Law
week
Justice kept in wait, still
Family members of the victims of February 25-26 BDR carnage want justice since it is the only thing at present that can console their broken souls. The BDR started the trials of its jawans involved in the carnage under its own law on charge of mutiny at the Pilkhana headquarters, but the most sought-after trial for the killings has not started, as the Criminal Investigation Department is yet to complete its investigation. One year has passed since the heinous massacre of 74 persons including 57 top and mid-ranking army officers. The horrifying memory of the incident is still fresh in the mind of the nation. - The Daily Star, February 25, 2010.
EC wants legal binding to go
The Election Commission has asked the LGRD ministry to amend the municipality act, scrapping the provision for re-demarcation of municipality wards maintaining no more than 10 percent population disparity among them, before their upcoming elections. The commission earlier did not notice the provision in the Local Government (Municipality) Act 2009 and therefore could not assess the consequence of its application. -The Daily Star, February 25, 2010.
Parliamentary caucus for ethnic rights
A parliamentary caucus on indigenous affairs was formed with 17 parliamentarians to protect the rights of indigenous people. Prof Mesbah Kamal, member of the technical assistance committee of the caucus, expressed concern over the unabated tension at Baghaichhari in Rangamati. Caucus members said the government should arrest the perpetrators and award them exemplary punishment. - The Daily Star, February 25, 2010.
HC rejects City Group's petition
The High Court summarily rejected a writ petition challenging a government notice that asked the authorities of the City Group of Industries to remove their structures, including three jetties, from the river Shitalakkhya. Following the HC order, now there remains no bar in demolishing jetties and structures set up by City Group of Industries on the bank of the river Shitalakkhya at Rupganj. The HC bench of Justice AHM Shamsuddin Chowdhury Manik and Justice Borhan Uddin passed the order saying the deputy commissioner of Narayanganj served the notice to City Group of Industries to remove their structures from Shitalakkhya following an earlier HC verdict regarding environment protection. - The Daily Star, February 24, 2010.
Toxic free certificate made a must
The ministry of environment and forest has decided to make submission of the 'toxic free certificate' compulsory for both importers and exporters in a bid to stop import of toxic scrap ships. The environment ministry in a letter requested the ministry of commerce to take necessary action in this regard in line with a decision taken. A senior official of the ministry said both the importers and exporters would be held responsible for entering any polluted ship in the country's territory once the rule comes into effect. - The Daily Star, February 24, 2010.
Around 800 to be charged with BDR carnage
Criminal Investigation Department is all set to submit a charge sheet in the BDR carnage case, accusing around 800 border guards of murder, looting, arson and hiding bodies in mass graves. Investigators are now busy re-examining their findings, relevant documents and evidence on February 25-26 bloodbath that left 74 people including 57 army officers killed at the BDR Pilkhana headquarters last year. They are looking to press charges by Thursday, the first anniversary of the killings, said a CID official who would not go on record talking about internal matters. - The Daily Star, February 23, 2010.
Ethnic people rally for justice
Tension ran high in Rangamati and Khagrachhari as indigenous people and Bangalee settlers brought out processions and held rallies yesterday blaming each other for Saturday's violence that claimed two lives at a Rangamati village. Around 7,000 indigenous people, led by Parbatya Chattagram Jana Sanghati Samity (PCJSS) leaders, marched in procession to the Rangamati deputy commissioner's office and submitted a memorandum to the premier through the DC demanding parliamentary enquiry into the incidents. - The Daily Star, February 23, 2010.
Hills remain tense
Anger continued to brew in the remote Baghaihat area over Saturday's killing of indigenous people and arson attacks on their houses, with the indigenous people holding the army responsible for the incidents. The dislodged indigenous people also blamed Baghaichhari Upazila Nirbahi Officer SM Humayun Kabir for the incidents and attacked him yesterday when he was returning from the spot along with the state minister for CHT affairs. - The Daily Star, February 22, 2010.
BDR won't get magistracy power
The government last month rejected Bangladesh Rifles' proposal for new laws delegating magistracy to the border guards to conduct mobile courts and hold trial of cross-border offenders and hand out punishment. Home ministry sources say giving such power to BDR will create legal complications, which the government wants to avoid. The BDR is now preparing another draft of proposals. The draft also proposed recruiting retired army soldiers in the force. The BDR headquarters framed the first draft law late last year and sent it to the home ministry early in January for approval. An inter-ministerial committee formed last year was supposed to scrutinise the draft and give primary green signal. - The Daily Star, February 22, 2010.
50 skipped court thru' HC bail, stay
At least 50 high profile fugitive corruption convicts in some 50 criminal cases, including Awami League leader HBM Iqbal, have obtained bail or stay order, or both, on their conviction without surrendering to the court. The Appellate Division in a recent verdict cautioned a few High Court judges for granting bail to HBM Iqbal and staying the order of his conviction in a corruption case in which he all through remained a fugitive. In the January 18 verdict on a writ petition filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission, the apex court also cancelled the HC bail order and asked Iqbal to appear before the trial court by February 28. - The Daily Star, February 22, 2010.
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