Law
week
Turag grabbing goes unabated
The High Court directives and government's tough warnings against encroachment on the Turag go unheeded as land grabbers continue filling the river with earth. A petition was filed with the HC, seeking a directive on the government to take actions against Turag encroachers and stop illegal earth filling there.Advocate Manzill Murshid filed the petition on behalf of Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh, a human rights organisation. -The Daily Star, Oct 8, 2009.
Confusion over HC's status quo order
The High Court (HC) directed Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) authorities and seven axed doctors to maintain status quo on the matter. The HC also issued a rule upon the authorities to explain within four weeks why cancellation of appointments of the seven doctors should not be declared illegal. The status quo will continue till hearing of the rule, the court said. -The Daily Star, Oct 8, 2009.
Faruque provoked all with monarchy story
The Supreme Court heard for the second day yesterday the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman assassination case. Syed Faruque Rahman, a convict in Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman assassination case, said that he, on August 14, 1975, had excited his colleagues, saying that President Sheikh Mujibur Rahman would proclaim monarchy in the country on August 15, the democracy will be damaged and the country will go under the possession of India and therefore they should depose the government of Sheikh Mujib. -The Daily Star, Sept 7, 2009.
14 sugar traders get bail
The High Court granted anticipatory bail to 14 sugar traders from Jessore and Khulna in two cases filed on charges of illegally stocking sugar last month. The HC bench of Justice AFM Abdur Rahman and Justice Md Emdadul Haque Azad also issued separate rules upon the government to explain why the accused should not be given regular bail. The court issued the orders after the traders filed two petitions asking for bail. -The Daily Star, Sept 7, 2009.
Lawmakers' bid to be adviser dashed again
Parliament passed the local government (city corporations) bill rejecting a House body's recommendation for making MPs advisers to the city corporations from where they were elected. The House also did not accept recommendation of the parliamentary body for creating posts of two deputy mayors in each city corporation. The parliamentary standing committee on LGRD and cooperatives ministry in its scrutiny report on the bill made the recommendations. Earlier on September 14, parliament passed the local government (municipality) bill rejecting the same House body's recommendation for making MPs advisers to the municipalities in their constituencies. -The Daily Star, Sept 6, 2009.
SC starts to hear convicts' appeals
The Supreme Court started hearing the appeals of the five convicts, who challenged their death sentences in Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman assassination case. A five-member bench of the Appellate Division headed by Justice Md Tafazzal Islam concluded the first day's hearing on the appeals. The five convicts -- dismissed army personnel Syed Farooq-ur Rahman, Sultan Shahriar Rashid Khan, Mohiuddin Ahmed, AKM Mohiuddin Ahmed, and Bazlul Huda -- who are in jail now, filed the appeals with the SC in October, 2007. -The Daily Star, Sept 6, 2009.
BNP, 5 other parties to get time till Jan 24
The main opposition BNP and five other political parties will have to submit their ratified constitutions to the Election Commission by January 24 next year to retain their registration with the EC as per a provision of a new bill placed in parliament. Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Shafique Ahmed placed the bill, set to be passed soon, seeking amendment to the Representation of People Order for extending the timeframe by another six months for submission of ratified constitutions of political parties to the commission. According to the existing provisions of the RPO, political parties were supposed to ratify the provisional changes in their constitutions by holding councils and submit the ratified charters to the EC by July 24 this year. -The Daily Star, Sept 5, 2009.
Draft health policy draws criticism
The draft National Health Policy-2009 suggests 'user fee' to be given by the patients for getting health services from public hospitals, which the health experts describe as a blatant attempt to commercialise the health sector. The health experts strongly criticised the draft health policy saying that imposing the 'user fee' would deprive poor people of their health rights at public hospitals and ultimately force them to seek health services from the private sector. Public hospitals provide health services without making any profit. So, why does the policy suggest realising user fee, they ask. Health Minister Prof AFM Ruhal Haque, however, said the main purpose of health policy is to increase access to health services for people and shape up a sustainable quality service system to meet their demand. -The Daily Star, Sept 5, 2009.
Yes to new law, no to 'crossfire'
A special act should be enacted to improve the law and order in the country instead of killing people in the name of crossfire, speakers said at the BBC's Bangladesh Sanglap. However, Shipping Minister Shajahan Khan, one of the panellists at the dialogue, supported crossfire as a means of controlling criminals when all other efforts go in vain. The minister said no government wants any extra-judicial killing during its tenures but crossfire is a reality in our country. "We talk about human rights whenever a criminal is killed in a crossfire but what about the human rights of those who are killed by criminals," Shajahan questioned in defence of his claim. -The Daily Star, Sept 4, 2009.
Stop interfering in dev affair of UP
Union Parishad chairmen and members from across the country at a national convention demanded that lawmakers stop their interference in the development affairs of union parishads. They also demanded the government increase their budgetary allocation in order to strengthen the local government system. President of Bangladesh Union Parishad Forum Mahbubur Rahman Tulu said they had decided to wage a movement if the government keeps any provision in the proposed bill with a motive to directly control the union parishads. -The Daily Star, Sept 4, 2009.
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