<%-- Page Title--%> Law Week <%-- End Page Title--%>

September 28, 2003 

Judge court in hill areas soon

A bill has been passed in the Parliament making provision for setting up the district and sessions judge's court in the three hill districts. Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Moudud Ahmed proposed 'The Chittagong Hill Tracts Regulation (Amendment) Bill, 2003'. The government passed the Chittagong Hill Tracts Regulation (Amendment) Bill, 2003 to set up the districts and sessions judge's court at Rangamati, Khagrachhari and Bandarban districts. The Rangamati, Khagrachhari and Bandarban districts will constitute three separate sessions divisions and the district judge concerned will be the sessions judge of the respective sessions division. According to the bill the joint district judge will be the assistant sessions judge. -Law Desk.

BDR to be deployed during Durga Puja

The government has decided to deploy para military force BDR to maintain law and order during the upcoming Durga Puja. This was stated by Home Minister Air Vice Marshal (retd) Altaf Hossain Chowdhury while talking to a joint delegation of Bangladesh Hindu-Bouddha-Christian Front and the Hindu Religious Welfare Trust on the government preparation ahead of the puja. He warned of stern actions against attempts of harming the communal harmony during the upcoming Durga Puja, the greatest religious festival of the Hindu community. The minister told the Hindu community leaders that Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) troops would be deployed at all festival sites along with regular police, ansars and plain clothes men to keep peace. -Law Desk.

Lawyers likely to go on strike

Lawyers of the country will go for a strike for an indefinite period from 1 October to realise demands for cancellation of the Bangladesh Legal practitioner and Bar Council (Amendment) Bill, 2003 and the Civil Procedure Code (Amendment) Act (except Rule 115) 2003. The lawyers under the banner of Sammalito Ainjibi Somonnoya Parishad in a meeting have taken the decision. - Observer, 23 September.

Charge framing of frigate case soon

Dhaka Divisional Special Judge Court has fixed the date for charge framing on October 4 against the Awami league president Sheikh Hasina and five others in Frigate purchase case. The judge of the court has fixed the date of charge framing following a time petition submitted by her lawyers. Earlier on August 30 Opposition Leader Sheikh Hasina was granted bail in this case by the Dhaka Metropolitan Session Judge Court. The case later has been transferred from the Dhaka Metropolitan Session Judge Court to Dhaka Divisional Special Judge Court. -Bhorer Kagoj, 23 September.

Women permitted to go S Arabia for jobs

The government has permitted several recruiting agencies to send women workers to Saudi Arabia as domestic helps under certain terms and conditions. This permission followed an inter-ministerial meeting a few months ago to withdraw restriction on sending women workers abroad as domestic helps. The restriction was imposed in 1998 under the Awami League rule in the wake of reports of some untoward incidents involving women workers abroad. None of the agencies will be allowed to send women workers abroad unless they fulfil the terms and conditions. The terms and conditions are: A recruiting agency must operate a permanent training centre in Dhaka and a round-the-clock office in any major city in Saudi Arabia to take prompt legal actions in case of any untoward incident. The women workers must be given at least a 30-day training on household work. -Law Desk.

Act likely to prevent pornography in cinema

The Govt is going to enact a law to prevent obscenity in country film and to stop video piracy. The draft of the law is awaiting approval of the Cabinet . Though there is a law to control of screening of film and to stop vulgarity and piracy, due to various loopholes the culprits are not being punished. That is why this re-enactment of the law. In the proposed law there are provisions for five-year imprisonment and fine of Tk 20 lakhs for screening obscene film or uncensored part of film. Besides, for the persons related to video piracy, a provision is kept which provides eight years imprisonment and fine of Tk thirty lakhs. Moreover, taking licence for using electromagnetic machine will be obligatory as soon as the law comes into force. -Ittefaq, 24 September.

War crime case against US Gen. thrown out

The Belgian Court of Appeal has thrown out a war crime case brought under a controversial Belgian law against retired US general Tommy Franks, who commanded the US-led war on Iraq. The case was brought under the 1993 'universal competence' law, which in its original form allowed Belgian courts to rule on crimes against humanity regardless of the nationality of the perpetrator or where the crimes took place. Faced with pressure, namely from Washington, the Belgian Government agreed this year to scrap the law and in August parliament approved a new, watered down version. The court ruled that it must apply the new law. However, the case was filed on May by 17 Iraqis and two Jordanians over the use of cluster bombs in civilian areas of Iraq.- The Independent, 24 September.

Life term for 'Killer' Abbas

The Speedy Trial Tribunal of Dhaka has awarded life term to Abbas Ali alias Killer Abbas, a top-listed terrorist of the city in connection with an armed case. The court also fined him Tk 50,000. In default, he will have to suffer two more years of rigorous imprisonment. The court has decided the case after examining 11 prosecution witnesses, out of 14. Killer Abbas is number 3 among 23 top-listed terrorists, who were tried in the court. - Inqilab, 25 September.

Indian HC against illegal Bangladeshis

The New Delhi High Court has asked the government to take action against illegal migrants from Bangladesh in New Delhi on the basis of a plan endorsed by it. A two-member bench comprising Chief Justice B C Patel and A K Sikri has given the direction to the city government on a public interest litigation filed by a Delhi lawyer, who alleged that 2.8 million Bangladeshis are residing in Delhi illegally and taking benefits of the government schemes meant for the bona fide Indian citizens. The High Court asks the government to identify the Bangladeshis dwelling in slums and secure allotment of alternative sites by the authorities. The court points out that foreigners are issued ration cards and voters' identity cards by corrupt officials and politicians. A lawyer of Delhi government informs the bench that 1.3 million Bangladeshis are living in the national capital.The petitioner, who filed the petition in 2001, alleged that lakhs of Bangladeshis were enrolled as voters in Delhi and appealed to the court to direct the Indian government, Delhi administration and police to detect and deport them. -The Daily Star, 26 September.