United News of Bangladesh

A Rangpur court on Monday convicted a man and sentenced him to death for killing a police officer in 2021. Rangpur Additional Metropolitan Sessions Judge Marzia Khatun handed down the punishment. The condemned convict was identified as Pervez Rahman Palash, a drug trader and son of Zahidul Islam from the Haragach area. The court also fined him Tk 10,000 and sentenced him to five years imprisonment in two separate sections of the case. Youth hacked to death in Rangpur According to the prosecution, Piarul Islam, an assistant sub-inspector of Haragach Police Station, was stabbed to death by the convict during an anti-narcotics drive at Shahebganj in Rangpur city on September 25, 2021. Police arrested Palash from the spot along with drugs. Two separate cases—one under the Narcotics Act and another for murder—were filed against Palash.

Interns at Dinajpur Medical College Hospital went on work abstention early Monday protesting ‘attacks on physicians by a patients’ relatives’. The interns began the protest around 3:30 am locking the gate of emergency department, hospital sources said. According to hospital authorities, a 65-year-old patient, Abdus Samad from Ramnagar in the city, was admitted to the emergency department around 12:30 am in critical condition after suffering a heart attack. He was later transferred to the CCU of the cardiac ward and the patient’s relatives were informed about his critical condition. He died within an hour of treatment around 1:30 am. Following his death, his relatives allegedly assaulted attending medical officer, Dr. Abdullah Al Muin.  The relatives took the body away around 3:30 am. Medical services including patient admission were disrupted as intern doctors locked the emergency department gate following the chaos. However, hospital authorities denied that the gate had been locked and new patient admissions resumed at around 9:30 am. Additional police have been deployed at the hospital. Kotwali Police Station has detained a relative of the deceased patient, Yakub Ali, in connection with the alleged assault on the doctor. To resolve the situation, hospital director Dr. Fazlur Rahman called a meeting with department heads and protesting interns around 12 pm.

Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) on Monday detained a suspected smuggler along with 10 gold bars worth approximately Tk 2.48 crore during an anti-smuggling drive in Chuadanga. The detainee was identified as Alamgir Khan,55, son of the late Badal Khan of Mobarakpara in Darshana, Damurhuda upazila. Tipped off, a BGB team conducted a dive at Darshana Railway Station in the morning after receiving information that gold was being smuggled to India, said Lieutenant Colonel Nazmul Hasan, commanding officer of Chuadanga-6 BGB. Later, law enforcers intercepted a suspect who attempted to flee after being signaled to stop. He was detained and a search led to the recovery of two packages wrapped around his waist with tape, containing 10 gold bars weighing 1.166 kgs. A case was filed in this connection and the seized gold will be deposited with the Chuadanga Treasury Office, he added.

A total of 61 members of various robber gangs have been detained in joint operations over the past 18 months. Captain Mohammad Mesbaul Islam, Zonal Commander of Coast Guard West Zone Headquarters, said on Sunday that they launched drives  titled ‘Operation Restore Peace in the Sundarbans’ and ‘Operation Mangrove Shield,’ to curb robber activities in the Sundarbans. During the drives, members of several groups including Karim-Sharif, Nana Bhai, Chhota Suman, Alif, and Asabur, were detained. Authorities also recovered 80 firearms and 599 rounds of ammunition during the drives. Besides, 78 fishermen and three tourists were rescued. The Coast Guard sources said 944 kg of venison, 900 traps, and a large quantity of illegal goods linked to 29 poachers were seized as part of wildlife protection efforts. Illegal nets worth around Tk 1,806 crore and a significant amount of fish fry were also seized. Security surveillance has intensified across the Sundarbans including Harbaria, Kaikhali, Koyra, Nalian, Mandarbari, and Shyamnagar in Satkhira, as part of ongoing anti-poaching operations. Personnel from the Navy, RAB, Coast Guard, Police, Forest Department, and other agencies are participating in the joint drive.

Police have been deployed at the house of popular Baul singer Shafi Mondal in Daulatpur upazila of Kushtia following the killing of self-proclaimed pir Abdul Rahman Shamim alias Kalandar Baba over allegations of desecrating the Holy Quran. Daulatpur Police Station Officer-in-Charge Arifur Rahman confirmed the matter, saying the deployment was made as a security measure. “There is no specific information of any attack threat against his house,” the OC said. Baul artist Shafi Mondal said he has been staying in Dhaka for the past month and is unaware of developments in his village home. He suggested his daughter could provide more details. Shafi Mondal’s daughter Lina Mondal said her father is a spiritual singer and often visits different akhras for music-related activities. She said he had visited the Darbar Sharif in question, where photos and videos featuring him were later circulated online. She alleged that the viral footage was used to “create mob violence,” which led to the killing of Shamim. She further said her father follows Lalon philosophy and is a practitioner of Lalon Sain’s teachings, adding that differences in belief systems may exist but they respect religious values and Islamic practices. Earlier on Saturday, Shamim alias Kalandar Baba was beaten and hacked to death by a mob over allegations of Quran desecration. The Darbar Sharif was also attacked, vandalised and set on fire during the incident. Three of his followers were injured. The victim, locally known as Kalandar Baba, was the head of the Darbar Sharif. His body was handed over after post-mortem at Kushtia 250-bed General Hospital and later buried at South-West Filippur graveyard following a janaza on Sunday afternoon. No case has been filed so far, police said. The deceased’s elder brother Fazlur Rahman said the family will decide on legal action after discussions.

Detectives of Sylhet Metropolitan Police (SMP) detained seven people on Sunday on allegations of involvement in immoral activities and sealed a hotel in the city. The drive was carried out around 7:00pm at “Bhai Bhai Hotel” in the Laladighir Par area, where two men and five women were detained for their alleged involvement in such activities. The detainees were identified as Sadia Akter alias Sonia, 23; Sadia Akter, 28; Yasmin Begum, 28; Lovely Akter Beauty, 27; Jonura Begum, 26; Monem Ahmed, 30; and Monir Ahmed, 36. Following the operation, the hotel was sealed on allegations of being linked to immoral activities. Legal action is being processed against the detainees under Section 77 of the Sylhet Metropolitan Police Act, 2009. The incident was confirmed by SMP Additional Deputy Commissioner (Media) Md Manjurul Alam.

Sylhet Metropolitan Police (SMP) has directed the closure of battery-run, or electronic (e) rickshaw showrooms in the city by Tuesday. The directive was issued through a public notice signed by SMP Commissioner Md Abdul Quddus Chowdhury on Sunday afternoon. According to the notice, authorities are conducting drives to remove illegal and unauthorized battery run vehicles, including rickshaws, easy bikes, tomtoms and mishuks — to ensure smooth traffic movement and public convenience in the city. Earlier, owners were requested to remove such vehicles from different parts of the city by October 15 last year. However, on October 14, traders sought six months’ time, which was granted considering their situation. That extended deadline will expire on Tuesday. The notice further said that, in the interest of the public and to maintain traffic discipline, it is essential to urgently remove shops and showrooms selling battery-run vehicles. Business owners have been instructed to vacate their shops and showrooms within the deadline, failing which strict legal action will be taken, the police commissioner warned.

A man died during an anti-drug drive in Kanutia Charpara village of Nawabpurpur union in Mohammadpur upazila of Magura, police said. The deceased was identified as Akubbor, 37, a resident of the village. Ashiqur Rahman, Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Magura Police Station, said the incident occurred around 10:30 am during a drug recovery operation in the Kanutia Charpara area of Mohammadpur Binadpur. A constable of the Department of Narcotics Control (DNC) was also injured during the incident. However, the victim’s wife Josna Khatun alleged that her husband was beaten to death. According to local sources, a DNC team conducted a raid at Akubbor’s house following drug-related complaints. It is alleged that he died on the spot after being hit with a stick during a scuffle. DNC constable Mithun Bepari was injured during the operation and received primary treatment. Following the incident, angry locals attacked members of the team and tried to assault them, but the situation was later brought under control with the intervention of the administration. Sub-Inspector of the Department of Narcotics Control, Most. Sahara Yasmin, said the raid was conducted based on a tip-off. She said 500 grams of marijuana were recovered from Akubbor’s house. She added that while he was being handcuffed and taken to a police vehicle, he suddenly fell ill. He was then taken to the 250-bed Sadar Hospital in Magura, where the on-duty doctor declared him dead. Dr Sadia Sakina Jhora, the on-duty doctor at the hospital, said the man had died before being brought in. “No visible signs of injury were found on his body. The real cause of death will be known after the autopsy,” she said. Magura Additional Superintendent of Police Md Mirajul Islam said an investigation is underway to determine the actual cause of the incident.

A tense situation is prevailing in Kushtia district’s Daulatpur Upazila after a mob attack at a shrine that left a self-proclaimed ‘Pir’ dead. Abdur Rahman alias Shamim Reza alias Jahangir, 65, was beaten and hacked to death on Saturday afternoon at a site known as “Shamim Baba’s Darbar Sharif” in Philipnagar Union. According to locals, an old video from 2023 resurfaced, leading to allegations of blasphemy and triggering the attack. Three of his followers—Zubayer, Mohon Ali and Jamirun Nesa—were also injured in the incident and received treatment at a local hospital. Witnesses said more than a hundred people gathered nearby following announcements and marched towards the shrine around 2:30pm chanting slogans before launching the attack. Armed with rods and sticks, they broke into the compound, dragged the victim from an upstairs room and beat him indiscriminately despite his pleas. Most of the attackers were aged between 15 and 30, witnesses said adding that the killing appeared to be planned. After an autopsy on Sunday Hospital Residential Medical Officer Dr. Hossain Imam said multiple injury marks were found across the body, including 15 to 18 deep cut wounds on the face, along with serious injuries to the head, neck and back. He said the victim died due to excessive bleeding from multiple injuries. Additional Superintendent of Police Faisal Mahmud, spokesperson for district police, said the body was taken to Philipnagar village and burial preparations were underway following funeral prayers. Man beaten to death by mob in Kushtia for allegedly hurting religious sentiment Officer-in-Charge of Daulatpur Police Station Arifur Rahman said no written complaint has yet been filed by the family and no arrests had been made so far although additional police have been deployed in the area. The victim’s elder brother Fazlur Rahman said the family would decide on legal steps after the burial. Additional DIG of Khulna Range Sheikh Zainuddin visited the scene and termed the killing unacceptable. Members of police, Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), army and Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), along with local administration officials and the local lawmaker also visited the site. On Sunday morning, the shrine was found heavily vandalised, with two buildings damaged and rooms burnt, including the one where the ‘pir’ lived. Reza Ahmed Bachchu Molla, lawmaker from Kushtia-1 (Daulatpur), said no one has the right to take the law into their own hands, adding that those involved would be brought to justice through a fair investigation. Kushtia Superintendent of Police Mohammad Jasim Uddin said the situation escalated after the old video resurfaced. Although police attempted to rescue the victim, they were outnumbered by hundreds of agitated people and could not fully control the situation, he said. District Commissioner Touhid bin Hasan said the law and order situation is now calm, with security forces deployed and patrols ongoing. Police have also been placed on alert in sensitive locations including the shrine of Lalon Shah in Cheuriya.

A moving bus caught fire on the Dhaka-Bogura highway in Shajahanpur upazila of the district on Sunday. Ariful Islam, station officer of Shajahanpur Fire Service and Civil Defence Station, said the fire broke out at the Kurigram-bound ‘Kurigram Travel’ bus from Chattogram around 8:00am while passing through the area. On information, a firefighting unit rushed to the spot and extinguished the fire after 30 minutes. The fire might have originated from the battery of the bus, Ariful Islam said. Sub-Inspector Abu Zarra of Kaliganj Police Station said as soon as the fire broke out, passengers quickly got down from the bus, avoiding any casualties. However, the fire burned down parts of the bus.