Law
week
Mutiny followed failure in getting political response
Failing to get expected response from political leaders regarding their demands, a group of BDR personnel planned to hold their director general and other army officers hostage at the Darbar on February 25, says the national probe report on the carnage at BDR headquarters. "Only a few hardcore mutineers knew about the plan of killing army officers, including the DG, and other heinous activities while others only knew that a tough stance would be taken at the Darbar to realise their demands, but they did not have clear knowledge about the real nature of the stance," the report says. -The Daily Star, May 28, 2009.
Rahim tells of ARY meeting, a foreign embassy link
Detained former director general (DG) of National Security Intelligence (NSI) Brig Gen (retd) Abdur Rahim made a confessional statement denying his involvement in the smuggling of 10 truckloads of illegal arms and ammunition in Chittagong. The Ex-chief of NSI made the statement under section 164 of Criminal Procedure Code on completion of his six-day remand on Tuesday. In the statement, Rahim mentioned the names of a foreign embassy and Dubai-based business firm ARY admitting that he along with his wife visited Dubai and held a meeting with ARY officials. -The Daily Star, May 28, 2009.
Bashundhara chief, family surrender
A Dhaka court issued an order saying Bashundhara Group Chairman Ahmed Akbar Sobhan Shah Alam, his wife, and their two sons will remain free till June 25 in connection with a tax evasion case in which they had been convicted and sentenced to imprisonment in absentia. Attorney General (AG) Mahbubey Alam however noted that Shah Alam and his family members must go to jail in connection with the case as they had been convicted and sentenced. Judge Mozammel Hossain of the Special Judge's Court-3 issued the order after Shah Alam, his wife Afroza Begum, and their sons Sadat Sobhan and Sayem Sobhan surrendered before it and sought bail in the case in which they had earlier been convicted and sentenced to eight years of imprisonment each. -The Daily Star, May 26, 2009.
Compensation up, but families in dark
The government has increased the compensation money to Tk 2 lakh from Tk 1 lakh for the families of the expatriate Bangladeshi workers who die aboard. The decision came at a time when the number of deaths of migrant workers abroad has been increasing in recent days. “We raised the compensation money around two months ago considering the fact that prices of essentials have gone up,” Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment Minister Khandker Mosharraf Hossain said. Families of the deceased migrant workers, who do not get any compensation from the employers of the labour receiving countries, are being provided with the compensation money. -The Daily Star, May 26, 2009.
Tk 12,600cr of railway stuck in audit objection
The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of the Jatiya Sangsad formed four sub-committees in an effort to expedite actions regarding 1,742 unresolved audit objections involving Tk 14, 848 crore since FY 2000-2001. Of the huge amount, audit objections against Bangladesh Railway (BR) alone involve Tk 12,600 crore, said the office of Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) in a report placed before the PAC. Officials at the office of CAG told The Daily Star that the objections were raised against the BR due to its failure in collecting Tk 12, 535 as transport fares from various public and private organisations for the last few decades. -The Daily Star, May 26, 2009.
Turag inherited!
Every piece of papers of the land is "original" and the buyer need not worry or face any problems at all, assures Hazrat Mukhter. There are reasons to trust in him as he works as the assistant of a lawyer. He knows the business. "Only if the government extends boundary of the river, then they will acquire the land. Otherwise everything is clean," he says. Around 74 decimals of land was developed a couple of years ago beside the land of Uttara University near Kamarpara and Dhaur. The wife of a serving brigadier is the owner of the land just beside the Turag. Asked about the Wetland and Open Space Preservation Act, 2000, he said he is not aware of the law. -The Daily Star, May 25, 2009.
Proshika axes Faruque
The governing body of Proshika, one of the largest NGOs, replaced its chairman Qazi Faruque Ahmed with advocate Abdul Wadud in the face of an ongoing employees' agitation against Qazi Faruque. Eight of the nine members of the governing body, highest policy making body of Proshika, made the decision during a meeting and held a press conference at Dhaka Reporters Unity later on. The board also removed Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Syed Giasuddin Ahmed and appointed Vice-chairman Mahbub-ul-Karim in his place. Karim gave up his membership of the governing body. -The Daily Star, May 25, 2009.
Haji Selim grapples with legal blitz
Former Awami League lawmaker Haji Mohammad Selim, who is facing a staggering 120 cases on various charges, has filed petitions for withdrawal of 65 of them, the highest number of appeals filed by an individual. Selim's counsel Pran Nath told The Daily Star that on Selim's directive he is preparing to file petitions for withdrawal of the remaining cases. "In a couple of days, I will file petitions for withdrawal of another 20 cases," he said. He said the AL leader faces 120 cases while another 17 cases were disposed of through "mutual understanding" between the plaintiffs and the defendant. -The Daily Star, May 24, 2009.
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