United News of Bangladesh

The Sylhet district administration has announced a complete ban on the illegal cutting of hills and mounds in the district. The order was issued Tuesday night by Deputy Commissioner and District Magistrate Md. Sarwar Alam. The notice said, “Recently there has been a rising trend of cutting hills and mounds in the district. Some unscrupulous individuals are destroying the environment and increasing the risk of natural disasters.” Under Section 6(b) of the Environment Conservation Act 1995, all hill and mound cutting is now strictly prohibited and anyone violating the order will face legal action under Section 15 of the same law. Adviser Rizwana directs DCs to protect rivers, hills and forests The order will be treated as an official government directive. Sylhet Sadar Upazila Executive Officer Khoshnur Rubaiyat confirmed the announcement.

The High Court on Tuesday granted bail to Kurigram's former deputy commissioner Sultana Parvin for six months in a case filed over torturing journalist Ariful Islam Rigan. The HC bench of Justice JBM Hassan and Justice Yousuf Abdullah Suman passed the order when Sultana appeared before the court and sought bail. Senior Advocate Joynal Abedin stood for the petitioner while deputy attorney general Sultana Akter Rubi represented the state. On September 2, Kurigram District and Session Judge Ismat Ara Begum denied the bail petition of Sultana in the case. Ariful Islam, district correspondent of online news portal Bangla Tribune, was jailed for one year and fined Tk 50,000 for ‘possessing narcotics’ by a mobile court at the dead of night. Court denies bail to Latif Siddique, Panna The local administration claimed that Ariful was arrested with 450ml local liquor and 100g hemp. But Ariful’s wife Mostarima Sardar Nitu claimed that a group of law enforcers entered their home at Charuapara around Friday midnight and took away her husband forcefully without showing any reason. Out on bail on Sunday, Ariful said he was tortured by the magistrates.

Police have arrested 18 people in connection with the demolition of the shrine of Nurul Haque, widely known as Nural Pagla, the torching of his exhumed body, and attacks on police in Goalanda upazila of Rajbari district. Latif, the imam of a local mosque who had been on the run since the incident, was arrested early Tuesday morning from a char area in Manikganj, according to a statement from the Chief Adviser’s press wing. Besides, a murder case was filed at Goalanda Ghat Police Station by Md Azad Molla, 55, father of a victim who was killed  during the violence on the day. On September 5, a group of people under the banner of 'Tawhidi Janata' stormed the ‘darbar sharif’ (shrine) of Nural Pagla following Juma prayers. They exhumed the body of Nural and set it ablaze on the Dhaka-Khulna Highway in the Goalanda Ghat area. The attack sparked violent clashes between the deceased's followers and local residents, resulting in one death and numerous injuries.

A battery-operated rickshaw driver was killed in Badda, Dhaka, and two suspects were caught while trying to sell the stolen rickshaw on Monday The deceased was identified as Masud aka Kajol, 42. His body was recovered around 12 pm near Bashundhara Residential Area, Kathaldiya, Badda and sent to Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) morgue for autopsy. Masud’s brother-in-law, Md. Selim said that Kajol was from Durgapur Upazila, Netrokona district and lived in Fasertak area of Bhatara. He also added that Kajol went out with his rickshaw from a garage in Notunbazar area on Sunday evening but never returned. The next day, when the two suspects tried to sell the rickshaw at the same garage, the owner recognized it. The garage owner and locals handed them over to the police. 3 gangsters arrested in Meherpur by joint forces During interrogation, the suspects admitted killing Kajol and dumping the body in Kathaldiya, Badda. Police recovered the body from the location based on their information. Saiful Islam, officer-in-charge of Badda Police Station, said that a murder case was filed.

The Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) has taken stringent security measures ahead of Tuesday’s Dhaka University Central Students’ Union (DUCSU) election, said Commissioner SM Sazzat Ali. “The police had been preparing for a week to ensure order during the polls. We expect the security to be very strong tomorrow (Tuesday),” he told reporters in front of TSC on Monday. According to him, security measures include check-posts at campus gates, regular patrols, deployment of officers with body cameras, SWAT teams, bomb disposal squads, intelligence units, CCTV surveillance and patrol by special forces. Members of the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) will also join the duty.

A Dhaka court on Monday sent former senior secretary Abu Alam Md Shahid Khan to jail in connection with a case filed under the Anti-Terrorism Act at Shahbagh Police Station. Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Md Saifuzzaman issued the order after hearing a petition submitted by Sub-Inspector Toufiq Hasan, the investigation officer of the case. Shahid was arrested earlier in the day by detectives during a drive at Borak Tower in the Eskaton area of the capital. According to the case statement, a platform named "Mancha 71" was launched on August 5 with the stated objective of resisting any attempt to erase or distort the history of Bangladesh’s Liberation War. As part of its activities, the group organised a roundtable discussion on August 28 at Dhaka Reporters’ Unity (DRU) in Segunbagicha. However, during the event, a group of demonstrators allegedly stormed the hall, surrounded the speakers, and forcibly disrupted the programme, bringing it to an abrupt end. Law enforcement later detained 16 individuals from the venue, including former minister Abdul Latif Siddiqui. They were later shown arrested in the same case under which Shahid Khan was sent to jail.

The Bangladesh Army has clarified that it has no involvement in the upcoming Dhaka University Central Students’ Union (Daksu) election. Colonel Staff Md Shafiqul Islam, Director of Military Operations, came up with the clarification at a press briefing in Dhaka Cantonment on Monday afternoon. DUCSU elections: DU to operate circular shuttle service on polling day Responding to questions from journalists regarding law and order, social media rumours and the DUCSU election, he said, “The Army has no role in the DUCSU election. We have already made this clear through ISPR. Still, some vested quarters are trying to spread propaganda, but they will not gain much from it.” DUCSU Polls: Curtain falls on campaign tonight He said the Army wishes well for all the participating candidates and hopes the election will be held in a healthy environment, strengthening democratic practices.

The Detective Branch (DB) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) has arrested 13 leaders and activists of the Awami League and its affiliated organizations, including Gopalganj District Chhatra League General Secretary Amir Hamza, in the last 24 hours. The arrests were confirmed by DMP Deputy Commissioner (Media) Talebur Rahman. The arrestees are Nahida Nur Sweety, Publicity and Publication Secretary of Kafrul Thana Mahila Awami League, member of Dhaka Metropolitan North Awami League, and Secretary of Ward 94 Mahila Awami League; Miraj Sikder, Vice-President of Motijheel Thana Chhatra League; Mahar Ali, leader of Uttara Paschim Thana Sramik League; Sheikh Ibne Sadiq, former Vice-President of Dhaka University Chhatra League; Aminul Islam Biplob, former Organizing Secretary of Dhaka Metropolitan South Awami League; Nitai Ghosh, Freedom Fighters Affairs Secretary of Ward 35 Awami League under Kotwali Thana;  Imtiaz Uddin Sumit, General Secretary of Ward 32 Swechchhasebak League under Bangshal Thana; Amir Hamza, General Secretary of Gopalganj District Chhatra League; Md. Shakib Kazi, Joint Convener of Gopalganj Sadar Upazila Chhatra League; Md. Nadim Sheikh, Joint Convener of Rupnagar Thana Chhatra League; and AL activists Md. Shamim Sikder,  Md. Rezwan Howlader, Md. Bayezid. According to the DB, the arrests were made in connection with efforts to create panic among the public and destabilize the country by holding sudden processions and attempting to disrupt law and order in various parts of the capital.

Police have arrested two individuals on charges of defrauding several students and embezzling large sums of money by promising to provide them with leaked IELTS exam question papers and answer sheets. The arrestees are Panna Poonam Howlader alias Keya, 26 and Md. Mamun Khan, 37. During the arrest, police recovered over Tk 8 lakh in cash and eight mobile phones from their possession, said DMP’s Deputy Commissioner (Media) Talebur Rahman. The duo was apprehended during a raid at the Amazon Lily Lake View Residence, a residential hotel under Banani Police Station, around 9:30 pm on Saturday. According to Banani Police Station sources, the complainant, Md. Nadit Hasan Rocky, was preparing for the IELTS exam at Queen Global Consultant and IELTS Institute. It was through this institution that the accused came into contact with him and several other examinees, offering to provide them with the exam's question papers and answers in exchange for money. Trusting the accused, Rocky agreed to pay Tk 1.80 lakh. Later, he learned that the accused had collected between Tk 1 lakh and Tk 3 lakh from each examinee. On September 5, 2025, Rocky, along with his friend Tabibul Islam and other examinees, met the accused at the Amazon Lily Lake View Residence and handed over the money. That night, the accused provided them with what they claimed were the question papers and answer sheets for the IELTS exam. However, when Rocky appeared at the examination center, he discovered that only a few of the questions matched those provided by the accused. After the exam, he returned to the hotel to demand a refund, but the accused refused and allegedly threatened him. A case has been filed in this connection, and police say further investigation is underway.

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) on Sunday launched a raid at Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) following allegations of massive irregularities and embezzlement in fuel expenditure. An ACC enforcement team conducted the raid at the DSCC headquarters. Akhtarul Islam, ACC Deputy Director (Public Relations), said that DSCC’s operations were suspended for 40 consecutive days due to protests demanding that BNP leader Ishraque Hossain be sworn in as mayor. However, during that time, daily fuel consumption of 14–15 liters was shown against vehicles allocated to officials. According to the allegation, despite the office being closed in May and June, fuel costs were recorded as normal. DSCC’s accounts show that the organization spends around Tk 5 crore per month on fuel. The ACC stated that its enforcement team is collecting relevant documents and information regarding the allegations.