United News of Bangladesh

Necessary legal action will be taken against those involved in the incidents of violence in Khagrachari and Rangamati through proper investigation, according to Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR). In a media statement on Friday, ISPR requested community leaders to assist the law enforcement agencies in de-escalating the ongoing tension. The unrest may feed into violent riots in the three hill districts. So, the people of the three districts are specially requested to keep calm and maintain peace and harmony, read the statement. Earlier, the Khagrachari District Administration and Rangamati District Administration imposed Section 144, effectively banning public gatherings and restricting movement to control the situation. Meanwhile, three people were killed, and 9 others were injured in a violent incident in Khagrachhari on Thursday and early Friday.

Police on Friday warned that stern actions will be taken if anyone takes the law into their own hands. Police Headquarters issued a media release clearing their stance regarding the recent incidents of mob beating. The release said recently there have been alarming incidents of mob violence resulting in the killing of people in various areas. Such acts of mob attacks are completely unacceptable. There are established legal procedures for trial if someone commits a wrong or a crime. No one has the right to take the law into their hands. People who are engaged in crimes must be handed over to the legal authorities; taking the law into one's own hands is not accepted in any circumstances, it reads. People have been asked to call by dialing the national emergency service 999 or contact the nearest police station regarding the mob beating, according to it. Seeking cooperation from all to prevent further incidents of the lynching, the Police Headquarters urge everyone to refrain from taking the law into their own hands. Police are dedicated to maintaining law and order and ensuring the safety of the public, it adds.

Members of the Armed Police Battalion (APBn) arrested a leader of the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) with a foreign firearm and 10 rounds of bullets from a Rohingya camp in Cox’s Bazar’s Ukhiya upazila on Thursday night, said the authority. The arrestee is Nurul Islam, 45, son of Gula Hossain of the camp No-13 in Ukhiya’s Palongkhali and commander of the camp unit of the ARSA. Md Amir Jafar, commandant of the APBn-8 and additional deputy inspector general, confirmed the matter saying that they conducted a drive in the camp No-13 on Thursday night after being tipped-off that a consignment of arms from the neighbouring country would arrive at the camp. During the drive, the ARSA leader was arrested from the camp and a G3 rifle and 10 rounds of bullets were recovered from his possession, he said. The APBn officer informed Nurul he had been leading the Rohingya camp as the commander for a long.

Security was beefed up in Dighinala upzila on Friday, a day after over 50 shops and other establishments were set on fire during clashes following the death of a Bengali man, Md Mamum, in a mob beating. On Thursday miscreants set fire to the shops and establishments, mostly belonging to the indigenous people, at ‘Larma Square’ and surrounding areas in Dighinala upazila of Khagrachhari centring the death of Mamun on suspicion he stole a motorbike owned by an indigenous person, witnesses said. They said local Bengali students brought out a procession from Dighinala Government College on Thursday afternoon demanding justice for the 30-yeard-old victim Mamun who was allegedly lynched by members of a hill organisation on Wednesday. A chase and counter-chase occurred between the protesting students and the members of the indigenous organisation when the demonstration was crossing the Larma Square, they said. A clash broke out between the two groups, leaving at least five injured, the witnesses said. They were admitted to Upazila Health Complex later. Being informed, members form the Army and Border Guard Bangladesh rushed to the spot and brought the situation under control, said Khagrachari Deputy Commissioner Md Sahiduzzaman. He informed the Army and the BGB personnel have been deployed to avoid any further trouble with the law enforcement agencies patrolling the area. Dighinala police station’s Officer-in-Charge Nurul Huq confirmed the arson on the Larma Square, but he gave no further details.

A case has been filed against 10 individuals, including former Defence Adviser to ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Major General (retd) Tarique Ahmed Siddique, over allegations of a conspiracy to abduct, disappear, and kill Colonel (retd) Md Touhidul Islam Chowdhury in 2018. The case was lodged by Chowdhury, the chief of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia’s Security Force, with Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Md Zakir Hossain, his lawyer Masud Ahmed Talukdar confirmed. Following the submission of the allegations, the court directed New Market police station to record it as a formal deposition. The list of accused includes former high-ranking officials, such as the former Director General of the Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI), Lt Gen (retd) Md Saiful Alam, and Maj Gen (terminated) Ziaul Ahsan. Also named are former Deputy Commissioners of the Detective Branch (DB), Md Abdul Baten and Md Mokhleshur Rahman, along with other former law enforcement officers, including Golam Mostaf Russell, Golam Saqlaine, Mahmud Naser Jhony, Md Abu Azip, and Sirajul Islam Khan. According to the complaint, law enforcement officers in plainclothes allegedly abducted Chowdhury from his residence on Elephant Road, Dhaka, on December 27, 2018. He was then detained and sent to jail two days later after being implicated in what he claims were fabricated cases. Upon his release on bail, Chowdhury attempted to file a general diary (GD) at the local police station to report the incident, but the police allegedly refused to accept it.  

A Dhaka court has issued a travel ban on former Fisheries and Livestock Minister SM Rezaul Karim, barring him from leaving the country. The order was passed by Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions Judge Ash Shams Zaglul Hossain on Thursday, following a petition by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), confirmed ACC Assistant Director Md Aminul Islam. Monayem Sarker, ACC director and investigation officer, submitted the application requesting the ban, citing concerns that Rezaul Karim could flee the country with illicitly acquired wealth and important documents, potentially obstructing the ongoing investigation. The ACC’s petition alleges that SM Rezaul Karim accumulated substantial public funds through corruption and irregularities, exceeding his known sources of income, by misusing his position of power. The commission’s investigation has uncovered significant movable and immovable assets in the names of Rezaul Karim and his family members, located in Najirpur, Pirojpur, and Dhaka. ACC Public Prosecutor MA Salahuddin Iskandar King emphasized the importance of the travel ban, stating that Rezaul Karim's departure from the country could disrupt or prolong the investigation process.

Referring to former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Law Affairs Adviser Dr Asif Nazrul on Thursday said Bangladesh will definitely seek extradition of any convicted person under the extradition treaty with India once the trial begins. “We have an extradition treaty with India. As per the extradition treaty, if any convicted person stays in India, we can seek his or her extradition. We will soon let you know through the Law Ministry,” he told reporters while responding to a question at a media briefing. The adviser stressed that they will definitely seek extradition of convicted persons once trial begins no matter who the person is. Sheikh Hasina, who left the country on August 5, is facing a number of cases. The adviser said they have taken some steps and there are some visible progress including formation of investigation and prosecution teams. SHUJAN-Citizens for Good Governance Secretary Badiul Alam Majumdar and Chief Adviser’s Special Assistant Mahfuj Alam also spoke at the briefing. Chief Adviser's Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam, Deputy Press Secretaries Abul Kalam Azad Majumder and Apurba Jahangir were present. Earlier, Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain said that the Indian government has given shelter to Sheikh Hasina and she has been staying there. “We will have to see this matter this way,” he said, adding that everything “does not go by the law.” The adviser made this remark on September 7 while responding to a question on Hasina’s status in India as her diplomatic passport has been cancelled. He said Bangladesh has not learnt anything officially from the Indian side except what the country’s External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said after her entry in India. It has been over a month since Sheikh Hasina hurriedly landed at a military base near Delhi after a chaotic exit from Bangladesh. Hasina’s dramatic departure on August 5 followed weeks of student-led protests which spiraled into deadly, nationwide unrest. She was initially expected to stay in India for just a short period, but reports say her attempts to seek asylum in the UK, the US and the UAE have not been successful so far, according to the BBC.

Law Affairs Adviser Dr Asif Nazrul on Thursday evening said no extrajudicial killings will be accepted in the country, noting that the incidents of mob justice shocked them all. “We want to say clearly, no mob justice, attempt to taking the laws in own hands, mass beating or lynching will not be accepted in Bangladesh. No extrajudicial killings will be accepted,” he said. While responding to a question, the Law Adviser also said the government would take every possible step to stop such incidents. Student-mob at Dhaka University and Jahangirnagar University lynched two young persons that drew reactions from various quarters. A murder case has been registered with Shahbag police station in connection with the beating of a young man suspected of being a thief in the DU. Five students have been arrested. SHUJAN-Citizens for Good Governance Secretary Badiul Alam Majumdar and Chief Adviser’s Special Assistant Mahfuj Alam also spoke at the briefing. “Our key focus is to work. It's a public service. We don't want repetition of what happened in the past,” said Badiul Alam, head of the Commission for reforming the Election Commission. Chief Adviser's Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam, Deputy Press Secretaries Abul Kalam Azad Majumder and Apurba Jahangir were present.  

Police arrested five students including a former Chhatra League leader in connection with the lynching of a ‘mentally retarded’ man over suspected theft inside a dormitory of Dhaka University (DU). Al Amin, sub inspector (SI) of Shahbagh police station, confirmed the matter saying that they arrested the students from Fazlul Huq Muslim Hall with the help of the university administration in the afternoon and took them to the police station. The arrestees are former Chhatra League leader of Fazlul Huq hall unit Jalal Ahmed, also student of Physics department, Md Mottakin Sakin, student of Soil, Water and Environment Science, Mohammad Sumon Mia of Food and Nutrition Science Department, Al Hussain Sajjad, of Geography department and Ahsanullah. Earlier, the DU authorities filed a case with the Shahbagh police station in this regard. According to witnesses, the victim, Tofazzel, sneaked into the hall on Wednesday evening. Some students then caught and interrogated him about the theft of six mobile phone sets and wallets from the hall the previous day. Under intense questioning, the man agreed to tell them about the real thieves if they give him something to eat. The students fed him, but the man failed to disclose the names of thieves. Then the angry students beat up the man for two hours starting from 10 pm, according to the witnesses. When the proctorial team got informed about the matter, it went to the spot and took the severely injured Tofazzal to a hospital for treatment where the doctors declared him dead. According to some students of DU, victim Tofazzal was a mentally unstable person. Tofazzal hailed from Kathaltoli union of Pathorghata upazila of Barguna district and he lost his parents long ago. The incident drew widespread criticism across the country and the DU authorities formed a seven member committee to investigate the incident.

The Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) has arrested Solaiman Badsha, also known as “Tokai Solaiman,” for his involvement in a violent attack on student protesters during the Anti-discrimination Movement in Chattogram. Solaiman, accused of opening fire on protesters, was arrested in Noakhali early Thursday morning. Lieutenant Colonel Munim Ferdous, Director of RAB’s Legal and Media Wing, confirmed the arrest. Solaiman has been arrested from Noakhali in connection with the August 4 attack on students and the public during the anti-discrimination protest in Chattogram’s Kotwali area; legal proceedings are underway, Ferdous said. He has a long history of criminal activities, with several cases registered against him in Panchlaish, Khulshi, and Chawkbazar police stations. Solaiman rose to notoriety as the leader of a teenage gang, allegedly under the protection of local political figures. His involvement in various criminal operations, including acts of violence and extortion, has been a source of concern in the region. Authorities claim that he operated under the shelter of a local councilor, engaging in activities linked to the Jubo League.