United News of Bangladesh

Detectives have arrested 34 more leaders and activists of the Awami League and its affiliated bodies for their alleged involvement in planning, funding, and participating in sudden flash processions in the capital over the past 24 hours till 7:00 am on Monday. According to the Dhaka Metropolitan Police’s Detective Branch (DB), among those arrested, two were held by the DB Ramna Division, four by DB Mirpur Division, 13 by DB Cyber Division, four by DB Motijheel Division, one by DB Wari Division, one by DB Uttara Division, one by DB Tejgaon Division, three by DB Lalbagh Division, and five by DB Gulshan Division. The arrestees include former Awami Jubo League presidium member Advocate Belal Hossain (60), Tangail’s Dhanbari upazila Jubo League member Mahbubul Alam Palash (47), Dhaka North Nadda Unit AL member Md Khokon Mia (43), Dhaka North Chhatra League vice-president Tanzim Ibrahim (26), and several others. According to DB Mirpur sources, four persons — Md Nizam Uddin, Md Ismail, Shawkat, and Md Rifat Hossain — were arrested from Mirpur while preparing for a flash procession on Sunday evening. DB Lalbagh sources said Advocate Belal Hossain was picked up from the Moghbazar Wireless area under Ramna Police Station, while Md Abdur Rahim and Md Tanvir Sikder Joy were detained in separate drives in Wari and Sher-e-Bangla Nagar respectively. Awami League working out ‘blueprint’ to stir unrest: Oli Ahmed DB Ramna sources said Md Abdus Sobhan Azad was arrested from Tejgaon, and Mohammad Nazmul Hasan Monir Chowdhury from Mugda. The DB Cyber Division detained several others from areas including Shanir Akhra, Aftabnagar, Bangla Motor, and Uttara for alleged involvement in financing and organizing flash processions. DB Motijheel, Wari, Uttara, Tejgaon, Lalbagh, and Gulshan divisions also conducted separate drives in different parts of the city, arresting individuals linked to similar activities. The detainees were allegedly involved in planning, financing, and executing sudden processions aimed at disrupting public security in Dhaka, said DMP’s DC (Media) Talebur Rahman. Legal proceedings are underway against the arrested persons at the respective police stations, the DB added, the DC (Media) added.    

Dhaka Metropolitan Police’s Detective Branch (DB) have arrested 25 leaders and activists of Awami League and its affiliated bodies in separate drives in the capital over 24 hours till 8 am on Sunday for their alleged plan  to release 100,000 balloons with Awami League slogans. They had also planned to release 100,000 gas balloons carrying slogans of the Awami League in Dhaka including near state guesthouse Jamuna between November 10 and 12, said DMP’s Deputy Commissioner (DC-Media) Talebur Rahman on Sunday afternoon. Based on secret information, a number of teams of DB’s Mirpur, Ramna, Cyber, Motijheel, Wari, Uttara, Tejgaon, Lalbagh, and Gulshan divisions conducted simultaneous drives in the capital and arrested them. The arrestees were identified as Rupchan Bepari, Abrar Khan Tahmid alias Tahmid Ashraf, Raihan Khan alias Azad, ABM Nurul Haque alias Choton Chowdhury, Abul Kalam Azad alias Bablu, Gias Uddin Khokon, Mizanur Rahman Bhuiyan, Sirajul Islam alias Ahmad Ali, Jasim alias Billal, Mahbub Rahman, Jahangir Alam, Engineer Abul Kalam, Mohammad Shahjalal, Delwar Hossain alias Palash, Yunus Sardar, Akbar Hossain, Abu Sayeed, Shamsuddin Ahmed Selim, Raihan Uddin Rehan, Mezbah Uddin Prince, Morium Parvin, Nasir Sarkar alias Golakata Nasir, Ali Hossain, Manik Khondokar, and Habibur Rahman Kamal. DB officials said operations to maintain law and order and prevent subversive activities will continue and legal action against the arrestees will underway.

Former MP Mujibur Rahman Chowdhury, better known as Nixon Chowdhury, has been accused of disrupting law and order in Faridpur’s Bhanga, through a series of provocative video messages terming the current government and Election Commission “illegal,” police said on Friday night. In a press release, police headquarters said Nixon’s statements on social media included anti-state remarks, instigating comments against law enforcement, and allegations of harassment of the public—actions that police claim were aimed at provoking people to continue agitation. According to the release, following the gazette on the redrawing of parliamentary constituencies ahead of the 13th general election, Algi and Hamirdi unions of Bhanga upazila were separated from Faridpur-4 and merged with Faridpur-2. Protesting this decision, locals staged demonstrations, blockades and sit-ins on Dhaka-Khulna, Dhaka-Barishal, and Faridpur-Bhanga highways. Police alleged that Nixon capitalized on the protests and circulated multiple “inciteful” messages that worsened the situation in Bhanga. In one such video, he called the interim government and the Election Commission “illegal” and instructed his followers to continue demonstrations, even blocking roads until their demands were met. His supporters widely shared the clips online, further fueling unrest. On September 15, agitators—allegedly loyal to Nixon—attacked Bhanga Police Station, Bhanga Highway Police Station, the Upazila Nirbahi Officer’s (UNO) office, election office, and agriculture office. Government vehicles were vandalized and torched, causing extensive damage to public property. Legal action was later taken by Bhanga Police Station. Police said Nixon again released another video on Saturday, repeating his claims that the government and EC were illegal, while lashing out at police on social media. He also alleged that ordinary people were being harassed through false cases, which police said was an attempt to incite further destructive protests. Law enforcers urged citizens not to be misled by “provocative statements” and to maintain discipline. They assured that no innocent person would be harassed in legal proceedings and requested people to promptly report any attempts to spread rumors or inflammatory content. Faridpur violence: Case filed against Nixon Chowdhury, 28 others Earlier on September 15, Bhanga witnessed violent protests over constituency boundary changes, with attacks on police stations, the upazila complex, and municipal office. Motorcycles were set ablaze, while journalists covering the unrest were reportedly obstructed, and several police and media workers were injured. The Election Commission had issued the gazette on September 4, redrawing Faridpur-4 by detaching Bhanga’s Algi and Hamirdi unions and attaching them to Faridpur-2 constituency.  

The Central Intelligence Cell (CIC) of the National Board of Revenue (NBR) on Wednesday seized two more lockers of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at Agrani Bank’s Dilkusha head office branch. Acting on information, the CIC officials sealed locker numbers 751 and 753 to verify whether there had been any cases of tax evasion, said NBR sources. Earlier, on September 10, the CIC seized another locker belonging to Sheikh Hasina at Pubali Bank’s Motijheel corporate branch. With Wednesday’s operation, a total of three lockers owned by Hasina have so far been sealed. ACC asks EC to take legal action against Sheikh Hasina over false affidavit NBR officials also found two bank accounts under Hasina’s name at the same Pubali Bank branch. One account contained a fixed deposit receipt (FDR) worth Tk 12 lakh while the other Tk 44 lakh. Both accounts have been frozen, with cash withdrawals prohibited. A senior official at the CIC told UNB that the lockers and accounts were seized for further investigation.

Police arrested 12 members of the banned Awami League and its affiliated organisations while they were preparing for flash processions in Ramna and Gulshan areas of the capital Dhaka. The arrests were made between 3:15 pm and 4:00 pm on Friday during raids in Banglamotor and Gulshan, confirmed DC (Media) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Talebur Rahman. The arrestees were: Md Moin Uddin, 36, Billal Hossain, 38, Md Rabbi, 21, Md Sohel Hasan Rafi, 21, Arif, 23, Nadim, 19, Md Shukkur Hawlader, 25, Shihab Munshi, 25, Md Juel, 30, Saddam Molla, 27, Md Rana, 19, and Md Nazmul, 19. Awami League will definitely try to obstruct election: Home Adviser According to the source of police, they were trying to destabilize the country by creating panic through flash processions in different parts of Dhaka. DC media of DMP Talebur Rahman said, “Legal action against them is underway”.

Dhaka, Sept 5 (UNB) — DB Police arrested former Awami League lawmaker Saddam Hossain Pavel along with seven other leaders and activists of AL-affiliated bodies in Dhaka for allegedly planning and financing acts of sabotage, including surprise street processions. The arrestees were: 1.       Saddam Hossain Pavel, 50, former MP of Nilphamari-3; 2.       Md Tanzil Hossain Abhi, 29, organising secretary of Bauphal Upazila Chhatra League, Patuakhali; 3.       Md Anisur Rahman Hawlader, 43, general secretary of Surjomoni Union Jubo League, Bauphal; 4.       A.K.M Khorshed Alam, 65, founder president of Bauphal Upazila Chhatra League and now central general secretary of Bangabandhu Kalyan Parishad; 5.       Md Delwar Hossain Babul, 61, organiser of Ward-32 Awami League, Bangshal thana; 6.       Al Mamun Bhuiyan, 29, organising secretary of Ward-1 Jubo League, Uttara East; 7.       Md Kaykobad Osmani , 53, executive member of central Awami Jubo League; 8.       Md Anwar Hossain, 60, former president of Khitipara Union Awami League and former UP chairman, Louhajang, Munshiganj. According to DB sources, Pavel was arrested around 10:50 pm on Thursday (Sept 4) in Mohammadpur by a team of the DB-Cyber Division. On the same evening, Abhi and Anisur Rahman were picked up separately around 6 pm in Manikdia under Sabujbagh thana. Later that night, Khorshed Alam was arrested from Panthapath around 9:15 pm. Delwar Hossain Babul was caught in Nayabazar under Kotwali thana around 6:20 pm, while Al Mamun Bhuiyan was arrested near the Police Club in Kotwali around 3:00 pm. Awami League will definitely try to obstruct election: Home Adviser Around 11:50 pm, DB teams arrested Kaykobad Osmani from Malibagh Chowdhurypara under Rampura thana and Anwar Hossain from Kakrail under Ramna thana. DC Media of DMP Talebur Rahman said that specific cases were pending against all of them in different police stations and they were allegedly trying to destabilize the country by creating panic through sudden processions and planned acts of violence in different parts of Dhaka. “Legal action is underway against the arrestees”, he added.    

A case was filed against 193 people including former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for arranging dummy elections in 2024  during the tenure of the Awami League government and vote rigging. Quamrul Hasan, 55, son of Mamtaz Uddin of Bhuapur upazila of Tangail district, filed the case with Tangail Judicial Magistrate court on Monday.  Anisul, 6 others shown arrested in more cases Former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, former Agriculture Minister  Abdur Razzaque, Tangail-2 constituency MP Tanvir Hasan Chotot Moni, Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Abdul Awal, former IGP Chowdhury Abdullah Al Mamun and Tangail former deputy commissioner Shahidul Islam were among the accused. According to the case statement,  Hasina in collusion with others organised a dummy election on January 7, 2024 as per the directives of India. Quamrul, the plaintiff, went to Bharoi High School in Aloa Union of the upazila to cast his vote but a group of Awami League and Chhatra League men physically assaulted him.  AL issues series of directives to activists on Sunday's planned rally in Dhaka Besides, the AL men with the help of police and presiding officers stuffed ballots after putting seal on AL ‘s boat symbol. Former general secretary of Tangail Bar Association Advocate Abu Raihan Khan, said the court took the case into cognizance and asked the officer-in-charge of Bhuapur Police Station to submit a report after investigation. The court also fixed August 13 for the next hearing. END/UNB/Corr/MAS/F  

A Dhaka court on Wednesday showed former ministers Anisul Huq, Amir Hossain Amu, Hasanul Haque Inu, Rashed Khan Menon, and three others arrested in seven separate cases over July movement. Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Md Minhazur Rahman passed the order after hearing separate petitions.  Apex court declares appointment of administrator and board at Nagad illegal The rest of the accused shown arrested are former minister Shahjahan Khan, former state minister Zunaid Ahmed Palak, and former MP Kazi Moniur Islam Monu.   Besides, former Home Affairs Secretary Jahangir Alam was placed on a two-day remand in a  murder case. Of them, Anisul was shown arrested in three cases, Amu, Menon, Inu, Zunaid in two cases, Monu in three cases, and Shahjahan in one case. All the cases were related to the murders and attempts to murder. Earlier, the prosecution appealed to show them arrested in the cases while the court set May 14 for hearing. On April 12, a petition for placing former home secretary on 5-day remand was submitted in Meherdi murder case while the court set May 14 for hearing. Though the defendant’s lawyer Farzana Yeasmin Rakhi appealed for bail, the court granted two-day remand rejecting the prayer. According to the case statement, victim Mehedi participated in a procession on August 5 last year and was shot in the National Burn Institute area. Later, he was taken to Sir Salimullah Medical College where physicians declared him dead. On September 5, a murder case was filed with Bangshal police station in this regard.  Court denies bail of ex-Krishak League leader Shamima Akter

Leaders and activists from various political parties, including the NCP, began gathering at the Fountain Square of Mintu Road near the residence of the Chief Adviser following Jumma' prayers on Friday. Earlier, protesters performed Jumma' prayers behind the stage set-up near Jamuna,  the CA’s residence. Soon after the prayers, a rally began at the same location, with demonstrators chanting slogans and demanding a political ban on the Awami League. Participants arrived in small processions, gradually swelling the crowd. To ease the discomfort of the sweltering heat, the North City Corporation deployed a water sprinkler truck at the venue, reportedly under government sponsorship. Govt considers ban on Awami League citing dictatorship, terror links Hasnat Abdullah, chief organiser of the NCP’s southern zone, had called for mass participation earlier in the day, urging people from all walks of life to join the rally in front of the SAARC Fountain and Hotel Intercontinental. “There will be a sea of people,” said Hasnat, adding,  “People will see who truly wants to ban the AL.” Ilias Kanchan’s party expresses solidarity with NCP to ban AL Sarjis Alam, the NCP’s northern zone chief organiser, joined the demonstration in the morning after travelling from his hometown Panchagarh, where he had been on Thursday night when NCP-led students took position in front of Jamuna. Several other political groups, including Jamaat-e-Islami, Inquilab Mancha, Islamic Movement, and AB Party, have expressed solidarity with the protesters. The movement gained momentum after a group of students led by the NCP gathered in front of the CA’s residence on Wednesday night, pressing for a ban on the Awami League.  The sit-in formally began around 10 pm on Thursday under Hasnat’s leadership.

Activists of the Awami League (AL) staged a surprise procession in Khulna city on Sunday morning, the first such demonstration in the city since the party’s fall from power on August 5 last year. The procession began around 7:30am at Zero Point, under the jurisdiction of Horintana Police Station in Khulna Metropolitan Police. A video of the event, showing over 100 participants, quickly went viral on social media platforms. The procession was organised under the banner of the “Bangladesh Awami League, Khulna District Unit.” Senior leaders of the district unit declined to officially comment on the matter. Speaking on condition of anonymity, a leader from Dumuria upazila AL said, “We were instructed not to involve any well-known faces in the procession. That’s why we mobilised relatively unfamiliar leaders and activists from upazila and union levels.” Khairul Bashar, officer-in-charge of Horintana Police Station, said the AL supporters abruptly got off a vehicle and staged a brief procession before dispersing. “As it happened early in the morning, the roads were relatively empty,” the OC said, adding that police were working to identify and detain those involved.