United News of Bangladesh

Home Affairs Adviser Lt Gen (retd) Jahangir Alam Chowdhury on Monday said the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) must maintain a strategic relation with neighbouring countries while performing duty along the borders. The instructions came while he was addressing the BGB’s annual day programme at Shaheed Shakil Ahmed Hall in Pilkhana in the morning. The Adviser warned that strict action would be taken against smugglers and drug traffickers, instructing officials to strengthen vigilance in sensitive areas. He also said any official or personnel found collaborating with criminals would face legal action. 14 platoons of BGB deployed in Dhaka, adjoining districts He instructed BGB members to take all necessary preparations and training to ensure a smooth, peaceful and festive national election. Jahangir Alam said the role of the paramilitary force would be crucial in maintaining law and order. “The election is approaching. To make it smooth, peaceful and festive, all necessary preparations and training must be undertaken. This is a major responsibility, and I believe you will fulfill it and offer the nation a credible election,” he said. He further urged close coordination with district administrations to prevent smuggling and ensure that border criminals are brought to justice.

Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) members seized 2.15 kg of gunpowder and materials used to make crude bombs from an abandoned mango orchard in Chapainawabganj’s Shibganj upazila on Sunday night. A team from the Chapainawabganj RAB camp conducted a drive based on secret information and recovered 2.15 kg of gunpowder from a polythene bag. Another polythene bag contained bomb-making materials, including glass powder, broken blades, iron wires, three rolls of red tape and three containers of jorda, according to a press release issued by RAB-5’s Chapainawabganj camp on Monday morning. No one was arrested in connection with the recovery, the press release said. The seized gunpowder and bomb-making materials have been handed over to Shibganj Police Station for further legal action.

Home Affairs Adviser Lt Gen (retd) Md Jahangir Alam Chowdhury said on Sunday that the trial of Sharif Osman Bin Hadi’s murder would be completed during the tenure of the current interim government. “I want to assure you that the trial of Hadi’s murder will be completed during the term of the current interim government, InshaAllah,” he told the media after a meeting of the Core Committee on Law and Order at the Secretariat. The adviser said the interim government is determined to ensure justice in the murder of Hadi, a frontline fighter of the July uprising. “As you know, the police, BGB, RAB and other intelligence agencies are working intensively and in a coordinated manner to uncover the real facts.” Jahangir Alam said significant progress has already been made in the investigation. “For the sake of the investigation and to identify the real criminals and their associates, not everything can be disclosed at this moment. I am sharing only what can be made public without hampering the investigation.” He said 11 people have been arrested in connection with the case so far and six of whom have given confessional statements under Section 164, while four witnesses have also recorded their statements under the same section. Law enforcement agencies have recovered two foreign pistols, 52 rounds of bullets, magazines and knives used in the murder, along with the motorcycle and fake number plate used in the crime, bullet shells, video and CCTV footage, and other evidence from the crime scene. Signed cheques worth a total of Tk 218 crore from around 53 accounts have also been seized, he said. The adviser said law enforcement agencies are continuing efforts to identify those behind the murder. “The investigation is now at its final stage, he said, expressing hope that a charge sheet would be submitted within the next 10 days, by January 7. Requesting patience from all concerned, he said the main mystery behind the murder and the full list of those involved would be revealed soon. He added that a decision has already been taken to transfer the case to a Speedy Trial Tribunal, and authorities are making their utmost efforts to ensure justice in the heinous murder. The adviser also warned that fascist allies, miscreants and terrorists are attempting to disrupt the process. He urged everyone not to do anything that may strengthen our enemies or hinder the trial process of Hadi’s murder. Osman Hadi, also a prospective candidate for the Dhaka-8 constituency, was shot in the head on December 12 while travelling in a rickshaw on Culvert Road in Puratan Paltan. Later, he was airlifted to Singapore for advanced treatment, where he succumbed to his injuries on the night of December 18.

Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus, also chairman of the National Cyber Security Council, on Sunday said the government needs to strengthen its technological capacity ahead of the national election and take strict action against all forms of cybercrime. The Chief Adviser directed the National Cyber Security Agency to ensure robust cyber security ahead of the upcoming parliamentary election and referendum. The directive came at a meeting of the National Cyber Security Council held at the State Guest house Jamuna with the Chief Adviser in the chair. He said the government is working to bring all citizen services on online platforms and many services are already being delivered digitally at home and abroad. To ensure these services remain secure and uninterrupted, the Chief Adviser said, strengthening cyber security is essential. Professor Yunus instructed the authorities concerned to give special priority to sectors providing citizen services. “Institutions including the Cyber Security Agency that adopt cyber security measures must regularly update their software and hardware, while the personnel involved must also be made more skilled.” Institutions and related personnel should be brought under a rating system so that proper evaluation of cyber security and overall performance becomes easier, he said. Prof Yunus directed the National Cyber Security Agency to play an effective role alongside the judiciary to ensure that no one involved in crimes in the financial sector goes unpunished. At the meeting, Chief Adviser’s Special Assistant for the Ministry of Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology Faiz Ahmad Taiyeb i said 35 institutions have already been listed as Critical Information Infrastructure and suggested including more institutions in the list. He stressed the importance of coordination between the National Cyber Security Agency and the BTRC to prevent rumours, misinformation, disinformation and other cybercrimes surrounding the upcoming election. Bangladesh Bank Governor Ahsan H Mansur said various measures have already been taken to further strengthen cyber security in the banking sector and more initiatives are in the pipeline. He also praised the initiative to form sectoral Computer Emergency Response Teams. Member Secretary of the National Cyber Security Council and Director General of the National Cyber Security Agency Dr Md Tayebur Rahman presented the agency’s activities and future action plans through a PowerPoint presentation. He also detailed the ‘Cyber Incident Reporting and Response System’ designed for receiving complaints of cybercrimes and processing them. Others present at the meeting included Law Adviser Dr Asif Nazrul, ICT Secretary Shish Haider Chowdhury, Inspector General of Police Baharul Alam and National Board of Revenue Chairman Md Abdur Rahman Khan. Following the promulgation of the Cyber Security Ordinance 2025 on May 21, the National Cyber Security Council was formed on August 26 to ensure cyber security for state institutions and citizens under the amended ordinance.

Indian police have arrested two people in Meghalaya for receiving prime suspect Faisla Karim Masud and his accomplice in the sensational murder of Sharif Osman bin Hadi from the Bangladesh border area of the state. The arrestees were identified as Putti and Sami. “Through informal communication with Meghalaya Police, we learned that Putti and Sami have already been arrested,” SN Md Nazrul Islam, additional commissioner (crime and operations) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP), disclosed this at a press briefing at the DMP Media Centre on Sunday. In Haluaghat of Mymensingh district, the accused identified as Philip and Sanjay received Faisal and Alamgir and helped them cross into India’s Meghalaya state. They were later handed over to Putti, who passed them to taxi driver Sami, who took them to Tura town, he said, adding that they unearthed how and who helped the accused flee to India. Law enforcement agencies, including DMP, Detective Branch (DB), Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime Unit (CTTC), Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) began working jointly to identify and arrest those involved following the ‘heinous’ incident, Nazrul said. Using information from witnesses present at the scene, CCTV footage analysis, open-source intelligence and information technology, police identified the shooter as Faisal, alias Rahul, and his accomplice, motorcycle rider Md Alamgir Sheikh, on the day of the incident. Hadi Murder: Charge sheet likely within 10 days The law enforcers immediately conducted raids in Savar, Hemayetpur, Agargaon and Narsingdi to arrest the suspects. As part of the continued operation, a DMP team pursued the suspects up to the border areas of Haluaghat in Mymensingh. Nazrul said efforts are ongoing to bring all those involved to justice. The case has already been handed over to the DMP DB for intensive investigation. The charge sheet of the case will be submitted within the next seven to eight. “So far, we have arrested 11 people, including the two main masterminds involved in planning the incident, those who helped hide the weapons used, and individuals who assisted the accused in fleeing,” he said. The arrestees include Humayun Kabir, father of Faisal; Hasi Begum, his mother; Shahida Parvin Samia, his wife; Wahid Ahmed Shipu, his brother-in-law; Maria Akter Lima, his friend; Mohammad Kabir Nuruzzaman Nomaniya alias Ujjwal; Sibion Dio Sanjay Chisi; Md Aminul Islam Raju; and Abdul Mannan. Meanwhile, six of the arrestees have made confessional statements before the court, he said. Police recovered two foreign-made pistols used in the killing, 52 rounds of ammunition, magazines, the motorcycle used in the crime along with a fake number plate, the autorickshaw that was carrying Hadi at the time of the incident, spent bullet casings, CCTV footage and other evidence. Besides, he said, investigators also seized signed cheques worth Tk 218 crore linked to 53 bank accounts. Charge sheet in Hadi murder case by Jan 7: DMP chief According to the investigation, Faisal and Alamgir fled Dhaka immediately after the incident, first travelling by CNG-run autorickshaw to Aminbazar, then to Kalampur in Manikganj, before reaching Haluaghat by private car as per a pre-planned route. Nazrul said the killing was premeditated, enabling the suspects to cross the border before they could be intercepted. On December 12, assailants shot Hadi in the head during an election campaign event. After receiving initial treatment at Dhaka Medical College Hospital and Evercare Hospital, he was airlifted to Singapore for advanced medical care on December 15. Hadi died there on December 18 at around 9:45 pm (local time). The following day, his body was brought back from Singapore and his namaz-e-janaza was held at the South Plaza of Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban, with thousands of people in attendance. A case has been filed with Paltan Police Station in connection with the killing.

Police expect to submit a charge sheet within the next seven to ten days in the murder case of Sharif Osman Hadi, spokesperson of Inqilab Moncho. “We will be able to submit the charge sheet within the next seven to ten days, Insha’Allah,” said Additional Commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) SN Nazrul Islam at a press briefing at the DMP Media Centre on Sunday morning. Nazrul Islam said the government has already announced that the case will be tried under the Speedy Trial Tribunal. “We are working towards that goal, and maximum efforts from both the state and law enforcement agencies are underway to ensure justice for this heinous incident,” he added. On December 12, assailants shot Hadi in the head during an election campaign event in the capital’s Purana Paltan area. After receiving initial treatment at Dhaka Medical College Hospital and Evercare Hospital, he was flown to Singapore for advanced medical care on December 15. Protests continue over justice for Hadi Hadi died there on December 18 at around 9:45 pm (local time). A case has been filed with Paltan Police Station in connection with the killing. Meanwhile, police have arrested the parents of Faisal, the prime suspect and identified shooter. However, Faisal and one of his accomplices remain at large and are believed to have fled to India.

The charge sheet in the murder case of Sharif Osman bin Hadi, spokesperson of Inqilab Moncho, will be submitted by January 7, said Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner Md Sajjat Ali on Saturday night. “We have already arrested 10 suspects involved in the Hadi murder and are working to arrest others who were behind the killing,” he said while addressing protesters at Shahbagh in the capital. The DMP chief also said police have made significant progress in the investigation but declined to disclose details in the interest of the ongoing probe. Protests demanding justice for Sharif Osman bin Hadi continued for the second consecutive day at Shahbagh in the capital on Saturday. Protesters, including women and children, joined the demonstration and chanted various slogans. Similar protest rallies were also held in different parts of the country, including the New Market area in Chattogram. Osman Hadi, who was also a prospective candidate for the Dhaka-8 constituency, was shot in the head on December 12 while travelling in a rickshaw on Culvert Road in Purana Paltan. He was later airlifted to Singapore for advanced treatment, where he succumbed to his injuries on the night of December 18.

Members of the Bangladesh Navy detained 11 people for attempting to smuggle diesel and cement to Myanmar through the Saint Martin’s area on Friday. Acting on a tip-off, a Bangladesh Navy team intensified patrols in Saint Martin’s Island and adjacent areas. The team from the naval ship Shahid Mohibullah detected a suspicious fishing boat about 42 nautical miles from the Qutubdia Lighthouse. When the navy ship signalled the boat to stop, it changed course and attempted to flee. The naval team chased and eventually seized the fishing boat, identified as FB Ankita Annesha. During a search, the law enforcers recovered 1,000 litres of diesel and 650 bags of Bangladeshi Diamond Cement from the boat, according to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) on Saturday. The detainees admitted that they were transporting the diesel and cement to Myanmar for smuggling in hopes of making higher profits. Later, the detainees, along with the seized goods, were handed over to Patenga Model Police Station for further legal action.

Members of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) recovered 24 powerful electric detonators during a drive along Tahirpur border in Sunamganj district on Friday morning. A patrol team of Charagaon Border Outpost (BOP) under Sunamganj Battalion conducted the drive near the border pillar 1195/1-S at Maizhati, 30 yards off India border around 8am. During the operation, 24 electric detonators were found wrapped in polythene and tactfully concealed under tree branches. No arrests were made in connection with the recovery. Lt. Col AKM Zakaria Kadir, commandant of Sunamganj Battalion, said the recovered detonators were highly powerful and could be used to make Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs). He said BGB suspects the explosives were smuggled in from India with malicious intent to destabilise the country and carry out acts of sabotage amid the prevailing stable situation. BGB’s surveillance along the border will continue in the future to safeguard national sovereignty and ensure public safety, he added. BGB also confirmed that legal procedures are underway regarding the recovered explosives.

Members of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) have been deployed at key points, including Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka, to maintain order ahead of Tarique Rahman’s return. According to the BGB headquarters, several platoons of the paramilitary force have been assigned at the 300 Feet, where a grand reception will be accorded to Tarique Rahman, and Gulshan where he will stay. Dog squad of the BGB has been deployed at the VIP terminal of the Shahjalal Airport in Dhaka. Tarique Rahman is expected to leave the airport via the terminal. Meanwhile, BNP senior leader Salahuddin Ahmed, Gayeshwar Chandra Roy and others arrived at Dhaka airport to welcome Tarique Rahman. Moreover, the 300 Feet area has now turned into a human sea as the party fellows from the parts of the country have thronged at the venue.