A Deputy Police Commissioner in Rangpur Metropolitan Police has been accused of assaulting a complainant and attempting to open fire when the victim tried to file an extortion case against him at Kotwali Police Station.

The accused officer has since been transferred. Meanwhile, police have arrested businessman leader Amit Banik and sent him to jail. Kotwali police have filed a general diary (GD) against the officer. Reports suggest that the accused officer was involved in demanding bribes to withdraw murder charges against Lipi Khan, a local leader close to the ruling Awami League. When Banik sought legal action against the officer, he was drawn into a conflict that led to his arrest.

Police have arrested Sikdar Riyad Hossain Apu, the president of the banned Dashmina Upazila Chhatra League, on Thursday.

In March 2022, a BNP Union Council event in Sankipur village was disrupted by Awami League activists. Following the incident, BNP recently filed a case, leading to Apu’s arrest. He has been sent to prison.

In Mohanganj, Netrokona, a businessman named Jasim Uddin (35) was brutally attacked after refusing to pay extortion money to a Jubo Dal leader and his associates. He is currently undergoing treatment. According to his wife, Nisha Akter, the attack was led by Faisal Ahmed Khokon, Secretary of the Municipal Jubo Dal, along with 10-12 of his followers.

Jasim Uddin, the owner of Dhaka-based recruitment agency M/S Afif International, resides in Dhaka with his family. The attackers had been demanding BDT 1 million from him. When he refused to pay, they assaulted him on Friday.

BNP leader Dr. Moin Khan stated that power often leads to the downfall of leaders, citing the example of the current government. He emphasized that political leaders should focus on the welfare of the people and not be swayed by power. He also condemned attempts to distort the religious beliefs of Bangladesh’s people through propaganda, asserting that the country’s citizens are devout but not fanatical.

Maulana Syed Mosaddak Billah Al Madani of the Islamic Movement of Bangladesh called for the implementation of Islamic laws against adultery to prevent incidents like the one in Achiya. He warned that delays in the judicial process could lead the public to take the law into their own hands. He also criticized the slow pace of justice in cases of child and women abuse and called for reforms in law enforcement to eliminate fascist influences in government.

Abu Hanif of the Gono Odhikar Parishad stated that law and order cannot improve unless political parties cooperate with the police. He criticized the government for failing to meet public expectations and demanded the identification and punishment of law enforcement members involved in the 2013 uprising. Regarding the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), he stressed that criminals should be brought to justice, but the entire force should not be questioned.

At an Iftar event organized by the Panchagarh District Association, NCPI North Zone Chief Organizer Sarjis Alam predicted that within the next decade, a prime minister would emerge from Panchagarh. He outlined plans to promote the district’s development and emphasized unity in executing these plans. He also urged citizens to report any complaints against government officials, assuring that necessary actions would be taken within a week.

Jamaat-e-Islami Amir Shafiqur Rahman called for self-criticism among politicians and journalists. He stressed that no one is above mistakes and called for the media to highlight both the positive and negative aspects of political leaders. Rahman stated that transparency and mutual understanding between politicians and the media are key for societal progress. He criticized the political class for failing to put the nation above party interests and claimed that political slogans should reflect real action.

Shairul Kabir Khan, a member of the BNP media cell, announced that the party is scheduled to meet United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Saturday. The meeting will take place at 1:00 PM at the InterContinental Hotel in the capital. BNP Secretary-General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and other party representatives will participate in the meeting.

In a Facebook post, Tarique Rahman urged the interim government to take immediate steps to ensure the safety of every mother, sister, and daughter in the country. He expressed deep sorrow, shame, and grief over the tragic death of an 8-year-old girl after being raped in Bangladesh. Rahman emphasized that children and women should never face violence, harassment, or oppression. He pledged to work for justice for the victims and mentioned that the BNP has formed two cells – one for medical assistance and the other for legal support.

Following the efforts of Shamsul Huda of Dhaka, the body of Indian national Bijli Kumar Roy, who passed away in jail, was returned to his family. Roy had served a one-year sentence for illegal entry in 2021. Due to a mistake in his address, he couldn’t be sent back to India until now. After falling ill, he was admitted to Rajshahi Medical College Hospital, where he passed away on January 15. His elder brother, Badri Roy, received the body in the presence of the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and Border Security Force (BSF). Huda has helped return 43 out of 52 such cases to their families.

The Principal of Shreepur Liberation War Veteran Rahmat Ali Government College, Md. Nurunnabi Akand, has gone missing with important college documents and a massive sum of 50 crore taka. Several murder cases have been filed against him at the Shreepur police station after the fall of the League government. Previously, in 2009, he ousted the former principal after harassment. During his tenure, he operated an extensive hiring racket, recruiting 87 people, including family members, through unethical demands. From 2007 to 2023, he embezzled 200 crore taka. In 2023, he was involved in corruption worth nearly 2 crore taka through fraudulent vouchers. Between 2016 and 2022, he misappropriated 44 crore 55 lakh 50 thousand taka from the college fund. He is now absconding without providing an account of the 50 crore taka.

The Islamabad High Court had ordered that former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan be presented either via video call by 2 PM or in person by 3 PM on Friday. However, prison authorities failed to comply, citing security risks. Islamabad’s Advocate General stated that security concerns made it impossible to bring Khan physically or connect him via video call. The court has now ordered Adiala Jail’s superintendent and the advocate general to submit affidavits explaining the failure to comply with its directive.

Protests erupted in Kishoreganj against BNP advisor Advocate Fazlur Rahman over his controversial remarks about Islamic scholars. Demonstrators, under the banner of ‘Tawhidi Public,’ declared Rahman an ‘unwelcome’ figure in the district and his parliamentary constituency. Protesters emphasized that their movement is not against BNP but against Rahman himself. Religious leader Maulana Mazhar Shah stated that Rahman’s remarks insulted scholars and questioned his use of “Rahman” in his name, accusing him of being anti-Islamic.

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has formed two specialized cells to address issues related to women and children. Ruhul Kabir Rizvi announced that these units, composed of legal experts and medical professionals, have been established in all 84 organizational districts. The two units are: the ‘Legal Assistance Cell for Oppressed Women and Children’ and the ‘Health Support Cell for Oppressed Women and Children.’ The central coordinators of these initiatives are Barrister Kaiser Kamal and Rafiqul Islam.