United News of Bangladesh

A tribunal in Tangail on Wednesday sentenced a man to death for killing a schoolgirl after abduction in 2023. Tangail Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal Judge ANM Elias handed down the judgment. The condemned convict is Sabbir Mia, son of Anwar Hossain of Dariapur village in Sakhipur upazila of the district. Lone accused in child rape case sentenced to death in Chattogram The tribunal also fined him Tk 30,000. Besides, the tribunal also sentenced him to 15 years in jail and fined Tk 20,000 for abducting the girl while the court sentenced him life imprisonment and fined Tk 30,000 for confining the girl to realise ransom. The same tribunal also fined the convict to five years in jail and fined Tk 10,000 for hiding the body of the girl through setting fire after pouring kerosene. According to the prosecution, the convict abducted Samia Akter, 9, a class III student of Dariapur Uttar Government Primary School and daughter of Ranju Mia of the village and took her to a forest while she was returning to her home from tuition on September 6, 2023. Later, the convict strangulated the girl and covered the body of Samia to a drain adjacent to a paddy field. In the meantime, he demanded Tk 5 lakh as ransom from Samia’s father after sending a message through Imo. On September 7, the victim's father filed a case with Sakhipur Police Station. Later, police recovered the body of Samia from the drain on September 8, 2023. Police arrested Sabbir on September 28, 2023 with the help of technology and he later gave a confessional statement before the court under section 164. On February 11, 2024, police submitted chargesheet against Sabbir.

Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) arrested 377 people and filed 41 cases during its regular drives across the capital in the 24 hours until 6:00 am on Tuesday. According to DMP, the arrests included 40 by Ramna Division, 26 by Lalbagh Division, 55 by Wari Division, 25 by Motijheel Division, 64 by Tejgaon Division, 85 by Mirpur Division, 32 by Gulshan Division, 43 by Uttara Division and seven by the Detective Branch (DB). During the drives, police recovered 3,030 yaba tablets, 55.23 kilograms of cannabis, 1,200 bottles of Phensedyl, one private car, two microbuses, one lock-cutting machine, six mobile phones, Tk 330 in cash, and rescued one victim. DMP Additional Deputy Commissioner (Media and Public Relations) Niaz Mehdi said the suspects were arrested during operations conducted in different police station areas across the capital, with law enforcers also recovering narcotics and other items. Legal proceedings against the arrested individuals are underway, he added.

Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) has taken extensive security measures for the upcoming 'Rath Yatra' and Ulto 'Rath Yatra' celebrations, with adequate police deployment and close coordination with organisers to ensure the festivals are held peacefully and safely. The measures were discussed at a coordination meeting on security, law and order, and traffic management held at the DMP Headquarters on Sunday, chaired by DMP Commissioner Mosleh Uddin Ahmed. According to the security plan, picket and patrol teams, CCTV surveillance, foot patrols, rooftop security teams, Honda mobile patrols, Detective Branch (DB) teams, plainclothes intelligence personnel, SWAT units, bomb disposal teams and traffic police will be deployed during the celebrations. The meeting discussed the arrangements for Rath Yatra on July 16 and Ulto Rath Yatra on July 24. Addressing the meeting, the DMP Commissioner said Rath Yatra is a major procession in the capital and that everyone concerned must remain highly alert and vigilant due to the large gathering of people. He said the DMP would maintain foolproof security to ensure the festival is celebrated in a peaceful, orderly and safe manner. “Every moment of the Rath Yatra is important to us. Equal importance will be given to ensuring maximum security for both large and small processions,” he said, expressing hope that the festival would be celebrated peacefully with the cooperation of all stakeholders. He said Deputy Commissioners (DCs) of all divisions would hold separate coordination meetings with the respective Rath Yatra celebration committees and maintain constant communication.  He also called upon all relevant agencies to discharge their responsibilities properly. The meeting unanimously decided that the processions would be completed within the scheduled time and along the designated routes. Organisers and participants were also requested to refrain from using loudspeakers during prayer and Azan times, appoint their own volunteers, avoid carrying bags or bundles during the procession, and inform police immediately if any suspicious person or object is spotted. The DMP Commissioner said volunteers involved in the procession must wear designated vests, while plainclothes security personnel and lining forces would remain deployed. He also urged all concerned to remain cautious about electrical lines to avoid accidents. At the meeting, Joint Police Commissioner (Operations) Mohammad Shahidullah presented the overall security plan through a PowerPoint presentation. Senior DMP officials, representatives of various agencies and leaders of Rath Yatra celebration committees also attended the meeting and shared their views.

Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) has been deployed in 11 flood-affected districts across the country to assist flood victims. BGB Headquarters Public Relations Officer Shariful Islam on Sunday said BGB personnel are carrying out rescue operations in coordination with local administrations in flood-hit Bandarban, Cox’s Bazar, Rangamati, Khagrachhari, Chattogram, Feni, Sylhet, Habiganj, Sunamganj, Netrokona and Jamalpur districts. BGB members are distributing emergency food supplies and relief materials among affected people and providing necessary medical assistance. They are helping evacuate stranded residents to safer locations and extending all-out support to those affected by the floods, he said. According to BGB Headquarters, the paramilitary force is closely monitoring the situation in the flood-affected areas as part of its commitment to standing beside people during natural disasters and humanitarian crises. BGB’s flood response activities will continue in coordination with local administrations and other law enforcement agencies to help tackle the ongoing flood situation, the headquarters said.

Police have arrested a man after his wife was found dead in Khilgaon area of Dhaka on Friday. The arrestee was identified as Saiful Islam, 21. Police said the body of Sanzida Akter Maria was recovered on Friday evening from a house in front of Haji Mosque in South Goran under Khilgaon Police Station. She was found hanging with a jute rope tied around her neck  and was later taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) where the on-duty doctor declared her dead. Following a complaint filed by the victim's brother, a murder case was registered with Khilgaon Police Station early Saturday. After the case was filed, a police team launched an investigation by collecting evidence from the crime scene, analysing witness statements and using technological support. The team arrested Saiful Islam from the Khilgaon area at around 3:45 am on Saturday. During preliminary interrogation, Saiful confessed to killing his wife, police said. Niaz Mehdi, Additional Deputy Commissioner of the Media and Public Relations Division of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP), said the murder stemmed from a long-running family dispute involving the suspect's parents which had led to persistent domestic conflict. The accused has been produced before a court for further legal proceedings, he added.

Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) seized 3,960 Indian mobile phone displays worth about Tk 31.7 million during an anti-smuggling drive along the borderin  Brahmanbaria's Bijoynagar upazila early Saturday. A patrol team from Alinagar Border Outpost (BOP) under Sarail Battalion (25 BGB) seized the goods at around 12:15 am, according to a BGB press release. BGB also seized the two bicycles used to transport the goods. The seized goods are being handed over to the Akhaura Customs Office following the necessary legal procedures. Lt Col Jabbar Ahmed, Commanding Officer of Sarail Battalion (25 BGB), said the battalion remains committed to ensuring border security while carrying out anti-smuggling operations with the highest level of professionalism.

Police have arrested 18 people in connection with the attack, vandalism and assault on police officers at Agailjhara Police Station in Barishal following rumours of the death of an accused in custody. Barishal Superintendent of Police AZM Mostafizur Rahman said a case has been filed against 43 named individuals and more than 200 unidentified people over the incident. "We are conducting drives to arrest the remaining accused. Additional police have been deployed in the area to maintain law and order," he said. The SP said police are reviewing CCTV footage and other evidence to identify those involved, while overnight raids were carried out till Friday morning to arrest the suspects. The violence erupted on Thursday after rumours spread that Riaz Fakir, an accused in multiple cases, had died. Police said Riaz was arrested a day earlier (on Wednesday) in a theft case. According to CCTV footage, he injured himself by repeatedly hitting his head while in the lock-up. He was later admitted to Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital in Barishal for treatment. As rumours of his death spread on Thursday afternoon, hundreds of people armed with sticks descended on Agailjhara Police Station. The attackers allegedly assaulted duty officer Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Abdul Halim and vandalised parts of the police station. Police later charged the crowd with batons to disperse them and bring the situation under control. At least 12 people, including six police personnel, were injured in the clashes. Meanwhile, Riaz's family alleged that he was injured due to police torture. Police denied the allegation, saying Riaz is receiving treatment at the hospital and is now out of danger.

A tribunal in Chattogram on Thursday convicted a man and sentenced him to death for killing a 8-year-old girl after failing to rape her. Judge of the Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal-4 Jannatul Ferdous Aleya handed down the judgment. The convict is Babu Sheikh, 50, of Gobindaganj upazila in Gaibandha district. It also fined him tk one lakh. The Tribunal also sentenced him to life imprisonment and fined Tk one lakh in another section of the case. The court also sentenced him to 10 years in jail and fined him Tk 50,000 in another section of the case. According to the prosecution, Babu, a resident of Choto Kumira Masterpara in Sitakunda upazila of the district took Jannatul Naim Ira alias Ira Moni to Botanical Garden of Sitakundra upazila after alluring her to provide chocolate on March 1. Later, he tried to violate her but failed to do so he cut the throat of the girl. However, local people rescued her and took her to Sitakunda Upazila Health Complex and then referred to Chattogram Medical College and Hospital where she succumbed to her injuries on March 3. Rokeya Begum, mother of Ira filed a case with Sitakunda Police Station. Police submitted chargesheet against Babu on June 15. After closing the law point arguments from both sides, the court on July 2 fixed July 9 for delivering its judgment.

A member of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) arrested a suspected mugger and recovered a mobile phone snatched from a female medical student during an alleged snatching incident near Shaheed Suhrawardy Hospital in the capital on Thursday evening. The incident took place on Thursday evening when Rajia Islam, a 21st batch student of Suhrawardy Medical College, was walking along the footpath opposite Shaheed Suhrawardy Hospital while talking on her mobile phone. At one stage, a group of three alleged snatchers forcibly took away her mobile phone and attempted to flee, Major M M Mubeen Rahman Taposh, Deputy Director (Media) of RAB-2, said. The incident was noticed by a Field Surveillance (FS) member of RAB-2, who was engaged in intelligence-gathering duties in the area. The RAB member immediately chased the suspects, apprehended the main culprit, and recovered the victim's mobile phone from his possession, according to the RAB official. The other two alleged snatchers managed to escape. Major Taposh said RAB-2 remains committed to ensuring the safety and security of people's lives and property and will continue to perform its duties with professionalism while upholding the force's reputation.

A writ petition was filed with the High Court on Thursday seeking its directives to curb violence, public nuisance and noise pollution connected to the ongoing FIFA World Cup 2026 celebrations. The petition also sought orders to regulate the timing of public screenings and celebrations, formulate a policy on the use of fireworks and loudspeakers, and stop the use of high-volume sound systems and fireworks after 11:00pm. Supreme Court lawyer Muhammad Shafiqul Islam filed the writ. Speaking to reporters, the lawyer said media reports suggest that 11 people have died in incidents related to the World Cup celebrations so far. He also said the use of loud fireworks at night has disturbed the sleep of children, the elderly, and other residents. A newspaper report titled "10 people lost their lives in World Cup madness" was attached to the petition. According to the report, although Bangladesh is not participating in the tournament, enthusiasm among supporters of different teams has been high. Verbal arguments between rival fans have, in some cases, turned into violent clashes. The report claimed that at least 10 people have been killed and around 45 others injured in World Cup-related incidents across the country during this year's tournament. Three of the victims were reportedly stabbed to death. Meanwhile, the latest victim was Md Shariful Islam, 32, a Brazil supporter, who was allegedly beaten to death by Argentina supporters in Cumilla's Adarsha Sadar upazila on Tuesday night, bringing the reported death toll from World Cup-related incidents to 11.