Law Week
HC okays Titas asset transfer
The High Court on June 29 upheld a government decision to transfer the assets of Brahmanbaria-Ashuganj unit of Titas Gas Transmission and Distribution Company Limited (TGTDCL) to Bakhrabad Gas System Limited (BGSL) at a cost of Tk 268.20 crore. A vacation bench of HC comprising Justice Quamrul Islam Siddiqui and Justice M Moazzam Husain summarily rejected a writ petition filed by two shareholders of TGTDCL challenging the decision. Mohammd Alauddin and Abu Sayeed jointly filed the petition on June 23 stating that the assets of Brahmanbaria-Ashuganj unit of TGTDCL worth Tk 1207.45 crore, as per the assessment of Ahmed and Akter Company, a chartered accountant firm of Dhaka.But, Petrobangla on January 6 this year decided to transfer the same assets to BGSL at a cost of Tk 268.20 crore, as per the assessment of Huda Vasi Chowdhury and Company, another chartered accountant firm of Dhaka.-The Daily star June30 2011.
More BNP bigwigs to be charge-sheeted
Further investigations into the August 21 grenade attack cases have so far found involvement of around 20 more people from BNP, Jamaat, intelligence agencies and militant outfits. Those who might be named in supplementary charge sheets include Salauddin Quader Chowdhury, senior BNP lawmaker, Harris Chowdhury, ex-prime minister Khaleda Zia's political secretary, and Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojaheed, Jamaat-e-Islami secretary general, said Criminal Investigation Department officials. CID investigators have been asked by court to submit charge sheets by July 3. The carnage at Sheikh Hasina's rally at Bangabandhu Avenue in 2004 killed 23 Awami League leaders and workers and injured over 300.- The Daily star June 28 2011.
Charge sheet against Sumon next week
Detective Branch (DB) of police may submit by next week the charge sheet against Hasan Sayeed Sumon who assaulted his wife Rumana Manzur on June 5. Rumana lost her eyesight in the attack. During interrogation, Sumon confessed to have attacked Rumana in an attempt to kill her as she had decided to file for divorce. Arrested from a relative's house on June 15, Sumon is now in jail following orders from a Dhaka Court on Jnue 26. Earlier, Sumon was on remand for six days in four phases.- The Daily star June 28 2011.
ACC to probe Niko scam
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) on June 27 appointed an enquiry officer to verify newspaper reports that Niko Resources Ltd admitted to bribing former minister for energy AKM Mosharraf Hossain in 2005. ACC Assistant Director Sayedur Rahman, the enquiry officer will have a month to conduct the enquiry in two phases, if required.
On June 25, The Daily Star quoted an Associated Press report regarding the Canadian oil and gas company which was fined 9,499,000 Canadian dollars (US$9,750,794) after it pleaded guilty the previous day of providing goods or services “to influence the acts or decisions of a foreign state.”Earlier, the company admitted to have provided the ex-minister with a luxury vehicle along with a trip to North America to escape from the country without compensating for the explosions at Tengratila, one of Niko's natural gas fields, in January 2005.The blowout damaged at least 10 billion cubic feet (BCF) of gas worth $2.5 million, apart from severely damaging the geological zone. - The Daily star June 28 2011.
Hearing on Koko's Tax Evasion Case deferred
A Dhaka court on June 26 extended the time for 18th time adjourning the hearing on charge framing till July 28 against Arafat Rahman Koko, son of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, in a tax evasion case. Judge (In Charge) Mohammad Akhteruzzaman of the Senior Special Judge's Court passed the order after Koko's lawyer submitted a petition seeking adjournment of the hearing on the same excuse that he could not bring any order on the rule issued earlier from the High Court (HC) following a writ challenging the legality of the case. Earlier on May 26, the same court gave the defence lawyers time to be the last for submitting an order from the HC. The National Board of Revenue on March 1 last year filed the case against Koko for evading income tax on his income of Tk 52.39 lakh for fiscal years from 2002-2003 to 2006-2007.- The Daily star June 27 2011.
ACC sues three ex-RDA officials
The Anti-Corruption Commission has sued three former officials of Rajshahi Development Authority (RDA) for illegally acquiring 18 government plots six years ago. The accused are former RDA chairman Tapan Chandra Majumder, former chief accounts officer Abdur Rab Joardar and former estate officer Abu Bakar Siddique. ACC Deputy Director Abdul Karim on Wednesday filed the case with Shah Makhdum Police Station in the city following a primary investigation into the documents seized from the RDA. In 2004, the government allotted 89 housing plots in Chandrima Residential Area in the city at a lower price for people affected by RDA's land acquisition. Though 71 plots each of five katha were distributed among the applicants, the remaining plots were shared among the accused by violating rules, as none of the accused were affected in any way by RDA's land acquisition. - The Daily star June 27 2011.
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