National
Two Former IGPs Remanded in Murder Cases Linked to Student Protests
In a significant legal development, two former Inspectors General of Police (IGP) in Bangladesh, Chowdhury Abdullah Al Mamun and AKM Shahidul Hoque, were remanded by a Dhaka court today (4 September) in connection with separate murder cases. Dhaka Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Akhtaruzzaman issued the remand orders, placing Chowdhury Abdullah Al Mamun on an eight-day remand over the murder of grocery shopkeeper Abu Sayed in the Mohammadpur area. Meanwhile, AKM Shahidul Hoque was remanded for seven days in a separate case related to the killing of businessman Abdul Wadud during a protest led by the Anti-discrimination Student Movement in Dhaka’s New Market area.
The arrests occurred earlier today, with Mamun being detained in Tejgaon and Shahidul Hoque in Uttara, Dhaka. According to Rezaul Karim Mallick, the additional commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police and chief of the Detective Branch, both former IGPs were taken into custody by the Detective Branch (DB) in connection with cases accusing them of involvement in attacks, shootings, and killings during recent student protests.
Shahidul Hoque served as the country’s police chief from December 2014 until his retirement on 31 January 2018. Abdullah Al Mamun succeeded Benazir Ahmed as IGP on 30 September 2022 and was appointed on a contractual basis until 11 July 2024. Mamun’s tenure, which included managing the January 2024 election and quelling protests against the Hasina regime, was extended by the government on 5 July 2024, just before the government’s fall on 5 August, after which his appointment was terminated.
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.
Two separate murder cases were filed today in connection with the deaths of a private service holder and a Madrasa student during the anti-discrimination student movement.
The first case was lodged by Ridwan Ahmed with Panchlaish police station, accusing former ministers Dr. Hasan Mahmud, Barrister Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury Naufel, and 127 others for the death of his nephew Sujan, 14. Sujan, the son of Belal Hossain from Beramara village in Noakhali’s Sadar Thana, was a student at Al Jamirul Hayat Madrasa in the city’s Chandgaon area. He was fatally shot in the Muradpur area on July 18.
The second case was filed by Jamal Uddin at Doublemooring police station, accusing 225 individuals, including Dr. Hasan Mahmud and Education Minister Barrister Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury Naufel, for the killing of his elder brother Alam, a private service holder, on August 5.
