United News of Bangladesh

Police have detained seven members of an alleged gang for posing as members of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and attempting to kidnap a woman in Sreepur upazila of Magura. A toy pistol, four jackets bearing the word “CID”, three helmets, a Noah microbus and eight mobile phones were recovered from their possesion, police said. Magura Superintendent of Police Molla Azad Hossain disclosed the information at a press briefing at the district police office on Wednesday. The detainees are Asma Khatun, 31, Md Hasanuzzaman Hasan, 28, Md Osman Gani, 25, Salman Shah, 25, Md Habibur Rahman, 22, Md Sabik, 23, and Md Al Amin Hossain, 22. Police said the suspects are from Magura, Jhenaidah, Kushtia, Kurigram and other parts of the country. According to police, a Noah microbus was moving suspiciously in the Nakol Paschimpara area of Sreepur on Tuesday night as the gang allegedly planned to kidnap a woman. After receiving the information, police conducted an operation and reached the area at around 1:10am on Tuesday. Police said an investigation is underway into the suspects' possible involvement in the incident based on information obtained from them. A case has been filed with Sreepur Police Station. SP Molla Azad Hossain said the district police was working to ensure public safety, protect human rights and curb crime. He urged members of the public to immediately inform police about any information related to criminal activities.

The investigation into the killing of a retired teacher and three members of his family in Rangpur has been handed over to the Detective Branch (DB) of police after questions raised over the police account of the incident. The investigation was transferred to the DB to ensure a more transparent and comprehensive investigation and to facilitate the submission of a charge sheet quickly, said Rangpur Metropolitan Police Deputy Commissioner (DB) Sanatan Chakraborty on Tuesday. The case was previously being investigated by the Kotwali Police Station. Inspector (Investigation) Milan Chatterjee of Kotwali Police Station went to the DB office and handed over the case documents and relevant information to the new investigating officer, Inspector Zinnat Ali on Monday, said police. Later, the two officers visited the house of retired teacher Ganapati Chakraborty in Machuapar, where the four bodies were recovered. Sanatan Chakraborty said two accused made confessional statements before a court under Section 164 of the Code of Criminal Procedure on Sunday night. The decision to transfer the case investigation came after widespread questions were raised over the police's initial explanation of the killings. During a press briefing, Rangpur Metropolitan Police Commissioner Mohammad Abdul Mabud on Sunday said Ganapati Chakraborty, his wife, son and daughter were killed after the retired teacher confronted two youths who had gone to the roof of his house to consume Yaba pills. The statement triggered questions among relatives of the victims, local residents, teachers, students and other citizens. They demanded a more comprehensive investigation and held human chains and protest rallies. Police said the new investigation officer would examine every aspect of the case, verify the available evidence and information, and take further legal action accordingly.

Customs intelligence officials have detected false declarations, significant quantity discrepancies and gross undervaluation in two consignments imported by the same company through the airfreight unit of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport. The consignments, imported by Sardar Global Trade with Fahim 5 Star Ltd as the C&F agent, contained a total of 1,167 laptops and 100 tablets and iPads, according to the Customs Intelligence and Investigation Directorate (CIID). The two consignments had a combined declared value of only US$5,500, while their assessed value after physical examination stood at US$167,786, equivalent to Tk 2.07 crore. Officials found 543 HP Core i5 laptops, 187 HP Core i3 laptops and 10 HP Core i5 laptops that had been declared as mini PCs. The consignment also contained 55 tablets and five iPads, bringing the total number of laptops to 740 and tablets/iPads to 60. The examination report also identified 43 additional laptops against the declared quantity.  

The High Court on Monday rejected a bail petition of Chattogram arms dealer Mohammad Majedul Haque Helal, an accused in an arms case filed in Narsingdi over the murder of Inqilab Moncho Spokesperson Sharif Osman Bin Hadi in the capital. The HC bench of Justice KM Zahid Sarwar and Justice Sheikh Abu Taher passed the order. Majedul was arrested from Chawkbazar in Chattogram and later gave a confessional statement before a Dhaka court on April 18 last. According to the investigation, the pistol used in the killing of Hadi, who was shot at Paltan in the capital on December 12 last year, was recovered from Narsingdi. A case was filed with Narsingdi Police Station under the Arms Act over the incident. Forensic examination confirmed that the cartridges and bullets recovered from the scene were fired from the seized pistol. Investigators traced the pistol to Majedul's arms dealership in Chattogram. His arms licence had not been renewed after December 31, 2014.

Police have arrested a man for allegedly opening fake Facebook accounts using the names and photos of members of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s family and two of his officials. The arrestee was identified as Karkan Rana. The Cyber Crime Investigation Division of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) arrested the suspect during a drive on Sunday. He allegedly created the fake accounts using the identities of the Prime Minister’s family members, his Additional Press Secretary Atikur Rahman Rumon and Personal Assistant-2 Abdur Rahman Sani. Police said Rana used the accounts to spread propaganda and false and fabricated information, allegedly tarnishing the reputations of the people concerned. He had created multiple Facebook accounts and pages using the names of several other people, according to police. Following complaints against Rana, the E-Fraud Investigation Team of the Cyber Crime Investigation Division analysed information related to the fake accounts and conducted a drive on Sunday afternoon, arresting him. Police also seized a mobile phone and other evidence from his possession during the operation. A case was filed with Banani Police Station under the Cyber Security Act in connection with the incident. Police have sought a seven-day remand for Rana for interrogation in the case.  

Police have arrested six people, including the younger brother of Wari’s “top-listed criminal” Sajol alias Auto Sajol, and recovered four foreign-made pistols, three magazines and 12 rounds of ammunition from the capital’s Swamibagh area. The arrestees are Md Sajib, 28, brother of Sajol, Md Himu, 32, Md Tushar, 25, Md Joy, 25, Md Tutul, 33, and Md Imran, 34. Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Joint Commissioner (Crime) Md Faruk Hossain disclosed the information at a press briefing at the DMP Media Centre on Monday. He said police learned on Sunday that a consignment of illegal drugs was being brought to Dhaka from Chattogram in a private car. Acting on the information, a team of Jatrabari Police Station set up a checkpost in front of Mukti Filling Station near the Matuail U-turn. Around 4:30pm, police stopped a white private car and searched it. Five people inside the vehicle were detained, but no drugs were found at that time. During interrogation, they told police that drugs were kept in a flat at Koratitola of in the Swamibagh. Police later raided the flat around 9:30pm and, based on information provided by Sajib and Himu, recovered four foreign-made pistols, three magazines and 12 rounds of ammunition from a plastic bag hidden under a bed. Another arrest was made at that time. The private car and six smartphones were also seized. Link to previous arms recovery According to preliminary police information, Sajib is the younger brother of Sajol, as a top-listed criminal and arms and drug dealer in the Wari area. Police said on March 2, unidentified criminals shot and injured an inspector of the Department of Narcotics Control during a special anti-drug operation before fleeing the scene. A case was filed with Wari Police Station over the incident. Three people were arrested during the investigation, and police recovered a 9mm pistol, a .32-bore revolver, a 7.65mm pistol and 23 rounds of ammunition from them. Police said the arrested suspects, in their confessional statements recorded under Section 164 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, told investigators that Sajol had supplied the weapons used in the incident. Later, on June 18, police arrested Sajol from the Sayedabad area based on a tip-off. Based on information obtained from him, police raided his rented house in Swamibagh and recovered two Taurus-brand pistols, four magazines, 77 rounds of ammunition, 59 grams of heroin, materials used to make heroin, Tk 22,960 in drug sale proceeds and four mobile phones. Legal proceedings against the six arrested people are underway, police said.

The High Court has ordered the Law Ministry to withdraw the judicial powers of Feni Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal Judge Mamunur Rashid and attach him to the ministry for handing down death sentences to the accused in a “wholesale manner” in the Nusrat Jahan Rafi murder case. In its observation, the High Court of Justice Bhishmadev Chakrabortty and Justice KM Rasheduzzaman Raja said the trial court caused a “serious disaster” for the families of the accused by handing down arbitrary death sentences. The court also warned of the consequences of imposing death sentences indiscriminately without specific evidence and proper assessment of the facts of a case. The High Court made the observation while acquitting 10 of the 16 accused in the case, saying the charges against them have not been proved. The court upheld the death sentences of two convicts and commuted the sentences of four others to life imprisonment. Senior lawyers Mansurul Haque Chowdhury, SM Shahjahan, Tajul Islam, Barrister SM Masud Hossain Dolan and Mohammad Shishir appeared for the accused. Attorney General Barrister Ruhul Quddus Kajal and Deputy Attorney General Syed Ijaz Kabir represented the state. Relatives of both the accused and the victim were present in the courtroom when the verdict was pronounced.

The High Court on Monday upheld the death sentences of two convicts and commuted that of four others to life imprisonment in the much-discussed murder case of madrasa student Nusrat Jahan Rafi in Sonagazi upazila of Feni. The High Court bench of Justice Bhishmadev Chakrabortty and Justice KM Rasheduzzaman Raja pronounced the verdict. The condemned convicts are SM Siraj-ud-Daula, expelled principal of Sonagazi Islamia Senior Fazil Madrasa, and Shahadat Hossain alias Shamim. The lifers are Nur Uddin, Saifur Rahman Mohammad Jobayer, Jabed Hossain alias Sakhawat Hossain and Umme Sultana alias Popy. The court acquitted the remaining 10 people as the charges against them were not proved. They are Maqsood Alam alias Moksud, a former councillor and former general secretary of Sonagazi municipality Awami League; Hafez Abdul Quader; Absar Uddin; Kamrun Nahar Moni; Abdur Rahim Sharif; Iftekhar Uddin Rana; Imran Hossain alias Mamun; Ruhul Amin, president of Sonagazi Upazila Awami League and former vice-president of the madrasa; Mohiuddin Shakil; and Mohammad Shamim. The verdict was delivered in response to the death references and appeals filed in the case following the trial court’s verdict. On October 24, 2019, Feni Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal sentenced all 16 accused to death for killing Nusrat, who was set on fire at her madrasa in April that year after she had accused the madrasa principal of sexual harassment. The court also fined each of them Tk 1 lakh. According to the prosecution, Nusrat’s mother, Shirin Akhter, filed a case on March 27, 2019 against SM Siraj-ud-Daula, then principal of Sonagazi Islamia Fazil Madrasa, accusing him of sexually harassing her daughter. Siraj-ud-Daula was subsequently arrested. His supporters sought to secure his release and later plotted to silence Nusrat. On April 3, several of the accused met Siraj in jail, and on April 4 they planned to kill Nusrat at the madrasa. On April 6, Nusrat went to the madrasa to sit for her Alim examination. She was lured to the roof of a cyclone shelter attached to her madrasah, where she was set on fire after refusing to withdraw sexual assault charges against her principal. Nusrat was rescued and initially taken to Sonagazi Upazila Health Complex before being transferred to Feni General Hospital. As her condition deteriorated, she was shifted to the burn unit of Dhaka Medical College Hospital where she died on April 10, 2019. Her brother Mahmudul Hasan Noman filed the murder case on April 8. Police submitted the charge sheet on May 28, and the Feni Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal framed charges on June 20. The trial court recorded the testimony of 87 witnesses and heard arguments before delivering its verdict on October 24.  

Police have arrested two people in connection with the theft of around 330 kg of human hair, reportedly worth crores of taka, in Damurhuda upazila of Chuadanga. The arrested are covered van driver Md Shahidul Islam, 47, and factory manager Sanwar Hossain Santu, 39. Police recovered 23 sacks of stolen hair based on information provided by the arrestees. According to a press release issued by Chuadanga District Police on Sunday night, the incident took place around 1:45pm on Saturday in the Koshaghata area of Damurhuda. Police said a group of seven to eight people, armed with firearms, intercepted a covered van and took away 23 sacks of hair from the vehicle. The stolen hair weighed around 330 kg, and traders estimated its market value at more than Tk 1 crore. Atiyar Rahman Tagidar, president of the Bangladesh Hair Processing Small Business Cooperative Association, said the hair was being transported from a factory in Karpasdanga for processing.

The International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) has denied bail to Bangladesh Air Force Wing Commander Saifur Rahman and sent him to jail in a crimes against humanity case over the 2012 enforced disappearance of BNP leader Ilias Ali. A three-member bench of Tribunal-1, headed by Justice Md Golam Mortuza Mozumder, passed the order on Sunday and set October 25 for submission of the investigation report.Earlier in the day, Chief Prosecutor Md Aminul Islam sought Saifur’s arrest in the case and asked the tribunal to send him to jail.The chief prosecutor said the investigation report submitted when the tribunal issued an arrest warrant against Saifur had made serious allegations against him.According to the report, Saifur was working with the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and was allegedly directly involved in several killings as an associate of Ziaul Ahsan, the disgraced senior general of the Army.The prosecution also said Saifur’s name appeared in statements given by several witnesses who testified in Ziaul Ahsan’s case.The prosecutor said there was direct evidence against Saifur in the disappearance of several victims, including Ilias Ali.He said the investigation against Saifur had only recently begun, and all information and evidence could not be disclosed at this stage in the interest of the investigation.“More information will come to light as the investigation progresses,” he said.Following the prosecution’s plea, the tribunal rejected Saifur’s bail petition and ordered that he be sent to jail.Saifur’s lawyer, Tabarak Hossain, however, sought bail, saying his client had joined the Air Force in 2003 and was a competent officer.“There are no charges against him,” the lawyer said, adding that although many accused had fled, Saifur had appeared before the tribunal out of respect for the law.He said Saifur would cooperate with the investigation whenever required and that his bail could be cancelled if he obstructed the investigation.The lawyer also requested that Saifur be kept in Air Force custody and be given the opportunity to secure bail.On August 9, Tribunal-1 issued an arrest warrant against him.BNP leader Ilias Ali went missing from Banani in Dhaka on April 17, 2012. He was the organising secretary of Sylhet BNP and was elected twice as a member of parliament from Sylhet-2 constituency.