United News of Bangladesh

No untoward incident was reported with the Durga Puja, the largest religious festival of the minority Hindu community, being celebrated in a festive mood, Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) commissioner SM Sazzat Ali said on Wednesday. Police are ready to deal with any attempts to disrupt the peaceful environment in which the Durga Puja is being observed, he warned. The DMP Commissioner made the remarks while visiting puja mandaps at Banani and Bashundhara residential areas in the capital in the afternoon. Sazzaat said that 254 puja mandaps across Dhaka city are celebrating the religious event. He assured all of ensuring every measure necessary to enable a joyful ending of the festival with the immersion ritual tomorrow. The commissioner further said that people of different religions—Hindus, Muslims, Buddhists, and Christians—have lived together in harmony for centuries in this country and stressed the need to protect this communal harmony for future generations. Additional Police commissioner S.N. Mohammad Nazrul Islam, along with other senior DMP officials, accompanied the commissioner in his visit.  

Law Adviser Asif Nazrul on Wednesday said there is no immediate plan to lift the ban on the activities of the Awami League. "When a political party's activities are banned, questions naturally arise regarding the temporary or permanent nature of the ban. However, I do not see any indication that the ban on the Awami League's activities will be withdrawn soon," he said. The adviser came up with the remark while talking to reporters after visiting different puja mandaps in Barishal city. Referring to an interview given by the Chief Adviser to a foreign media outlet, the adviser said the general election would be held in the first half of February. Asked about the unrest in Khagrachhari, Asif said, “The government would take action against those responsible for creating unrest in the region.” Law Adviser slams Hasina’s rule, claims she lacked understanding of State concept Earlier in the day, the adviser reached the Barishal Circuit House and later visited the 'Shankar Math' near Natun Bazar in the city. During the visit, he exchanged greetings with leaders of the Hindu community.

Khagrachari Deputy Commissioner and District Magistrate ABM Iftekharul Islam Khondakar on Tuesday said the Section 144 imposed in the district would be considered for immediate withdrawal once the blockade programme of the local Jumma population is lifted and the situation returns to normal. He added that protesters need to end the blockade for their demands to be addressed. A five-member probe committee, led by the Additional District Magistrate, has been formed to probe recent incidents, the DC said. Speaking during a visit to the affected areas in Guimara, the DC and administration officials met with victims and distributed relief materials. He expressed condolences to families of those injured or killed in the violence and assured support for compensation, medical treatment, and rehabilitation. Khondakar also said discussions have begun with representatives of the protesters. Seven of the eight demands submitted by them are currently under process and will be resolved at the negotiation table. The DC’s visit was attended by Khagrachari Hill District Council Chairperson Shefalika Tripura, Superintendent of Police Md. Arefin Jewel, and other officials. Khagrachari violence: TIB demands exemplary punishment for perpetrators During the blockade, violent clashes on Sunday in Ramshu Bazar and surrounding areas of Guimara left three people dead. Shops, homes, and offices were set on fire, and several hill and Bengali residents, including army personnel, were injured. The unrest followed an incident on the night of September 23, when an eighth-grade student was raped while returning home from a private tuition in Singinala, Ward No. 1 of Khagrachari municipality. The victim’s father filed a case at Khagrachari Sadar police station against three unidentified suspects. Police have arrested one accused, Shoyon Sheel, 19, while two others remain absconding. Subsequently, on September 27, the administration-imposed Section 144 in Khagrachari municipality, Sadar Upazila, and Guimara for an indefinite period.

Home Adviser Lieutenant General (Retd.) Md Jahangir Alam Chowdhury has urged all to celebrate the Sharadiya Durga Puja with sanctity and due religious fervor. The adviser made the call while briefing journalists after visiting the Dhakeshwari National Temple in the capital on Tuesday afternoon. “Durga Puja is a sacred religious festival. Its sanctity must be preserved. Everyone have to remain cautious so that no anti-social activities take place in the mandaps. Devotees have also to ensure that no one enters the mandaps with shoes,” he said. Highest level of security ensured for Durga Puja celebration in Bangladesh: IGP Referring to recent incidents in the Chittagong Hill Tracts, the adviser said a small group of miscreants attempted to disrupt the festival there. “Their efforts have completely failed. They were aided by some fascist quarters, but thanks to the cooperation of traditional devotees and all concerned, their plot did not succeed,” he added. President of Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad Basudev Dhar and President of Dhaka Metropolitan Sarbajanin Puja Committee Jayanta Kumar Deb, among others, were present at the briefing.

Police have arrested two alleged drug peddlers along with 7,600 yaba tablets from Ramna area of Dhaka. The arrestees were identified as Saju Hossain Mondal, 38, and Aminul Islam, 40. Police also seized a motorcycle used for drug transportation. Officer-in-charge of Ramna Model Police Station Golam Faruque said the duo was arrested during a drive conducted on Monday afternoon. Police set up a check-post in front of Toma Tower at Kakrail intersection after being tipped-off that a consignment of yaba was being transported from Motijheel to Kakrail by a motorcycle, he said. When a motorcycle arrived at the check-post, police signaled it to halt but sensing the presence of the law enforcers, the suspects tried to flee but were immediately detained, the police official said. During the search, police recovered a total of 7,600 pieces of Yaba pills from 38 packets from their possession, he said. The market price of the seized yaba tablets were estimated at Tk 22.8 lakh, the OC said, adding that a case was filed under the Narcotics Control Act with Ramna Police Station.

The situation in the hills of Khagrachhari has returned to normal, Home Affairs Adviser Lt. Gen (retd) Jahangir Alam Chowdhury claimed on Tuesday. He made the claim while talking to reporters after a meeting at his ministry regarding recent violence in Guimara upazila of the district. Responding to journalists’ questions, the adviser said the current situation in the hills is calm and there are no major problems. He also said certain groups attempted to disrupt Hindu devotees from celebrating Puja peacefully but their efforts failed. The ministry condemned recent attacks by miscreants in Khagrachhari that left three local people dead and several others, including members of the army and police, injured. The unrest followed the alleged gang rape of an eighth-grade girl on September 23. The victim’s father filed a case against three unidentified people with Khagrachhari Sadar police station. Khagrachhari violence: Blockade disrupts daily life for 4th day The next day, the police, with army assistance, arrested a suspect, Shoyon Sheel, who is now in custody for interrogation. Protests demanding punishment have been ongoing under the banner of ‘Jumma Chhatra Janata,’ including indefinite road blockades. On Sunday, at Ramessu Bazar in Guimara, protesters clashed with law enforcement, injuring 25 people, including army personnel, and vandalising several shops and houses. Authorities have imposed Section 144 in the area to prevent further violence, and the situation remains tense.

Inspector General of Police (IGP) Baharul Alam on Tuesday said that out of 1,760 cases filed over last year’s anti-discrimination movement, charge sheets have so far been submitted in only 55 cases, while the remaining cases are still under investigation. The IGP disclosed the information at a press briefing held at the police headquarters. He said police, under section 173-A of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), have already recommended relief for 136 people found primarily innocent, and courts have granted them exemption from the charges. Applications for another 236 individuals are currently under consideration. Of the total cases, 766 are murder cases and 974 fall under other sections. Among the 55 cases where charge sheets have been filed, 18 are murder cases indicting 1,941 accused, while the remaining 37 cases involve 2,185 accused. The IGP said the charge sheets in the 18 murder cases were submitted in Dhaka, Chattogram, Sherpur, Feni, Chandpur, Noakhali, Pabna, Kurigram, Bogura and Rajshahi Metropolitan Police (RMP) areas. The other 37 charge-sheeted cases are from Bogura, Chapainawabganj, Sirajganj, Naogaon, Mymensingh, Rajshahi, Narsingdi and Barguna districts. Govt okays procurement of 40,000 body cameras for police use during polls He added that senior officers are supervising the investigations, while also mentoring junior officers who are not yet fully capable of handling complex probes on their own. On allegations of false cases and harassment, the IGP acknowledged that in some instances innocent people were wrongfully accused. “The government has introduced a legal provision to provide relief to such individuals even before charge sheets are filed.” He assured that police headquarters is taking measures to ensure no innocent person faces harassment, and warned that action would be taken against any officer found involved in malpractice. The IGP also urged those who consider themselves innocent to apply under section 173-A so their cases can be reviewed and forwarded to the court for exemption.

Inspector General of Police (IGP) Baharul Alam on Tuesday said the highest level of security has been ensured across the country to ensure peaceful celebration of Durga Puja, the largest religious festival of the Hindu community. A total of 31,606 mandaps have been set up nationwide and except for a few isolated incidents, festivities have been proceeding smoothly, he said at a press briefing at the police headquarters. “So far, police have taken cognisance of 49 incidents related to Durga Puja. A total of 15 cases have been filed and 19 people arrested in connection with those incidents,” he added. DMP vows foolproof security for Durga Puja celebrations Baharul Alam said security has been maintained at every mandap regardless of its risk level. “We are keeping strict vigilance to preserve the long-standing communal harmony of the country.” Regarding rumors, the IGP said false and outdated videos are often circulated on social media to incite communal unrest. “Our cyber unit is monitoring these matters closely and verifying incidents to prevent misinformation,” he added.

Bangladesh Railway has advised passengers to purchase train tickets only through its designated mobile application “Rail Sheba” in order to avoid harassment and fraud. The authority has recently observed that certain fraudulent individuals are assuring ticket sales through various social media platforms despite having no capacity to deliver tickets, Bangladesh Railway said in a statement on Monday. These fraudsters collect money from passengers via bKash, Nagad, or other mobile banking systems and then disconnect communication, often by switching off or deactivating previously used SIM cards. According to Bangladesh Railway regulations, a registered ID holder can purchase a maximum of four tickets per journey. In such cases, the names of accompanying passengers must also be provided during the ticket purchase. Currently, 100 percent of train tickets are being sold online, exclusively through the official “Rail Sheba” app. No other person, institution, or platform is authorized to sell train tickets. Passengers buying tickets from unauthorized sources will undoubtedly fall victim to fraud. As per the rules, the individual whose ID is used for ticket purchase must travel with the ticket, carrying the registered mobile phone and a valid photo ID. Travel by anyone other than the registered passenger and listed companions is considered a punishable offense under the law. The railway authority has urged passengers to immediately inform law enforcement agencies or concerned railway officials if any fraudulent group promises to procure tickets on their behalf or attempts to sell tickets purchased under someone else’s ID. Bangladesh Railway Security Force (RNB) and Government Railway Police (GRP) will provide assistance in such cases. Additionally, complaints can be lodged by calling the Bangladesh Railway hotline number 131, where complainants’ identities will be kept strictly confidential.

The government has announced a nationwide 22-day ban, effective from October 4 to 25 this year, on catching, transporting, marketing, and storing hilsa, aiming to protect brood fish during the peak spawning season. Fisheries and Livestock Adviser Farida Akhter announced the decision at a press conference on Monday at the ministry, while unveiling the ‘Mother Hilsa Conservation Campaign 2025’ and discussing the availability, harvest, prices and export situation of hilsa. “The decision has been taken based on scientific assessments of the breeding season to ensure safe spawning of hilsa,” she said. The key spawning period runs from October 4 to 25 (19 Ashwin to 9 Kartik 1432), covering the four days before the full moon and three days after the new moon, the adviser added. Adviser Farida said the campaign will be enforced by fisheries officials along with the Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, river police and other law enforcement agencies. To support affected fishermen, the government will distribute Vulnerable Group Feeding (VGF) rice among 620,140 fishing households across 165 upazilas in 37 districts. Each family will receive 25 kg of rice, requiring a total of 15,503.50 metric tonnes for the programme. “Fishing trawlers intruding from outside the marine boundaries will be strictly controlled, and river dredging will remain suspended during the ban. Catching hilsa will remain completely prohibited across seas, coastal areas and river estuaries for 22 days,” she added. According to research by the Bangladesh Fisheries Research Institute (BFRI), the 2024 ban enabled 52.5% of brood hilsa to spawn safely, adding an estimated 44.25 billion juvenile hilsa (jatka) to the population. These juveniles will mature into full-grown hilsa in the coming years. However, hilsa harvests have declined nearly 10% over the past five years, with continuous reductions reported from 2020–21 to 2024–25. Hilsa export to India begins; 1,200mt approved for Durga Puja Although a nationwide jatka fishing ban ended in mid-June this year, the expected surge in market supply did not materialize, the adviser noted. Department of Fisheries data show hilsa harvests in July and August were down by 33.20% and 47.31% respectively compared to 2024. Total output during the two months stood at 35,993.50 metric tonnes—22,941.78 tonnes or 38.93% less than the same period last year.