United News of Bangladesh

There is no known legal bar preventing BNP Acting Chairperson Tarique Rahman from returning to Bangladesh, Law Adviser Dr Asif Nazrul said on Monday (December 01). “If any obstacles exist, we will certainly cooperate (with him). We will make the best possible arrangements for his security,” he said while talking to reporters at the Secretariat. The adviser said the decision to return rests entirely with Tarique Rahman. “He has the authority to choose the appropriate time. I believe he will return when he considers it right,” he added. Read more: 'Political realities prevent my return', says Tarique as he seeks prayers for Khaleda Responding to questions about why Tarique has not yet returned, the adviser said such speculation is unnecessary. “Many people raise questions about his return, but I find those comments uninteresting. This is a matter between a mother and her son. Is there any directive from Begum Khaleda Zia, or does Tarique Rahman have personal considerations? I don’t think it is appropriate to comment on that,” he said. “We must understand that this is a mother-son relationship. He knows best when to come and when to take any action,” Nazrul added. Read more: No objection to Tarique’s return, says govt

Home Affairs Adviser Lt Gen (retd) Md Jahangir Alam Chowdhury on Saturday (November 15) said that a special law enforcement and security deployment plan will be there in place for nine days over the upcoming national election. “The plan includes five days prior to the election, one day on the election day, and three days following the vote, with strict security measures enforced throughout; and the duration may be adjusted depending on the country’s situation,” he said while talking to reporters at Patuakhali Circuit House. The adviser said the army currently has 30,000 personnel deployed, but this number is expected to rise to nearly 100,000 during the election period. He said the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) will contribute around 35,000 members, while the Navy and the Coast Guard will deploy five thousand and four thousand personnel respectively. “The Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) will have approximately eight thousand members on duty.” Read more: Tensions rise as ICT going to set verdict date in Hasina case The adviser highlighted the role of the Ansar force, noting that about 550,000 personnel will be involved in the election management. According to him, Ansar will play a major role this time and will be equipped with weapons and body cameras to ensure effective management and security throughout the election period. Emphasising security, he asserted, “There is no room for doubt regarding security. The election will be held very peacefully—there is no question about that.” On a question regarding the change of government, the adviser said, “The government did not fall because of three individuals. It happened due to the spontaneous participation of the people. You have seen how they fled the country, how their relatives escaped. It was not due to one or two persons; it happened because of the will of the people.” Later, he inspected the Patuakhali Police Lines and the Coast Guard Station. Read more: Dhaka on high alert amid Awami League's countrywide ‘lockdown’ call

Inspector General of Police (IGP) Baharul Alam on Tuesday said the highest level of security has been ensured across the country to ensure peaceful celebration of Durga Puja, the largest religious festival of the Hindu community. A total of 31,606 mandaps have been set up nationwide and except for a few isolated incidents, festivities have been proceeding smoothly, he said at a press briefing at the police headquarters. “So far, police have taken cognisance of 49 incidents related to Durga Puja. A total of 15 cases have been filed and 19 people arrested in connection with those incidents,” he added. DMP vows foolproof security for Durga Puja celebrations Baharul Alam said security has been maintained at every mandap regardless of its risk level. “We are keeping strict vigilance to preserve the long-standing communal harmony of the country.” Regarding rumors, the IGP said false and outdated videos are often circulated on social media to incite communal unrest. “Our cyber unit is monitoring these matters closely and verifying incidents to prevent misinformation,” he added.

Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner Sheikh Md. Sajjat Ali on Thursday said they have taken comprehensive security plans for smooth celebrations Buddha Purnima. Speaking at a coordination meeting held at the DMP Headquarters conference room, the DMP Commissioner said necessary traffic management plans have also been undertaken by the DMP's Traffic Division to ensure normal vehicular movement around different Buddhist temples in the capital during the celebrations. Measures have been taken on all designated routes to control traffic during the Buddha Purnima processions. DB arrests two AL leaders in Dhaka To ensure safety at the event venues, CCTV cameras, archways, and metal detectors will be installed by the police. The coordination meeting was attended by representatives from various Buddhist temples in Dhaka, Buddhist religious leaders, officials from intelligence agencies, specializsd police units, Dhaka North and South City Corporations, Fire Service and Civil Defence, DPDC, WASA, Public Works Department, and other public and private service agencies. At the beginning of the meeting, DMP Joint Police Commissioner (Operations) Mohammad Shahidullah presented the overall security plan through a PowerPoint presentation. This was followed by an open discussion where participants from various agencies shared their opinions and suggestions. Among others,  DMP Additional Police Commissioner (Traffic) Md. Sarwar,  Additional Police Commissioner (Crime and Operations) S.N. Md. Nazrul Islam; Additional Police Commissioner (Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime) Md. Masud Karim; Additional Police Commissioner (Logistics, Finance and Procurement) Hasan Md. Shawkat Ali; as well as Joint and Deputy Police Commissioners, and other senior officials were present.       

Bangladesh Army are working along with the law enforcement agencies to prevent attacks and sabotage at important installations or Key Point Installations (KPIs) across the country and ensure their security. The issues are regularly reviewed with other law enforcement agencies, said Colonel-Staff of Military Operation Directorate under the Army Headquarters Colonel Intekhab Haider Khan while briefing reporters at the Banani Army Officers Mess-A of Dhaka Cantonment on Thursday noon regarding the activities of the army deployed under the campaign, In Aid to Civil Power. When his attention was drawn to Thursday's fire at the important installation like Bangladesh Secretariat , Colonel Intekhab said the incident just occurred, and they have not yet received detailed information in this regard. However, the army is working on the security of important establishments, he added. In response to another question, he said how long the army will serve in the field is a matter of the government's decision. The army is working to maintain law and order according to the government's decision. Therefore, the army’s withdrawal depends on the government's decision. He also said that the army has taken training to take pressure while maintaining law and order. However, the army is working in coordination with other law enforcement agencies to keep law and order, he added In response to another question regarding security risk in the Cox's Bazar area, Col Intekhab said, there is no threat to the sovereignty of the country of security at the moment. The army in the area has always on alert. If there ever is a security threat, the army is ready to take action accordingly. Moreover, the BGB and Coast Guard and the law enforcement agencies are working on the Rohingya infiltration. Army, BGB deployed outside Bangladesh Secretariat after fire, gates closed When asked about the arson attack on Tripura community in Bandarban district, he said the incident occurred due to a land dispute and no other reason. Though incidents related to law and order has occurred there has been no deterioration. In this regard, the army is continuing to work in coordination with the police and others to keep the law and order situation tolerable. Earlier in a written statement, Col Intekhab said that members of Bangladesh Army have recovered  28 illegal fire arms and 424 rounds of ammunition conducting drives across the country in the past one month since November 28. During the period, the army played an active role in controlling 67 unstable situations and 13 main road blockades arising from such situations in various industrial areas of the country (mainly in Gazipur, Ashulia and Savar areas). In addition, they (army members) have been working to keep the factories running in coordination with all concerned, including the police, BGMEA, the owners, workers and the concerned ministries. As a result, all but one of the country's 2,093 garment factories are currently operational, he added. Apart from the industrial area, the army members have also controlled 45 different types of disorderly situations in the last one month. Of which five were related to educational institutions, three to government organisations/offices, seven were political conflicts and 30 were other types of incidents. In addition, on December 19, the army members provided direct assistance to the police in the attempted robbery at Rupali Bank in Keraniganj, which made it possible to quickly bring the incident under control without any incident. Besides, 200 suspected drug dealers or people associated with drugs have been arrested in joint operations along with recovery of a good amount of illegal drugs, such as Yaba, Phensedyl, illegal liquor, etc. Around 1,405 people involved in various types of crimes were also arrested from different parts of the country during the joint drives. 26 arrested in Army's special anti-crime operation in Dhaka city The army personnel worked with law enforcement agencies and religious leaders to ensure that the recently concluded Christmas celebrations of Christians across the country wre celebrated safely. A total of 4,241 churches across the country celebrated Christmas without any incidents, he said. In addition to these tasks, the army is also continuously performing its duties of maintaining communal harmony in the country, ensuring the security of foreign diplomats and embassies, maintaining peace and order in the Chittagong Hill Tracts, and providing security to the FDMN camp area in Cox's Bazar district.

U.S. federal authorities have called on telecommunications companies to strengthen network defenses following a widespread hacking campaign by Chinese operatives that compromised the private communications of an unspecified number of Americans. The FBI and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) issued guidance on Tuesday to help identify and block the hackers, aiming to prevent future cyberespionage. Officials, however, admitted they are still uncertain about the full extent of the breach or whether Chinese hackers retain access to U.S. networks. Highlighting the global impact of the operation, the U.S. collaborated with security agencies from New Zealand, Australia, and Canada—members of the Five Eyes intelligence alliance, which also includes the UK. The hacking campaign, referred to as Salt Typhoon, was uncovered earlier this year. Hackers targeted telecommunications networks to access metadata such as call and text logs, including timestamps and recipients. In fewer cases, they intercepted audio files and text content. Victims included government and political officials, and the FBI has reached out to this group. However, the responsibility of notifying affected customers from the larger pool rests with telecom companies. Despite months of investigations, the true scale of the breach remains unknown. Some of the data targeted by the hackers involved U.S. law enforcement investigations and court orders, potentially linked to programs under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA). However, officials believe the hackers aimed for broader access to Americans' information by embedding themselves deeply into the nation's telecom systems. The FBI's recommendations for telecom companies include technical measures like encryption, network centralization, and continuous monitoring. If adopted, these steps could help disrupt ongoing operations like Salt Typhoon and strengthen defenses against similar future attacks, according to Jeff Greene, CISA's executive assistant director for cybersecurity. TikTok defends handling of Romania election content in grilling by EU lawmakers “We’re not under any illusion that these actors won’t try to return,” Greene said. China has been linked to several high-profile cyberattacks in recent months. In September, the FBI disrupted a Chinese operation that infected over 200,000 consumer devices with malware, creating a botnet capable of launching large-scale cybercrimes. In October, hackers associated with China targeted phones belonging to political figures, including then-presidential candidate Donald Trump and his running mate, JD Vance, as well as individuals tied to Democratic candidate Kamala Harris. China has denied the allegations, with a spokesperson for its embassy in Washington dismissing them as “disinformation.” The statement emphasized China’s opposition to all forms of cyberattacks and accused the U.S. of engaging in its own cyber operations against other nations.      

Islami Chhatra Shibir, the student wing of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, has strongly condemned the attack and vandalism at the Bangladesh Assistant High Commission in India’s Agartala. The student organization expressed its deep concern over the incident, urging both the governments of Bangladesh and India to take immediate steps to prevent further escalation. Dhaka sharply reacts over “heinous attack” on its Agartala mission In a statement, Chhatra Shibir's central president, Monzurul Islam, said, “Relations between neighboring countries must be founded on mutual respect and trust. Diplomatic missions are safeguarded by international law.” “Attacks like these not only jeopardize diplomatic ties but also harm the overall relationship between the two nations. This incident threatens regional stability and could contribute to the spread of extremism and violence,” he further added. Security enhanced for Bangladesh missions in India He also urged the Indian government to promptly identify the attackers, ensure they are held accountable, and reinforce the security of the mission. “It is crucial to take concrete measures to prevent such incidents from occurring in the future,” he added.

Amid ongoing protests demanding the resignation of President Shahabuddin, security has been beefed up around the presidential palace, Bangabhaban, with newly installed barbed-wire fences. Protesters continued to gather sporadically near Bangabhaban for the third consecutive day on Thursday, calling for the President's immediate resignation. Along with the Army and Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), members of the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and the Armed Police Battalion (APBN) are also on high alert. Read: Tense situation prevailing around Bangabhaban following explosion of sound grenade To fend off any unwarranted situation, stringent security cordons have been ensured on the road in front of Bangabhaban. In addition to a four-layered barricade, a three-layered barbed-wire fence has been erected as the President's residence remains tense flowing two days of protests.

The Advisory Council meeting on Thursday gave final approval to the draft of 'Security of Family Members of the Father of the Nation (Repeal) Ordinance, 2024', subject to vetting by the Legislative and Parliamentary Affairs Department. Interim Government Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus chaired the meeting at state guesthouse Jamuna. “Our government is an outcome of anti-discrimination movement. It (the security ordinance) was seen as discriminatory,” Adviser on Environment, Forest, and Climate Change Syeda Rizwana Hasan told reporters after the meeting. The Public Security Division of the Ministry of Home Affairs initiated the issue as they feel there is “no necessity” of such special security. As per the decision of the previous government, the 'Father of the Nation Security of Family Members Act, 2009' (Act No. 63 of 2009) was enacted and promulgated. Later, a gazette was issued to provide special security and facilities as per the Act. The law was enacted only to provide state privileges to members of a family which is a clear discrimination, said the Advisory Council. The current interim government is committed to eradicating all discrimination after the anti-discrimination student uprising, according to the press wing of the Chief Adviser. It is necessary to take immediate action and issue an ordinance to repeal this Act, the Council viewed. The family members of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman were getting foolproof state security everywhere in the country, including their residences and free utility services. Meanwhile, the Advisory Council in its meeting also gave final approval to the draft of 'Special Security Force (Amendment) Ordinance, 2024'. The 'Special Security Force Act, 2021' was formulated to provide security to the President, Prime Minister of the People's Republic of Bangladesh, family members of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. In view of the popular uprising of the students, an interim government was formed on August 8, 2024, consisting of the Chief Adviser and other advisers. In such a changing situation, it is necessary to ensure the security of the Chief Adviser under the 'Special Security Force Act, 2021'. It was also necessary to cancel some of the provisions of the said law with the addition of the security provision of the Chief Adviser to the Interim Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh. 'Special Security Force Amendment Ordinance 2024' was unanimously approved in the advisory council meeting.    

Amid the students’ ongoing agitation demanding quota reform, Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner Mohammad Habibur Rahman on Monday (July 15, 2024) warned that any attempt to deteriorate the law and order will be resisted strictly. He issued the warning while talking to reporters over the security measures centring the upcoming Holy Ashura and Tajia procession at Hussaini Dalan Imambari in Old Dhaka. “We have to abide by the court order. Therefore, police will work keeping respect to the court order. If anyone tries to destabilize law and order situation, it will be dealt with an iron hand,” the DMP chief said. Case filed against quota protesters for “obstructing police” and “vandalism” in Dhaka’s Shahbagh Addressing the security measures over the Holy Ashura and Tajia procession, Habibur said that they have already taken all preparations to ensure security of those who will observe the event. Security will be monitored from the high rises adjacent to the Imambaras while law enforcers in plainclothes will be in place along with uniformed ones, he said. As there is a custom to bear a flag during the procession, they (event organizers) were cautioned not to keep it too high so that it doesn’t touch the electric wires, he added. Read more: Clash erupts between quota protestors, BCL activists at DU; Several injured