United News of Bangladesh

Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed on Sunday said the trial in the murder case of seventh-grader Yashat Shahriar Opratim in Cumilla will be completed quickly. “I hope the trial of this murder will be completed in a short time, like the trial in the Ramisa murder case. The court will conduct the trial, and we will extend all necessary cooperation by completing the legal procedures and submitting the charge sheet,” he told reporters at the Secretariat. Opratim laid to rest in Cumilla The minister expressed hope that the judiciary will give due importance to the case and take steps to complete the trial quickly. Noting that four arrests have so far been made in connection with the incident, he said they confessed to their part and police are now completing the necessary legal procedures, including examining whether their statements could be recorded under Section 164. Salahuddin described the incident as tragic, saying the entire country is deeply saddened by it. “The boy was only 13 years old. His body was recovered within 24 hours of his disappearance,” he said. Praising the police for their role in the investigation, he said they have arrested the suspects within 12 hours and recovered and seized evidence related to the case. Of the four arrestees, three were picked up earlier, and another was arrested on Sunday. The minister said two of those arrested earlier are believed to be over 18 and one could be under 18, while their national identity cards are being verified. He suspected that they were part of a juvenile criminal group, saying they had a relationship, acquaintance and friendship with Opratim and often spent time with him. “Their ages appear to be five to 10 years higher than that of the victim,” he said. The mobile phone Opratim had with him was also recovered from the prime suspect, Tuhin, Salahuddin said. “Police have recovered all the evidence. They have confessed to the incident. Now police are working on other legal procedures, including whether their statements can be recorded under Section 164,” he said. The minister said police are conducting forensic analysis and that Opratim’s post-mortem examination has been completed. Opratim, the only son of Dr Nahida Begum, an associate professor of the Department of Bangla at Cumilla University, and KM Firoz Shahriar, was found dead in a jungle in the Kotbari area of Sadar Dakshin upazila of Cumilla on Saturday. Opratim, a seventh-grade student at Cumilla Border Guard Public School, left his home in the area around 3:30pm on Friday, carrying his mother’s iPhone to take photos with his friends. He was buried at their family graveyard in the Kotbari area on Sunday.

Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed on Thursday directed police to arrest all the accused in the killing of Special Branch (SB) Sub-Inspector Md Altaf Hossain in Aminbazar of Savar immediately. He gave the directive while speaking to reporters after family members of the deceased met him at his office at the Bangladesh Secretariat. During the meeting, Salahuddin assured the family of all-out efforts to ensure a speedy trial of the murder. He said Tk 6 lakh has already been provided to the family from the police welfare fund. The minister also announced that Community Bank Bangladesh Ltd will provide necessary loans and other assistance to help keep the deceased's family business operational. He further directed the authorities concerned to take steps to confer the posthumous police medal on Altaf in recognition of his integrity and courageous service during his career. Later, Salahuddin handed over the financial assistance to the deceased's wife, Sheuly Parvin. Altaf came under attack by a group of assailants at Baradeshi Paschimpara in Aminbazar on September 5 while trying to settle an argument over the parking of a private car. During the attack, he took shelter in his elder son's business establishment to save his life. Around 8:10pm, the attackers allegedly launched a violent assault there with locally made weapons, including rods, pipes, hammers and sticks. Altaf's younger son, Md Ariful Islam, was also seriously injured in the attack while attempting to save his father. Locals later rescued them and took them to Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College Hospital, where doctors declared Altaf dead. A murder case was filed with Savar Model Police Station against 15 people. Altaf joined Bangladesh Police as a constable from Sirajganj district in 1986. He had been serving with the Special Branch in Dhaka from 2011 until his death.

Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed on Wednesday urged crime reporters to play a responsible and objective role in preventing crime and building a safer society, saying their role is becoming increasingly important as the nature of crime changes with advances in technology. He came up with the call while speaking as the chief guest at a programme marking the 43rd founding anniversary of the Bangladesh Crime Reporters Association (CRAB) at Segunbagicha in the capital. The minister said the government will consider providing assistance, either through government initiatives or corporate social responsibility (CSR) funds, to crime reporters who are injured or otherwise affected while performing their professional duties. He also said the government will examine, subject to legal considerations, whether certificates could be awarded by the Ministry of Home Affairs or the police department to recognise professional excellence and investigative journalism. Salahuddin said crime reporting is different from many other journalistic beats and is largely a form of investigative journalism that involves risks. As the nature of crime changes, journalists also need to improve their knowledge of technology and emerging forms of crime, he said. The minister said crime reporters have a significant role in building a crime-free and secure society, while stressing that responsible and objective journalism is essential alongside modern legal frameworks to prevent and combat technology-driven crimes. He said the media, police and the Ministry of Home Affairs are interconnected in combating crime and maintaining law and order, and that an organisation like CRAB has an important role in providing information and suggestions in this regard. Salahuddin said CRAB, with 318 professional members, has established a respected position in investigative journalism over its 43-year journey. He described investigative journalism as a knowledge-based field requiring extensive study and analysis of information. Emphasising the need to identify the underlying causes of crime, the minister said crime should not be treated merely as a symptom and that its underlying causes must be addressed. He identified drugs and gambling as major driving forces behind many serious crimes and said society must be analysed to understand why crimes occur, rather than focusing solely on punishing offenders. Salahuddin said the government has taken steps to update the legal framework to address emerging crimes, including online gambling and drug-related offences. Referring to the decline in acid-related crimes, he said strong laws, media attention and social awareness have contributed to reducing such offences and called for similar joint efforts to tackle drugs, online gambling and other crimes. Describing the media as a mirror of society, the minister said journalists' active and responsible participation, alongside the government and law enforcement agencies, is essential to reducing crime.

Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed on Sunday said a quick and sustainable political solution to the Rohingya crisis requires strong cooperation from the international community and international organisations. He urged the UN and the international community to keep the Rohingya crisis on the global agenda and ensure that it is not overshadowed by other global conflicts or crises. “Through joint efforts and effective diplomacy by the international community, we must ensure the rapid and dignified repatriation of Rohingya refugees to their homeland in Myanmar,” the minister said while addressing a round-table discussion titled “The Rohingya Crisis: Emerging Challenges & Reframing Response Strategies.” The Institute for Global Cooperation Foundation (IGCF) organised the programme at the auditorium of the Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies (BIISS). Salahuddin said a permanent and sustainable solution to the crisis is possible with the direct support of leading countries in global politics and the UN. He urged international human rights organisations, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and all other relevant stakeholders to play a more effective role in resolving the Rohingya crisis. “Our main goal is one – to ensure that the nearly 1.5 million Forcibly Displaced Myanmar Nationals (FDMNs) currently taking shelter here can be sent back to their own country with full dignity and security,” the minister said. “For this, continued support from the international community and the political role of leading countries are extremely important,” he said. Highlighting the long-term impact of the crisis, Salahuddin said Bangladesh has been providing shelter, food, land, healthcare and basic security for livelihood to more than 1.5 million displaced Rohingyas on humanitarian grounds for over nine years. “But over time, criminal activities, arms and drug smuggling, human trafficking, gender-based violence and activities of armed groups have increased in the camps, creating serious challenges to Bangladesh’s internal security,” he said. Noting that the lives and environment of local communities living near the camps have also come under serious threat, the minister said necessary security measures such as fencing around the camps and a well-regulated movement system have become essential to control crime and ensure the overall security of both the Rohingya population and local citizens. “The present government, under the capable and far-sighted leadership of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, is determined to implement a 100 percent successful repatriation,” he said. A “National Strategy Formulation Committee on Rohingya Affairs” has already been formed under the dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, Salahuddin said, adding that another high-level national committee, headed by himself, is active in maintaining law and order, border management and overall coordination. “The government is working with a comprehensive whole-of-government approach involving the civil administration, security and defence agencies,” he said. The minister warned that humanitarian assistance provided indefinitely without a specific and credible repatriation plan could reduce the pressure for a political solution in the long run. “Therefore, going beyond emergency relief assistance, we need to move quickly towards a ‘transitional strategy’, whose main objective will be to create a safe and suitable environment in Myanmar’s Rakhine State for the Rohingyas to return,” he said. Salahuddin expressed hope that through a combination of sustainable international engagement, national unity and a strong security framework, Bangladesh will soon be able to ensure the dignified and permanent repatriation of Rohingyas to their homeland. Prime Minister’s Adviser on Public Administration Md Ismail Zabihullah delivered a speech as the guest of honour, while State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam attended the programme as a special guest.    

The Biswa Ijtema of the Maulana Zubair Ahmed faction of Tabligh Jamaat will be held in two phases in January next year, with the first phase from January 8 to 10 and the second from January 15 to 17 at the Ijtema ground on the bank of the Turag River in Tongi. However, no final decision has yet been made on when or where the followers of Maulana Syed Wasiful Islam, commonly known as the Saad faction, will hold their Ijtema, Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed said on Thursday. He disclosed the dates while talking to reporters after a meeting with leaders of the Saad faction at the Secretariat. Salahuddin said the government earlier held discussions with the Zubair faction and met the Saad faction as part of efforts to reach a decision on the annual gathering. He said both factions want access to the Ijtema ground, but there is disagreement over its use. According to the minister, a government decision issued in 2025 stated that the Saad faction would not hold its Ijtema at the Tongi ground from next year, following an understanding that the Zubair faction would use the venue for the final time and the Saad faction would hold its gathering elsewhere. However, leaders of the Saad faction told the government on Thursday that they did not agree with that arrangement. The Saad faction proposed holding its Ijtema after the two phases organised by the Zubair faction, with a reasonable gap between the events and before the start of Ramadan. It also proposed holding a one-phase Ijtema in late November, before the January gatherings. The government will discuss the proposals with the Zubair faction as well as law enforcement and intelligence agencies before making a final decision, the minister said. “The government’s highest priority is to maintain peace and order so that no clashes take place,” he said, noting that previous conflicts between the two factions resulted in casualties. Salahuddin said the Zubair faction had proposed that the Saad faction organise its gathering at a venue other than the Tongi Ijtema ground and assured that the government would provide necessary assistance. The Saad faction, however, did not agree to the proposal, he said. The minister said the Biswa Ijtema had been held in two phases even before the split within Tabligh Jamaat, mainly because of the large number of people attending the gathering. He also said the government called on both factions to pursue reconciliation and make efforts to reach an understanding. Asked whether Maulana Saad will be able to attend the Ijtema in Bangladesh this year, Salahuddin said the issue will be handled by the Ministry of Religious Affairs.  

Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed on Saturday announced increased cash rewards for people providing information leading to the recovery of looted and illegal firearms as part of intensified efforts to recover such weapons. The minister warned that police officers who fail to make expected progress within the stipulated timeframe in curbing terrorism, extortion and drug-related crimes will face strict legal and administrative action. The minister made the remarks while speaking at a press briefing after attending as the chief guest the Quarterly Crime Review Conference (April-June 2026: Second Quarter) organised by Police Headquarters at the Bangladesh Police Auditorium in Rajarbagh Under the newly revised reward scheme, informants will receive up to Tk 2 lakh for information leading to the recovery of heavy weapons while those providing information on pistols, revolvers or shotguns will be rewarded up to Tk 50,000, said the minister. Besides, people providing information leading to the recovery of sound grenades, looted tear-gas shells and other looted weapons will receive rewards of Tk 10,000, Tk 15,000 or Tk 20,000, depending on the circumstances, the minister said. He assured that the identities of informants would be kept completely confidential. Salahuddin said the government is regularly adopting strategic plans to bring the country’s law and order situation to the desired level and improve the image of the police by turning the force into a public-friendly and people-oriented institution. He said a special unit has already been formed in coordination with various intelligence agencies to intensify operations to recover looted and illegal firearms. Salahuddin said weapons whose cancelled licences were not surrendered within the stipulated deadline have already been treated as illegal firearms and cases have been filed, while drives to recover them are continuing. He added that special strategic operations are being conducted across the country with assistance from intelligence agencies to prevent illegal arms, drugs, smuggling and extortion. Inspector General of Police Md Ali Hossain Fakir chaired the conference, while Senior Secretary of the Ministry of Home Affairs Manzur Morshed Chowdhury addressed it as a special guest. Additional IGP (Crime and Operations) Khandaker Rafiqul Islam delivered the welcome speech. Additional IGP (Administration) AKM Awlad Hossain, among others, was present. During the conference, the minister responded to various questions from DIGs of different ranges, police commissioners and additional police commissioners of different metropolitan areas, and superintendents of police (SPs) of different districts and exchanged views.

Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed on Thursday told Parliament that an improvement in the country’s law-and-order situation is now visible, with law enforcement agencies arresting alleged perpetrators and bringing them to justice within a short time after crimes are committed. “The improvement in the law-and-order situation is visible in Bangladesh. Since the present government took charge, whenever a crime has occurred, the perpetrators have been arrested and brought under the law within 24 to 48 hours or even less time,” he said. The minister made the remarks, while replying to a supplementary question from National Citizen Party (NCP) lawmaker Md Abul Hasnat (Cumilla-4) in the House. Responding to the lawmaker’s concerns over the law-and-order situation, he said police and other law enforcement agencies have made prompt arrests in several cases, including those that drew significant public attention. “From the Ramisa case to the four recent murders in Rangpur, the police and other law enforcement agencies have been able to arrest the suspects within the shortest possible time and bring them under the law,” Salahuddin said. He rejected broad allegations of failure by the Ministry of Home Affairs or law enforcement agencies, saying such claims should be backed by specific incidents and verifiable information. “If you can point to any specific incident where the ministry or the law enforcement agencies have failed, we can give a detailed response to that particular incident,” the minister said. He also questioned the basis of crime statistics cited by the lawmaker, saying figures presented in Parliament should be accompanied by their sources and methodology. Salahuddin recalled that the government previously placed detailed crime statistics before Parliament, including through statements under Rule 300, covering different categories of criminal activities. Responding to another supplementary question about the number of firearms and the recovery of weapons looted from different places, he said a committee comprising representatives of all relevant forces has been formed to recover the weapons. The minister said law enforcement agencies are regularly recovering looted firearms and matching their serial numbers to identify them. “We are continuously recovering weapons, including some of the looted firearms. We match their numbers and inform the media when such weapons are recovered,” he said. Salahuddin expressed hope that all looted weapons, including those taken from prisons and other locations, will eventually be recovered. Regarding allegations of political or partisan considerations in police recruitment during the previous government, he said an investigation into the matter is nearing completion. The minister said investigators have found irregularities involving the recruitment of thousands of police constables and personnel of other ranks in several districts. In some cases, he said, applicants allegedly changed their addresses to become eligible for recruitment in particular districts, including by purchasing small plots of land and using those addresses as their permanent or village addresses. Salahuddin said several districts, including Faridpur, Gopalganj, Madaripur, Shariatpur and Kishoreganj, have been identified where such irregularities were allegedly committed. “We have reached an advanced stage in the investigation. Once it is finalised, we will make the findings public before the nation,” he said. Replying to another question from Joynal Abedin, MP, the minister said the country’s law-and-order situation has witnessed a visible and expected improvement compared to the corresponding period of last year. “Even if I do not call it a revolutionary improvement, I would say there has been a visible and expected improvement,” he said. Salahuddin made the remarks while presenting a comparative picture of the law-and-order situation between January-August 2025 and the same period in 2026. According to the comparative figures, a total of 2,607 murders were recorded from January to August in 2025, while the number stood at 2,332 during the same period in 2026. The number of incidents of violence against women and children also declined, from 11,269 in January-August 2025 to 9,347 during the same period this year. Similarly, the number of rape cases fell from 4,666 in the first eight months of 2025 to 4,472 in the corresponding period of 2026. The minister said incidents of mob violence also declined significantly. There were 89 such incidents from January to August 2025, compared to 56 during the same period this year.“We have been able to bring it down to 56. Inshallah, we will bring it down to zero,” he said.

Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed on Wednesday pledged to transform Bangladesh Police into a people-friendly force that meets public expectations. “We pledge that the Bangladesh Police will become a people-friendly force in line with public expectations, InshaAllah,” he said while speaking at a discussion and doa mahfil marking Eid-e-Miladunnabi at the BNP central office in Nayapaltan. The Home Minister said no one should expect a revolutionary overnight change in the country’s law and order situation, but expressed confidence that the situation would improve under the leadership and guidance of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman. “Under the leadership and guidance of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, the leader of the masses, we will be able to improve the law and order situation to a level where public expectations will be met,” he said. The minister urged people to cooperate with the law enforcement agencies by providing information and other necessary support. Salahuddin said changes were being brought to the legal frameworks governing various law enforcement agencies to ensure accountability and transparency in their activities. He said law enforcement personnel were being rewarded, awarded certificates and medals for good and outstanding performance, while the principle of punishing wrongdoers and rewarding those who perform well was being followed. The Home Minister said the present government inherited a fragile law-and-order situation following the 2024 student uprising, along with very high public expectations. He said modernising the law enforcement agencies, boosting their morale and motivating them to work as servants of the people were being pursued simultaneously. Salahuddin also claimed that during the six months since the government assumed office, there had not been a single major criminal incident where the police failed to apprehend those responsible within a reasonable period or bring them before the law. He said the morale of the police and other law enforcement agencies had improved significantly during the period and that they were now working with renewed strength to combat crime. Referring to several nationally discussed cases, including an incident in Rangpur and the Ramisa murder case, the home minister said those responsible had been brought under the law within a reasonable time and the cases had been handed over to the courts through due legal procedures. He said the government also extended necessary cooperation to help complete judicial proceedings within shorter periods where required by society. BNP Acting Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, Chairman’s Advisory Council member Abdus Salam, Joint Secretary General Khairul Kabir Khokon and Shaheed Uddin Chowdhury Anee, among others, attended the programme.

Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed on Saturday ordered law enforcement agencies to immediately arrest identified terrorists, extortionists, and drug dealers across Bangladesh, warning of strict action under a "zero-tolerance" policy for any failure. The minister issued the warning while briefing reporters after visiting Dr Md Asaduzzaman Rahman, a physician injured in an alleged attack by an extortion gang outside Popular Hospital in the capital's Shantinagar, at Dhaka Medical College Hospital. “There is no time limit. If law enforcement agencies cannot quickly take identified extortionists, criminals and drug dealers into custody and bring them under the law, strict action will be taken against those responsible for the failure,” he said. Referring to the attack on Dr Rahman on Aug 17, the minister said police and the Detective Branch arrested four of the seven alleged gang members, including the alleged mastermind, within 48 hours. The suspects were arrested from the scene, Lakshmipur, Dania in Jatrabari and Shyampur, he said, praising police and DB officials for swiftly identifying and arresting the suspects. According to the minister, preliminary interrogation suggests that the alleged gang leader returned to Bangladesh after suffering losses in hundi transactions abroad and subsequently formed the criminal group. The gang allegedly targeted major hospitals, prominent doctors, engineers and wealthy professionals, threatening them through messages before physically attacking them to demand large sums of money, he said. “Such activities by extortionists will not be tolerated. The operation will continue until extortion is completely eliminated,” Salahuddin said. He also said authorities were preparing lists not only of extortionists but also of police personnel allegedly involved in or assisting extortion activities. “Regardless of how influential the criminals or their patrons are, they will be brought to justice,” he said. On the security of doctors and healthcare facilities, the minister said 10 Ansar members would be deployed at each of 500 hospitals across the country. He advised doctors who feel particularly vulnerable at their private chambers or clinics to inform police. Responding to a question, Salahuddin said any citizen could apply for a licence for a shotgun or pistol if they meet the requirements under existing laws. Applications from doctors seeking firearms for personal security would be considered under government rules, he said. Social Welfare Minister Prof Dr AZM Zahid Hossain, Inspector General of Police Md Ali Hossain Fakir, DMP Commissioner Mosleh Uddin Ahmed, Additional Commissioner (DB chief) Mohammad Shafiqul Islam and Dhaka Medical College Hospital Director Brig Gen Mohammad Asaduzzaman were among those present. The home minister later visited Anwar Khan Modern Hospital in Dhanmondi to see Dr AKM Aminul Haque, who was also allegedly threatened by the same extortion gang.  

New Delhi’s desire for friendly relations is at odds with allowing former prime minister Sheikh Hasina to make anti-Bangladesh statements or engage in political activities from Indian soil, Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed said on Saturday. “On the one hand, India wants friendly relations with Bangladesh while on the other, it allows a convict and fugitive accused, Sheikh Hasina, to make anti-Bangladesh statements or engage in political activities from Indian soil. These two positions are completely contradictory,” he said at a discussion as the chief guest at the Nabab Nawab Ali Chowdhury Senate Building auditorium of Dhaka University. The minister expressed hope that the Indian government would understand the matter and stop playing the “Hasina card.” The discussion titled “The Role of University Teachers in the Fall of the Fascist Government” was organised jointly by Dhaka University’s Sada Dal Panel and the University Teachers’ Association of Bangladesh (UTAB) to mark the second anniversary of the July Mass Uprising of 2024. Calling for the preservation of the spirit of the July uprising and “iron-clad national unity,” the home minister said Bangladesh must complete democratic reforms through democratic practices and tolerance while preventing any resurgence of “fascism”. He said the victory achieved through 17 years of democratic struggle and the sacrifices of hundreds of thousands of people could not be used as a tool by any particular group to monopolise the spirit of the movement. Salahuddin said the interim government formed on Aug 8, 2024, under Article 106 of the Constitution was the result of the aspirations of the country’s pro-democracy people. He said Sheikh Hasina’s fall came through the mass uprising against 17 years of repression, enforced disappearances, killings and deprivation of voting rights. “The politics of the Awami League and Sheikh Hasina has died in Dhaka and been buried in Delhi, ” he said adding people could no longer be misled through “politics of selling the spirit”.