Law
Week
Workers' Violence
A governance failure, says DEPZ investors
Investors termed the situation at Dhaka Export Processing Zone (DEPZ) a governance failure and decided to keep their factories closed until law and order improves there while Commerce Minister Hafizuddin Ahmed labelled the ongoing violence in the garment sector 'a part of political agitation by a quarter before the next general election'. "Election is only seven to eight months away from now. A particular quarter in a very planned way is trying to create an unstable situation before the election," the commerce minister told a meeting with EPZ investors without naming any party, in the office of Bangladesh Export Processing Zone Authority (Bepza). It is a culture in Bangladesh to create agitations before the election, he said urging the opposition not to do politicking with the country's industries but to extend cooperation to the government in restoring normalcy to the EPZ. Leaders of Bangladesh EPZ Investors Association (Bepzia) termed the situation a complete governance failure, saying that they feel threatened and it is not possible for them to run their industries without necessary protection and security. --The Daily Star, June 5.
EC to face Herculean task to make voter list
The Election Commission (EC) that has no previous experience of preparing a voter list in just five months now has to finish the Herculean task within this short period of time. Officials at the EC Secretariat said they have prepared six voter lists since 1973 with around one year in hand ahead of the elections, but this time they have only five months in hand to complete the massive task. "It is true, we have not faced such situation in preparing the voter list before," Acting Secretary of EC Secretariat Mohammad Zakoria told reporters. However, despite the fear of possible difficulties in the task, the officials have to sit idle, as the EC is yet to decide its next course of action on the voter list for the next parliamentary elections. The commission is yet to get the certified copy of the Supreme Court (SC) judgement that asked it to follow the January 4 High Court directives to revise the existing electoral rolls. "We are waiting for the certified copy of the judgement to decide the next course of action," Zakoria said. He, however, declined to comment on whether it is possible to prepare a flawless voter list in the time remaining before the next election. --The Daily Star, June 5.
CEC talks to one TV channel, ignores other media
The chief election commissioner (CEC), who surprisingly emerged as a press friend, talked only to a private satellite television channel and later refused to meet other journalists present at his office. Instead of addressing the reporters himself, CEC MA Aziz asked Acting Secretary of Election Commission (EC) Secretariat Mohammad Zakoria to talk to them. Hearing the news that the CEC talked to satellite TV channel ntv at his office, a group of journalists, who had been waiting on the EC premises, rushed to his office for his comments on the preparation of the voter list. They sought appointment for meeting the CEC through his personal secretary. A few minutes later, however, Zakoria emerged from the CEC's office room and told the journalists that the CEC asked him to talk to the press. The CEC, who always used to avoid journalists and blasted the media at a function in April, said he would talk to the media from now on. "My door is always open for you," he told reporters. But recently, he talked only to state-run television channel BTV, declining to talk to the press. -- The Daily Star, June 5.
Dig's 14 Kids
HR body offers DNA test cost
Bangladesh Society for Enforcement of Human Rights (BSEHR) offered to bear the cost of the DNA tests if former deputy inspector general (DIG) Anisur Rahman appeals to the organisation for the cost. The former DIG is in the midst of a controversy over the parenthood of 14 children, including septuplets, he has. While addressing a press conference at BSEHR's Manipuripara office, Secretary General Sigma Huda and Executive Director Alena Khan urged the government to form a probe body comprising medical experts to unearth the mystery. Mentioning the inconsistencies of information provided by Anisur Rahman and his wife, they also asked the government to investigate if those children were gathered for trafficking. --Prothom Alo, June 5.
Workers damage RMG units, fight with law enforcers
Garment workers continued vandalism and protests in Gazipur, Savar and Ashulia in a bid to realise their 11-point demand. They engaged in pitched battles with the law enforcers leaving around 100 people injured at Dhaka Export Processing Zone (DEPZ). Production in many factories at DEPZ was once again suspended after agitating workers were locked in triangular clashes between two groups of labourers and the law enforcers. The disruption forced foreign and local investors to close their factories even in the adjacent areas of DEPZ as well. Many factory owners at Zamgora, Zirani, Bypile, adjacent areas of DEPZ, closed their factories fearing agitators might instigate their employees into vandalism. Many garment factory owners in Gazipur also shut down their factories following agitations and workers' strike. The workers set up barricades on roads of Ashulia, Kaliakoir and Gazipur creating huge gridlocks that lasted for more than four hours. Around 3,000 workers demonstrated inside the DEPZ since morning and brought out processions asking their colleagues to join in. --The Daily Star, June 4.
Militant case to get priority in regular HC bench
Four regular benches of the High Court are empowered to hear the death references on priority basis and so no special bench will be formed for hearing the death references of the May 29 Jhalakathi case verdict that awarded death sentences to seven militant leaders including Abdur Rahman and Bangla Bhai. Chief Justice (CJ) Syed JR Mudassir Husain told this to Law Minister Moudud Ahmed. When Additional Attorney General Abdur Rezzak Khan moved an application for preparing paper book on priority basis for hearing the death references of the Jhalakathi case verdict, a High Court (HC) vacation bench asked him to apply in a regular bench after the court resumes on June 11 at the end of summer vacation. The Jhalakathi case of two judges' killing involves the safety and security of the state, and so it is very important, the additional attorney general added in his submission. The office of the Attorney General took the move following instruction from the law ministry. The law minister told the press last week that the government would ask the Supreme Court to form a special bench in the HC for hearing on the death references of the seven militants' case in which the sentence was awarded by the lower court. As the four benches now can hear the death references of any case on a priority basis, no special bench is necessary for hearing of death references of the militants' case, the law minister told reporters after his meeting with the chief justice. The court would decide the priority and grant appeal considering importance of the case, he added. --The Daily Star, June 7.
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