Law Week
Khokon denied bail again
A Dhaka court on May 24 again rejected the bail petition of BNP lawmaker barrister Mahbub Uddin Khokon in connection with an arson case. Judge Mohammad Zahurul Haque of the Metropolitan Sessions Judge's Court passed the order after his lawyer submitted an appeal seeking bail against the rejection order of the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's Court on May 21. The same court on May 23 rejected bail petition of 33 opposition leaders including BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir in the case filed for torching a bus near the Prime Minister's Office during hartal on April 29. Tejgaon police filed the case hours after the incident. Earlier on May 9, a Dhaka court granted bail to Khokon for 11 days on his surrender before it.-The Daily Star online edition May 24 2012.
HC questions RPO section
The High Court has questioned the legality of a section of the Representation of the People Order (RPO), under which the candidacy of Abul Kashem from Tangail-5 constituency was cancelled and Mahmudul Hasan was declared elected. The Election Commission (EC) on May 7 declared BNP leader Mahmudul Hasan elected MP from the constituency, and cancelled candidacy of Jatiya Party MP Abul Kashem, who was elected from the constituency in the parliamentary polls on December 29, 2008. The HC on May 22 issued a rule upon the CEC, secretary to the EC, and Mahmudul Hasan to explain in 12 days why the Section 51(2)(b) of RPO, 1972, which empowered the election tribunal to declare any other candidate securing second highest vote as returned, should not be declared contrary to the constitution. -The Daily Star May 24 2012.
HC asks ACC to probe allotment process
The High Court on May 22 directed the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) to immediately launch a thorough investigation to find out whether there was any corruption in the process of allotting plots in the capital's Begunbari-Hatirjheel area. Calling the people involved in allotting and purchasing lands ignoring the due process as "thieves", an HC bench ordered the ACC director general to submit the probe report to it by July 15. The bench of Justice AHM Shamsuddin Choudhury Manik and Justice Jahangir Hossain Selim ordered Ziaul Haque Zia, Kamrul Islam and Shafik Rehman to submit separate reports before it by July 15, mentioning the total number of plots that they and their family members have in Dhaka and the manner of receiving those plots.-The Daily Star May 23 2012.
HC summons UNO, OC on child
marriage issue
The High Court on May 21 summoned an upazila nirbahi officer (UNO), a local police Station officer-in-charge (OC) and two ward councillors to appear before it to explain their roles over an incident of child marriage at Sadar upazila in Meherpur. Shah Momin, UNO of Sadar upazila, Jahangir Alam, OC of Sadar Police Station, and Moniruzzaman and Abdullah Al Mamun, ward councillors of Meherpur pourasava, will have to appear before the court on May 29. The court also issued a rule upon the government to explain why it should not be directed to punish the persons involved in the incident. The HC issued the suo moto rule following a report published on the daily Prothom Alo on Monday under the headline 'Two councillors arrange child marriage'. - The Daily Star May 23 2012.
Charge accepted against BNP leaders
A Dhaka court on May 21 accepted charges against BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and 44 other opposition leaders in an arson attack case. The magistrate's court, however, did not fix any date for hearing on charge framing. The court issued arrest warrants against acting Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Maqbul Ahmed and two Islami Chhatra Shibir leaders, who went into hiding after they were made accused in the case. Earlier, Police filed the case on April 29 accusing the 45 opposition leaders of arson attack after a vehicle was torched near the Prime Minister's Office during hartal hours.-The Daily Star May 22 2012.
Bar Council election on June 20
The High Court on May 20 ordered the Bangladesh Bar Council authorities to hold its elections by June 20, with updating the voters' list within next 10 days. The court came up with the directive while delivering verdict on a writ petition challenging the process for holding the elections to Bangladesh Bar Council, the licensing authority for allowing legal practice to lawyers. Election to Bangladesh Bar Council was scheduled to be held on May 28. - The Daily Star May 21 2012.
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