United News of Bangladesh

Police rescued a Pakistani woman who was allegedly tortured by her Bangladeshi husband and mother-in-law in Lalkuthi Borobazar area of Darussalam in Dhaka on Sunday after receiving a call through the national emergency helpline 999. An English-speaking woman called the helpline on Sunday afternoon, claiming she was a Pakistani citizen with a three-month-old baby, said a press release signed by Anwar Sattar, Inspector of Police and Media and Public Relations Officer of the National Emergency Service 999. Woman gives birth at Jashore Railway Station amid heavy rain, rescued thru 999 She alleged that her husband Nobel Ahmed, 27, and mother-in-law physically assaulted her almost daily, confined her to a room, and took away her passport. The woman requested immediate assistance so she could be rescued and return to Pakistan. The call was received by constables Sumaiya Jahan and Plaban Dev who immediately informed the Darussalam Police Station for necessary action. The rescue operation was coordinated by 999 Dispatcher SI Biren Chandra Das. Foreigners in Bangladesh can now access emergency help via 999 in English: IGP Although the caller could not provide her exact address, a team from Darussalam Police Station swiftly located the residence, rescued the 25-year-old Pakistani woman, and brought her to the station. Later, the victim’s sister-in-law and other relatives from her husband’s side arrived at the police station and returned her passport. IGP orders to ensure transparency, accountability of 999 calls They also assured police that they would arrange a passport for the three-month-old child born in Bangladesh within 10 days and facilitate the mother and child’s return to Pakistan. The woman then voluntarily went into the custody of her sisters-in-law and declined to file a written complaint.  

Police have arrested a local Jamaat-e-Islami leader from Fenchuganj upazila in Sylhet in connection with two cheque dishonor cases. The arrestee, Shah Mohammad Habibur Rahman (Lipon), a former secretary of Jamaat-e-Islami’s Fenchuganj upazila unit, was detained from his business establishment in the Moglabazar area of Dakshin Surma on Saturday. Fenchuganj Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Moniruzzaman Khan confirmed the arrest, saying, “There are two cheque dishonor cases against Shah Mohammad Habibur Rahman, and arrest warrants were issued by the court in both cases. He has been detained and legal procedures have been initiated.” Police sources said Habibur Rahman was produced before a court on Sunday.

Members of the Bangladesh Army seized a cache of foreign-made firearms, ammunition, and explosives from a train at the Airport Railway Station in the capital on Sunday morning. Acting on a tip-off, personnel from the Army, National Intelligence Agency, and Railway Police jointly conducted a special drive on the Dhaka-bound Banalata Express from Rajshahi around 11:15 am. They recovered eight foreign-made pistols, 16 magazines, 26 rounds of bullets, 2.39 kg of gunpowder, and 2.23 kg of plastic explosives, according to a media release from the Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR). Four people were also detained for their suspected involvement and handed over to police for primary interrogation. The Bangladesh Army reiterated its commitment to public safety, law and order, and national security, adding that coordinated operations against terrorism, sabotage and crime will continue.

A woman, who was stabbed allegedly by her husband over a family feud in Gaibandha on Friday night, died while undergoing treatment on Saturday night. The deceased was identified as Azeda Begum, 35, wife of Shamim Mia of MP Para under Gobindaganj municipality in the district. According to police and locals, Azeda had reportedly been maintaining an extramarital affair with a man over the phone. On Friday night, Shamim allegedly caught his wife talking to the man, leading to a heated argument between the couple, police said. 15-year-old stabbed dead in Keraniganj In a fit of rage, they said, Shamim stabbed Azeda in the abdomen with a sharp weapon, leaving her critically injured. She was first taken to the Upazila Health Complex and later transferred to Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Medical College Hospital in Bogura, where she succumbed to her injuries on Saturday night. Bulbul Islam, officer-in-charge of Gobindaganj Police Station, said action will be taken once a case is filed in this regard.

Within days of a similar gruesome discovery, another young man has been found dead in Old Dhaka, this time in the Bangshal area, with a GI cable wrapped tightly around his neck, raising alarm over a disturbing pattern of deaths in the capital’s old quarters. The deceased, identified as Sajib, had recently appeared for the Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) examinations from a local college but reportedly failed. According to his family, he had just returned from a Tabligh Jamaat trip to Dohar and seemed to be adjusting to life back home. His paternal cousin Md Islam recounted that Sajib went out around 3pm on Saturday after receiving a phone call, the last time anyone saw him alive. “Later, we heard that his body was found on a staircase of a building at Agamasi Lane,” Islam told UNB. JnU Chhatra Dal leader's body recovered from Dhaka’s Armanitola Family members claim Sajib’s death may not have been an accident or suicide. Islam alleged that Sajib had a long-standing relationship with a girl whose family lived on the same floor of the building where his body was discovered. The relationship had reportedly faced strong opposition from the girl’s family. “The girl’s maternal uncles, Iqbal and Kamal, revoked the relationship. We believe they planned and killed him,” Islam alleged, adding that the girl’s family members have been missing since the incident. Responding to the scene, sub-inspector Md Dulal Haque of Bangshal Police Station said officers found the body lying on the staircase with a GI wire twisted around his neck.  “Only one family lived on the fourth floor while the rest of the building was used as warehouses. The flat adjacent to where the body was found was locked from outside,” the SI said. “Preliminary findings indicate he might have been strangled to death. We are investigating the matter with importance,” Dulal added. Three confess to JnU student Zobeyed murder The killing bears a disturbing resemblance to another recent incident. On October 19, the bloodied body of Jagannath University student and Chhatra Dal leader Md Zobayed Hossain was recovered from a staircase in Old Dhaka, also under mysterious circumstances.

A bank official was caught impersonating a candidate during the Food Department’s Sub-Inspector recruitment exam in Rangpur, on Saturday. He was sentenced to one month in jail by a mobile court. The convicted man, Golam Rabbani, an officer at Janata Bank’s Rangpur Corporate Branch and a resident of Tiormari village in Pirganj upazila, was taking the exam on behalf of a candidate named Rahaduzzaman Sujon at Siddique Memorial School and College centre. Executive Magistrate Sheikh Mahbube Sobhan sentenced Rabbani to one month of simple imprisonment under the Public Examinations (Offences) Act. Sources said Rabbani had previously taken part in various exams as a proxy in exchange for money. Magistrate Mahbube Sobhan confirmed that both individuals faced action — Rabbani received the jail sentence while Sujon was expelled and banned from taking part in any future Food Department exams. The Sub-Inspector recruitment exam under the Directorate General of Food was held from 10 am to 11 am at 46 centres in Rangpur, with 50,775 candidates appearing.

In a shocking incident in Chouddagram, Cumilla, a husband allegedly detained his wife for three days and forced her to be raped by other men. The victim filed a case with the local police, who have arrested five suspects in connection with the crime. The arrested are identified as, the husband Raju Ahmed (26), Belal Hossain (35), son of the late Siraj Maji, Hridoy (25), son of Abul Kashem, Mohin (26), son of Chan Mia Maji, and Abul Kalam (45), son of Shah Alam from Munshitola village. Chouddagram OC Hilal Uddin Ahmed confirmed the arrests, on Saturday, adding that the suspects have been sent to jail through the court. According to the case, the victim, Beauty Akter (20, alias), married Raju in 2023. After marital conflicts due to Raju’s addiction, she returned to her parental home in Sudharam, Noakhali. Earlier this month, she was taken back to her husband’s home with both families present. On October 15, Raju took her to his workplace at the Islamia Brick Field in Mirshwani, where Belal Hossain arranged a room for her. On the night of October 16, Belal and Abul Kalam entered the room; later Raju restrained the victim while Belal raped her. On October 18, Hridoy and Mohin also entered and raped her in Raju’s presence. On October 20, Hridoy attempted to assault her again while she was asleep, but fled after she raised an alarm. Chouddagram OC Hilal Uddin Ahmed confirmed the arrests, on Saturday, adding that the suspects have been sent to jail through the court.

Police have arrested a man for displaying a dummy rifle during a rally in Dhaka’s Turag area. Mujahidul Islam Chowdhury, 49, was arrested along with the dummy rifle in a drive at a  house in Sector 12 under Uttara West Police Station around 4:30 pm on Friday, said DMP's DC (Media ) Talebur Rahman on Saturday afternoon. A patrol team of Turag police station received information on Friday that several people had gathered near the Khalpar Police Box in Turag and were displaying weapons, spreading fear among residents. A police team rushed to the scene but the suspects fled upon sensing their presence. Later, based on video footage captured by locals and subsequent questioning  Mujahidul was identified and arrested. A case has been filed against him under the Anti-Terrorism Act.

The Bangladesh Navy has detained nine Indian fishermen along with a trawler for illegally entering Bangladeshi waters and fishing. Md Anisur Rahman, officer-in-charge (OC) of Mongla Thana, said the fishermen were apprehended by Navy personnel from the Fairway Buoy area of the Bay of Bengal on Thursday morning. Later, they were handed over to Mongla Thana police on Thursday night. The Navy has filed a case in this regard. The fishermen will be sent to the district jail through the Bagerhat court on Friday, the OC said. With this latest detention, the Navy has detained a total of 71 Indian fishermen along with five fishing trawlers from Bangladeshi waters in the Bay of Bengal over the past three and a half months. Previously, on July 14, 34 fishermen with two trawlers; on August 3, 14 fishermen with one trawler; and on October 17, 14 fishermen with one trawler were detained from the same area. The 62 fishermen detained in these earlier cases are currently lodged in Bagerhat District Jail.  

A Jubo Dal activist, Md. Badsha Mia, has been arrested in Dhaka in connection with a case of attacking a businessman and looting 5 lakh BDT at Silonia Bazar in Jaylaskar Union, Daganbhuiyan Upazila, Feni. According to a RAB press release on Thursday, Badsha, the second accused in the case, is the son of Md. Hossain of Omorpur village in Jaylaskar Union. He was arrested late Wednesday (Oct 22) from the Lalbagh police station area in Dhaka based on a tip-off, during a joint operation by RAB-7 and RAB-10. Hasanuzzaman Shahadat, a member of Feni district Jubo Dal, said Badsha was previously associated with Jubo League and a close aide of Jaylaskar Union Jubo League Secretary Jahir. “He was involved in multiple criminal activities, including drugs, theft, and robbery. After the mass uprising on August 5, he assumed the identity of a Jubo Dal leader and resumed criminal acts,” he added. A local Jubo Dal leader, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Badsha used the support of Ruhul Amin Gazi, joint convener of Daganbhuiyan Upazila Chhatra Dal, and Ashraful, a local Jubo Dal leader, to engage in crimes under the Jubo Dal banner. RAB-7 Assistant Director (Media) A.R.M. Mozzaffar Hossain said the arrested individual has been handed over to Dhaka Metropolitan Police’s Jatrabari division for legal action.