Law
week
Rid owner gets bail; 4 in hiding
A district court granted bail to one of the five warranted accused in a case filed against Rid Pharma Ltd. The court reissued arrest warrants against the other four absconding accused and fixed October 27 for the next hearing. Sheuli Rahman, a director of the pharmaceuticals company whose paracetamol syrup caused severe renal failure in children and claimed 28 lives so far, appeared before Brahmanbaria District and Sessions Judge AFM Mustofa, appealing for bail. Sheuli, also wife of Rid Pharma Managing Director Mizanur Rahman, earlier got six months' anticipatory bail from the High Court. -The Daily Star, Oct 01, 2009.
7 sacked doctors serve legal notice
Seven out of 11 terminated doctors of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) served a joint legal notice to the BSMMU authorities seeking justice while two others applied for contractual appointments. Advocate Ahsanul Karim served the notice on behalf of Prof Matiur Rahman Mollah of Dental Department, Prof Nasim Akhter Chowdhury of Gynaecology, Prof Abul Kashem Chowdhury of Microbiology, Prof SA Khan of Transplant Urology, Jahangir Kabir of Nephrology, Prof Sayeba Akhter of Gynaecology and Associate Prof Sharif Hossain of Plastic Surgery. -The Daily Star, Oct 01, 2009.
Businessmen to grab sports
A limited company of powerful businessmen will soon take over Dhanmondi playground, earmarked in the city's master plan as a common field, to build there a mini stadium with exclusive sports facilities much to the chagrin of local residents. Dhanmondi Club, now a limited company, has been named after Sheikh Jamal, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's slain brother, said sources. Noted environmentalists denounced the move and said the playground is a public property, which will now serve the business interest of a group of affluent people. -The Daily Star, Sept 30, 2009.
Aman lands in jail
The Detective Branch of police arrested former BNP state minister Amanullah Aman at Zia International Airport in an attempt-to-murder case filed by one of his party colleagues. The former student leader was held as soon as he got off a Thai Airways flight from Singapore at around 1:30pm. Police took him straight to a Dhaka court which sent him to jail. The arrest sparked fierce demonstrations by a group of BNP activists disrupting traffic on Airport Road for about an hour. Police charged baton to disperse the stone-throwing protesters, said witnesses. -The Daily Star, Sept 30, 2009.
DCC hamstrung by lawsuits
Regular promotions and service confirmation of a number of engineers at Dhaka City Corporation (DCC) remain stalled due to lawsuits filed by themselves or department proceedings. Besides, most of the key positions of DCC are being held by the officials on deputation from army and civil service hampering services of the important local government body. Meanwhile, DCC's Superintendent Engineer Md Farukh Aziz was arrested from Sheikhertek Mohammadpur area on charge of brandishing firearms before his boss for promotion. Captain Taifur Mahbub of Rab-3 said they held Farukh at 8:00 pm following a general diary filed with Shahbagh Police Station on Sunday by the DCC chief engineer's staff officer. -The Daily Star, Sept 30, 2009.
Rapist goes into hiding
Police raided video stores in Pirojpur and arrested three on charge of trading in CDs containing footage of rape of a schoolgirl by a local leader of Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL). The law enforcers filed a case against the three and an unspecified number of accused on charges of rape, blackmail and distribution of obscene video footage in the market, said Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Pirojpur sadar police Mir Fashiar Rahman. The police also visited the family of the victim and assured them of all legal aid and security. -The Daily Star, Sept 29, 2009.
VAT on health bill still in force
Most private hospitals and clinics are charging patients Value Added Tax, violating a High Court order, since the VAT Act 1991 is still in force. The National Board of Revenue, which looks after realising VAT from citizens, has not given hospitals, clinics and diagnostic centres any instructions to break the stalemate arising out of the contradiction between the HC order and the VAT act. NBR's Member (VAT) Mannan Patwary told The Daily Star, "We are taking steps to appeal in the court against the order since it contradicts VAT Act 1991. We will try to implement the act but the decisions depend on the court." -The Daily Star, Sept 28, 2009.
Shafiq on 1972 charter
Law Minister Shafique Ahmed said if the original 1972 Constitution revives following the nullification of the Fifth Amendment, the four fundamental state principles--democracy, nationalism, secularism and socialism-would be restored concomitantly. He said restoration of the basic spirit of the War of Liberation enshrined in the 1972 Constitution is not the end-all rather more areas under the Constitution are amendable and the government contemplates bringing about the necessary changes. -The Daily Star, Sept 28, 2009.
AL lawmaker sued for graft
Awami League lawmaker Ishak Hossain Talukder and 21 others were sued with the district court on charge of corruption and irregularities in teacher recruitment process of Fulzhor Degree College in Raiganj upazila. Dr Jinnat Rehana, lecturer of Biology department of the college, filed the case against Ishak, also chairman of the college managing committee, and other members. It is the first case against any Awami League lawmaker in the district. Jinnat in the case alleged that Ishak Hossain selected Nasrin Khatun for the post of vice-principal of the college through a 'fake examination' held on September 6. -The Daily Star, Sept 28, 2009.
SC opinion overlooked
The Election Commission is now seeking amendment to the Representation of the People Order (RPO) to empower executive magistrates permanently to try electoral offences during parliamentary polls, which goes against an opinion of Supreme Court. The EC has already asked its officials to draft proposals to this end in line with the new mobile court law, which empowers executive magistrates to impose fines and sentence an offender to imprisonment for up to two years. -The Daily Star, Sept 27, 2009.
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