United News of Bangladesh

A Dhaka court has ordered the seizure of a flat and a villa in Dubai belonging to former Padma Bank chairman Chowdhury Nafeez Sarafat. Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions Judge Md Zakir Hossain Galib passed the order on Wednesday following a plea filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission, said ACC Prosecutor Advocate Mir Ahmed Ali Salam. Khaleda Zia, 35 others acquitted in Cumilla sabotage case An investigation into his alleged involvement is graft is underway, he added. On January 7, the same court ordered the seizure of 18 flats in Dhaka owned by Sarafat, his wife Anjuman Ara Shahid, and son Chowdhury Rahib Safwan Sarafat. The properties included a 20-storey building and plot in Gulshan, four plots in Dhaka Cantonment, a flat and two plots in Nikunja, a 50% share of a flat in Bashundhara, a plot in Badda, a 20-katha plot in Kaliakoir (Gazipur), another plot in Gazipur Sadar, a plot in Joar Shahara, and a 7.5-katha plot in Purbachal. Govt approves ordinance for transparent HC judge appointments Anjuman Ara's seized properties include a four-storey building on a 7.5-katha plot in Bashundhara, flats in Panthapath, Gulshan Link Road, Mirpur DOHS, and Shahjadpur, a 50% share of a flat in Bashundhara, a three-katha plot in Nikunja, a 2.5-katha plot in Badda, and another plot in Gazipur Sadar. The court also ordered the seizure of three flats in Banani and four flats in Baridhara belonging to Rahib Safwan Sarafat.

A court in Cumilla has acquitted BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia and 35 others in a sabotage  case filed around 10 years back. Judge of Cumilla Additional Sessions Judge Court-1 Afroza Jesmin passed the order on Monday, said the court’s Public Prosecutor Advocate Kaimul HaqueRinku on Wednesday. Petition filed at HC challenging presidential pardon to convicts According to the case statement, a covered van was vandalised and torched amid a countrywide strike on Dhaka-Chattogram highway in Haiderpul area in Chauddagram upazila of the district on January 25, 2015. Later, police filed the case under the Special Powers Act against 32 people including Khaleda Zia. 2 men sentenced to 10 years for harassing minor, inciting suicide Police submitted chargesheet against 42 people in the case.

A Dhaka court on Wednesday placed former state minister for ICT Zunaid Ahmed Palak and two others on a two-day remand in connection with an attempted murder case filed with Mohammadpur Police Station. The other accused are Dhaka-13 MP Sadeq Khan and ex-councillor Salimullah Solu.  Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate GM Farhan Ishtiak passed the order when police produced him before the court with a 5-day remand prayer. Graft case: Ex-AL MP gets 4 years jail in Jashore According to the prosecution, Insan Ali sustained bullet injuries while passing through Mohammadpur Bus Stand area during the movement on July 19. Later, he was taken to the hospital. Unauthorised fishmeal factory sealed off in Natore Mother of Insan filed a case against 266 people including Palak with Mohammadpur Police Station on November 13 last year. On August 14, 2024,  Zunaid Ahmed Palak was arrested by the Detective Branch (DB) police from Nikunja residential area. Later, he was shown arrested in 46 cases and the court palced him on a 31-day remand in various cases.

A Jahsore court on Wednesday sentenced former Awami League MP Shahin Chakladar to four years of jail in a case filed by Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) around 16 years back. Judge of Jashore Special and Session Judge Court SM Nurul Islam also fined him Tk 20, 000 and ordered to confiscate his properties worth Tk 38 lakh and 3685. The court issued a warrant for his arrest , said district unit of Awami League law affairs secretary Advocate Gazi Abdul Kadir who stood for the former lawmaker. On March 30 in 2008, the then deputy director of the ACC (Jashore office) Manjur Morshed filed a case against Shahin Chakladar, current general secretary of the district unit of Awami League, on charge of concealing information of properties worth Tk 38 lakh. The ACC found inconsistency between the tax file and submitted statement of properties. Read: Khaleda, Tarique acquitted in Zia Orphanage graft case In the statement of properties, the former MP mentioned that he had properties worth Tk 1 crore, 96 lakh and 21400, with a loan of Tk 1 crore, 91 lakh and 515. But the ACC found the actual value of his properties was Tk 56 lakh and 26,200 and he concealed information properties worth Tk 38 lakh and 383, 685. On January 5 in 2009, the ACC submitted chargesheet against him.

The Traffic Division of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) filed 1,973 cases against offenders on charge of violating traffic rules on the city streets. During the drives, 44 vehicles were dumped, and 39 others towed. The cases were filed by the eight traffic Divisions under the DMP on Tuesday, aiming to bring traffic discipline in the capital, said Deputy Commissioner (DC-media) of DMP Talebur Rahman. Read: DMP files 2,004 cases for traffic rules violations The DMP's Traffic Division said that such drives would remain continued to ensure road safety.

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has decided to investigate officials related to the 11th National Election. The Commission had received complaints regarding election manipulation during the 11th National Election, and a five-member team had been formed to investigate these complaints, ACC Director General (Prevention) Akhtar Hossain told reporters at a briefing held at the ACC headquarters on Wednesday. The investigation team, formed by the Commission, will specifically examine the actions of officers from the administration, the Election Commission, and the police, he added. Akhtar also said that allegations had been made regarding abuse of power, criminal misconduct, fraud, voting at night during the 2018 National Election, and the election of Members of Parliament through financial transactions. BFIU prepares to recover Tk 15,000 crore from seized accounts In the 2018 National Election, various irregularities, such as voting at night, ballot fraud, vote counts exceeding 90% in some centres, extensive financial transactions, and the use of power to influence winning candidates, were reported in the media. Some complaints had also been submitted to the ACC. The allegations were made under the leadership of then-prime minister Sheikh Hasina, the President of the Awami League, and under the overall management of Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader. The accusations also implicated leaders and activists from the Awami League at various levels, including officials from the government such as former IGP Javed Patwary, former DMP Commissioner Asaduzzaman Mia, former RAB DG Benazir Ahmed, former IGP Shahidul Haque, former PM’s Security adviser Major Gen (retd) Tarique Ahmed Siddique, HT Imam, and several other officials related to the election. ACC sues ex-secy Kabir Bin Anwar, his wife and ex-minister Shahid The investigation team will submit a report after reviewing various videos, news broadcasts from domestic and foreign media, election results, conducting seat inspections, and completing other necessary activities.

The Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) has seized 450,000 yaba tablets during an operation in Teknaf, Cox's Bazar. The operation was conducted early morning on Wednesday along the Naf River near the Bangladesh-Myanmar border. Lt Col Ashiqur Rahman, commanding officer of Teknaf Battalion (BGB 2), said that they received a tip-off about a large drug shipment entering Bangladesh from Myanmar. Acting on this intelligence, two BGB teams from the battalion headquarters and the Leda Border Outpost (BOP) launched an operation in the Member Post area under Leda BOP's jurisdiction. Read: 2.5 lakh Yaba pills seized from Teknaf During the raid, the smugglers abandoned two sacks and swam across the river to escape. Upon searching the sacks, BGB recovered 450,000 yaba tablets. Efforts are underway to identify those involved, Lt Col Ashiqur Rahman added.

A taskforce sealed off an unauthorised fishmeal factory and seized its valuables worth Tk 2 crore in Natore Sadar upazila on Tuesday night. A mobile court led by Executive Magistrate Saddam Hossain conducted the drive at Alfa Biotechnological Ltd in Balaripara area under Natore Sadar upazila. One Ripon Biswas, a resident of Gopalganj’s Kotalipara upazila, set up the factory in two rented houses and used to produce 31 types of fish meals and pack medicines. He failed to show legal documents against validity, forcing the taskforce to seal off. Army personnel and Upazila Fisheries Department assisted the taskforce in conducting the drive.

The government has approved an ordinance that maintains the provision for appointing judges to the High Court (HC) through the establishment of a council. Law Affairs Adviser Prof Asif Nazrul announced this at a press conference regarding HC judge appointments and other contemporary affairs held at the Secretariat on Tuesday. He revealed that the Council of Advisory approved the draft of the 'Supreme Court Judge Appointment Ordinance, 2025' on January 17 and its gazette was published on Tuesday. Emphasising the importance of appointing neutral and competent judges, he said that the human rights of the 18 crore people would remain at risk if impartial and qualified individuals are not appointed as HC judges through a transparent process. "The gazette for the 'Supreme Court Judge Appointment Ordinance 2025' was issued today. You all know that under the previous government, the High Court became a major platform for lawlessness, human rights violations, and the repression of people. Even in the face of severe human rights violations, people were denied redress," he added. The Law Adviser noted that political parties and civil society organisations had long been advocating for the appointment of skilled, experienced and neutral judges to the HC to ensure justice. Read: Govt okays SC Judges Appointment Ord According to the ordinance, the formation of the Supreme Judicial Appointment Council for HC judge appointments is mandated. The council will be headed by the Chief Justice and will include two justices each from the Appellate Division and the HC, along with the Attorney General. "The council will first conduct a thorough scrutiny. They will gather potential candidates on their own initiative, but anyone—be it an individual or a lawyer—can also submit recommendations. This process will be open, and the council will hold interviews after the initial scrutiny," the ordinance explains. Adviser Asif further assured, "Judges will be appointed to the High Court through a transparent and accountable process. Hopefully, with the High Court's involvement, we will be able to establish a better appointment process than in any previous tenure." He said that judges for the HC will be appointed from both the judicial services and the pool of lawyers, with the council determining the appropriate ratio for each group. Regarding the trial progress at the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT), the Law Adviser expressed satisfaction, saying that there is no connection between the election and the prosecution of the former Awami League government's cohorts. Read more: Political appointment of judges destroyed judiciary: Asif Nazrul A second ICT could be formed to expedite trials, if necessary, and that political party unity could further accelerate the election process, he added.

Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner  SM  Sajjat Ali on Tuesday said that the DMP is set to introduce a new hotline for real-time information exchange, aimed at providing timely updates and facilitating communication between the police and journalists, especially crime reporters. The DMP Commissioner  announced the initiative during a meeting with the newly elected executive committee of the Bangladesh Crime Reporters Association (CRAB) on Tuesday. The DMP Commissioner said the initiative to launch the hotline in the media division of the DMP will be taken keeping in mind the idea of 'Instant information whenever there is an incident', an initiative is being taken to launch a hotline in the media department of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP). IGP urges increased professionalism at Central Police Hospital He said that the new hotline will enable journalists to receive instant information about incidents, and equally allow them to report details on ongoing situations. In his speech, CRAB President Mirza Mehedi Tamal emphasized the long-standing cooperation between the police and the association, asserting that such collaboration would continue in the future. He noted that delays in receiving timely information from the police could create gaps in the flow of information. CRAB General Secretary M.M. Badshah recommended enhancing partnership between DMP and CRAB, and suggested organizing orientation and awareness programs.  He also urged the DMP Commissioner to foster cooperation under the concept of "real-time information exchange." In response, DMP Additional Commissioner (Crime and Operations) S.N. Md. Nazrul Islam was instructed to take necessary steps to ensure effective information flow. Commissioner Sheikh Md. Sojjat Ali highlighted the importance of media cooperation in maintaining law and order and building a crime-free society. IGP emphasizes maximum effort to combat crime in DMP’s monthly crime review meeting He emphasized that controlling law and order is a difficult task for the police without the active support of journalists, and reiterated that the police and media are complementary to each other. Meanwhile, when the Commissioner was asked  about  former Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Uttara East Police Station Shah Alam, who had escaped from police custody after being arrested in Kushtia and brought to Uttara East Police Station in the capital, is still at large. Despite a nationwide red alert issued by the police, the fugitive remains unapprehended. In response,  the DMP Commissioner clarified that the police had not released the former OC, stating, "If the police were to release him, it would have been in Kushtia itself, not after bringing him to Dhaka." He also mentioned that two officers responsible for the incident had been dismissed due to negligence. However, he acknowledged that the escaped OC has likely fled to India or a neighboring country.