National
Delwar Hossain Sayeedi Passes Away
Convicted War Criminal Delwar Hossain Sayeedi Passes Away While Under Treatment
Renowned Jamaat-e-Islami leader, Delwar Hossain Sayeedi, who had been serving a life sentence for his involvement in heinous crimes during the Liberation War, passed away today at 8:40 pm, as confirmed by medical authorities at the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU). The Vice-Chancellor of BSMMU, Md Sharfuddin Ahmed, stated that an official declaration of his demise will be forthcoming.
Sayeedi had been undergoing treatment at the BSMMU after suffering a cardiac arrest. His health had deteriorated since his initial imprisonment, and his condition worsened when he complained of severe chest pain on Sunday. He was promptly taken from Kashimpur Central Jail to Shahabuddin Medical College in Dhaka, and due to the severity of his condition, he was subsequently referred to the BSMMU for specialized medical care.
Delwar Hossain Sayeedi, who once represented the Pirojpur-1 constituency in the Barisal region as a member of parliament from 1996 to 2006, was arrested in 2010 on charges of causing offense to religious sentiments. Subsequently, on 2 August of the same year, he was apprehended for his alleged involvement in crimes against humanity.
Following a thorough legal process, Sayeedi was found guilty of eight out of twenty alleged charges related to the Liberation War and was sentenced to death by the International Crimes Tribunal of Bangladesh in February 2013. The charges against him encompassed grave offenses such as divulging confidential information to the Pakistani Army, rape, arson, and looting.
The pronouncement of his death sentence led to a tumultuous turn of events. Jamaat-e-Islami called for a strike, which escalated into violence and resulted in the tragic loss of over 50 lives. In a subsequent legal development, his death sentence was commuted to life imprisonment by the Supreme Court in September 2014. However, on 17 February 2018, he was once again sentenced to death by the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court for his crimes against humanity during the Liberation War.
Delwar Hossain Sayeedi’s passing marks the conclusion of a deeply contentious and protracted legal saga that has held the nation’s attention for years. It underscores the complex interplay between justice, historical reckoning, and the wounds of a nation still healing from its past.
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.
