United News of Bangladesh

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) on Wednesday filed a case against 43 people, including S. Alam Group owner Saiful Alam, Nabil Group Managing Director Aminul Islam, and former chairman of Islami Bank, over the alleged embezzlement of Tk 363 crore from Islami Bank’s Gulshan branch in the name of a shell company, Naba Agro Trade International. The case was lodged on Wednesday at the ACC’s Integrated District Office, Dhaka-1, ACC Director General Md Akhter Hossain confirmed. According to the case statement, the accused colluded to abuse power, forge records and irregularly approve a loan facility of Tk 670 crore in favor of the newly-formed Naba Agro Trade International. Of this, Tk 363 crore was shown as disbursed and later misappropriated. The accused include business leaders Saiful Alam of S. Alam Group, Aminul Islam of Nabil Group, Mamunur Rashid (Managing Director of Naba Agro Trade International), and Harunur Rashid (Chairman of the same company), alongside directors of several other trading and milling companies. ACC sues Railway's ex-DG, 6 others over Tk 598cr loss in DEMU train project A large number of Islami Bank officials, including former top executives, board members, and branch managers, have also been implicated. Among them are former Board Chairman Prof. Md Nazmul Hassan, former Executive Committee Chairman Prof. Dr. Md Selim Uddin, ex-MD Mohammad Munirul Haque, CEO Mohammad Ali, and several former deputy managing directors, SEVPs, and branch managers. The case has been filed under sections 409/460/60/7/498/40/477/7/106 of the Penal Code 1860, section 5(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act 1947, and sections 4(2) and 5(3) of the Money Laundering Prevention Act 2012.  

A three-tier security measures have been taken across the country ahead of the Durga Puja, the largest religious festival of Hindu Community, said Inspector General of Police (IGP) Baharul Alam on Wednesday. “Police have taken three-tier security measures—before, during and after the festival, including the immersion of idols and security measures centering the puja have already begun,” he said while speaking at a programme over the law and order situation held at Police Headquarters in Dhaka. This year, the Durga Puja will be celebrated in a joyful and festive mood across the country as police will remain vigilant for the security of the puja mandaps, he hoped. He also sought cooperation from all to ensure smooth celebration of Durga Puja. Strict vigilance will be maintained to prevent any untoward incidents during the Durga Puja celebrations. Puja organizers were urged to contact the national emergency service 999 or the nearest police station if any suspicious activity is noticed. The Puja Udjapan Parishad leaders were also requested to ensure CCTV surveillance and deploy volunteers for round-the-clock security at each mandap. Fakhrul urges vigil to safeguard communal harmony during Durga Puja Besides, additional law enforcing agencies including plainclothes police, along with SWAT teams, Crime Response Teams (CRT) and Bomb Disposal Units, will remain on standby during the festival to avoid untoward incidents. Monitoring cells will also be set up at the Police Headquarters and all relevant police units throughout the Puja period. 4,000 ASI posts to be filled in Bangladesh Police ahead of election: IGP This year Durga Puja will be celebrated at 31,566 mandaps across the country from September 21 to October 2.

A Sirajganj court on Wednesday sentenced four men to life imprisonment for the killing of an elderly man in 2014. Each convict also fined Tk 10,000, and in default, they will serve an additional six months of rigorous imprisonment. District and Sessions Judge Iqbal Hossain handed down the judgement this afternoon. The convicts are A. Alim, Mojam Sheikh, A. Rouf, sons of A. Khalek Sheikh, and Md. Abu Bakkar, son of the late Jesar Uddin Khalifa — all residents of Chandpal village in Bahuli union under Sirajganj Sadar upazila. The court also sentenced two other accused — Abdullah, son of A. Alim Sheikh and Mostafizur Rahman, son of A. Samad — to two years of rigorous imprisonment. However, two accused, Md. Amir Hamza Sheikh and Md. Lily Khatun, were acquitted as the charges against them could not be proven. According to case details, on 8 September 2014, a dispute broke out between A. Alim Sheikh’s group and Md. Ashraf Ali over a road construction project. 3 arrested over killing man in Dhaka’s Adabor Following the argument, Ashraf Ali was attacked with iron rods, sticks, leaving him critically injured. Locals rushed him to Sirajganj General Hospital, but as his condition worsened, he was transferred to Dhaka’s Health and Hope Specialized Hospital, where he died while undergoing treatment. Two days later, on 11 September, the victim’s wife Sufia Khatun filed a murder case naming six people and five or six unidentified attackers. Following an investigation, SI Md Faruk Hossain of Sirajganj Sadar Police Station submitted a chargesheet against the accused, leading to today’s verdict.

Three suspects have been arrested in connection with the murder of a man in the Balur Math area under Dhaka’s Adabor Police Station. The arrestees are Dat Bhanga Emon and two of his associates, Ibrahim and Alamin. An officer from the 46th Independent Infantry Brigade confirmed the arrests on Wednesday afternoon. He said that army personnel launched an operation after receiving reports of the murder on Tuesday morning in the Balur Math area. “We used technology to track the suspects. Through various sources, we came to know that Alex Sabuj, Monir, and Emon are involved in the killing,” the officer said. Later that night, around 9:30pm, the army arrested Emon, Ibrahim and Alamin. Two samurai-style swords were also recovered during the operation. However, suspects Sabuj and Monir managed to flee just before the raid. The officer said that operations are still ongoing in different areas to capture the remaining culprits. During preliminary interrogation, Emon reportedly confessed to his involvement in the murder. Some of his associates jumped off a building and escaped during the raid. The arrested suspects were handed over to the police for further legal action. Earlier on Tuesday, Ripon alias Nipu, 35, was attacked inside a house in the Balur Math area. He was critically injured and rushed to Dhaka Medical College Hospital, where he later died around 5:45pm while undergoing treatment.

A youth was hacked to death allegedly by members of the teenage gang ‘Kobji Kata Group’ after they broke into his house in Adabar Balurmath area of Dhaka early Tuesday. The victim, identified as Ripon alias Nipu, 35, was first rushed to Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) where he succumbed to his injuries around 5:45pm the same day. Assistant Commissioner of Police (Mohammadpur Zone) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police AKM Mehedi Hasan said Ripon, reportedly linked to the ‘Raju Group’, was attacked by rival gang members led by Belcha Monir of ‘Kobji Kata Group’. He was admitted to DMCH in the morning but died in the evening, he said, adding that a drive is underway to arrest those involved. Police said Ripon faced two criminal cases filed with Tazumuddin and Borhanuddin police stations in Bhola. His body was kept at the DMCH morgue for autopsy. Grocer hacked to death in Narsingdi Locals said Ripon was the brother of Raju alias Bhaigna Raju, the chief of another teen gang ‘Raju Group’. Raju himself had earlier been critically injured in a machete attack by members of the Ayesha Group in Adabar 10. The locals alleged that Belcha Monir, a close aide of jailed gang leader Anwar of Kobji Kata Group, had taken over extortion and drug trade in the Balurmath area. Known for his machete attacks, Monir allegedly continued the gang’s operations, sharing a portion of the earnings with Anwar in prison.

Dhaka Metropolitan Police’s (DMP) Detective Branch has arrested a man for allegedly cheating people in the name of leaking question papers of various competitive examinations. The arrestee was identified as Md Shadhin Mia, 23. He was detained from the Pallabi area of the capital on Tuesday. Briefing reporters at the DMP media centre , Joint Police Commissioner (Cyber Security and Support) of the DB Harun-or-Rashid said a special DB team spotted a suspicious post on social media while monitoring online platforms. The post, made from a Facebook ID named “ZahidKhan (All Exam Helper),” offered “100% common original copies” of question papers for various recruitment tests, including the 47th BCS Preliminary and the Directorate of Primary Education’s ATEO’s (Assistant Thana Education Officer) MCQ exam. Acting on secret information, the DB team traced his location using digital technology and arrested him from a house in the Pallabi area. Four mobile phones, a laptop and eight SIM cards were seized from his possession. During primary interrogation, Shadhin admitted that he used a fake social media profile to take advance payments from victims promising leaked questions, and then cut off communication. He allegedly swindled large sums of money through mobile banking channels including , bKash, Nagad and Rocket .

In a brutal attack, miscreants killed the wife and son of a Bangladeshi expatriate in Bogura before looting gold and cash, police said Tuesday. The victims, identified as Rani Begum, 40, and her son Imran Hossain, 18, wife and son of Kuwait-based Idris Ali, were found dead at their home in Sadullapur’s Bottola village in Shibganj upazila in the morning, according to Bogura Additional Police Superintendent (ASP) Hosain Mohammad Raihan. Preliminary reports suggest the assailants entered the house late Monday night and attacked the mother and son with sharp weapons. Relatives spotted the bloodied bodies through a window and alerted the police. The PBI’s Crime Scene Investigation team carried out an inspection of the site. The bodies have been sent to Shahid Ziaur Rahman Medical College Hospital morgue for postmortem. Relatives said the attackers also looted a motorcycle, cash, and about three tolas of gold jewellery from the house. ASP Raihan said the investigation is ongoing, noting multiple injuries on the victims’ bodies.

Detectives have arrested 12 leaders and activists of Awami League and its associate organisations including former mayor of Gafargaon municipality in Mymensingh in separate drives in Dhaka. They were arrested from different areas including Mirpur, Uttara, Lalbagh, Gulshan, Wari, Motijheel, Cantonment, Darussalam and Demra areas, said Detective Branch (DB) sources on Tuesday. Kaiser Ahmed, former mayor of Gafargaon municipality, ex-liberation war affairs secretary of central Jubo League, Md Yunus Ali alias Elias, former general secretary of Buramazumdar Union Awami League in Betagi upazila of Barguna, Shamim Osman, a leader from Gazipur Jubo League, Md Mahmud Dewan Shipu, general secretary of ward No-26 in Dhaka South Awami League, Md Jamil Hossain, office secretary of the same unit, and Md Soleman, vice-president of ward No-53 at Krishak League in Dhaka North were among the arrestees. DB officials said all of the arrestees face several cases including murder. They were allegedly working in an organised manner to destabilise the country, disrupt law and order, and spread panic among the public, according to DB police. Legal actions will be taken against them.

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.”