United News of Bangladesh

Supporters of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami and seven allied political parties have gathered at Paltan in the capital to press their previously announced five-point demand. The rally is scheduled to begin at 2 pm. The decision to hold the rally was announced on November 3 at a press conference by Bangladesh Khelafat Majlish Ameer Maulana Mamunul Haque. Leaders present at the press briefing included Islami Andolan Bangladesh Ameer Mufti Syed Muhammad Rezaul Karim (Charmonai Pir), Maulana Yunus Ahmad, Prof Ashraf Ali Akon, Jamaat leaders Dr Syed Abdullah Mohammad Taher and AHM Hamidur Rahman Azad, Nizami Islam Party’s Mufti Harun Izhar, Bangladesh Khelafat Majlish Secretary General Maulana Jalal Uddin, Khelafat Majlish Secretary General Dr Ahmad Abdul Kader, and Jatiya Ganatantrik Party (JAGPA) spokesperson Rashed Pradhan. Supporters of Jamaat, allies gather at Paltan to push for 5-point demand The five-point demand focuses on the implementation of the July Charter and related electoral reforms. The five demands are issuing an order to hold a referendum before the national election over the July National Charter, introducing a proportional representation (PR) system in the upper or both houses, ensuring a level playing field for all parties during the election, ensuring visible justice for all acts of repression, killings, and corruption committed by the previous  government and banning the activities of  Jatiya Party and the 14-party alliance. On November 6, Jamaat-e-Islami and seven allied parties submitted a five-point memorandum to Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus, seeking the implementation of the July Charter and calling for a national referendum ahead of the next general election scheduled for February. Read more: Police intercept Jamaat, Islami Andolon procession near Matsya Bhaban

Two members of the Detective Branch (DB) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) sustained bullet injuries early Thursday after suspected drug dealers opened fire during an anti-narcotics drive in the capital’s Paltan area. The injured officers were identified as assistant sub-inspector (ASI) Atique Hasan and constable Sujan, both from the DB’s Lalbagh Division. They were admitted to Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) in critical condition. Confirming the incident, sub-inspector Md Masud of the DMCH police outpost said both officers are currently undergoing treatment, with one reported to be in serious condition. According to police sources, the incident took place near the Central Police Hospital around 12:20am. A DB team, led by Senior Assistant Commissioner Enayet Kabir Shoeb of the Lalbagh Division, attempted to stop a private car during the operation. Occupants of the vehicle—suspected drug dealers—opened fire, injuring the two policemen. The wounded officers were initially taken to Rajarbagh Police Hospital before being transferred to DMCH for advanced treatment. Money exchange trader shot, mugged of Tk 22 Lakh in Mirpur ASI Atique sustained a bullet wound to the abdomen and was admitted to the one-stop emergency care (OSEC) unit, while constable Sujan, who was shot in the left leg, is being treated at the casualty department. Police detained three suspects along with the private car involved in the incident. A total of 9,500 Yaba pills were also recovered from their possession. Contacted for comments, DMP Media Deputy Commissioner Talebur Rahman confirmed the arrests.  

Police charged baton and used water cannon to disperse supporters of the half-day hartal enforced by Left Democratic Alliance (LDA) protesting the price hike of daily essentials at Paltan intersection in the city on Monday. Riaz Montu, one of the hartal supporters, said, “We were staging demonstrations peacefully. But police charged baton on us around 12pm.” The half-day nationwide hartal enforced by Left Democratic Alliance (LDA) to protest the soaring prices of edible oil, other essential commodities and utility services ended at 12 pm. Also read: Hartal: 10 LDA men hurt in a clash with police in N’ganj Hartal supporters brought out processions in the city’s Paltan intersection and held sit-in programmes, halting the vehicular movement from Kakrail to GPO intersection and Press Club to Dainik Bangla intersection in the morning. Left-leaning leaders, students and activists also blocked Shahbagh intersection. Vehicular movement from Science Lab to Shahbagh, Farmgate to Shahbagh and Press Club to Shahbagh remained halted for several hours, causing severe gridlocks that also spread to other parts of the capital, said Assistant Commissioner (Traffic-Shahbagh) Md Nurun Nabi. Also read: Half-day hartal protesting price hike of essentials underway The hartal began at 6am and continued till 12pm. On March 11, the LDA called the nationwide half-day hartal.

Three people, including two rickshaw pullers, were injured Wednesday after shattered glass littered the street following a gas geyser explosion on the fifth floor of Victory Hotel in the capital’s Naya Paltan.