Law-&-Order
UNO, OC among 10 hurt in attack allegedly by illegal occupants of govt khas land in Sitakunda
At least 10 people including Sitakunda upazila nirbahi officer (UNO) and officer-in-charge (OC) were injured in an attack allegedly by illegal occupants of government khas lands in Sitakunda upazila of Chattogram on Thursday afternoon.
Also, several vehicles including one owned by a private television station were torched during the attack.
The injured included UNO and Executive Magistrate KM Rafiqul Islam, OC Tofail Ahmed and others who received treatment from a private hospital.
Alauddin, assistant commissioner (AC-Land) of the upazila, said some people built structures illegally on a land allocated for constructing a heart foundation in Jungle Salimpur area under Salimpur union, and they have long been living there.
Read: All illegal occupants over city canals to be evicted: Minister
The illegal occupants earlier were served notices to free land, but they didn’t comply with the orders, he said, adding that they recovered 10 acres of land from the clutches of the occupants on Thursday.
Suddenly the occupants attacked them when they were returning from the spot, the AC said, adding that 10 people including the UNO and OC were injured in the attack.
Three people were detained in this connection.
Over 100 structures erected illegally on the government land were demolished during the drive that started at 10am, he added.
Read more: DNCC spot auctions to continue every week to free footpaths from occupants
Cases filed under DSA will continue, Law Minister tells Parliament
Law Minister Anisul Huq on Thursday said that there is no scope for canceling the cases filed under the Digital Security Act (DSA).
The law minister came up with the statement while replying to a tabled question from Gonoforum MP Mukabbir Khan.
Repealing the much controversial DSA, the Cyber Security Bill was passed in Parliament on Wednesday.
Read: Cyber Security Bill 2023 lands in JS to replace DSA
The proposed law will come into effect following gazette notification and after the signature of the President. According to the Cyber Security Bill, the cases under DSA will continue.
Mukabbir Khan asked to know if the people who have faced various forms of harassment and jail sentence due to misuse of the repealed DSA, or they who are still in prison, will they get compensation?
At the same time, the Gonoforum MP wanted to know how these issues will be resolved.
In response, the law minister said that there is no scope for quashing the cases filed under the Digital Security Act and there is no question of giving compensation in this regard.
Explaining the issue, the law minister said that the position of the law is that the crimes committed under the old law, the punishment will be given under the old law and the court will award the punishment to the criminal.
Read: Int'l groups urge Bangladesh govt to drop DSA cases against journalists
The law minister further said that Article 35 of the Constitution says: “No person shall be convicted of any offence except for violation of a law in force at the time of the commission of the act charged as an offence, nor be subjected to a penalty greater than, or different from, that which might have been inflicted under the law in force at the time of the commission of the offence.”
The minister also said that if the complaint filed under the Digital Security Act and other related proceedings or any proceedings instituted or any suit or appeal filed is pending at any stage, the said proceedings or appeal shall continue as if it had been instituted or filed under the Cyber Security Act.
Read more: Cabinet approves Cyber Security Act to replace controversial DSA
Odhikar’s Adilur, Nasiruddin get 2-year jail in ICT case
A Dhaka court on Thursday sentenced rights body Odhikar’s secretary Adilur Rahman Khan and director Nasiruddin Elan to two years’ of imprisonment in a case over publishing a report about the death toll in clashes between police and Hefazat-e-Islam activists in the capital in 2013.
Dhaka Cyber Tribunal Judge AM Zulfiqar Hayat also fined the convicts Tk 10,000 each, in default, they will have to suffer one month more imprisonment.
This was the maiden case filed under the Information and Communication Technology Act (ICT).
In 2013, Odhikar published a report on its website that claimed 61 people were killed at Hefazat rally at Shapla Chattar in the capital following a clash between Hefazat-e-Islam activists and law enforcement agencies on May 5, 2013.
Detective Branch (DB) sub-inspector Ashraful Islam filed a general diary at Gulshan Police Station on August 10 of the same year. The GD was later registered as a case.
On September 4 of the same year, DB inspector Ashraful Alam submitted a charge sheet against Adilur and Nasiruddin to the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court in Dhaka.
In 2014, the court framed charges against the two accused and ordered the trial to begin.
The court was supposed to deliver the verdict on September 7 this year after the arguments of the prosecution and the defense ended on August 24.
On that day, the court referred the pronouncement of the verdict to September 14 as its verdict was not ready.
Earlier, Adilur and Nasiruddin secured bail in the case.
The United States Embassy in Dhaka expressed their "concern" that the judgment against Odhikar’s secretary Adilur Rahman Khan and director A S M Nasiruddin Elan may further "undermine" the willingness of human rights defenders and civil society to play their vital democratic role.
"We continue to support freedom of expression and a vibrant civil society as essential elements of democracy and oppose attempts to limit the exercise of those fundamental and basic rights," said the Embassy.
The United States said it strongly supports the role that human rights defenders and civil society organizations play in promoting and protecting human rights and fundamental freedoms.
Gold theft: 8 including 4 customs officials remanded
A Dhaka court on Wednesday placed eight people on a five-day remand in a case filed over theft of 55kg of gold from a customs house warehouse at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport.
The court of Metropolitan Magistrate Mehedi Hasan passed the order on Wednesday.
Earlier on Wednesday, DB’s Uttara zone team inspector Rashedul Islam, also the investigating officer of the case, produced the accused before the court and sought a 10-day remand of each of them.
DB arrests 8 people involving gold theft from Customs House
A bail application was filed on behalf of the two accused seeking cancellation of the remand.
There was no lawyer for the other six defendants.
The accused in the case are Shahidul Islam, 36, Saidul Islam Shahed, 33, Akram Sheikh, 36, and Masum Rana, 33, Md Mozammel Haque, 35, Niamat Hawlader, 27, Md Rezaul Karim, 36, and Md Afzal Hossain, 29.
Authorities dismiss 4 officials allegedly tied to gold theft
Mozaffar Hossain, sub-inspector of the Airport police station, confirmed the matter to UNB.
Earlier, the Detective Branch (DB) of Police had arrested eight people in connection with the theft.
1 detained with 14 gold bars worth over Tk 1.41 crore in Satkhira
Obaidul Hassan appointed chief justice of Bangladesh
Justice Obaidul Hassan of the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court has been appointed as the chief justice of Bangladesh.
President Mohammed Shahabuddin appointed him as the country’s 24th chief justice, according to a gazette notification circulated by the Law Ministry on Tuesday.
Incumbent Chief Justice Hasan Foez Siddique is retiring on September 25.
Also read: Keep judiciary free of political influence: Chief Justice urges on last working day
According to the Supreme Court website, Justice Obaidul Hassan obtained BSS. (Hons), MSS (Economics) and LLB from University of Dhaka.
Later he enrolled as an advocate of the District Court on March 18 in 1986, the High Court Division on October 18 in 1988 and the Appellate Division of Bangladesh Supreme Court on August 15 in 2005.
He was elevated as Additional Judge of the High Court Division on June 30 in 2009 and appointed Judge of the same division on June 6 in 2011.
Also read: Chief Justice calls on President Shahabuddin at Bangabahaban
He joined the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of Bangladesh on September 3 in 2020.
He delivered numerous judgments including judgment on Arpita Sompotti Ain, and appointment of Judges to the High Court Division.
Justice Obaidul Hassan participated in an international conference held in Hong Kong (1991), participated in a training programme namely "Judicial Governance Program" held in Singapore in July 2015.
Also read: Chief Justice calls on President Shahabuddin at Bangabahaban
He attended an International Conference on "International Crimes/State Crimes" held in Buenos Ayres, Argentina in August 2015. He also attended in a view exchange program with the Judges of International Criminal Court (ICC) and the International Crimes Tribunal for former Yugoslavia (ICTY) in Hague, Netherlands in August 2015.
15 indicted in senior ASP Anisul Karim murder case
A Dhaka court on Tuesday framed charges against 15 people including former registrar of National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) Abdullah Al Mamun in a case over the murder of Senior Assistant Superintendent of Police Anisul Karim.
Judge of the Dhaka Additional Metropolitan Session Judge Court-3, Sheikh Samidul Islam framed the charges after rejecting a petition for relieving them from the charges.
The court also fixed November 9 for the next hearing.
Mirza Fakhul, 7 others indicted in vandalism case
The other accused include —Arif Mahmud, director of Mind Aid Hospital, Pharmacist Tanvir Hasan, Shakhawat Hossain, Sazzad Amin, Fatema Khatun, Redwan Sabbir, coordinator of the hosptial, Masud Khan, Zobair Hossain, Tanif Molla, Sajeeb Chowdhury, Asim Kumar Pal, Liton Ahmed, Saiful Islam and Abdullah Al-Amin.
Of the accused, Asim is behind the bars while Shakhawat is on the run. The others secured bail from the court.
On November 30 last year, AKM Nasir Ullah, investigating officer of the case and inspector of Police Bureau of Investigation submitted the chargesheet against them.
Rizvi, 6 other BNP leaders, activists indicted in police constable Shamim murder case
Senior ASP Anisul Karim had been suffering from mental illness for long. On November 9, 2020, he was taken to the Mind Aid Hospital where he locked into a scuffle with the hospital staff. At one stage, Anisul died.
Faizuddin, father of Anisul, filed a case with Adabor Police Station.
On March 8, 2022, inspector of Adabor Police Station and also the investigating officer of the case, submitted chargesheet against the same accused. Later, the case was shifted to PBI.
96 Jamaat-Shibir men indicted involving alleged violence in Motijheel
Six Jamaat men arrested for sabotage in Chuadanga
Police on Monday arrested six Jamaat leaders and activists in a case filed for sabotage in Chuadanga.
They were arrested from the Old Jail area of the town.
Read more:Jamaat leader and former ward councilor arrested in Ctg
The arrestees are Ruhul Amin, 45, ameer of the District Jamaat; Hasibul Islam, 39; Mohasin Ali, 26, Humayun Kabir, 27, Masum Billah, 42; and Minarul Islam, 29.
A police team led by Chuadanga Sadar Police Station Officer-in-Charge Mahbubur Rahman raided the Old Jail area in the city around 1:30pm on Monday and made the arrests.
Later in the afternoon, the police handed them over to the court.
Read more: 4 Jamaat men detained in Barishal
According to the police, on May 15, six Jamaat men were arrested with Jihadi books while they were preparing for sabotage from a house in the Cinema Hallpara. A case filed in this connection.
Abdullah Al Mamun, superintendent of Chuadanga Police, said, the six were arrested in the sabotage case filed on May 15.
Now the operation is underway to arrest the rest of the accused, he said.
ADC Harun suspended over ‘assaulting two BCL leaders’
Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) of Ramna Zone under Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Harun Or Rashid was suspended on Monday for allegedly beating two central leaders of Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) inside Shahbagh police station.
A notification was issued by the Public Security Division of the Home Ministry in this regard. Senior secretary of the Public Security Division Md. Mostafizur Rahman signed the notification.
During suspension, he will remain attached to the police headquarters and will obtain subsistence allowance according to the rules, the notification said.
Earlier, the DMP formed a three-member committee on Monday afternoon to look into the allegation of torture on two BCL leaders by ADC Harun. The committee was also asked to submit its report within two working days.
Read: ADC Harun transferred to APBn for beating up two BCL central leaders
The central committee’s Organising Secretary Anwar Hossen Nayeem and Science Affairs Secretary Sharif Ahmed Munim and some other fellows locked into an altercation with ADC Harun over a matter at Birdem Hospital at Shahbagh on Saturday evening.
However, ADC Harun managed to escape from there. After a while he appeared at the incident place with police forces and took Nayeem and Sharif to the Shahbagh Police station and beat them roughly.
Read: Probe committee formed over torture on 2 BCL leaders at Shahbagh police station
Around 1:00 am at night, they were set free from the police station and taken to the hospital for treatment.
It was learnt that ADC Harun was chatting with a woman police officer of 33rd BCS at Birdem Hospital. The woman official's husband came to know about this and went there with Naeem and Munim. The woman officer's husband is also an administration cadre officer and former leader of Chhatra League and all of them are from Gazipur.
On Sunday, police headquarters transferred ADC Harun to the Armed Police Battalion (APBn) from the DMP.
Read more: JCD condemns police 'assault' on BCL leaders
Ex-BCL leader arrested in Magura
A former Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) leader was arrested on Saturday night in a case filed over open firing during a clash between BCL and Swechasebak Dal activists on 6 September.
Shahin Khan was arrested around 10 pm on Saturday from Sadar upazila, said Mohammad Kalimullah, Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) in Magura.
Bariul Islam Riyad of Magura District BCL filed the case on 7 September against 200 people including 105 named activists of BNP’s associate bodies and the rest unnamed.
Probe committee formed over torture on 2 BCL leaders at Shahbagh police station
The clash broke out at Chourangi Mor area of the city when activists of Swechasebak Dal was on their way to BNP’s district office to attend a representative meeting.
Swechasebak Dal activists took position in the area as the situation unfolded when a man wearing a mask opened fire from the side of the road where the BCL activists took position.
A video of the open firing soon became viral on social media platforms.
JCD condemns police 'assault' on BCL leaders
According to the district’s BCL sources, he was a former organizing secretary of Magura Adarsha College BCL unit. He was suspended from BCL in 2019 after his involvement in an embezzlement case. After that committee was dissolved, he has not been posted in any other committee but actively participates in different events of the ruling party.
ADC Harun transferred to APBn for beating up two BCL central leaders
7 get life in prison for 2013 murder in Faridpur
A Faridpur court on Monday sentenced seven people to life terms in jail in a murder case in Sadar upazila of Faridpur around 10 years back.
Judge of Faridpur Additional District and Sessions Judge-2 Md Shihabul Islam also fined each of the convicts Tk 10,000 , in default of which they will have to serve three more months’ jail, said the court’s Prosecutor Md Sanowar Hossain.
The convicts Babul Miah, 22, Md Saddam Sheikh, 27, Md Suruj Sardar, 26, Md Nishan, 22, Md Rony, 22, Chand Miah Sardar, 28, Md Rana, 20, are residents of Sadar upazila of the district.
Wife among 4 sentenced to life in prison for 2001 murder of man in Joypurhat
Of them, Chand Miah and Rana are absconding and the rest were inside the dock when the judgment was being delivered.
According to the case statement, on March 6 of 2013 all the accused picked up one Asad, a resident of Paschim Khabaspur area in the Sadar upazila, to a students’ mess where they stabbed and beat him for obstructing them from peddling drugs.
Later, he was rescued and taken to a hospital where he succumbed to his injuries while undergoing treatment.
Bagerhat: 2 get life in prison for fourth-grader murder
On March 11, the victim’s brother Ashraful Alam filed a murder case with Kotwali police station in this regard.
Police submitted chargesheet against the accused at a court on December 31 of the same year.
After completing legal procedures, the court handed down the judgment in the presence of five out of the seven accused on Monday.
Rangpur: 5 get life in prison for 2015 rape, murder of teen