United News of Bangladesh

An elephant died after being electrocuted in Noakhali Para under Teknaf upazila of Cox's Bazar early Friday. Chairman of Baharchhara Union Parishad (UP) Amjad Hossain Khokon confirmed the matter saying that wild elephants have been entering human settlements recently due to a shortage of food in the hills. Early in the morning, the elephant entered the locality and was searching for food amidst the trees in the yard of a local resident named Mohammad Hossain, he said. The elephant came into contact with an electrical wire and was electrocuted, the chairman.

Some videos showing misconduct by army personnel with some people have been published on various social media. An Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) media release said on Friday that such incidents are completely unexpected and undesirable, which the Bangladesh Army never supports. It is to be noted that the process of identifying the guilty army members is already underway. Legal action will be taken against the members found guilty after analysing the data.

Lawyer Injamul Haque Seemon, who threw eggs at Anisul Huq and Salman F Rahman in court, died in a motorcycle accident on the Padma Bridge on Thursday.The incident occurred near the toll plaza of the Padma Bridge in Shariatpur’s Jajira. Injamul and his friend Atiq Islam were crossing the Padma Bridge on a motorcycle, live streaming on Facebook. During the broadcast, they lost control, leading to the accident. Shariatpur Padma Bridge South Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Sheikh Shariful Alam confirmed the matter. Injamul, 35, was a resident of Bashatala, East Mridha Kandi, Shariatpur, and a lawyer at the Dhaka Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (CMM) court. He was also involved with the Dhaka Metropolitan North Jubo Dal. At the time of the accident, Injamul was riding the motorcycle, while Atiq was the passenger. Atiq, also a lawyer, was injured and later taken to Dhaka for treatment. Shariatpur Padma Bridge South Police Station OC Sheikh Shariful Alam said that the two friends were on their way to Injamul’s village home in Vederganj. Around 2:00 pm, they entered the Padma Bridge. Injamul led a group of lawyers in a protest at the Dhaka CMM court, where they threw eggs and shoes at Anisul and Salman.

The metro rail operations will not begin on Saturday as planned because officials were unable to finish the necessary technical tests. Dhaka Mass Transit Company Ltd (DMTCL) said this in a press release on Thursday.No new date was mentioned for resuming operations. The two stations in Mirpur-10 intersection and Kazipara were vandalized during the recent student movement that toppled Sheikh Hasina’s regime. The Metrorail services were suspended on July 18 last amid demonstrations by students demanding quota reform in public service.

Five individuals, including two ward masters at Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH), were apprehended by students for alleged irregularities and corruption and were subsequently handed over to the hospital director. The two ward masters are Riaz Uddin and Zillur Rahman. The identities of the three others, who work on a daily basis, have not yet been disclosed. Students reported that they frequently visit the hospital to check on fellow students injured during the quota movement protests. During these visits, they observed several irregularities and instances of corruption among the hospital staff. According to the students, Riaz Uddin admitted that they receive Tk 1000 for each patient transferred from the hospital to another facility. One student mentioned, "We have submitted a written complaint to the authorities detailing the findings from the accused." In response, Dhaka Medical College Hospital Director Brig Gel Md Asaduzzaman said, "Several students apprehended the five individuals, including two government employees, and handed them over to us on charges of various irregularities." "An investigation committee will look into the matter, and appropriate actions will be taken against those found guilty according to the rules,” he added

A case has been filed against former Social Welfare Minister Dr. Dipu Moni, her brother Dr. J.R. Wadud Tipu for attacking the residence of Sheikh Farid Ahmed Manik, president of the Chandpur District unit BNP. Besides, 510 known and 1000-1200 unnamed people have been accused in the case. The case was filed on Thursday following a complaint lodged by A Razzak Hawlader, joint convener of Chandpur Municipal Jubo Dal, said Sheikh Mohsin Alam, Officer-in-Charge of Chandpur Sadar Model Police Station. Sheikh Farid Ahmed Manik, who was abroad for medical treatment during the attack, claimed the attackers were ill motivated and they did it for taking political revenge. The incident occurred on the evening of July 18, when a mob of 1,000 to 1,200 armed individuals reportedly vandalised, looted, and set fire to Manik's Monira Bhaban on J.M. SenGupta Road. The total damage is estimated at Tk 2.5. The accused include current and former leaders of the Awami League and affiliated organizations. Legal proceedings are ongoing while ensuring that innocent individuals are not harassed, said the OC.

A total of 62 politically appointed directors, including the Director General of Power Cell, have been removed from various companies under the Ministry of Power, Energy, and Mineral Resources. “Today we removed a total of 35 directors from the board of directors of different companies’ under Power Division who were picked up on political choice. Of these, 17 are from generation companies and 18 are from transmission and distribution companies," Habibur Rahman, senior secretary of the Power Division, told UNB. He noted that Mohammad Hossain, the director general of Power Cell, who had been serving on a political appointment for more than 10 years, was relieved of his duties two days ago. Habibur mentioned that the Chairman of the Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) and the managing directors of various companies, who are also serving on a contractual basis, remain in their respective posts. Their removal requires the approval of the board of directors and the government's highest-level decision. It is noteworthy that the interim government’s Chief Adviser, Prof. Muhammad Yunus, has directed all ministries to cancel all contractual appointments immediately. Earlier, following this directive, 26 directors were removed from the boards of 13 companies under the Energy and Mineral Resources Division of the ministry. This was communicated through a letter signed by Mohammad Farooq Hossain, Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Power, Energy, and Mineral Resources, on Saturday. According to the letter, these 26 directors were removed until further notice. The order is effective immediately. The officials removed from their directorial positions include Rokan Ul Hasan, private secretary to the former State Minister for Power, Energy, and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid; his personal assistant Mohammad Mujahidul Islam; former Additional Secretary Humayun Kabir Lashkar; former Member of Parliament Farida Akhtar Hira; former Additional Secretary Dr. Kazi Anwarul Haque; Executive Director of Thengamara Mahila Sabuj Sangh, Professor Dr. Hosne Ara Begum; Director of the Prime Minister's Office, Jazreen Nahar; former Private Secretary-2 to the Prime Minister, Al Mamun Murshed; former Private Secretary-1 to the Prime Minister, Monira Begum; Director General-3 Mohammad Asaduzzaman; former Advisor to the Prime Minister on Power, Energy, and Mineral Resources, Taufiq E. Elahi Chowdhury's Private Secretary, Muktadir Aziz; the Ministry's Deputy Chief Information Officer, Mir Mohammad Aslam Uddin; journalist Manjurul Ahsan Bulbul; former Private Secretary to the Prime Minister, Ismat Mahmuda; and Jubo Mahila League General Secretary, Sharmin Sultana Lilly. Additionally, 11 other individuals, most of whom are involved in Awami League politics, have been removed from directorship positions in various companies in the energy sector. The companies affected under the Energy and Mineral Resources Division include: Sylhet Gas Fields Limited (SGFL), Jalalabad Gas Transmission and Distribution Company Limited (JGTDCL), Pashchimanchal Gas Company Limited (PGCL), Sundarban Gas Company Limited (SGCL), Karnaphuli Gas Distribution Company Limited (KDCL), Bakhrabad Gas Distribution Company Limited (BGDCL), Bangladesh Exploration and Production Company Limited (BAPEX), Titas Gas Transmission and Distribution Limited (TGTDCL), Rupantarito Natural Gas Company Limited (RPGCL), Eastern Refinery Limited (ERL), Jamuna Oil Company Limited (JOCL), Padma Oil Company Limited (POCL), and Meghna Petroleum Limited (MPL).

Rifat Rashid, one of the coordinators of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, said that they do not support anything that violates people's privacy. He made the statement regarding the allegations of harassment by checking people's phones at various places during the mass sit-in programmes on Thursday. "Such actions are reviving old paradigms of discrimination. So, don't do anything that destroys the normal course of a citizen's private life, including phone checks," he added. Ensuring the "freedom of personal life of people" is one of the most important steps towards creating a non-discrimination Bangladesh. He also urged everyone to take a peaceful stand to stop the conspirators across the country and stay on the streets to ensure that normal public life becomes more beautiful and orderly.

Student volunteers successfully thwarted attempts at vandalism and arson at Envoy Tower in Panthapath, Dhaka, on Thursday. The building, which houses a political office of former Awami League MP Abdus Salam Murshedy, became a target for angry crowds amid allegations of a plot against the recent student movement. The incident occurred when a group of enraged individuals tried to set fire to the building and smashed its glass windows. However, swift action by student volunteers prevented further damage and secured the property. Envoy Tower, owned by Kutubuddin Ahmed, the founder of Envoy Textile Mill, has since been freed from the possession of Murshedy after nearly three years. On Thursday, officers and employees of Murshedy’s political office removed furniture and documents from Envoy Tower with the assistance of students and law enforcement agencies. Murshedy, the Awami League MP for the Khulna-4 constituency, has reportedly gone into hiding following Sheikh Hasina's resignation on August 5. The building has faced multiple attacks since the government's fall, largely due to its use in what is believed to be a political scheme by Salam Murshedy.

Hasnat Abdullah, a key coordinator of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, has issued a stern warning to the Awami League and its affiliates, advising them against relying on Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to maintain control over Bangladesh. He made the statement on Thursday while speaking to the media at Shahbagh during the day’s event as part of “Resistance Week”. Accusing the Awami League government of being overly dependent on India, Hasnat criticized their approach to Bangladesh's sovereignty. "When you appeal to India regarding our elections, you undermine the sovereignty of our country," he said. "Your boat has already sunk—it’s pointless to search for oars to steer it. Don’t expect Modi to save you." He further condemned the Awami League for allegedly seeking India's interference in Bangladesh’s internal affairs, as evidenced by recent remarks from Sheikh Hasina’s son, Sajeeb Wazed Joy. "They’ve turned away from the people and are now leaning on Modi to secure power. Their requests to Modi to expedite elections only highlight their disconnection from the masses," he asserted. Addressing rumors and misinformation circulating in the media and on social platforms, Hasnat accused the Awami League of laundering vast sums of money abroad, which he claimed could be used to destabilize the country. "We’ve seen international media portray political issues as communal conflicts, part of a propaganda campaign that we will continue to resist," he added. When asked about the ongoing protests, he reaffirmed the movement’s commitment to its goals. "We are here to observe our Resistance Week. We will remain on the streets until our demands are met." Sarjis Alam, another coordinator of the movement, also warned the Awami League against attempting to stage a counter-coup. "If they try, they will cease to exist. The students are on the ground and will stay there," he said, directly referencing the Awami League's youth wings, Chhatra League and Jubo League. Earlier in the day, a group of students led by Sarjis marched to Shahbagh around 11:30 am, chanting slogans and briefly occupying the intersection before moving to the front of the National Museum, where they remained for several hours. On the Dhaka University campus, students, particularly from private universities, showed their support for the day’s program, while Dhaka University students observed the day more quietly. In a parallel demonstration, members of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) held a day-long sit-in at the Central Shaheed Minar. Starting at 10 am, they demanded accountability for the Awami League government's actions over the past 16 years, including calling for the death penalty for former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, whom they accused of masterminding various crimes.