Law week
Defence cross-examining 5th witness
Defence lawyers resumed cross-examination of Lt Col Mukim Sarker, fifth prosecution witness to the Pilkhana carnage case, at a makeshift court on November2. The Metropolitan Sessions Judge's Court at Bakshi Bazar in the capital started the proceedings. Earlier on October 26, the court recorded the deposition of Col Shamsul Alam Chowdhury, who was commanding officer of 44 Rifles Battalion during the mutiny, as the fourth prosecution witness of the case. The defence counsel during the court proceedings on the day accused Col Shamsul of leading the BDR carnage in Pilkhana on February 25-26, 2009. As the defence lawyer accused him at the court, Col Shamsul was seen somewhat annoyed. He asked the lawyer to prove his claims before the court.-Th Daily Star online edition November 2 2011.
ICT directed to submit charge
The International Crimes Tribunal on November 1 directed the prosecution to submit formal charge by December 5 against four top Jamaat-e-Islami leaders for their alleged involvement in the 1971 war crimes. The tribunal came up with the order after the prosecution informed that they had received final investigation reports on the allegations against the detained Jamaat leaders. Furthermore, the tribunal also rejected the bail petition filed by the Jamaat leaders in connection with the war crime charges and fixed December 5 for next hearing. The four detained Jamaat leaders are accused of committing crimes against humanity and peace during the 1971 Liberation War. The four Jamaat leaders are its Ameer Motiur Rahman Nizami, Secretary General Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojaheed and assistant secretaries general Muhammad Kamaruzzaman and Abdul Quader Molla.- The Daily Star November 2 2011.
SC okays bail to Sheershanews editor
The Supreme Court on November 1 upheld a High Court order that granted bail to Ekramul Haq, editor of Sheershanews.com, in connection with an extortion case. Khandaker Mahbub Hossain, Ekramul's counsel, told The Daily Star that there is no legal bar to his client's release from jail following the SC order. Justice M Imman Ali, chamber judge of the Appellate Division of SC, did not pass order on a government petition against the HC order after holding hearing on it, said Khandakar adding that now the HC order of bail to Ekramul will remain valid. The government recently filed a petition with the SC seeking a stay of the October 25 HC order that granted bail to Ekramul for four months. On July 28, Gias Uddin Talukdar, a businessman from Chittagong, filed the case with Kalabagan Police Station against Ekramul on charge of extorting Tk 20 lakh from him.-The Daily Star November 2 2011.
SC judge feels embarrassed
A Supreme Court judge on November 1 felt embarrassed to hear a petition filed by Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission against a High Court order that stayed its notice upon Grameenphone. Justice M Imman Ali, chamber judge of the Appellate Division, did not mention the cause of his embarrassment, Khandaker Reza-e Raquib, a lawyer for BTRC, told The Daily Star. The petition will now be sent to the chief justice for his decision. The BTRC on October 17 issued the notice asking Grameenphone to pay additional Tk 236.8 crore for 1800MHz band radio frequency, which the operator purchased for 18 years in 2008. Following a writ petition filed by Grameenphone, the High Court on October 26 stayed the notice for four months and also issued a rule upon the BTRC to explain within four weeks as to why the notice should not be declared illegal.- The Daily Star November 2 2011.
Ex-NSI chief appeals to be discharged
Brig Gen (retd) Abdur Rahim, former director general of National Security Intelligence, on November 1 appealed to a Dhaka court to be discharged of the August 21 grenade attack cases. Counsel for Abdur Rahim submitted the discharge petition as Speedy Trial Tribunal-1 resumed the sixth day of charge framing hearing against 52 accused in the cases. - The Daily Star November 2 2011.
Hearing against 120 Jamaat-Shibir men
A Dhaka court on October 31 fixed November 14 for the hearing on charge framing against 120 leaders and activists of Jamaat-e-Islami and Islami Chhatra Shibir in connection with a case filed with Ramna police over the recent violence in the city's Kakrail area. Of the accused, Jamaat acting secretary general ATM Azharul Islam and 108 other Jamaat and Shibir men are in custody while acting ameer Maqbul Ahmad and 10 others have been absconding. Metropolitan Magistrate Erfan Ullah of the Speedy Trial Court-7 set the hearing date directing jail authorities to produce the detained, including Azharul before it on the scheduled date. Police submitted to the court a copy of the advertisement published in two Bangla national dailies recently ordering the fugitives to appear before it by October 31. But, since they failed to comply with the court order, the trial against them would be held in absentia.- The Daily Star November 1 2011.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear reader,
You may send us your daily life legal problems including family, financial, land or any other issues. Legal experts will answer those. Please send your mails, queries, and opinions to: Law Desk,
64-65, Kazi Nazrul Islam Avenue, Dhaka-1215; Tel: 9144330,8124944, fax 9144332; email: dslawdesk@yahoo.co.uk.
