United News of Bangladesh

Police arrested 1,823 people in a special nationwide drive in last 24 hours till 6:00am on Wednesday, Police Headquarters said in a text message on Wednesday afternoon. Of them, 1,271 were wanted in various cases and under court warrants, while 552 others were held in connection with different criminal offences, it said. The drive was started at around 6:00am on Tuesday and continued till 6:00 am on Wednesday. According to police, the ongoing crackdown, which began last year, aims to strengthen law and order by targeting identified criminals, fugitives, listed offenders, drug peddlers, and illegal arms traders. Senior officials at the Police Headquarters said such drives are part of a continuous effort to ensure public safety. “We are determined to bring all fugitives and listed criminals under the law,” an official said, seeking anonymity. In recent months, police have intensified their operations following reports of rising incidents of drug abuse and violent crimes in different parts of the country. Law enforcement agencies said the drive will continue in phases.

The Central Intelligence Cell (CIC) of the National Board of Revenue (NBR) on Wednesday seized a locker belonging to former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. A CIC team seized the locker at the Motijheel branch of Pubali Bank housed in Sena Kalyan Bhaban in the morning, a senior CIC official said. The official said that the locker (No. 128) was traced in Sheikh Hasina’s name with one of the two keys still in her possession.

The Sylhet district administration has announced a complete ban on the illegal cutting of hills and mounds in the district. The order was issued Tuesday night by Deputy Commissioner and District Magistrate Md. Sarwar Alam. The notice said, “Recently there has been a rising trend of cutting hills and mounds in the district. Some unscrupulous individuals are destroying the environment and increasing the risk of natural disasters.” Under Section 6(b) of the Environment Conservation Act 1995, all hill and mound cutting is now strictly prohibited and anyone violating the order will face legal action under Section 15 of the same law. Adviser Rizwana directs DCs to protect rivers, hills and forests The order will be treated as an official government directive. Sylhet Sadar Upazila Executive Officer Khoshnur Rubaiyat confirmed the announcement.

The High Court on Tuesday granted bail to Kurigram's former deputy commissioner Sultana Parvin for six months in a case filed over torturing journalist Ariful Islam Rigan. The HC bench of Justice JBM Hassan and Justice Yousuf Abdullah Suman passed the order when Sultana appeared before the court and sought bail. Senior Advocate Joynal Abedin stood for the petitioner while deputy attorney general Sultana Akter Rubi represented the state. On September 2, Kurigram District and Session Judge Ismat Ara Begum denied the bail petition of Sultana in the case. Ariful Islam, district correspondent of online news portal Bangla Tribune, was jailed for one year and fined Tk 50,000 for ‘possessing narcotics’ by a mobile court at the dead of night. Court denies bail to Latif Siddique, Panna The local administration claimed that Ariful was arrested with 450ml local liquor and 100g hemp. But Ariful’s wife Mostarima Sardar Nitu claimed that a group of law enforcers entered their home at Charuapara around Friday midnight and took away her husband forcefully without showing any reason. Out on bail on Sunday, Ariful said he was tortured by the magistrates.

Police have arrested 18 people in connection with the demolition of the shrine of Nurul Haque, widely known as Nural Pagla, the torching of his exhumed body, and attacks on police in Goalanda upazila of Rajbari district. Latif, the imam of a local mosque who had been on the run since the incident, was arrested early Tuesday morning from a char area in Manikganj, according to a statement from the Chief Adviser’s press wing. Besides, a murder case was filed at Goalanda Ghat Police Station by Md Azad Molla, 55, father of a victim who was killed  during the violence on the day. On September 5, a group of people under the banner of 'Tawhidi Janata' stormed the ‘darbar sharif’ (shrine) of Nural Pagla following Juma prayers. They exhumed the body of Nural and set it ablaze on the Dhaka-Khulna Highway in the Goalanda Ghat area. The attack sparked violent clashes between the deceased's followers and local residents, resulting in one death and numerous injuries.

A battery-operated rickshaw driver was killed in Badda, Dhaka, and two suspects were caught while trying to sell the stolen rickshaw on Monday The deceased was identified as Masud aka Kajol, 42. His body was recovered around 12 pm near Bashundhara Residential Area, Kathaldiya, Badda and sent to Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) morgue for autopsy. Masud’s brother-in-law, Md. Selim said that Kajol was from Durgapur Upazila, Netrokona district and lived in Fasertak area of Bhatara. He also added that Kajol went out with his rickshaw from a garage in Notunbazar area on Sunday evening but never returned. The next day, when the two suspects tried to sell the rickshaw at the same garage, the owner recognized it. The garage owner and locals handed them over to the police. 3 gangsters arrested in Meherpur by joint forces During interrogation, the suspects admitted killing Kajol and dumping the body in Kathaldiya, Badda. Police recovered the body from the location based on their information. Saiful Islam, officer-in-charge of Badda Police Station, said that a murder case was filed.

The Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) has taken stringent security measures ahead of Tuesday’s Dhaka University Central Students’ Union (DUCSU) election, said Commissioner SM Sazzat Ali. “The police had been preparing for a week to ensure order during the polls. We expect the security to be very strong tomorrow (Tuesday),” he told reporters in front of TSC on Monday. According to him, security measures include check-posts at campus gates, regular patrols, deployment of officers with body cameras, SWAT teams, bomb disposal squads, intelligence units, CCTV surveillance and patrol by special forces. Members of the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) will also join the duty.

A Dhaka court on Monday sent former senior secretary Abu Alam Md Shahid Khan to jail in connection with a case filed under the Anti-Terrorism Act at Shahbagh Police Station. Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Md Saifuzzaman issued the order after hearing a petition submitted by Sub-Inspector Toufiq Hasan, the investigation officer of the case. Shahid was arrested earlier in the day by detectives during a drive at Borak Tower in the Eskaton area of the capital. According to the case statement, a platform named "Mancha 71" was launched on August 5 with the stated objective of resisting any attempt to erase or distort the history of Bangladesh’s Liberation War. As part of its activities, the group organised a roundtable discussion on August 28 at Dhaka Reporters’ Unity (DRU) in Segunbagicha. However, during the event, a group of demonstrators allegedly stormed the hall, surrounded the speakers, and forcibly disrupted the programme, bringing it to an abrupt end. Law enforcement later detained 16 individuals from the venue, including former minister Abdul Latif Siddiqui. They were later shown arrested in the same case under which Shahid Khan was sent to jail.

The Bangladesh Army has clarified that it has no involvement in the upcoming Dhaka University Central Students’ Union (Daksu) election. Colonel Staff Md Shafiqul Islam, Director of Military Operations, came up with the clarification at a press briefing in Dhaka Cantonment on Monday afternoon. DUCSU elections: DU to operate circular shuttle service on polling day Responding to questions from journalists regarding law and order, social media rumours and the DUCSU election, he said, “The Army has no role in the DUCSU election. We have already made this clear through ISPR. Still, some vested quarters are trying to spread propaganda, but they will not gain much from it.” DUCSU Polls: Curtain falls on campaign tonight He said the Army wishes well for all the participating candidates and hopes the election will be held in a healthy environment, strengthening democratic practices.

The Detective Branch (DB) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) has arrested 13 leaders and activists of the Awami League and its affiliated organizations, including Gopalganj District Chhatra League General Secretary Amir Hamza, in the last 24 hours. The arrests were confirmed by DMP Deputy Commissioner (Media) Talebur Rahman. The arrestees are Nahida Nur Sweety, Publicity and Publication Secretary of Kafrul Thana Mahila Awami League, member of Dhaka Metropolitan North Awami League, and Secretary of Ward 94 Mahila Awami League; Miraj Sikder, Vice-President of Motijheel Thana Chhatra League; Mahar Ali, leader of Uttara Paschim Thana Sramik League; Sheikh Ibne Sadiq, former Vice-President of Dhaka University Chhatra League; Aminul Islam Biplob, former Organizing Secretary of Dhaka Metropolitan South Awami League; Nitai Ghosh, Freedom Fighters Affairs Secretary of Ward 35 Awami League under Kotwali Thana;  Imtiaz Uddin Sumit, General Secretary of Ward 32 Swechchhasebak League under Bangshal Thana; Amir Hamza, General Secretary of Gopalganj District Chhatra League; Md. Shakib Kazi, Joint Convener of Gopalganj Sadar Upazila Chhatra League; Md. Nadim Sheikh, Joint Convener of Rupnagar Thana Chhatra League; and AL activists Md. Shamim Sikder,  Md. Rezwan Howlader, Md. Bayezid. According to the DB, the arrests were made in connection with efforts to create panic among the public and destabilize the country by holding sudden processions and attempting to disrupt law and order in various parts of the capital.