Police
to have special cyber crime unit
The police plan to set up a special unit to curb cyber crimes by hunting
down criminals threatening people or perpetrating other crimes through
the internet. "We do not have any such unit right now, but we are
working with IT experts in the police department to track down such
criminals," said Abdul Quayyum, chief of the Special Branch of
police, also an additional inspector general of police. "We want
to set up the unit before such crimes go beyond control and we have
already initiated a process," the detective police chief told Sunday
without mentioning how long it might take to complete the process.-New
Age, September 6.
Law
to ensure food quality
The government is likely to bring amendments to the Pure Food Ordinance
1959 to ensure the quality of food sold in the country. An already finalised
draft of the amendments will be placed in the cabinet this month for
approval, sources at the health ministry said adding, "The government,
after the amendments, will set up food courts as many as required to
ensure pure food for all." The amended law would constitute a National
Food Safety Council comprising representatives from the ministries of
health and family welfare, LGRD and co-operatives, agriculture, commerce,
food, industries, environment and forest and home affairs. The council
will be headed by health ministry representative. "The draft also
proposes appointment of class I magistrates or sessions judges with
special power to try the offenders.
The act, to be named Bangladesh Pure Food Act 2004, will have the provision
of a minimum fine of Tk 5,000 for selling adulterate food sticking fake
labels.
Two years of rigorous imprisonment along with a fine of Tk 1 lakh will
be the maximum punishment for the offenders which as per the 1959 ordinance
is Tk 200 and more, the sources said. -New Age, September 7.
Jail
Killing Case
A Dhaka court put off the verdict on the historic Jail Killing Case
to September 21 to the resentment of the prosecution and some defence
lawyers, as the judge was ill. The judgement, scheduled to come about
29 years after the brutal assassination of four national leaders who
gave political leadership during the Liberation War, was adjourned one
hour and 15 minutes after schedule for pronouncement, as Judge Mohammad
Motiur Rahman could not turn up in court because of illness.
Law enforcers kept
journalists and lawyers waiting at the entry to the court near Dhaka
Central Jail since morning and said they would be allowed in before
the court begins at 10:30am. But the police drove away the journalists
and closed the entrance minutes before schedule.
Although it was
not an in-camera trial, journalists and lawyers (not involved in the
case) were barred not only from the courtroom but the court premises
that remained policed by Bangladesh Rifles, Rapid Action Battalion (Rab),
intelligence agencies and the police in the name of tightening security.
-Daily Star, September 8.
Action
taken against 9 jail officials
A jailer and three deputy jailers were suspended September 8 after they
were transferred from Dhaka Central Jail on August 27 for neglect of
duty that led to smuggling-in of bombs and contraband, including drugs.
The contraband was seized in a search inside the jail after a sweeper
found a grenade in a sewer between cell Nos. 26 and 90, a day after
the August 21 grenade attack on an Awami League rally on Bangabandhu
Avenue. The authorities suspended six jail guards immediately after
the recovery of the grenade.-Daily Star, September 8.
AL
lodges case over August 21 grenade attack
Awami League (AL) General Secretary Abdul Jalil filed a case with the
Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's Court, Dhaka accusing some ruling alliance
leaders and 'their patronised terrorists' of the August 21 grenade attack
on an AL rally.
After hearing, Metropolitan
Magistrate Emdadul Haq took the case into cognisance and directed authorities
concerned to send the case to Motijheel Police Station to add it to
the FIR (first information report) lodged earlier on
August 22 in this connection. Jalil in his complaint mentioned some
ruling party leaders and their cadres were instrumental in the grenade
attack on the AL rally at 5:30pm on August 21 while Leader of the Opposition
Sheikh Hasina was delivering speech standing on a truck-rostrum.-Prothom
alo, September 8.
10
jails run without jailers
Ten jails of the country are running without a jailer for around six
months.
The post of jailer
of Chuadanga, Meherpur, Narail, Jhalkathi, Madaripur, Khagrachhari,
Chandpur, Netrokona, Thakurgaon and Lalmonirhat jails fell vacant after
some of the jailers were promoted to deputy superintendent while some
others were given the current charge of jail superintendent.
Staffs said administrative
activities of the jails are disrupted due to long absence of the jailer,
the administrative head of a jail. There are complaints of neglect of
inspections of the wards and cells, in attending the inmates' objections
and irregularities in managing visitors, said some jail staffs. Sources
said the authorities failed to appoint new jailers for want of competent
officers.-Daily Star, September 9.
