Law
week
Changes to clip ACC wings
The Anti-Corruption Commission in its response to the ACC Act amendment proposals forwarded by a cabinet committee made strict reservations on six out of the total 23 points, observing that those will mainly diminish its independence. If the amendments were made, the ACC would become a government executive branch-controlled body and its laws would be discriminatory and imbalanced, encouraging rampant corruption in government offices, the anti-graft watchdog observed. - The Daily Star, February 11, 2010.
5,000 buses run in city with illegal ticket booths
None of the public transport companies operating on routes in the capital has Dhaka City Corporation's approval for their ticket counters, alleged a ruling Awami League lawmaker in parliament. "The transport companies set [ticket] counters haphazardly causing sufferings to the pedestrians and worsening the traffic congestion. But Dhaka City Corporation remains silent to stop it," said lawmaker AKM Rahmatullah of Dhaka-10 constituency. The companies operate around 5,000 buses and minibuses on 149 routes in the capital, he informed. -The Daily Star, February 11, 2010.
PM pulls for law abiders
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has said Bangladeshi workers will now be sent to Kuwait through a selection committee and understanding between the two governments, so that the Gulf country could recruit law-abiding good workers. Hasina also came down heavily on those workers who were involved in misdeeds and flouted Kuwaiti laws and rules that damaged the prospect of the Bangladeshi labour market in the Gulf state.
- The Daily Star, February 10, 2010.
Warrant to arrest Adflame director
A Dhaka court issued an arrest warrant against one of the directors of Adflame Pharmaceuticals who is charged with adulteration of paracetamol syrup 18 years ago. Judge Abdul Majid of the Drug Court cancelled bail of director Azfar Pasha and ordered to arrest him as his guarantors failed to produce him before the court. The court directed Officer-in-charge of Dhanmondi police station to submit report by March 14 on execution of arrest warrant against the director. - The Daily Star, February 10, 2010.
Licensed to break law
Car licence plates have become a symbol of utter disregard for law as the vehicle owners tamper with the plates by using varying typefaces and designs in violation of the rules that strictly prohibit such practices. In the wake of increasing numbers of fatal street accidents and vehicle thefts, traffic police officers say altering the plates makes it difficult to make out the registration numbers. They are concerned that vehicles involved in crimes or hit-and-run cases can be difficult to trace. - The Daily Star, February 9, 2010.
SC stays HC verdict for 6 weeks
The Supreme Court stayed for six weeks the High Court verdict that declared the existing warrant of precedence illegal. Md Muzammel Hossain, chamber judge of the Appellate Division, passed the order in response to Attorney General Mahbubey Alam's petition for a stay on the HC verdict. The chamber judge asked the government to file a regular leave-to-appeal petition within the six weeks. - The Daily Star, February 9, 2010.
New CJ asks lawyers to help poor get justice
Chief Justice Mohammad Fazlul Karim proposed that the Supreme Court (SC) lawyers conduct a case for free every month for the poor and destitute litigants, who otherwise would have no access to justice. The willing members of the SC Bar Association (SCBA) will have the opportunity to pick cases from the SC registrar, and the Office of the Chief Justice will publish an annual list of the lawyers rendering this noble service, he said.
- The Daily Star, February 9, 2010.
HC asks for traffic report
The High Court forward to end reckless driving in the country by directing the government to submit within a month a report on the progress in implementing traffic laws and rules through controlling automobile speeds. The HC move was prompted by the recent killing of kindergarten student Hamim Sheikh by reckless driving of a bus driver in the capital. In a suo moto rule, the HC directed the government authorities to submit monthly reports to the court elaborating on the steps taken to install speed governor seals in all automobiles as per the court's earlier verdict. - The Daily Star, February 8, 2010.
Court ruling sparks mixed reactions
A recent High Court verdict brought the Warrant of Precedence into the centre of discussion as its longstanding practice would be changed if the government revises the current precedence following the court verdict. The HC verdict, which declared the existing Warrant of Precedence illegal and void, sparked mixed reaction among people in the judicial arena and administration. - The Daily Star, February 8, 2010.
Some HC judges warned over bail
The Appellate Division in a verdict cautioned a few High Court judges for granting bail to convicted fugitive Awami League leader HBM Iqbal, and for staying the order of his conviction ignoring "established principles of the law". The apex court also cancelled the orders of the HC judges and directed Iqbal to surrender before a trial court by February 28 in connection with a corruption case, in which he was convicted and sentenced to 13 years' imprisonment. - The Daily Star, February 7, 2010.
Empowered beyond jurisdiction
The Election Commission in its draft rules for administering city corporation polls has empowered executive magistrates beyond their jurisdiction to try some electoral offences in mobile courts. Executive magistrates presiding over mobile courts usually cannot sentence anybody to more than two years of imprisonment. But the EC's draft rules allow executive magistrates to even try those electoral offences for which an individual could be sentenced to a maximum of seven years in prison. - The Daily Star, February 7, 2010.
Corresponding with the Law Desk
Please send your mails, queries, and opinions to: Law Desk, The Daily Star 19 Karwan Bazar, Dhaka-1215; telephone 8124944,8124955,fax 8125155; email: [email protected],[email protected]
