United News of Bangladesh

The government is considering reducing the 30-year jail term for life-sentenced prisoners and releasing some elderly inmates after reviewing their sentences, an adviser said on Saturday. Home Affairs Adviser Lt Gen (retd) Md Jahangir Alam Chowdhury disclosed the plan while talking to reporters at the Secretariat on Sunday after a meeting of the core committee on law and order. “There are many challenges in prisons and reforms are necessary. Budget constraints are also an issue. Elderly inmates suffering from various illnesses require additional funds for treatment,” he said. Ex-secretary Abu Alam Shahid Khan lands in jail The adviser said the current provision of life imprisonment defined as 30 years of imprisonment could be rationally reduced. “We want to see whether this period can be cut down to a reasonable level so that arrangements can be made to release those who have become and are no longer a threat. We have not fixed the age limit yet. Based on discussions, we are thinking of reducing the term for women to 20 years while for men it may remain slightly higher,” he said.

Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner Sheikh Md. Sazzat Ali on Saturday said that public involvement is the key factor behind the police’s success in maintaining law and order. He made the remarks while attending a special meeting of the Law and Order Coordination Committee (LOCC) at Gulshan Police Station. The DMP chief said the entire zone including Gulshan, Banani, Baridhara, and Niketan areas, has been brought under comprehensive CCTV surveillance to maintain law and order. This initiative was implemented with the support and funding of local residents. As a result, criminal activities have been significantly reduced, and identifying and apprehending offenders has become faster and more efficient. Commissioner Sazzat Ali said that participation of locals plays a vital role in crime prevention and community safety. LOCC President Barrister Omar Sadat said the committee was established through the joint initiative of the societies of Gulshan, Banani, Baridhara, and Niketan to foster trust between the police and the public. It was begun with just 25 CCTV cameras and has now expanded to approximately 1,500 cameras across the area, he noted. LOCC Secretary General Shamsul Arefin Chowdhury presented the technical aspects of the initiative, explaining that the project, funded entirely by the public, operates under the direct supervision of DMP. LOCC Vice President Shawkat Hossain Dilon mentioned that due to the extensive camera network, street crime has become virtually non-existent in the area. Over its 13-year journey, the LOCC has demonstrated how modern technology, combined with citizen-police cooperation, can create a more effective security system. Attendees at the event said that the success of the Gulshan-Baridhara model could serve as an example for other areas of the capital. As part of the visit, the DMP Commissioner also inspected the CCTV operations housed within the Gulshan Police Station building.

Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) has seized Indian smuggled goods worth approximately Tk 18 lakh in separate operations along the Sylhet border. According to the 19th Battalion of the BGB, around 10:30 pm on Friday, a special patrol team from the Lobachara BOP conducted an operation in the Mangolpur area of Kanaighat upazila. During the operation, 42 bottles of Indian Officers Choice brand liquor were recovered. The bottles were found abandoned about 400 yards inside the zero line of the border. The estimated value of the seized liquor is Tk 63,000. In a separate operation on Saturday, a joint patrol team from the Jaintapur, Guabari, and Suraighat BOPs carried out raids along the borders of Jaintapur and Kanaighat upazilas. During the drive, authorities seized five Indian cows, 72,200 pieces of betel nuts, 8,120 packets of leaf bidis, 600 kg of flower brooms, and two wooden boats. All items were found abandoned at the border. The estimated value of these seized goods is Tk 17,06,000. BGB seizes Indian goods worth Tk 3.3 crore in Sylhet border drives In total, the seized items from both operations have an estimated value of Tk 17,69,000. Lt. Colonel Md Zubayer Anwar, commander of the Zakiganj Battalion, said the seized liquor has been handed over to the Department of Narcotics Control, while the remaining items are being transferred to the customs authorities. He added that such anti-smuggling operations will continue as part of strengthened border security measures.

Detectives' of DMP arrested former Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police AKM Nahidul Islam from Eskaton area in the capital on Saturday. Detective Branch (DB) Chief Additional Commissioner Shafiqul Islam said the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) issued a warrant for his arrest. Tipped off, a DB team arrested him and handed him over to the ICT authorities. Teacher arrested after two madrasa students beaten, case filed Nahidul Islam was promoted to DIG on July 11, 2023 while serving as Additional DIG of CID. It is alleged that during his tenure as Superintendent of Police in Meherpur he opened fire on BNP-Jamaat supporters during a procession and its footage is now circulating on social media.

Police on Friday arrested a teacher, identified as Ibrahim, after two students were severely beaten at Jameyatul Ulumil Islamia Qawmiya Madrasa in Dinanathpur of Chuadanga Sadar upazila. The victims were identified as Miraj, 12, son of Milon Ali of Kukia Chandpur village, and Rabbi, 13, son of Bazlur Rahman of the same area, were hospitalised in serious condition after the assault, police and family members said. Miraj’s father, Milon Ali, filed a case under the Children Act at Sadar police station on Friday. Following the complaint, police produced Ibrahim in court and remanded him in custody, Chuadanga Sadar OC Khaledur Rahman confirmed. According to the students and their families, the incident took place on Thursday at about 3pm. The boys said they were sleeping in the madrasa mosque when one of them accidentally touched the teacher’s nephew, Huzaifa, in his sleep. Ibrahim allegedly began striking the sleeping boys with a stick and later took them to an adjacent room and beat them repeatedly with a mahogany stick. Miraj told reporters the teacher did not speak but immediately beat them. Rabbi said when he asked why he was being beaten, the teacher increased the punishment and threatened that if the families complained they would be killed or thrown from the madrasa roof. Miraj’s mother said she found her son returning home exhausted and covered in dust. “When I checked his clothes, I saw marks all over his body. If he had done wrong, they could have told us, but this brutal beating is inhumane. We want justice,” she said. Rabbi’s father, Bazlur Rahman, demanded strict punishment, saying the teacher had previously assaulted another student. Doctors at Chuadanga Sadar Hospital said both boys were seriously injured and bore marks across their bodies. Dr Mehebuba Mustari Mau of the emergency department confirmed they were admitted to the surgical ward after initial treatment. Father, son hacked dead in Chuadanga Police said the madrasa authorities had initially detained the accused teacher. Acting on the complaint, officers arrested Ibrahim late at night and brought him to the station. Efforts to reach the teacher and madrasa authorities for comment were unsuccessful. Legal proceedings are under way in the case, the OC added.

Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) seized smuggled Indian goods worth over Tk 3.26 crore during separate drives along the Sylhet frontier on Thursday and Friday. The Sylhet Battalion (48 BGB), in presence of a magistrate, conducted raids in Tamabil, Panthumai, Sangram Bazar and Minatila border areas, recovering a huge quantity of Indian cosmetics including Clop G cream, Whitetone cream, Skin Bright cream, My Fair cream, Skin Shine cream, Mostak facewash, Nasir Uddin bidi, KitKat chocolate, cumin, biscuits, fuchka and sugar. The BGB also seized a truck carrying shing fish meant for smuggling into India and a dumper used for illegal sand transportation. The seized goods were valued at Tk 3,26,77,665. Lieutenant Colonel Nazmul Haque, commanding officer of 48 BGB, said the force has intensified drives and intelligence operations under directives from higher authorities to curb cross-border smuggling and drug trafficking. Legal action is underway regarding the seized items. Meanwhile, members of the 19 BGB Battalion (Jakiganj) recovered seven Indian buffaloes worth Tk 14 lakh from Jaintapur’s Guabari border outpost area early Friday. The same night, another patrol seized six calves and one cow, valued at Tk 5.2 lakh, from Fulbari in Jaintapur. Four held while illegally crossing Goga Border into India: BGB Besides, a patrol team of Kanaihat’s Lovachhara border outpost seized Indian betel leaves worth Tk 24,000 from Hapar Mukh on Thursday night. Lt Col Md Jubair Anwar, commanding officer of 19 BGB, said anti-smuggling drives will continue along the Sylhet border.    

The Coast Guard rescued nine fishermen abducted by bandits and arrested two members of the notorious Ranga Bahini along with firearms and ammunition in the Sundarbans early Friday. The detainees were identified as Nasir Molla, 31, of Bagerhat, and Mintu Sardar, 40, of Khulna. According to the Coast Guard, they had long been involved with Ranga Bahini in robbery, supplying firearms, ammunition, and essentials. Lieutenant Commander Siam-ul-Haq, media officer of the Coast Guard, said members of Ranga Bahini had abducted several fishermen for ransom and held them captive in the Adachagi area of the Sundarbans. Acting on a tip-off, Coast Guard members launched a special drive in the early hours of Friday. Sensing their presence, the bandits tried to flee. Later, the Coast Guard members chased and arrested two associates of the gang, seizing two single-barrel guns, two fresh rounds, eight empty cartridges, three sets of tools for making local firearms, and one homemade weapon. During the drive, the abducted fishermen were also rescued. The rescued fishermen, all from Dakop upazila in Khulna, had entered the Sundarbans on September 3 to catch fish and crabs. They were abducted by Ranga Bahini on Thursday night, who later demanded ransom for their release. The arrested bandits, rescued fishermen, and seized items are being processed for further legal action, the Coast Guard said.

Members of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) detained four people, including two women, while they were attempting to illegally cross into India through the Goga border in Sharsha upazila on Friday morning. The detainees are Mithu Mollah, 32, son of Kamrul Mollah of Barnimaladhara village under Abhaynagar police station in Jashore; Mizanur Sardar, 45, son of the late Ahmed Sardar of Patalia village under the same police station; Shapla Khatun, daughter of Sarwar Biswas of Baldanga village under Jashore Kotwali police station; and Sumi Akhtar, 24, daughter of Ratan Khalifa of Charkhola village under Nazirpur police station in Pirojpur. 3,797 cases filed, Tk 26.38 cr fines realised in nationwide anti-pollution drives Acting on a tip-off, BGB personnel from the Goga camp took position near the border and detained the four as they were attempting to cross into India without valid passports or visas. A motorcycle and four mobile phones were seized from their possession. However, no suspected traffickers could be apprehended during the operation. Lt. Col. Mohammad Khurshid Anwar, commanding officer of the BGB’s Khulna 21 Battalion, said that a case has been filed under the Illegal Entry Act. The detainees were later handed over to Sharsha Police Station for further legal action, he added.

The Department of Environment (DoE), under a special initiative of the Ministry of Environment, has conducted 1,540 mobile court drives across the country between January 2 and September 11, 2025, resulting in 3,797 cases and fines amounting to Tk 26,38,26,900. As part of the enforcement drive, 489 illegal brick kilns were completely shut down with their chimneys demolished. Directives were issued to close another 216 kilns, and raw bricks from 133 kilns were destroyed. In addition, 25 illegal polythene factories were sealed off with their utility connections cut, while 132 other establishments had their electricity or service connections disconnected due to environmental violations, according to a press release. During this period, four people received prison sentences without parole. The authorities also seized nine truckloads of lead and battery melting equipment from 13 institutions and shut down their operations. On September 12 alone, three mobile courts in Feni, Chattogram, and Narayanganj took action against the illegal production and marketing of banned polythene products under the Bangladesh Environment Conservation Act.

Officers-in-charge (OCs) of eight police stations under Khulna Metropolitan Police (KMP) have been reshuffled. The changes have been made through an order signed by KMP Commissioner Md Zulfikar Ali Haidar on Thursday. According to the order, OC Md Shafiqul Islam of Sonadanga Model Police Station has been transferred to Khulna Sadar Police Station, while OC Haoladar Sanwar Hossain Masum of Khulna Sadar has been posted to Labanchora. Also, OC Sheikh Khairul Bashar of Horintana has been transferred to Arongghata, OC Md Tohiduzzaman of Labanchora to Horintana, OC Md Tuhinuzzaman of Arongghata to Khan Jahan Ali, and OC Kabir Hossain of Khan Jahan Ali to Sonadanga Model. Besides, OC Mir Atahar Ali of Daulatpur Police Station has been transferred to Khalishpur, while OC Md Rafiqul Islam of Khalishpur has been posted to Daulatpur. According to the source of KMP, the reshuffle is part of routine transfers to maintain law and order and improve administrative activities. Assistant Police Commissioner (Media) Khondokar Hossain Ahmed says that the officers will soon join their new workplaces.