Law
week
Other Aug 15 killings pushed into oblivion
Criminal Investigation Department in 2002 gave final report in Sheikh Fazlul Haque Moni murder case and had it dismissed in secrecy, ignoring the legal bindings. Two more cases that were filed aside from Bangabandhu murder case for the August 15 killings in 1975 were treated no better either during the BNP-Jamaat-led alliance rule in 2001-2006. Of them, proceedings in Abdur Rab Serniabat murder case have been stayed by the High Court since 2002. The first additional metropolitan sessions judge's court framed charges against 18 persons in the case towards the end of the previous AL rule in 2001. - The Daily Star, December 24, 2009.
Justice for poor
The newly appointed Chief Justice, Md Tafazzul Islam, said he would try the best in his brief stint to ensure justice for all especially the poor. "Our goal is to make the poor happy by ensuring justice. Establishment of justice and the rule of law is necessary to uphold democracy in the country," he said. He made the remarks while talking to The Daily Star after swearing in as the chief justice. Justice Tafazzul will go into retirement on February 7 next year. - The Daily Star, December 24, 2009.
No bail for tree plundering
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina asked authorities concerned to draft a new law with stringent provisions for taking action against people responsible for rampant tree felling. The prime minister instructed them to include a non-bailable section there so that offenders cannot get bail from courts in cases filed in connection with tree felling, according to sources at the Prime Minister's Office. She also suggested that a provision be kept for awarding punishment not only against the offenders but also the people who buy or use those trees. -The Daily Star, December 23, 2009.
Tobacco use on rise despite law
Use of tobacco among adults has increased to 43.3 percent this year than that of 37 percent in 2004 in spite of massive campaign and enactment of law, revealed Global Adult Tobacco Survey Bangladesh Report - 2009. World Health Organisation (WHO) conducted the study in association with the health and family welfare ministry with the technical support of US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The study was conducted on 11,200 households. It also found that tobacco consumption is higher among males than females and more prevalent in rural areas. - The Daily Star, December 23, 2009.
ETP found inactive
A mobile court of the Department of Environment in a drive in Tongi and Konabari found the effluent treatment plant (ETP) of an industry inoperative and another running without any ETP. The team led by Jamshed Ahmad, director of DoE, Dhaka division, initiated filing cases against the industries that are discharging untreated industrial wastes into the water bodies in Tongi and Konabari and Testing Institution (BSTI). The team fined the Orbit Processing Mills Ltd Tk 80,000 for manufacturing products without the approval of BSTI. -The Daily Star, December 22, 2009.
BNP may have to amend charter to comply with RPO
The BNP may have to amend its constitution again to make the provision on its foreign chapters comply with the Representation of the People Order (RPO). Though its December 8 national council approved a set of changes to its charter including the provisional ones made to meet the criteria for registration with the EC last year, the provision on foreign chapters still does not conform to the RPO. The RPO says a political party shall not be qualified for registration if its constitution provides for setting up or operating any office, branch or committee outside the territory of Bangladesh. -The Daily Star, December 22, 2009.
SC slams the way killers treated
The Supreme Court in its full judgement of Bangabandhu murder case vehemently criticised the moves by subsequent governments after the assassination of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman for barring trial of the heinous crime and rather promoting the killers to higher or diplomatic posts. The apex court termed the killing of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and most of his family members a great crime against humanity, mankind and civilisation. "A murderer is always a murderer and a terrorist is always a terrorist and is enemy to mankind and humanity and an offender in the eye of the law. To protect and shelter such killers is a great crime, a great sin and sin spares none," said Justice Md Abdul Aziz of the five-member SC bench, which dealt the historic criminal case, in his portion of the 412-page judgment. - The Daily Star, December 21, 2009.
Cop 'embarks on' ominous act
A resident of Mohanagar Residential Area in the city's West Rampura alleged that the officer-in-charge (OC) of Rampura Police Station took a bribe of Tk 1.70 lakh from him by threatening to implicate him in false cases. The complainant Altaf Hossain, an expatriate worker in Japan, lodged the complaint with the office of inspector general of police. Altaf in his complaint said over the last one and a half months OC Ali Ahmed Hasmi realised the money in four phases. Altaf said he had recorded all his conversations with the OC on his cell phone and a copy of which on a compact disc (CD) was sent to The Daily Star office. - The Daily Star, December 21, 2009.
Time for new border
Outgoing Indian High Commissioner Pinak Ranjan Chakravarty has emphasised redrawing of Indo-Bangladesh border to comprehensively address all the old issues on land boundary and enclaves to remove sufferings of people of the two countries. In an exclusive interview with The Daily Star, he said the people who live in the enclaves have to cross international border every day for cultivation and they need to follow the official formalities as well as clearance from the BDR and BSF. Though the people are allowed to cross the border for cultivation, but this everyday problem can be resolved through exchange of enclaves, which would require redrawing the international border in a small way, he opined. - The Daily Star, December 20, 2009.
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