United News of Bangladesh

A contempt of court case has been filed against Sylhet’s former Deputy Commissioner (DC) Md Sher Mahbub Murad and five other officials on Thursday (Sept 11) at the Sylhet Senior Assistant Judge’s Court for allegedly violating a court order over the activities of a Trustee Board. The accused in the case are the former DC, the Additional District Magistrate, the Additional Deputy Commissioner (Revenue-Education-ICT), the Sylhet Sadar UNO, the Additional Commissioner (Land) of the metropolitan circle and a Senior Assistant Commissioner from the education branch. According to the complaint, in June the then DC Murad appointed five new trustees without consulting the existing five members of the Trustee Board. Though the old members objected to this decision in writing, the DC still went ahead with the new appointments on July 7. On July 9, the five trustees filed a case in Sylhet court. Later, on July 27, the court issued an interim order restraining the DC and other officials from attending Trustee Board meetings. However, the officials ignored the order and joined a meeting on July 28. “Since they defied the court’s instructions, we filed a contempt of court case against them on September 11,” said lawyer AH Irshadul Haque, who represents the plaintiff. A contempt of court case has been filed against Sylhet’s former Deputy Commissioner (DC) Md Sher Mahbub Murad and five other officials over the appointment of five new trustees at The Sylhet Khajanchibari International School and College (SKISC) in the city’s Nayasarak area. 

A Rohingya youth was detained on Monday while attempting to obtain a National Identity Card (NID) using false information at the Sherpur District Election Office. The youth initially identified himself as ‘Alam Mia’, claiming to be a resident of the Kasba Mollapara and Shibottar areas under Sherpur Municipality. He submitted documents listing his father’s name as Ali. However, during the document verification process, officials became suspicious due to inconsistencies in his statements. After further questioning, the youth admitted his real identity, confirming that his name is Md Al Amin, son of Zahid Hossain and Gulbahar, and a resident of the Tanghali Rohingya Camp in Ukhiya, Cox’s Bazar. He also acknowledged that he is a citizen of Myanmar. Md Faizur Rahman, Sherpur Sadar Upazila Election Officer, said the accused statements didn’t match the documents provided. “Upon detailed interrogation, we were able to confirm his real identity.” In response to the officers' questioning, Al Amin said, “I live in the Tanghali camp in Ukhiya. I came to Sherpur to get a voter ID card in hopes of becoming a citizen of this country. I applied under the name ‘Alam’ thinking it would help me find work.” Md Saiful Islam, additional district Election Officer of Sherpur, said that the youth was detained after suspicious documents were submitted, and that he eventually confessed to being a Rohingya. He was later handed over to Sherpur Sadar Police Station for legal action. Inspector (Investigation) Jahangir Alam Khan of the station said, “We are currently investigating whether others were involved in this attempt. Further legal action is underway.”

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) on Monday announced its decision to file separate cases against Gemcon Group chief executive Kazi Anis Ahmed and his brother, also a director of the company, Kazi Inam Ahmed. ACC director general Akhter Hossain made the announcement at a briefing at the ACC headquarters in Dhaka. The ACC probe found that Kazi Anis Ahmed amassed wealth worth Tk 80.35 crore beyond his known sources of income. Between 2002 and 2022, there were suspicious transactions of about Tk 80 crore through 20 bank accounts opened in the name of Anis Ahmed, including Tk 38.45 crore withdrawn from the accounts. Kazi Inam Ahmed, on the other hand, amassed wealth worth Tk 74.78 crore beyond his known sources of income. In his 14 bank accounts, Inam made suspicious transactions between 2002 and 2022 involving the amount, including over Tk 36 crore withdrawn, said the ACC. The case has been approved under section 27(1) of the Anti-Corruption Commission Act, 2004, and sections 4(2) and 4(3) of the Money Laundering Prevention Act, 2012.

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has decided  to launch an investigation into the irregularities in the recruitment and tender process for outsourcing employees at Rampal thermal power plant in Bagerhat. ACC Deputy Director Akhtarul Islam disclosed this at a regular briefing held at its head office on Monday although the decision was actually taken on August 25.  Tk 2,288 crore embezzled in the name of sending workers to Malaysia: ACC to sue 31 more individuals He also said the commission will also investigate the alleged embezzlement of money through the illegal sale of the plant's assets.

Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) has urged citizens to extend cooperation by sharing information to prevent the infiltration of illegal firearms into the country. A number of vested groups have been attempting to smuggle firearms across the border in recent months with the ill motive of destabilising the law and order situation in the country, according to BGB. The paramilitary force has seized a staggering cache of weapons in the past three months alone, it said.  These include 16 local and foreign pistols, two revolvers, two submachine guns, five rifles, 16 homemade guns, three shotguns, three mortar shells, eight hand grenades, 27 other types of weapons, 21 magazines, and 1,003 rounds of ammunition. Bangladesh Election: Intelligence-based crackdown planned as police seek missing weapons Officials of the BGB headquarters  said intelligence surveillance and operational activities have been intensified in border areas to check the entry of such illegal arms. Seeking people’s active role in combating this threat BGB has opened a dedicated toll free  hotline – 01769600555 – where citizens can share information confidentially, said BGB headquarters public relations officer Shariful Islam.  Stopping the influx of illegal weapons is not just a security issue it’s a matter of national interest, he said.

A Sylhet court issued a show-cause notice to Deputy Commissioner (DC) Md Sarwoer Alam over his alleged role in the dismissal of teachers at an English-medium institution in the city. On Thursday, the court of Senior Assistant Judge in Sylhet passed the order, asking the DC to submit written explanations within 15 working days. According to court sources, two teachers and the vice-principal of Sylhet Khajanchibari International School and College (SKISC) were recently dismissed. Challenging the legality of the decision, senior teacher Abeda Haque filed a petition to the court. The petition alleged that the teachers’ dismissal was carried out unlawfully by exerting administrative influence. Ex-BNP leader held in Sylhet stone looting case After reviewing the petition, the court noted that the DC’s role appeared questionable, with initial signs of violating earlier court directives, and ordered him to explain why legal action should not be taken against him. On Sunday evening, DC Sarwoer told the media, “We have not yet received any notice from the court. Once we get it, we will respond accordingly.” Advocate Irshadul Haque, who is representing the petitioner, said in the interest of justice, the court issued the show-cause notice to the Deputy Commissioner. “We expect the matter will be resolved through a proper investigation and judicial process,” he added.

A Dhaka court on Sunday granted a day's remand for former National Board of Revenue (NBR) member Motiur Rahman and his wife, Layla Kaniz, former chairman of Raipura Upazila Parishad, in connection with a graft case filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC). Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Md Monirul Islam passed the order after hearing a remand plea from Sabikun Nahar, deputy assistant director of the ACC and investigation officer of the case, who had sought a three-day remand. ACC Prosecutor Mohammad Tariqul Islam said that the couple is accused of acquiring assets worth Tk 2.45 crore using fake companies and documents, along with holding an additional Tk 53.41 crore in assets that are allegedly inconsistent with their known sources of income. He further said that the couple is suspected of being involved in large-scale fraud through the buying and selling of placement shares, and the ACC needs to determine the extent of the alleged forgery and whether others were involved. The remand was also sought to investigate how the couple allegedly helped acquire assets worth Tk 53.41 crore in the name of their daughter, Farzana Rahman, without any verifiable source of income. On July 2 last year, the ACC issued separate notices to Motiur and his family members seeking asset declarations. In response, on August 29, Motiur, his two wives, and five other family members—including his son and daughter—submitted their asset statements. Following an investigation, the ACC deemed the declarations inadmissible and filed a case on January 6 this year. The Detective Branch (DB) of police later arrested Motiur and Layla from the Bashundhara Residential Area on January 14.  

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) on Sunday decided to file cases against 31 individuals, including chairmen, managing directors and directors of 13 overseas recruiting agencies, over allegations of embezzling around Tk 1,159 crore in the name of sending workers to Malaysia. ACC Director General Akter Hossain confirmed the matter to journalists at the commission’s headquarters in Segunbagicha. Earlier, the ACC had filed a case against 33 people from 12 overseas companies for embezzling about Tk 1,128 crore on similar charges. With the inclusion of 13 more companies, the total number of accused now stands at 64 from 25 agencies, with the combined embezzled amount reaching nearly Tk 2,288 crore. According to officials, after the reopening of the Malaysian labour market in August 2022, the country allocated over 532,000 quotas for Bangladeshi workers. Of them, nearly 476,000 managed to reach Malaysia, but around 17,777 workers failed to board flights on time. A probe committee formed by the Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment found that widespread irregularities and mismanagement by recruiting agencies were responsible for the failure.

A man was killed in front of his wife after she was raped before his eyes in a shocking incident in Cox’s Bazar town late Saturday night. Police, with the help of locals, arrested one person in connection with the brutal crime. The incident took place around midnight at Uttaran Residential Area on the Kalatali Bypass Road, said Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) and district police spokesperson Md Jasim Uddin Chowdhury. The deceased was identified as Ranjan Chakma, whose body has been kept at Cox’s Bazar District Sadar Hospital morgue. His wife, who was raped, is undergoing treatment at the same hospital. The arrestee, Birel Chakma (55), is now in police custody and being interrogated, Jasim Uddin said. Police said both the victim couple and the accused hail from Rangamati. According to the preliminary investigation, the couple had been staying at Birel Chakma’s house for the past three days due to previous acquaintance. They came to Cox’s Bazar to collect some money owed by a man named Jasim at the town’s bus terminal. Ranjan’s wife told police that Birel had been making indecent proposals to her for several days, which she rejected, angering him. On Saturday night, Birel and Ranjan drank together at the house. Later, in an inebriated state, Birel forced Ranjan out of the room and then raped his wife. As the woman screamed, Ranjan rushed back and tried to save her, but Birel attacked him with a sharp weapon, hacking him on the head and killing him on the spot, police said. According to ASP Jashim, The woman managed to escape the house and screamed for help on the street. Locals caught Birel while he was trying to flee with blood-stained clothes and a bag, and handed him over to police. Police said legal proceedings are underway against the accused.

Saifuddin Mohammad Emdad, an Alim student at a madrasa in Dhaka who is officially recognised as a “Category-A July Warrior,” on Sunday denied filing two separate cases in Dhaka and Chattogram. He made the statement at a press conference at the National Press Club in the capital. Emdad said he was shot by police at Wasa Moar in Chattogram on August 5, 2024, at the height of the anti-discrimination movement. Bullets pierced his eye, head, and face, leaving him collapsed on the street. After long medical treatment, he became a symbol of the movement and was officially listed among the severely injured July fighters. “But today, the very sacrifice I made has put me in danger. Cases have been filed in my name—one in Chattogram and another in Dhaka. These are being manipulated under the influence of powerful accused individuals, with questionable roles played by police,” he said. In Chattogram, he himself is the plaintiff, while a man named M.A. Hashem Raju, claiming to be a human rights activist, has shown himself as filing a case on his behalf in Dhaka. “In reality, this is completely fabricated—a conspiracy to discredit the July fighters. I never filed such a case in Dhaka,” he added. He further alleged that Mohammad Aftab Hossain, the recently transferred OC of Khulshi Police Station under CMP, is also involved in this conspiracy, saying he enjoyed undue privileges in various police stations as an investigation officer during the previous fascist regime. On June 17, 2025, Emdad filed a case with Khulshi Police Station over being shot by police in August 2024. In that case, he provided a detailed account of the movement and named those responsible, including former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, senior officials of the administration, and 167 others. Among the accused are Mahbubul Alam, former President of FBCCI and the Chattogram Chamber of Commerce and Industry, along with industrial groups such as PHP Group and GPH Group, who he said financed and supported the repression, as well as those directly involved in the attacks. He said he also submitted medical records, treatment papers, and other evidence as supporting documents. “On August 4, 2024, I was in the New Market area of Chattogram. That afternoon, in the Khulshi Thana area, I was shot in the eye. Analysis of my mobile phone’s cellular location (CDR) clearly proves that on that day I was in Khulshi, Nasirabad, and Panchlaish—not in Dhaka,” he noted in his written speech. Recounting the background of the false case, he said Raju contacted him earlier this year, introducing himself as a human rights activist and promising to help with his treatment, even abroad. “Under the pretext of arranging treatment and government benefits, he took my signature on blank papers and stamped sheets. Using those, he filed a case in Dhaka court, pretending to be the plaintiff. Even the address he used was false,” Emdad said. He added that Raju never arranged any medical assistance or government support for him. Instead, he later learned through local police that Raju had filed the case in his name. “This is a completely false case and an act of fraud. He is exploiting my name to carry out case-trading,” he alleged. After filing his case at Khulshi Thana, Emdad said he began receiving threats. At the same time, several media outlets owned by industrial groups—listed as financiers of the July movement—started deliberately portraying him in a negative manner, claiming he had been shot in both Dhaka and Chattogram on the same day and filed two cases. “This fabricated case and misleading reports are intended to question and discredit the July uprising. Raju staged this fraudulent drama specifically to undermine my sacrifice and role in the movement,” he said. Despite losing vision in one eye, he said he had never bowed his head. “But today, the greater wound is not in my eye—it is in my heart. Because my sacrifice is being exploited by someone to stage a fraudulent act,” he added. Emdad said he served a legal notice to Raju on June 28, demanding the withdrawal of the case and return of his signed papers. On July 17, 2025, he also filed a General Diary (GD No. 1189) with Shahbagh Police Station after receiving no response. In addition, he has submitted an application before the Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate seeking withdrawal of the false case filed by Raju.