Law Week
Zia orphanage case: Charge framing on Oct 11
A Dhaka Court on September 13 set October 11 for hearing on charge framing against BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia and six others in the Zia Orphanage Trust corruption case. Judge Mohammad Mozammel Hossain of Special Judge's Court-3 passed the order when Khaleda's lawyer Sanaullah Mia assured him that Khaleda will appear before the Court on the date. The Court also said that for the last time it deferred the hearing on charge framing in the case. Earlier, Sanaullah Mia filed a petition before the Court seeking time in the case saying that Khaleda could not appear before the Court as she was busy with ongoing Parliament session. The ACC filed the case against Khaleda, Tarique and five others with Ramna Police Station on July 3, 2009, for embezzling over Tk 2.10 crore by forming the "fake" organisation Zia Orphanage Trust.- The Daily Star online edition September 13 2012.
Ship breaking yards sued
The Coastal Forest Department of Sitakunda range on September 11 lodged a case with Sitakunda Police Station accusing two ship breaking yards of felling trees at Sonaichhari in the upazila. Samiul Alam, officer-in-charge of the police station, said the case was filed against “Nowshin Steel” and “MSS Steel Recycling” for felling 30 Kewra trees to set up ship breaking yards there, adding that no individual was accused. Earlier on September 8, the trees were chopped off and only 10 trees were left in Ghoramara area, which was a government forest before 2009.-The Daily Star September 12 2012.
HC directive sought for judicial probe
A writ petition has sought a High Court directive on the government to form a judicial commission to probe the recent loan scam involving Sonali Bank and the Hall-Mark Group. Three Supreme Court lawyers -- KM Zabir, Md Awlad Hossain and Mahmud Hossain -- jointly filed the petition on September 10 with the HC as public interest litigation. They also demanded reformation of the finance and banking system to protect public money. Bangladesh Bank in a recent investigation found that the Ruposhi Bangla Hotel branch of Sonali Bank had lent the Hall-Mark Group and five other companies more than Tk 3,500 crore between 2010 and May this year on forged documents. Of the amount, Hall-Mark alone had taken away Tk 2,667 crore. The lawyers sought a Court order to set special duties and responsibilities for the banking division of the finance ministry and the board of directors of all banks, including Bangladesh Bank, and to make them accountable for their deeds.- The Daily Star September 12 2012.
ETV chairman gets bail
A Dhaka court on September 11 granted bail to Ekushey Television Ltd (ETV) Chairman Abdus Salam after his surrender in a tax evasion case filed by National Board of Revenue (NBR). Judge Md Zahirul Haque of Senior Special Judge's Court of Dhaka granted him bail upon a bond of Tk 20,000 with two guarantors. The Court fixed October 9 for hearing on charge framing against him. On August 12, the judge asked Abdus Salam to appear before it after Bazlur Rahman Khan, deputy tax commissioner of the NBR, filed the case against him. The case statement said the ETV chairman evaded tax upon his income of Tk 17.64 crore in 2006-2007 and 2009-2010 fiscal years. Earlier on March 25, the ETV chairman and its managing director Ashraful Alam got bail in another case, for not submitting their tax returns within a stipulated time. - The Daily Star September 12 2012
HC directs govt to hold admission tests
The High Court on September 10 directed the government to immediately start enrolling students in medical and dental colleges this year through admission tests instead of enrolling them on the basis of their SSC and HSC results. On August 12, the government decided that students will be enrolled in the MBBS and BDS courses based on the SSC and HSC GPA scores instead of through admission tests. The direction came following an August 23 petition by a Supreme Court lawyer, Eunus Ali Akond, seeking HC directives on the government for exam based enrollment in the 2012-13 session like previous years.- The Daily Star September 11 2012.
HC asks secretary to explain the rise in FBCCI directors' posts
The High Court has given the commerce secretary four weeks to present his case for increasing the number of directors of the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI). The notice was issued on September 9 in response to a writ petition filed against the commerce ministry's decision to increase the number of directors without holding an extraordinary general meeting (EGM) of the trade body. The petition was filed on August 13 by Golam Mostafa Talukder, an FBCCI director. Justice Naima Haider and Justice Muhammad Khurshid Alam Sarkar issued the rule. - The Daily Star September 11 2012.
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.
