United News of Bangladesh

AFM Shahinul Islam, head of the Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU), will remain on mandatory leave as an investigation against him goes on. The move comes after a controversial video of him went viral on social media. Deputy Governor Zakir Hossain Chowdhury confirmed the decision today, stating that Shahinul Islam's forced leave, as ordered by the governor, remains in effect. “The BFIU chief's appointment is handled by the Financial Institutions Division. So, they will decide whether he stays or not," said Chowdhury. However, the governor's directive for leave will remain valid and action will be taken against him pending the investigation, he said. The controversy began when a controversial video of Shahinul Islam was circulated on social media on Monday, showing him sending explicit content to a woman. Shahinul, however, claims the clip was generated using artificial intelligence. BFIU chief faces Bangladesh Bank probe over controversial viral videos In response, Bangladesh Bank Governor Dr Ahsan H Mansur ordered him to be sent on mandatory leave on Tuesday. Despite this clear directive, Shahinul Islam reported to work at the central bank today (Wednesday), sparking tension and internal conflict. On Tuesday, a group of central bank officials had submitted a memorandum to the governor, requesting that he be immediately placed on forced leave. Meanwhile, the central bank’s fact-checking investigation team has found evidence supporting allegations involving a controversial sexual video linked to BFIU chief Shahinul Islam.

A case has been filed in connection with the illegal extraction of stone from Jaflong, a popular tourist destination located in the ecologically critical area (ECA) of Gowainghat Upazila in Sylhet. Union land officer Monayem Hossain lodged the case at Gowainghat Police Station on Monday night (18 August), said Tofail Ahmed, officer-in-charge (OC) of Gowainghat Police Station. "No specific names were mentioned in the case and police are yet to make any arrest," said OC Tofail. Sylhet DC removed amid stone scam The Mineral Resources Bureau has also filed a case last week accusing nearly 2,000 unnamed people. Reports indicate that open looting of sand and stone has been taking place in the Jaflong ECA since 5 August last year. While the Department of Environment previously filed a case against those involved, progress on that case has stalled for reasons yet to be clarified. Local BNP leaders Shah Alam Swapan and Rafiqul Islam Shahparan have been expelled from the party following allegations of their involvement in connection with the looting. Local administration involved in Bholaganj stone looting: Rizwana Hasan Sources said internal clashes have erupted between rival groups over the control of Jaflong stone and sand syndicate. Despite the infighting, they said, illegal extraction activities have continued unabated, with local leaders reportedly earning lakhs of taka every day from the illicit operations. Meanwhile, Sylhet Deputy Commissioner (DC) Mohammad Sher Mahbub Murad has been made an officer on special duty (OSD) following allegations of administrative involvement in the stone looting incident in Bholaganj. A notification in this regard was issued by the Ministry of Public Administration on Monday.

A Sylhet court has sent six officials from Sylhet Medical University to jail in a case filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) over alleged irregularities in manpower recruitment. Judge Roknuzzaman of the Sylhet Metropolitan Sessions Judge's Court handed down the judgement on Tuesday, rejecting the bail pleas of the accused, said ACC public prosecutor Lutful Kibria Shamim. The six officials are Md Bilal Ahmed Chowdhury, assistant controller of Examinations; Belal Uddin, section officer; Abdul Aziz, administrative officer; Md. Redwan; Abdul Majid; and Tanvir Ahmed. All six are named in the ACC charge sheet submitted in April. Earlier, on 24 April, the court issued arrest warrants against 58 individuals, including former Vice Chancellor Morshed Ahmed Chowdhury and Acting Registrar Md. Naimul Haque Chowdhury, following the ACC's submission of a comprehensive charge sheet on 20 April. According to the case statement, the University Grants Commission (UGC) received allegations of widespread irregularities and corruption in the recruitment of officials and employees at the university, which was established in 2018. Taking note of these allegations, the UGC conducted an investigation in 2023. The inquiry identified serious misconduct by senior university officials, including the former VC and registrar. Later, the ACC filed a case on April 1, 2024, against 58 officials, including the then Vice Chancellor and Acting Registrar, on charges of irregularities and corruption in the appointment of the integrated district office of Sylhet.

A court in Jashore on Tuesday sentenced private tutor Mashrur Rahman Sajib to life imprisonment for raping a college student on the promise of marriage. Justice  Ataur Rahman of the Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal-1 handed down the verdict, also fining him Tk 25,000, with three months’ additional jail in default. Special Public Prosecutor Abdul Latif Lota confirmed the matter. According to the case statement, Sajib, son of Mizanur Rahman of Palbari Tetultola area, raped his student at her house in Jashore on June 15, 2016, when she was alone and later he maintained a physical relationship with her under false promises of marriage, secretly recording photos and videos. 3 get life imprisonment in Naogaon triple murder case When the victim pressed for marriage, Sajib cut off communication. In July 2024, his family informed the victim that Sajib had already married elsewhere. After police refused to take her complaint on August 3, 2024, she filed a case with the tribunal on August 17, 2024. Following an investigation that confirmed the allegations, the tribunal delivered the conviction and Sajib was sent to jail.

The Department of Environment conducted nationwide mobile court drives to enforce environmental laws, seizing 1,220 kg of banned polythene and 30 hydraulic horns and imposing fines totaling BDT 168,800 on Tuesday. During those drives, at least 33 cases were filed against convicts of different levels, while some were spared with warnings, including businessmen, vehicle drivers, and establishment owners. In Jashore and Dhaka (Chawkbazar and Shantinagar), 3 drives against banned polythene led to 7 cases, fines of BDT 101,000, seizure of 1220 kg of polythene, and cautionary notices to supermarket owners, shopkeepers, and the mass people. Mobile court team comes under attack during drive against sand lifting in Meghna River The authority also distributed awareness leaflets there. Under the Noise Pollution Control Rules 2006, 6 drives in Cox’s Bazar, Panchagarh, Rangpur, Rajbari, Narayanganj, and Keraniganj led to 19 cases, fines of BDT 26,800, seizure of 30 hydraulic horns, and warnings to drivers. In Khilkhet, Dhaka, a drive against excessive black smoke emissions led to four cases, collected BDT 10,000 in fines, and issued driver warnings. Also, two drives under the Air Pollution Control Rules 2022 in Panchagarh and Dhaka (Banasree and Rampura) targeted construction-related air pollution, filing 3 cases, fining BDT 31,000, issuing cautionary notices, and ordering immediate removal of materials.

A youth was arrested on charges of posting blasphemous content on social media on Monday. Kanai Chandra Das, 24, a final-year honors student of the Mathematics Department at Munshiganj Government Haraganga College and a resident of Satchar village in Kachua upazila of Chandpur. He was staying at the Haraganga College hostel. According to police, he allegedly shared a derogatory post about Allah and the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) from a Facebook ID named Atheist Forum three days ago. Tensions escalated on Monday morning after the post went viral, sparking outrage among students. Around noon, Das was reportedly physically assaulted by a group of his classmates on the college campus. Additional Superintendent of Police Mohammad Kazi Humayun Rashid and Officer-in-Charge of Sadar Police Station Md. M Saiful Alam arrived at the scene with a team to bring the situation under control. Das was subsequently taken into custody. OC Saiful Alam said that a case is currently being processed under charges related to blasphemy.

Sylhet Deputy Commissioner (DC) Mohammad Sher Mahbub Murad has been made an Officer on Special Duty (OSD) following allegations of administrative involvement in the recent white stone looting incident in Bholaganj. The Ministry of Public Administration issued a notification in this regard on Monday. The decision came a day after  Environment Adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan publicly alleged that the local administration was complicit in the illegal stone extraction and promised swift action. Meanwhile, the government has appointed Md. Sarwar Alam as the new Deputy Commissioner of Sylhet. The ministry issued a separate notification on the same day confirming Sarwar's appointment. He is a deputy secretary-level officer and currently serves as Private Secretary to Law Adviser Asif Nazrul.

Members of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) on Monday arrested two people along with five gold bars, weighing 831 grams, worth Tk 1.22 crore from Hamidpur Bus Stand in Jashore district. The arrestees were identified as Abdul Halim, 27, son of Abdul Goni Sardar of Rajbari district and Shahidul Islam, 29, son of Nannu Matbar of Shariatpur district. BGB detains man smuggling US dollars to India via Mujibnagar border Tipped off, a team of BGB-49 conducted a drive in the bus stand area around 9 am and arrested two people and seized five gold bars, two mobile phones, Tk 15,730 in cash from their possession, said Commanding officer of BGB-49, Lieutenant Colonel Saifullah Siddique. A case was filed in this connection.

A Dhaka court on Monday placed MyTV Chairman Nasir Uddin Sathi on a five-day remand in a murder case filed with Jatrabari Police Station. Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Zia Uddin Ahmed passed the order when inspector of CID and also the investigating officer of the case Khan Md Erfan produced him before the court with seven-day remand prayer. Detectives arrested Nasir Uddin from Dhaka’s Gulshan area on Sunday. He was an accused in a murder case filed with Jatrabari police station in connection with the July uprising. According to the case statement, Asadul Haque Babu was killed during the July uprising in Jatrabari area on August 5, 2024. Joynal Abedin, father of Asadul, filed a case against 25 people including Sheikh Hasina. Nasir Uddin was the 22nd accused in the case while his son Touhid Afridi was no 11 accused in the case.

The International Crimes Tribunal-1 (ICT-1) on Monday issued warrants for the arrest of former Inspector General of Police (IGP) Mohammad Javed Patwary and four other law enforcement officials in a case over the killing of seven youths in Gazipur in 2016. The three-member tribunal, led by its Chairman Justice Md Golam Mortuza Mazumdar, passed the order after a hearing on the case. Prosecutor MH Tamim represented the state during the hearing. Chief Prosecutor Advocate Mohammad Tajul Islam was also present. The rest of the accused who faced the arrest warrants are the then Special Branch chief Monirul Islam, former Gazipur Superintendent of Police Harun-or-Rashid, the then superintendent and assistant superintendent of police in Bogura. Besides, Javed Patwary played a role as the head of Counter Terrorism & Transnational Crime (CTTC) unit during the operation. Youth shot while clinging to ledge: Arrest warrants issued against Ex-DMP Commissioner, 3 others According to tribunal sources, law enforcers picked up seven youths from different parts of the country and kept them confined to a house in Gazipur in October, 2016. Members from the Rapid Action Battalion (Rab), Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) and CTTC used 830 rounds of bullets to stage the operation as a counter-terrorism raid, on October 8. After years of the orchestrated drive, the father of one of the victims, Ibrahim, who was a madrasa student of Jatrabari, Dhaka, lodged complaints with the ICT-1. On completion of investigations, the prosecution filed a new case with the tribunal against the accused.