Forestland
grabbed
Land
grabbers have encroached upon around 12,250 acres of forestland under
Dhaka Forest Department over the years. Most of the illegally occupied
land is in four forest ranges in Gazipur district. Of them, over 2,526
acres are in Kachighata range, 3,707 acres under Kaliakoir range, 1,330
acres under Rajendrapur range and 4,686 acres in Sreepur range, according
to an estimate made by the department.
Different private
organisations and powerful individuals grabbed forestland in connivance
with a section of officials of district administration and forest and
land departments, sources said. Moreover, the armed forces, various
government and private organisations and individuals have secured 2,262
acres of forestland under Dhaka zone either through lease or permanent
arrangements, official sources said. The army took 1,126 acres and air
force 392 acres between 1966 and 1988 for various defence installations.
According to officials of the Ministry of Environment and Forest, the
three services and paramilitary Bangladesh Rifles have already taken
2282,73 acres of forestland across the country and recently sought about
500 acres more.
The forest department
has so far filed 170 cases against land grabbers in Dhaka zone, which
are still to be disposed of. But sources pointed out the department
merely files cases but hardly make serious efforts to recover illegally
occupied land. The Daily Star, October 17.
IG
says no foreign link to bomb blasts
The inspector general (IG) of police said no international
link has been found to the recent spate of bomb blasts, a claim that
contradicts the government's one-member judicial commission, which hinted
at the link of a 'foreign enemy' to the August 21 grenade attack.
"(A) Few bomb
blast incidents occurred in the recent past, but most of them (bombs)
are locally made. (The) Bangladesh Government promulgated special anti-terrorism
law(s) such as Speedy Trial Tribunal Act to combat these (crime) trends.
However, no international link has been found (to) these incidents,"
IG Shahudul Haque said at the 73rd Interpol General Assembly in Mexico
on October 7. He, however, admitted in the speech that none of the dozen
incidents of bomb blasts and grenade attacks that have taken place since
1999 could be unearthed.
Apart
from the bomb blasts, the IG also said Bangladesh's geographical vulnerability,
as it is in the middle of world's largest narcotics-growing belt, has
meant that its land, sea and air facilities are being used to traffic
drugs to South America and Europe. The Daily Star, October 18.
Tk 4.62cr graft in 9 civil surgeon's offices
A parliamentary probe body investigated irregularities in only
nine civil surgeon's offices and found Tk 4.62 crore in corruption,
which it says was only a partial picture. "It's a syndicated theft,"
said Abdullah M Taher, convenor of the parliamentary sub-committee on
corruption in civil surgeon's (CS) offices, placing the probe report
at a meeting of the Public Accounts Committee (Pac). The Pac however
apprehend that the syndicate has embezzled as much as Tk 109 crore in
purchasing equipment and medicine for 17 CS offices across the country.
M
Abdul Gani, another member of the sub-committee, questioned how could
a clerk of the health department become a millionaire. Pac Chairman
Harun Al Rashid told reporters after the meeting that they were astounded
to see embezzlement of such a gigantic amount of money by government
officials. "It's like plundering an ocean," he observed. The
sub-committee in its investigation found a network involving CS offices,
health ministry, health directorate, district account offices, purchase
committees and some senior officials of finance ministry that grabbed
the public money. The Daily Star, October 18.
RAB
must face trial for killing
The Awami League has branded the Rapid Action Battalion as
extra-legal and demanded that it be disbanded. "RAB is not a lawful
governmental force. We call them killers and murderers and they must
face trial for killing 37 people in 'cross fire'," senior AL presidium
member Suranjit Sengupta said at a press conference. Awami League secretary
general Abdul Jalil said his party would bring RAB members to justice,
if and when "the time comes". The Awami League organised the
press conference at its Dhanmondi office in protest against the alleged
"torture of Awami League leaders" by RAB.
Jalil said two workers of the Swechchhasebak League were taken into
custody by RAB on October 1 and they were said to have been brutally
tortured with electric shock without being produced before any court.
He alleged that RAB tortured the two SSL workers in order that "they
confess to their involvement" in the August 21 grenade attack.
The two were also asked to admit to RAB that they had thrown the grenades
following the directive of some Awami League leaders, Jalil said. Suranjit
said the government would have to grant indemnity to RAB for their actions
and the fatalities. Prothom Alo, October 19.
Bangladesh
most corrupt for fourth year
The Berlin-based graft watchdog Transparency International
rated Bangladesh as the most corrupt country for the fourth consecutive
year in its global ranking order. Bangladesh shares the position with
Haiti at 1.5 points in the corruption perception index of 146 countries,
according to a Transparency report released worldwide. In 2003 it scored
1.3 ending up at the bottom of the heap among 133 countries. The index
reflects the perceptions of business leaders, academics and risk analysts,
both resident and non-resident, and draws on the findings of 18 surveys
conducted by 12 independent institutions between 2002 and 2004. Professor
Muzaffer Ahmad, a member of the board of trustees of the Bangladesh
chapter of Transparency, said it was unfortunate that Bangladesh's position
had remained unchanged despite inclusion of more countries in the index
this year. He also said the index had been published from London and
the Bangladesh chapter of the corruption watchdog had no involvement
in its preparation. The Daily Ittefaq, October 21.
3
to die, 12 awarded life in Jail Killing Case
A Dhaka court sentenced three to death, awarded life imprisonment
to 12 and acquitted five in the long-awaited verdict of historic Jail
Killing Case. Ruling BNP lawmaker KM Obaidur Rahman, Shah Moazzem Hossain,
Nurul Islam Monzoor, Taheruddin Thakur and Additional Secretary to foreign
ministry Khairuzzaman, who were freed on bail soon after the ruling
coalition came to power, were relieved of the charges. All the convicts
are former army personnel. Of the total 21 charge-sheeted accused, three
are in custody, five on bail, 12 have been evading arrest, and one died.
While delivering
the verdict in a jam-packed courtroom amid beefed up security, Judge
Mohammad Motiur Rahman came down heavily on the investigation officer
(IO), saying all the killers could not be punished due to the "farcical
investigation." The verdict came about 29 years after the brutal
assassination of four national leaders, who led the government in exile
of Bangladesh during the Liberation War. The infamous Indemnity Ordinance
blocked the investigation and trial of the killings for about 21 years
until the law was scrapped during 1996-2001 Awami League regime. The
trial was delayed for repeated interventions by governments and judicial
tangles. The verdict was deferred twice last month.
Syed Nazrul Islam,
acting president of Bangladesh government in exile, Tajuddin Ahmed,
prime minister, M Mansur Ali, finance minister, and AHM Qamaruzzaman,
minister of home affairs, relief and rehabilitation, were killed inside
Dhaka Central Jail on November 3, 1975.
Relatives,
friends and supporters of the five acquitted chanted slogans outside
the court building to welcome the judgement while those of the punished
burst into protest and said they would challenge the verdict. The prosecution,
however, was silent about the judgement. The Daily Star, October
21.
