United News of Bangladesh

The Dhaka University authorities on Thursday expressed determination to ensure justice over the death of a man in a lynch-mob attack inside the university's Fazlul Haque Muslim Hall. “All quarters are being assured that the university administration is determined to ensure justice over the matter,” said a press release. “The university administration is shocked and saddened by the inhumane and unexpected incident that took place at Fazlul Haque Muslim Hall of Dhaka University on Wednesday night (18 September),” said the authority. The victim, Tofazzal, was beaten to death allegedly by a group of students of the hall suspecting him as a thief. The mob lynching sparked widespread criticism particularly on the social media. The authorities said the Dhaka University administration took necessary legal and administrative measures immediately in this regard. As soon as the Proctorial team came to know about the matter, they visited the spot and the hospital without any delay and took necessary action. “An inquiry committee was formed immediately in this regard. The committee has already started collecting evidence to submit its report in a quick time,” said the authority. The DU authorities said steps were taken for filing cases with the police station concerned and maintaining regular contact with the police administration.  

A Patuakhali court on Thursday sentenced 16 people to life term in jail in a case over the killing of a man centring union parishad election in Sadar upazila around 13 years back. District Additional Sessions Judge AKM Enamul Karim handed down the judgment, said the court’s additional public prosecutor Md Harun-Or-Rashid. The court also acquitted a man from the case as the charges brought against him were found not to be true, he said. According to the case statement, rivals killed one Md Shahidul Islam over the UP election at Mithapur village on April 4, 2011. On the following day, the victim’s father filed a murder case naming 20 people and some 15 to 20 unnamed ones at Sadar police station. After the investigation, police pressed chargesheet while the court framed the charges against 17 accused. However, the defendants’ lawyers Abul Kashem and Mukul said they would move to the High Court challenging the trial court verdict.

Jahangirnagar University has condemned the mob assault that led to the death of Shamim Ahmed, alias Shamim Molla, a former leader of the Jahangirnagar University Chhatra League. The university administration expressed deep sorrow over the incident and extended condolences to his family. They called for a swift and thorough investigation to identify and punish those responsible, said a press release issued by the university’s public relations office. Shamim, who was a student from the university’s 2009-2010 academic year, was attacked by a group of individuals around 5:50 pm. He was subsequently taken to Gonoshasthaya Hospital where he later died from his injuries. According to the university’s statement, the Proctorial team, led by Professor Dr. A. K. M. Rashidul Alam, intervened after receiving reports of the assault. They rescued Shamim and placed him in a room at the Proctor’s Office for his safety. The Ashulia Police Station was notified. Despite these efforts, attackers forcibly shifted Shamim from the Proctor’s Office and took him to the nearby Security Office. The Proctorial team and security officials attempted to protect Shamim and locked the collapsible gate of the Security Office. However, the attackers breached the gate and assaulted him again. By 8:00 pm, Shamim  was placed in a police vehicle with additional protection from the Proctorial team and security officials. At approximately 10:00 PM, police reported that Shamim  had died while receiving treatment at Gonoshasthaya Hospital. Police arrived at the scene around 7:30 pm. Initial investigations revealed that Shamim had multiple pending cases at the local police station. The university authorities have pledged to ensure that a comprehensive investigation is conducted so that those responsible for the attack face justice.

Home Affairs Adviser Lt. Gen. (retd) Mohammad Jahangir Alam Chowdhury on Thursday emphasized the need to raise public awareness about mob justice, saying citizens have no right to take the law into their own hands. “No one has the right to enforce justice outside the law. If someone commits a crime, hand him/her over to the authorities,” he said while talking to reporters after a meeting with police officers under Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) at the DMP headquarters in Ramna. His comments came hours after incidents of lynching at Dhaka University and Jahangirnagar University campuses that left two people dead.  He also instructed the law enforcers to become more public-friendly and enhance their service-oriented approach. "Police must not just appear efficient on paper. Their work and actions should prove they are truly serving the public," he said. The adviser emphasized that the police must ensure the safety of the public while avoiding harassment of innocent individuals. "No one should be arrested without a proper investigation, and law enforcement officials must always identify themselves before making an arrest." He addressed concerns about harassment though filing of cases, saying, “The majority of cases are being filed by citizens who have long-standing grievances." He added that this trend is expected to decrease over time as public frustration diminishes.

A Dhaka court on Thursday placed former law minister Anisul Huq and former prime minister’s adviser Salman F Rahman on a 5-day remand each in a case filed with Kotwali police station. Metropolitan Magistrate Md. Arifur Rahman passed the order when Sub-Inspector Md. Rashidul Hasan, also investigation officer of the case, sought a 7-day remand for them. The court rejected the bail petition of the defence lawyers. On September 13 Sub-Inspector Md. Sajib Mia of New Market Police Station  filed the case with Kotwali police station. Anisul and Salman were arrested on August 13 while allegedly trying to flee via waterways from the Sadarghat area of the capital. They were remanded for a total of 25 days in three separate phases. Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate’s Court sent them to jail showing them arrested in a new case on Wednesday morning. According to the case details, acting on intelligence information from Bangladesh Bank revealing that the accused in a murder case were illegally holding various foreign currencies near the Number 2 Mosque at Sadarghat. When police conducted a raid, the accused attempted to escape but were arrested. Some foreign currencies were seized from their possessopn.

A court has granted a 7-day remand for Abul Hasan, former Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Jatrabari Police Station, in connection with the death of student Sakib Hasan during the recent anti-discrimination student protest in Jatrabari. Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Md. Arifur Rahman passed the remand order following a hearing on Thursday.  The case's investigating officer, Sub-Inspector Mojahidul Islam of Jatrabari Police Station, had requested a 10-day remand for the former OC. During the hearing, Abul Hasan’s lawyer filed a petition seeking cancellation of the remand petition and requested for bail, which was denied.  Abul Hasan was arrested by police on September 16 in Teknaf, Cox's Bazar. Sakib was killed by gunshot and physical assault on July 18 in the Kazla Biswaroad area of Jatrabari during an anti-discrimination student protest. Following the incident, his relative, Abu Bakkar, filed a case with Jatrabari Police Station on September 2.

The Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU) has instructed banks to freeze the accounts of Orion Group Chairman Obaidul Karim and Managing Director Salman Obaidul Karim, as part of a broader financial investigation. The accounts of Arzuda Karim and Zareen Karim, both directors of Orion Group, along with two relatives, Mehadi Hasan and Rezaul Karim, will also be frozen, according to a recent BFIU directive sent to banks. The BFIU has ordered the freezing of these accounts, as well as the suspension of locker and credit card facilities, for the next 30 days.  Additionally, banks have been asked to update the BFIU on whether any of the six individuals are operating other accounts under different names. Obaidul Karim, the founder of Orion Group, leads one of Bangladesh’s largest industrial conglomerates, with diversified interests in sectors such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals, infrastructure development, agribusiness, hospitality, textiles, and aviation.

The France-based human rights organization, Justicemakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF), has voiced deep concern over the arrests of prominent Bangladeshi cultural activist Asaduzzaman Noor, writer and researcher Shahriar Kabir, Supreme Court lawyers Nurul Islam Sujan and Mahbub Ali, as well as journalists Mozammel Babu and Shyamal Dutta. In a press statement, JMBF called for the immediate and unconditional release of these cultural figures, writers, journalists, and lawyers, and urged the withdrawal of what it described as “baseless charges” against them. JMBF highlighted that the arrests, which appear to be driven by political differences, violate fundamental rights guaranteed by the Constitution of Bangladesh and international treaties, including the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights. Robert Simon, a French human rights activist and Chief Adviser of JMBF, condemned the arbitrary arrests, calling them a severe violation of human rights. “These individuals have been targeted solely for their differing political views, which clearly breaches the principles enshrined in the Bangladeshi Constitution and international human rights treaties,” Simon said. JMBF warned that the persecution of these individuals under "false charges" not only threatens their personal rights but also endangers freedom of expression, political opinion, and democracy in Bangladesh. Advocate Shahanur Islam, Founder President of JMBF, emphasized the need for justice and accountability. "As defenders of human rights, we stand united in our demand for justice. The Bangladeshi government must respect the rights of its citizens, refrain from suppressing dissent through unlawful detentions, and ensure an impartial investigation into these incidents," he said, adding that the international community must not remain silent in the face of such injustice. JMBF also urged the United Nations, European Union, and other international human rights organizations to intervene, seeking legal redress for the detained individuals and ensuring a transparent investigation into their arrests.

The traffic division of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) filed 292 cases and imposed fine of Tk 11.58 lakh after conducting drives against traffic rule violators on Tuesday. Faruque Hossain, deputy commissioner (media) of DMP, said this in a media release on Wednesday. Thirty-nine vehicles were dumped and 15 others were towed. Some 4, 000 traffic personnel have been working at 339 points in Dhaka to maintain discipline in traffic movement.

The Bangladesh Army has been given temporary magistracy power in a bid to ensure public safety, said Nahid Islam, Adviser to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, on Wednesday.  “The law and order situation is gradually improving. However, to ensure public safety and expedite the return to normalcy, the army has been granted magistracy power. This decision is necessary as we navigate through this emergency situation and working for reform,” said Nahid. He came up with the remarks responding a question at a briefing  after a meeting with the newly elected members of the Bangladesh Film Censor Board and Jury Board. “The police force will undergo comprehensive reforms to strengthen their capacity and restore public confidence, after which they will be brought back. The decision to grant magistracy power to the army was made to facilitate this transition,” he added. Cases against journalists under review On the issue of murder cases filed against journalists, Islam clarified that these are not government actions but rather cases were filed by general people and in some cases due to personal grievances. He assured that all such cases would be reviewed promptly and impartially. If no legitimate charges are found, the accused journalists will be exempted, he said. “At the same time, I have also said that no one will be spared only for their identity of journalists, cultural personalities and poets. Those who promoted fascism, worked to create public opinion through writings and opinions for legitimacy of the fascist government and instigated genocide must be brought to justice.” Addressing rumours on social media The adviser also addressed concerns regarding the spread of misinformation on social media platforms. He highlighted that the Ministry of Information is collaborating with various stakeholders to reinforce fact-checking mechanisms. “We are considering setting up a dedicated fact-checking cell to counter rumors and ensure that the public receives accurate information. We are committed to preventing the spread of falsehoods that could mislead or harm the public,” said Islam.