United News of Bangladesh

Members of the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) have arrested three more people, including the parents of prime suspect Faisal Karim Masud, in connection with the attempted murder of Dhaka-8 aspiring independent candidate Sharif Osman Hadi in Puratan Paltan. With the latest arrests, the total number of detainees in the case has risen to 10. The newly arrested people are Faisal’s father Humayun Kabir, 70, his mother Hasi Begum, 60, and another suspect, Md Faisal, 25, a resident of Narsingdi. They were later handed over to the Detective Branch (DB) of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police, according to a media release issued by RAB-10 on Tuesday night (December 16, 2025). Read more: Inqilab Moncho provides first update from Singapore on Osman Hadi's condition RAB officials said a team conducted a special drive around 5:30am on Tuesday in Hasnabad Housing area under Dakshin Keraniganj Police Station and arrested Faisal’s parents. Preliminary investigations revealed that Faisal, the third of four siblings, frequently visited his sister Jesmin Akter’s apartment in Dhaka’s Agargaon area. On the night of the incident, he reportedly carried a bag to the apartment and later disposed of it discreetly. He subsequently sent his 18-year-old nephew, Jamil, to retrieve the bag. During the period, Faisal also threw one of his mobile phones from the rooftop and handed another phone to his mother, RAB officials said. Feeling insecure in Agargaon, Faisal allegedly moved to Mirpur and later to Shahjadpur, where he stayed at the residence of his cousin Arif, the nephew of his father Humayun Kabir. Read more: RAB arrests close aide of main accused in attempted assassination of Osman Hadi Investigators said Humayun Kabir later hired a CNG-run auto-rickshaw and provided cash to transport Faisal’s bag. Faisal also visited his younger brother Hasan Mahmud Bablu, also known as Raj, in Keraniganj, and used two newly purchased SIM cards. Meanwhile, RAB recovered three firearms and ammunition from a water body near Molla Bari in the Tarua area of Narsingdi Sadar during the operation. The seized items included two foreign-made pistols, two magazines, one toy pistol and 41 rounds of ammunition. However, forensic examination is yet to confirm whether the weapons were used in the shooting. Hadi, a spokesman of the Inquilab Moncho formed after last year’s July uprising, was shot in the head on Friday while campaigning in Puratan Paltan. The assailants opened fire from a moving motorcycle. CEC takes attack on Hadi seriously, orders immediate action: EC He was initially treated at Dhaka Medical College Hospital before being shifted to Evercare Hospital. On Monday, he was airlifted to Singapore for advanced treatment. With the consent of Hadi’s family, Abdullah Al Zaber, member secretary of Inquilab Moncho, filed a case with Paltan Police Station on Sunday night, naming Faisal Karim Masud and several unidentified individuals. The case, now under DB investigation, has already led to the arrest of Faisal’s wife, a female friend, his brother-in-law, the owner of the motorcycle used in the attack, an accomplice named Kabir, and two others from border areas accused of aiding his escape. Read more: CEC takes attack on Hadi seriously, orders immediate action: EC

As the national election approaches, law enforcement agencies have stepped up operations to recover illegal firearms, aiming to prevent violence, sabotage and broader security threats. As in previous election cycles, police, the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and intelligence agencies are conducting special drives nationwide. Yet a critical question persists: how effective are these efforts on the ground? The concern is sharpened by the fallout from the student-led mass uprising on August 5 last year, when 5,763 firearms were looted or went missing from police stations and other installations across the country. Of these, 4,426 weapons have since been recovered, leaving 1,337 still untraced. A senior official at Police Headquarters, speaking on condition of anonymity, told UNB that most of the recovered looted weapons were heavy arms. The missing cache, however, largely consists of small firearms such as pistols and revolvers. While many unrecovered heavy weapons are believed to have been smuggled out through border routes, small arms pose a greater risk due to their portability and ease of concealment—raising fears of their potential use in election-related violence, he said. Election Pressure and Arms Challenge Historically, Bangladesh’s pre-election period is marked by heightened political tension and a greater risk of illegal arms use. Past elections have seen links between this period and incidents such as cocktail explosions, arson attacks and targeted violence. Consequently, arms recovery drives are treated as a top priority ahead of the polls. Read more: Operation Devil Hunt Phase-2 to begin ahead of national election According to multiple law enforcement sources, coordinated nationwide operations involving police, RAB and specialised intelligence units are launched before every election with the aim of cutting off the supply of weapons before violence erupts. AIG (Media) at Police Headquarters, AHM Shahadat Hossain, told UNB that arms recovery operations are currently ongoing across the country, with weapons being seized almost daily. Checkposts have been strengthened and patrols intensified, he said, adding that operations would be further scaled up once the election schedule is announced. He also noted that upcoming drives would be more intelligence-based, as agencies have already identified violence-prone areas and enhanced surveillance ahead of the polls. Reward Announced, But Limited Gains Several months ago, Home Affairs Adviser Lieutenant General (retd) Jahangir Alam Chowdhury and Police Headquarters jointly announced monetary rewards for the recovery of looted weapons still missing since the August 5 unrest. While the initiative was initially welcomed, officials now concede that the results have fallen short of expectations. Read more: Firearms, ammo seized at Airport Railway Station A responsible source at Police Headquarters told UNB that the reward announcement did not lead to any major breakthroughs, noting that almost all recovered looted weapons had been seized before the incentive was introduced. Analysts suggest the assumption that illegal arms holders would voluntarily surrender weapons in exchange for rewards did not hold true in practice. Many of the firearms are believed to remain in the hands of organised criminal groups or to be under political protection. Another senior police official said more than 80 per cent of the unrecovered looted weapons are small arms, making their recovery before the election particularly challenging. Intelligence Over Sweeping Raids In response, Police Headquarters has revised its strategy, moving away from sudden blanket raids and mass arrests towards intelligence-based, targeted operations. “A sweeping operation may produce short-term results, but intelligence-driven actions allow us to strike at the core holders and networks,” a senior police officer told UNB. Read more: Ex-JCD leader among 7 arrested with arms in Gazipur raid As part of this approach, the Detective Branch (DB), Special Branch (SB) and other units have intensified field-level intelligence gathering. Known criminals, arms dealers and their associates are now under closer surveillance. How Effective Is This Model? Security analyst Brigadier General (retd) Md Abdul Hamid believes intelligence-based operations are more effective in the long run, though their impact takes time to materialise. The key challenge, he said, is the limited time available before the election. Abdul Hamid, a former Defence Adviser at the Bangladesh Mission in New Delhi, added that the success of arms recovery efforts should not be judged solely by the number of weapons seized. “It also depends on how much election-time violence can be prevented. If major violence is avoided, the drive can be considered partially successful,” he said. Illegal arms recovery ahead of elections remains crucial. Yet despite reward announcements, strategic shifts and heightened intelligence activity, tangible results on the ground remain limited. Experts argue that sustained success will require coordinated action against weapon sources, trafficking networks and political protection. Ultimately, the real test of these operations will come during the election days themselves—when it will become clear whether the intensified arms recovery drive has been enough to ensure a peaceful vote. Read more: 10 foreign firearms, 30kg gunpowder seized in 24 hours

Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) has identified the motorbike used in the gun attack on Inquilab Moncho spokesperson and Dhaka-8 election candidate Osman Hadi and detained its registered owner from the Mohammadpur area of the capital. Tipped off, a special team of RAB-2 conducted a drive in Mohammadpur area in the early hours of Sunday (December 14, 2025) and detained Abdul Hannan, said RAB Headquarters’ Deputy Director (Media) Major Mohammad Lutful Hadi. Read more: NBR freezes bank accounts of Hadi’s suspected attacker Masud and his firm After detention, motorbike owner Abdul Hannan was handed over to Paltan Police Station for further legal proceedings, he said. Major Lutful Hadi said interrogation is underway to identify those directly involved in the attack and to uncover the motive. Osman Hadi was shot by assailants in the capital's Bijoynagar area on Friday noon, triggering widespread concern and condemnation. Read more: NBR freezes bank accounts of Hadi’s suspected attacker Masud and his firm Law enforcement agencies including police and RAB have been conducting drives to identify and arrest those involved in the attack.

Dhaka remained under a stringent security blanket on Monday (November 17) as law enforcement agencies intensified vigilance ahead of a verdict by International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) in a case against Sheikh Hasina and two others over crimes against humanity. Multiple security layers are in place from the early hours of the day to prevent any untoward incident as several teams of law enforcing agencies, including police and Rapid Action Battalion (Rab), were seen patrolling at key points of the city. Movement of vehicles remained normal in Dhaka as Bangladesh Sarak Paribahan Workers Federation on Sunday announced that traffic would continue operating defying the planned ‘lockdown’ of the ousted Awami League. Besides, people, particularly office-goers and students, were seen moving to their destinations and availability of the vehicles was sufficient. Earlier, Awami League, which activities are banned, and its associated bodies had observed a countrywide ‘lockdown’ on November 13 as the ICT-1 led by its Chairman Justice Golam Mortuza Majumder was scheduled to fix the date for delivery of the verdict on that day. Later, the tribunal set November 17 to deliver the judgment. Several crude bombs exploded in Dhaka on eve of Hasina's verdict Though the presence of law enforcers, including police, RAB, intelligence units and BGB was noticeable, vehicular movement across Dhaka was thinner compared to usual on that day. However, the traffic flow on the city streets increased remarkably on Monday than that of November 13. Since the early morning, Doel Chattar, High Court Mazar Crossing, Shahbagh, Press Club, Farmgate and other key points witnessed an extensive presence of police and other security forces. Checkposts were set up across strategic routes where officers were performing duty by checking pedestrians, private vehicles and especially motorcyclists. Law enforcement officials said motorcyclists are facing heightened scrutiny because assailants involved in recent explosions—reported since 10 November—used motorcycles to flee the scenes. “Given the pattern of movement observed in previous incidents, we are checking every motorcycle to prevent any attempt to commit sabotage,” said a duty officer wishing not to be named at the High Court area. Since morning, security personnel were seen stopping each motorcycle, verifying identity documents and searching bags and helmets. Foot patrols and mobile patrol teams were also deployed across busy commercial zones such as Motijheel, Gulistan and Karwan Bazar. Business owners in the Motijheel commercial area reported that although the streets are calmer early in the day, security presence is “unusually high,” adding that it offered a sense of reassurance amid prevailing tension. SC seeks army deployment ahead of verdict in Hasina case Heavy security was also reported at major city entry points including Gabtoli, Jatrabari and Mohakhali where long-distance buses, trucks and private vehicles were screened. According to law enforcement agencies, the highest level of alert remains in place to thwart any “spot violence” or organised attempts to disrupt public order on the verdict day. Authorities said the security measures would continue throughout the day and into the evening. Despite the undercurrent of anxiety surrounding the tribunal verdict, the visible security presence across Dhaka has contributed to a sense of controlled calm as the situation continues to evolve in real time.

Home Affairs Adviser Lt Gen (retd) Md Jahangir Alam Chowdhury on Saturday (November 15) said that a special law enforcement and security deployment plan will be there in place for nine days over the upcoming national election. “The plan includes five days prior to the election, one day on the election day, and three days following the vote, with strict security measures enforced throughout; and the duration may be adjusted depending on the country’s situation,” he said while talking to reporters at Patuakhali Circuit House. The adviser said the army currently has 30,000 personnel deployed, but this number is expected to rise to nearly 100,000 during the election period. He said the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) will contribute around 35,000 members, while the Navy and the Coast Guard will deploy five thousand and four thousand personnel respectively. “The Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) will have approximately eight thousand members on duty.” Read more: Tensions rise as ICT going to set verdict date in Hasina case The adviser highlighted the role of the Ansar force, noting that about 550,000 personnel will be involved in the election management. According to him, Ansar will play a major role this time and will be equipped with weapons and body cameras to ensure effective management and security throughout the election period. Emphasising security, he asserted, “There is no room for doubt regarding security. The election will be held very peacefully—there is no question about that.” On a question regarding the change of government, the adviser said, “The government did not fall because of three individuals. It happened due to the spontaneous participation of the people. You have seen how they fled the country, how their relatives escaped. It was not due to one or two persons; it happened because of the will of the people.” Later, he inspected the Patuakhali Police Lines and the Coast Guard Station. Read more: Dhaka on high alert amid Awami League's countrywide ‘lockdown’ call

Rangpur trader Ashraful Haque was allegedly lured to his death by his friend Jarez, who then killed and dismembered him in a planned manner, said Lt Col Fayezul Arefin, commanding officer of RAB-3. “The brutal killing was the result of a calculated plot carried out under the guise of friendship,” he told a press briefing in the capital’s Karwan Bazar after the interrogation of Jarez and his girlfriend Shamima following their arrest in connection with Ashraful’s murder. Following Jarez’s instructions, Shamima lured Ashraful into a romantic trap through phone communication over a month ago and brought him from Rangpur to Dhaka. The CO of Rab-3 said the trio met on November 12 at a rented house in Nurpur area of Shanir Akhra where Shamima mixed sleeping pills into a drink, leaving Ashraful unconscious. Jarez then recorded intimate footage of Shamima and Ashraful as part of an extortion plan. Once Ashraful was fully incapacitated, Jarez tied his hands, sealed his mouth with tape and struck him repeatedly with a hammer, killing him through the blows and suffocation, said the RAB official. The Rab Commander said the body was left in the room overnight while Jarez and Shamima stayed there. The following day, Thursday, they purchased a machete and dismembered Ashraful’s body into 26 pieces, stuffing the remains into two drums, said the RAB official. They later transported the drums by CNG-run auto-rickshaw and abandoned them under a large tree near the High Court’s National Eidgah water pump area before fleeing. During questioning, Shamima claimed she tried to stop the killing but she was assaulted by Jarez. Read more: ‘Extramarital affair’ led to trader Ashraful’s murder: DB, RAB She also said Jarez had planned to flee the country to Malaysia and arrangements for a passport were underway for Jarez. Shamima told RAB that they had planned to extort Tk 10 lakh from Ashraful using the intimate video. Based on Shamima’s information, RAB recovered bloodstained clothing, ropes, tape and other items used in the murder from the Nurpur area of Shanir Akhra. Lt Col Arefin said although the suspects cited extortion as the motive, “the level of brutality suggests there may be more behind the crime and further interrogation of Jarez would clarify the real motive.” Ashraful Haque’s dismembered body was found stuffed into two drums and dumped beside the National Eidgah ground on Thursday.  Read more: Woman’s throat-slit body found in Gazipur; husband critically injured

‘Extramarital affair’ was behind the murder of trader Ashraful Haque, according to Dhaka Metropolitan Police’s Detective Branch (DB) and the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB). Law enforcement agencies arrested two suspects on Friday (November 14) in connection with the murder, said DC (media) of DMP Talebur Rahman. Ashraful’s body — cut into 26 pieces — was recovered from two drums dumped near the National Eidgah ground in Dhaka on Thursday afternoon. Police arrested prime suspect Jorejul Islam from Daudkandi in Cumilla. Dismembered body found in plastic drum near National Eidgah in Dhaka RAB-3 members arrested  Shamima, identified as Jorejul’s lover and a key accomplice. She was arrested along with evidence related to the disposal of the body, it said. Investigators found that Jorejul had been engaged in an extramarital relationship which led to a conflict that ended in Ashraful’s killing, said DB and RAB sources. According to DB officials, the murder was pre-planned. After killing Ashraful, the killers cut the body into 26 pieces, placed them in two drums and later dumped them beside the National Eidgah, they said. Both agencies said further details on the arrests and the investigation will be shared on Saturday. Read more: Woman’s throat-slit body found in Gazipur; husband critically injured

Law enforcement agencies, including police, Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), are on high alert across key points of Dhaka on Thursday (13th November 2025) as the Awami League (AL) called a countrywide ‘lockdown’. The movement of people and transport, particularly private vehicles, was notably thinner than usual amid growing public anxiety over safety. Businesses and educational institutions remained open, continuing their regular activities. Dr. Mahfuzur Rahman, a resident of Gulshan and a well-known therapist, who travelled to Mirpur 7 by motorcycle for urgent work, told UNB, “The number of passenger vehicles was almost half of what we usually see on a weekday. Only a limited number of CNG auto-rickshaws, private cars, and motorcycles were on the streets. However, the police presence on flyovers has significantly reduced the risk of sabotage. I felt quite safe while travelling.” He added, “It’s clear that fear has kept many people at home today.” The supporters of BNP, Jamaat-e-Islami and allied parties took positions at several points in Dhaka to resist any move by the AL and brought out processions protesting the  ‘lockdown’ programme, called as the International Crime Tribunal-1 ( ICT-1) is set to announce a date today for the delivery of judgment in a case against ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina and others for crimes against humanity, including murders, during last year's July-August mass uprising.  Over the past few days, several incidents of arson and crude bomb blasts were reported in different parts of the country, including Dhaka, intensifying public fears of renewed unrest. To maintain order, the government deployed 12 platoons of BGB in Dhaka and two more in nearby districts. At a press conference on Wednesday, Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner Sheikh Md Sajjat Ali said the force was fully prepared to prevent any act of sabotage related to the lockdown. Read more: Tension rises in Dhaka ahead of planned ‘lockdown’ amid fears of violence The tribunal fixed November 13 for fixing a judgment date after both prosecution and defence completed their closing arguments before the three-member panel led by Justice Md Golam Mortuza Majumder. Sheikh Hasina fled Bangladesh to India on August 5, 2024, amid the mass uprising. A total of 54 witnesses testified in the trial, including relatives of victims—such as the father of martyr Abu Sayed—and key witnesses like Nahid Islam, Convener of the National Citizen Party (NCP), and Amar Desh editor Dr Mahmudur Rahman. According to the charges, the then Awami League government, along with party leaders, loyal administrators and members of law enforcement agencies, committed crimes against humanity to suppress the student-led July–August uprising. On July 10, the tribunal indicted Sheikh Hasina, Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal and former IGP Abdullah Al-Mamun, formally beginning the trial. Former IGP Al-Mamun later turned state witness and provided detailed testimony about the incidents. Besides this case, Sheikh Hasina faces two other cases before the International Crimes Tribunal—one over enforced disappearances and killings during the Awami League’s 15 and a half years in power, and another over the 2013 Hefazat-e-Islam rally killings at Dhaka’s Shapla Chattar. Read more: Tensions rise as ICT going to set verdict date in Hasina case

Bangladesh has been placed on high alert ahead of the International Crimes Tribunal-1’s (ICT-1) pronouncement of the verdict date on Thursday (13th November 2025) in a case against ex-PM Sheikh Hasina and two others over crimes against humanity during last year’s July uprising. The tribunal fixed the date on October 23 after the prosecution and defence completed their closing arguments before the three-member ICT-1 headed by Justice Md Golam Mortuza Majumder. Tensions have escalated across the country over the tribunal’s announcement of verdict date as the Awami League called for a nationwide ‘lockdown’ on Thursday through social media in protest against the trial. In the lead-up to the verdict date, several incidents of arson and crude bomb explosions were reported in different parts of the country, including Dhaka, raising public fears of renewed violence. Law enforcement agencies, including police, the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), and Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), have been deployed across the capital and other major cities to maintain order. Read more: 14 platoons of BGB deployed in Dhaka, adjoining districts Dhaka’s usually congested roads appeared unusually calm on Wednesday, with significantly lighter traffic during office hours amid growing public anxiety and security concerns. Additional police personnel have been stationed at all entry and exit points in the capital. At a press conference on Wednesday, Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner Sheikh Md Sajjat Ali said the force was fully prepared to avert acts of sabotage associated with the lockdown. Fourteen platoons of the BGB have been deployed in Dhaka and surrounding districts since Wednesday morning. Sheikh Hasina fled to India on August 5, 2024 amid mass uprising  and the country has since experienced deepening political turmoil. The Detective Branch (DB) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police conducted simultaneous drives across the capital in the past 24 hours till Wednesday morning, arresting 44 more leaders and activists of the Awami League and its affiliated organisations. In this much-discussed case, the prosecution sought the maximum punishment for Sheikh Hasina and ex-home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal on five charges of crimes against humanity. Read more: Sheikh Hasina and family members can't vote from abroad: EC official Relatives of victims, including the father of martyr Abu Sayed testified in the case, along with key witnesses including Nahid Islam, Convener of National Citizen Party (NCP) and Amar Desh editor Dr Mahmudur Rahman. In total, 54 witnesses testified in the trial. According to the charges, the then Awami League government, along with its party leaders, loyal administrators, and members of law enforcement agencies, committed crimes against humanity to suppress the student-led July–August uprising. Two international crimes tribunals are currently trying these allegations. On July 10, the tribunal formally indicted Sheikh Hasina, Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal and former IGP Abdullah Al-Mamun, beginning the trial. Former IGP Al-Mamun turned state witness and gave testimony revealing details of the incidents. Besides this case, Sheikh Hasina faces two other cases before the International Crimes Tribunal—one over enforced disappearances and killings during the Awami League’s 15 and a half years in power and another over the 2013 killings at Hefazat-e-Islam rally at Dhaka’s Shapla Chattar. Read more: Tension rises in Dhaka ahead of planned ‘lockdown’ amid fears of violence

Bangladesh’s capital Dhaka is on the edge ahead of Thursday’s (13th November 2025) planned ‘lockdown’, as reports of arson and crude bomb explosions have heightened public anxiety. Law enforcement agencies, including the police, Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), and Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), have been deployed across the city to prevent potential violence. At a press conference on Wednesday, Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner Sheikh Sajjad Ali said the force was fully prepared to avert acts of sabotage associated with the lockdown. “We hope Dhaka residents will stand with us to resist this lockdown and maintain peace,” he said, adding that additional police personnel had been stationed at all city entry and exit points. BGB deployment Fourteen platoons of the BGB have been deployed in Dhaka and surrounding districts since Wednesday morning, according to BGB Public Relations Officer Shariful Islam. Read more: 14 platoons of BGB deployed in Dhaka, adjoining districts Twelve platoons are stationed at key points within the capital, while two are deployed in nearby districts. “BGB members are patrolling strategic areas including Hotel Intercontinental, Dhanmondi-32, Airport, Abdullahpur, Kakrail, Shishu Park, the High Court area, and Abrar Fahad Avenue,” he said. Violence The unrest has already left its mark on the city. On Tuesday night, miscreants set fire to a Malanch Paribahan passenger bus near Sutrapur Fire Station. Crude bomb explosions were also reported in Hatirjheel, Karwan Bazar and other parts of Dhaka. Another bus set on fire in Dhaka’s Sutrapur An official from the Fire Service and Civil Defence told UNB, “At least five arson incidents have been reported in the capital in the past 24 hours. However, no casualties were reported.” Political Backdrop The planned ‘lockdown’ follows an announcement by the Awami League ahead of a verdict by the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) against former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and others in a case involving crimes against humanity. Sheikh Hasina fled Bangladesh to India on 5 August 2024, and political instability has since deepened. Read more: Security tightened countrywide ahead of Nov 13 ‘lockdown’: Home Adviser Public Anxiety Despite repeated assurances from law enforcement agencies, fear remains palpable among residents. “We’re scared because buses may not run tomorrow. We’ve already heard about fires breaking out in some areas over the past several nights,” said a passenger at Gabtoli Bus Terminal. Police Warning & Advice The DMP Commissioner warned of strict action against anyone involved in violence or vandalism. “No one will be allowed to take the law into their own hands,” he said, urging residents to remain vigilant.