United News of Bangladesh

Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed on Thursday said exemplary punishment would be ensured in the shortest possible time in the brutal rape and murder case of eight-year-old Ramisa Akter in Dhaka’s Pallabi area. He said police will investigate the murder and submit the charge sheet as quickly as possible, the minister said at a press conference on recent issues at the conference room of the Home Ministry at Secretariat. “The remaining legal process is the responsibility of the Law Ministry. We hope exemplary punishment will be ensured as soon as possible,” he said. He also said police are arresting many criminals who had long remained beyond the reach of law enforcement agencies. Earlier in the day, Law Minister Md Asaduzzaman directed the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner to submit the probe report within one week over the murder. The minister said steps will be taken to complete the trial proceedings of the murder case in the shortest possible time. “The government will do everything possible to ensure the speedy completion of the trial over the murder of the child,” he added. Ramisa, a Class-II student, was slaughtered by a tenant of their next-door flat at Pallabi in the capital on Tuesday. The suspect – Sohel Rana – reportedly lured her into his room when Ramisa left her flat in the morning. Later, he raped the girl and slaughtered her. The girl’s decapitated body was found beneath the bed while her severed head inside a bucket in the bathroom. Locals detained suspect’s wife Swapna Akter, though Sohel managed to escape by cutting through a window grille. He was later arrested in Fatullah of Narayanganj in the evening of the same day. On Wednesday, Sohel gave a statement before a Dhaka court confessing to his guilt.  

A Dhaka court on Wednesday sentenced Bidisha Siddique, former wife of late Jatiya Party Chairman and former President HM Ershad, to two years’ imprisonment in a fraud case involving a flat. Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Md Jamshed Alam delivered the verdict in the absence of the convict. The court also fined her Tk 10,000, with an additional one month’s imprisonment in default of payment, and issued a warrant for her arrest. The case was filed at Gulshan Police Station on February 2, 2008 by businessman AKM Mosharraf Hossain Sikdar of Dhaka’s Pallabi area. According to the case statement, Mosharraf paid Bidisha Tk 75 lakh on July 10, 2001 for a flat in Baridhara that was supposed to be handed over by July 10, 2002. However, despite the passage of several years, the flat was not handed over, the complaint said. Later, Bidisha allegedly issued a cheque for Tk 72 lakh on February 9, 2005, which was dishonoured due to insufficient funds. The complainant also alleged that instead of returning the money or handing over the flat, Bidisha delayed the matter on various pretexts and later threatened to kill him.

Bangladesh and the United Kingdom have expressed optimism about expanding cooperation in education, skills development and employability. Senior officials from both countries discussed opportunities for collaboration on the sidelines of the Education World Forum 2026 in London on Wednesday. Education Minister A N M Ehsanul Hoque Milon and Adviser to the Prime Minister Mahdi Amin held a meeting with Jonathan Ledger, International Education Strategy Delivery Lead at the UK Department for Business and Trade, on the sidelines of the forum. Senior representatives from Pearson, Cambridge Partnership for Education, and UK-based skills and technical and vocational education and training (TVET) institutions also joined the meeting. During the meeting, the Minister and the Adviser highlighted the government’s priority to deliver quality education, with a particular focus on enhancing students’ employability, making them job-ready, strengthening industry-academia linkages, and developing demand- and market-driven curricula and TVET systems. The UK side shared its experience of working with different countries in line with their respective national needs and priorities.

Dhaka Metropolitan Police will follow a ‘zero tolerance’ policy against extortion, mugging, drugs, juvenile gangs, online gambling and cyber fraud in the capital, newly appointed DMP Commissioner Mosleh Uddin Ahmed said on Wednesday. The remark came at a “Meet the Press” programme held at the DMP media centre in the capital. He also warned that no offender would be spared on the basis of political or social identity. Referring to the challenges of maintaining law and order in a city of nearly 30 million people, he said mugging, drugs, extortion, juvenile gangs, online gambling, cyber fraud and hacking have become major concerns in Dhaka. To tackle such crimes, DMP launched a special drive from May 1 and its cyber unit is being further strengthened to prevent cybercrimes, he said.  He said digital forensic lab established at the Detective Branch (DB) office recently received is expected to help investigations. On traffic congestion in the capital, the DMP commissioner said several initiatives have been taken to modernise traffic management through technology. AI-based cameras have been installed on important road intersections and an e-prosecution system has also been introduced based on video footage, he added. He also said citizens are now able to file General Diaries (GDs) online while services such as ‘Hello DMP’ has been launched. The DMP commissioner said special security measures would be taken across the capital ahead of the Eid al-Azha. Additional police personnel will be deployed at cattle markets, Eid congregations, shopping malls and residential areas, he said, adding that security has already been tightened at bus terminals, railway stations and launch terminals. Action will also be taken against overcharging passengers and carrying excess passengers during the Eid rush, he added. Requesting citizens to seek police assistance while carrying large sums of money, t he DMP commissioner said DB and local police stations have been kept on maximum alert to prevent crimes by organised gangs, including drugging gangs, muggers and counterfeit currency syndicates during the Eid period. He also called on people to promptly inform police about any criminal activity and contact the national emergency service 999 when necessary. Urging the media to play a constructive role, he said journalists should not only criticize police but also highlight their positive work so that city residents become more aware.    

A court in Lalmonirhat on Monday sentenced a man to life imprisonment for raping an 11-year-old schoolgirl in 2016. The convict is Anath Chandra Barman, 42, son of Kamini Kanta Barman of Purbo Saptana Majhapara of Lalmonirhat municipality. He was also fined Tk 10,000, in default of which he will have to serve an additional three months of simple imprisonment. Judge Nityananda Sarkar of the Children and Women Repression Prevention Tribunal delivered the verdict. According to the prosecution, the incident took place on May 26, 2016, when the victim, then a fifth-grade student, was alone at her home in the neighbourhood. Taking advantage of the situation, the convict allegedly entered the house and raped her. Later, the girl’s parents returned home and found her injured. She was first taken to Lalmonirhat Sadar Hospital and later shifted to Rangpur Medical College Hospital for treatment. Following the incident, the victim’s father filed a rape case at Lalmonirhat Sadar Police Station. Police arrested Anath Chandra on June 3, 2016. The investigating officer submitted a charge sheet against him on August 29 of the same year. The court also ordered that the period the convict spent in custody during the trial will be counted toward his sentence.

A writ petition was filed with the High Court on Sunday seeking an investigation into the 18-month activities of the interim government led by former chief adviser Muhammad Yunus. After a preliminary hearing, the High Court bench of Justice Ahmed Sohel and Justice Fatema Anwar fixed Thursday (21 May) for passing its order. Senior lawyer MK Rahman and petitioner-lawyer Mohsin Rashid appeared for the writ petitioners, while Attorney General Md Ruhul Quddus Kajol represented the state. Lawyer MK Rahman said the petition sought an investigation into the activities of the interim government over the past 18 months. He alleged that the government had created instability in several sectors, including the economy and healthcare. “A commission should be formed under the Commission of Inquiry Act to ensure that no elected government can be removed unconstitutionally in the future,” he said. He added that the court heard the matter and fixed Thursday for its order. Mohsin Rashid told reporters that the petition sought a comprehensive and neutral investigation into all incidents that took place during the period. “The government will decide how the investigation will be conducted,” he said. He also said the attorney general informed the court that he would seek instructions from the government on the matter.

Reflecting on the shared linguistic and artistic heritage, Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister Afroza Khanam has stressed the importance of cultural and people-to-people exchanges to further deepen friendship and cooperation between Bangladesh and Nepal. The Minister commended the Embassy of Nepal and the Friendship Society for their efforts in strengthening the longstanding historical and cultural bonds between Bangladesh and Nepal. She made the remarks while speaking at a cultural event as the chief guest held at the district Shilpakala Academy, Manikganj on Saturday evening. The Embassy, in collaboration with the Bangladesh-Nepal Friendship Society, organised the “Nepal Cultural Evening. Nepalese Ambassador to Bangladesh Ghanshyam Bhandari highlighted the deep-rooted connections between Bangladesh and Nepal in the fields of art, culture, and language. He underscored the importance of strong people-to-people contacts as a cornerstone of bilateral relations. The Ambassador noted that the programme was organised to celebrate and further deepen the close cultural and artistic links between Nepal and Bangladesh. Deputy Commissioner of Manikganj Nazmun Ara Sultana, Superintendent of Police, Manikganj Mohammad Sarwar Alam, Chancellor of Pokhara Academy Padma Raj Dhakal, district Child Officer of Manikganj Dewan Hafizur Rahman, President of Bangladesh-Nepal Friendship Society Moshiur Ahmed, and General Secretary Salahuddin Kutu also spoke. The cultural programme featured fourteen artistic performances, including traditional dances, folk songs and musical presentations by visiting artists of Pokhara Academy, artists from the District Shilpakala Academy, and Shishu Academy, Manikganj. Nepali artists showcased traditional music and dance forms, including Sorathi, Sakhiya, Lathi, Salaijo, and Kaura, among others. Bangladeshi artists also presented a Nepali dance alongside Bangladeshi folk dances and musical performances. The programme brought together representatives from government and non-government agencies, cultural enthusiasts, civil society leaders, friends of Nepal, media persons, and Nepali students studying in Manikgunj.

Cyber Police Center (CPC) of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has arrested eight members including the alleged mastermind of an organised gang accused of operating online gambling sites and laundering crores of taka abroad. The arrestees are Md Ashraf Uddin Ahmed, 32, Sajeeb Chakraborty, 29, Md Ashraful Islam, 40, Md Jasim Uddin, 36, Taiyeb Khan, 26, Soumik Saha, 28, Md Kamruzzaman, 36, and Abdur Rahman, 47. CID Special Police Superintendent (Media and Public Relations) Jasim Uddin Khan said the group had been operating several international and local online gambling platforms for a long time. Gamblers used mobile financial services such as bKash, Rocket and Nagad, along with bank accounts and cryptocurrency wallets, to place transactions on the platforms. Investigators said the illegally earned money was later smuggled abroad through cryptocurrency and digital hundi networks. During preliminary interrogation, the accused reportedly admitted that they had been illegally handling around Tk 1.8 crore to Tk 2 crore daily over the past six months by attracting people to online gambling platforms and a large portion of the money was transferred abroad. The CID said its Cyber Monitoring Cell detected the activities during routine online surveillance and found that several groups were illegally operating online gambling sites in Bangladesh. In this connection, a case was filed with Paltan Model Police Station under the relevant sections of the Cyber Security Ordinance, 2025.

A case has been filed over the assault on a doctor and vandalism at the emergency department of Shariatpur Sadar Hospital following the death of a patient undergoing treatment there. Dr Akram Elahi of the hospital filed the case at Palang Model Police Station on Saturday evening against 11 named individuals and 50 unidentified ones, said its Officer-in-Charge Shah Alam. So far, six accused have been arrested, and efforts are underway to arrest the others, he said. Five of the arrested were identified as Solaiman Qazi alias Al-Amin, Jasim Qazi, Abdul Jalil Qazi, Rabiul Qazi and Zayeda Begum. According to police and hospital sources, Lal Mia Kazi, 50, from the Uttar Bilashkhan area of Shariatpur municipality, was taken to the hospital’s emergency department with chest pain around 10:00pm on Friday. Doctors provided primary treatment, but he died around 12:30am on Saturday while undergoing treatment. Following his death, relatives got agitated, alleging that the doctor arrived late. At one stage, they attacked and vandalised the emergency department. The doctor on duty, Md Nasir Islam, along with Ansar members Sohel Sardar, Kamrul, Azizul Haque and Kawsar, were injured in the attack. Nasir Islam, who was seriously injured, was later sent to Dhaka by air ambulance. CCTV footage from the hospital showed 20-25 people beating and dragging Nasir Islam out of the emergency room. Panic spread across the hospital premises before police brought the situation under control. Civil Surgeon Dr Md Rehan Uddin said a four-member investigation committee had been formed, which had been asked to submit its report within five working days. Deputy Commissioner Tahsina Begum described the attack on the hospital and doctors as “very sad” and said strict action will be taken against those involved. Shariatpur-1 MP Sayeed Ahmed Aslam said attacks on healthcare facilities were unacceptable and that none of those involved will be spared.  

Three members of the United People’s Democratic Front (UPDF-Main) were detained during a raid in the Budangchhara area under Guimara region in the Chittagong Hill Tracts on Saturday. The detainees were identified as Sathoai Marma, 32, Ronel Chakma, 28, and Sarching Marma alias Raju, 22. According to a statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), Sathoai Marma sustained a bullet injury to the neck during the operation. Based on intelligence information, an army operation team took position in the Budangchhara area at around noon. At one stage, several armed men riding two motorcycles attempted to cross the area. When army personnel challenged them to stop, the suspects allegedly ignored the order and opened fire on the troops. The army personnel then returned fire in self-defence, the statement said. After the operation, security forces recovered one AK-22 rifle with a magazine, six rounds of live ammunition, one spent bullet cartridge and other related equipment from the spot. The injured Sathoai Marma was given first aid and taken to Ramgarh Upazila Health Complex before being shifted to Chittagong Medical College Hospital under police custody for advanced treatment. He is currently out of danger, the ISPR said. The statement added that such operations by security forces would continue to maintain peace, harmony and stability in the hill region and to curb extortion and militancy.