Crime and Justice
BNP Finalizes Candidates for 200 Seats Ahead of Next National Election
As Bangladesh heads toward its 13th national parliamentary election, the opposition BNP has finalized candidates for 200 out of 300 constituencies in a preliminary selection process.
According to party sources, BNP’s Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman held discussions with 998 nomination aspirants from 10 organizational divisions in Dhaka. The two-day meetings, held at the party chairperson’s office in Gulshan, were attended by Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and members of the Standing Committee.
During the sessions, Rahman urged party members to remain united, avoid internal divisions, and ensure the victory of the party’s election symbol — the paddy sheaf. He also hinted that the final list of candidates would be announced soon.
BNP has already started giving “green signals” to single candidates in several constituencies through phone calls or messages. However, the party clarified that these are preliminary nominations. The final list will be announced after the election schedule is declared in December.
Standing Committee member Major (Retd) Hafiz Uddin Ahmed confirmed that selected candidates are being notified directly and that formal confirmation will follow once the official schedule is announced.
The remaining 100 constituencies are still under review, including those likely to be allotted to alliance partners. In the previous election, BNP left 59 seats for allies; this time, the number may hover around 50 but could increase if a broader coalition is formed.
As per the Election Commission’s roadmap, the 13th general election is expected in early February 2025, with the official schedule to be released in the first half of December.
A Dhaka tribunal has sentenced a neighbor couple to death for the rape and brutal decapitation of an eight-year-old girl in the capital’s Pallabi area.
Couple Sentenced to Death for Brutal Child Murder: A Dhaka tribunal has sentenced a neighbor couple to death for the rape and brutal decapitation of an eight-year-old girl in the capital’s Pallabi area.
Why it matters:
This landmark verdict delivers a swift and powerful blow against child violence in Bangladesh, reinforcing accountability for heinous crimes. The case sets a critical judicial precedent by delivering ultimate punishment to both the primary perpetrator and his accomplice.
The big picture:
The Dhaka Metropolitan Child Violence Suppression Tribunal delivered the verdict sentencing convicts Sohel Rana and his wife, Swapna Akhtar, to death. The court also slapped massive financial penalties on the dopti, ordering Rana to pay 5 lakh Taka and Akhtar to pay 2 lakh Taka. The case erupted on May 19 after police discovered the headless body of second-grade student Ramisa Akhtar hidden inside a bucket in a Pallabi flat.
Between the lines:
- A coordinated trap: The investigation revealed that Swapna Akhtar intentionally lured young Ramisa into their apartment on the morning of the incident.
- Nrimshongsho assault: Medical exams and confessions proved that Sohel Rana, under the influence of narcotics, assaulted the child in the bathroom. He then decapitated her with a sharp knife to cover up the crime and hide the evidence.
- Rapid justice: Law enforcement moved with unprecedented speed, filing a flawless chargesheet within just five days of the murder, which allowed the tribunal to fast-track the entire trial.
By the numbers:
- 19: The entire judicial process—from the initial crime to the final execution of the verdict—took a mere 19 days.
- 16: The prosecution successfully presented and cross-examined 16 key witnesses to solidify the conviction.
- 7,00,000: The total financial penalty levied against the couple will be legally handed over to the victim’s family.
What’s next:
While the grieving family expressed absolute satisfaction with the rapid trial, the legal battle will now transition to the higher courts. The case moves forward for a mandatory death reference evaluation in the High Court, alongside anticipated appeals from the defense lawyers.
The bottom line:
While sensitive criminal trials in Bangladesh traditionally drag on for years, this verdict proves that the existing legal framework can deliver swift justice when authorities prioritize child safety and execute rigorous, fast-paced coordination.
Crime and Justice
Revenge Attack in Bede Camp: Youth Stabbed to Death in Bogura Over Alleged Thief’s Detention
A young man from the Bede (River Nomads) community, Md. Shakil (25), was stabbed to death and another individual, Janarul, was injured in an attack on a temporary Bede camp in Gabtoli, Bogura. The incident occurred on Thursday morning at the Bede settlement near the Naruamala Bazar in Naruamala Union of the Upazila.
Police have detained the mother and sister of the main accused for questioning and have launched an operation to arrest the attacker, identified as Bishu.
How the Conflict Arose:
According to police and locals, the Bede families, who primarily earn their livelihood through snake charming and herbal medicine, were temporarily residing near the Naruamala market.
The dispute began on Wednesday night when Rashed, a cousin of a local drug addict named Bishu, visited the Bede camp. The Bede community members, suspecting him of theft, detained and tied him up.
In retaliation for the detention, Bishu and his associates launched an attack on the camp around 6:30 AM on Thursday. During the assault, Bishu stabbed Shakil, killing him on the spot. Janarul, from Shakil’s side, was also injured and admitted to the hospital.
Police Action:
Following the incident, police recovered the body of Shakil, who hailed from the Porabari area of Savar, Dhaka, and sent it to the morgue at Shahid Ziaur Rahman Medical College (ShaZimek) Hospital for autopsy.
Gabtoli Police Station’s Officer-in-Charge (OC) Anisur Rahman confirmed the incident, stating that Bishu’s mother, Kamala, and sister, Jomela, have been detained for questioning. The police are preparing to file a murder case, and a widespread raid is ongoing to apprehend the prime accused, Bishu.
Crime and Justice
Mother and Schoolgirl Daughter Hacked to Death in Mohammadpur Flat; Domestic Worker Suspected.
A mother and her schoolgirl daughter were allegedly hacked and killed inside their apartment on Shahjahan Road in Mohammadpur, Dhaka. The victims have been identified as Maila Afroz (48) and her daughter, Nafisa Binte Aziz (15), a ninth-grade student at Mohammadpur Preparatory School. Police primarily suspect the domestic worker carried out the gruesome double murder before fleeing the scene.
The incident is believed to have occurred on Monday (December 8) morning. Md. Abdullah Al Mamun, Assistant Commissioner of Police for the Mohammadpur Zone, confirmed the incident.
The horror unfolded when the head of the family, Azizul Islam, returned home around noon to their 7th-floor apartment and discovered his wife and daughter in a pool of blood. Although the daughter, Nafisa, was found alive and rushed to the hospital, she succumbed to her injuries shortly thereafter.
Investigation Underway
Police retrieved two sharp knives from a bathroom bucket at the scene. The domestic worker, suspected to be the murderer, has been identified by the name Ayesha, though her identity is yet to be fully verified.
Assistant Commissioner Mamun stated that the motive appears to be intentional murder. Police are currently collecting CCTV footage to identify and apprehend the fleeing domestic worker swiftly. The bodies have been sent for autopsy as legal proceedings commence following the shocking double homicide that has caused widespread alarm in the capital.