In Rajshahi, a speedy trial court sentenced Abdul Hamid, an influential BNP adherent of Charghat upazila, to three years' rigorous imprisonment for assaulting a government official during the past BNP-Jamaat rule.

In Moulvibazar, the joint forces arrested Ahmed Faruk Millad, Srimangal correspondent of Bangla daily Jugantor, on Sunday night on charge of demanding extortion from a woman.

Meanwhile, the crack forces arrested 1,377 people across the country on various charges in the last 24 hours preceding 6:00am yesterday, according to a home ministry press release.

Our Nilphamari correspondent reported that Amzad, a former lawmaker from Nilphamari-4, and his associates appeared before the Court of First Class Magistrate Enamul Haque and prayed for bail as the same court had earlier issued arrest warrants against them for killing Rubel, a local BNP leader.

The court rejected the prayer and ordered to send them to jail.

Rubel was killed in a clash between the supporters of Amzad and his rival Mahfuzur Rahman, member of Public Service Commission, at Sipaiganj Bazar under Saidpur upazila on October 30 last year.

Later, Rubel's brother filed a murder case and the police made out a charge sheet against the ex-MP and his 13 supporters for killing Rubel, also a nephew of Mahfuzur.

Amzad is also an accused in four murder cases.

Our staff correspondent in Rajshahi reported that a speedy trial court sentenced BNP leader Hamid to three years' rigorous imprisonment and fined Tk 5,000, in default, he has to suffer imprisonment for six more months for assaulting a government official.

Hamid and his men fatally injured Charghat Upazila Project Implementation Officer Golam Rabbani with hammers on June 18, 2005 on his way back home from office.

Ex-MP Salahuddin Remanded
Our court correspondent reports: A Dhaka court yesterday placed detained former BNP lawmaker Salahuddin Ahmed of Demra on a two-day remand in connection with a case filed for using one single registration number for two automobiles.

Metropolitan Magistrate Quamrunnahar passed the order after Salahuddin was produced before the court at 12:30pm.

Earlier on March 6, Salahuddin was shown arrested in the case after investigation officer (IO) Sub-Inspector Sabur Khan of Shyampur Police Station submitted a petition for showing Salahuddin arrested in the criminal case along with a seven-day remand prayer.

The joint forces on February 22 impounded five automobiles including two luxury sport utility vehicles (SUV) -- a Lincoln Navigator and a Pajero V6, five computers, and a 42-inch plasma television from Salahuddin's Kadamtala, Shyampur residence in the capital.

The estimated value of the two SUVs and the three other cars -- a Toyota Corolla, a Toyota HiLux and a Toyota HiAce -- is several crore taka.

The Navigator and the Corolla had the same registration number.

Following the seizure, Shyampur police filed a fraud case against Salahuddin on March 4.

Nine other criminal cases were filed earlier against him with Shyampur, Jatrabari and Demra police stations on different dates. Later, he was taken on a five-day remand for interrogation in connection with three cases.

Obaidul Quader's Bail Sought
Defence lawyers yesterday sought bail for detained Awami League (AL) Joint General Secretary Obaidul Kader.

Judge Momin Ullah of the Metropolitan Sessions Judge's Court, Dhaka fixed April 15 for hearing the issue with lower court records.

Police had filed a general diary (GD) with Ramna Police Station alleging Quader to be involved in anarchy, sabotage and patronising of criminals. He was later given a one-month detention order under the Special Powers Act.

Obaidul Quader, listed in the second list of 50 corruption suspects, was arrested by the forces from the house of city AL leader Ali Newaz Khan in Khilgaon on March 9.

Ntv Md Shown Arrested
Private satellite TV station ntv's managing director Enayetur Rahman, former BNP MP Harunur Rashid (Chapainawabganj 3) and owner of a car sales centre were shown arrested yesterday in a case filed for evading tax during import of a luxury car by abusing duty-free car import privilege of a member of parliament (MP).

Metropolitan Magistrate MA Salam passed the order following a petition submitted by investigation officer Sub-Inspector Mizanur Rahman for showing them arrested in the case where he mentioned that they might be remanded in the future.

Tejgaon police on March 7 produced Enayetur Rahman, Harunur Rashid MP and Istiaq Sadiq, owner of Sky Autos, before Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's Court, Dhaka. They were later sent to jail on a one-month detention order.

Harunur Rashid MP purchased a luxury sport utility vehicle -- a Hummer -- on April 25, 2005 under the duty-free privilege of an MP and later sold it to Istiaq. By doing so, Harun violated his bond made to the parliament that he would use the vehicle for at least three years before changing ownership. Istiaq later sold it to Enayet, said police in their forwarding report.