United News of Bangladesh

Chhayanaut celebrated the Bangla New Year  on Monday morning with a vibrant cultural event held under the ancient banyan tree at Ramna Batamul. Centered around the theme “Amar Mukti Aloy Aloy” (My Liberation Lies in Light), the traditional celebration began shortly after sunrise at 6 am and concluded at 8:30 am. Over 150 male and female performers participated in the programme, which featured a total of 24 performances—including 9 group songs, 12 solo performances, and 3 recitations. Nation celebrating Pahela Baishakh with festive fervour The event showcased songs celebrating light, nature, humanity, and patriotism. A semi-circular stage, measuring 72 feet in length and 30 feet in width, was set up from east to west beneath the banyan tree, hosting the colorful performances. Chhayanaut Executive President Dr Sarwar Ali delivered the New Year’s greetings during the programme. The concluding performance was the national anthem performed collectively by the participating artists. Preparations for ‘Ananda Shobhajatra’ nearing completion amid enthusiasm Male performers wore maroon panjabis paired with white pajama trousers, while the female performers were dressed in off-white sarees with maroon borders.  

Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) Director General M Khurshid Hossain today (Thursday, April 13, 2023) said the letter threatening attack on Mangal Shobhajatra was sent to a Fine Arts Institute’s student to create panic and it is not a threat from militants. “The letter was sent to create panic. It has nothing to do with politics,” he said while talking to reporters at the Ramna Batamul in the capital after inspecting the security arrangements at the venue for the Bangla New Year celebrations on Friday. Read more: Pohela Boishakh: Mangal Shovajatra to be arranged with global perspectives in mind this year Regarding the security for Pahela Baishakh celebrations, he said  the Rab commando team is ready to deal with any kind of situation that may arise, as well as each Rab battalion has started special intelligence surveillance across the country.

Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) has claimed to have arrested a fugitive death row convict in the 2001 Ramna Batamul carnage case. The arrestee has been identified as Mufti Shafiqur Rahman alias Abdul Karim alias Shafiqul Islam, 61. He was arrested during a drive conducted by Rab-2 members in Bhairab upazila of Kishoreganj on Thursday, said Imran Khan ASP (media) at Rab headquarters. "During primary interrogation, the arrestee has admitted to his involvement in the attack," he said. READ: New bench to hear death references for convicts in Ramna Batamul bombing case Mufti Shafiqur told interrogators that he came in contact with Mufti Hannan, then head of banned Islamist organisation Harkat-ul-Jihad, when he went to study at Yusuf Bin Nuri Madrasah in Karachi in 1987. While on a subsequent trip to Afghanistan from Pakistan, he became involved with the militant group. Returning to Bangladesh from Afghanistan, he formed the militant organisation, 'Harkat-ul-Jihad (B)'. From 1990 to 1993, he served as the publicity secretary of the militant group. From 1993 to 1996, he was the Amir of the group. From 1997 to 2003, he was a member of Harkat-ul-Jihad's Sura. He was involved in 2001 Ramna Batamul bombing on the occasion of Pahela Baishakh, the August 21 granade attack in 2004, and killing of five people, including former Finance Minister Shah AMS Kibria, in Habiganj on January 27, 2005. From 2001 to 2008, after the attack on Ramna Batamul, he remained secretly associated with the organisation. After that, he stayed at a madrasa in Narsingdi from 2008 and then went into hiding. While in Narsingdi he was using the pseudonym Abdul Karim and used to work as an Imam at a local mosque for a salary of Tk 5,000. He used to meet his family members at different places. "Legal action against the arrestee is underway," said the Rab ASP.