Law
week
Real estate bill passed
The Jatiya Sangsad passed a bill providing for punishment to real estate developers for wrongdoings and protection of the interests of landowners and buyers. On the recommendations of a parliamentary body, provisions were included in the bill also for punishing landowners for violation of contracts with developers. The bill was placed in the House on September 7 last year and sent to the parliamentary standing committee on the housing and public works ministry for scrutiny. The committee was asked to submit its report to the House within three weeks. -The Daily Star, September 23, 2010.
Bangladesh faces risks of terror finance
Bangladesh should amend laws against money laundering to plug the loopholes that allow international transactions in drug trade, terror finance and corruption, says a global taskforce. In a draft report to the government, Financial Action Task Force (FATF), the world's lone anti-money laundering organisation, has observed that Bangladesh is a transshipment point for illegal drugs bound for markets in Europe, the USA and Canada. "Bangladesh faces significant risk of money laundering and some risk of terrorism financing," said the report handed over to the government on September 15. -The Daily Star, September 23, 2010.
UK detains 10 Bangladeshis for working illegally
The UK Border Agency arrested ten Bangladeshi expatriates under a special law enforcement operation aimed at reducing illegal immigration, said a press release of the British High Commission in Dhaka. They were detained during August 19 to mid-September for working illegally in the UK and for committing other immigration offences. Steps are being taken to deport them, said the press release. The businesses will be penalised up to £100,000 or an estimated Tk10,700,000 for employing the illegal immigrants, unless they can prove they had carried out the correct 'right to work checks', the release said. The release quoted UK Immigration Minister Damian Green as saying “We are determined to make it harder than ever for illegal immigrants to work in the UK." -The Daily Star, September 22, 2010.
2 factories fined for pollution
The Department of Environment (DoE) fined two factories a total of Tk 16 lakh for polluting Turag and Dhaleswari rivers with untreated liquid waste. The dyeing plants, Rakef Apparels Washing and Packaging Industries Limited in Kaliakoir and Towel Text Limited in Savar are more than ten years old and process around two tonnes of knit fabrics everyday. Despite receiving prior warnings from the DoE, the factories did not bother to set up effluent treatment plants (ETP) to treat the toxic liquid waste before discharging. Both the factories had been warned that their gas, electricity and water supply would be disconnected unless they comply with the environmental rules and regulations. A team of DoE led by Mohammed Munir Chowdhury, director of enforcement and monitoring unit led the unannounced drive during the 'Operation Prevent Environment Crime'. -The Daily Star, September 22, 2010.
Strong laws for safe climate
Two bills were placed in parliament seeking to increase power and number of environment courts to take stern actions against polluters and also to establish a trust to tackle adverse impacts of climate change. State Minister for Environment and Forest Hasan Mahmud placed the bills, which were sent to the parliamentary standing committees on environment and forest ministry for scrutiny. The bill to enact new law aims to expedite trial of environment related offences and offers setting up environment court at every district headquarters with expanded jurisdiction to take stern actions against all sorts of polluters. -The Daily Star, September 21, 2010.
NGO pulls strings, govt to revoke it
Under pressure from various lobbies, the government is set to return the licence of Bangladesh Centre for Workers Solidarity (BCWS), a non-government organisation (NGO) working for labour rights. The government cancelled the licence of BCWS in June this year for “instigating workers' unrest” at a number of garment factories in Naranyanganj, Savar, Gazipur and Ashulia. The NGO Affairs Bureau (Ngoab) is also considering renewing licences of 17 other foreign funded NGOs that have lost licences for various irregularities including misuse of funds. -The Daily Star, September 21, 2010.
Firm fetters for border guards
If two or more members of border security force collectively express their angst, it would be considered mutiny, according to the proposed legislation for the force. People involved in such activities or attempts shall be punished which could even be the death penalty. The proposed law is likely to be placed in parliament on September 20, 2010, the first day of this parliament's sixth session. The government has moved to introduce the new law, repealing the existing one, to restructure the force with a new name "Border Guard Bangladesh" in the wake of the heinous killings of army officers at Bangladesh Rifles headquarters in February last year. The unprecedented mutiny broke out when BDR jawans at their yearly Darbar (assembly) raised demands before officers who refused to give in to those. Home Minister Sahara Khatun will place the bill titled "Border Guard Bangladesh Act, 2010" before the House, sources in the Parliament Secretariat said. -The Daily Star, September 20, 2010.
JS committee plays safe
The parliamentary special committee for constitutional amendment decided not to recommend scrapping from the country's supreme charter the clause that declares Islam the state religion, and opted to suggest instead adding a clause that will ensure secularism as well. The committee unanimously agreed to recommend adding clauses banning extra-constitutional takeover of state power and undermining of the constitution, with provisions for stern punishments for the offences, committee sources said. The 15-member parliamentary body led by Deputy Leader of the House Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury also decided to invite constitutional experts to its next meeting on September 23 seeking their opinions on the issues. -The Daily Star, September 20, 2010.
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