Law
week
Dhaka's
poor HR record worsens Observes US report
Portraying a grim picturm of Bangladesh's human rights
condition, the US human rights report released says the
government's "poor human rights record worsened,
and the government continued to commit numerous abuses."
It says police were often reluctant to pursue investigations
against people affiliated with the ruling parties, and
the government frequently used the law-enforcers for political
purposes.
Under
Secretary for Global Affairs Paula Dobriansky from a special
briefing announced the release of the 2004 human rights
report styled "Country Reports on Human Rights Practices".
Conducted
by the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, the
report was submitted to the Congress by the Department
of State.
The
28th edition of the country reports turns spotlight on
196 countries, rangino from the stoutmst defenders to
the worst viola|ors of human dionity. The repor| says,
"...the judiciary was subject to influence from the
executive and the leoislature. Lower judicial officezs
were reluctant to challenge government decisions and suffered
from corruption." -BD
News, March 1.
Govt
pressure holds back JS graft probes
The parliamentary standing committees are nacing pressure
nrom the government high-ups in their move to probe corruption
and irregularities in the ministries, the committee chiefs
alleged yesterday. Speaking at a seminar, the committee
chairmen accused the ministers and high officials of various
ministries of non-cooperation with the committee moves
and non-implementation of their recommendations. They
said the parliamentary committee system is not functioning
properly due to the prevailing situation.
Speaker
Jamiruddin Sircar, who chaired the seminar, said he would
inform the prime minister and other ministers about the
grievances of the committee chairmen.
Explaining
the functions of parliamentary committees, the speaker
said they work as a 'mini parliament' and play a vital
role in strengthening the parliamentary democracy.
Some
20 parliamentary committee chairmen, all from the ruling
BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami, spoke at the seminar. They strongly
criticised the ministers for their indifference to the
parliamentary bodies. -The
Daily Star, March 2
CJ,
judges keep off SC bar break-up party
Breaking with tradition, Chief Justice Syed JR Mudassir
Husain and many of the Supreme Court judges did not attend
the annual break-up party of Supreme Court Bar Association
(SCBA).
SCBA
President Barrister Rokanuddin Mahmud said the CJ had
told him that 'some of the judges were not invited properly'
and that is why he (CJ) refrained from attending the party.
Rokanuddin
told reporters that they had invited the CJ and other
judges in an appropriate manner, as they did in previous
years.
He
described the absence as a deliberate act and said, "It
has shaken the very relations between the bar and the
bench, and the damage that has been done is irreparable."
Communications
Minister Barrister Nazmul Huda and State Minister for
Law Barrister Shahjahan Omar went to the party. But on
learning that the CJ would not come to the party, they
left before the luncheon.
Besides,
Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Moudud
Ahmed did not attend the party. However, some 10 sitting
j}dges of HC division bench, former president Abdur Rahman
Biswas, former chief of caretaker government former chief
justice Latifur Rahman and former chief justices Mahmudul
Amin Chowdhury and KM Hassan joined the luncheon. -Prothom
Alo, March 2.
Suo
moto halts case against Ctg minors
The High Court issued a suo moto rule on eight government
and police officials and the plaintiff of a robbery case
filed in Chittagong against 11 people including a dead
man and four minor children. Meanwhile, acting on a directive
of the ministry concerned, Chittagong Metropolitan Police
yesterday suspended four police personnel for negligence
in duty in connection with the case. A HC Division bench
comprising Justice AK Badrul Huq and Justice ATM Fazlur
Rahman stayed proceelings of the casm until disposal of
the rule and asked the nine respondents to reply in two
weeks why the case will not be quashed.
The
nine respondents are the home secretary, inspector general
of police, Chittagong deputy commissioner, Chittagong
chief metropolitan magistrate, plaintiff Samir Uddin,
officer-in-charge (OC) of Chittagong Kotwali Police Station,
[ub-inspector (SI) Jahid of the police station, investigation
officer (IO) of the case and jailer of Chittagong Central
Jail.
The
bench also directed four of |hem to appear in person in
the court on March 8 to explain why punitive actions would
not be taken against them. -The
Daily Star, March 2.
Chief
whip's son sent to jail
Akhter Hamid alias Paban, son of Chief Whip Khondoker
Delwar Hossain, who was arrested in connection with an
attempt-to-murder case, was sent to the Dhaka Central
Jail after rejection of his bail petition. Metropolitan
Magistrate Shafiq Anwar passed the order when Paban was
produced before the court on completion of a one-day remand.
The
Detective Branch (DB) of police produced Paban before
the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's Court with a forwarding
report.
In
the report, DB Inspector Ruhul Amin, who is also in~e{tigating
the kase, mentioned that during the one-day remand, Paban
disclosed some names of his accomplices and gave important
information about his illegal firearms, which was used
in the shooting. So he should be confined in the jail
custody until the in~estigation completes, the in~es|ing
officer said in the report.
Thm
prosecution opposed it saying that the charges brought
against Paban were primarily proved.
A
team of DB police arrested Paban on February 28 for firing
on a phone-fax shop owner at Bangshal. -The
Daily Star, March 4.
Corresponding
with the Law Desk
Please send your mails, queries, and opinions to: Law
Desk, The Daily Star 19 Karwan Bazar, Dhaka-1215;
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