Law
week
Rab men told to be people's friend
The High Court observed that the law enforcers should behave in such a manner so that people can treat them as their friend, and human and fundamental rights are not violated by their activities. An orientation course should be arranged to train up the law enforcers in order to make them aware of human and fundamental rights guaranteed in the constitution of the republic, it said. An HC bench of Justice AHM Shamsuddin Chowdhury Manik and Justice Md Delwar Hossain made the observation when two Rapid Action Battalion officials appeared before it to explain allegations against them of their attempt to implicate a Satkhira businessman in a false arms-possession charge last month. - The Daily Star, June 10, 2010.
Cops start to guard rivers
The High Court ordered the officers-in-charge (OCs) of six police stations in the capital to submit to it every three months reports on their actions to stop dumping of waste into the Buriganga as per its earlier directive. The OCs appeared before an HC bench in connection with a contempt of court petition filed with it for their non-compliance with the previous directive. The bench comprised of Justice Md Mamtaz Uddin Ahmed and Justice Naima Haider. - The Daily Star, June 10, 2010.
Magistrate, SP, expert asked to appear in HC
The High Court ordered the chief judicial magistrate superintendent of police (SP) and another police official of Rangpur, and a forensic medicine expert to appear before it in connection with a report on violation of a woman. The HC also ordered the SP, and the officer-in-charge of Kawnia Police Station to produce the woman before it, and explain what action they took against alleged perpetrators of the crime. It directed the deputy commissioner of Rangpur to shift the victim, now in Rangpur central jail, to safe custody under a government or non-government organisation. - The Daily Star, June 9, 2010.
Full-fledged National HR Commission by this month
The government will constitute a full-fledged national human rights commission (NHRC) through appointing a new chairman and six members within this month, Law Minister Shafique Ahmed said. As per provision of the law concerned, the NHRC will be comprised of a chairman, one permanent member and five non-permanent members, the minister said. “I have already talked to the Speaker of Jatiya Sangsad, who is the chief of the NHRC selection committee, about appointment of its chairman and members.” Shafique said this while talking to newsmen after a meeting with Swedish Ambassador Britt Hagstrom at his Secretariat office. The law minister said the NHRC's incumbent chairman Justice Amirul Kabir Chowdhury will go into retirement on June 20. - The Daily Star, June 9, 2010.
Jamaat accepts JS power of lawmaking
Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami has finally agreed to accept the parliament's plenary power to make laws by omitting a phrase from its charter that said people must not accept anyone except Allah as the maker of laws. It also agreed to include a provision in its charter to reserve 33 percent posts in all committees of the party for women, according to a letter it submitted to the Election Commission. A delegation of Jamaat leaders had a meeting with the EC and they placed the letter explaining its stance on some provisions of the party charter the commission earlier asked to amend. The commission had asked for the Jamaat constitution to be amended so that the party conforms to the criteria for registration with the EC. - The Daily Star, June 8, 2010.
Locals join crackdown on chemical outlets
Hundreds of locals took to the street and chanted slogans as a mobile court raided warehouses and factories of flammable materials in Nimtoli after the deadly inferno on June 3. The local people helped the mobile court of the Fire Service and Civil Defence tipping off location of warehouses and factories with poor fire safety equipment and names of the owners. "Actually we started this drive before the Nimtoli tragedy, which sped up our activities. Now it will continue till all chemicals godowns and factories are shifted elsewhere," said Abdur Rashid, deputy director of Fire Service department. - The Daily Star, June 8, 2010.
Govt gets 4 weeks to explain selection
The High Court directed the government to inform it within four weeks the process or system followed for selection of persons for appointment as judges both in the Appellate and High Court divisions of the Supreme Court since independence of the country. It issued a rule asking the government also to explain within the same period why specific guidelines should not be framed for the process of selection for such appointments to bring transparency and competitiveness in it. Moreover, the government has to explain why the guidelines should not be published in the gazette notification, the HC rule said. The law secretary was made respondent to the rule. - The Daily Star, June 7, 2010.
Check all transformers, report within 3 weeks
The High Court directed the authorities of Dhaka Electric Supply Company (Desco) and Dhaka Power Distribution Company (DPDC) to examine the city's all transformers by an expert committee, and submit a report to it within three weeks. An HC bench of Justice AHM Shamsuddin Chowdhury Manik and Justice Md Delwar Hossain came up with the order following a writ petition filed by the Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh (HRPB), an NGO. The writ petition has been filed following some media reports, which mentioned that the Nimtoli fire originated from the transformer blast. The HC also asked the government within three weeks to explain its failure in this regard. - The Daily Star, June 7, 2010.
Follow code of conduct
Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) ATM Shamsul Huda urged the candidates to carry on electioneering maintaining the electoral code of conduct to hold a free and fair election. Huda made the remarks while addressing a view exchange meeting with candidates for the Chittagong City Corporation polls at the Muslim Institute auditorium. All the mayoral candidates including ABM Mohiuddin Chowdhury, M Manjur Alam, Solaiman Alam Sheth and ward councillor candidates participated the meeting. - The Daily Star, June 5, 2010.
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