Rapid Action battalion (Rab)
Ramna Batamul carnage: Death row convict held in N’ganj
Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) has claimed to have nabbed a fugitive death row convict in the 2001 Ramna Batamul carnage case.
Mufti Abdul Hye, 57, former amir and founder of Harkat-ul-Jihad-al Islami Bangladesh (HuJI-B), was apprehended during a drive in the Fatulla area of Narayanganj on Wednesday, Rab said on Thursday.
He was also a death row convict in a case filed over a murder attempt on Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at Kotalipara in Gopalganj in 2000, according to Rab.
Tipped off, a Rab-2 team conducted the drive in the Fatulla area, said assistant SP (media wing) at Rab headquarters Imran Khan. "Abdul was wanted in as many as 13 criminal cases."
He was also sentenced to life in jail in the August 21 grenade attack case, and wanted in two separate cases of murder, including that of former Finance Minister SM Kibria.
Also read: Ramna Batamul carnage: Fugitive death row convict held in Kishoreganj
Arrest warrants were also issued against him in seven cases in Cumilla district.
Abdul had been absconding since 2006. Initially, he went into hiding in his parents-in-law's house in Cumilla district and worked as an assistant in his father-in-law's shop.
In 2009, he left Cumilla and moved into a rented accommodation in Narayanganj from where Rab detained him, said Imran.
On February 15, Rab detained Mufti Shafiqur Rahman alias Abdul Karim alias Shafiqul Islam, another fugitive death row convict in the Ramna Batamul carnage case.
A Dhaka court on June 23, 2014, sentenced eight militants to death for the 2001 Ramna Batamul bomb attack that claimed the lives of 10 people and injured 50 others during new year celebrations.
On August 20, 2017, the Speedy Trial Tribunal-2 in Dhaka sentenced 10 people to death in another case filed over the murder attempt on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at Kotalipara in Gopalganj in 2000.
Police found a 76kg bomb near a shop adjacent to Sheikh Lutfur Rahman Government High School on July 20, 2000, where Hasina was supposed to address a rally on July 22.
Another 40kg bomb was also recovered by an Army bomb expert squad from near the Kotalipara helipad on July 23, 2000.
Two Rab members among 3 thrashed by locals in Ctg
Three people, including two Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) personnel, were badly beaten up by locals in Mirsarai upazila on Wednesday night after being mistaken as robbers, officials said.
The injured Rab men have been identified as Kausar, 29, and Mokhles Uddin, 33. The other victim has been identified as Rab informer Pervez, 28.
Also read: Lalmonirhat lynching: 38 surrender, sent to judicial custody
The two Rab members were brought to Dhaka for better treatment by a helicopter around 9.30pm, said Rab's senior assistant director (media) Nurul Absar Chowdhury.
The trio went to Baroiyarhat Municipality Bazar in a car around 8.45pm to gather information about drugs-business in the area, the Rab said in a release.
Also read: Three robbers lynched in Manikganj, two die
Suspecting them as robbers, local people thrashed them, leaving the three injured. On information, a team of Rab-7 rushed to the spot and rescued them.
Man who attacked Ctg cops held
Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) has detained the notorious history-sheeter who was allegedly behind Sunday's brutal attack on Chattogram cops.
Kabir Ahmed was detained along with one of his associates by Rab members after a brief exchange of fire on Thursday night from the hilly area of Lohagarh upazila, Rab-7 senior assistant director (media) Md Nurul Abshar told UNB.
Also read:Severed wrist of Ctg cop successfully transplanted
"Legal processes are underway. Details will be revealed later,” he said.
Earlier, police had arrested Kabir's wife Ranu Begum from the Bandarban border area.
On Sunday morning, three people, including two police constables, were attacked by Kabir in the Adharmanik Lalarkhil area of Lohagara when the cops went to arrest him.
During the attack, 30-year-old constable Jony Khan’s wrist was severed while another constable, Shahadat Hossain, 27, and complainant Abul Kashem, 40, also suffered injuries.
Also read:2 cops injured in attack by accused in Chattogram
On Monday, doctors successfully transplanted the wrist of Jony at a private hospital in Dhaka after he was taken there by a helicopter from Chattogram on Sunday evening, said Bhakta Chanda Dutta, sub-inspector at Lohagara police station.
Schoolgirl gang raped in Rajshahi; 2 held
Members of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) have arrested two people in connection with the rape of a class X student by some youths after abducting her in Puthia upazila of Rajshahi.
The arrestees are as Rakib, 25, and Mizan, of the upazila.
Also read: Khulna police make 6 arrests after indigenous woman gangraped at home
Tipped off, a team of RAB-5 Rajshahi and RAB-11 arrested them conducting a drive at Khanpur in Sadar upazila of Narayanganj on Monday night, said Rab in a media briefing in Rajshahi.
During primary interrogation, the arrestees confessed to their involvement with the incident.
Efforts are on to arrest the other criminals.
On April 13, the schoolgirl, who was returning home from a relative's house in a battery-run rickshaw van along with two others, was allegedly abducted and raped by five to six youths in Puthia upazila.
Also read:Attempted rape victim commits suicide in Bogura: 2 arrested
The miscreants snatched money and mobile phone sets of the rickshaw van passengers and then forcibly took the girl to a banana orchard, where they took turns to rape her, according to the survivor.
The girl later managed to reach Begar Mor area and narrated her ordeal to locals, said Officer-in-charge of Puthia police station, Shahrowardy Hossain.
Five suspected terrorists held in N'ganj
Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) on Thursday claimed to have arrested five terrorists from Rupganj and Sonargaon upazilas in Narayanganj.
The arrestees have been identified as Riazul Islam alias Shooter Riaz, 22, Md Zahidul Islam alias Kala Bhagina, 23, Maruf Hossain Munna, 23, Md Selim, 23, and Md Mahbub Miah, 23.
Also read: Gang of robbers busted in Gazipur, 6 held
Tipped off, a Rab-3 team conducted drives in Rupganj and Sonargaon upazilas on Wednesday night and arrested the five, said Commander Khandaker Al Moin, director of the legal and media wing of Rab.
Three foreign-made pistols, three magazines, 12 rounds of ammunition, five sharp domestic weapons, a motorcycle and 600 pieces of Yaba were seized from their possession, he said.
Khulna gang rape: 2 more accused held
Members of Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) on Tuesday arrested two more accused in the case over the gang rape of a woman in Khulna city.
Rab-6 Director Lt. Col. Muhammad Mushtaq Ahmed said they arrested Sumon and Alamin Mollik, residents of Shiromoni area of Khulna, from Chitalmari in Bagerhat.
Read: Four tie up man in Khulna, rape wife
With these, five people have been arrested in connection with the incident.
On March 18, four men forcibly dragged a couple to a garage near the Tetultala railway crossing in Khanjahan Ali area of Khulna city around 10:30pm, where they tied up the husband with a rope and took turns to rape the 27-year-old woman.
Based on the woman's complaint, an FIR for gang-rape was lodged against the four men -- identified as Kamrul, Jibon, Sumon and Alamin -- at Khanjahan Ali police station on Saturday morning.
Police arrested Kamrul, the owner of the garage, on Saturday night.
Read: RAB detains 11 suspected militants in Khulna
On Monday, Sagar and Shakil were arrested on suspicion of involvement in the incident.
Based on their information, police arrested Sumon and Alamin today.
However, the prime accused Jibon is still on the run. “Efforts are on to arrest him,” said the official.
Withdrawal of sanctions: Momen seeks support of US lawmakers
Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen has reiterated the government's willingness to work closely with the US to find ways to waive sanctions on Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and its officials on a priority basis and sought the US Congress' support.
From February 23 to March 2, Dr Momen paid a visit to New York to attend official meetings at the United Nations.
Read: Sanctions: Bangladesh close to a decision on how it’ll proceed on legal front
During this visit, he held meetings with Congresswoman Grace Meng (D-NY) on February 28 and with Congressman James P McGovern (D-MA), the co-chair of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission, on March 1.
Due to Covid-related protocols, both meetings took place on a virtual platform.
Expressing concern about the recent US sanctions on RAB and its seven current and former senior officials, Dr Momen informed the US lawmakers that Bangladesh had always shown its readiness to deal with specific allegations against RAB members.
He mentioned that RAB has emerged as the most efficient law enforcement agency in Bangladesh over the years, and has been at the forefront of combating terrorism, violent extremism, drug and human trafficking, and other transnational crimes.
Dr Momen acknowledged the strong US humanitarian and political support to Bangladesh in dealing with the Rohingya crisis and sending Covid vaccines.
Also, he requested the US lawmakers to persuade Myanmar in all possible ways to create a safe and secure environment in Rakhine State and take back all the forcibly displaced Rohingya people, temporarily staying in Bangladesh, to their homeland in Myanmar.
The US lawmakers commended Bangladesh's generosity in hosting this huge number of Rohingyas and said that they would continue their efforts in this regard.
Also, the foreign minister briefed the US lawmakers about the impressive socio-economic development that has taken place in Bangladesh under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
Read: Don’t believe wholesale sanctions on Bangladesh warranted: Congressman Meeks
The lawmakers highly appreciated Bangladesh's tremendous development, said the Bangladesh Embassy in Washington.
Dr Momen underscored the importance of further expanding the trade and investment relations between Bangladesh and the US, and deepening the excellent partnership in the coming days.
He invited both lawmakers to visit Bangladesh, along with congressional delegations, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries.
Death row convict arrested in Ctg
Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) has arrested a death row convict in a murder and robbery case who had been on the run in disguise of different places for six years.The arrestee was identified as Md Ishak, 27, son of Md Kamal Hossain of Chattogram's Hathazari who was sentenced to death along with 3 others in 2021 for killing a woman after rape in March 2016.
Read: Death row convict on the run for 20 yrs arrested in CtgBesides, there are three other fugitives who were sentenced to death in this case.They are: Md. Yasin, Md. Abu Tayyab Prakash Rana ,24, and Md. Mansur, 25.The accused was arrested from Sultanpur area of Raozan in Chattogram early hours on Monday, said Nurul Absar, senior assistant director (Media) of Rab-7 of Chattogram.
It’s done to alert, not to punish: US envoy about sanctions
The United States has said the sanctions imposed on individuals at the Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) were not meant for punishment as it was done to alert the law enforcement agency.
Agriculture Minister Dr Muhammad Abdur Razzaque made the remarks on Sunday quoting US Ambassador to Bangladesh Earl R Miller after their meeting at the Secretariat.
The Agriculture Minister conveyed the outgoing US envoy that it is very unfortunate to impose sanctions on the officials of the law enforcement agency, according to a PID handout.
Read: Shirin Sharmin a "role model, inspiration" for women leaders: Miller
The Agriculture Minister said the US side appreciated Bangladesh for successfully combating the militants.
Their idea is that in some cases human rights have been violated which needs to be improved, said the minister, adding that they are hopeful of improvement to that end.
"I’ve told them that the human rights situation in our country is good. There were no incidents of human rights violation. In some places, law enforcement agency might have made mistakes, for which 190 Rab officers have been punished,” Razzaque said.
The Ambassador assured that he would discuss the matter at the higher level of his government after his return to the United States so that the sanctions could be lifted soon.
During the farewell meeting, the two sides discussed agriculture, economy, global and regional issues and recent US sanctions.
Highlighting the significant success of the country's agricultural production, they both said there is a deep relationship between Bangladesh and the United States in the field of agriculture.
Read: Human trafficking has no place in world: Miller
The Agriculture Minister said the USA has been instrumental in developing the National Agricultural Research System (NARS) in Bangladesh. “Bangladesh has achieved tremendous success in agricultural production in the last 50 years.”
Ambassador Miller said agricultural trade between the two countries has increased significantly.
Bangladesh is now the 26th largest market for agricultural products in the United States. In the days ahead, relations and cooperation in the agricultural sector will further be increased, said the US envoy.
3 held with fake notes from city’s Pallabi
Members of Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) have arrested three people including ringleader of a fake notes making gang with fake notes worth Tk 1.20 crore from the city’s Pallabi area.
The arrestees are ringleader Md Sogir Hossain, 47, of Barguna, his two associates Selina Aktar Pakhi, 20, of Barishal and Md Ruhul Amin, 33, of Jhalakathi.
According to a media release from Rab Headquarters, tipped off, a team of Rab-4 conducted a drive in Pallabi area of Mirpur on Monday night.
Read: Youths ‘snatch arrestee’ from police in Barishal
During the drive, fake notes worth Tk 1.20 crore, fake notes making equipment, five mobile phone sets, two laptops and a hand air drier were seized from their possession.
They planned to make huge amount of fake currency targeting the trade fairs and various festivals in remote areas during winter, said the release.
In primary interrogation, the arrestees confessed to their involvement in making fake notes in different parts of the country including Dhaka and Barishal.
Read: Cox’s Bazar rape: another accused arrested
Sogir was arrested in 2017 by the law enforcement agencies with fake notes. After spending years in jail, he started making fake notes again in 2018.
His associates Ruhul Amin and Selina used to sell those notes through 7-8 other gang others. Selina’s husband is also a member of this gang who is currently serving jail, said the release.