Law
week
Shut tanneries at Hazaribagh by Feb next
The High Court (HC) directed authorities concerned to take steps to close down tanneries at the city's Hazaribagh within February next year to control the massive-scale environmental pollution the industry is causing. The bench of Justice ABM Khairul Haque and Justice Mamtazuddin Ahmed also ordered the director general of the Department of Environment (DoE) to make sure that all industries install effluent treatment plants (ETPs) and other pollution-fighting devices by next June. As per the ruling of the bench, factories polluting environment would either have to install ETPs or suitable devices within June 2010 or would be closed in July that year. -The Daily Star, June 24, 2009.
Law on cards to protect family of Bangabandhu
The government decided to make a law to ensure security of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's family members in line with a similar law that was scrapped by the previous BNP-led government. The previous Awami League (AL) government had enacted that law in 2001. The title of the proposed law is "Father of the Nation's Family Members' Security Act, 2009". The home ministry is preparing the draft and it will be placed before the cabinet soon for approval, officials at the home ministry said. -The Daily Star, June 24, 2009.
Rights should start from grassroots
Right to information activists recommend that the process of empowering people through the Right to Information (RTI) act should start at grassroots level by providing them with all information they require. Suggesting an awareness building campaign about people's right to information, they said awareness is necessary to get maximum benefit from the law. They termed the RTI a tool of sharing power with the people and said people should be sensitised and made aware of their rights. -The Daily Star, June 23, 2009.
Tough laws on cards to ensure medicare
Private medical practitioners and hospitals may face criminal charges and can be sued under tough new laws to protect patients from maltreatment under a proposed ordinance on private health care soon to be placed in parliament. The proposed Medical Practice and Private Clinics and Laboratories Ordinance (Amendment) is being developed by the government to tightly regulate private medical practitioners, hospitals, foreign doctors and nurses. The draft of the ordinance has been finalised to place at the parliament after budget session which ends June 30, according to sources in the health and family welfare ministry. -The Daily Star, June 23, 2009.
It's Bangabandhu, not Zia
In a watershed judgment, the High Court ruled that Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, not Ziaur Rahman, proclaimed the republic's independence on March 26, 1971. The proclamation was relayed by Kalurghat Betar Kendra (radio centre) in Chittagong the following day, it added. Observers say the judgment will help end the long, bitter wrangle over a significant episode of the country's independence history. The unwanted debate over a settled issue began after the assassination of Ziaur Rahman in 1981 with his party BNP claiming he was the proclaimer of independence, not Bangabandhu. -The Daily Star, June 22, 2009.
Strong information commission sought
The government is committed to implementing the Right to Information (RTI) law, however challenging the task may be, ministers said in response to advice from members of civil society and NGOs at a conference. The civil society members and NGO officials also emphasised the need for a strong information commission. "Undoubtedly, implementing any law is more challenging than enacting it, but we will implement the Right to Information law effectively considering its importance," Agriculture Minister Matia Chowdhury said at the inaugural session of the conference as the chief guest. -The Daily Star, June 22, 2009.
Minister holds govt officials accountable for graft
Law Minister Shafique Ahmed blasted senior officials at government offices, saying their negligence in overseeing the activities of subordinates has led to widespread corruption. He warned department heads that they would be charged for any corruption at their offices. Pointing out that many government officials have become owners of costly houses in posh areas like Gulshan and Banani in the capital. Amassing assets by abusing state power is a serious offence, Shafique noted while speaking at the concluding session of a daylong workshop styled "Implementation of UN Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC)--Action Planning for Compliance" at Dhaka Sheraton Hotel. -The Daily Star, June 21, 2009.
Govt plans to appoint 100 lower court judges
The government is planning to appoint over 100 assistant judges to the lower judiciary in addition to 207 whose appointments are now under process. The law ministry sources said only at the entry level judicial officials are appointed to the post of assistant judges while the other tiers are filled through promotion. According to sources, about 400 posts of the lower court judges have remained vacant for more than seven years affecting people seeking justice across the country. A total of 1,146 judges are now discharging judicial functions in the lower courts across the country. -The Daily Star, June 21, 2009.
MPs to make local development plans
Lawmakers are likely to get huge authority over implementing local development projects in their constituencies through the LGRD ministry in the coming fiscal year. They will prepare development projects for their constituencies and send those to the Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) of the LGRD ministry for implementation. Lawmakers will also be able to exercise their sweeping authority over city corporations, upazila parishads and municipalities to control the development projects. -The Daily Star, June 20, 2009.
Evicted, now threatened
Orao Arju's teenage daughter Shanibala is still upset by last week's eviction and arson attacks on 74 families, including 56 indigenous families, in Khatirpur allegedly by an influential land grabber. Nightmares haunt Shanibala as she cannot forget Tuesday afternoon when the attackers chased her and threatened to kill her and her parents if they did not leave their own land. The arsonists and armed attackers are moving scot-free in the area although they are accused in a case, allege the eviction victims. -The Daily Star, June 20, 2009.
Corresponding with the Law Desk
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