United News of Bangladesh

Activists  of Awami League (AL) and banned Chhatra League along with family members of several accused laid siege to Saturia Police Station in Manikganj  on Monday evening, demanding the release of four leaders. Saturia Upazila Awami League Organizing Secretary Md Mosharraf Hossain Baka, Upazila Jubo League General Secretary Md Abdul Khalek, Ward No. 8 Awami League President of Saturia Sadar Union Md Helal Uddin, and Chhatra League man Golam Rabbi were arrested on Monday afternoon in different cases. Protesting the arrest, a group of 40 to 50 people including Awami League and banned BCL activists and relatives of the arrestees gathered on the police station premises in the evening and besieged it demanding their release. Later police dispersed them and brought the situation under control, said Officer-in-charge (OC) of Saturia Police Station Md Shahinur Islam. He said a case will be filed against those who obstructed police from performing duties and attempted to snatch the suspects from the police custody.

After five and a half years behind bars on militancy charges, two students of Khulna University (KU) were released from Khulna District Jail on Monday night after securing bail from the High Court (HC). Campus sources said Nur Mohammad Anik and Mozahidul Islam Rafi -- students of Human Resource Management and Statistics departments respectively -- were arrested on January 8 in 2020 on charges of militant activities, and later sentenced to 30 years in prison in multiple cases. They were finally released from jail following the efforts of KU Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Md Rezaul Karim and legal assistance provided by the university’s legal cell. The duo alleged that they had been kept in an unknown location for 17 days and tortured before being arrested on January 25 in connection with bomb attacks at the Krishak League office and a vehicle garage of police. Initially they were sued in two cases. Later, four more cases were filed against them, prompting fellow students, teachers and family members to protest and hold press conferences demanding release. Khulna University student found hanging at residence After the political changeover on August 5 last, the university began the legal fight to release the students from the jail. Of the cases, they were acquitted in two and granted bail in two others. In the remaining two cases under Sonadanga police station, they were sentenced but later secured bail from the High Court. University authorities said the bail order was delayed due to the Ashura holidays and was executed on Monday evening. They students claimed that they had falsely been implicated for criticising the previous government’s anti-national activities on social media. Besides, law enforcers allegedly attempted to make them disappeared before any cases were filed.

A Narayangaj court on Monday placed former city mayor Selina Hayat Ivy on a two-day remand in a murder case involving last year’s July Uprising. Narayanganj Senior Judicial Magistrate Md Moinudding Kadir passed the order after hearing a remand prayer, said the court’ Police Inspector Md Kaium Khan. Accused Ivy joined the hearing virtually from Kashimpur Central Jail, he said. According to the case statement, the 36-year-old rickshaw puller Tuhin was shot dead during a protest led by the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement on Dhaka-Chattogram Highway in Shimrail area of Siddhirganj upazila in district on July 20 last. On September 13 last, the victim’s wife Aleya Akter Mim filed a case naming 99 accused with the Siddhirganj Police Station, making Ivy as the 13 accused. On May 9 last, Ivy was arrested from her city residence. Ivy denied bail in three cases Later, she was sued in several cases, including of murder, in the district. Earlier on November 13, a Dhaka court imposed a travel ban on Ivy when the Anti-Corruption Commission had been investigating her graft.

Home Affairs Adviser Jahangir Alam Chowdhury on Sunday said the three Bangladeshis recently repatriated from Malaysia are not militants. "They're not militants... their visas had simply expired," he said while talking to reporters following an inspection of the Export Cargo Village at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport. The adviser said there are no militants in Bangladesh and those sent back from Malaysia have no links to militancy either. When asked about the Malaysian police chief’s statement on the matter, the adviser replied, “I am not aware of whether they termed the returnees as militants. We have not received any official communication from Malaysia in this regard. But, our Ministry of Foreign Affairs has already issued a statement on the matter.” The adviser said there have been no reports of militancy in the country over the past ten months. He appreciated the collective national efforts for the successful eradication of militancy from Bangladesh. Army conducts successful operation against KNF militants in Bandarban Regarding airport operations, the adviser acknowledged that recent disruptions in export activities were due to procedural complications from the National Board of Revenue (NBR). These disruptions, he said, particularly affected the exporters of agricultural goods. Highlighting the government’s commitment to addressing this issue, Jahangir Alam said the new terminal at the airport would feature cold storage facilities dedicated to agricultural exports. He emphasised the importance of boosting vegetable and agro-produce exports and expanding pre-loading cold storage services. At least 13 people killed in Pakistani strikes on suspected militant hideouts in Afghanistan The adviser also stressed the need for diversifying export commodities rather than relying on a single product category.

Speakers at a roundtable discussion on Saturday opined that reform is essential to transform the Bangladesh Police into a truly people-friendly and humane force. Organized by the Bangladesh Retired Police Officers Welfare Association, the event titled “Bangladesh Police Reform: Citizens' Perspective” was held at the Tofazzal Hossain Manik Miah Hall of the National Press Club, with the association’s president, retired DIG M Akbar Ali, in the chair. Retired DIG Md Motiar Rahman presented the keynote paper, while Mahmudur Rahman, editor and publisher of the daily ‘Amar Desh’, attended as the main speaker. The event was moderated by the association’s vice president Md Abdur Rahman Khan, and former IGP Ashraful Huda delivered the welcome speech. Participants included former justices, civil servants, academics, journalists, political leaders, and other members of civil society. Press Secretary for critical assessment of journalism during AL regime In his keynote, Retired DIG Motiar Rahman highlighted key challenges facing the police force, including a colonial legal structure, shortages in human resources and technology, lack of accountability, corruption, excessive workload, and mental health concerns. To address these, he proposed comprehensive reforms such as enacting modern and people-oriented laws, ensuring transparency and accountability, enhancing training and attitudinal change, free the police from political interference, implementing community policing, increasing use of technology, and building a disciplined, service-oriented force. He also emphasized the urgent need for an independent Police Commission to monitor the force impartially and recommended that such a commission should include former and current justices, government officials, human rights activists, journalists, women, and civil society representatives. "A safe, peaceful, and developed Bangladesh depends on a police force that upholds the values of independence, democracy, and human rights," he added. Amar Desh Editor Mahmudur Rahman stressed the importance of depoliticizing the police and ensuring that officers are provided with adequate welfare and training opportunities. He called for the withdrawal of military officers from RAB, and for modern and context-specific training for police personnel. He urged the interim government to implement these reforms and also proposed the creation of a separate internal accountability committee within the police. "The decline in police integrity is a result of political interference," he said. "If we are to hold free and fair elections, we must restore the morale of the police," he added. Mahmudur Rahman also claimed that during Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s tenure, there was a breakdown of the chain of command within the police. He criticized past police actions prior to what he described as the "July Revolution" and said that restoring public trust in the police is a major challenge for any interim government. Recalling his own experience in police remand, he questioned whether the current crisis of police image was solely the force’s fault, suggesting that political affiliations of officers in detective branches contributed to the issue. "Our goal is now to ensure that fascism does not return," he stated. Prof. Dr. Borhan Uddin from the University of Dhaka’s Law Department emphasized the need for a separate legal framework governing police promotions and postings. He noted that no government is likely to voluntarily establish a Police Commission and called for demilitarization of police equipment. Ahmed Abdul Kader, Secretary General of, Khelafat-e-Majlish said that police must not be used to serve ruling party interests and essential reforms are necessary. Zarif Rahman, a member of the Police Reform Commission, said that removing police reform from the national consensus agenda would be a betrayal of the July Movement. Former Justice Farid Ahmed stressed that police reform has become unavoidable due to the controversial role of the force played during past governments. Among others, Prof. Dr. Mohammad Kamrul Ahsan, Vice Chancellor of Jahangirnagar University; Barrister Asaduzzaman Fuaad, General Secretary of AB Party; BNP’s Information and Research Secretary Azizul Bari Helal; Prof. Md Shariful Islam from the Department of Political Science at Dhaka University; and Dr. Mohammad Tarikul Islam, Professor of Government and Politics at Jahangirnagar University also spoke in the programme.

Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) arrested the prime suspect of orchestrating the mob assault, filming and online viral of a video that shows a woman being raped and tortured in Cumilla’s Muradnagar upazila. Md Shah Poran, 28, was picked up from the Kabila Bazar area of Burichang upazila around noon on Thursday , Rab-11 Commanding Officer Lt Col HM Sajjad Hossain disclosed durning a briefing at the Rab Media Centre in the capital on Friday. A mobile phone, believed to be used to spread the footage, was also seized from his possession , he added. According to Rab, Shah Poran masterminded the June 26 assault to avenge an earlier public humiliation by his elder brother Fozor Ali. Quoting locals, Rab said the brothers had quarrelled months ago, ending with Fozor slapping Poran during a village arbitration at Baherchar in Muradnagar. Cumilla Rape: Police seek 7-day remand for 4 Chhatra League cadres under Pornography Act Seeking revenge, Poran allegedly mobilised a group of villagers through the messaging app Imo. Around 11:30 pm on the night of the incident, Fozor entered the victim’s house under the pretext of collecting interest on a Tk 50,000 loan he had given her mother. Twenty minutes later, Poran and several accomplices—identified as Abul Kalam, Onik, Arif, Suman, Ramzan and eight to ten unidentified others—broke into the door, beat and assaulted the woman, and forced Fozor to join in the abuse. The attackers then filmed the scene and later posted the video on social media platforms, spreading panic and outrage across the locality, Rab said. The victim’s family filed a case under the Women and Children Repression Prevention Act and the Pornography Control Act with Muradnagar Police Station on June 29. Law-enforcement agencies have so far arrested six suspects, including the victim’s alleged rapist Fozor. Fakhrul demands tough punishment for Cumilla rape accused During primary interrogation, Poran admitted planning the attack and directing others to record and circulate the footage as retaliation against his brother, Rab claimed. He is being handed over to Muradnagar police, while efforts continue to arrest the remaining suspects, the Rab official added.

A mother, her daughter and minor son sustained burn injuries as a youth allegedly threw acid at them after the family refused his marraige proposal in Jhikargacha upazila of Jashore district, police said on Friday. The injured are mother Rahela Khatun, 48, her daughter Ripa Khatun, 26, and minor son Yeanur, 8, of Gadkhali village under the upazila. Quoting locals, officer-in-charge of Jhikargacha Police Station Nur Mohammad Gazi said the accused Jasim, 35, a day-labour who works at a neighbouring house had offered to marry Ripa several times, but was refused by the woman. Enraged by it, Jasim earlier allegedly threatened Ripa to take revenge and around 8:15pm on Thursday he threw acid targeting them through windows, leaving them injured, he said. Parents-in-law pour acid on woman over family feud in Lalmonirhat Hearing screams, neighbours rushed to the spot and took them to Jashore General Hospital where they are receiving treatment, the OC said. The boy was hurt more than his mother and sister, he said, adding that police are trying to detain the accused. Police are dealing with the case with importance.

Bangladesh Army has successfully conducted an operation against the Kuki-Chin National Army (KNA), armed wing of  Kuki-Chin National Front (KNF) in the Polipangsa-Mulfipara area early Thursday, according to an ISPR press release. Based on specific intelligence, army officials identified and engaged the terrorist group during the search operation. The militants attempted to escape upon sensing danger, resulting in a heavy exchange of fire. At one stage, the army recovered the bodies of two armed KNF members in uniform at the scene, added the ISPR. One of the deceased was identified as Puting/Dolly, a senior leader of the KNF with the rank of Major. The identity of the other deceased remains under investigation, but he is believed to be a member of the armed wing of the group.

A sub-inspector (SI) of Parshuram Model Police Station in Feni has been withdrawn after a video showing him taking bribes from an accused went viral on social media. The accused is SI Abu Sayeed. The video, which circulated online on Wednesday evening, shows the cop was allegedly taking money from one Abdus Sattar, a 55-year-old resident of Anantapur village of the upazila, near the latter’s house in Dakshin Kolapara area. Police said the incident occurred on June 22 when Sayeed visited Sattar’s residence as part of an investigation into a long-standing land dispute between Sattar and Panna Akhter, both residents of Anantapur. In the footage, Sattar is seen handing over money to the police officer. As the video went viral, the SI was immediately withdrawn and attached to Feni Police Lines, said the police station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Nurul Hakim. Sattar, however, denied giving the officer any bribe, claiming he only told the SI that officials often demand money during investigations. Refuting the allegation, SI Sayeed claimed that he did not take any money from Sattar. The OC said the matter is under investigation and further action will be taken after reviewing the video evidence.

No army personnel will be spared if proved involved in enforced disappearances, said Colonel Md Shafiqul Islam, Staff Colonel of the Military Operations Directorate. “When army personnel are on deputation, we don’t have direct control over them. However, investigations are ongoing. If anyone is proved involved in enforced disappearances, the army will take action,” he said at a press briefing held at Dhaka Cantonment on Thursday. Replying to a question, he said ahead of the next general election, the army is working to ensure a stable situation in the country. Colonel Shafiqul said 80 percent of the looted arms have already been recovered and expressed the hope that the remaining weapons would also be retrieved soon. Around 12,000 arms had gone missing, of which approximately 9,000 have been recovered so far, he added. 2 KNA operatives killed in Bandarban army operation; arms recovered The army official also informed that 4,790 people received treatment at Combined Military Hospitals (CMHs) during the last year July movement. Currently, 22 patients are undergoing treatment at the Combined Military Hospital (CMH), Dhaka. The law and order situation has improved significantly compared to previous periods, with the army remaining deployed to support efforts in maintaining peace.