United News of Bangladesh

The Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) captured Bunia Sohel, reportedly the leading drug dealer and armed gang leader responsible for a surge in violent crime within the Mohammadpur Geneva camp, and 11 of his associates during a raid in Sylhet on Thursday, according to police sources. Acting on intelligence, a joint team from RAB-2 and RAB-9 launched coordinated operations across Sylhet’s Kotwali area, leading to the arrests, said Shihab Karim, Senior Assistant Superintendent of Police (Media), on Friday. Geneva Camp clash: Boy succumbs to bullet injuries The arrestees include Amir Hossain Hira, 30; Jamal Hossain, 29; Shahinur Begum, 32; Anwar Hossain, 27; Md Mithun, 24; Sahil, 38; Nayem, 24; Md Azim, 37; Nur Begum, 30; Bhanu Begum, 31; and Saqib Hasan, 20. Operating from the densely populated Geneva camp area in Mohammadpur, Sohel’s group allegedly splintered into factions to control various criminal activities across Dhaka, engaging in murder, market extortion, robbery, kidnapping, and drug trafficking. Their influence extended beyond Mohammadpur, where they reportedly commanded several teen gangs to enforce gang orders and conduct operations in neighboring areas. Hotel worker killed in clash between two groups at Mohammadpur Geneva Camp Bunia Sohel has been implicated in 18 criminal cases, ranging from murder and illegal arms possession to drug-related offenses, across multiple police stations in Dhaka. Legal proceedings are now underway for Sohel and his associates, the police confirmed.    

The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) filed a case against three people including Lalmonirhat district unit of Awami League Joint General Secretary Sakhawat Hossain Suman Khan and his wife Nahida Aktar Ruma for allegedly laundering money and amassing wealth illegally. Abdul Hay Sarkar, assistant superintendent of police (CID) in the district, filed the case with Sadar police station on Thursday night. There are allegations of land grabbing, hundi business, smuggling, tender manipulation and others against the AL leader, locally known as Hundi Suman, he said. The CID has long been investigating him on the hundi business, money laundering, amassment of illegal wealth, gold smuggling, the CID officer said. According to the case disposition, Suman Khan has over Tk 237.59 crore in his bank accounts, his wife Nahida owns over Tk 4.39 crore and his staff Harun holds over Tk 186.95 crore in their bank accounts. Despite having no legal sources of income, the three transacted the huge amounts of money through banking channels and other means. Based on these allegations, the case was filed against them under Section 4(2) of the Money Laundering Act of 2015. CID official Abdul Hay confirmed that they will conduct the investigation according to regulations, and efforts are underway to apprehend the accused.

Detectives of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) arrested former Housing and Public Works Minister RAM Obaidul Muktadir Chowdhury from Mirpur area, said police on Friday morning. The arrest was made on Thursday night, said Reazul Karim Mallik, additional police commissioner (intelligence) of the DMP. The former minister is an accused in several murder cases and he will be produced before a Dhaka court with a prayer for remand, he informed. Muktadir was elected four times from Brahmanbaria-3 seat as an Awami League candidate. He joined Bangladesh Civil Service as an admin cadre in 1983 and worked as personal assistant secretary of the then opposition leader Sheikh Hasina in 1986. 

Forest bandits have abducted five fishermen from coastal Khalkhali canal in the Sundarbans at gunpoint, demanding ransom. The incident occurred on Thursday afternoon. Though three out the five fishermen got freed after paying the ransom as per demand, two are yet to be released. Those still abducted are Mofijur Rahman, 33, and Mrinal Sardar, 3. They are residents of Satkhira’s Shyamnagar and Khulna’s Koyra upazilas respectively. The fishermen who paid ransom are Joydeb, Mukul and Rezaul, all from separate villages of Shyamnagar Abdur Rahim, a fisherman who escaped from the Sundarbans, said that they went to catch crabs two days back. At night on Wednesday and Thursday morning, they were held captive by four armed men near Khalkhali and Chhunkuri rivers, he said. After receiving Tk 10, 000 for each as ransom, the bandits released three fishermen, he said. Another fisherman Abul Basar said the kidnappers had two single-barreled guns and used sticks to beat the fishermen immediately after their capture. Hasanur Rahman, Assistant Forest Conservator of Satkhira range, said that no formal complaints have been made regarding the kidnapping or ransom incidents, but he confirmed they learned about it through media reports. Shyamnagar Police Station’s Inspector (investigation) Fakir Taijur Rahman informed that no written complaints have been filed by the families of the kidnapped fishermen thus far.

Three police personnel including a Sub-Inspector (SI) were withdrawn from Chuadanga’s Jibannagar police station for alleged negligence in duty after an alleged drug peddler escaped from their custody. The escape occurred early Thursday. Moreover, the policemen were attached to the district police lines, authorities said. A three-member probe body led by Assistant Superintendent of Police (Damurhuda circle) Jakia Sultana has been formed in this connection. Those withdrawn are SI Pabitra Mandal, constables Solaiman Khan and Mita Khatun. Additional Superintendent of Police Mohammad Riazul Islam confirmed the matter on Thursday night, saying that a departmental investigation is ongoing against them. Another case under Penal Code was filed against the accused drug peddler Monwara Begum, now shown as absconding. A drive is on to arrest her, he said. The woman, who was arrested allegedly with 84 bottles of the banned cough syrup phensedyl by Border Guard Bangladesh, escaped from the police station early Thursday morning on plea of going to the washroom. After the arrest, the 30-year old accused was taken to the Women and Children Desk at the Jibannagar police station.

Since August 9, 2024, the Industrial Security Task Force, led by the Bangladesh Army, has made notable strides in maintaining law and order and promoting a stable, production-focused environment in the country’s industrial areas. The task force has conducted a total of 136 rescue operations in key industrial zones, including 97 in Savar-Ashulia, 33 in Gazipur, and 6 in Narayanganj. These operations have successfully safeguarded factory owners, workers, and management board members from potential harm by miscreants, according to a press release from the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Directorate of the Bangladesh Armed Forces on Thursday. Additionally, the task force has apprehended 335 individuals involved in sabotage activities and handed them over to the police, it said. Efforts to restore and maintain traffic flow have led to the removal of 123 roadblocks on highways in relation to various demands, ensuring the smooth passage of vehicles. As a result of 723 discussions facilitated by the task force with factory owners and workers, acts of vandalism or arson were successfully prevented in 56 factories. Moreover, the task force has taken steps to ensure that outstanding wages are paid to workers, organised separate meetings with stakeholders from the business community, and coordinated with policy-makers from business associations. Regular awareness-raising initiatives, including public announcements in residential areas, have also been implemented to promote understanding among workers, the release said. On October 20, 2024, the task force’s activities received high-level recognition. The Interim Government’s Special Assistant for Defence and National Solidarity Development, Lt Gen (retd) Abdul Hafiz, alongside the Chief Adviser’s Special Envoy for International Affairs, Lutfey Siddiqui, visited the Industrial Security Task Force at the Savar Cantonment. During their visit, they observed the production operations of several factories on-site. The delegation praised the army and all involved for fostering a robust production environment within the industrial sector, the release said.

Members of Bangladesh Army and Bangladesh police and army personnel in a joint operation, arrested 13 individuals attempting to break into a house in Dhaka’s Dhanmondi late on Wednesday night with the intent to commit robbery. The arrests were made around 11 pn on Wednesday at house No. 13 on Road 13/A in Dhanmondi, Dhanmondi Police Station confirmed the matter on Thursday. The arrestees are Mohammad Hasibul Hasan (33), Mohammad Golam Morshed (32), Mahmudul Hasan Shimul (20), Abu Saleh Hiron (26), Rubel Howlader (27), Azizul Islam (21), Mahfuzur Rahman (26), Mostafizur Rahman (26), Yasin Arafat (20), Mohammad Ibrahim (19), Jihad Hossain (19), Abdullah Al Mamun (16), and Sheikh Shahriar Ahmed (16). During the operation, five iron rods and five bamboo sticks were seized from their possession. According to the Dhanmondi police, the arrestees, along with four to five accomplices, created a chaotic situation around 10:15 pm while attempting to enter the residence to steal money, jewellery, and other valuables. Upon entering the premises, they assaulted the security guards and attempted to steal their mobile phones. The arrestees also vandalised several CCTV cameras and rang doorbells in various flats, trying to force their way in. Upon receiving the alert, a team from the Dhanmondi-32 police outpost went to the scene, collaborating with nearby security guards and pedestrians to trap the suspects inside the house.Subsequently, a night patrol team from Dhanmondi police and an army patrol arrived, resulting in the arrests. Later, a case was filed by the house owner at Dhanmondi police station regarding the incident, and efforts are underway to arrest the remaining suspects.

Serniabat Moinuddin Abdullah, son of former chief whip Abul Hasanat Abdullah, has been sent to jail after a five-day remand in the case over Jubo Dal leader Shamim murder. Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Mohammad Ziadur Rahman denied Moin’s bail appeal and sent him to jail on Thursday. The investigating officer of the case, Sub-Inspector Tanmoy Kumar Biswas from the Paltan Model Police Station, had sought to keep him in custody during the proceedings. During the hearing, Moin’s lawyers argued for his bail, but their request was met with opposition from the state. After evaluating both sides, the court ruled against the bail application and sent him to jail. Former chief whip Hasnat Abdullah’s son Moin Abdullah held Moin was arrested on October 26 from Gulshan-2 in the capital. The same day, the court approved his five-day remand for further investigation.

The Appellate Division on Thursday upheld the Commerce Ministry’s order for appointing an administrator for Hajj Agency Association of Bangladesh (HAAB) after dissolving its executive committee on October 15. A four member bench led by Chief Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed passed the order after staying the ‘status-quo’ issued by the High Court in this regard earlier. Senir lawyer Ruhul Quddus Kazal, Dr Shahdeen Malik and other stood for the writ petition, lawyers Jainul Abedin, Barrister Mahbub Uddin Khokan, Barrister Kaiser Kamal and others represented the HAAB while Attorney General Md Asaduzzaman and his associates represented the state. Lawyer Ruhul Quddus said the court upheld the ministry’s order to appoint a joint commissioner as administrator for the HAAB. Following the order, the HAAB now won’t be able to hold its annual general meeting (AGM) and perform its duty. On October 15, the ministry ordered the administrator to hold a fair election within 120 days and hand over the duty to the HAAB. The ministry took the decision upon an anti-discrimination HAAB forum submitted an appeal to dismantle the committee. On October 16, the HAAB held a press conference protesting the ministry order and subsequently submitted a writ petition with the HC seeking a stay order. The HC stayed the ministry order after hearing the petition last week. Against the order, the anti-discrimination again submitted a petition with the Appellate Division while the HAAB announced to hold the AGM on Tuesday. Protesting the announcement of the AGM, the anti-discrimination forum submitted a complementary appeal to the Chamber Court. After hearing the appeal on October 28, the Chamber Court postponed the AGM and sent the appeal to the regular bench of the court for hearing.

Police arrested two youths in a sedition case filed for hoisting saffron flag of hardliner Hindu group above Bangladesh’s national flag atop Independent Monument in Chattogram’s New Market area last week. The arrestees are Rajesh Chowdhury, 18, and Hridoy Dash, 25. Kazi Md Tarek Aziz, additional deputy commissioner (media) of Chattogram Metropolitan Police (CMP), confirmed the matter saying that the two were arrested from Sadarghat area on Wednesday night. Also on Wednesday night, one Firoz Khan, a resident from Mohora area under Chandgaon police station, lodged the case naming 19 people including ISKAN’s Chattogram chapter organising Secretary Chanddan Kumar Dhar alias Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari with Kotwali police station. Moreover, some 15 to 20 people were unnamed in the case. According to the case deposition, the Hindu community held a rally at historic Laldighi Maidan on October 25. During the rally, some unidentified people hanged the ochre flag atop of Independent Monument, triggering huge criticism online and offline over the matter. According to Bangladesh Flag Rules-1972, no other flag or coloured flag can be hoisted atop the national flag. But breaching the rule, the saffron  flag was hoisted above the national flag.