United News of Bangladesh

A 12-year-old girl, a Class-IV student of a government primary school in Chandpur's Shahrasti upazila, has been found five months pregnant, with her family accusing a 60-year-old neighbour of raping her. The incident took place in Chitoshi East Union and has sparked widespread concern in the locality. The accused, identified as Nasir Uddin, reportedly went into hiding after the matter came to light. According to local residents and family members, the victim is the daughter of physically challenged parents and frequently worked at the accused's house. The girl said that her parents had sent her to Nasir Uddin's house about seven months ago at his request to assist with household chores. During that period, he allegedly touched her inappropriately on several occasions. She further alleged that in February, Nasir Uddin forcibly took her into a room and raped her. The accused allegedly threatened to kill her parents if she disclosed the incident, leaving her too frightened to tell anyone about it. The matter came to light on June 2 when the girl's aunt noticed physical changes and questioned her. The child then disclosed the alleged rape, family members said. Subsequently, the family took her to a physician, who confirmed that she was five months pregnant. Following the disclosure, the accused fled the area, according to locals. The victim's mother alleged that her daughter had been raped and threatened with death. "My daughter is now five months pregnant. We will seek legal action and demand justice from the administration," she said. Md Aminul Islam, member of Ward No. 5 of Chitoshi East Union Parishad, said he had heard about the incident and found the allegations to be credible after making inquiries. "It is a shameful incident involving a helpless family's young daughter. I demand exemplary punishment for the accused," he said. Shahrasti Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Mir Mahbubur Rahman said no formal complaint had yet been filed with the police. "If a complaint is received, the matter will be investigated and legal action will be taken accordingly," the OC said.  

A man accused of attempting to sexually assault a seven-year-old girl died at a hospital after being thrashed by an angry mob in Jhenaidah's Char Khajura area on Thursday. The deceased was identified as Billal Hossain, 40, son of Barkat Ullah of Deuli village in Mohammadpur upazila of Magura district. He worked as a rickshaw puller in Jhenaidah and had been living in a rented room at Jhinukmala Housing Project in Char Khajura. According to witnesses and police, Billal allegedly lured the child to his room with the promise of buying her sweets and later attempted to sexually assault her. Police said the incident occurred in the afternoon when Billal allegedly took the girl to his room and gave her Tk 10. Local residents rushed to the spot after hearing the child's screams and rescued her. An enraged crowd then caught Billal, tied him up and allegedly beat him. On receiving information, police rescued the man and took him into custody before admitting him to Jhenaidah 250-bed General Hospital for treatment. He died there around 7pm while undergoing treatment, police said. Rustam Ali, a resident of the housing project, said Billal had moved into the area about a week ago after renting a room. Jhenaidah Sadar Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Md Asaduzzaman said the girl's mother filed a case with the police station on Thursday, accusing Billal of sexual abuse. "The accused was rescued from the scene and admitted to hospital under police custody. He later died while receiving treatment," the OC said. The body has been kept at the hospital morgue for autopsy. Police said legal action would be taken following an investigation into both the sexual assault allegation and the mob beating that led to the suspect's death.

Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner Mosleh Uddin Ahmed has said that special operations will continue to ensure a safe and peaceful capital. He made the remarks at a press briefing at the DMP Media Centre on Thursday afternoon. The Commissioner said that with everyone's cooperation, no major accidents, sabotage, or terrorist activities occurred in the capital during the Eid holidays. He added that all units of the DMP worked round the clock to ensure security at cattle markets, bus and launch terminals, railway stations, shopping malls, financial and commercial institutions, Eid congregational grounds, residential areas, and vacant houses. “From May 1 to June 2, 2026, DMP operational units conducted special drives and arrested a total of 2,844 people, including 658 extortionists, 971 robbers, bandits and terrorists, and 1,215 drug dealers.” During the same period, police recovered 744 kg of cannabis, 1,79,000 Yaba tablets, 405 grams of heroin, 1,281 bottles of Phensidyl, 28 litres of liquor, 29 grams of ice, 78 pieces of Tapentadol, and 20 narcotic tablets. They also recovered six pistols, 21 rounds of bullets, four magazines, 11 cocktails, and 12 locally made weapons. A total of nine people, including six Chinese nationals, were arrested in cases related to online gambling, cyber fraud, and illegal digital financial transactions. Police also seized 523 mobile phones, 293 SIM cards, four microbuses, six private cars, a covered van, a bus, nine CNG-run auto-rickshaws, and 15 motorcycles. The Commissioner said the DMP Traffic Division filed 38,284 cases in May against violations of the Road Transport Act. Of these, 672 were filed using AI-based enforcement. Fines totalling Tk 8.71 crore were realised during the month. He further said that during the Eid holiday period from May 25 to May 31, intensified patrols, checkpoints, intelligence surveillance, and CCTV monitoring were carried out across the city to maintain security in an almost empty Dhaka. As a result, no major robbery or sensational crime occurred during the seven-day period, although a few isolated incidents of theft and minor crimes were reported, he added. The DMP Commissioner said special drives would continue alongside routine policing to maintain law and order in the capital. Senior DMP officials and journalists from various media outlets were present at the briefing.  

The Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime (CTTC) unit of Dhaka Metropolitan Police has arrested two people and recovered stolen copper cables linked to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) red telephone connection in connection with a theft at the Bangladesh Secretariat. The arrestees were identified as Ranjan Chandra, 26, and Rezakul Islam, 32. According to CTTC officials, the theft of the sensitive communication cable recently drew widespread attention on social media and in the news media. Following the incident, Bangladesh Telecommunications Company Limited (BTCL) filed a case with Shahbagh Police Station against unidentified persons. Considering the importance and sensitivity of the case, CTTC’s City Intelligence Analysis Division launched an investigation, says DMP's DC media SN Nasiruddin. Based on intelligence inputs and analysis of collected information, investigators detained Ranjan Chandra, an outsourcing employee working at the Secretariat, for questioning on Thursday noon. During interrogation, Ranjan allegedly confessed to stealing copper cables from Building No. 3 of the Secretariat on May 22. He told investigators that he later sold 8.2 kilograms of the stolen copper wire at a scrap shop in front of Dhaka University’s Ekushey Hall on June 1 at Tk 600 per kilogram. Acting on his information, a CTTC team conducted a raid and arrested Rezakul Islam from the scrap shop. Investigators later carried out another operation at a scrap warehouse on Hossaini Dalan Road in Chawkbazar, where they recovered the stolen copper cables belonging to the PMO’s red telephone connection, the DC media added. Preliminary investigation suggests that an organised group may be involved in the theft of various important communication cables at the Secretariat. The investigation is continuing to identify and bring the alleged masterminds of the network under the law, CTTC officials said.  

A man accused of raping a five-and-a-half-year-old girl was beaten by angry locals at Madanhat village in Sadar upazila of Natore before being handed over to police on Wednesday evening. The accused, Shariful Islam, a fuchka vendor from the village, was detained following the incident. Officer-in-Charge (OC) Mansur Rahman of Sadar Police Station said Shariful allegedly took the child to a nearby grass field on Tuesday afternoon and violated her. The girl was later rescued by her relatives and admitted to a local clinic. As news of the alleged incident spread at the village, angry locals gathered and confronted the accused on Wednesday evening. The dragged him out of his house, tied him to a tree and beat him. On information, police rushed to the spot, rescued Shariful from the mob and took him to the police station, the OC said. The victim was admitted to Natore Sadar General Hospital for treatment.

A writ petition was filed with the High Court on Wednesday seeking an investigation into the death of a 75-year-old woman whose decomposed body was recovered from a flat in the capital's Pallabi area after allegedly remaining there unnoticed for around seven days. The petition also sought a judicial inquiry into whether there were any human rights violations in connection with the incident and called for the identification of the circumstances surrounding her death. Sharif Sarkar, a Supreme Court lawyer, filed the writ petition. Barrister HM Shanjid Siddiqi, who stood for the petitioner, described the incident as "heartbreaking and inhumane." On May 31, police recovered the body of Nurjahan Begum from a flat in Mirpur-11 (Pallabi) after receiving a call through the national emergency service 999. According to preliminary findings, she died seven to eight days earlier. The deceased was mother of four and her children are well-established in society, Shanjid said. He claimed that one of her children is a senior government official and another is a professor at Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) while another lives abroad. The woman's daughter, a schoolteacher, lives in an adjacent room of the same flat but allegedly did not inform authorities of her mother's death, the lawyer said. In light of this tragic incident, the writ seeks a proper investigation and legal action to ensure accountability, he said. The petition also requested a judicial inquiry to determine whether negligence contributed to the situation and why no one took notice despite the body reportedly remaining inside the flat for several days. It also sought an investigation into the actual cause of death. Shanjid said the petition also sought court directives asking the government to introduce support systems for elderly citizens, including state-backed nursing or caregiving services similar to those available in some developed countries, to help prevent such incidents in the future.  

Members of Indian Border Security Force (BSF) have removed a group of 10 to 12 people including women and children, from the zero line along the Sadipur border in Benapole on Wednesday morning. All of them had been stranded for several days amid an alleged 'push-in' attempt into Bangladesh. Following their removal, additional BGB personnel deployed in the area were also withdrawn and regular border patrols resumed, sources said, said Lieutenant Colonel Golam Mohammad Saiful Alam Khan, commanding officer of the Jashore-49 BGB Battalion. Tension had prevailed between BGB and BSF along the Sadipur border since Sunday night over what Bangladeshi authorities described as an attempt to push people into Bangladesh without following established procedures. The group had reportedly remained stranded in the border's zero line area for three days, enduring harsh weather conditions under open skies. According to BGB and local sources, BSF had attempted to send the men, women and children into Bangladesh, claiming they were Bangladeshi nationals. However, Bangladeshi border authorities refused to accept them, citing the absence of credible documents or information confirming their Bangladeshi citizenship. BGB maintained that no individual would be allowed to enter Bangladesh until their nationality was properly verified. Earlier, on the night of May 31, BSF allegedly gathered around 100 to 120 people in the Haridaspur area across the border from Sadipur and attempted to push them into Bangladesh, according to local sources. The attempt was foiled due to BGB's heightened vigilance, they said. In response to the reported push-in threat, BGB reinforced security measures across the Benapole border, deploying additional personnel at key points, increasing night patrols and strengthening surveillance to prevent any unauthorised entry. Intelligence reports received since May 31 had indicated the possibility of push-in attempts through the border area, said Lieutenant Colonel Golam Mohammad Saiful Alam Khan, commanding officer of the Jashore-49 BGB Battalion. Based on the information, BGB increased patrols and manpower deployment along the frontier, he said. Despite adverse weather conditions, BGB members remained on high alert, he added. The BGB official alleged that BSF switched off border lights on the Indian side near the barbed-wire fence on Sunday night, raising concerns about a possible push-in attempt. “At one stage, we observed around 100 to 120 people being unloaded from vehicles on the Indian side. We intensified patrols and repeatedly warned them through loudspeakers and whistles to prevent any attempt to cross the border,” said Saiful Alam. According to the BGB officer, BSF later opened a section of the barbed-wire fence and moved 10 to 12 people towards the zero line. BGB personnel prevented them from entering Bangladeshi territory, he said. “Since Wednesday morning, those individuals have no longer been visible in the area. They may have been moved elsewhere or taken shelter due to the adverse weather,” he added.  

A mobile court jointly conducted by Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) fined Ad-Din Medical College Hospital in Moghbazar Tk 300,000 on Sunday for multiple violations related to food safety, hygiene and hospital management. The drive was led by DSCC Executive Magistrate Md Aminul Islam and carried out at Ad-Din Medical College Hospital and Monowara Hospital on Bailey Road. During the inspection at Ad-Din Medical College Hospital, the mobile court found unlabeled and stale sweets stored in a freezer at the hospital canteen, an unhygienic kitchen environment, inadequate ventilation and natural light in different wards, and the absence of temperature monitoring devices in hospital refrigerators. For these violations, the hospital was fined Tk 100,000 under the Consumer Rights Protection Act and Tk 200,000 under the Safe Food Act, bringing the total penalty to Tk 300,000. The fine was realised on the spot. The mobile court also instructed the hospital authorities to improve the overall environment, ensure adequate light and ventilation, install temperature monitoring devices in refrigerators, upgrade the canteen facilities and relocate the bakery unit. Authorities were warned to address the identified shortcomings promptly. The team also inspected Monowara Hospital on Bailey Road, where the hospital’s overall management system was reviewed. The authorities were provided with recommendations and guidance on improving services and maintaining standards. Among those present during the operation were Assistant Director (Hospital) of the Directorate General of Health Services Dr Md Mahmudur Rahman, DSCC Region-1 Health Officer Dr Faria Foyez, Safe Food Inspector Md Aslam Bhuiyan, members of Ramna Police Station and other officials of the city corporation. DSCC said such joint inspection and enforcement drives will continue regularly in the public interest to ensure better healthcare, food safety and compliance with relevant regulations.

Deaths from mob violence rose to 32 in May from 21 in April, reflecting a growing tendency of people to take the law into their own hands, according to a report of Manabadhikar Shongskriti Foundation (MSF). According to the report released on Sunday, political violence declined slightly during the month, with the number of injured falling from 303 in April to 193 in May, but it still remains high and various political parties and internal conflicts continue to destabilize the situation.  “The number of deaths in mob violence in May rose from 21 to 32 and the number of injuries from 49 to 71, a clear reflection of the increasing tendency for the mob to take the law into its own hands,” says the report. The report also highlighted an increase in killings, torture and 'push-ins' in border areas that indicates the deterioration of the regional security and human rights situation. Violence against journalists also declined, dropping from 46 incidents in April to 34 in May. However, cases of legal harassment increased from eight to 13, which the report said indicated continued structural pressure on freedom of expression. According to the report, the number of unidentified bodies recovered remained largely unchanged, declining marginally from 56 to 53, while deaths in custody increased from six to seven. An overall analysis of the human rights situation in Bangladesh during the period April to May 2026 shows that there has been some improvement in some indicators, while deterioration in several other key indicators. The report, signed by MSF Founding President Advocate Sultana Kamal, described the overall human rights situation in Bangladesh as showing a mixed but concerning trend. It also cited the obstruction of screening of a film “Banalata Express” in Brahmanbaria on May 30 as an example of clear violation of the rule of law and another form of mob culture.  

Security has been strengthened at the traditional Sholakia Eidgah Maidan in Kishoreganj ahead of the upcoming Eid congregation. Two platoons of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) have been deployed to maintain law and order, said Lt Col Touhidul Bari, commanding officer of Netrokona Battalion (31 BGB), on Wednesday.Police, RAB and other law enforcement agencies will also remain on duty to ensure security. Lt Col Bari said BGB personnel will work in coordination with the district administration and other agencies to ensure a secure environment at the Eidgah Maidan and surrounding areas. He said the two platoons are being led by Assistant Director Mizanur Rahman Chowdhury. This year, the 199th Eid jamaat will be held at Sholakia Eidgah, where preparations have been made for the participation of lakhs of devotees. Mufti Abul Khair Mehmood Saifullah will lead the congregation.The Eid jamaat is scheduled to begin at 9am.