United News of Bangladesh

Brig Gen (retd) M Sakhawat Hossain, adviser to the Ministries of Shipping, and Textiles and Jute, visited the Sadarghat Terminal in Dhaka on Saturday afternoon. During the visit, Port Officer Kabir Hossain provided a brief overview of the various activities at the Dhaka river port. The adviser emphasized the need to increase revenue from the river port and called for a proactive role in this regard. He instructed officials to coordinate with law enforcement agencies and the army to expedite revenue collection activities and also directed that government-approved rate charts be prominently displayed at each dock or point. In response, BIWTA Chairman Commodore Arif Ahmed Mostafa assured that the rate charts would be installed within the next seven days. Expressing satisfaction with the overall operations at the Dhaka river port, the adviser instructed all port officials and employees to diligently perform their duties with integrity and efficiency. He emphasized the importance of implementing necessary regulations strictly to restore order in the maritime sector and instructed BIWTA to take stringent measures to ensure ferry route permits and security. Present at the inspection were BIWTA Chairman Commodore Arif Ahmed Mostafa and various port officials and employees.

The government has appointed five prosecutors with Advocate Md Tajul Islam as chief prosecutor to handle cases at the International Crimes Tribunal. The solicitors wing at the Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, issued a notification in this regard on Thursday (September 5). According to the notification, Advocate Tajul Islam will enjoy the same status as Attorney General. The other prosecutors are Mizanul Islam (Additional Attorney General rank), Gazi Monawar Hussain Tamim (Deputy Attorney General), BM Sultan Mahmud (Deputy Attorney General), Abdullah Al Noman (Assistant Attorney General). This order will be effective soon, read the notification. Earlier, 11 prosecutors including the Chief Prosecutor of the International Crimes Tribunal resigned on August 13. Advocate Tajul Islam was the deputy to Barrister Abdur Razzaque as lead counsel of the team that defended a succession of former leaders of the Jamaat e Islami at the ICT before. After Razzaque left for the UK fearing arrest under the previous Awami League regime, Tajul took over as lead counsel of Jamaat's legal defence team.  

Brihattar Chattogram Unnoyon Sangram Committee has demanded that Dr. Muhammad Yunus, the chief advisor of the interim government, set up an office in Chattogram for at least one day. They have also called for quarterly meetings of the advisory council. These demands were made during the formation and introduction meeting of the newly reconstituted committee held on Saturday afternoon at a restaurant in the Isphani Mor area of the city. Jasim Uddin Chowdhury, a leader of the Brihattar Chattogram Unnoyon Sangram Committee, stated that they have been advocating for Chattogram’s development for the past 15 years. In light of recent national changes, the committee has recognized the need for restructuring to strengthen their organizational position and has thus initiated the reorganization process. On behalf of the committee, Jasim Uddin Chowdhury presented a 14-point demand to the interim government for Chattogram’s development. Key demands include rapid infrastructure development following Chattogram’s declaration as the commercial capital, the construction of rail and road bridges in Kalurghat, the relocation of Chattogram Railway Station from Batali to Fouzdarhat, and the establishment of a satellite town on the abandoned railway land from Fouzdarhat to the commercial area. The committee also demanded that all port services in Chattogram be declared essential and that a portion of revenue from all goods be invested in the city’s development. Additionally, they called for the decentralization of power by declaring Chattogram and three other old districts as provinces, and for the separation of Chattogram into northern and southern districts. The establishment of a permanent High Court bench in Chattogram was also requested. Furthermore, leaders demanded the relocation of the headquarters of the Railway, Navy, Shipping Corporation, EPZ, and Tea Board, as well as the Secretariat of the Ministry of Commerce and Ministry of Shipping to Chattogram. They also urged for the swift completion of ongoing mega projects to resolve waterlogging issues in the city. In other developments, a 13-member permanent committee for the 2004-2029 term was formed with Jasim Uddin Chowdhury as the president. The executive committee, comprising 96 members, includes SM Nurul Haque as chairman, HM Mujibul Haque as general secretary, Zikru Habibul Wahid as organizing secretary, Nurul Alam as finance secretary, Kasem Shah as publication secretary, and Noman Ullah as office secretary.

A case has  been filed over an attack on the BNP candidate for  Dhaka-4 in the 2018 election, Salahuddin Ahmed. The Election Day attack took place on December 30, 2018. His son Tanveer Ahmed Robin, also member secretary of Dhaka Metropolitan BNP,  filed the case at Kadamtali Police Station on Thursday naming 30 people. Besides, 400 unnamed individuals have been made accused in the case. Robin was assigned Salauddin Ahmed's chief election agent in that election. The notable accused in the case are -  Kadamtali  police station Awami League leader Taijul Islam Taju, Sirajul Islam Siraj, Jatiya Party candidate Syed Abu Hossain Babla, former MP Sanjida Khanom, Babla's niece Masukur Rahman Masuk, Chhatra League leaders Pinku Rana, and Mamun, AL leaders Aziz aka Takla Aziz, Jewel, Abhi Rahman, Adam Ali, Md Shukkur, Lippi, Mainul Islam, Soleman, Feroze, Manik, Pintu, Billal, Russell Ahmed Rinku, Chan Mia, Awlad Hussain, Aziz, Sumon, Swaim, Afzal , including Nayan, Nabuj, Hanif, Farhad.

A total of eight murder cases have been filed in Feni so far against 3037 people, including former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Awami League (AL) General Secretary Obaidul Quader, for killing nine people during the anti-discrimination student movement in the district. Mohammad Ruhul Amin, officer-in-charge (OC) of Feni Model Police Station, said that the police have started investigation into eight separate cases filed surrounding the anti-discrimination student movement in Feni. Legal action will be taken against those involved in these incidents, he added. In one of these cases, Sheikh Hasina, Obaidul Quader, former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, former Member of Parliament (MP) of Feni-2 constituency and General Secretary of Feni District Awami League Nizam Uddin Hazari have been made accused. According to Feni Model Police Station, the latest case was filed on Friday (September 6) night. The case was filed at the police station following a complaint lodged by Ashia Begum, 50, of Fatehpur area in Sharshdi union of Sadar upazila for killing her husband Zafar Ahmad, 53, during the anti-discrimination student movement on August 5. With former MP of Feni-3 constituency Lt General (Retd.) Masud Uddin Chowdhury as the main accused, 205 people were named and 150 others were made unnamed accused in the case. On August 4, Mahbubul Hasan Masum, 25, was killed in Mohipal area during the anti-discrimination student movement. Mohammad Mahmudul Hasan, brother of the victim, filed a case with the same police station on Wednesday night (September 4) against Sheikh Hasina, Obaidul Quader and Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal. A total of 162 people were named in the case while 500 others have been made unknown accused. According to Feni Police Station sources, 301 people were charged in the Shihab murder case, 305 people in the Shravan murder case, 334 people in the Masud murder case, 465 people in the Sabuj murder case, 371 people in the Sakib murder case and 244 people in another murder case. On the first day of the non-cooperation movement called by the anti-discrimination student movement on August 4, gunmen fired indiscriminately on the students at Mohipal area in Feni. At least nine people have been killed. According to multiple eyewitnesses and CCTV footage, all the armed men were Awami League leaders and activists.

An escaped prisoner of the Daulatpur jail in Kushtia was arrested on Saturday morning. The arrestee is Abdur Razzak, 47, son of late Ansar Ali of Bahermadi village in the upazila. A team of RAB-12 conducted a drive in the area and arrested him around 7:30 am on Saturday. Mohammad Ilyas Khan, squadron leader and company commander of RAB-12, confirmed the arrest in a press release this afternoon. Earlier on August 7, 98 prisoners escaped from the Kushtia District Jail by breaking the locks of the jail. RAB started an operation to arrest them after a case was registered at Kushtia Model Police Station on August 14. Abdur Razzak was handed over to Kushtia Model Police Station in the morning.

Finance Adviser Dr. Salehuddin Ahmed has directed Deputy Commissioners (DCs) to take a firm stance against extortionists and their backers, stressing that reducing extortion will help lower the prices of vegetables and other essential commodities. The government is adopting a tough approach against market manipulators. If extortion is curbed, prices of essential goods can be reduced, Dr. Salehuddin told reporters following a meeting at the Bangladesh Institute of Governance and Management (BIGM) in Agargaon on Saturday. Addressing the ongoing unrest in the garment sector, Dr. Salehuddin assured that the situation would stabilize as law enforcement intensifies its actions against disruptive elements.  He noted that authorities are actively targeting ill-intentioned outsiders in the Ashulia, Bypail, and Gazipura areas.  "Discussions are ongoing with owners, workers, and political parties to mitigate the instability in the garment sector. The issue will be resolved soon," he added. On the topic of commodity prices, Dr. Salehuddin mentioned that taxes on potatoes and onions have been reduced to ease the burden on consumers. "Prices should not be gauged solely by what is seen in Karwan Bazar; other markets should also be taken into account. Essential goods often change hands multiple times in Karwan Bazar, and this needs to be addressed." Regarding corruption among influential politicians and businessmen, Dr. Salehuddin said, "The National Board of Revenue (NBR) will have an easier time tracking money launderers now that there is no opportunity to legalize black money. We will see stricter actions against these offenders going forward."  

Protesters have blocked the busy Shahbagh intersection in Dhaka demanding to increase the age limit for entering government jobs to 35 years. The prescheduled gathering was initiated in front of the National Museum in Shahbagh at 11 am on Saturday. Mahmudur Rahman Manna, convener of Nagorik Oikya, joined the program to express solidarity. He said, "It will become like a dictionary to talk about the number of irregularities in the recruitment of government jobs in Bangladesh."

Dhaka South City Corporation’s (DSCC) Acting Chief Engineer Ashiqur Rahman has been relieved from his job. A notification was issued in this regard on Saturday.

The government has announced plans to transform Ganabhaban into “July Revolution Memorial Museum”, commemorating the events of the 2024 uprising and the last 16 years of disappearances, murders, and repression. The decision was made by the Advisory Council, with the project set to be completed in the fastest possible time. During a visit to Ganabhaban today, Nahid Islam, adviser for Posts, Telecommunications, and Information Technology, and Information and Broadcasting said that the museum will preserve the current remains of Ganabhaban and will be open to the public.  He emphasised that the museum will stand as a testament to the victory of the people and serve as a reminder of the consequences faced by fascist and autocratic leaders. "This transformation is a tribute to the bloodshed that brought us a new Bangladesh on August 5th," Nahid Islam said. He added that the museum will highlight the true owners of state power — the people. The museum will feature a comprehensive display of the last 16 years of repression, including disappearances, extrajudicial killings, and the 36-day events of the July revolution. A list of martyrs and other memories will also be showcased, alongside digital presentations. The government has directed the formation of a committee to oversee the transformation. Experts from both within the country and abroad, with experience in memorial museums, will be consulted for the project. Youth and Sports Adviser Asif Mahmud also affirmed that the museum will serve as a lasting memorial of the 2024 uprising and the brutalities of the former fascist government. Once completed, the museum will be opened to the public. The committee overseeing the project will include architectural artists and museum experts. During the visit, Adviser for Arts Azizur Rahman Khan and Youth and Sports Advisor Asif Mahmud Sajib Bhaiya were present.