BTRC asked to decide on ETV licence
The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court gave Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) 90 days to dispose of the application of the Ekushey Television (ETV) for licence.
Earlier on 20 August, the High Court (HC) Division directed the BTRC to dispose of the issue within 30 days. Challenging the HC order, the government attorney filed a leave to appeal petition with the Appellate Division. The government also sought a stay on the HC verdict. But the Appellate Division did not entertain the government petition, but extended the HC deadline to 90 days from 30 days. The ETV, the first private terrestrial TV channel that broke years of state monopoly in the electronic media, was shut down following a Supreme Court verdict on August 29 last year that declared its licence illegal after 28 months on the air. -Prothom Alo, 28 August.

Proceeding against Pintu's brother stayed
The High Court on Tuesday (26 August) stayed for eight weeks the proceedings against ruling BNP lawmaker Nasiruddin Ahmed Pintu's brother and nine others upon a government petition to clear them of double murder charges. The HC also issued a show cause notice on the informant of the case, asking him to explain in six weeks why the ten should not be cleared of the charges. The government went to the HC after the Speedy Trial Tribunal, Dhaka rejected its plea to relieve the accused, including the lawmaker's brother Reazuddin Ahmed Monir, of the charges of a February 16, 2002 double murder in Keraniganj. An HC Division Bench comprising Justice Gour Gopal Saha and Justice Abdus Salam Mamun issued the stay order that came after Additional Attorney-General Abdur Rezak Khan filed the petition on behalf of the government against the August 17 rejection order from the tribunal. Earlier, the home ministry sent a letter to the Dhaka metropolitan public prosecutor (PP) to pave the way for relieving the accused of the charges that it said were fabricated. -Daily Star, 28 August.

53 abducted in a month
Within the past one month at least 53 were abducted and 11 of them were killed, said a survey report of Bureau of Human Rights Bangladesh (BHRB). About 50 children were also murdered during the same period, according to Odhikar, a coalition for human rights. On an average, 12 people were killed a day in July, Institute of Democratic Rights (IDR) said. Seventeen journalists were tortured, threatened and victimised while over 202 incidents robberies were also reported. Political killings also rose alarmingly across the country. In the past eight months were killed about 271 people, 40 of them in August and 36 in July. Around 3,945 were injured and 1,565 were arrested also for political reasons in the eight months, says Odhikar. According to Bangladesh Shishu Adhikar Forum, 639 incidents of child rights violation took place across the country last month. Forty-two girls were raped, four of whom were killed afterwards. The monthly survey report of Bangladesh Society for the Enforcement of Human Rights (BESHR) revealed that 27 people were lynched in August. Bangladesh Jatiya Mahila Ainjibi Samity in their survey reports said 706 incidents of women's rights violation took place in August. They said 176 women were raped of whom 17 of them were killed and three committed suicide. At least 70 women committed suicide in the face of severe torture. -Law Desk.

5 children rescued from traffickers at ZIA
Immigration authorities at Zia International Airport rescued five children while being smuggled out by a Gulf Air flight evening and arrested four alleged traffickers on Wednesday (27 August).Tipped off, the immigration officials stopped Sahena, 34, Helal, 15, Ayatullah, 13, Kamal, 11, Rahim, 9, and Samina, 7, at around 7:30pm. Three others arrested on charge of trafficking the children are Mohsin, Badrul Alam and Kamrul Hasan Shikder. -Daily Star, 28 August.

Supreme Court on vacation

The Supreme Court (SC) went on annual vacation from 28 August and will reopen on 18 October. Both the divisions of the SC -- the High Court Division and the Appellate Division went on the vacation. However, three vacation benches will function during this period. The three benches comprise Justice Amirul Kabir Chowdhury and Justice Syed A B Mahmudul Haque ; Justice Jainul Abedin and Justice Masuk Hossain Ahmed and Justice A B M Khairul Haque and Justice Salma Masud Chowdhury. -Ittefaq, 28 August.

AD stays operation of bail for criminal
The Appellate Division (AD) stayed for three months the operation of a High Court Division order of 26 August granting bail to a 'criminal godfather' of Bogra who had been sentenced to 27 years' rigorous imprisonment in arms cases. Chamber Judge of the Appellate Division Justice Syed JR Modassir Hossain passed the stay order upon a government petition filed by Deputy Attorney-General Mohammad Helaluddin Mollah. Mohammad Abdul Matin, a listed criminal arrested with firearms, was convicted in two cases by a judge of special tribunal of Bogra on 7 March this year. While in prison, Matin appealed to the High Court Division against the judgement, along with a prayer for bail. A High Court Division bench comprising Justice AK Badrul Huq and Justice Mohammad Abu Tariq granted him bail overruling strong opposition by the government lawyer. -Daily Star, 28 August.

Call to form multi ethnic police for CHT
Two ethnic community kings and a prince asked the government to form a multi-ethnic police force in the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) to fight crime in the region. Devasish, Mong Raja Pai Hla Prue Chowdhury and prince Cha Hla Prue, son of Bhomong Raja Saw Hla Prue, made this call in a meeting with the Prime Minister. They also said insufficient facilities and amenities were hobbling their efforts to discharge whatever regal authority and responsibilities they enjoy. They sought minimum government support including increased allocations and facilities for the welfare of the ethnic communities. -Daily Star, 31 August.