Law week
Mollah verdict any day
The International Crimes Tribunal-2 will deliver the verdict any day on the war crimes case against Jamaat-e-Islami leader Abdul Quader Mollah as the proceedings of the case concluded on January 17. The tribunal however did not fix any date for the judgement. The Jamaat assistant secretary general is facing six specific charges for his alleged involvement in murders and mass killings during the Liberation War in 1971. After concluding the arguments, the three-member tribunal led by Justice Obaidul Hasan kept the case as CAV (Curia Advisari Vult, a Latin legal term), which means the verdict could be delivered any time. During the trial, the prosecution sought capital punishment for Jamaat assistant secretary general Abdul Quader Mollah for 'committing' crimes against humanity during the Liberation War in 1971.-The Daily Star online edition Jnuary 17 2013.
ACC sues 4 WDB engineers
Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) in Chittagong on January 16 sued six persons including four engineers of Water Development Board (WDB) on charge of misappropriating its project fund. ACC Chittagong Metro-1 Deputy Assistant Director Humayun Kabir filed two cases against them with Banshkhali Police Station. The four engineers are--WDB Chittagong Municipality Division Executive Engineer Md Ashraf Zaman; Deputy Divisional Engineer Nur Mohammad; Deputy Assistant Engineer Abul Bashar; and Banshkhali Municipality Deputy Assistant Engineer Abdur Rahim. WDB project contractors Nur Mohammad and Md Alamgir were also made accused in the cases. According to the cases, the six misappropriated about Tk 30 lakh from a project of about 10km embankment construction work in Banshkhali.-The Daily Star January 17 2013.
Fakhrul again denied bail
A Dhaka court on January 15 rejected BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir's bail petition in a case hours after granting him bail in another case. Judge Md Zahirul Haque of the Metropolitan Sessions Judge's Court in Dhaka denied the bail to Fakhrul in a case filed with Motijheel Police Station for blasting cocktails and assaulting police during the opposition's countrywide road blockade on December 9 last year. Earlier in the day, the same judge granted bail to the BNP leader in another case filed with Sutrapur Police Station for assaulting police and preventing them from discharging duties during the road blockade.- The Daily Star January 16 2013.
HC upholds 2 JMB men's death sentence
The High Court on Jnaury 15 upheld the death sentence of two leaders of banned Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) in a murder case. Convicts Salauddin alias Salehin of Narayanganj and Rafiq Hassan alias Hafez Mahmud of Jamalpur are now in Dhaka Central Jail's condemned cell, Deputy Attorney General Md Selim told The Daily Star. The court delivered the verdict rejecting their appeals against the judgement of Speedy Trial Tribunal-1, Dhaka in 2006 which convicted and sentenced them to death for killing Abdul Gani alias Joseph Gani Gomez Mandal, a medicine businessman, at Duyanipara of Jamalpur in Sept, 2004.- The Daily Star January 16 2013.
Contempt plea against SQ Chy's counsel
The International Crimes Tribunal-1 on January 14 ordered a counsel for war crimes accused Salauddin Quader Chowdhury to explain why contempt of court proceeding should not be initiated against him 'for interfering in the tribunal's proceedings'. Serving a show-cause notice on defence counsel Fakhrul Islam, the tribunal asked him to reply on February 6. The notice was issued in response to a petition filed by Fakhrul. The lawyer filed the petition against the backdrop of an alleged Skype conversation between the tribunal's former chairman Justice Md Nizamul Huq and expatriate legal expert Ahmed Ziauddin. In the petition the defence counsel asked the tribunal to clarify its independence beyond any doubt and state whether any of its members was privy to the alleged Skype conversation or have been in contact with Ziauddin.- The Daily Star January 15 2013.
HC asks to investigate if any
grabbing occurs
The High Court on January 13 directed the authorities concerned to investigate whether any portion of Biswa Ijtema grounds on the bank of the river Turag in Gazipur has been occupied and any structure has been constructed there illegally. Tongi municipality mayor in Gazipur has been asked to submit the investigation report to the HC by January 30. In response to a writ petition, filed by Tablig Jamaat Shura Committee Member Md Ismail Hossain, the HC also issued a rule upon the officials concerned of government to explain in two weeks why they should not be directed to keep the grounds free from encroachment if there is any grabber on the land. Land secretary, deputy commissioner of Gazipur, superintendents of police in Gazipur, and the municipality mayor have been made respondents to the rule. A division bench of the HC came up with the order and rule following the writ petition.-The Daily Star January 14 2013.
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