Four Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) activists were detained from a protest march - called in response to the recent attack on a JCD  leader Nadia Nusrat allegedly by Chhatra League men and her subsequent arrest on false charges in Feni. Sala Uddin Mamun, president of Feni district Chhatra Dal, said as part of their peaceful program, a procession was initiated, commencing from the trunk road and moving through Shaheed Shahidullah Qaiser Road. Also Read: Narsingdi JCD killings: BNP central leader Khokan, his wife among 70 implicated Police baton-charged their procession and detained four activists, he said. The detainees are Mohammad Yasin, Sharif, Jasim, and Hriday. Feni district Chhatra Dal's general secretary, Morshed Alam Milan, said 15-20 JCD activists were injured in the incident. Also Read: BCL attack injures five JCD members “During our peaceful program, the police unexpectedly started baton charging and arrested four people,” he said. According to the police, the clash between two factions of Chhatra Dal erupted during the procession, compelling them to employ baton charges to control the situation. Also Read: Over 150 sued in two cases filed over Chhatra Dal’s factional clash in Brahmanbaria Officer-in-Charge of Feni Model Police Station, Nizam Uddin, said, “When two groups of Chhatra Dal began clashing during the procession, the police arrested four individuals through baton charge to restore order” A case is being prepared regarding this incident, he added.  

Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) and rights groups have called on Bangladesh to “stop harassing” Prothom Alo journalist Rozina Islam in a public letter issued yesterday. The public letter was sent to Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan, and Health Minister Zahid Maleque. Law Minister Anisul Haq, and Foreign Minister AK  Abdul Momen were kept in the CC list.  The letter was published on the website of CPJ, and it reads: “We, the undersigned press freedom and human rights groups, write to seek your leadership in ensuring an immediate end to the harassment of Bangladeshi journalist and human rights defender Rozina Islam.” Also Read: Court orders PBI to investigate case against journalist Rozina “Islam’s work, for which she received the United States Department of State’s Anti-Corruption Champions Award in 2022, is a public service, not a crime, and should be protected under Sections 4 and 5 of the Disclosure of Public Interest Information (Protection) Act,” the letter adds. The public letter urged the authority of Bangladesh to respect and protect the journalist’s human rights, saying, “We urge the authorities to fully respect and protect the human rights of journalist and human rights defender Rozina Islam, including her right to a fair trial, and to immediately cease all forms of judicial harassment against her, facilitating the return of her passport from judicial custody, and ensuring that she is not subjected to further retaliation for her work.”  Also Read: Anti-Corruption Award: US Embassy in Dhaka congratulates journalist Rozina Islam The organizations that signed the public letter include Amnesty International, Anti-Death Penalty Asia Network, Capital Punishment Justice Project, Coalition For Women In Journalism, Committee to Protect Journalists, CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation, Dart Center for Journalism and Trauma Free Media Movement, Front Line Defenders, International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), International Federation of Journalists, International Women’s Media Foundation, Overseas Press Club of America, Pakistan Press Foundation, PEN America, PEN Bangladesh, PEN International, Reporters Without Borders, Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights, South Asian Journalists Association, and World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT).

BNP Vice Chairman Dr AZM Zahid Hossain on Wednesday accused police of harassing party members and their families ahead of their anti-government protest in Faridpur on Saturday. Zahid made the allegations at a press briefing held at Faridpur Press Club on Wednesday noon. “On Tuesday, police arrested eight of our activists from Nagarkanda upazila and one from Faridpur Sadar upazila. Besides, police raided the houses of five of our party members and harassed their family members,” Zahid Jahid.  Read more: 250 BNP activists sued in Sylhet for vandalising PM, Bangabandhu’s photos He said that BNP activists and leaders will defy all the obstacles, including a politically motivated transport strike, allegedly influenced by the government. He said that the opposition people will start reaching the venue from Thursday—two days before the scheduled protest. “The entire area stretching from Komorpur Abdul Aziz Institute field to Faridpur town will turn into a sea of people during our rally on Saturday,” Zahid hoped. Shama Obaid, organising secretary of BNP, said that the ruling Awami League (AL) has announced a programme for Friday to foil their rally the next day. Read more: Another BNP rally, another transport strike: This time in Faridpur “The transport strike on Friday and Saturday is another tactic of the government to prevent our party members from joining the rally. Such plans and strategies won’t work as our party leaders and activists will make our rally successful against all odds,” said Shama. Jahirul Haque Shahjada Mia, Advisor of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia and Chowdhury Nayab Yusuf, Joint Secretary of Mahila Dal, among others, were present at the press briefing.

Lawyers in Chattogram on Sunday demonstrated and locked the courtroom of the First Additional District Judge’s Court protesting alleged harassment and misconduct by court staff in the city. Amid chaos, all the staff of the First Additional District Judge’s Court were immediately withdrawn over the harassment of a lawyer. According to court sources, bench assistant Saifuddin Parvez demanded money from lawyer Monjur Alam when he went to the court on Thursday to check some documents of a case. When the lawyer refused to bribe, Parvez along with other staff of the court used abusive words at Monjur and made insulting comments about lawyers in general. At one point of the altercation, the bench assistant and the other staff attacked Monjur, leaving him injured. As the court was closed on Friday and Saturday, the lawyers demonstrated and locked the courtroom and demanded action on Sunday. Read: Dhaka court asks jail authorities to produce ex-SP Babul on Nov 10 Upon receiving the information, Chattogram District Lawyer’s Association President Abu Mohammad Hashem and General Secretary AHM Zia Uddin along with other leaders rushed to the court and brought the matter before Chattogram District and Sessions Judge Aziz Ahmed Bhuiyan, who then withdrew Parvez and his accomplices. “Lawyers of the Judge’s Court are being harassed regularly by the court staff when they try to do their work. Court staff demand money from us whenever we go to check files, submit bail bonds or confirm bails from the High Court, and we are insulted if we refuse to pay. This can’t go on,” said Advocate TR Khan, Chairman of Jagrata Ainjibi Parishad.

A youth was stabbed to death by some miscreants for protesting stalking of some female passengers in bus in the capital’s Asad Gate area on Tuesday. The deceased was identified as Md Rabbi Hossain, 22, from Shahid Nagar area of Lalbagh. According to police, Rabbi along with some other people went to visit a park in Dhamrai from Azimpur on two hired buses on Tuesday morning. While returning to the city, Rabbi had an altercation with Faruk and some other men as they were teasing women passengers in the bus. Read more: Youth stabbed to death in Dhaka's Sutrapur “At one point, Faruk called someone by phone and informed him about the incident. When the bus reached Asad Gate, some three to four people got into the bus and stabbed Rabbi indiscriminately, injuring him and another person named Shaon severely,” said Utpal Barua, Officer In-charge (OC) of Sher-e-Bangla Nagar Police Station. Utpal added that the injured were rushed to Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH), where Rabbi died around 1:00am on Wednesday. The OC further said that the bus was filled with some shop workers from Gausia Market and some students from the New Market area.

A Dhaka University student and activist of Bangladesh Chhatra League allegedly slapped and harassed a girl, who is a law student of Brac University, on the campus during the early hours on Tuesday. But the DU student contradicted and accused the girl of assaulting him. The incident took place at 3:30 am in front of Raju Memorial Sculpture on the DU campus. The girl was on the campus with two of her male friends when the incident took place. Read more: DU student found dead at Jagannath Hall Najmul Islam, a residential student of Masterda Surja Sen Hall and postgraduate student of Institute of Social Welfare and Research of Dhaka University, said the girl was filming floating people who were asleep on footpath. Najmul said that he stopped along with a friend as he was returning on a bike to the university dormitory when he saw the girl and her friends. He said he asked why the girl and her friends were filming the floating people without their permission. An altercation broke out, prompting the girl to slap Najmul, he said. Najmul also retaliated and slapped the girl back. In a video posted online it was seen that the girl using abusive words and slapping the boy. According to an audio recorded by a witness some details have come out. "After my birthday celebration, I was standing in front of the sculpture with my friends and taking pictures. At that time two boys stopped their bike and started questioning us using bad words against me.  They teased me and slapped me when I protested," the girl was heard in the audio. Najmul told UNB that the girl also used abusive words when he questioned their presence on the campus during early hours on Tuesday. He said they were filming the people who were asleep on the footpaths and attires of the floating people were not in order.   Read more: Prime accused among 4 held over mugging of DU student after abduction "When I asked why the girl was taking pictures of the people without their consent, she said her father has the ability to buy the entire DU campus multiple times," he added. "When I took my mobile phone to record her abusive words, she again insulted me,” he said. "At one point she slapped me, and I slapped her in return,” he said. The girl filed a complaint with the Proctor’s office on Tuesday. DU Proctor AKM Golam Rabbani told UNB that they were investigating the incident. “The complainant girl is not our student, so we have advised her take legal steps,” he said.

Dhaka University (DU) students will not have to go to the Registrar Building for academic services anymore, Vice-Chancellor (VC) Md Akhtaruzzaman said Wednesday. The assurance came amid allegations that the Registrar Building officials and staff often harass students as they go to the administrative building for academic services. At 2pm today, Akhtaruzzaman went to see Hasnat Abdullah, a masters student of the English department, who had begun fasting unto death Tuesday in front of the university's administrative building to press home an eight-point demand. Hasnat's demands included setting up of a complaint cell for ensuring accountability of administrative officials and stopping harassment of students; digitalisation of all administrative activities as soon as possible and setting up of closed circuit TV cameras in all offices. The masters student ended his hunger today after being assured by the VC that his demands would be met. Later, Hasnat was taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital as he fell sick during the hunger strike. Read: 24 SUST students go on hunger strike "Students will no longer have to waste their time waiting at the Register Building for hours. From now on, they will get all their academic services from their respective dormitories and departments," Akhtaruzzaman said. "If anyone is harassed there, action will be taken through the hall provost and chairman of the student's department."

A seminar here on Sunday heard complaints that excessive tax and customs harassment of businesspeople are obstructing the growth of Bangladesh’s foreign trade and hurting businesses. The seminar, organized by Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) at its auditorium, reviewed the economy of Bangladesh during the second quarter of the January-June 2022 from the perspective of the private sector. DCCI President Rizwan Rahman gave a presentation on the topic in the seminar. Mohammad Hatem, executive president of Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA), said the honest businesses involved in export and import of goods and services are mostly harassed at customs and National Board of Revenue. Hatem said they face a number of hurdles in doing honest business. “These are our main obstacles,” he noted. Read: Tackling inflation to protect people’s purchasing power key challenge: DCCI  "We need to call Chattogram Customs, Dhaka Customs and the Commissioner of North-South Customs almost every day to rescue the businesspeople from harassment. Transports and goods are detained on various pretexts. Why do they do it? It’s irritating." He also said customs and NBR instead should pursue the corrupt businesses and detect those who commit crimes. Shamsul Alam, state minister for planning, spoke as the chief guest, while former FBCCI president Shafiul Islam Mohiuddin was the special guest.

Chattogram University (CU) students staged a protest on the varsity campus on Wednesday night, demanding justice for a female student who was allegedly harassed. Hundreds of students gathered outside the vice-chancellor's residence on the campus at 10.30 pm and began their demonstration. Shouting slogans, the protesters demanded the reactivation of CU's sexual harassment cell and steps aimed at ensuring the safety of all students on the campus apart from speedy justice in the harassment issue. The students also protested against the university’s diktat asking students to return to the campus latest by 10pm. The protest continued till midnight. A protester, Farzana Amin Sonia of the university's Communication and Journalism Department, said, "We dispersed only after an assurance from the CU administration." Besides, the CU authorities also assured of taking legal steps against those involved in harassing the woman student after identifying them. Read: Mason ousted from CU campus for harassing a female student SM Manirul Hasan, acting registrar of CU, said, "If we fail to ensure justice in the harassment issue, I along with the proctorial body will resign." On Sunday, a female student was physically assaulted by five youths while she was going to Botanical Garden from Pritilata Hall of the campus with his friend around 10pm. They had also captured the incident on video and threatened them to make it viral. Later, they fled the mobile phones and wallets of the two students.   A five-member body has already been formed to look into the matter while a complaint was lodged with Hathazari Police. Read: 3 Shohagh Paribahan staff held for sexual harassment of CU student

BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi on Friday alleged that the Eid holidaymakers are facing many ordeals while travelling to their village homes due to anarchy in the transport sector fueled by ruling party-backed syndicates. "People from the metropolitan cities are returning to villages to celebrate Eid with their loved ones. But the anarchy in transport fares fueled by the government syndicates and the limitless misery on the roads are spoiling the joy of the Eid holidaymakers," he said. Speaking at a press conference at the BNP's Nayapaltan Central Office, Rizvi also said the Awami League's transport and ticket syndicates have become active during Eid to make quick bucks. Read: AL can’t earn people’s trust even with 1000 Padma bridges: BNP He said the transport syndicates are charging two-three times extra fares from the homebound people ahead of Eid. "The ruling party's influential leaders get a share of this money. Extortion, traffic jams and harassment continue on the roads and highways for a lack of monitoring." The BNP leader also slammed the government for public suffering caused by frequent power outages. "Why are we now experiencing horrible load-shedding during the tenure of this government which could produce surplus electricity?" After lighting the Padma Bridge with so many lights, Rizvi said, the ministers are now saying that the wedding ceremonies should be finished by 7pm without any illumination. It is now being recommended to cut the office hours due to the power crisis, he added. "So, there's no doubt that the country is heading for bankruptcy like Sri Lanka." Read: Country heading for deep economic crisis: BNP warns The BNP leader also said when people are struggling to cope with skyrocketing prices of daily essentials, the government has increased the price of water by 5 percent. "The state minister for power already said the price of fuel oil will go up. Earlier, the prices of electricity and gas were increased." He alleged that the ruling party leaders are indulging in corruption in every sector, leaving people in misery. "The country is now under the grasp of the ruling party quarters." The BNP leader called upon the people to get united to save the country and establish a pro-people government through a strong street movement.