 4 .74 crore . The seized items included 52,834 Yaba tablets, 1,639 kg 645 grams of cannabis (gaja), 1,258 bottles of Phensedyl, 3,264 bottles of Skof Syrup, 2,005 bottles of foreign liquor, and 95 liters of fermented liquor. Senior Judicial Magistrates Zahirul Alam and Samiul Alam, Judicial Magistrates Shakhawat Hossain and Swagat Samya, along with officials from the Narcotics Control Department and law enforcement agencies were also present.

A Dhaka court on Wednesday ordered the seizure of several properties owned by members of the Sheikh family in the capital, Khulna, and at Tungipara in Gopalganj. Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Judge Md Zakir Hossain passed the order hearing a petition filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC). A plot worth Tk 4.98 crore in the capital’s Baridhara area under the name of Saima Wazed Putul, daughter of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina was among the properties. The court also ordered the seizure of 87.70 decimals of land in Dighalia upazila of Khulna registered under the names of Sheikh Hasina’s sister Sheikh Rehana, her son Sajeeb Wazed Joy, and daughter Saima Wazed Putul. The deed value of the land is Tk 61.87 lakh. Besides it ordered seizer of  19 decimals of land in Tungipara under Sheikh Rehana’s name, with a deed value of Tk 20.50 lakh. BSEC suspends 21 officials involved in March 5 protest The order also includes 87.70 decimals of land in Dighalia under the names of Sheikh Rehana’s children—Radwan Mujib Siddiq Bobby and Azmina Siddiq. The registered value of the property is Tk 41.24 lakh. ACC Deputy Director Md Monirul Islam submitted the petition seeking the seizure of the properties stating that the people are under investigation for accumulation of illegal wealth. Earlier on Tuesday, the same court ordered the seizure of an apartment in Dhaka’s Gulshan in the name of Saima Wazed Putul. On March 5, the court ordered the freezing of Tk 48.35 crore held in 14 bank accounts of Putul’s established organisation, Shuchona Foundation. In separate orders, the court also froze at least Tk 1,657.82 crore kept in various bank accounts under the names of Putul and other members of the Sheikh family.

The Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission (BSEC) has suspended 21 of its officials, following an incident of March in which top members of the commission were confined during a protest. BSEC Chairman Khondoker Rashid Maksud has since urged all employees to remain united. According to commission sources, a special meeting of senior BSEC officials was held on Tuesday. During the meeting, a decision was made to suspend those who were allegedly involved in the March 5 incident that saw the chairman, commissioners, and senior officials confined and the office thrown into disorder. The BSEC officially announced the suspensions on Wednesday through an administrative order. The suspended officials stated they had not been informed beforehand and only learned of the decision upon arriving at the office. Among those suspended are Executive Director Rezaul Karim; Directors Abu Raihan and Md. Mohtashin Billah; Additional Director Nazrul Islam; Joint Director Rashedul Islam; Deputy Directors Bani Yamin, Al Islam, Shahidul Islam, and Touhidul Islam; Assistant Directors Jony Hossain, Raihan Kabir, Sajjad Hossain, and Abdul Baten; Librarian Md. Selim Reza Bappi; and Personal Officer Abu Yusuf. Others suspended include Directors Abul Hasan and Fakhrul Islam Majumder; Additional Director Miraz Us Sunnah; Deputy Director Nannu Bhuiyan; Government Directors Aminur Rahman Khan, Tarikul Islam and Samir Ghosh. The suspensions follow the incident of March 5, when BSEC staff confined the chairman and three commissioners for nearly four hours. Actor Siddique put on 7-day remand The protest was in response to the forced retirement of Executive Director Saifur Rahman and included four major demands. The day after the protest, a case was filed with Sher-e-Bangla Nagar Police Station by the chairman’s security personnel, Ashiqur Rahman. The case named 16 officials, 14 of whom are among those suspended. Following the announcement, Chairman Rashid Maksud convened an urgent meeting involving staff from all levels of the commission on Wednesday evening. In the meeting, he called for unity and assured that the ongoing disputes would be resolved soon. He also instructed officials to work with renewed dedication to stabilise the country’s capital market.

A Dhaka court on Wednesday placed actor Siddiqur Rahman on a seven-day remand in an attempted murder case. Dhaka Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Md Sanaullah passed the order when Abdus Salam, sub-inspector of Gulshan police station also the investigating officer of the case, produced him before the court with a ten-day remand prayer. Earlier on Tuesday, Siddique was assaulted and handed over to police by a group of agitated people. Chinmoy Das secures HC bail in sedition case A video of the incident has gone viral on social media. Siddique, known for his work in film and television, has also been involved in politics. During the Awami League government, he reportedly sought party nominations multiple times to contest elections from Gulshan in Dhaka and Madhupur in Tangail.