United News of Bangladesh

Police arrested a notorious mugger and drug dealer from Khilgaon area in the city on Sunday afternoon. The arrestee was identified as Mohammad Jewel (31), who was wanted by police in 13 criminal cases. The arrest took place in the Tilapara area of Khilgaon on Sunday evening. Police, acting on a tip-off, conducted the operation as part of a crackdown on muggers and drug peddlers, and outstanding warrants in the Khilgaon area. Jewel, a professional mugger and drug peddler, is listed in the Dhaka Metropolitan Police’s wanted list. He was involved in various criminal activities, including mugging and drug dealing, in Khilgaon and neighboring areas. He has been named in 13 cases, including incidents of snatching, and drug-related offenses, registered at Khilgaon, Rampura, and Kotwali police stations. One of the cases has an arrest warrant against him, said DC media of the DMP Talebur Rahman.

A Dhaka court has issued arrest warrants against star cricketer Shakib Al Hasan and Gazi Shahgir Hossain, the managing director of Shakib's agro farm, in connection with a cheque dishonour case. Dhaka Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Ziadur Rahman passed the order on Sunday after they failed to appear before the court. On December 15, Sahibur Rahman, the public relations officer of IFIC Bank, filed the case against Shakib Al Hasan and three others. The other accused are Gazi Shahgir Hossain, managing director of Shakib Al Hasan Agro Farm, and directors Imdadul Haque and Malaikar Begum. The company itself is also named in the case. BFIU seizes bank accounts of cricketer Shakib Al Hasan On December 18, the court summoned the accused to appear. On that day, Imdadul Haque and Malaikar Begum surrendered and were granted bail, but Shakib Al Hasan and Gazi Shahgir Hossain did not show up. According to the case documents, Shakib Al Hasan Agro Farm Limited took loans from the Banani branch of IFIC Bank for business purposes. The company issued two cheques for a total of approximately Tk 4.14 crore against these loans. However, both cheques were dishonoured due to insufficient funds. In response, the bank sent a legal notice via a daily newspaper, demanding repayment. Since the loan was not returned within 30 days, the bank filed the case in court.

Police have arrested a notorious mugger and drug dealer, who was wanted in six criminal cases, from Farmgate area in the city. The arrestee was identified as Mohammad Shukkur Ali, 28. A team of Tejgaon police station conducted a special operation on Saturday night and arrested Ali around 9:10 PM. Sources at the Tejgaon police station said, a coordinated operation was carried out based on a tip-off to nab snatchers, drug dealers, and other criminals with outstanding warrants. Ali was arrested from under the Farmgate foot-overbridge, a known hotspot for criminal activity in the area. Ali is a professional snatcher and a key figure in the local drug trade. He and his associates were reportedly involved in the sale of illegal drugs in the Mohammadpur and Tejgaon areas, along with surrounding neighborhoods. He is also linked to multiple snatching incidents that have occurred in these areas, DC media of the DMP Talebur Rahman said. Ali is facing 12 criminal cases, including charges of theft, snatching, robbery, and drug trafficking, across various police stations, including Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, Mohammadpur, and Hazaribagh. Six of these cases have active arrest warrants against him.

Police have arrested an alleged  professional fraudster for allegedly extorting money and threatening individuals, including police officers, by introducing himseas a former colleague of the Chief Adviser, a journalist, and political figure. The arrestee was identified as Kamal Khan alias Shah Kamal Khan (46). He was detained in Dhaka’s Matuail of Demra area in the city yesterday (on Saturday). Deputy Commissioner (DC-media) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police ( DMP) Talebur Rahman, said that Kamal called traffic police inspector GM Musa Kalimullah while he was on duty in the Ranimahal area of Demra on January 16. Claiming to be a former colleague of the Chief Adviser and a journalist, Kamal reportedly demanded Tk 10,000 as extortion. He also threatened to file complaints with higher authorities, including the IGP Complaint Cell, if his demand is not met, the DC media added. 2 men sentenced to 10 years for harassing minor, inciting suicide The inspector discussed the matter with his colleagues and came to know that Kamal had made similar extortion attempts with other police personnel under different pretenses. Subsequently, with assistance from the Demra Traffic Zone, police lured Kamal to the Matuail U-loop area yesterday (Saturday) and arrested him. A case  was filed against him with Demra Police Station by Inspector Musa Kalimullah. 3 rapist blackmailers arrested from Jatrabari Sources at the Demra police station sources said during primary interrogation, arrested Kamal confessed that he has been using false identities, including that of a journalist and an influential political figure, to defraud and extort money from various individuals, including police officers.

A Natore has court sentenced two men to 10 years of jail each for sexually harassing a minor girl and persuading her to commit suicide in Natore Sadar upazila around 20 years back. Judge of Natore Women and Children Repression and Prevention Tribunal Muhammad Abdur Rahim also fined Tk 50, 000 each convict on Sunday, said the court’s Special Public Prosecutor Abdul Kader Mia. The convicts are Kajem Ali and Atiqur Rahman who were present during the delivery of the judgment at the court. According to the case statement, the accused sexually harassed 11-year-old Rifa Khatun Sheuly when she was taking care of sheep near her house in Majdigha Sreebpur village on March 18, 2005. Being embarrassed at the incident, she committed suicide by taking pesticides upon return home from the spot, it reads. Later, the victim’s father filed a case with the relevant police station in this regard.

The Appellate Division has deferred the scheduled hearing of a review petition filed challenging the cancellation of the 13th Amendment to the Constitution, which introduced the caretaker government system, to February 9 next. A six-member bench of the court, led by Senior Justice Md Ashfaqul Islam, set the date on Sunday after accepting a petition filed by BNP seeking time. Senior lawyer advocate Zainul Abedin and Ruhul Quddus Kazal stood for the BNP in the court. Earlier, on December 1 last year, a six-member bench, led by Chief Justice Dr Syed Reefat Ahmed, set January 19 for hearing the petitions. On October 16 last, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam filed a review petition against the annulment of the caretaker government system (13th Amendment) before the Appellate Division. Earlier, another review petition was submitted to the apex court by the general secretary of Sushashoner Jonno Nagorik (Sujon) Dr Badiul Alam Majumdar. Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Secretary General Prof Miah Golam Parwar filed a petition regarding the same issue. The court later decided to hear all the petitions. Read: Jamaat files review petition to reinstate caretaker government The 13th Amendment to the constitution incorporating the caretaker government system was adopted by the parliament in 1996. Three lawyers led by M Salim Ullah filed a writ with the High Court challenging the legality of the amendment. The Appellate Division on May 10, 2011 delivered a judgment scrapping the 13th Amendment to the Constitution. After the judgment, the Jatiya Sangsad on June 30, 2011 passed the 15th amendment upholding the annulment of the caretaker system with some ratification. A gazette notification was also published in this regard on July 3 in that year. Read more: BNP wants to reinstate caretaker government system for elections: Tarique Besides, a high court division bench comprising Justice Farah Mahbub and Justice Debashish Ray Chowdhury on December 17 gave a judgment scrapping the 15th amendment mentioning that the Sections 20 and 21 of the 15th amendment are contrary to the constitution.

The Traffic Division of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) filed 1,617 cases against offenders for violating traffic laws during a special drive on various city streets. Moreover, forty-eight vehicles were dumped, and 23 others towed during the operation conducted on Saturday, said Deputy Commissioner (DC-media) of DMP Talebur Rahman on Sunday. Read: 3,251 cases filed over traffic rules violations in Dhaka The enforcement drive was carried out by all eight traffic divisions of the DMP as part of their ongoing efforts to bring back traffic discipline in the city. The DMP vowed to continue its drive against traffic rules violation to ensure road safety and bring back discipline.

An acting union parishad (UP) chairman and upazila level leader of BNP was stabbed by helmet-wearing unknown miscreant in Alamdanga upazila of Chuadanga, said police on Sunday. The attack occurred at a tea stall at Kaporpatty (Tati Shed) area of Alamdanga town around 7:45pm on Saturday. The victim was identified as Mahbubur Rahman Mahbubul, 50, acting chairman of Kumari UP and relief and rehabilitation secretary at the upazila unit of the party. Witnesses said the attacker fled the scene when locals rushed to the spot after hearing screams. The victim was rushed to Chuadanga Sadar Hospital where he was undergoing treatment. Alamdanga police station’s Officer-in-Charge (OC) Masudur Rahman Masud said they visited the spot and were trying to identify and detain the attacker. Read: BNP leader stabbed to death in Naogaon A legal process was underway in this connection, the OC said. At the hospital, injured Mahbubulsaid, “I was having tea with my union BNP president and secretary at Tati Shed area in the evening when someone wearing a helmet suddenly attacked me from behind with a sharp weapon. I don’t remember much after that.” His wife Jesmin Nahar said her husband has no known enemies and doesn't know who attacked him. Dr. Nazmus Saqib, a physician at Sadar Hospital, said Mahabul sustained sharp weapon injuries in two places on his right hand, requiring stitches. There are also injury marks on other parts of his body.

Police have arrested three members of a gang that blackmailed women by recording videos of gang rape and later threatening to spread them on social media from the capital’s Jatrabari. The arrestees were identified as Md. Masum, 25, Md. Sharif, 3 and Md. Israfil, 22. A team from the Jatrabari Police Station conducted a raid in the Falbazar area of Jatrabari with the help of technology and arrested the suspects, DC Media of DMP Talebur Rahman said on Saturday. During the raid, three mobile phones and Tk 8,650, which had been extorted from the victim through blackmail, were seized from their possession. A case has been filed at the Jatrabari Police Station under the Control of Pornography Act, including charges of rape, following one of the victims' complaints. According to the police, the arrested individuals are members of an organised gang. They trap women through various social media or apps and rape them and record the videos. Later, they threaten to spread the recorded videos on social media, including to their families, and later rape them again at different times according to their demands and extort a huge amount of money. Masum has confessed to 16 such incidents so far. The suspects have been sent to court. "The investigation into the case and operations to arrest others involved in the incident are ongoing," the police official added.

Masud Biswas, the former head of the Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU) who is now under arrest, maintained a friendly connection with influential business conglomerates and set up a ring of money laundering during his tenure as the head of the money laundering prevention agency. He helped Saiful Islam Masud of S Alam Group to get a big amount of loan from Islami Bank Bangladesh and launder that money abroad. In addition, he also helped at least 10 other groups including Thermax groups, Zinat Group, Tanaka Group, SA Group to launder money by taking illegal benefits from these businesses. Masud was appointed as the Head of BFIU on November 30, 2021. Before assuming office as the Head of BFIU, he was the Deputy Head of BFIU. The government of that time gave extension to the tenure of Masud as head of BFIU several times. Masud began his career in the Bangladesh Bank as an Assistant Director in 1988. The Executive Director of Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) Dr. Iftekharuzzaman told UNB that TIB warned the government regarding the failure of BFIU to stop money laundering several times. Despite substantial evidence of undeclared assets belonging to former land minister Saifuzzaman Chowdhury Javed and his wife, Rukhmila Zaman Chowdhury, BFIU failed to take action for an extended period, he said.