Law
week
BNP reformists' proposal aims at excluding Khaleda
The pro-reform BNP leaders unveiled a 15-point proposal including the one aiming to dislodge Khaleda Zia from the post of chairperson. At a press conference in the evening, Secretary General Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan read out the proposals prepared in consultation with some senior leaders and former lawmakers. He said absolute powers of the party chief must be curbed for the BNP to graduate to a democratic organisation. And the [BNP] constitution will have to be amended to make that happen. According to the proposals, the chairperson will be elected for three years instead of the existing two years.
No one will be allowed to hold the apex post for more than two terms. The proposed provision will be applicable also to those who already held the post for two terms or more than six years. If incorporated in the [BNP] constitution, it will mean an end to Khaleda's being at the helm for around 23 years on the trot. Also a former prime minister, she has welcomed the plans and said the national council will take decisions after examining those. The proposals say that no one of the party will be allowed to be the prime minister for third time. Besides, the same person shall not hold simultaneously the posts of chairperson and the premier. -The Daily Star, June 26..
Rajuk comes under anti-graft hatchet
The military backed caretaker government recently kicked-off the first ever crackdown against institutionalised corruption in government agencies as part of its ongoing massive anti-corruption drive being carried out countrywide since February against high profile corruption suspects. Two decades old Rajdhani Unnayan Kartipakkha (Rajuk) is the first target of the drive against institutionalised corruption introduced as the second phase of the ongoing anti-graft campaign in an effort to bring necessary reforms to the government agency for making it a service oriented vibrant organisation. Other government organisations, known as corrupted, will also be brought under the purge, but the Task Forces against Egregious Crimes and Corruption are giving priority to training their guns first on service oriented government agencies. A government official said the public works department and organisations under the power sector are the next to undergo 'thorough' investigations, and the drive will advance gradually to get all the known corrupt government organisations reformed. The task force investigators already started digging into the corruption allegations against the public works department. -The Daily Star, June 26.
Forest plunderers start to tell of their wealth
Detained forest officials being quizzed by investigators have confessed amassing huge wealth through corruption and also provided information about their patronisers and modes of corrupt practices, sources said. Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) of Sylhet Lasker Maksudur Rahman accumulated wealth worth about Tk 6 crore and Conservator of Forest (CF), Dhaka Division, Ali Kabir Haider around Tk 50 lakh and CF of Khulna Division Mizanur Rahman owns huge landed property in Dhaka and has bank accounts in some foreign countries, they were quoted to have said during confessions while on remand. In Khulna, Mizanur Rahman admitted that he was trying to flee the country fearing crackdown on corrupt forest officials following the arrest of Chief Conservator of Forest Osman Gani. He fell unconscious during interrogation on Monday night, sources said. -The Daily Star, June 27.
Govt may allow parties to hold councils despite ban on politics
The caretaker government may consider allowing political parties to hold their council sessions despite the ban on politics. "If the political parties want to hold their councils, they can seek government permission, and then the government will consider if the ban on indoor politics can be lifted," said Communications Adviser Maj Gen (retd) MA Matin. Law Adviser Mainul Hosein also emphasised that the government will consider the matter. He, however, said he thinks that the political parties will not seek the government's permission soon. The two advisers were talking to reporters regarding the caretaker government's standpoint about the ongoing reform initiatives in major political parties. Hailing the BNP's reform proposals, Mainul said, "They have initiated reforms under pressure of the current situation, not for our pressure.- The Daily Star, June 27.
Manju jailed for 5yrs for possessing liquor
A Dhaka court sentenced Jatiya Party (Manju) Chairman Anwar Hossain Manju to five years' simple imprisonment and fined Tk 10,000 for possessing 21 bottles of contraband liquor at his Dhanmondi residence. Judge Sayed Jahed Mansur of the Metropolitan Special Tribunal-9 handed down the sentence in Manju's absence at a packed courtroom. This is the first time a former lawmaker, also an ex-communications minister, was convicted for possessing unlicensed liquids and wine at his residence. The judge also fined Manju Tk 10,000 and if he failed to pay the fine he will have to serve six-month more simple imprisonment in jail. The punishment will be effective from the day of his arrest or surrender, the judge said. Before delivery of the verdict, Manju's lawyers submitted a petition seeking adjournment of the judgement and recall of seven prosecution witnesses, as they could not cross them in Manju's absence. Moreover, Manju is now abroad for his treatment. The prosecution opposed it and prayed for delivery of the verdict. -The Daily Star, June 27.
Rawshan revolts to oust Ershad
Rawshan Ershad, senior presidium member of Jatiya Party (JP), in a dramatic development proclaimed herself as the acting chief and unveiled plans for intra-party reforms apparently seeking to dethrone former president HM Ershad. The same day in a press conference to pre-empt her wife's move, JP Chairman Ershad described Rawshan's activities as anti-organisational and said she might get the axe for those. Later, Rawshan announced 13 proposals for radical changes in the party at a press conference at her Gulshan residence. There she also introduced Presidium Member Golam Mosih as "the new secretary general" replacing the incumbent, Ruhul Amin Hawlader. Her proposals came just a day after the pro-reform leaders of the BNP rolled out theirs that too seem designed to boot out the current head of the party. Meanwhile, the pro-reform group within Awami League plans to place their proposals to the AL central working committee as soon as the ban on indoor politics is lifted. The proposals would seek to set up a collective leadership. -Prothom Alo, June 27.
Dhaka, Delhi to share security info
Bangladesh and India will share security information regarding cross-border crimes and look to accelerate resolutions on border and water-resources sharing. The two-day foreign secretary-level talks between the two neighbours concluded here yesterday with the resolutions. Both sides took advantage of improved political relations to discuss long-standing irritants such as demarcating 6.5km borderland, combating cross-border terrorism, greater access for Bangladeshi goods in India and improved road-rail connectivity. Wrapping up the first foreign secretary-level talks in two years, Bangladesh Acting Foreign Secretary Touhid Hossain and Indian Foreign Secretary Shivshankar Menon issued a joint statement at a press conference at state guesthouse Padma. In the statement, the two sides agreed to work together and "clear the table of remaining issues".
Menon described Bangladesh as a "priority" for India and said although it is in India's interest for Bangladesh to be "peaceful, democratic and stable", "ultimately, it's the people of Bangladesh who will decide their future."- The Daily Star, June 27.
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