United News of Bangladesh

A Dhaka court on Tuesday sentenced three persons to death and six others including a former Union Parishad chairman, to life imprisonment for killing a village doctor in 2019. Judge of the Dhaka Speedy Trial Tribunl-1 Rahibul Islam handed down the punishment. The condemned convicts are—Babul Sardar, Tekon Sardar and Gaziar Sardar of Goalanda upazila in Rajbari district. Over 40 lakh pending cases: Govt moves to fast-track lower court cases Those who get life imprisonment are-former chairman of Debgram Union Parishad Ator Ali, Raihan Sardar, Habibur Rahman alias Hobi Sardar, Helal Khan, Zillur Rahman and Zia Mandal. Except Zillur and Zia Mandal, seven convicts were tried in absentia and the court issued arrest warrant for them. According to the prosecution, Babul Sardar, a Jubo League leader and son of former chairman Ator Ali had an altercation with former chairman of Debgram Union Parishad Hafizul Islam Babul Sardar during Awami League council in Goalanda upazila on October 14, 2019. In a row, the supporters of Bubul sardar led by Ator Ali took position at Ali Bazar intersection point and beat the supporters of Hafizul Chairman while passing through the road. Rezaul Karim alias Abu doctor also beat up mercilessly by the supporters of Babul Sardar while passing through the road, leaving him injured. Later, he was taken to a local hospital from where he was referred to Faridpur Medical College and Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries. A case was filed in this connection. Police submitted chargesheet against 22 people on October 5, 2022. After examining records and witnesses, the court acquitted 12 others as allegations brought against them could not be proved.

Detectives have arrested five members of an inter-district robbery gang along with illegal firearms, ammunition, gunpowder, crude bombs and motorcycles in a special drive in Jatrabari area of the capital. The arrestees are Md Liton Jabbar ,52, Ismail Hossain Mamun,55, Md Babul Babu 45, Ayub Bhuiyan,30 and Md Roman,35. They were arrested on Monday from Dayaganj to Jatrabari Shahid Faruk Road area under Jatrabari Police Station. According to DB police, tipped off, a team conducted a drive after learning that members of the inter-district robbery gang were gathering in front of Modern Bikalpo Wooden Furniture shop in the area for committing a robbery. During the operation, police arrested them and recovered two pistols, two magazines, seven rounds of bullet, 2.2 kg of explosives, one machete and two motorcycles from their possession, said Dhaka Metropolitan Police Deputy Commissioner (Media and Public Relations) NM Nasiruddin. During preliminary interrogation, the arrestees reportedly confessed that they had long been collecting firearms, gunpowder and bomb-making materials from the border area of Jashore and preparing crude bombs. They later supplied these to different criminal groups in Dhaka and used them to create panic and carry out robberies. Nasiruddin said two separate cases have been filed with Jatrabari Police Station in this connection. Legal proceedings against the arrestees are under way.    

The High Court on Monday deferred until May 14 the delivery of its order on bail petitions filed by Chinmoy Krishna Das, suspended ISKCON leader and spokesperson for the Bangladesh Sammilito Sanatani Jagran Jote, in four cases. The HC bench of Justice KM Zahid Sarwar and Justice Sheikh Abu Taher postponed the ruling after Additional Attorney General Aneek R Haque sought time to submit additional documents related to the cases. Earlier on Sunday, the same bench rejected Chinmoy’s bail petition in a case filed with Chattogram Kotwali Police Station over the killing of lawyer Saiful Islam Alif. Alif was beaten and hacked to death during clashes that erupted near the court building in Chattogram on November 26, 2024 following the denial of bail to Chinmoy, who arrested from Dhaka the previous day, in a sedition case. Following the murder, Alif’s father Jamal Uddin filed a murder case naming 31 people. In May last year, Chinmoy was shown arrested in four additional cases. On October 25, 2024, a large gathering of the Sanatani community was held in Chattogram under the leadership of Chinmoy. On October 31, a sedition case was filed against 19 people, including Chinmoy, on charge of belittling the national flag. On November 22 of the year, another large rally was held in Rangpur under the leadership of Chinmoy.

Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed on Sunday said a specialised cyber police unit will be formed to combat cybercrimes, online rumours and misinformation amid changing crime patterns in the digital age.   He made the announcement while addressing senior police officials at a programme marking Police Week 2026 at the Shapla Hall of the Prime Minister’s Office in Tejgaon.   The minister said the government would maintain a strict ‘zero tolerance’ policy against corruption within the police force and would not compromise on discipline and the chain of command.   Highlighting the government’s modernisation plans for the police, the minister said two new police training academies would be established at Jungle Salimpur in Chattogram to enhance professionalism.   “One academy will be for the elite force and the other for the general force,” he said, adding that a separate law would be enacted to ensure transparency and accountability in the operations of elite forces.   He also said steps would be taken to modernise and enhance the capacity of central and divisional police hospitals.   A full-fledged Police Sports Complex would also be constructed subject to land availability, he said.   Calling for greater transparency in operational activities, the minister instructed police authorities to expand the use of body-worn cameras.   “Police are being trained to follow the minimum use of force policy in line with United Nations standards. Law enforcers must be strategic in tackling crimes, but human rights must not be violated under any circumstances,” he said.   The minister also directed police officials to ensure quick delivery of public services including police clearance certificates and online general diary (GD) services.   He stressed enhancing the capacity of Tourist Police to strengthen the image of the country’s tourism sector.   Referring to the government’s electoral pledges, Salahuddin said stable law and order is a prerequisite for implementing the 31-point election manifesto.   “Every police station must be transformed into a centre of public service under the motto ‘Police are the people and  people are the police,’” he said.   He also emphasised preventive policing to stop crimes before they occur in line with modern policing doctrines.   Senior police officials, including additional IGPs, DIGs, additional DIGs and police superintendents, attended the meeting where future plans for police modernisation were discussed in light of the prime minister’s directives.   END/UNB/MJ-MAS/FH/1657 Hrs    

The High Court on Monday granted bail to journalist couple Shakil Ahmed and Farzana Rupa in 11 cases out of 13 including a murder case related to the July Uprising in 2024. The HC bench of Justice KM Zahid Sarwar and Justice Sheikh Abu Taher passed the order. Of the 11 cases, Farzana Rupa was granted bail in six cases while Shakil Ahmed secured bail in five. The court issued a rule in one remaining case against each of them, meaning they will not be released immediately as bail has not been granted in all cases, said their lawyer. Barrister Jyotirmoy Barua appeared for the petitioners while Additional Attorney General Anik R Haque represented the state. Shakil Ahmed had served as head of news at Ekattor Television  while Farzana Rupa was its chief reporter. They were removed from their posts on August 8, 2024, following the fall of the Awami League government. The couple was arrested at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport on August 21, 2024, while attempting to travel to Paris on a Turkish Airlines flight.

A court in Brahmanbaria on Sunday sentenced two individuals identifying themselves as journalists to five years’ imprisonment in an extortion case. The convicts are SM Ali Azam and Ashiqur Rahman Roni. Judge Masud Parvez of the Brahmanbaria Additional District and Sessions Judge Court-2 delivered the verdict in the afternoon. The accused were present in the courtroom during the announcement and were later sent to jail. According to the case statement, SM Ali Azam and Ashiqur Rahman Roni visited Sharifpur East Government Primary School in Ashuganj upazila on September 14, 2021, introducing themselves as journalists. They reportedly sought access to various bills, vouchers and official documents of the school. When the headmaster informed them that relevant authorities handle such records, they allegedly became angry and threatened to publish false reports against the teachers unless Tk 20,000 was paid as extortion. They also misbehaved with staff members. At one stage, local residents and teachers detained SM Ali Azam, while Roni fled the scene on a motorcycle. Later, the detained suspect was handed over to police on instructions from the Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO). Following the incident, headmaster Md Habibur Rahman filed a case with Ashuganj Police Station under sections 419, 385 and 506 of the Penal Code. Police later submitted a charge sheet after investigation. After hearing witnesses and arguments, the court handed down the verdict. Plaintiff’s lawyer Syed Tafsir Ahmed Tanvir said the convicts had been involved in extortion at different institutions using the identity of journalists, and the verdict was delivered based on evidence. Ashuganj Press Club President Selim Parvez said journalism is a responsible profession and those convicted were not mainstream journalists, adding that they misused press identity cards and social media pages to deceive people.  

The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court on Sunday upheld the bail granted by the High Court to former Narayanganj City Corporation (NCC) Mayor Selina Hayat Ivy in 10 cases, paving the way for her release. The Appellate Division bench, headed by Chief Justice Zubayer Rahman Chowdhury, passed the order rejecting separate appeals filed by the state against the HC bail. With the apex court order, there is no legal bar to the release of Ivy, said her lawyer Motahar Hossain Saju. The High Court granted bail to Ivy in five of the cases on February 26 this year following separate bail petitions. The state filed petitions with the Appellate Division seeking stay on the High Court orders of bail. Following state’s petitions, the chamber judge of the Appellate Division on March 5 this year stayed the High Court orders and sent those petitions to the full bench for hearings. Of the cases, four are murder cases filed at Fatullah Police Station over the killings of bus driver Abul Hossain Mizi, Abdur Rahman, Md Yasin and Parvez during the July uprising. Another case was filed at Narayanganj Sadar Model Police Station on charges of assault and obstructing public servants. The former NCC mayor was shown arrested in the five cases on November 9 last year, when she secured HC bail in five additional cases. The state moved the Appellate Division against the HC orders when the chamber judge on November 12 stayed the bail and sent the matter to the regular bench for hearing. Meanwhile, the High Cour on April 30 granted bail to the former NCC mayor in two other murder cases linked to the July uprising. The HC bench of Justice KM Zahid Sarwar and Justice Sheikh Abu Taher passed the order after hearing separate bail petitions. The cases were filed at Siddhirganj Police Station in Narayanganj on charges of killing Selim Mondal and Abdus Salam during the July 2024 uprising. Ivy was shown arrested in the cases on March 2 and April 12 this year. She was picked up in the early hours of May 9 last year from her residence ‘Chunka Kutir’ in Narayanganj city’s Deobhog area and later shown arrested in multiple cases.

A murder case has been filed over the killing of five members of the same family, including a woman and her three daughters, in Kapasia upazila of Gazipur. Md Shahadat Molla, father of deceased Sharmin Khanom, filed the case with Kapasia Police Station on Saturday night, said Officer-in-Charge (OC) Shahinur Alam. Forkan Mia was named as the prime accused in the case along with three to four unidentified individuals. Inside the Gazipur family killings: What we know so far The victims were identified as Sharmin Khanom, 40, her daughters Meem, 16, Maria, 8, and Faria, 2, and Sharmin’s brother Rasul, 22. Police recovered their bodies from a rented house in Rautkona village on Saturday morning. Meanwhile, post-mortem examinations of the five bodies were conducted at Shaheed Tajuddin Ahmad Medical College Hospital morgue. After the autopsies were completed on Saturday night, the bodies were handed over to relatives for burial, police said. Investigators suspect the killings were premeditated, and multiple law enforcement agencies, including DB, CID and PBI, are continuing efforts to arrest the main accused and uncover the motive behind the murders.

The heinous killing of five members of a family inside a rented house in Kapasia upazila of Gazipur has sent shockwaves through the area, with investigators suspecting that the murders were carefully planned long before it took place. Police say the prime suspect, Forkan Mia, a private car driver, allegedly fled after slaughtering his wife, three daughters and brother-in-law, leaving behind five identical typed “notes” beside the bodies. The victims were identified as Forkan’s wife Sharmin Khanom, 40; daughters Meem, 16, Maria, 8, and Faria, 2; and Sharmin’s younger brother Rasul, 22. Their bodies were recovered from a rented house in Rautkona village on Saturday morning. Investigators suspect the killings may have been driven by long-standing family disputes, allegations of an extramarital relationship, and financial conflicts involving Tk 10 lakh, though police say all claims are still being verified. A silent house, a horrifying discovery According to police and local residents, relatives rushed to the house after receiving a phone call from Forkan early Saturday informing them about the deaths. When they entered the residence, they found the bodies lying inside with deep throat injuries. The house, owned by expatriate Monir Hossain, had been rented by Forkan around five months ago after he moved from Tongi with his family. Neighbours told investigators the family kept largely to themselves and had little interaction with local residents. Police officials believe the isolated location may have been chosen deliberately. Typed accusations left beside bodies One of the most startling discoveries at the scene was five identical typed documents resembling formal complaint letters addressed to the Officer-in-Charge of Gopalganj Sadar Police Station. According to investigators, the documents contained allegations against Sharmin and several of her relatives. The papers claimed that Sharmin was involved in an extramarital relationship with a cousin and that members of her family had embezzled around Tk 10 lakh earned by Forkan and used the money to purchase land. The documents also alleged that Forkan had been tied up and assaulted on May 5 after confronting his wife over the alleged affair. Police officials said they are trying to determine whether any such complaint had actually been filed with the police station mentioned in the documents. Investigators stressed that the allegations remain unverified. Signs of premeditation Crime scene investigators recovered liquor bottles, machetes and other materials from the house, leading police to suspect the victims may have been drugged before the killings. Officials involved in the investigation said the murders appeared highly planned. “Several important pieces of evidence have been collected from the scene. After the killings, Forkan allegedly switched off his mobile phone and disappeared. Police suspect he fled using the private vehicle he used for work. Multiple agencies join investigation Additional Superintendent of Police (Kaliganj Circle) Md Asaduzzaman said the bodies were sent to Shaheed Tajuddin Ahmad Medical College Hospital morgue for autopsies. He said teams from district police, Detective Branch (DB), CID and Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) are conducting parallel investigations. “We are examining all evidence carefully and trying to arrest the accused as quickly as possible,” he said. Police also confirmed that two people are being questioned over possible links to the case, though their identities have not yet been disclosed. Shock and fear in the neighbourhood The gruesome killings have left residents of the quiet rural neighbourhood stunned. Many gathered outside the house throughout the day as police cordoned off the area and forensic teams collected evidence. Locals said they never imagined such violence could occur inside the seemingly quiet family home.

The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of police has filed a money laundering case against Unique Group Managing Director Mohd. Noor Ali and his company Borak Real Estate Pvt Ltd over alleged irregularities and fraud in the “Banani Supermarket-cum-Housing” project implemented on the land owned by Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) at Banani. The case was filed at Banani Police Station on Thursday under sections 4(2) and 4(4) of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2012, according to a press release issued on Friday. According to the CID, a preliminary investigation found evidence that the accused laundered Tk 115.58 crore by operating a hotel business in the building without proper approval. Investigators alleged that though the original agreement was for the construction of a 14-storey building, Borak Real Estate violated the contract terms and constructed a 28-storey structure without approval. A five-star hotel – Sheraton Dhaka – was later established in the building. The CID said the project completion deadline was extended several times allegedly through influence, while the company also failed to pay the dues owed to DNCC under the agreement. The investigation further found that the required no-objection certificates from the Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakka and the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh were not obtained before construction. The building’s height allegedly exceeded the approved limit, posing risks to aircraft take-off and landing operations. According to the CID, the accused illegally earned Tk 115.58 crore by operating the hotel business in the unauthorised building and later laundered the money through transfer and conversion. Officials said the amount involved could increase further after assessing the seized assets during the investigation. The agency said its investigation and operations are continuing to uncover the full details of the alleged offences and arrest those involved.