United News of Bangladesh

Members of the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) have arrested a life-term convict during a raid in the Shialkol Bazar area of Sirajganj Sadar Upazila. Acting on a tip-off, a team conducted the raid on Monday afternoon and apprehended Sohel, 32, said RAB-12 Operations Officer Assistant Superintendent of Police Md. Usman Gani on Tuesday. He was later handed over to the local police station for further legal action, he added. Sohel, the son of late Fotik of Sayadhangara Moholla, was sentenced in a drug-related case lodged in 2020. RAB officials said that a case was filed against Sohel on March 19, 2020. After completing the investigation, police submitted a charge sheet to the court. Following hearings and taking testimony, the Additional Sessions Judge Court-1 sentenced him to life imprisonment. He was also sentenced to an additional six months’ imprisonment in default of a Tk 10,000 fine.

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) on Monday filed two separate cases against former Deputy Commissioner of Chattogram Metropolitan Police’s Counter Terrorism Unit, Md Hamidul Alam, his wife and three sisters over allegations of acquiring illicit wealth worth Tk61.19 crore. ACC Director General Akhtar Hossain disclosed the information at a press briefing at the commission’s headquarters on Monday. In the first case, Hamidul Alam and his three sisters—Mosammat Aziza Sultana, Mosammat Arefa Salma and Mosammat Shirin Shabnam—were named as accused. According to the case statement, Hamidul Alam allegedly concealed information and sources of assets worth Tk27,60,03,905 in his wealth statement submitted to the ACC with dishonest intent and provided false and baseless declarations. He is also accused of acquiring and possessing illicit assets worth Tk35,17,87,995 through illegal means. The ACC further alleged that while serving as a government employee (police officer), Hamidul Alam abused his official power and used money obtained through corruption and bribery—considered predicate offences of money laundering—to acquire immovable properties worth Tk8,94,64,000 in the names of his three sisters. It was also alleged that the accused, in collusion with one another, transferred or shifted assets (layering) to conceal or disguise the illegal sources of the wealth. In the second case, Hamidul Alam’s wife Mosammat Shahazadi Alam Lipi has been made the principal accused, while Hamidul Alam has been named as an abettor. The case statement said Shahazadi Alam Lipi concealed information and sources of assets worth Tk19,56,27,878 in her wealth statement submitted to the commission and made false and baseless declarations with dishonest intent. She allegedly acquired and possessed illicit assets worth Tk26,01,29,997 with the illegal assistance of her husband. The ACC also alleged that Shahazadi Alam Lipi acquired assets worth Tk3,74,42,000 using money obtained through her husband’s abuse of official power, corruption and bribery, and carried out conversion, transfer or shifting (layering) of assets to conceal their sources. The cases have been filed under Sections 26(2) and 27(1) of the Anti-Corruption Commission Act, 2004; Sections 4(2) and 4(3) of the Money Laundering Prevention Act, 2012; Section 109 of the Penal Code; and Section 5(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1947.    

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has formed 15 special investigation teams to inject momentum into ongoing probes and ensure swift disposal of priority investigations. Each team, led by a deputy director, will comprise five members, meaning a total of 75 assistant and sub-assistant officers will work under the initiative. The move is part of the ACC’s ongoing reform efforts, officials said. The decision was communicated in a letter signed by Nazmul Hasan, Director of the ACC’s Administration and Human Resources Division, on Monday. According to the order, the 15 teams have been constituted to accelerate investigations under various wings and to fast-track important cases. The teams will operate in line with ACC-approved terms of reference and became effective from January 1. The team leaders are Deputy Directors Md Hafizul Islam, Md Rashedul Islam, Md Atikul Islam, Md Jahangir Alam, Md Mashiur Rahman, Md Al Amin, Md Rauf ul Islam, Md Tahsin Munabil Haque, Md Niamul Ahsan Gazi, Muhammad Zainal Abedin, Md Jahangir Alam, Md Mozammil Hossain, AKM Mahbubur Rahman, Tanzir Hasib Sarkar and Md Sifat Uddin. Under the operational guidelines, team members will remain attached to the wings under which they are formed. The team leader will act as the controlling officer and will be responsible for submitting annual confidential reports (ACRs) of team members. Each team will also be supported by one constable or assistant staff member with typing skills. Ongoing investigation files will be handed over to the teams. However, comparatively lower-priority probes will be reassigned to other ACC officials who are not part of these teams. Members of the 15 teams will not be assigned to any other teams except existing joint teams. Those already involved in joint teams will continue there until high-profile investigations are completed. During ongoing investigations, a director general or director will act as the supervising authority. Team members will not be assigned individual investigations separately. The teams will regularly update the Commission on the status of cases under their charge and brief the Commission on their activities after weekly meetings, the order said.  

A Dhaka court has fixed January 15 for a hearing on the acceptance of charges submitted in the murder case of Inqilab Moncho spokesperson Sharif Osman bin Hadi. Dhaka Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Jashita Islam set the date on Monday (January 12, 2026) after the plaintiff, Inqilab Moncho member secretary Abdullah Al Jaber, sought additional time to review the chargesheet submitted by the Detective Branch (DB) of police. Read more: Hadi murder: Court orders freezing of 53 bank accounts of Faisal Earlier on Sunday, three lawyers were appointed on behalf of the plaintiff. They are Abdus Sobhan Tarafdar, Barrister SM Mainul Karim, and Assistant Attorney General Mustafizur Rahman Mukul. On January 6, DB Inspector Faisal Ahmed, the investigating officer of the case, submitted charges against 17 accused. Among the main accused named in the chargesheet are Faisal Karim Masud alias Daud, his associate Alamgir Hossain, Dhaka Metropolitan North Jubo League organising secretary and former ward councillor Taizul Islam Chowdhury Bappi, Philip Snal Philips, Mukti Akter, and Faisal’s sister Jasmine Akter. They are currently absconding. The remaining 11 accused are now in custody. They include Faisal Karim Masud’s father Md Humayun Kabir, mother Mst Hasi Begum, wife Saheda Parvin Samia, friend Maria Akter Lima, brother-in-law Wahid Ahmed Shipu, rent-a-car businessman Mufti Md Nuruzzaman Nomani alias Ujjwal, close associate Md Kabir, Sibion Dew, Sanjoy Chisim, Md Aminul Islam alias Raju, and Md Faisal, who was arrested with weapons in Narsingdi. The investigating officer has also sought arrest warrants against the six absconding accused. Sharif Osman Bin Hadi, who was also running for the Dhaka-8 constituency in the coming election, was shot by assailants on a motorcycle around 2:30pm on December 12 in the Box Culvert Road area of Paltan, sustaining bullet wounds to the head and below his right ear. Read more: DU Syndicate recommends renaming Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Hall after Shaheed Osman Hadi He was first taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital and later shifted to Evercare Hospital. As his condition worsened, he was flown to Singapore by air ambulance on December 15 for advanced treatment, where he died on December 18.

A Dhaka court on Monday (January 12, 2026) placed three accused on a seven-day remand in connection with the murder of Swechchhasebak Dal leader Azizur Rahman Musabbir on January 7. Dhaka Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Jashita Islam passed the order when DB inspector Aminul, produced the trio -- Md Billal, Md Abdul Kadir and Md Riaz-- before the court with a seven-day remand prayer. Read more: Swechchhasebak Dal gives 24-hour ultimatum to arrest Musabbir’s killers Another accused in the case identified as Jinnah, who was involved in shooting Musabbir, gave a confessional statement before the court under section 164. Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Sarah Farzana Haque recorded the statement. According to the case statement, Azizur Rahman Musabbir, former member secretary of BNP’s Dhaka North unit, was shot by assailants on January 7. He was rushed to hospital where doctors declared him dead. Suraiya Begum, wife of Musabbir, later filed a murder case with Tejgaon Police Station. Read more: Sunamganj witnesses protest, rally over killing of Musabbir

In a quick strike against the darkness that settled over Banasree, the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) has arrested a man linked to the savage killing of an 18-year-old SSC examinee on Saturday. The victim, Fatema Akter Nili, a class-10 student, was murdered allegedly by Md Milon Mallik, an employee at her father’s hotel, after she refused his indecent proposal and protested against it, RAB said. Milon, the son of late Sekandar Mallik from Manda Bashkhali area in Bagerhat, was arrested early Sunday during a joint operation by several RAB battalions in Bagerhat. At a press briefing on Monday afternoon at the RAB Media Centre in Karwan Bazar, Lt Col Fayezul Arefin, commanding officer of RAB-3, said the force had immediately launched intelligence operations to solve the mystery behind the murder and apprehend those involved. CCTV footage revealed Milon’s chilling movements on the day of the incident. He first entered the victim’s home at 1:36pm, leaving at 1:41pm with Nili’s elder sister, Shobha Akter. After Shobha left for the gym, Milon returned alone at 2:25pm and stayed for nearly 20 minutes before leaving again at 2:45pm. RAB later learned, through technological tools and intelligence, that Milon had fled to Bagerhat. A joint team of RAB-3 and RAB-6 arrested him from Singa area under Bagerhat Sadar Police Station.

A Dhaka court on Monday exempted popular actress Mehazabien Chowdhury and her brother in a case over embezzlement of Tk 27 lakh. Dhaka Executive Magistrate Md Adnan Zulfiqar passed the order after hearing, said Advocate Tuhin Hawladar, lawyer of actress Mehazabien. According to the case statement, Mehazabien took Tk 27 lakh from plaintiff Amirul Islam through Nagad and bKash promising to make him a business partner in a new family venture. When Mehazabien and her brother did not initiate any business activities for a long period Amirul asked for his money back but they delayed repayment. On February 11, after Amirul again sought the refund the accused asked him to meet at Hatirjheel Road on March 16. Upon reaching the designated spot, Amirul was verbally abused and threatened with death by Mehazabien, her brother and 4–5 others,it said. Amirul filed a case with Dhaka Executive Magistrate on March 24. Faced with criticism, Mehazabien apologised and tore the poster of 'Priyo Maloti' at TSC On November 10, last year, a Dhaka court issued warrants for the arrest of Mehazabien and her brother Alisan Chowdhury in the case. On November 16, 2025, a Dhaka court granted them bail in the case upon surrender.  

The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has filed a money laundering case against former law minister Anisul Huq, his female friend Taufiqa Karim, and two others over allegations of extortion and illegal financial transactions involving nearly Tk 25 crore. The CID lodged the regular case with Bhatara Police Station on Sunday under Section 4(2) of the Money Laundering Prevention Act, 2012 (amended in 2015), said CID Special Superintendent of Police (Media) Jasim Uddin Khan. The other accused are Md Rashedul Kawsar Bhuiyan alias Jibon and Md Kamruzzaman. According to the CID’s Financial Crime Unit, the four accused allegedly formed an organised crime ring and systematically collected money through illegal means over an extended period. The investigation found that Md Kamruzzaman, who joined the National Bank of Pakistan as managing director in 2015, regularly transferred funds to Taufiqa Karim’s personal bank account under the pretext of a legal consultancy agreement with her law firm, Sirajul Huq Associates. Until Kamruzzaman went into hiding on August 5, 2024, the group allegedly collected Tk 10.80 crore from the bank alone. In addition, CID said Taufiqa Karim’s personal accounts received approximately Tk 10.60 crore from various individuals and organisations. CID further stated that after Anisul Huq became law minister, his close associate Taufiqa Karim and Md Rashedul Kawsar Bhuiyan appointed Jibon as his personal secretary (PS). During this period, the accused allegedly formed an NGO named Legal Assistance to Helpless Prisoners and Persons. Taufiqa Karim served as its chairperson, Md Rashedul Kawsar Bhuiyan Jibon as secretary general, and Anisul Huq as treasurer. Investigators found that the NGO collected a substantial amount of money as donations through accounts maintained at Sonali Bank PLC, Supreme Court Branch. From March 11, 2015, to June 30, 2024, more than Tk 24.53 crore was deposited into the NGO’s accounts. During the investigation, the Dhaka Metropolitan Special Judge Court ordered the freezing of over Tk 24.53 crore deposited in 26 bank accounts in the name of accused Taufiqa Karim, CID officials said. The case is currently under investigation by the Financial Crime Unit of the CID. Authorities said efforts are underway to determine the full extent of the alleged offences, identify additional suspects, and take further legal action. The CID reaffirmed its commitment to combating money laundering and financial crimes, stating that all those involved in such offences will be brought to justice.  

The International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) on Sunday granted bail to an accused for the first time in a case involving crimes against humanity committed during the July uprising last year. The accused, Humayun Kabir Patwary, served as president of the Lakshmipur Sadar Upazila Awami League and chairman of Charruhita Union Parishad in the same upazila. The three-member International Crimes Tribunal-2, headed by Justice Nazrul Islam Chowdhury, granted the bail on health grounds, citing the accused’s serious illness, said Prosecutor Mizanul Islam. The other members of the tribunal are Judges Md Manjurul Bashid and Nur Mohammad Shahriar Kabir. In his bail petition, Patwary’s lawyer said his client is suffering from liver cirrhosis and noted that two of his brothers had died of the same disease. During the hearing, the tribunal sought the prosecution’s view. Prosecutor Md Mizanul Islam said a medical report confirming serious illness had been submitted, making it difficult to oppose the bail request. He, however, urged that strict conditions be imposed to prevent the accused from contacting other suspects in crimes against humanity cases. The tribunal granted bail subject to several conditions, including that the accused must provide his residential address, refrain from making any statements to the media or on social media, not change his residence without informing the investigation officer and the tribunal registrar, and must not influence evidence or witnesses. The tribunal warned that any violation of the conditions would result in immediate arrest and cancellation of bail. The interim government reconstituted the International Crimes Tribunal to try crimes against humanity committed during the suppression of the anti-discrimination student movement in July last year. The reconstituted tribunal began functioning in October 2024. Humayun Kabir was arrested in Dhaka in August 2024 following the ouster of the Awami League government. A total of four people were arrested in connection with the crimes against humanity case in Lakshmipur, and Patwary has now been granted bail.

The murder of Mohammad Azizur Rahman Mosabbir, former joint general secretary of the Jatiyatabadi Swechchhasebak Dal, appears to have stemmed from a business dispute in Dhaka’s Karwan Bazar area, according to the Detective Branch (DB) of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police. Additional Commissioner (DB) Md Shafiqul Islam shared the details at a press briefing at the DMP Media Centre on Sunday afternoon, outlining the progress of the ongoing investigation. He said the DB identified those involved in the killing and carried out operations across Dhaka, Gazipur, Mymensingh, Netrokona, Bhairab and Kishoreganj. During these drives, one of the two gunmen, Jinnat, 24, was arrested along with the alleged main coordinator of the attack, Mohammad Billal Hossain. Billal’s uncle, Abdul Kadir, 28, who reportedly helped the suspects flee after the incident, was also taken into custody. “The accused had conducted inspection at the crime scene prior to the attack,” Shafiqul Islam noted. Mohammad Riaz, 32, who is believed to have assisted in the investigation, has also been arrested. Authorities recovered a numberless motorcycle used in the attack and Tk 6,000 in cash from the suspects. During preliminary questioning, the arrested individuals confessed to their roles in the murder, though the firearm used in the shooting has not yet been recovered, the DB chief added. Responding to queries about potential political or underworld motives, Shafiqul Islam said the investigation is ongoing. “As the victim was a political leader, political motives are being examined. However, initial findings indicate the murder was linked to a business dispute,” he said. He clarified that the accused do not have any formal political affiliation, although they were engaged in business in Karwanbazar and had associations with political figures. The second shooter, identified as Rahim, remains at large. The DB is also investigating reports that Tk 1.5 million was allegedly sent from abroad for the killing. Besides, authorities are examining a recent human chain staged by Mosabbir against extortion, during which clashes had occurred and a case was filed. The incident took place last Wednesday around 8pm when gunmen shot Mosabbir in an alley near Hotel Super Star on Kazi Nazrul Islam Avenue. Abu Sufian Bepari Masud, general secretary of the Tejgaon Thana Van Workers Union, who was accompanying Mosabbir, was also injured in the attack. Political vengeance behind Hadi killing: DB chief Mosabbir had previously served as general secretary of Dhaka North Swechchhasebak Dal and joint secretary of the party’s central committee. Following the killing, his wife, Suraiya Begum, filed a case at Tejgaon Police Station against unidentified suspects, stating that Mosabbir had received death threats in recent days.