Law
Week
Attack on Shooters
Judicial enquiry ordered
A Dhaka court yesterday ordered a judicial enquiry into the attacks on three shooters including Commonwealth Games gold-medallist Asif Hossain Khan on October 2 after an official of the National Shooting Federation filed an attempted murder case against five police personnel. Meanwhile, Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Joint Commissioner (Detective Branch) Shahidul Islam, the one-member probe committee investigating the police atrocities, extended the time for submitting his probe report yesterday. Taking the complaint into cognisance, Metropolitan Magistrate Syed Mohammad Mojibul Haq ordered the judicial probe into the matter after Range Officer AFM Sahab Uddin Ahmed filed the case with the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's Court, Dhaka. The accused are: Deputy Commissioner of police Obaidur Rahman Khan, Officer-in-charge (OC) of Gulshan Police Station Mahbub Alam Khan, sub-inspectors Jasim Uddin and Faisal Zaman and driver to the deputy inspector general (DIG) of Special Branch Havildar Abdul Khaleq. Asif, Shoebuzzaman and 21 others, who were also injured in the incident, have been shown as witnesses. The DMP joint commissioner told The Daily Star that he had extended his time but did not disclose when he will submit his report. -- The Daily Star, October 9.
AL proposes Mahmudul as caretaker chief
At the fourth-round negotiations, Awami League (AL) will seek the ruling BNP's view on former chief justice Mahmudul Amin Chowdhury as a replacement for Justice KM Hasan to head the next caretaker government. Sources said AL General Secretary Abdul Jalil during the third-day's talks with BNP Secretary General Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan on Sunday proposed that Justice Mahmudul could be appointed to the post of chief adviser. He also argued that appointing him [Mahmudul] would be well within the ambit of the constitution and there would be no legal bar to doing so. Sources in the BNP said on principle the party does not have any reservations about Mahmudul as the chief adviser but they might the issue as a matter of ego. If the government side has to replace Hasan in the interest of breaking the impasse, then it will have to make the former chief justice feel embarrassed to take over as the chief adviser, sources said. Besides, the ruling party in that case will have to look for ways that would spare it the public impression that it has been defeated to the opposition at the talks. -- The Daily Star, October 10.
Case Against Babar, IG
Judicial probe ordered into cop excesses
A Dhaka court ordered a judicial enquiry into the police excesses on opposition workers during September 21 hartal after an opposition leader filed a criminal case against the state minister for home, inspector general of police (IGP) and 248 policemen in this connection. Awami Swechchhasebak League President AFM Bahauddin Nasim filed the case with the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's Court against the accused that includes several high-ranking police officials. Taking the complaint into cognisance, Metropolitan Magistrate ABM Abdul Fattah recorded statement of the complainant and ordered the judicial probe. Swechchhasebak League general secretary, assistant general secretary and seven others were made prosecution witnesses. The accused include State Minister for Home Affairs Lutfozzaman Babar, IGP Anwarul Iqbal, Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner SM Mizanur Rahman and Deputy Commissioner (DC) of Tejgaon Kohinur Miah. The other accused are five additional IGs of different departments, additional police commissioner, two joint commissioners, two DCs, seven additional deputy commissioners (ADCs), 11 assistant commissioners (ACs), superintendent of police Dhaka, officers-in-charge (OC) of New Market and Dhamondi police stations, four inspectors, seven sub-inspectors (SIs) and over 200 other policemen. --The Daily Star, October 10.
Only BTV to have terrestrial right
The Cabinet approved a proposal protecting the terrestrial broadcasting right only for the state-run television channel BTV, with the aim to involve people of all walks of life with national development activities. "As a state spokesman, the right is needed for BTV to promote education, agriculture and cultural development, create mass awareness on human rights and to provide broadcast on improved lifestyle," said an official announcement. Earlier, the now-defunct ETV had used terrestrial facility. The ETV management has long pleaded for restoring their closed TV channel. Another proposal for raising the daily wage of farm workers was approved by the cabinet for striking balance between their wages and the enhanced pay of government officials and employees of all classes announced in the 2005 pay scale. The meeting also endorsed the proposed "Jail Code Rules" for modernising centuries old prison system. Transacting further business, the council of ministers okayed the draft "National Export Trophy Policy 2006" for expanding the export sector, encouraging the export of new products and recognising contribution of the exporters to the national economy. --Unb, Dhaka, October 10.
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