United News of Bangladesh

Scrap trader Lal Chand alias Md Sohag was killed in Old Dhaka over business rivalry, not for any political motive, Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner Sheikh Md Sajjat Ali said on Wednesday. “The person who was seen throwing a stone at Sohag was initially unrecognised, but a special police team later confirmed his identity and arrested him from Patuakhali on Tuesday night,” he said at a press conference at the DMP Media Centre. Nine people have so far been arrested in connection with the murder, he added. “Following the incident, in-charge of Chawkbazar police outpost Sarwar detained two suspects—Mahbub and Mohin—from the scene. Based on witness accounts and CCTV footage, seven more suspects were later arrested, bringing the total number of detainees to nine,” the DMP Commissioner said. Writ petition filed seeking judicial commission to probe Sohag murder The latest arrestee, Rezwan Uddin Abhi, is son of Manoranjan Basu and Beauty Deb Milla and he is a converted Muslim, he said. Efforts are underway to arrest the remaining suspects, the DMP commissioner added. He assured that all involved in the murder will be brought to justice and given exemplary punishment to prevent such incidents in the future. When asked about any political affiliations of the suspects, he said, “Anyone can have a political identity. A citizen may be affiliated with any political party, but this incident is not politically motivated.” Additional Commissioner (Crime and Operations) SN Md Nazrul Islam said Sohag had previously operated a business under the political cover of Haji Selim’s nephew, former commissioner Pillu, during the Awami League regime. “For 17 years, Sohag had been involved in dealing with stolen aluminum wires from the Palli Bidyut network and selling those to factories producing aluminum utensils,” he said. Another arrested in Mitford Sohag murder case Nazrul added that another group from the same area got involved in the same business, resulting in a serious business rivalry that ultimately led to Sohag’s murder. “There was no attempt to disrupt the election or embarrass the government through this killing. It was purely due to personal and commercial disputes,” he said.

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Friday said the brutal killing of a trader at Mitford is not just the loss of a life, but a clear sign of serious failure in ensuring public safety, citizens’ rights and law and order. In a statement, he strongly condemned and protested the incident and said such barbaric acts have no connection with BNP’s ideology, principles, or politics. “Whoever the offender is, his or her place can never be above the law and justice. This brutal incident, which took place after the fall of the Awami fascist government in the mass movement of July-August, has deeply shaken the conscience of the people of the country,” the BNP leader said. Unless exemplary punishment is ensured for such a heinous and disgusting crime committed in broad daylight, Fakhrul said the culture of impunity will push society into deeper darkness. He called upon the interim government to carry out a neutral and credible investigation, and ensure exemplary punishment for the real offenders by bringing them under trial. Democracy hardly practised in Bangladesh: Fakhrul Fakhrul prayed for the salvation of the departed soul and expressed deep sympathy to the victim’s family members. Earlier on Wednesday, a young trade Mohammad Sohag was brutally hacked and beaten to death in public at the main gate of Mitford Hospital in the old part of the capital. In a separate statements on Friday night, Jubo Dal, Chhatra Dal, and Swechchhasebak Dal announced the expulsion of five of their leaders and activists from their organisations for life over the killing incident in Old Dhaka. They are Jubo Dal’s former Climate Affairs Assistant Secretary Razzab Ali (Pintu), its Dhaka South City unit Joint Convenor Sabah Karim (Lucky), Chhatra Dal’s Chawkbazar Thana unit Member Secretary Apu Das, its leader Mahmudul Hasan Mahin and Swechchhasebak Dal activist Kalu.

 A Dhaka court has granted five days' remand each for two youths arrested in connection with the murder of a businessman in front of Gate-3 of Sir Salimullah Medical College Hospital, popularly known by its Colonial era name- Mitford Hospital. The arrestees were identified as Mahmudul Hasan Mohin, 41, and Tarek Rahman Robin, 22. Deputy Commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Talebur Rahman confirmed the development. Earlier, DMP arrested the two accused with weapons shortly after the incident. Subsequently, the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) detained two more individuals in connection with the same case. On the afternoon of July 9 (Wednesday), a group of assailants brutally attacked local businessman Lal Chand, alias Sohag, aged 39, on the pavement in front of Gate-3 of the hospital, leading to his death. Responding swiftly to the incident, police from Kotwali Police Station arrived at the scene and brought the situation under control. Law enforcement prepared an inquest report and sent the body to the hospital morgue for autopsy. Following the incident, the victim’s elder sister filed a murder case at Kotwali Police Station. Police collected CCTV footage from the crime scene and launched raids across various areas in the capital, ultimately arresting the two named accused, Mohin and Robin. During the arrest, a foreign-made pistol was recovered from Robin's possession. Initial investigations suggest that the killing resulted from a business dispute and prior enmity. Authorities are continuing operations to arrest others involved and to uncover the full motive behind the murder. Legal proceedings against the arrestees are currently underway.

The Jail authorities on Saturday suspended three guards after a prisoner fled from Sir Salimullah Medical College (Mitford Hospital) on Friday.

The apparently ‘miraculous’ survivor from Sunday’s tragic accident on the Buriganga near Sadarghat was traced down Saturday in a different part of Mitford Hospital from the one he was alleged to have fled on Wednesday.

PRAN-RFL Group has donated three sample collection booths (WISK Cabin) to Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) for collecting sample for covid-19 test.

Police recovered the body of a doctor from the room of the Director of Matuail Friendship Hospital in the city on Friday.