United News of Bangladesh

Bangladesh Army has successfully conducted an operation against the Kuki-Chin National Army (KNA), armed wing of  Kuki-Chin National Front (KNF) in the Polipangsa-Mulfipara area early Thursday, according to an ISPR press release. Based on specific intelligence, army officials identified and engaged the terrorist group during the search operation. The militants attempted to escape upon sensing danger, resulting in a heavy exchange of fire. At one stage, the army recovered the bodies of two armed KNF members in uniform at the scene, added the ISPR. One of the deceased was identified as Puting/Dolly, a senior leader of the KNF with the rank of Major. The identity of the other deceased remains under investigation, but he is believed to be a member of the armed wing of the group.

A sub-inspector (SI) of Parshuram Model Police Station in Feni has been withdrawn after a video showing him taking bribes from an accused went viral on social media. The accused is SI Abu Sayeed. The video, which circulated online on Wednesday evening, shows the cop was allegedly taking money from one Abdus Sattar, a 55-year-old resident of Anantapur village of the upazila, near the latter’s house in Dakshin Kolapara area. Police said the incident occurred on June 22 when Sayeed visited Sattar’s residence as part of an investigation into a long-standing land dispute between Sattar and Panna Akhter, both residents of Anantapur. In the footage, Sattar is seen handing over money to the police officer. As the video went viral, the SI was immediately withdrawn and attached to Feni Police Lines, said the police station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Nurul Hakim. Sattar, however, denied giving the officer any bribe, claiming he only told the SI that officials often demand money during investigations. Refuting the allegation, SI Sayeed claimed that he did not take any money from Sattar. The OC said the matter is under investigation and further action will be taken after reviewing the video evidence.

No army personnel will be spared if proved involved in enforced disappearances, said Colonel Md Shafiqul Islam, Staff Colonel of the Military Operations Directorate. “When army personnel are on deputation, we don’t have direct control over them. However, investigations are ongoing. If anyone is proved involved in enforced disappearances, the army will take action,” he said at a press briefing held at Dhaka Cantonment on Thursday. Replying to a question, he said ahead of the next general election, the army is working to ensure a stable situation in the country. Colonel Shafiqul said 80 percent of the looted arms have already been recovered and expressed the hope that the remaining weapons would also be retrieved soon. Around 12,000 arms had gone missing, of which approximately 9,000 have been recovered so far, he added. 2 KNA operatives killed in Bandarban army operation; arms recovered The army official also informed that 4,790 people received treatment at Combined Military Hospitals (CMHs) during the last year July movement. Currently, 22 patients are undergoing treatment at the Combined Military Hospital (CMH), Dhaka. The law and order situation has improved significantly compared to previous periods, with the army remaining deployed to support efforts in maintaining peace.

A Manikganj court on Thursday placed former Manikganj-1 Awami League MP Naimur Rahman Durjoy on four-day remand in a case filed under the Explosive Substances-Act. Judge of Manikganj Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Court Sadbir Yeasir Ahsan Chowdhury passed the order after a hearing on a petition seeking 10-day remand, said advocate Humayun Kabir, special public prosecutor of the Women and Children Tribunal of the district. He said the court ordered a report to be submitted within seven working days in this regard. Although he was brought to court under tight security, an angry crowd threw eggs at him as he was about to step off the prison van on the court premises. According to the case statement, Durjoy, who captained Bangladesh in their first-ever Test match against India at the Mirpur National Stadium in 2000, supplied arms to terrorists of Awami League and sheltered them during last year’s July uprising. Ex-CEC Habibul Awal put on 3-day remand The terrorists opened fire at protesters during the movement leading to the casualties. One Sadikul Islam Rabbi filed the case accusing 216 people, believed mostly to be leaders and activists of the Awami League, with Sadar Police Station on December 3 last. Of them, Durjoy was named as the 13 accused. Besides, there are many allegations of irregularities against him in the fields of casino operations, sand mining scams, and employment trade in the education sector. He was elected MP from Manikganj-1 constituency (Ghior, Daulatpur and Shibaly upazilas) in the 2014 and 2018 national polls. Ex-CEC Nurul Huda placed on 4-day remand On Wednesday night, a team of Manikganj detectives arrested him from his residence in Dhaka’s Lalmatia. Later, he was taken to Manikganj Sadar Police Station and produced before the court with the remand prayer subsequently.

A Dhaka court on Thursday sentenced three people to life term imprisonment and acquitted four others in a case filed over the 2015 killing of Italian citizen Cesare Tavella in the capital’s Gulshan area. Dhaka’s 3rd Additional Metropolitan Sessions Judge Sheikh Samidul Islam delivered the verdict. The three lifers are Tamjid Ahmed alias Rubel, Russell Chowdhury, and Minhajul Arefin alias Vagne Russell. Those acquitted are BNP leader MA Quayum, his brother Abdul Matin, Shakhawat Hossain, and Sohel. According to the case documents, among the accused, Tamjid Ahmed, Russell Chowdhury, Minhajul Arefin, Abdul Matin, and Shakhawat Hossain gave confessional statements before the court admitting their involvement in the killing at different times during the trial. Two of the accused, Quayum and Sohel, remained absconding during the trial while Matin was out on bail. The remaining four accused were produced before the court during the verdict. 2 convicts snatched in Lalmonirhat; police station vandalised According to the case, on the evening of September 28, 2015, unidentified assailants shot dead Tavella, a staff member of Netherlands-based international organization ICCO Cooperation-BD, near the western end of Road 90 in Gulshan, adjacent to Gulshan Avenue and the southern wall of Governor House. Locals rushed him to United Hospital where doctors declared him dead. Later, a US-based website claimed that the militant group Islamic State (IS) took responsibility for the killing. Following the incident, Helen Dar Bique, the country representative of ICCO Cooperation in Bangladesh, filed a murder case with Gulshan Police Station, naming three unidentified persons as accused. On June 28, 2016, Detective Branch (DB) Inspector Golam Rabbani, the investigating officer of the case, submitted the charge sheet against seven people including BNP joint convenor and former ward commissioner MA Quayum. The charge sheet was accepted by the Metropolitan Sessions Judge's Court on August 24 of the same year.

A Cumilla court on Thursday placed four accused on a three-day remand each in a case over circulating a video of a rape incident in Muradnagar upazila of Cumilla. Senior Judicial Magistrate Mominul Haque of Cumilla Cognizance Court-11 passed the order this noon after police sought remand for the accused,  said Muradnagar Police Sub-Inspector Ruhul Amin and Court Police Inspector Sadekur Rahman. The accused were Sumon, Ramzan, Md Arif, and Md Onik — all residents of Panchkitta village in Muradnagar upazila. A woman was raped at Ramchandrapur Panchkitta village in Muradnagar upazila of Cumilla on the night of June 26. Two held over gang-rape in Bhola, BNP expels three leaders After the incident alleged rapist Fazar Ali was caught and beaten by local people but he managed to flee. Shortly after the incident, some people who were present at the scene filmed the victim and circulated the video on social media platforms, prompting outrage among people. Following the circulation of the video, the victim filed a case under the Pornography Control Act. Police subsequently arrested the four accused in connection with the video leak. Meanwhile, Fazar Ali, who was assaulted during the incident, was arrested in connection with a rape case. He is currently undergoing treatment under police custody at Cumilla Medical College Hospital.

Two members of the Kuki-Chin National Army (KNA), including a commander, were killed in an army operation in remote hills of Ruma upazila in Bandarban early Thursday. During the operation, army personnel recovered three sub-machine guns (SMGs), one rifle and ammunition. The drive is still underway in the area, said an ISPR media release.

Former MP and director of Bangladesh Cricket Board Naimur Rahman Durjoy was arrested from his residence in the capital's Lalmatia on Wednesday night. He was arrested during a special operation, said Additional Superintendent of Manikganj District Police Imtiaj Mahbub. Three NBR members sent into forced retirement Following his arrest, he was taken to Manikganj Sadar Police Station and is expected to be presented in court on Thursday after completing legal procedures, he added. The police official also said that Durjoy is an accused in cases filed with Sadar and Daulatpur police stations in Manikganj. AC Tabassum Urmi dismissed over ‘anti-interim govt’ Facebook posts On January 21, the Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Judge Court ordered the seizure of a 2,523 square feet flat, land and three cars owned by him in Lalmatia, Dhaka on charges of corruption.  An order was also issued to seize 12 bank accounts in his name.

The government on Wednesday sent three National Board of Revenue (NBR) members into retirement. According to the Internal Resources Division (IRD) website, all of them were sent to the forced retirement for the sake public interest. They are-- Hossain Ahmed (customs policy and ICT), Md Alamgir Hossain and Md Abdur Rouf (VAT policy). Passengers to be allowed to bring one new mobile phone without duty The IRD also sent Md. Sobbir Ahmed, (Commissoner (C.C) of Taxes Zone- Borisal) and M Moinul Erfan (joint director general of Tax inspection directorate) into early retirement.

Former Assistant Commissioner at the Deputy Commissioner’s Office in Lalmonirhat Tabassum Urmi, who was made an Officer on Special Duty (OSD) and temporarily suspended then, has been dismissed from government service for making controversial remarks on Facebook about the interim government and its Chief Adviser. The Ministry of Public Administration issued a notification in this regard on Wednesday, stating that she was dismissed following a departmental case filed against her on charges of ‘misconduct’ under Rule 3(b) of the Government Servants (Discipline and Appeal) Rules, 2018. According to the notification, on October 6 last year, Urmi posted a Facebook status making controversial remarks about the interim government and the chief adviser, prompting disciplinary action. A show-cause notice was served to her following the incident. Citing security concerns, she did not attend the personal hearing and instead submitted a written explanation, which was not accepted by authorities and an investigation officer was appointed. The allegations of ‘misconduct’ were found to be true during the inquiry, said the notification. In light of the investigation, authorities decided to impose the highest administrative penalty under the relevant disciplinary rules initially. Urmi was asked to serve a second show-cause notice before the final decision. Suspended assistant commissioner Urmi gets bail upon surrender After reviewing the investigation report, her replies, overall circumstances and relevant documents, the charges of misconduct were found proven, leading to the decision to dismiss her from service, it added. According to the notification, the Bangladesh Public Service Commission (BPSC) agreed with the authorities’ proposal to impose the highest penalty and the president also approved the dismissal. Earlier, her Facebook post regarding the interim government sparked controversy. In her post, she wrote, “The chief adviser of the unconstitutional interim government says the reset button has been pressed. The past has been erased. With just one click of the reset button, the entire history of the country has been wiped out. So simple! But now, your countdown has begun, sir.” She had also made several other social media posts expressing support for the ousted government and criticising the July Uprising and its first martyr, Abu Sayed. Urmi was made OSD on October 6 last year, and the following day, the Ministry of Public Administration issued an order suspending her temporarily. A case against her is also under trial in court.