Rapid Action Battalion
3 held for beating conductor in Kushtia
Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) held three men Tuesday who allegedly beat up a conductor using the blunt force of a hammer in Kushtia.
The detainees were identified as Md Mokaddes Hossain, 41, Amirul Islam Biltu, 45, and Md Jahurul Islam, 28.
Rab-12 Kushtia unit Company Commander Squadron Leader Md Elias Khan said in primary interrogation, the three accused have confessed to beating up conductor Shahidur Rahman Mintu under orders by two local political leaders and some others.
Read: 2 associates of Helena Jahangir held in Dhaka
"Victim Mintu was reluctant to file a case in this regard in fear but now he has been convinced. Actions will be taken after filing the case with the police station,' said Officer-in-Charge of Kushtia model police station Sabbirul Alam.
On Monday morning, some terrorists beat conductor Mintu in front of the Kushtia Local Government Engineering Department (LGD) office. Video footage of the incident soon went viral on social media.
Conductor Mintu said he has long been in this profession and licensed with government offices like LGED, Water Development Board, Roads and Highways Department, Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation.
Read: Human trafficking ring busted in Natore, 2 held
As a reason for the attack, Mintu said he submitted a tender for construction work of a portion of Mirpur road, a project under LGED worth Tk 7 crore.
Though he didn’t get the tender, a local Awami League leader and conductor has been threatening him since the submission over phone calls.
Due to the threats he couldn’t start construction of another road building project of LGED worth Tk 1 crore in Mirpur upazila for the last three months, said the victim.
Helena Jahangir placed on three-day remand
A Dhaka court on Friday placed ‘Joyjatra IPTV’ chairman Helena Jahangir on a three-day remand in a case filed under the Digital Security Act (DSA).
The court of Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Rajesh Chowdhury passed the order after investigation officer Sheikh Shahnur Rahman produced her before it, seeking a 5-day remand for interrogating her.
Earlier, the Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) filed the case against her with Gulshan Police Station, ASP Imran Khan, assistant director (media) at the Rab headquarters, told UNB.
Details of the case will be made public soon, he said.
Read: Helena Jahangir held from Gulshan residence after Rab raid
Besides, Imran said, Rab is getting ready to file more cases against Helena who was removed from Awami League sub-committee on women affairs recently.
Rab members held Helena from her Gulshan residence on Thursday night, four days after she was removed from the AL sub-committee.
The elite force members "seized foreign liquor, illegal walkie-talkie sets, casino equipment and deer skins" during a four-hour raid on her home on Thursday, Rab Executive Magistrate Palash Kumar Basu said.
Rab also raided and sealed off Joyjatra IPTV.
Meanwhile, Information Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud said action will be taken soon against unregulated and unauthorized internet protocol televisions (IPTVs) across the country.
Read: Helena Jahangir loses AL membership for 'Chakrijibi League' links
Mahmud, also Awami League joint general secretary, said this while replying to a question from reporters at his official residence in Dhaka on Friday afternoon.
“Some IPTVs are often involved in spreading rumours, dishing out false information. It’s also seen that some people have opened offices of television channels and even appointed their district representatives before getting any government approval. All these issues need to be regulated,” said Mahmud.
About Helena, he said Helena Jahangir is chairman of Joyjatra IPTV. “This is not fair for such a person to enter any sub-committee of the party (AL),” he added.
Helena Jahangir held from Gulshan residence after Rab raid
Members of Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) on Thursday night held businessperson Helena Jahangir from her Gulshan residence, four days after she was removed from her post of a ruling party sub-committee.
The elite force members "seized foreign liquor, illegal walkie-talkie sets, casino equipment and deer skins" during a four-hour raid on her home that started at 8pm, Rab Executive Magistrate Palash Kumar Basu said.
Read: Rab raids Papiya’s city houses, presidential suite at luxury hotel
"Following the raid, Rab detained Helena and took her out of the residence at 12:15am. Helena will be taken to the Rab Headquarters where she will be quizzed," Palash added.
Helena, a director of the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industries, and chairperson of Joyjatra TV, recently lost membership of the Awami League's sub-committee on women's affairs for "breaching party disciplines."
Read: Rab raid on Samrat’s city office underway
The sub-committee removed Helena for her "involvement with the Bangladesh Awami Chakrijibi League," a group which has no official connection with the ruling party.
Rab arrests seven members of an alleged human trafficking gang
Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) arrested seven people, including an alleged chief coordinator of an international human trafficking syndicate, in simultaneous drives on Saturday night in Madaripur, Gupalgonj and Dhaka.
The arrestees were identified as chief coordinator “Rubel Syndicate” Md. Ashiq, known as ‘Euro Ashik’ , 25, Md. Azizul Haque,35, Md Mizanur Rahman Mizan, 43, Nazmul Huda, 31, Sima Akhter,23, Helena Begum, 42, and Polly Akhter,43.
The elite force said it also recovered 17 passports, 14 cheque books of various banks, Tk 56,670 in cash and other documents from their possessions.
Also read: Bangladeshi returnee from Mauritius files human trafficking case against recruiting agency
The drives came amid reports of growing incidents of trafficking people luring them with jobs abroad.
Some 43 people were killed / missing when a boat capsized off the coast of Tunisia on June 28-29 last month while going to Europe illegally. Besides, some 84 people were rescued from a wrecked boat off the coast of Tunisia. Among them were citizens of Bangladesh, Sudan, Egypt, Eritrea and Chand.
The deaths due to movements of illegal migrants on risky routes were critically highlighted in international and domestic media.
In the past too, RAB has been able to arrest several members of such Bangladeshi human trafficking syndicate. The racket takes huge amount of money by fraud from innocent people.
Also read: Law Minister seeks coordinated response against human trafficking
In the wake of the alleged fraud, cases have been filed by relatives of the victims in Bangladesh at various times. Complaints have also been received from several families who have gone missing at different times. Accordingly, RAB has intensified its intelligence surveillance.
Based on secret information, a special joint team comprising Intelligence wing of the Rab headquarters and members of Rab-8 battalion, carried out simultaneous drives in Madaripur, Gupalgonj and Dhaka from 10:00 pm on Saturday night and it was continued till 6:00 am on Sunday, said an official of the Rab headquarters.
Interrogation of the arrestees revealed that they have been involved in this crime for a long time luring the victims with lucrative jobs abroad. They work in collaboration with their foreign counterparts, he added.
BNP leader Nipun Roy freed on bail
BNP executive committee member Nipun Roy was released from jail on bail on Friday, nearly two and a half months after her arrest.
Read: BNP leader Nipun Roy arrested in city
She walked out of the Keraniganj Central Jail around 1pm after the bail order reached the jail authorities, said her father and BNP vice chairman Netai Roy Chowdhury.
Party leaders and workers and relatives greeted her with flowers as she came out of the jail. She went back home right from there.
Read:Interrogate Nipun Roy at jail gate: Court
On March 28, Nipun was arrested by a team of Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) from her Rayerbazar residence on charge of conspiracy to carry out sabotage by torching buses during Hefazat-e-Islam's shutdown.
Later, two cases were filed against her with Jatrabari and Hazaribagh police stations.
Read: BNP leader Nipun Roy, 6 others land in jail
On June 16, the High Court granted ad-interim bail to the BNP leader in the two cases, clearing the way of her release from jail.
Nipun is the daughter-in-law of BNP standing committee member Gayeshwar Chandra Roy.
Ex-Hefazat chief Babunagri’s PS arrested
Enamul Hasan Faruki, the personal secretary to former Hefazat-e-Islam chief Junaid Babunagri, was arrested by Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) on Friday.
Chattogram RAB-7 Commander Lieutenant Colonel Mashiur Rahman said Faruki was arrested from Fatehabad of Chattogram’s Hathazari at night.
He was arrested over the violence in Hathazari.
Faruki was handed over to Hathazari police, the RAB officer added.
Hathazari Police said Faruki used to send all statements and press releases of Hefazat-e-Islam on behalf of Babungari.
Faruki is accused in the murder case of former Hefazat chief Shah Ahmad Shafi.
Another case accuses him of vandalism and arson at Hathazari Police Station building and the upazila land office.
Illegal medical supplies seller busted by RAB; 9 arrested
Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) conducted drives at three trading companies in the city and arrested nine people including owners of the organizations on charges of importing unauthorized medical devices and reagents and for selling and marketing those items after renewing expired dates through forgery.
The elite force also seized a large quantity of unauthorized, expired and counterfeit engraved adulterated medical test kits and reagents from their possessions.
Also read: RAB arrests drug dealers, recovers yaba, hemp
The arrestees were identified as owner of Biolab International Md. Shamim Mollah (40), manager Md. Shahidul Alam (42), and Md. Mahmudul Hasan (40); managing director of Exxon Technologies and Services Limited SM Mostafa Kamal (48); managing director of Hi-Tech Health Care Limited Abdullah Al Baki Shabbir (24), Engineer of Biolab International Md. Ziaur Rahman (35), Office Assistant of Biolab International Md. Sumon (35), its accountant Habibur Rahman, its office clerk Jahidul Amin Pulak (26), service engineer Md. Sohail Rana (28).
RAB arrests drug dealers, recovers yaba, hemp
Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) arrested five alleged drug peddlers and recovered 6,250 pieces yaba pills and 20 kgs hemp from the city’s Jatrabari area in two separate raids on Saturday.
The arrestees were identified as-- Md. Nurul Alam (52), Md. Jasim Uddin Ahmed (35), Md. Helal (27), b. Md. Shah Jalal (22), c. Md. Rajiv Talukder (29).
Based on secret information, a team of Rab-2 battalion started surveillance and set up a check post at Dakshin Kajla of North Duniya Biswa Road in jatrabari at around 6:30 am as the elite force came to know that a group of drug dealers was coming to Jatrabari area from the border area via Chittagong.
Also read: 51 arrested in DMP anti-drug operations
When Md. Nurul Alam and Md. Jasim Uddin Ahmed were about to passing the check-post, the elite force members challenged them and found 6,250 pieces Yaba pills searching their bodies at around 7:20 am.
4 Rab members detained in Dhaka for ‘demanding ransom’
Police on Friday detained four members of Rapid Action Battalion and a woman from the capital for allegedly demanding ransom from the family members of an abducted man.
Hatirjheel thana police detained them after receiving a complaint from the abducted man’s sister Rayana Hossain, 20. She informed the police that a person, claiming to be a Rab member, demanded ransom over phone for letting her brother Tamzid Hossain, 27, go.
Based on her information, the Hatirjheel thana police rescued Tamzid and detained the four Rab members along with the woman. However, their identities have not been made public.
Dhaka Metropolitan Police Commissioner Md Shafiqul Islam told reporters that three of the Rab members are from the army while the other is from the air force. They were sent back to their parent forces.
Director (Legal and Media Wing) of the Rab headquarters Commander Khandaker Al Moin said the Rab members would face action if the allegations against them are found to be true.
Replying to a question, he said the force does not take responsibility for any individual’s crime.
According to the First Information Report (FIR) registered at Hatirjheel Police Station on early Friday by the victim’s sister, Tamzid went out of their Mirbagh residence around 9am on Thursday for Uttara.
Around noon, a man called her from an unknown number and introduced himself as a senior RAB official and told her that her brother was in their custody. The caller also threatened to kill her brother if they informed police.
The caller called again at around 1:30pm on Thursday and informed her that her brother was being interrogated at Rab office by senior officials and he might be killed in ‘crossfire’ if they did not pay Tk 2 crore.
Finally, they agreed to let Tamzid for Tk 12 lakh, according to the FIR.
People and police both to benefit from police welfare activities
Inspector General of Police (IGP) Benazir Ahmed on Thursday said general people will also benefit in various ways through the welfare-oriented initiatives which have been undertaken considering the welfare of the members of Bangladesh Police.