Law
week
Kidnapped Danida staff rescued after 2 weeks
Law enforcers rescued Danida official Shahid Suman near a stream in the remote forest of Thanchi upazila after two weeks of his abduction. A 20-member patrol team of Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) found Suman near Sampajhiri stream, 110km away from Bandarban district. The BDR suspected that the kidnappers left the Danida staff in the face of their guerilla operation. Suman was found ill at the time of rescue. He was immediately taken to the Chhoto Modok BDR camp by stretcher and boat as there was no facility for helicopter landing in that remote area. Later, Suman was flown to Chittagong Combined Military Hospital (CMH) from the BDR camp 10km off the Bangladesh-Myanmar border. Sources said Suman's legs were swollen and scratched from long walks in the hilly area. Suman is a patient of diabetes and blood pressure and had to spend the two weeks without medicine. CMH sources however said his blood pressure was normal. Danida Programme Officer Suman was abducted on June 25 along with his driver during an official visit to Kya Buri Para village in Thanchi upazila. Later, Danida driver Md Hanif was rescued unconscious some 40km away from Kya Buri Para. The law enforcers recovered seven sets of combat uniform and utensils from the place. --The Daily Star, July 9.
Govt looking for houses to set up sub-jails
The government has decided to set up sub-jails outside the prisons for the VIP prisoners as several of them fell ill recently due to the stark living conditions in jails. The jail authorities have already started searching for suitable government or non-government houses that can accommodate some 50 to 60 prisoners. "Since the government order has already been issued, with the help of police we are now looking for government or non-government houses that can be managed for the makeshift jail," Deputy Inspector General (Prisons) Major Shamsul Haider Siddique told a private television channel. The authorities would take decisions about setting up any such jail after considering the security issues of the place and its distance from the court and hospitals, he added. The jail would be in such places around which there are no high-rise buildings. The authorities would acquire government structures or rent any non-government house if it meets the requirements, sources said. The decision was taken as the VIP prisoners once accustomed to luxurious lifestyle are falling ill in jails and the authorities have been struggling to cope with the situation, the jail authorities said. --The Daily Star, July 9
ACC's job not to defame politicians
Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) Chairman Lt Gen (retd) Hasan Mashhud Chowdhury said that the commission's main objective is to root out corruption from the country, not to defame politicians. "I have no intention to defame any quarter. My area of work is precise -- to campaign against corruption. It does not matter whether the person engaged in corruption is a politician, a businessman or a bureaucrat," said the ACC chief in an interview with the BBC Bangla Service. He made the comment at a time when voices from different quarters have been suggesting that the ongoing anti-corruption drive aims at defaming politicians since charges are yet to be filed against a large number of detained lawmakers and ministers, around 70 in total, whereas only six or seven of them have so far been proven guilty. "They have been held on the basis of your [media] reports that had been published over the past few years. Those reports were not lost. Rather, those were stored and we are working on that ground," Mashhud said. The evidence against them would be placed before the court and that needs to be done very carefully. That is why it is taking some time, he added. "It would be wrong for anyone to think that we are working towards a special motive," the ACC chairman added. --The Daily Star, July 10.
DUTA rejects move to enact common law for universities
Dhaka University Teachers' Association (Duta) rejected the government's proposed Umbrella Act 2007 for the country's 28 public universities terming it a "new version" of the University Ordinance 1961 imposed by military dictator Ayub Khan. "We consider the draft of the umbrella act 2007 for public universities as a black law. This so-called act is a clear violation of the Public University Ordinance 1973, which is an outcome of the Liberation War," Duta General Secretary Prof Anwar Hossain said. "This is clear that the Umbrella Act 2007 is an ill attempt of the government to control the public universities by the University Grants Commission," he read out from a written statement at a press conference on the DU campus. At the press conference, Duta President Prof Sadrul Amin urged the government not to impose the umbrella act. Duta leaders expressed their concern that the autonomy and uniqueness of the public universities will be hampered and the universities will take the shape of a college or a school if the law is implemented. Each public university is separate from another public university and should be allowed to be run in an environment free from government control. One umbrella law for all public universities is not realistic, the DU teachers said. The University Grants Commission has already sent the draft of the Umbrella Act 2007 to the Ministry of Education. -- The Daily Star, July 11.
Army chief feels need for constitution review
Army chief Gen Moeen U Ahmed said the constitution should be reviewed through a "constitution commission" for preparing new laws and mechanisms to ensure accountability and effective governance. Moeen hinted that an elected government may undertake the constitution review after elections are held by the end of 2008 when a constitution commission might be formed to prepare "relevant new laws" and ensure "horizontal accountability." He said two years is not enough to "heal the rot of the past 35 years" and as such the next elected government must continue the reforms currently being undertaken by the caretaker government. "Citizens of Bangladesh are seriously thinking that we need to review our constitution as per the requirements of the day," said Moeen in answer to a question from the audience at a seminar titled "Democratic accountability and way to curb corruption". Bangladesh Institute of Peace and Security Studies (BIPSS) and the American Centre organised the seminar at Hotel Radisson. Presenting his keynote speech to an audience he termed "citizens of hope", the army chief attacked the past political governments saying Bangladesh has never had "real democracy" in the last 35 years. --The Daily Star, July 11.
ACC chief's 'battle plan' against graft
Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) Chairman Lt Gen (retd) Hasan Mashhud Chowdhury unveiled a 'battle plan' to combat corruption emphasising tough action against the corrupt and paying reasonable remuneration to public servants. "Corruption took deep roots because of slack rules and regulations as well as crippled anti-corruption agencies," he said adding corruption is still a 'low risk-high reward' proposition in Bangladesh. "Make corruption a 'high risk-low reward' phenomenon by ensuring 'swift and sure' action against the corrupt elements," the ACC chief said while presenting the plan at a workshop on curbing corruption in South Asia. The Global Organisation of Parliamentarians Against Corruption (GOPAC) and The National Democratic Institute for International Affairs, Bangladesh (NDI) jointly organised the workshop in the capital. "Over the decades corruption has been patronised politically which explains its being immune to eradication efforts," Hasan Mashhud felt. "Political will, which is imperative for fighting corruption, simply does not exist. -- The Daily Star, July 12.
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