Bangladesh
Rioters, saboteurs will not be spared: DB chief Harun
Detective Branch of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Chief Harun-or-Rashid has stated that those who have committed acts of sabotage and killed police officers in the name of the quota movement will not be spared, no matter where they are.
He made this remark at a press conference held at the DB office in the capital on Friday.
The DB chief said that those who have killed police officers, murdered civilians, and conducted sabotage at government installations, including the metro rail, will face legal action. Those who led these activities and financed them or facilitated financial transactions will not be spared, no matter where they are.
Harun mentioned 'those people' conducted house-to-house raids with the aim of demoralizing the police. He stated that many police officers have sacrificed their lives for the people at various times, which is very painful for them. He said the quota movement has cost them three police officers, but it has not broken the morale of the police.
He also commented that the attacks and destruction were carried out in a planned manner to weaken the police.
Describing the incidents as premeditated murders and destruction under the guise of the quota reform movement, he said that BNP-Jamaat has repeatedly tried to unlawfully overthrow democratic governments or render the country ineffective. However, due to the police, they have repeatedly failed, which is why this time they targeted the police, he added.
He stated that these evil forces, the Jamaat-BNP circle, launched attacks in the areas of Shoni Akhra and Rayerbagh during the quota reform movement. They attacked police officers wherever they found them.
Rokeya University provides financial assistance to Abu Sayed's family
The administration of Begum Rokeya University, Rangpur (BRUR) has provided financial assistance to the family of Abu Sayed, a student of the university's English department who is widely acknowledged to have been the first victim of the quota reform movement to have died in police firing.
Abu Sayed was known to have been one of the movement's organisers in Rangpur. In death, he was to become one of its icons.
A delegation from the university handed over a cheque of Tk 7.5 lakh to his parents on Friday. Proctor Shariful Islam said that under the directive of the Vice-Chancellor, the university administration has been in constant contact with Sayed’s parents. He also stated that this assistance would continue.
Sayed's father said that Abu Sayed was the apple of his eye, and their family even relied on the money he made from private tutoring while completing his studies.
"Losing a child is an unbearable grief, and the hardest thing as a father was to carry my son's dead body on my shoulders. Now, I only ask everyone to pray for my son," he told newsmen.
He expressed that while they could not get their son back, having a job for a family member might help them manage better in their later years.
He added that every day someone from the university has checked on them, and many people, both known and unknown, have been helping them.
On July 16, Abu Sayed was killed in police firing during the quota reform movement. Not only was he the first reported death of a protester in police firing during the movement. A video of his apparent killing started doing the rounds on social media that very evening, and quickly went viral.
What it showed only served to fuel greater outrage among the protesters, and was arguably the clincher to forming a judicial commission into the six deaths that occurred that day.
The video showed a group of police converging on Sayed, who has seemingly broken away from the crowd and finds himself isolated on a side street in broad daylight, facing the police. He is gesturing defiantly, with his arms spread wide, egging them on almost, to take their best shot - the timeless gesture of the weak towards the strong, of the rebel towards authority.
Yet the most important thing to note here is that clearly unarmed, and on his own, Abu Sayed poses absolutely no threat to anyone, let alone the team of police approaching him - still a good 50-60 feet away. It is also worth remembering that at this point, the situation around the country is nowhere near the state of chaos witnessed later in the week. To reiterate, this is the first death in the movement, about to occur. You cannot excuse it on the pretext of 'the heat of the battle'.
But unfathomably, as the camera pans towards the approaching officers, one of them - for no apparent reason - is seen casually firing off a shot, as if at target practice. He uses a shotgun, which fires pellets, so the impact of the ‘rubber bullet’ isn’t immediately clear, but Sayed can be seen feeling something on his left side, just below the ribs - it's on his upper body, so the chances of death or blindness increase significantly. As with most shotgun rounds, you don't see profuse bleeding, but soon the protester falls to the ground and has to be carried away.
A student who took Sayed to the hospital, said, "Police were firing rubber bullets and tear gas at us. Sayed was hit in the chest and fell unconscious on the street. We took him to the hospital in a battery-run rickshaw. I tried to talk to him, but he did not respond."
Abu Sayed was declared dead on arrival at Rangpur Medical College Hospital, at 3.05pm on Tuesday, July 16.
Two minor girls drown in Kurigram village
Two minor children drowned in a river while taking bath in Kurigram's Ulipur upazila on Friday.
The deceased were identified as Meem, 11, daughter of Monnaf Mia and Habibur Rahman's daughter Hasi, 9, of Bagchir Kahmar Indararpar area of Dhamsreni Union of Ulipur Upazila.
Golok Chandra Barman, sub-inspector (SI) of Ulipur police station, said the two kids went to bathe in Buri Teesta river near their house around 1:30pm. Victim Hasi's grandmother Hasena Begum, 60, was accompanying them.
The two children dived into the water to take a bath. As they didn’t respond even after 15 minutes of diving, Hasi's grandmother started screaming.
Hearing her screaming, the surrounding people rushed and started searching in the water.
Later, they recovered the floating bodies of the children.
A pall of gloom descended on the area following the incident.
Setu Bhaban case: Former DUCSU VP Nur sent to jail
A Dhaka court on Friday sent former vice-president of Dhaka University Central Students' Union (DUCSU) Nurul Haque Nur to jail in a case filed over vandalising and setting fire to Setu Bhaban in Dhaka on July 18.
Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Shakil Ahammed passed the order as the investigating officer of the case Inspector Abu Said Mia produced him before the court after the end of his five-day remand in the case and pleaded to keep him behind the bars.
Earlier on July 21, the court put Nur, also member-secretary of a new political party, Gano Adhikar Parishad, on five-day remand.
On July 18, around 250-300 miscreants stormed into the premises of Setu Bhaban and carried out massive violences. A total of 32 jeeps, 9 pickups, 7 microbuses, 1 minibus, 5 motorcycles, 1 ambulance in the parking lot of Setu Bhaban were burnt.
Later, a case was filed at Banani Police Station following a complaint lodged by Rabiul Islam, the caretaker of Setu Bhaban.
According to the case statement, it caused a loss of approximately Tk300 crore.
In the same case, the court also remanded Bangladesh Jatiya Party (BJP) Chairman and former MP Barrister Andaleeve Rahman Partho and businessman Rezaul Hasnat David for five days on Thursday.
BGB seizes snake venom worth over Tk16 crore
Members of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) seized snake venom worth more than Tk16 crore from the border area of Dinajpur's Birampur upazila in the small hours on Friday.
Acting on a tipped-off, a team of BGB-20 conducted a drive in the South Damodarpur area of Birampur Upazila of Dinajpur around 3am on Friday and seized the venom weighing around 2.466kg, Battalion Commander (Ordnance) Lt. Col. Nahid Newaz said in a press release this afternoon..
The confiscated snake venom was stored in two glass jars, he added.
No one could be arrested as the smugglers left the venom sensing the presence of the BGB, said the commander.
JU teacher's resignation: Evading impending censure, or an appeal to conscience?
Zahidul Karim, a teacher of Jahangirnagar University, has resigned from his post in protest of attacks on general students by the members of law enforcement agencies and Chhatra League, the student wing of the ruling Awami League.
Karim, an associate professor of Management Studies department at the university, sent his resignation letter to vice-chancellor Nurul Alam via email on Thursday.
However, according to the university's public relations office, Zahidul Karim has resigned due to fear of possible punishment following an ongoing investigation into an allegation against him.
A notice signed by Acting Director Mohammad Mohiuddin of the Public Relations Office, stated that following a decision of the university's special syndicate meeting held on August 28, 2021, an allegation that was already investigated once earlier, into the conduct of the MBA examination committee for the academic year 2017-2018, would be reopened.
An official investigation committee has been formed to review the report of the investigation committee that was constituted to look into allegations of aiding in malpractice during the exams. Karim was the then department head. While the investigation is ongoing, he has requested to be released from his job, according to the public relations office statement.
Zahidul Karim also cited recent events in the country as a reason in his resignation letter, but the authorities termed his reasoning 'intentional' and 'malicious', in the notice.
The university authorities firmly state that the official investigation against him will continue and actions will be taken accordingly upon its completion.
Denying the allegations, Zahidul Karim said he was not involved in any academic activities although his wife was a student of that batch. He knew nothing about malpractice during the exams and mentioned it as a conspiracy against him.
The chairman of the examination committee of the batch in question (4th MBA, 2017-18), Professor Awal Al-Kabir, said the matter is under investigation. While refusing to be drawn into divulging details, he did add he "informed the university about his (Zahid Karim's) irregularities in the examination.
"Now it is upto the university to take action,” Prof. Kabir added.
Another professor of the Business Studies Faculty, wishing to remain anonymous, told UNB that when Karim's involvement in malpractice came to light, an academic council meeting was held in the department, and the examination committee members filed a written complaint against him to the then-Vice-Chancellor Farzana Islam.
“To save him, the investigation process was prolonged, and he was sent abroad on study leave,” he also alleged.
'Teaching community's conscience eroded'
Earlier on July 25, Associate Professor Zahidul Karim submitted his resignation letter via email. He stated that he wants to voluntarily quit his job in protest against the government's brutal attacks on general students during the recent quota reform movement.
In his letter, he wrote that he has been teaching at the Management Studies Department of Jahangirnagar University for almost 14 years.
The government's negligence, and 'partisan attitudes' of his fellow teachers regarding the recent violence and chaos in the country have deeply saddened him.
He has always been vocal for truth and justice and stood by the students in their rightful demands. Many students have lost their lives due to the government's aggressive stance against the rightful demand for quota reform.
The government could have quickly accepted the students' demands, preventing such loss of lives. The families of the students who were killed had many dreams for them. They are now devastated by the loss of their children.
The entire nation is in mourning along with them. The recent killings of general students by Chhatra League, police, RAB, and BGB over the past week have created a dark chapter in the nation's history.
The killing of students and injuring some protesting teachers have surpassed the barbarity of 1971, according to Karim.
"Despite witnessing these killings, the university administration and teachers have remained indifferent. The role of teachers has become questionable to the nation," he writes.
The conscience of the teaching community has been eroded due to political partisanship, and the teacher-student relationship has been trampled.
In his letter, he also expressed his deep respect and love for all the students who have been martyred and the injured teachers and students.
"To awaken the values and moral sense of the entire teaching community of Bangladesh, I am voluntarily resigning from my position as Associate Professor, Management Studies Department, Jahangirnagar University," he declares, in a clearly more terminal decision than a temporary suspension while the internal investigation into him is conducted, that the PR office informed about in its statement.
Punishment needed to stop playing with people’s lives: PM Hasina
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Friday stressed the need for proper punishment to the perpetrators of the recent countrywide mayhem to stop them from playing with the lives of the people.
“It is a very painful situation. So many people are now injured and killed,” she said in an emotion-choked voice while visiting Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) in the afternoon to see the injured who came under attacks during the recent countrywide mayhem.
She went to the emergency unit of DMCH at 4:30 pm and inquired about the condition of the injured.
The PM reiterated her call to the people of the country to find the culprits behind such heinous acts.
“They should be given appropriate punishment so that none can play ducks and drakes with the lives of the people anymore,” she said, adding that she never wanted anyone to lose their dear ones in this country.
“I never wanted such a ‘procession of death’ would take place. But such a thing happened in Bangladesh today,” said Hasina.
She said her government has been implementing all necessary steps for elevating the socio-economic condition of the people and a better life for the people.
“My question is what have they gained from it. So many people lost their lives! So many families were affected!” she added.
The premier prayed for the salvation of the departed souls and wished quick recovery of the injured.
“We’ll do whatever is needed for their treatment. There was no deficiency in providing them with treatments,” she said.
She said the physicians, the health minister and the state minister for health have been visiting the injured patients and ensuring the proper treatment.
Sheikh Hasina said she would visit more hospitals where the injured are undergoing treatment.
She asked the countrymen to pray so that the people would get rid of this militancy and oppression.
The prime minister said that Jamaat-Shibir, BNP and Chhatra Dal have been carrying out these destructive acts taking advantage of the quota movement.
“They’ve no sense of humanity, no love and affection for the country, no sense of responsibility towards the country. And they do not consider human beings as human beings,” she said.
The premier asked the countrymen to be united against this barbarism and such heinous incidents.
“We accepted all demands (placed by the students). Then why is it (movement) again? That is my question. Is it to create scope for militancy?” she said.
The prime minister extended her sincere thanks to the physicians for giving treatment towards the injured.
Health Minister Dr Samanta Lal Sen, State Minister for Health Dr Rokeya Sultana and local lawmaker AFM Bahauddin Nasim, among others, were present.
The prime minister visited the vandalised metro rail station at Mirpur 10 in the capital on Thursday morning and ransacked Bangladesh Television (BTV) Bhaban on Friday morning to see the extent of damage after these establishments came under attack during the violence.
One dies of dengue; 148 hospitalised in 24hrs
One more death was reported from dengue in 24 hours till Friday morning, raising the number of fatalities from the mosquito-borne disease in Bangladesh to 51 this year.
During the period, 148 more patients were hospitalised with viral fever, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).
Stern action to be taken against unregistered clinics: Health Minister
Some 505 patients are receiving treatment in different hospitals across the country.
A total of 5,398 dengue cases have been reported since January 1, 2024.
Not possible to solve all problems of Health Department overnight: Health Minister
Last year, 1,705 people lost their lives due to dengue, making it the deadliest year on record.
The DGHS recorded 321,179 dengue cases and 3, 18,749 recoveries last year.
PM Hasina visits DMCH to see the injured in recent mayhem
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Friday afternoon visited Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) to see the injured who came under attacks during the recent countrywide mayhem.
She went to the emergency unit of DMCH at 4:30pm and inquired about the condition of the injured, who are now undergoing treatment there after being attacked during the student movement for reformation of quota in public service.
The premier gave the necessary instructions to the hospital authorities for proper treatment of the victims.
Earlier, the prime minister visited the vandalised metro rail station at Mirpur 10 in the capital on Thursday morning and ransacked Bangladesh Television (BTV) Bhaban on Friday morning to see the extent of damage after these establishments came under attack during the violence.
Health Minister Dr Samanta Lal Sen, State Minister for Health Dr Rokeya Sultana and local lawmaker AFM Bahauddin Nasim, among others, were present.
Steps to be taken against attackers; genuine students won't be harassed: Hasan
Foreign Minister and Joint General Secretary of Awami League Hasan Mahmud on Friday said that every incident of recent attacks and sabotage will be investigated to deliver justice but the genuine students will not be harassed.
"Those who killed PS of Gazipur ex-mayor Jahangir and police in Dhaka, those who hanged their bodies, threw BCL activists from the six-storey building in Chattogram, burnt public and private properties will not be spared. I have seen the footage of vandalism and arson on BTV. Those who carried out these attacks will not be spared from legal actions," he said.
Speaking as the chief guest at a discussion against anti-state, anti-Liberation, terrorism and anarchy at Jatiya Press Club, Hasan also said that many people were prosecuted after the sabotage in 2013-14, some escaped through the loopholes of the law.
"That won't happen this time. Every attacker will be brought to justice," said the Awami League leader.
Hasan said attacks on the state was ordered by BNP's Tarique Rahman.
The foreign minister said Tarique Rahman's voice has come to the hands of the government.
"If you carry out a big attack, get a big post. Break the curfew, if not, leave the post," Hasan quoted Tarique Rahman as saying.
The foreign minister said another BNP leader urged his partymen to enter the movement and create anarchy.
They are the ones who have given the confessional statement that Tk 5,000 will be given if a BCL worker is killed, and Tk 10,000 if a policeman is killed, Hasan said, posing a question, "Is this any political party? It is an anti-state terrorists organization."
Highlighting the recent sabotage, the foreign minister said Bangladesh Television was established in 1964 but in the last 60 years, BTV has never been attacked.
"Some officials of BTV were killed during the War of Liberation. But there was never an attack on BTV," Hasan said.
He said they vandalised the Disaster Management Directorate where people go during a disaster.
"The pride of Dhaka residents and countrymen - Metro Rail - has been set on fire. Foreign ambassadors, high commissioners' IDs were hacked and false messages were posted," Hasan said.
Regarding the quota in government jobs, Hasan said they have said from the very beginning that it will be resolved through the court.
"Finally it happened. The students got more than what they asked for. If the students had a little patience, BNP-Jamaat would not have got this opportunity. And I firmly believe that no ordinary student can kill people or attack people and state property," Hasan said.
He said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has assured that no student will be harassed.
"But you need to remain careful so that no one can use you for their ill motive and purposes," Hasan said.
State Minister for Disaster Management and Relief Mohibbur Rahman said those who commit terrorism and anarchy are anti-state and anti-liberation.
"The time has come to build a united resistance against them," he said.
Awami League leader MA Karim presided over the discussion.
Former Dhaka University Vice Chancellor AAMS Arefin Siddique, Jatiya Press Club President Farida Yasmin, MP, Shahadat Hossain Toyel and Awlad Hossain also spoke.