United News of Bangladesh

A case has been filed over the death of a wild elephant which got electrocuted after touching an electric wire set up by some locals to protect their crops in Betkuchi Tilapara area of Madhutila Eco Park, near Nalitabari border in Sherpur on Thursday. Md. Rafiqul Islam, an official from the Madhutila range of the forest department, filed the case as the plaintiff on Friday night, said Md. Sanwar Hossain, the officer-in-charge (OC) of Nalitabari police station. Earlier on Friday, the Forest Department detained a man and confiscated a generator along with some electric cables from his possession. Woman charged in drugs case escapes from police station before court appearance The accused, Shahidul Islam, was subsequently shown arrested in connection with the case and handed over to the police. Besides, 13 or 14 unnamed people were made accused in the case. On Saturday, a court sent Shahidul to jail when he was produced before it. Sherpur forest department’s Assistant Conservator Md Sadekul Islam Khan said the elephant aged around 10 to 12 years and it was buried after an autopsy on Friday. He said they also identified 10 to 12 people involved in the killing and a process was underway to take legal action under the Wildlife (Preservation and Security) Act-2012. On Thursday night, locals spotted the dead elephant in Betkuchi Tilapara area which got electrocuted when it came down from the hills foraging for food at night. Miscreants assault officials protecting hilsa in Shariatpur Locals said a herd of around 40 to 50 elephants had been coming down from the hills to the Aman paddy fields in the border villages of Nalitabari for several days. Farmers had been using several ways to drive the elephants away to protect their crops. On Thursday evening, another group of elephants descended from the hills while the farmers set up a generator's electrical connection wire in the field to deter the elephants.

Army personnel detained three individuals linked to the torching of two vehicles belonging to the Bangladesh Army and police during a clash in the Mirpur-14 and Kachukhet areas of Dhaka on Thursday morning. The detainees are Rifat, Hridoy and Yasin, according to ISPR. A team of Army conducted raids in different areas on Friday and arrested them from the capital’s Bhashantek area, it added. The individuals were subsequently handed over to Bhashantek police for further interrogation and legal action. Garment workers’ clash with security forces in Mirpur: Two workers shot, police and army vehicles burnt Army’s operations will continue against those responsible for deliberately setting fire to army vehicles, instilling panic in the public, and damaging government property, ISPR further stated. Earlier, garment workers took to the streets in Dhaka’s Mirpur-14 and Kachukhet  areas on Thursday and clashed with police and military personnel, throwing stones and setting fire to two army and police vehicles. The law enforcing agencies also fired several gunshots to disperse them, leaving the two garment workers injured.

Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) has imposed a ban on all meetings, rallies, processions, marches, and demonstrations in Kakrail and surrounding areas tomorrow (November 2). This information was shared in a public notice signed by DMP Commissioner Md Mainul Hasan on Friday.  Jatiya Party’s central office in Dhaka’s Kakrail set on fire The ban was issued under Section 29 of the DMP Ordinance. Unidentified miscreants set fire to the Jatiya Party (JP) central office in Dhaka's Kakrail area on Thursday evening. At least 100 injured in clash with police near Jatiya Press Club, says Sammilito Peshajibi Parishad According to eyewitnesses, a group of individuals—many wearing helmets and armed with sticks—entered the JP office through the main entrance. Chanting slogans, they tore down banners and festoons, vandalized furniture, and then set fire to the building's front and several rooms inside.  

A Dhaka court on Friday placed former Housing and Public Works Minister Obaidul Muktadir Chowdhury on a five-day remand in a case lodged over the murder of BNP activist Mokbul Hossain in 2022. Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Mehera Mahbub passed the order as police produced Chowdhury before the court and pleaded to place him on a 10-day remand, said Jalal Uddin, general recording officer of CMM court. Ex-Housing minister Muktadir arrested: DMP A team from the Detective Branch (DB) of police arrested Muktadir in the Mirpur area of the city during the early hours of Friday. According to the case documents, on December 7, 2022, tension escalated when police and Awami League (AL) supporters clashed outside the BNP central office in Naya Paltan. During the confrontation, police reportedly entered the BNP office, used batons, and opened fire, resulting in severe injuries to Mokbul, who later succumbed to his wounds in the hospital. The case was filed on September 30, 2024, against 256 individuals, including former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.  

The Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) captured Bunia Sohel, reportedly the leading drug dealer and armed gang leader responsible for a surge in violent crime within the Mohammadpur Geneva camp, and 11 of his associates during a raid in Sylhet on Thursday, according to police sources. Acting on intelligence, a joint team from RAB-2 and RAB-9 launched coordinated operations across Sylhet’s Kotwali area, leading to the arrests, said Shihab Karim, Senior Assistant Superintendent of Police (Media), on Friday. Geneva Camp clash: Boy succumbs to bullet injuries The arrestees include Amir Hossain Hira, 30; Jamal Hossain, 29; Shahinur Begum, 32; Anwar Hossain, 27; Md Mithun, 24; Sahil, 38; Nayem, 24; Md Azim, 37; Nur Begum, 30; Bhanu Begum, 31; and Saqib Hasan, 20. Operating from the densely populated Geneva camp area in Mohammadpur, Sohel’s group allegedly splintered into factions to control various criminal activities across Dhaka, engaging in murder, market extortion, robbery, kidnapping, and drug trafficking. Their influence extended beyond Mohammadpur, where they reportedly commanded several teen gangs to enforce gang orders and conduct operations in neighboring areas. Hotel worker killed in clash between two groups at Mohammadpur Geneva Camp Bunia Sohel has been implicated in 18 criminal cases, ranging from murder and illegal arms possession to drug-related offenses, across multiple police stations in Dhaka. Legal proceedings are now underway for Sohel and his associates, the police confirmed.    

The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) filed a case against three people including Lalmonirhat district unit of Awami League Joint General Secretary Sakhawat Hossain Suman Khan and his wife Nahida Aktar Ruma for allegedly laundering money and amassing wealth illegally. Abdul Hay Sarkar, assistant superintendent of police (CID) in the district, filed the case with Sadar police station on Thursday night. There are allegations of land grabbing, hundi business, smuggling, tender manipulation and others against the AL leader, locally known as Hundi Suman, he said. The CID has long been investigating him on the hundi business, money laundering, amassment of illegal wealth, gold smuggling, the CID officer said. According to the case disposition, Suman Khan has over Tk 237.59 crore in his bank accounts, his wife Nahida owns over Tk 4.39 crore and his staff Harun holds over Tk 186.95 crore in their bank accounts. Despite having no legal sources of income, the three transacted the huge amounts of money through banking channels and other means. Based on these allegations, the case was filed against them under Section 4(2) of the Money Laundering Act of 2015. CID official Abdul Hay confirmed that they will conduct the investigation according to regulations, and efforts are underway to apprehend the accused.

Detectives of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) arrested former Housing and Public Works Minister RAM Obaidul Muktadir Chowdhury from Mirpur area, said police on Friday morning. The arrest was made on Thursday night, said Reazul Karim Mallik, additional police commissioner (intelligence) of the DMP. The former minister is an accused in several murder cases and he will be produced before a Dhaka court with a prayer for remand, he informed. Muktadir was elected four times from Brahmanbaria-3 seat as an Awami League candidate. He joined Bangladesh Civil Service as an admin cadre in 1983 and worked as personal assistant secretary of the then opposition leader Sheikh Hasina in 1986. 

Forest bandits have abducted five fishermen from coastal Khalkhali canal in the Sundarbans at gunpoint, demanding ransom. The incident occurred on Thursday afternoon. Though three out the five fishermen got freed after paying the ransom as per demand, two are yet to be released. Those still abducted are Mofijur Rahman, 33, and Mrinal Sardar, 3. They are residents of Satkhira’s Shyamnagar and Khulna’s Koyra upazilas respectively. The fishermen who paid ransom are Joydeb, Mukul and Rezaul, all from separate villages of Shyamnagar Abdur Rahim, a fisherman who escaped from the Sundarbans, said that they went to catch crabs two days back. At night on Wednesday and Thursday morning, they were held captive by four armed men near Khalkhali and Chhunkuri rivers, he said. After receiving Tk 10, 000 for each as ransom, the bandits released three fishermen, he said. Another fisherman Abul Basar said the kidnappers had two single-barreled guns and used sticks to beat the fishermen immediately after their capture. Hasanur Rahman, Assistant Forest Conservator of Satkhira range, said that no formal complaints have been made regarding the kidnapping or ransom incidents, but he confirmed they learned about it through media reports. Shyamnagar Police Station’s Inspector (investigation) Fakir Taijur Rahman informed that no written complaints have been filed by the families of the kidnapped fishermen thus far.

Three police personnel including a Sub-Inspector (SI) were withdrawn from Chuadanga’s Jibannagar police station for alleged negligence in duty after an alleged drug peddler escaped from their custody. The escape occurred early Thursday. Moreover, the policemen were attached to the district police lines, authorities said. A three-member probe body led by Assistant Superintendent of Police (Damurhuda circle) Jakia Sultana has been formed in this connection. Those withdrawn are SI Pabitra Mandal, constables Solaiman Khan and Mita Khatun. Additional Superintendent of Police Mohammad Riazul Islam confirmed the matter on Thursday night, saying that a departmental investigation is ongoing against them. Another case under Penal Code was filed against the accused drug peddler Monwara Begum, now shown as absconding. A drive is on to arrest her, he said. The woman, who was arrested allegedly with 84 bottles of the banned cough syrup phensedyl by Border Guard Bangladesh, escaped from the police station early Thursday morning on plea of going to the washroom. After the arrest, the 30-year old accused was taken to the Women and Children Desk at the Jibannagar police station.

Since August 9, 2024, the Industrial Security Task Force, led by the Bangladesh Army, has made notable strides in maintaining law and order and promoting a stable, production-focused environment in the country’s industrial areas. The task force has conducted a total of 136 rescue operations in key industrial zones, including 97 in Savar-Ashulia, 33 in Gazipur, and 6 in Narayanganj. These operations have successfully safeguarded factory owners, workers, and management board members from potential harm by miscreants, according to a press release from the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Directorate of the Bangladesh Armed Forces on Thursday. Additionally, the task force has apprehended 335 individuals involved in sabotage activities and handed them over to the police, it said. Efforts to restore and maintain traffic flow have led to the removal of 123 roadblocks on highways in relation to various demands, ensuring the smooth passage of vehicles. As a result of 723 discussions facilitated by the task force with factory owners and workers, acts of vandalism or arson were successfully prevented in 56 factories. Moreover, the task force has taken steps to ensure that outstanding wages are paid to workers, organised separate meetings with stakeholders from the business community, and coordinated with policy-makers from business associations. Regular awareness-raising initiatives, including public announcements in residential areas, have also been implemented to promote understanding among workers, the release said. On October 20, 2024, the task force’s activities received high-level recognition. The Interim Government’s Special Assistant for Defence and National Solidarity Development, Lt Gen (retd) Abdul Hafiz, alongside the Chief Adviser’s Special Envoy for International Affairs, Lutfey Siddiqui, visited the Industrial Security Task Force at the Savar Cantonment. During their visit, they observed the production operations of several factories on-site. The delegation praised the army and all involved for fostering a robust production environment within the industrial sector, the release said.