Law-&-Order
HC rejects Ex-DIG Mizan’s bail plea in graft case
The High Court on Tuesday rejected the bail plea of suspended Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Mizanur Rahman in a case filed by Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) for amassing illegal wealth as a rule issued on his bail was not pressed.
A HC bench of Justice SM Kuddus Zaman and Justice Md Riaz Uddin Khan rejected the bail plea.
Although Mizan was granted bail on April 13 after appealing against a three-year sentence in a bribery case, he will not be able to walk out of jail as he was denied bail in the graft case.
Barrister Mahbub Shafiq appeared for the bail plea in the court while Lawyer Khurshid Alam Khan for the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).
Earlier, the High Court had issued a rule questioning why he should not be granted bail in the case.
On February 23, Dhaka Special Judge Court-4 Sheikh Nazmul Alam sentenced Mizanur Rahman and suspended ACC director Khandaker Enamul Basir to three and eight years in jail respectively in the case.
READ: HC issues rule on extending ex- DIG Mizan’s sentence in bribery case
Later Mizan and Basir moved to the High Court against the order.
On April 13, HC granted two-month bail to Mizan against which ACC appealed to the appellate division.
The corruption case dates back to June 24, 2019, when ACC director Manjur Morshed lodged a complaint against the disgraced DIG, his wife Sohelia Anar Ratna, nephew sub-inspector Mahmudul Hasan and younger brother Mahbubur Rahman.
According to the case statement, Mizan accumulated wealth worth Tk 3.28 crore beyond his known sources of income. On the other hand, he had declared wealth worth Tk 3.7 crore in his tax statement.
Then director of ACC, Basir, was made the investigating officer in the case.
During the probe, Mizan had accused Basir of demanding Tk 40 lakh as bribe for setting the case, prompting the Commission to appoint director Monjur Morshed as the investigating officer in the case.
At the same time, a three-member probe body was formed, led by ACC director Sheikh Mohammad Fanafillah, to look into the allegations of bribery.
On July 16, 2019, Fanafillah lodged a complaint against both Mizan and Basir. And on April 16, 2020, a Dhaka court indicted the two and directed the official beginning of the trial in the case.
New Market clashes: 14 BNP leaders, activists granted anticipatory bail
The High Court on Tuesday granted six-week anticipatory bail to 14 BNP leaders and activists in a case over clashes between New Market shop keepers and Dhaka College students.
Amir Hossain Alamgir, convener of New Market Thana Jubo Dal, was among the BNP leaders.
The HC bench of Justice Mustafa Zaman Islam and Justice Md Salim passed the order after the accused appeared before the court and sought bail.
Also read:New Market clashes: BNP leader Makbul held
The court also asked the accused to surrender before the concerned judicial court before the six-week bail period expires.
Barrister Kayser Kamal stood for the bail petitioners at the court while Deputy Attorney General Shaheen Ahmed Khan represented the state.
On April 20, police filed two cases-one for attacking police and another under the Explosive Substances Act against around 1,200 people .
Of the two cases, Yeamin Kabir, inspector (investigation) of New Market Police Station lodged an FIR against 24 identified people and 900 unidentified ones.
The main accused in the case, Advocate Makbul Hossain, former president of New Market Thana BNP, has been arrested.
Also read: Police out to hush up its failure, BCL’s involvement in New Market violence: Fakhrul
Two people died and more than 30 people, including journalists and students, were injured as the students of Dhaka College clashed with the shopkeepers of New Market at the Nilkhet intersection from midnight on April 18-19.
Shopkeepers, however, alleged that the students were beaten up as they had refused to foot the bill at an eatery.
HC commutes death sentence of 4 in Narshingdi garment worker rape case
The High Court on Tuesday commuted the death sentence of four convicts to life imprisonment in a case over violating a 20-year-old garment worker in Palash upazila of Narsingdi district in 2013.
The HC bench of Justice Bhishmadev Chakrabortty and Justice Khandaker Diliruzzaman handed down the judgment after hearing a petition.
Also read: Schoolgirl gang raped in Rajshahi; 2 held
The convicts are—Ashiqur Rahman, Ilias Mia, Rumin and Robin of Bagpara area in Palash upazila of Narsingdi district.
The court also acquitted —Ibrahim and Abdur Rahman- from the charges.
Advocates Munsurul Haque Chowdhury, Lutfur Rahman Akond and Akter Rasul stood for the accused while deputy attorney general Harun Rashid and Attorney General Zahid Ahmed Hero represented the state.
On May 23, 2013, the convicts picked up the woman and took her to an abandoned place while she was returning home and violated her in turns on May 23, 2013.
Later, a complaint was lodged with Palash Police.
Also read: Khulna police make 6 arrests after indigenous woman gangraped at home
Police registered an FIR in this connection.
On August 25, 2016, Narsingdi Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal Judge Shamim Ahmed sentenced six people to death in the case.
Later, the convicts filed a petition with the High Court challenging the lower court order.
Man gets life term for killing wife in Natore
A Natore court has sentenced a man to life term imprisonment for killing his wife in 2016.
Senior District and Sessions Judge Md Sharif Uddin pronounced the judgement at noon.
Also read:Attack on Zafar Iqbal: Main accused Faizul gets life term
The court also fined lifer Shahin Mondol Tk 10,000, in default, to suffer six months more imprisonment.
According to the prosecution, the convict strangulated his wife Champa Khatun to death as she refused to provide dowry following his demand on January 20, 2016.
Champa’s father Afsar Miaji lodged a complaint with Baraigram Police.
Also read: Man gets life term for killing wife in Khulna
Later, police submitted a charge sheet against accused Shahin.
After examining the records and witnesses, Judge Md Sharif Uddin handed down the verdict.
Highway land lease: HC asks ACC to submit report on June 26
The High Court on Monday ordered the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) to submit a report within June 26 after investigating the graft case in connection with collecting Tk 15 crore as loan from a private bank after leasing 27 decimals of land in Uttara Azampur on Dhaka-Mymensingh highway.
Justice Md Nazrul Islam Talukder and Justice Kazi Md Ejarul Haque Akondo passed the order after hearing a writ petition.
The HC also fixed June 26 for next hearing.
Also read: HC orders to evict 43 illegal establishments on Ichamati bank
The court issued a rule asking the government to explain as to why the ineffectiveness of the authorities concerned for failing to take necessary steps against those involved in the corruption should not be declared illegal.
ACC Chairman, Bangladesh Bank governor, Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit and others have been made respondents to the rule.
Advocates Anik R Haque and Tamzid Hasan stood for the petitioners while Deputy Attorney General AKM Amin Uddin Manik represented the state.
Advocate Obaiyed Ahmed filed the writ petition seeking steps in this regard after attaching a report published at a daily newspaper on the title of “Looting Tk 15 crore after showing Highway on lease’.
Also read: Illegal brick kilns: HC summons DoE DG, 5 DCs on contempt of court charge
According to the writ, Golam Faruk, a fraud withdrew Tk 15 crore as a loan from a private bank after leasing 27 decimals of land at Uttara Azampur on Dhaka-Mymensingh highway.
He took the money in collusion with some dishonest employees of the bank.
When the bank authorities tried to install a notice of the bank, they came to know that it was fake as the owner of the land is identified as Jamir Ali. Attacks were carried out on Jamir by miscreants.
On April 14, Rapid Action Battalion members detained Faruk and his close aide Firoj Al Mamun alias Firoz from city’s Uttara.
Money laundering case: 11 including brothers Enamul, Rupon get 7 years jail
A Dhaka court on Monday sentenced 11 people including expelled Awami League (AL) leaders Enamul Haque Enu and his brother Rupon Bhuiyan to seven years' imprisonment in a money laundering case.
The other convicts are- their three brothers Shahidul Haque Bhuiyan, Rashidul Haque Bhuiyan and Merajul Haque Bhuiyan, Joy Gopal Sarkar, Tuhin Munshi, Nabir Hossain Sikder, Saiful Islam, Sunny Mostafa and Pavel Rahman.
Also read: HC rejects bail petitions of ex-AL leaders Enu, Rupon
Special Court-5 Judge Iqbal Hossain delivered the judgment.
The court also fined the convicts Tk 4 lakh each, in default, to suffer another year of imprisonment.
Among the convicts, Shiplu, Rashedul, Sahidul and Pavel are on the run since the beginning of the case while Tuhin secured bail. The other six convicts are in jail now.
Earlier, the court fixed April 6 for delivering the judgment. However, the judgment was not delivered on that day as Judge Iqbal Hossain was on leave. Later, Acting Judge Monir Kamal fixed April 25 for the pronouncing the judgment .
According to police, Enamul was the director of Dhaka Wanderers Club and vice-president of the Awami League's Gendaria unit, while his brother Rupom was the joint general secretary for the same area. They were expelled after the incident.
Both were involved in the casino business at Wanderer’s Club, according to the Rapid Action Battalion (Rab).
According to the case, Rab members conducted an anti-casino drive at the house of Abul Kalam Azad, an employee of Wanderers Club, on Lalmohan Saha Street in Wari and seized Tk 2 crore on September 24 in 2019.
Ziaul Hasan, police inspector (City & Vehicle) of Rab-3, filed a case at Wari police station in this regard on September 25 of the year.
Also read: Casino crackdown: Enamul, Rupon indicted for money laundering
As per the case, Enamul and Rupon earned billions by operating casinos for a long time. During the anti-casino drive, they kept illegally earned money in Kalam's house to cover up their misdeeds which is a crime under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.
After the investigation on July 11 in 2020, Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Inspector Mohammad Sadek Ali submitted the chargesheet against 11 accused.
Later on January 5 in 2021, the court framed charges against the accused.
HC orders to evict 43 illegal establishments on Ichamati bank
The High Court on Sunday ordered the eviction of the illegal establishments on the banks of the Ichamati river in four mouzas of Pabna occupied by 43 persons.
The HC bench of Justice Md Mozibur Rahman Miah and Justice Md Kamrul Hossain Mollah passed the order dismissing the writ petition seeking rectification of the HC verdict on the river to keep their illegal establishments on the banks of Ichamati.
The court also ordered authorities concerned to lift the stay order on the eviction.
It was stated in detail about the river boundary in the case of four rivers around Dhaka that the river boundary will be determined according to the City Survey (CS) record. And the Appellate Division has also upheld that judgment, said the court.
Also read: HC directs immediate steps to control mosquitoes at Shahjalal Intl Airport
On the other hand, in the case of Turag river, the Appellate Division directed to conduct a survey according to the river boundaries' CS records. In this case, there is no chance to amend the judgment of the High Court in the context of this case.
Lawyer Anik R Haque and Lawyer Rawson Alam Khan appeared for the writ petition while Lawyer Manzil Morshed for the state.
Lawyer Manzil Morshed said, "After this verdict, there was no legal impediment to the eviction of illegal establishments of 43 people from Ichamati's banks."
In 2020, 43 people filed a writ petition in the High Court challenging the notice of eviction of illegal establishments in four mouzas of Ichamati in Pabna Sadar by the Deputy Commissioner.
Following the preliminary hearing of the writ petition, on February 27 of that year, the court directed the river commission to take legal action and issued a stay order on the eviction proceedings.
After the order, the representatives of the river commission visited the spot and reported to the court. It was stated in the report that the lands occupied by the 43 writ petitioners are on the banks of the Ichamati as per the CS records.
Also read: HC directs to shut illegal brick kilns in Dinajpur, Moulvibazar
Later, when the court dismissed the writ petition, the 43 writ petitioners filed another writ challenging the report of the river commission. The High Court dismissed that writ petition too.
In 2020, the writ petitioners then appealed for the amendment of the judgment of the Supreme Court regarding the four rivers of Dhaka (Buriganga, Shitalakshya, Turag and Balu) in 2009. The petitioners claimed that they own the land as per RS records.
Man who incited 2019 Borhanuddin riots sentenced to 8 years in jail
A Barishal court on Sunday sentenced a Hindu man to eight years in jail for hacking a Facebook profile to post content hurting religious sentiments and deteriorating law and order at Borhanuddin upazila in Bhola in 2019.
Barishal Cyber Tribunal Judge Golam Faruque passed the order.
Md Istak Ahmed Rubel, Special Public Prosecutor of the court said accused Bapan Das has been sentenced to jail terms under three sections of the penal code and the punishment will continue simultaneously.
Also read: Bagerhat: Hindu youth detained 'for hurting religious sentiments'
“Under section 34 he got eight years in jail with a fine of Tk 3 lakh, under section 28 (1) he got 2 years in jail and fine of Tk 1 lakh and under section 31 (1) he got four years in jail with Tk 1 lakh fine,“ said PP Istak Ahmed.
On October 18, 2019, a man named Biplab Chandra filed a general diary with Borhanuddin police station saying his Facebook profile named Biplab Chandra Shubho was hacked from which activities hurting religious sentiment were conducted.
On October 20, four people were killed during a clash between police and agitated people of Muslim community over the incident at Borhanuddin Eidgah ground.
Also read: ‘Hurting religious sentiment’: More cases filed against Nur
Two more cases were filed in this regard which are still under trial.
On January 26, 2020, police arrested a hacker named Bapan Das after finding his involvement with the incident using information technology.
The court recorded Bapan Das’s confessional statement regarding the crime under section 164 and on August 1, last year police filed a charge sheet against him in this case.
BGB recover drugs worth Tk 335 crore including yaba, crystal meth since January
Border Guard Bangladesh have seized Tk 335.78 crore worth of drugs including yaba, crystal meth and arrested 434 drug peddlers from bordering areas of Cox’s Bazar so far this year.
BGB revealed the information in a press release Saturday.
On Friday, BGB arrested 5 peddlers with 6.9 lakh pieces of yaba tablets worth Tk 20.70 Crore while conducting a special drive, said BGB.
Read: 13 members of fake question leak gang held in Laksmipur
Following a tip-off, a patrol team led by Lieutenant Colonel Md Mehedi Hossain Kabir, commander of BGB-34 conducted a drive at yaba godfather Iqbal Hossain’s house at Ukhia Korbunia area and arrested four peddlers with 50,000 of yaba tablets.
Later they recovered another six lakh yaba tablets from a deep forest area under the Rejuparareju and Garjanbunia border outpost of BGB.
A separate patrol team of BGB detained another drug peddler with 40,000 yaba tablets from the Rejupara border outpost area.
Since January, BGB recovered 56,01,025 yaba tablets and 33.55 Kg crystal meth during drives at Cox’s Bazar, Teknaf, Ramu and Naikhongchari border areas, said BGB in its release.
New Market clashes: Another case filed over Mursalin’s death
A case has been filed over the death of Mursalin, who was killed in the clashes between Dhaka College students and Dhaka New Market traders.
SM Qaiyum, officer-in-charge (OC) of New Market police station, said Mursalin’s brother lodged a complaint with the New Market police.
Also read: New Market clashes: BNP leader Makbul held
Police registered an FIR against 100-150 people after receiving the complaint.
So far, more than 1,400 people were booked in connection with Tuesday’s violent clashes between Dhaka College students and New Market traders that claimed two lives.
Of the deceased, Mursalin, 26, who worked at a clothing store in New Market died on Thursday at Dhaka Medical College and Hospital (DMCH), inspector Bachchu Mia, in charge of the local police outpost, said.
On Tuesday night, Nahid, 20, who was not involved but simply happened to be in the vicinity during the clashes died during treatment at DMCH.
Earlier, of a total of three cases filed in connection with the clashes, Yeamin Kabir, inspector (investigation) of New Market Police Station lodged an FIR against 24 identified people and 900 unidentified students and traders.
Charges were pressed against them for carrying out attacks on police that left some of the cops injured, officials said.
Also read: Chhatra League 'cadres' involved in New Market violence
Another FIR was lodged at the same police station on a complaint from sub-Inspector Mehedi Hasan for obstructing cops from discharging their duties and vandalism. As many as 200 unidentified people were accused in this case.
Meanwhile, Syed, uncle of the slain delivery man of a courier service, Nahid Hossain, lodged a complaint with the New Market police in connection with the death of his nephew during the clashes.
Police registered an FIR against 150-200 people after receiving the complaint.
More than 30 people, including journalists and students, were injured as the students of Dhaka College clashed with the traders of New Market at the Nilkhet intersection from midnight on Monday to Tuesday.
Shopkeepers, however, alleged that the students were beaten up as they had refused to foot the bill at an eatery.