United News of Bangladesh

A court in Rangpur on Thursday placed four men on a three-day remand each in connection with the mob beating that led to the deaths of two individuals in Taraganj Upazila on 9 August. Rangpur Judicial Magistrate Court Judge Krishna Kamol Roy passed the order following a five-day remand petition submitted by the investigation officer, OC (Investigation) Rafiqul Islam, said court in-charge Aminul Islam. Chankharpul killings: Tribunal orders protection for witness facing security threat The accused are Aktarul Islam, 45, of Burirhat village; Ebadat Hossain, 27, of Balapur village; and Rafiqul Islam, 33, and Mizanur Rahman, 22, of Rahimapur in Soyar Union under the upazila. According to police, the victims—Ruplal Das and his nephew-in-law Pradip Das—were beaten to death around 9pm on 9 August at Burirhat Bottola in Soyar Union on suspicion of theft. Youth stabbed dead at Banani The following day, Ruplal's wife Varoti Rani filed a murder case with Taraganj Police Station, accusing approximately 700 unidentified people.

The International Crimes Tribunal has ordered protective measures for a key eyewitness who testified in a case of crimes against humanity linked to the killing of six people in Dhaka’s Chankharpul area on 5 August last year. The International Crimes Tribunal-1 led by its Chairman Justice Md Golam Mortuza Majumder issued the order following an application from the prosecution. The tribunal also formed a three-member investigation committee to probe the incident. The committee has been instructed to submit its report promptly. Prosecutor Gazi MH Tamim said that the witness, who gave a statement to the tribunal two days prior, faced intimidation and security threats shortly after testifying. The threats allegedly came from individuals affiliated with the same institution where the witness is employed. Activities included verbal harassment, a protest march, and the public display of banners targeting the witness. The witness submitted photographs and video footage of the incidents to the prosecution. These were presented during today’s hearing, where the tribunal also spoke directly with the witness. After reviewing the evidence, the tribunal ordered immediate protective action. The tribunal directed the Officer-in-Charge of the relevant police station and the head of the witness’s institution to ensure his security. It also instructed that any derogatory posters or banners related to the witness be removed without delay. Prosecutor Tamim mentioned that under the International Crimes Tribunal Act the state is legally obligated to ensure the safety of any witness who has given or is about to give testimony.

The family of executed BNP leader Salauddin Quader Chowdhury will send a legal notice to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Sunday, seeking evidence to support their claim that he was subjected to a ‘judicial killing’ by the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT). “My father was subjected to a grave injustice… They (ICT) never allowed him to get fair justice and he was killed… It was a judicial murder. The Awami League regime was directly involved in it,” said Salauddin Quader Chowdhury’s younger son Hummam Quader Chowdhury. Speaking at a press conference at their Dhanmondi residence in Dhaka on Thursday, he said four defence witnesses --Munim Arzuman Khan, Ambar Harun Saigal, Ishaq Khan Khagwani and Niyaz Ahmed Noor -- had wanted to come to Bangladesh to testify for his father. He alleged that they were denied visas, which forced them to publish their evidence on YouTube instead. Hummam, a member of the BNP’s executive committee, claimed these witnesses could have proved that his father was studying at Punjab University in 1971. He said the reason for mentioning their names was that when the Bangladesh Foreign Ministry sends messages to its missions abroad, they are called ciphers, and most of these cipher messages are coded and marked as secret. “We have received one such cipher message. It names these four individuals and says they must not be granted visas under any circumstances. This proves that my father was subjected to judicial killing,” the BNP leader said. He said it was clear what a serious violation it was to stop these four people from coming to Bangladesh as witnesses, which prevented a proper defence. “We’re sending a legal notice to the Foreign Ministry. We are demanding that these cipher messages be declassified. All cipher messages related to my father’s trial should be declassified and given to us. We will send the notice on Sunday. I hope you (the ministry) will help us get justice for this killing,” Hummam said. He also demanded that the names of all Foreign Ministry officials involved in these cipher messages be made public. Hummam said their aim is not a media trial and that they already have enough evidence to go directly to the High Court while following all legal formalities – but they want to do so with the cooperation of the interim government. “We hope we will be able to prove that Salauddin Quader Chowdhury was innocent and that he was a victim of judicial murder.” He said they had already spoken to lawyers to prepare the case. “Inshallah, we will go to court through a writ petition. We hope that if we at least get the government’s cooperation and these documents are declassified, we will go to court with that evidence. We can go to court now, but we will do so while keeping to all formalities. We hope to file the petition in court on Sunday.” The BNP leader claimed the family could not bring important defence witnesses because they were blocked. “This obstruction stopped us from proving my father’s innocence in court.” Hummam also alleged that his father was targeted politically, not personally. “If the aim was to kill him, it could have been done easily. The real goal was to destroy his political influence. My father was known as a nationalist.” Salauddin Quader was sentenced to death by the International Crimes Tribunal in 2013 for crimes against humanity during Bangladesh’s 1971 Liberation War. The High Court upheld the sentence, and he was executed on 22 November 2015 in Dhaka Central Jail, on the same day as Jamaat-e-Islami leaders Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mujahid and others. Hummam said the tribunal itself was controversial and biased. “Even witnesses were coached, tortured, and pressured to give statements.” He said his father had refused to seek mercy before his execution. “He said he was going to Allah for justice and would not bow to anyone.” The press conference was attended by Salauddin Quader Chowdhury’s wife, Farhat Quader Chowdhury, her two sons and legal representatives.

A young man was stabbed to death by some miscreants at Mohakhali in Dhaka early Thursday. The deceased was identified as Rahat Hossain Rabbi, 31, a contractor and son of Rabiul Awal of the area. Quoting Ibrahim Khalil, paternal uncle of the victim, sub-inspector of Banani Police Station, Amzad Sheikh, said Munna, a friend of Rabbi along with five others entered the building he lived around 4:30 am and hit Rabbi with a sharp weapon at the staircase, leaving him injured. Youth stabbed to death in Gazipur Later, Rabbi was taken to Kurmitola Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries. The motive behind the killing could not be known immediately.

A three-member body has been formed to investigate the death of two men in a mob attack over suspicion of their involvement in stealing in Taraganj upazila of Rangpur district on August 9. Superintendent of Police (SP) of Rangpur Abu Saim said the probe panel, led by C-Circle ASP Asifa Afroz Adhri, was formed on Wednesday night with an instruction to submit a report on it within three working days. Officer-in-charge of Taraganj Police Station MA Faruk and another police official will assist ASP Asifa Afroz, said the SP. Earlier, on Wednesday night, eight police personnel, including two sub-inspectors, were suspended for their alleged negligence in performing duty during the lynching of two men. Those suspended are Taraganj Police Station’s sub-inspectors Abu Zobayer and Shafiqul Islam, constables Farikud Akhtar Zaman, Dhiraj Kumar Roy, Hasan Ali, Firoz Kabir, Moktar Hossain and Babul Chandra Roy. They were attached to the district police lines. On the other hand, SI Abu Zobayer, who was the investigating officer (IO) in a case filed over the incident, was also relieved of investigation duties. Inspector (Investigation) Rafiqul Islam was appointed as the new IO for the case. On August 9, Ruplal Das and his son-in-law Pradip Das were beaten to death by a mob who suspected them of theft on the Taraganj-Kazirhat road in Bottola around 9:30pm. 700 sued over lynching of 2 people in Rangpur Locals said Ruplal’s eldest daughter Nupur Das was engaged to one Dipjol Das from Shyampur area in Mithapukur upazila of the district. Pradip Das, Ruplal’s nephew-in-law, was travelling by a rickshaw van from Mithapukur upazila to finalise the marriage date. Confused over the route in Taraganj, Pradip Das contacted Ruplal, who joined him and they continued to move towards Ghanirampur village of Mithapurkur by the rickshaw van. Around 9pm, a group of villagers detained them in Bottola area on suspicion of their involvement in theft. Locals also discovered four plastic bottles from the van, one of which spread an odor that caused two locals, Alamgir Hossain and Mehedi Hasan, to feel unwell. As the situation worsened, the mob then beat the duo to death. Man, son-in-law lynched over theft charges in Rangpur Meanwhile, four people have been arrested as two cases were filed in this connection. Fearing arrests, male members of the neighbouring villages have gone into hiding.

The Bangladesh Army has cautioned the public about the creation of fake social media profiles in the name of Army Chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman, according to the Inter Services Public Relations Directorate (ISPR) media release issued on Wednesday. The fake profiles are spreading misleading information. Army officials confirmed that the Army Chief does not have any personal Facebook or other social media accounts, nor does he plan to operate any in the future. The public and media have been urged not to be misled by such accounts. Authorities are working to identify those involved in creating and operating these fake profiles, with necessary legal action underway against individuals engaged in such deceptive activities, according to the ISPR.

Eight police personnel, including two sub-inspectors, were on Wednesday night suspended for their alleged negligence in performing duty during the lynching of two men in Taraganj upazila of Rangpur district on August 9. Rangpur Superintendent of Police Abu Saim informed this at night, citing that the suspended cops were assigned to the mobile team in Taraganj at the time of the incident. Those suspended are Taraganj Police Station’s sub-inspectors Abu Zobayer and Shafiqul Islam, constables Farikud Akhtar Zaman, Dhiraj Kumar Roy, Hasan Ali, Firoz Kabir, Moktar Hossain, and Babul Chandra Roy. SP Saim said that SI Abu Zobayer, who was the investigating officer (IO) in the case, was also relieved of investigation duties. Inspector (Investigation) Rafiqul Islam has been appointed as the new IO for the case. On August 9, father-in-law Ruplal Das and son-in-law Pradip Das were beaten to death by a mob who suspected them of theft on the Taraganj-Kazirhat road in Bottola around 9:30pm. Locals said Ruplal’s eldest daughter Nupur Das was engaged to Dipzol Das from Shyampur, Mithapukur upazila of the district. 700 sued over lynching of 2 people in Rangpur Pradip Das, Ruplal’s nephew-in-law, was traveling by van from Mithapukur to finalize the marriage date. Confused over the route in Taraganj, Pradip Das contacted Ruplal, who joined him, and they continued toward Ghanirampur village by rickshaw van. Around 9pm, in Bottola a group of villagers detained them on suspicion of theft. Locals discovered four small plastic bottles from the van, one of which emitted a strong odor that caused two men, Alamgir Hossain and Mehedi Hasan, to feel unwell. As the situation worsened, the mob beat the duo to death. Two separate cases were filed in this connection and several people have so far been arrested.

Bangladesh Health Reporters Forum on Wednesday declared that no form of opinion from tobacco companies is acceptable in the process of amending the Tobacco Control Act. According to the forum, such a move is a direct violation of Article 5.3 of the World Health Organization’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC) and poses a severe threat to public health. The organisation has, therefore, demanded that the government immediately withdraw its decision to seek tobacco company opinions under the guise of stakeholder meetings. The demands were raised on Wednesday  at a workshop titled "Public Interest vs. Tobacco Industry Influence: The Role of Journalists in Expediting Tobacco Control Law Amendment", organised by the Bangladesh Health Reporters Forum with the support of the National Heart Foundation of Bangladesh. Rashed Rabbi, president of the Bangladesh Health Reporters Forum, delivered the welcome address, while the keynote presentation was made by Prof. Dr. Sohel Reza Choudhury, head of the Department of Epidemiology and Research at the National Heart Foundation Hospital and Research Institute. Choudhury said tobacco is one of the leading causes of heart disease, cancer, and various respiratory illnesses. In Bangladesh, more than 161,000 people die each year from tobacco-related diseases, and over 400,000 people become disabled (WHO). Additionally, nearly 38.4 million adults are exposed to secondhand smoke every day in public places and public transport. “To address this alarming situation, it is urgent to amend the existing Tobacco Control Act without delay,” he stated. “Unfortunately, the government has decided to take opinions from tobacco companies in stakeholder meetings, which is a direct violation of WHO FCTC Article 5.3. We demand that the government immediately withdraw this decision and approve the proposed amendment in the advisory council meeting of the Ministry of Health.” He further added that the current interim government came to power with promises of reforms in various sectors. “But in the past year, we have seen no effective steps toward amending the tobacco law. Instead, influenced by the propaganda of tobacco companies, the government has decided to collect their opinions under the name of stakeholder meetings. This is a clear violation of the WHO FCTC. The government must withdraw this decision immediately and approve and implement the amended Tobacco Control Act proposed by the Ministry of Health.” Amend Tobacco Control Act to protect future generations from malign effects Journalists participating in the workshop said that, according to Article 5.3 of the WHO FCTC, tobacco companies must not be involved in the formulation or amendment of any policy. However, in the July 13 meeting of the advisory committee, a decision was made to seek tobacco company opinions on the draft amendment of the Tobacco Control Act — a move they described as completely unacceptable. They also noted that the only aim of tobacco companies is profit, not public health. Accepting their opinions means ignoring public interest. They pledged to continue publishing regular reports on the issue to draw the attention of the authorities concerned. The six key amendments proposed by the Ministry of Health to the existing law include: Eliminating Designated Smoking Areas (DSA) to make all public places and public transport completely smoke-free; Banning tobacco product displays at points of sale to prevent attraction among youth and potential users; Completely prohibiting tobacco companies’ Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activities; Protecting adolescents and young people from e-cigarettes and all emerging tobacco products; Increasing the size of pictorial health warnings on tobacco packets and containers from 50% to 90%; and Prohibiting the sale of single sticks of bidis and cigarettes, as well as unwrapped and unpackaged smokeless tobacco products. The workshop was also attended by Naimul Azam Khan, adviser to the Tobacco Control Project of the National Heart Foundation Hospital and Research Institute; Dr. Aruna Sarkar, project coordinator; Senior Communications Officer Abu Jafor; and Mainul Hasan Sohel, general secretary of the Dhaka Reporters Unity, along with representatives from various media outlets.

Former National Board of Revenue (NBR) official Matiur Rahman, who is better known for his son's goat scandal, broke down in a Dhaka court on Tuesday while pleading for bail in a money laundering case. Senior Special Judge Zakir Hossain of Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions Court asked Matiur to remain patient and rejected his bail petition. Matiur’s lawyer Md. Wahiduzzaman concluded the bail hearing seeking permission for his client to speak. Upon the court’s approval, Matiur said, “I sent a letter to the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) from prison. I am handing over that letter to you. Please kindly read it and give your order accordingly, I will accept it.” Ex-NBR member Matiur's wife sent to jail “My family has been destroyed. Both my wife and I are in jail. My mother is paralysed and has no one to look after her.” Matiur broke down in tears and urged, “Please grant me bail. If you do, I will submit the documents I have in court to prove my innocence.” The judge said it cannot be said at this point whether he is  guilty or innocent as the case is still under investigation. Matiur went into early retirement last year amid graft allegations that surfaced after his son bought a goat at Tk15 lakh for Eid-ul-Azha festival. On January 14, Matiur Rahman and his wife Laila Kaniz Lucky were arrested by DB police. On January 6, the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) filed three cases against Matiur and his family.

Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) has imposed a ban on rallies, processions, demonstrations and gatherings around Chief Justice’s residence, Judges Complex, the main gate of Bangladesh Supreme court, Mazar Gate, Jam-e-Mosque gate, the main gates of International Crimes Tribunal 1 and 2 and Bangladesh Institute of Judicial Administration (BIJA). The ban effective from Wednesday will remain in place until further notice, according to a public notification issued by DMP Commissioner SM Sazzat Ali. The ban has been enforced under Section 29 of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police Ordinance (Ordinance No. III/76) to maintain law and order, it said. It also requested all to refrain from blocking roads in the name of protests as such activities cause severe traffic congestion in the capital. Youth shot while clinging to ledge: Arrest warrants issued against Ex-DMP Commissioner, 3 others