Daily Star Home  

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

  <%-- Page Title--%> Issue No 152 <%-- End Page Title--%>  

August 8, 2004 

  <%-- Page Title--%> <%-- Navigation Bar--%>
<%-- Navigation Bar--%>
 


HC stays case against Haji Selim

The High Court on Sunday stayed for three months all proceedings in a murder case against former Awami League lawmaker. A High Court bench of Justice Joynul Abedin and Justice Sharifuddin Chaklader also issued a rule nisi on the government to show cause within three weeks why the transfer of the case to the Speedy Trial Tribunal from the metropolitan additional sessions' judge's court of Dhaka would not be declared to have been done without lawful authority. It also asked the government to explain why two sections of the Speedy Trial Tribunal Act empowering the government to transfer cases to Speedy Trial Tribunals for trial would not be declared illegal. Prothom Alo, 2nd August.

Kaptai killing case
Police did not record any case in connection with the killing of Mong Mong Marma at Boropara village in Kaptai, the victim's wife, Sui Aung Crui, told a group of newsmen during a visit to her house. Male members of the village inhabited mostly by Marma tribesmen are fleeing homes as forest department officials filed a case against 300 villagers terming them 'illegal loggers'. Twenty-five year old Mong Mong was killed when army opened fire to quell clashes between forest department men and illegal loggers in the village in a remote hilly area. Mong Mong was not involved in the clashes, his wife and other villagers claimed. Daily Star, 3rd August.

Prisoners without trial HC asks govt to free them on bail
The High Court yesterday asked the government to free on bail thousands of detainees languishing in jails without trial in violation of their constitutional rights to get quick justice. It directed the attorney general and the principal secretary to the prime minister to initiate the process in this regard considering merits of the cases. "It is very unfortunate and shocking as well," the court observed about 7,409 detainees in jails without trial for years. The verdict came following a public interest litigation filed by Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust (BLAST) on December 24 last year on the basis of a news item 'Behind bars sans trial for years' run by The Daily Star. The High Court division bench comprising Justice Abdul Matin and Justice Tariq Ul Hakim also asked the government to send juveniles, if any, to correction centres, as they should not be tried with adults. Apart from the directives, the court also asked the government to submit a report in six months specifying initiatives to implement its earlier 8-point directive regarding juvenile detainees. The directives include immediate transfer of 1,233 child prisoners from jails to correction centres and withdrawal of cases against under-12 prisoners. Daily Star, 4th August.

Writ of 10 terminated BB staffs dismissed
The High Court yesterday dismissed the writ petition filed by 10 terminated officers and staff of Bangladesh Bank. The court discharged the rule issued earlier with the observation that the petitioners are at liberty to seek remedy in the Administrative Tribunal within four weeks from the date of the order of this court. A division bench comprising Justice Mohammad Abdul Matin and Justice Tariqul Hakim delivered the judgement after hearing the writ petition. Bangladesh Bank terminated the services of 10 officers and staff on October 30 last year for their alleged unlawful activities within the premises of the head office of the central bank. They challenged the termination order before the High Court. BSS, 4th August.

Book piracy
Eminent writer Prof Humayun Azad yesterday filed a fraud case with the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's Court, Dhaka against a printing press owner who pirated his novel 'Paksar Zamin Sadbad'. After a hearing, Magistrate Emdadul Haq took the case into cognizance and issued a warrant of arrest for Mohammad Iqbal Hossain, proprietor of MS Press at Sutrapur. In his complaint, Prof Azad said the Agami Publisher published his novel last year and it became instant best-seller. But few months later, some scrupulous businessmen pirated his novel, which caused a great loss to the writer and the publisher. Advocate Ayet Ali Patwary appeared on behalf of the writer. Prothom Alo, 4th August.

Writ petition challenging caretaker govt rejected
The High Court on Wednesday summarily dismissed a writ petition against the provision of non-party caretaker administration during national elections under the 13th amendment to the constitution. "The provision of the caretaker government during national elections is a unique concept and the amendment is an unprecedented legislation," observed the three-member full bench of the court in its judgement. The court, however, certified that the case involved a substantial question of law as to the interpretation of the constitution, paving the way for the petitioner to file an appeal with the Appellate Division without seeking a leave to appeal.

"Experience shows that political governments influence the state machinery to bring the election results in their favour," the court observed in its judgement as it detailed the historical background that led to introduction of caretaker government during national elections. The full bench of Justice Joynul Abedin, Justice Md Awlad Ali and Justice Mirza Hussain Haider delivered the judgement in three days starting on July 28. "Democracy is the basic feature of the constitution and free and fair election is its heartbeat," said the court. New Age, 5th August.

HC sets aside graft case against Nasim
The High Court on 4th August set aside a graft case against former home and telecommunications Minister Mohammad Nasim MP.The Bureau of Anti-corruption filed the case after his party Awami League had fallen from the power. Nasim was accused of awarding contract to MK Bazlur Rahman of BTTB for setting up a public handy set (PHS) telephone exchange in the city without floating tender by abusing his official power and thus sustaining a financial loss to the public exchequer. Division bench comprising Justice Syed Mohammad Dastagir Husain and Justice AKM Fazlur Rahman delivered the verdict after hearing both sides. The prosecution failed to satisfy the court for continuation of the case pending in the lower court. New Age, 5th August.

Camel jockey: 3 get life for trafficking children
Two tribunals in Dhaka yesterday sentenced three people to life for trafficking children to Dubai. Judge Special Tribunal for Prevention of Women and Children Repression-3 sentenced a 55-year-old man to life in jail for trafficking two children and a woman on August 17,1996. The high commissions of the two countries concerned helped recover the victims. In a separate case, Judge Kanis Akhter Nasrina Khanam of the Special Tribunal for Prevention of Women and Children Repression-4 sentenced two brothers to life imprisonment for trafficking a woman and her two and a half-year-old baby boy. Daily Star., 6th August.

Verdict in tax case against Ershad adjourned
A Dhaka court yesterday adjourned the judgment in the income tax corruption case against former president HM Ershad. Judge Rezaul Karim Khan of the Special Court for Dhaka Division adjourned the judgment following a time petition filed by the defence. Earlier the defence counsel, filed the time petition as a rationale behind that Ershad could not appear before the court, as he was busy distributing relief in the flood-hit areas. On hearing both the sides, the judge granted the adjournment and fixed September 8 for delivery of the judgment. Ershad's counsellores had also filed a criminal appeal with the High Court for transferring the case to some other court. In the petition they stated that their client would not get justice from the court. The High Court, however, had directed the divisional court to dispose of the case. The Bureau of Anti-corruption filed the corruption case accusing Ershad and three tax officials on July 27, 1992. Daily Star, 6th August.

6 suspected extrimists charge sheeted
5 The Barguna police on Wednesday framed charge against six out of 33 accused Islamic extremists, arrested from Shialia mosque in Barguna sadar upazila on June 30. Twenty-seven others were dropped from the charge sheet and released by the upazila magistrate. Court sources said sub-inspector Shahidul Islam filed the charge sheet as investigation officer under section 448,342,379 and 301 of the CrPC. Shahidul also prayed for acquittal of 27 others as no specific charges were found against them. New Age, 6th August.


 









      (C) Copyright The Daily Star. The Daily Star Internet Edition, is published by The Daily Star