Rab
PM Hasina: Bangladesh won't buy anything from those who impose sanctions against it
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Saturday (May 13, 2023) said that Bangladesh will not purchase anything from any country which imposes sanctions against it.
"There is now a tendency to give sanctions, and sanctions on those by whom we contain terrorism. We have taken a decision. I have said that I will not buy anything from those who will give sanctions,” she said.
The prime minister said this while inaugurating the five-day long 60th Convention of Institute of Engineers Bangladesh (IEB) at the IEB Headquarters with the theme “Innovative Engineering in the 4th Industrial Revolution”.
Read: PM Hasina urges the US to lift sanctions against Russia
“What will you do with me? My parents, brothers and sisters have all been killed. I have nothing to lose. But I want to take my country forward,” she said.
On December 10 in 2021, the US Treasury Department slapped sanctions against Bangladesh's elite force, Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and seven of its former and current officials alleging serious human rights violation.
Bangladesh has strongly denied the allegation and instead highlighted RAB's remarkable success in combating terrorism and drug menace.
Read more: IEB protests DCs' proposal on design, implementation of projects
4 Myanmar nationals held with drugs at Teknaf
Members of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) detained four Myanmar nationals and seized 10,000 Yaba pills, 1.06 kgs of Crystal meth, 35 bottles of foreign liquor and 430 cans of beer from them at Jaliardwip in Teknaf upazila of Cox’s Bazar district.
The BGB conducted the drive on Monday night.
Also Read: ‘Drug peddler’s’ throat-slit body found in Chuadanga
The detainees were identified as Waz Karim, 22, son of Shafiur Rahman, Mahbubur Rahman, 19, son of Amir Hakim, Md Foysal, 20, son of Anis Ahmed and Jashim uddin, son of Hossain Ahmed of Myanmar.
Among them, Foysal and Jashim were the residents of Rohingya camp in Cox’s Bazar and Balukhali camp.
Also Read: Huge haul of drugs busted at Chapainawabganj border: BGB
Tipped off, a team of BGB-2 conducted a drive in the area and challenged a boat while crossing the zero line of the bordering area around 10:20 pm, said Commanding officer of BGB-2, Lieutenant Colonel Mohiuddin Ahmed.
Also Read: Myanmar national among 3 held with Crystal meth, Yaba pills in Teknaf
Later, they managed to detain four people and seized the drugs including beer and liquor from inside the boat.
A process is on to hand them over to Teknaf Police Station.
Letter threatening Mangal Shobhajatra aimed at creating panic: Rab DG
Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) Director General M Khurshid Hossain today (Thursday, April 13, 2023) said the letter threatening attack on Mangal Shobhajatra was sent to a Fine Arts Institute’s student to create panic and it is not a threat from militants.
“The letter was sent to create panic. It has nothing to do with politics,” he said while talking to reporters at the Ramna Batamul in the capital after inspecting the security arrangements at the venue for the Bangla New Year celebrations on Friday.
Read more: Pohela Boishakh: Mangal Shovajatra to be arranged with global perspectives in mind this year
Regarding the security for Pahela Baishakh celebrations, he said the Rab commando team is ready to deal with any kind of situation that may arise, as well as each Rab battalion has started special intelligence surveillance across the country.
Not endorsing one political party vs another in Bangladesh: US State Dept says
While reiterating that any abuser of human rights should be held accountable, Principal Deputy Spokesperson at the US Department of State Vedant Patel has said, “Broadly, the U.S. supports the principle of free and fair elections in Bangladesh and around the world, but I’m not here to endorse one political candidate or party versus another.”
He was speaking at a regular briefing in Washington.
"It’s our immense hope that the Bangladesh Government does look into the contents of this article and video (DW documentary on RAB)," Patel said.
He said as per their assessment, the Digital Security Act is "one of the world’s most draconian laws" for journalists.
Read: US State Department ‘deeply concerned over use of Digital Security Act’
World Press Freedom Index ranked Bangladesh 162 out of 180 countries, a drop of 10 places from the previous year, Patel said.
"And we have made our concerns about this law quite clear. A free press and an informed citizenry are key for any nation and its democratic future," he said.
The US Embassy in Dhaka shared updates on the briefing today.
Read: PM Hasina to visit Japan on April 25-28
Petal said they want to and are looking forward to deepening their relationship with Bangladesh.
That’s why, he said, Secretary Blinken met Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen.
"We, again, are looking forward to deepening our relationship with Bangladesh as a whole," he added.
Read more; Pranay Verma highlights “deep bonds of friendship, cooperation” with Bangladesh
Nafiz Alam, who appeared in DW documentary, arrested from Dhaka’s Bashundhara
Police on Sunday (April 09, 2023) night arrested Nafiz Mohammad Alam, who was interviewed in a recent Deutsche Welle (DW) documentary on RAB, from his home in Bashundhara residential area of Dhaka.
Officer-in-charge of Bhatara Police Station Asaduzzaman told UNB that police arrested Nafiz in a case filed under the pornography act.
Tipped off, a team of Bhatara police carried out a raid at Nafiz's residence in G block of Bashundhara Housing on Sunday evening.
Read More: DW documentary: US hopes Bangladesh will examine allegations against RAB
Foreign alcohol, one laptop, one motorcycle and a mobile phone were seized during the raid.
Sub-inspector Riyad Ahmed of Bhatara Police Station filed a case against Nafiz with the police station under the Narcotics Control Act, said the OC.
He also said Nafiz was accused in three cases and there was an arrest warrant against him filed with the police station under the pornography act.
Read More: Death in Custody: RAB quizzes Jasmine's son and brother-in-law
Replying to a question, the OC said that Nafiz has been produced before a Dhaka court.
Sultana Jasmine died from brain hemorrhage: postmortem report
Naogaon land office employee Sultana Jasmine died from brain hemorrhage, said Prof. Dr. Kofil Uddin, chief of Forensic Medicine Department Rajshahi Medical College Hosptial.
“Jesmine died from brain hemorrhage and there is no sign that she died due to torture in Rab custody, he said while talking to reporters.
Earlier, in the day, Rajshahi police has received the postmortem report of Sultana.
The forensic department of Rajshahi Medical College and Hospital (RMCH) handed over the report to police on Sunday afternoon.
Rafiqul Alam, a spokesperson of Rajshahi Metropolitan Police (RMP) said, "I am aware of it." But I can't reveal what's in the report."
Also read: Death in RAB custody: Rajshahi police receives Jasmine’s postmortem report
No one will discuss this sensitive matter until the report is submitted to the High Court, said the officials concerned.
On March 25, following Jasmine's death, a three-member medical board performed the autopsy at RMCH morgue.
The report was handed over to the police within office hours, said Kofil Uddin, the director of the hospital's forensic department and the board's chairman.
Subhash Chandra Barman, Sub-Inspector (SI) of Rajpara police station and the investigating officer of the case, did not want to comment on the report either.
Ruhul Amin, officer-in-charge (OC) of the city's Rajpara police station, said he did not inquire about the report.
“Everyone will know once it’s submitted before the court,” he said.
The High Court sought the police report and postmortem report on March 27.
The court also sought details about RAB personnel who arrested and interrogated Sultana.
The bench of Justice Farah Mahbub and Justice Ahmed Sohel passed the orders after taking newspaper reports into cognizance regarding the issue.
Union land office employee Sultana was detained by RAB members from Muktirmor area of Naogaon city on March 22 morning and died at Rajshahi Medical College Hospital on March 24.
However, the elite force denied the allegation of torture. They claimed that the victim was arrested for interrogation as there was an accusation of fraudulence against her.
Death in RAB custody: Rajshahi police receives Jasmine’s postmortem report
Rajshahi police has received the postmortem report of Naogaon land office employee Sultana Jasmine who died in RAB custody .
The forensic department of Rajshahi Medical College and Hospital (RMCH) handed over the report to police on Sunday afternoon.
Rafiqul Alam, a spokesperson of Rajshahi Metropolitan Police (RMP) said, "I am aware of it." But I can't reveal what's in the report."
Also Read: Custodial death of Sultana: HC raises questions about RAB’s jurisdiction
No one will discuss this sensitive matter until the report is submitted to the High Court, said the officials concerned.
On March 25, following Jasmin's death, a three-member medical board performed the autopsy at RMCH's morgue.
Also Read: ‘Strong possibility head injury led to brain haemorrhage, no sign of high blood pressure’: RMCH director on Jasmine Sultana’s death
The report was handed over to the police within office hours, said Kofil Uddin, the board's chairman and also the director of the hospital's forensic department.
“I cannot disclose to the media what caused the death,” he said.
Subhash Chandra Barman, Sub-Inspector (SI) of Rajpara police station and the investigating officer of the case, did not want to comment on the report either.
Ruhul Amin, officer-in-charge (OC) of the city's Rajpara police station, said he did not inquire about the report.
“Everyone will know once it’s submitted before the court,” he said.
The High Court sought the police report and postmortem report on March 27.
The court also sought details about RAB personnel who arrested and interrogated Sultana.
The bench of Justice Farah Mahbub and Justice Ahmed Sohel passed the orders after taking newspaper reports into cognizance regarding the issue.
Union land office employee Sultana was detained by RAB members from Muktirmor area of Naogaon city on March 22 morning and died at Rajshahi Medical College Hospital on March 24.
However, the elite force denied the allegation of torture. They claimed that the victim was arrested for interrogation as there was an accusation of fraudulence against her.
Sultana's death in custody: RAB says it has arrested her alleged aide Al Amin
Members of Rapid Action Battalion yesterday arrested Al Amin, the prime accused in a Digital Security Act case.
Acting on a tip-off, a team of RAB-3 conducted a raid in Dhaka's Shahjahanpur area and arrested Md Al Amin (32), RAB-3's Senior ASP (Media) Farzana Haque said in a press release.
According to RAB, Al Amin is an "aide" of Naogaon Land Office Assistant Sultana Jasmine, who died in RAB custody on March 24.
"Al Amin and his team members used a fake Facebook ID of Joint Secretary Md Enamul Haque, working at the Rajshahi Divisional Commissioner's office, to embezzle millions of taka by luring unemployed youths with government jobs," says the RAB press release.
Also read: HC seeks postmortem report and details of RAB members involved in Sultana's death in Naogaon
Later, when the official came to know about the matter, he filed the DSA case with Rajpara Police Station of Rajshahi city against Al Amin and "his associate" Sultana Jasmine, who was arrested on March 23, it said.
During primary interrogation, Al Amin confessed to his involvement.
Since the filing of the case, the arrested accused has been kept under intelligence surveillance and at one stage arrested by RAB, said the release.
RAB’s intelligence activities are ongoing to arrest other associates of the gang, based on the information Al Amin gave.
Al Amin is an MFS agent. He has been working with a group to embezzle money from job seekers by fraudulently using the names of high-ranking government officials, the RAB press release says.
Custodial death of Sultana: HC raises questions about RAB’s jurisdiction
The High Court on Tuesday wanted to know the details of whether the process of RAB was legally corrected in connection with the death of a union land office employee— Sultana Jasmine— in RAB custody in Naogaon district.
The High Court bench of Justice Farah Mahbub and Justice Ahmed Sohel raised the question after hearing a writ petition.
It also wanted to know whether Sultana was interrogated in a designated place (police station or office) and whether RAB followed the legal procedure before taking her to the hospital and whether RAB has the jurisdiction to detain her.
Read more: ‘Custodial death’ in Lalmonirhat: Rights body demand justice
The court also asked the state counsel to submit the answers of the questions raised by the court by Wednesday.
On Monday, the High Court summoned the police report and postmortem report on the death of Sultana in RAB custody in Naogaon.
The court also sought details of RAB personnel who arrested and interrogated Sultana.
Sultana was detained from Muktirmor area of Naogaon city on Wednesday morning and died at Rajshahi Medical College Hospital on Friday morning.
However, the elite force denied the allegation of torture. They claimed that the victim was arrested for interrogation as there was an accusation of fraudulence against her.
Govt's 'pampering' leads law enforcers to murder one after another: Fakhrul
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Tuesday alleged that the members of the law enforcement agencies have been carrying out 'one murder after another due to pampering by the government'.
“A simple woman who was working and raising her son in Naogaon was picked up and brutally tortured and killed (by RAB). Now they are denying it,” he said.
Speaking at an iftar party, the BNP leader also said the law enforcers are indulging in extrajudicial killings by obeying the illegal orders of the current regime which is not elected by the people.
“Even after the US sanctions on RAB, the government did not take any action against the officials (of RAB). So, they’re pampered to carry out such murder one after another,” Fakhrul observed.
He also alleged that the incumbent ‘usurper’ Awami League government has been suppressing the country’s people by resorting to various forms of repression, killing and enforced disappearance for over a decade to materialise its dream of establishing 'one-party Baksal rule'.
Jatiyatabadi Krishak Dal organised the iftar party at the Ladies Club in the city’s Eskaton Area.
Sultana Jasmine, a union-level land employee in Naogaon, died in RAB custody on March 24. RAB claimed that Sultana Jesmin was picked up for interrogation on charges of fraudulence, but she fell ill and died at Rajshahi Medical College Hospital.
Fakhrul said their party’s 17 leaders and activists sacrificed their lives on the streets during their current movement for the restoration of democracy, people’s voting and all other democratic rights that have been lost.
Besides, he said 35 lakh people associated with BNP have been implicated in ‘false’ cases while around 600 people were made to disappear and several thousand others were killed by the current government. “This’s a monstrous regime and we must remove it immediately,” Fakhrul said.
The BNP leader said the country’s people and the political parties are now united to oust the Awami League government through a strong simultaneous movement.
Read more: US sanctions on RAB made BNP fearless in anti-government protests: Fakhrul
“We believe that through a united movement of the people, this monstrous fascist government will be removed and a government of the people will be established in the country,” he said.
BNP standing committee member Nazrul Islam Khan, vice chairmen Abdullah Al Noman, Barkatullah Bulu, Ahmed Azam Khan, AZM Zahid Hossain, chairperson’s adviser Abdus Salam and Nagorik Oikya president Mahmudur Rahman Manna, among others, joined the programme.