National
ACC: Former IGP Benazir Must Appear by June 23
Former Inspector General of Police (IGP) Benazir Ahmed has been given a final deadline of June 23 to appear before the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) for questioning regarding allegations of amassing illegal wealth, according to ACC lawyer Khurshid Alam Khan. Failure to comply by this date will result in legal action, Khan stated to reporters at the Supreme Court on June 20.
Benazir Ahmed was initially scheduled to appear before the ACC on June 6. However, the deadline was extended to June 23 following a request from his lawyer, who sought an additional 15 days to respond to the summons.
Khurshid Alam emphasized that investigations into the former IGP and his family’s substantial assets, which exceed their known income, are advancing swiftly. Evidence of additional illegal assets has been uncovered, and the ACC intends to petition the court to confiscate these assets soon.
The ACC’s investigation has revealed significant assets in Benazir Ahmed’s name and those of his family members. Amid this probe, Benazir and his family left the country on May 4. Benazir served as IGP from April 2020 to September 2022 and was the Director General of RAB from January 2015 to April 2020. He also held the position of Commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) for an extended period.
ACC prosecutors have confirmed that the investigation is ongoing. The court has ordered the seizure of assets discovered so far. Recently, the ACC identified eight more flats in Dhaka linked to Benazir Ahmed and his family: six in Adabor and two commercial spaces in a 14-story building in Badda named Rupayan Limited Square.
In total, 12 flats have been found under Benazir Ahmed’s family’s name, including four previously discovered in Gulshan. Senior Special Judge of Dhaka Metropolitan, Mohammad Assams Zagul Hossain, has ordered the seizure of the eight newly identified flats, approximately 76 bighas (25 acres) of land, and shares in private Citizen Television and Tiger Craft Apparels Limited.
Previously, the court had ordered the seizure of 621 bighas of land in Gopalganj, Madaripur, Cox’s Bazar, and Savar in Dhaka, shares in 19 companies, and four flats in Gulshan. Additionally, the court froze Tk 3 million in savings certificates, 33 bank accounts, and three BO accounts (beneficiary owner’s accounts for share trading). In total, 697 bighas of land have been found in the name of Benazir Ahmed’s family.
National
Professor Dr. Md. Mizanur Rahman Appointed Vice-Chancellor of Northern University Bangladesh
Professor Dr. Md. Mizanur Rahman, a distinguished academic from the Department of Marketing at the University of Dhaka, has been appointed the new Vice-Chancellor of Northern University Bangladesh (NUB). The Ministry of Education confirmed the appointment through an official notification issued on Sunday (23 November), signed by Sultan Ahmed, Assistant Secretary of the Secondary and Higher Education Division, on behalf of the President.
The notice states that, with the approval of the Honorable President and Chancellor, Professor Rahman will serve a four-year term as Vice-Chancellor under Section 31(1) of the Private University Act, 2010. He will receive all salary, allowances, and benefits as determined by the university, and his duties will commence immediately in accordance with relevant laws and regulations.
Professor Rahman has an outstanding academic background. He secured First Class First in his Honors degree from the University of Dhaka’s Marketing Department, achieving record-breaking marks. He completed his MBA with dual majors in Finance and Marketing at Dalhousie University in Canada, graduating in the top 1% of his class. He later earned his Master’s degree (First Class Second) and PhD from the same department at the University of Dhaka.
During his illustrious 35-year career, he has served as Chairman of the Department of Marketing at the University of Dhaka for three years and was elected to both the Syndicate and Senate of the university. He also served as Dean at Daffodil International University and has taught as an adjunct professor at North South University, BRAC University, and Independent University, Bangladesh (IUB).
Professor Rahman has an extensive body of research, with over 35 publications, including four international papers and three research monographs. Several MPhil and PhD scholars have completed their degrees under his supervision. He also served for many years as Vice President of the Dhaka University Marketing Alumni Association.
Outside academia, he has contributed significantly to the corporate sector and educational governance. He has worked as an independent director and strategic adviser to various reputed organizations and has served on the governing bodies of several well-known colleges in Dhaka. He currently holds the position of Chairman of the North South Society.
The Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD) has forecasted light to moderate rain or thundershowers accompanied by temporary gusty winds at most places across the Rangpur, Rajshahi, Mymensingh, Dhaka, Khulna, Barishal, Chattogram, and Sylhet divisions. Some areas may experience moderately heavy to very heavy rainfall, according to their latest weather bulletin released on Thursday.
Day and night temperatures are expected to remain nearly unchanged across the country.
The highest rainfall in the country over the past 24 hours was recorded in Kumarkhali, with 104mm of rain by 6 a.m. on Thursday.
The axis of the monsoon trough extends from India’s Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, and West Bengal to Assam, passing through Bangladesh, with one of its associated troughs stretching into the North Bay of Bengal.
The monsoon remains active over Bangladesh and moderate to strong over the North Bay region.
The Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD) has forecasted that the mild heat wave currently affecting parts of the country, including the capital, is expected to subside in most areas within the next 24 hours, starting from 9 am today.
“A mild heat wave is sweeping across the divisions of Rangpur, Rajshahi, Dhaka, Mymensingh, and Sylhet, as well as the districts of Jashore, Chuadanga, and Kushtia. It is likely to ease in most regions,” the department reported.
In addition, BMD predicted light to moderate rainfall or thundershowers, accompanied by temporary gusty winds, across most of Rangpur, Rajshahi, Dhaka, Mymensingh, Khulna, Barishal, Chattogram, and Sylhet divisions. Some areas are expected to experience moderate to very heavy rainfall.
Temperatures across the country may drop by 1-2 degrees Celsius during both day and night.
On Monday, Dinajpur in the Rangpur division recorded the country’s highest temperature at 38.6°C, while Bandarban in the Chattogram division saw the lowest temperature at 24.6°C early today.
Meanwhile, rainfall recorded in the past 24 hours, ending at 6 am today, reached 66 mm in Nikli of Dhaka Division.
The sunset in Dhaka is at 5:53 pm today, and sunrise is expected at 5:49 am tomorrow.
