United News of Bangladesh

Over 80,000 members of the Bangladesh Army will be deployed during the upcoming national election, said Home Affairs Adviser Md. Jahangir Alam Chowdhury. Besides, members of police, Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and other forces will also be deployed to ensure security, he said at a press briefing after inspecting the polling center at Teghoria High School in Keraniganj (Dhaka-3 parliamentary constituency).  The Home Affairs Adviser said that whereas previously two Ansar members were assigned to each polling station an additional armed Ansar member will remain deployed to enhance the security of the presiding officers. National election in first half of February: CEC To ensure peaceful elections we are taking all necessary preparations, he said. The adviser said holding a peaceful election depends on various factors including the participation and cooperation of political parties, the Election Commission, the administration, law enforcement agencies, and above all the people. Without their support, it will be difficult to hold the election in a peaceful and fair manner, he said. The adviser also said the visit of the poling centre is aimed to explore the possibility of setting up separate booths in the next election for young voters who could not vote in the last three elections as well as separate booths for male and female voters. Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus recently announced that the 13th national parliamentary election will be held in February before Ramadan.

A journalist of a local newspaper was seriously injured in an attack allegedly over a previous enmity in Mirpur upazila of Kushtia district early Monday. The injured is Firoz Ahmed, Mirpur upazila correspondent of local daily ‘Daink Ajker Sutropat,’ and joint general secretary of Upazila Press Club. Locals and family members said Foroz’s grandson and a child, son of neighbour Milon, locked into a scuffle while playing in BGB Sector Para of the upazila a few days back. Later, both families locked into an altercation over the matter. In the early morning, Milon and four to five others allegedly attacked Firoz with hammers, rods and bricks on his way to the mosque to offer Fajr namaz. Gazipur Journalist Murder: Seven under arrest, remanded for 2 days each Hearing the victim’s screams, locals rushed to him and took initially to Upazila Health Complex and later shifted to Kushtia General Hospital. Dr Hossain Imam, resident medical officer of the hospital, said Firoz sustained severe injuries on his head and legs. Shortly after the incident, the accused and his family went into hiding. Officer-in-charge of Mirpur Police Station Mominul Islam said they visited the spot soon after knowing the matter. “Though we are yet to receive any written complaint we are working to bring the accused to justice after investigating the matter,” he added.

A case was filed accusing 700 unnamed people in connection with the lynching of two people on theft charge in Taraganj upazila of Rangpur district on Saturday night. Bharati Rani, wife of victim Ruplal, filed the case with Taraganj Police Station on Sunday, said officer-in-charge MA Faruk. Protesting the deaths, locals blocked Rangpur-Dinajpur highway on Sunday evening. They left the highway upon local administration’s  assurance over ensuring justice. On Saturday night, Ruplal Das, 40, of Ghanirampur and his son-in-law Pradeep Das (husband of his niece), 35, were killed in a lynch-mob attack on charges of stealing a van in Burihat Bottala under Taraganj upazila. Quoting family members, police said Ruplal along with Pradeep, husband of Ruplal’s niece, went to Ghanirampur village to see a prospective groom for his daughter on Saturday night by a van. When they reached Bottala on Taraganj-Kazirhat road, locals confronted them as suspected van lifters. Man, son-in-law lynched over theft charges in Rangpur In a bizarre coincidence two local van pullers named Alamgir Hossain of Pasharipara village and Mehedi Hasan of Burirhat fell sick and got unconscious, deepening suspicion among local people as they believed the van was stolen after the owner was made unconscious through toxic elements. Later, local people beat them up mercilessly, leaving both injured. They were first taken to Taraganj Upazila Health Complex where the doctors declared Ruplal dead around 12 am. Pradeep was taken to Rangpur Medical College and Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries early Sunday.

The government has sent nine unarmed police inspectors, who had served as officers-in-charge (OC) of various police stations during the tenure of the previous government, into forced retirement. The Public Security Division of the Ministry of Home Affairs, issued a notification to this end on Sunday. Reward to be offered for information on looted police arms: Home Adviser The now retired officers are Inspectors Sikder Md Shamim Hossain (APBN-4, Bogura), Abdul Latif (CID Control Room), SM Kamruzzaman (Narayanganj District Reserve Office), A. Kuddus Fakir (CID, Narsingdi), Mamun Or Rashid (Munshiganj and Padma Bridge Zone, Tourist Police), Nurul Islam (CID, Moulvibazar), Md Kamal Hossain (Jamuna Bridge-East Naval Outpost, Naval Police), Md Selimuzzaman (Kulaura Railway Police Station), and Abu Bakar Siddique (Madhupur Circle Office, Tangail). The retirements were executed under Section 45 of the Government Service Act, which allows the government to send any public servant who has 25 years of service under their belt into retirement without stating any reason, if deemed necessary in the public interest. Army seizes large cache of sharp weapons from New Market According to the notification, the officers will receive retirement benefits as per existing regulations. The order has been described as being made in the public interest, and takes effect immediately.

The government will reward those who will provide information about firearms looted from police during the July-August mass uprising, Home Affairs Adviser Lt Gen (retd) Md Jahangir Alam Chowdhury said on Sunday. The adviser disclosed this while talking to reporters at the Secretariat after a meeting of the core committee on law and order. “We are issuing a circular to recover the arms that were lost. We will also announce a reward. A committee will decide within the next couple of days how much we can offer…we will make the announcement through the media. Anyone providing credible information will receive the reward,” Jahangir Alam said. More than 700 of the looted police firearms remain untraced, he added. 92 arrested, 216 looted arms recovered from Sept 4 to Sept 25: Police HQ After the fall of Awami League government in a mass uprising, police said 5,750 firearms and 651,609 rounds of ammunition were looted from various police stations, outposts and other installations. The seized arms and ammunition included rifles, submachine guns (SMGs), light machine guns (LMGs), pistols, shotguns, gas guns, tear gas launchers, tear gas shells, tear gas sprays, sound grenades and bullets. A joint operation to recover the stolen arms and ammunition began on September 4 last year.

Army personnel have recovered a large stockpile of sharp weapons, including so-called 'samurai' chapatis, from several shops in the capital’s New Market area during raids. The operation was carried out based on information extracted from recently arrested criminals, said Lieutenant Colonel Nazim Ahmed, Commander of the elite “Daring Tigers” unit, during a press briefing at the Suhrawardy Medical Camp of the Mohammadpur Army on Saturday night. "More than 1,100 sharp weapons have been recovered from the ground floor of the market. Several boxes remain unopened, and the counting process is ongoing. The final number will be disclosed once the count is complete," he said. The recovered weapons will be handed over to the Detective Branch (DB) of police for further examination and legal action. Several shop owners and employees have been detained, though their names are being withheld for the sake of the ongoing investigation. Authorities are also investigating whether there is any link between the arrested businessmen and criminal groups. In response to a question, the army official said it is still unclear whether the seized weapons were locally produced or imported. "Further forensic examination will help determine their origin," he added. Lt. Col. Nazim also urged traders to stop selling sharp weapons like 'samurai' chapatis. While some people collect them as decorative items, they are increasingly being used by criminal gangs, especially teenage groups, to carry out attacks. This dangerous trend must end, he said. He appealed to the general public to support the effort to curb teen-gang violence. “The rise in teen-gang activity must be stopped, and InshaAllah, we will stop it. If anyone knows of illegal weapons trading in their area, they should immediately report it to the nearest army or police camp.” The army commander reaffirmed the military’s commitment to ensuring internal security: “The Bangladesh Army remains fully prepared to maintain law and order. We are working tirelessly to ensure that no group can destabilise the country. We count on your continued support.”  

Police have detained five suspects in connection with the gruesome killing of journalist Asaduzzaman Tuhin in Chourasta area of Gazipur city. Confirming this on Friday police, however, did not disclose the identities of the detainees. Journalists working in the district formed a human chain on Friday afternoon, demanding immediate arrest and exemplary punishment of the killers. Earlier on Thursday night, the victim’s brother Md Selim filed a case accusing 20 to 25 unnamed people with Basan Police Station of Gazipur Metropolitan Police, said officer-in-charge Md Shahin Khan. Tuhin, a staff reporter of Dainik Protidiner Kagoj, was hacked to death in public by a group of armed men near Chourasta on Thursday night. The incident occurred around 7pm when an altercation between a man and a woman broke out. Armed attackers, reportedly known to the woman, then carried out the attack on the man. While capturing the incident on his mobile phone, journalist Tuhin became the target. Gazipur journalist slaughtered in full public view Gazipur Metropolitan Police (GMP) Additional Deputy Commissioner Md Rabiul Islam said CCTV footage showed the attackers confronting Tuhin, demanding he delete the video. When he refused or denied recording, they attacked him on the spot, he said. The man initially attacked, identified as Badsha Mia, 35, is receiving treatment at Shaheed Tajuddin Hospital. He is a resident of Bhogra Bypass in Basan area. Tuhin hailed from Bhatipara village in Fulbaria upazila of Mymensingh and lived in Gazipur’s Chourasta area with his family. In a related development, two people have been detained over the assault on another journalist, Anwar Hossain Sourav, of Dainik Bangladesh-er Alo. He was reportedly beaten in front of police on Wednesday, allegedly over news reports related to extortion.

A youth was stabbed to death in Keane Bridge area under Kotwali Model Police Station in Sylhet city late Thursday night. The deceased was identified as Dalim Ahmed, 35, a resident from Merenga village of Nandail upazila in Mymensingh district. Locals said a miscreant stabbed him with sharp weapon and severed a tendon in his leg to ensure his death around 11:30pm. On information, police rushed to the spot after some time and rushed the injured to Sylhet MAG Osmani Medical College Hospital where physicians declared him dead. JCD activist stabbed to death in Panchagarh Sylhet Metropolitan Police Additional Deputy Commissioner (media) Muhammad Saiful Islam said the murder appears to be linked to a mugging incident. The body was sent for autopsy. Officer-in-charge (investigation) of Kotwali Model Police Station Shamsul Habib said the victim was a known mugger and had served jail time previously, suggesting the killer may also belong to a similar circle.

Zonayed Saki, Chief Coordinator of Ganosamhati Andolon, has strongly condemned the murder of journalist Asaduzzaman Tuhin and the assault on another journalist, Anwar Hossain Sourav, in Gazipur.  In a Facebook post on Thursday night, Saki demanded the immediate arrest and punishment of those involved in both incidents. “I strongly condemn and express my anger over the brutal murder of Asaduzzaman Tuhin, a staff reporter for the daily Protidiner Kagoj,” Saki wrote. He also decried the attack on Anwar Hossain Sourav, a reporter for Bangladesher Alo, who was beaten in front of police officers while gathering news in the Sahapara area of Gazipur city on the same day. “These culprits must be arrested immediately and brought to justice,” Saki demanded.

Members of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) on Thursday arrested a leader of Jubo League who is accused in connection with the killing of one Nadimul Haque during the July Uprising, from Babubazar area of the capital early Thursday. The arrestee was identified as Sarwar Hossain Swapan, a leader of No 43 unit Jubo League under Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC). CID files Tk 878cr money laundering case against Rongdhanu Group chairman, family Tipped off, a team of CID conducted a drive at the house of Alif Laam Meem Complex and arrested Swapan around 1:48 am. Nadimul Haque Elem, a former student of Sheikh Burhanuddin College, an active member of Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, was shot dead in Old Dhaka on July 19, 2024. Ismat Ara, mother of Elem, filed a case against 89 people including Sheikh Hasina with Sutrapur Police Station. JCD activist stabbed to death in Panchagarh