Law
Week
HC refuses to accept Hasina's writ petition
The High Court refused to accept a writ petition seeking a directive for the authorities not to arrest or harass Awami League (AL) President Sheikh Hasina on her return home. An HC bench turned down the application for permission to file the petition on grounds of procedural flaws. The lawyers who moved for it then went to another bench but that too declined to receive the affidavit regarding the intended petition. Barrister Shafique Ahmed and Mahbubey Alam are among the lawyers working towards a court order not to detain Hasina on her arrival. Speaking to the reporters, they said some flaws were there in the way the power of attorney has been given to the AL chief's Protocol Officer Manzila Faruque. Shafique said they would move again after rectifying the errors. --The Daily Star, April 30.
Proposal sent to EC for ban on party-affiliated student bodies
The caretaker government has sent a set of proposals to the Election Commission (EC) for banning party-affiliated student organisations and trade unions, Law Adviser Mainul Hosein said. "I have told the chief election commissioner (CEC) that there should be a law so that no political party can use the teachers and students to its advantage," he said talking to journalists at his secretariat office. Asked if a draft has been made, he answered in the negative. He said the government believes there should not be party-affiliated student and labour bodies in public or private institutions. "We are not talking about a complete ban on student politics, but we must keep the students out of party politics," Mainul said adding that the political organisations should not have wings in schools, colleges and universities. The students and teachers would do politics but not being associated with any political party. The students would join politics only on completion of education, he said. The EC has been requested to cancel registration of those parties that would have student bodies and trade unions, Mainul told the journalists. The government plans to have laws prohibiting operation of trade unions as they tend to spoil the working environment, he observed. --The Daily Star, April 30.
Judiciary clean-up on cards
The government is seriously considering options for restoring the image of the higher judiciary, which has been tarnished in the last five years through acute politicisation and appointments of judges with lack of qualifications or competence. A competent Supreme Court source said yesterday that the government is now collecting background information about all controversial judges who were appointed or whose services were confirmed between 2001 and 2006. "We believe that the move is an indication that the government is planning to do something to clean the judiciary and to restore its independence," he said. Chief Justice Mohammad Ruhul Amin told a gathering of lawyers on Sunday in Noakhali that the damage done to the judiciary in the recent years will take more than 20 years to remedy. The Supreme Court source added that the chief justice's remark will help the authorities to concede to the widespread demand for freeing the judiciary from partisanship through reforms. Senior lawyers of the Supreme Court welcomed the statement of the chief justice. But they said instead of waiting 20 years to cleanse the higher judiciary, the authorities could form a supreme judicial council or find other means to start reforming it immediately. According to Supreme Court sources, there are 68 confirmed judges in the High Court Division and seven in the Appellate Division including the chief justice. --The Daily Star, May 1.
Shamim Osman jailed for 3yrs in first-ever graft case verdict
In the first-ever verdict in a case filed by the reformed Anti-corruption Commission (ACC), a Narayanganj court sentenced, in absentia, former Awami League (AL) lawmaker Shamim Osman to three years' imprisonment for not submitting wealth statements to the commission. Included in the ACC's first list of suspected corrupt people, Osman was ordered in February by the commission to submit his, his wife's and wards' wealth statements. Senior Special Judge Abdul Kuddus Mia of Narayanganj district court delivered the verdict in a packed courtroom and the entire area cordoned off by security personnel. The verdict stated that Osman is guilty of not submitting the statement of his, his wife's and wards' moveable and immovable assets as ordered by the ACC. The verdict was delivered in accordance with Article 26 of the ACC Act, 2004 and Section 15 D (5) of the Emergency Rules, 2007. However, as section 35 (2) of the Bangladesh constitution states that an individual cannot be sentenced more than once for a single crime, the court said that it would not be logical to try Osman under section 15 D (5) of the Emergency Rules, 2007. Osman was sentenced under sub-sections one, two and three of section 26 of the ACC Act. The prison term would take effect upon his arrest. -- The Daily Star, May 1.
BB asks 10 banks why actions should not be taken against them
Bangladesh Bank (BB) sent letters to 10 commercial banks, which gave loans to Chittagong-based businessman Nurunnabi against fake documents, asking why actions should not be taken against the banks for violating the Money Laundering Act. During inspections at different branches of the banks in the port city, it was found that the banks allowed Nurunnabi to open accounts either in his name or fictitious names and loans of huge amounts were issued through irregular processes, the BB letter said. The banks are directed to reply to the central bank by May 15. The banks are -- First Security Bank (Agrabad branch), Bangladesh Commerce Bank Limited (Agrabad), Mutual Trust Bank (Khatunganj), Jamuna Bank Limited (Agrabad), Social Investment Bank Limited (Agrabad), IFIC Bank (Shah Amanat Market Branch), National Credit and Commerce Bank Limited (Kadamtoli), Premier Bank (Agrabad), Dhaka Bank (Agrabad) and Sonali Bank (Mithagoli). Of the seven-point direction in the BB letter, one asked why the banks would not be fined for giving loans to different fictitious companies of Nurunnabi, who had produced fake documents. -- The Daily Star, May 1.
Bomb blasts at Dhaka, Ctg, Sylhet rail stations, 1 injured
Three near-simultaneous bombs rocked three divisional railway stations in Dhaka, Chittagong and Sylhet leaving a person injured. An Islamic militant outfit Jadid al-Qaeda Bangladesh claimed the responsibility for the blasts. The aim of the militant outfit is initially suspected to stop activities of NGOs and Quadiani Muslim community in Bangladesh. Security has been beefed up in all strategic points including the railway stations of the country following the incidents. A powerful bomb exploded at the east side of second class ticket counter of Kamalapur Railway Station in the capital at about 6:45am, but no one was hurt in the blast. An aluminium silver coloured plate inscribing 'NGO employees and Quadianis, be ready for death' was recovered from the spot. Another bomb went off at Chittagong Railway Station leaving rickshaw-puller Munir injured, our Chittagong staff correspondent reports. Police said the blast occurred when an unidentified person went away the place leaving a bag at the station. After the explosion, Law Adviser Mainul Hosein told reporters that the caretaker government is considering the incidents with importance. The law adviser is looking at the incidents of bombing as acts of sabotage against the caretaker government. He however said inquiries are underway. --The Daily Star, May 2.
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