United News of Bangladesh

Sylhet Metropolitan Police (SMP) sealed another hotel in the city on Thursday night over allegations of being a hub of immoral activities. The operation was carried out by the city’s Detective Branch at the residential hotel named Talha Rest House in Bandar Bazar area. Three people, two men and a woman, were detained during the raid for their alleged involvement in anti-social activities, said Sylhet Additional Deputy Commissioner (South) Md. Shahriar Alam. The hotel was sealed in connection with the allegations. It became the 8th such establishment that has been forced to close since October. Earlier, Sylhet Metropolitan Police had shut down six hotels in October and another in November for similar reasons.

A 16-month-old girl, Rupsha, was thrown into a river in Patnitola, Naogaon, by her mother before the mother, Muntahin Mun, appeared at the local police station requesting her own arrest on Thursday. Police rushed to the Najipur Bridge upon receiving the report and, with the help of locals, rescued the child and admitted her to the Upazila Health Complex. Rupsha is now stable after receiving initial treatment. Patnitola Police OC Asaduzzaman said the mother is mentally unwell and has previously been involved in similar incidents. Police Superintendent Mohammad Tariqul Islam praised those who assisted in the rescue and inquired about the child’s condition.

A fourth-grade student was injured when a bomb-like object exploded in Choto Kalia area of Kalia upazila in Narail district on Thursday. The injured Md Alif Molla is currently undergoing treatment at Kalia Upazila Health Complex. Alif is the son of expatriate Racchu Molla of Joynagar village and a tenant of Kausar Molla in Choto Kalia. Alif’s mother, Sathi Begum, said an unidentified person had left a market bag in the garden of their neighbour Ranu Begum. Later, Ranu Begum moved the bag to another nearby garden. The improvised explosive device (IED) that went off was inside the bag. Read More:  Woman commits suicide in Narail “Ranu Begum’s son called my son to show him the bag around 11am. When Alif noticed a red bomb-like object inside, he tried to pick it up and pulled a thread attached to it. Suddenly, the object exploded with a loud sound,” she said. Kalia Upazila Health Complex RMO Dr Prathar declined to comment on the incident. Md Idris Ali, officer-in-charge (OC) of Kalia Police Station, said police rushed to the spot immediately after the explosion. “The bomb-like object exploded and caught fire. We have collected some parts of the exploded object for examination,” he said. He added that it was not possible to determine the nature of the device until forensic examination is completed.

A man was arrested in connection with the death of a patient in an ambulance which was obstructed twice allegedly by a local ambulance syndicate in Shariatpur district. Jamshed Ali Dhali, 65, died as he did not get treatment timely as the ambulance carrying him was stopped at two locations for around one and a half hours on the way to Dhaka, said his family. Jubayer Hossain Ruman Dhali, grandson of the deceased, filed a case against four identified and six unidentified people with Palong Model Police Station on Wednesday night, said Shah Alam, Officer-in-Charge of the police station. Police in a drive arrested Sumon Khan, ambulance driver,  in this conneciton from Shariatpur district town on Thursday. Read More: 45 crude bombs recovered in Shariatpur: 4 held The other accused in the case are—Sajib, 18, Pervez, 26 and Hannan, 25. Shariatpur Deputy Commissioner Tahsina Begum said an emergency meeting was held at the Deputy Commissioner’s office on Wednesday afternoon with members of the Ambulance Owners’ Welfare Association where the owners assured not to obstruct ambulances, demand extra fares, or harass patients in the future. However, local people demanded strict punishment of those responsible for the death. Efforts are on to arrest the other accused, said police.

Joint forces in a drive arrested four people along with arms and ammunition from Lohagora upazila in Narail district early Thursday. The arrestees were identified as Tofayel Mandal, 25, son of Kamruzzaman, Russel Biswas, 19, son of Tabibur Biswas, Ismail Hossain alias Pintu, 50, son of Nur Islam Gazi and Aminur Gazi, son of Tofazzal Gazi. Acting on a tip-off, a team of Lohagora police, along with army personnel, conducted a drive at Tofayel Mandal’s house in Digoholia in the dead of night and arrested him with one pistol and a magazine, said Abdur Rahman, Officer-in-Charge of Lohagora Police Station. Read more: Cold and fog bite into Narail’s honey season Later, the joint forces, along with Tofayel, conducted a raid at a fish enclosure and arrested three more people with 800 bullets and sharp weapons. The drive was conducted as part of regular operations ahead of the national election, the OC said.

Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) members arrested a fugitive convict from Ashulia in Savar on Wednesday night. Jamshed Hossain, 46, a resident of Nazirpur village under Bauphal upazila in Patuakhali district, was sentenced to life term imprisonment in a case six years back, said Officer-in-Charge of Savar Police Station Arman Ali said. Read more: Operation Devil Hunt Phase-2: 67 arrested in 24 hours in Dhaka He was arrested in a joint operation conducted by RAB-8, CPC-1 Patuakhali Camp and RAB-4, CPC-2 Nabinagar Camp based on secret information. After arrest, Jamshed was handed over to Savar Police Station for taking legal action.

Members of the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), in a drive on Wednesday, rescued an eighth-grade schoolgirl who was abducted from Khulna on January 1, from Dakkhin Surma upazila of Sylhet. The elite force also arrested Shohagh Mia, 29, son of Nur Islam of Chhatak upazila in Sunamganj district, from the spot. According to RAB, the victim went to school on January 1 but did not return home, said KM Shahidul Islam, Additional Superintendent of Police (Media Officer) of RAB-9. Read more: Child kidnapped using ’devil breath’ in Dhaka rescued: 3 held Failing to trace the girl, her family later learned that three to four unidentified assailants had forcibly abducted her from the Phulbari Gate bus stand under Khanjahan Ali Police Station in Khulna and taken her away in a CNG-run auto-rickshaw. Later, the victim’s father filed a case with Khanjahan Ali Police Station.

A mild cold wave is sweeping over parts of the country and it may continue in some places, Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD) said on Thursday. According to the regular Met office bulletin, “Mild cold wave is sweeping over the districts of Dinajpur, Panchagarh, Kurigram and Chuadanga and it may continue and spread. Light to moderate fog may occur at a few places over the country during late night to morning. Panchagarh’s Tetulia recorded the country’s lowest temperature at 7.5 degrees Celsius on Thursday morning. Night and day temperatures may fall slightly over the country. Mild cold wave sweeps parts of Bangladesh: BMD Weather may remain dry with temporary partly cloudy sky over the country.

Two motorcyclists were killed after being hit by a truck in Ashuganj upazila of Brahmanbaria on Wednesday night. The accident took place in the Sonarampur area of the upazila on the Dhaka-Sylhet highway. The deceased were identified as Saimon, 20, son of Shahidul Islam of Lakshmipur village in Bhairab upazila of Kishoreganj district, and Abdur Rahman, 23, son of Makrul Molla of the same village. Shafiqul Alam Chowdhury, Officer in Charge of Ashuganj Police Station, said the two youths were travelling from Bishwaroad in Sarail towards Ashuganj when their motorcycle collided with a truck coming from the opposite direction in the Sonarampur area. Young man shot in Brahmanbaria Both riders were seriously injured in the crash and were taken to the Ashuganj Upazila Health Complex by local people. Doctors on duty declared them dead on arrival. After receiving the news, family members went to the hospital and took the bodies home. “Legal action in this connection is underway,” the OC added.

Two Rohingya women were arrested with 14,000 yaba pills in a special operation by the Department of Narcotics Control (DNC) in Jashore on Wednesday morning. The operation took place around 7:20 am in the Rajarhat area under Kotwali Model Police Station. Officials conducted the raid on the north side in front of B.K. City Hotel and Resort, located south of the Rajarhat crematorium on the Jashore-Khulna highway. The arrested women were identified as Sokina Akter, 30, daughter of Shabbir Ahmed, and Shukutara, 20, daughter of Fazal Ahmed. Both are from Kutupalong Registered Camp under Ukhiya Police Station in Cox’s Bazar District sheltering Rohingya refugees from Myanmar. During the raid, authorities recovered a total of 14,000 yaba tablets, with one suspect carrying 6,000 and the other 8,000 tablets. Two mobile phones used by the suspects were also seized. BNP leader Alamgir murder case: fourth suspect arrested in Jashore DNC Sub-Inspector M. Rafiza Khatun filed a regular case under the Narcotics Control Act against the suspects at Kotwali Model Police Station. DNC Jashore Deputy Director Parveen Akhtar said anti-drug operations are ongoing and strict legal action will be taken against drug traffickers under a zero-tolerance policy.