Law-&-Order
Graft case: Haji Salim denied bail; sent to jail
A Dhaka court on Sunday sent Awami League lawmaker Haji Mohammad Salim to jail in a graft case rejecting his bail petition.
Judge of Special Court-7 Shahidul Islam passed the order when he surrendered before the court.
Also read: Graft case: Haji Salim to surrender before court this afternoon
Syed Ahmed Raza, a counsel of Haji Salim, said he surrendered before around 3:20 pm and sought bail in the case.
Haji Salim, who was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment in a graft case filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission, went to Bangkok for treatment purpose on May 2 and returned home on May 5 that sparked huge controversy.
On February 10, the full text of the High Court’s verdict was published upholding his 10-year imprisonment.
The HC asked him to surrender to the trial court within 30 days of receiving the verdict.
The HC directed the trial court to cancel the bail order of the MP and issue an arrest warrant against him if he does not surrender within the given time.
ACC lawyer Khurshid Alam said, “After this verdict Haji Selim has lost the eligibility to remain an MP according to the article 66 (2) of the Constitution.”
On March 9 last year, HC bench of Justice Md Moinul Islam Chowdhury and Justice AKM Zahirul Huq upheld the lower court order sentencing to 10 years jail after hearing a petition by the ACC.
At the same time, the Dhaka-7 MP was acquitted of a three-year jail term in the same case filed by the ACC for concealing wealth information.
The High Court also reduced the fine imposed on Salim by half to Tk 10 lakh. He will have to spend one more year in jail if he fails to pay the fine.
In 2007, the ACC filed the case against Salim. On April 27, 2008, a Dhaka court jailed him for 13 years and fined Tk 20 lakh.
Salim moved the High Court against the verdict.
Also read: Haji Selim returns home obeying law: Home Minister
In 2011, the court overturned his sentence but the ACC later appealed against the lower court verdict.
Later, the Appellate Division asked the High Court to re-hear the petition.
Irregularities of Salim resurfaced after his son Irfan Selim was arrested for assaulting a navy official in 2020.
Graft case: Haji Salim to surrender before court this afternoon
Awami League lawmaker Haji Mohammad Salim, whose recent foreign trip for treatment despite conviction in a graft case sparked huge criticism, is scheduled to surrender before a court Sunday afternoon.
Syed Ahmed Raza, a counsel of Haji Salim, said he will surrender before Judge of Special Court-7 Shahidul Islam around 2 pm.
Haji Salim, who was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment in a graft case filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission, went to Bangkok for treatment purpose on May 2 and returned home on May 5 that sparked huge controversy .
On February 10, the full text of the High Court’s verdict was published upholding his 10-year imprisonment.
Also read: Haji Selim returns home obeying law: Home Minister
The HC asked him to surrender to the trial court within 30 days of receiving the verdict.
The HC directed the trial court to cancel the bail order of the MP and issue an arrest warrant against him if he does not surrender within the given time.
ACC lawyer Khurshid Alam said, “After this verdict Haji Salim has lost the eligibility to remain an MP according to the article 66 (2) of the Constitution.”
On March 9 last year, HC bench of Justice Md Moinul Islam Chowdhury and Justice AKM Zahirul Huq upheld the lower court order sentencing to 10 years jail after hearing a petition by the ACC.
At the same time, the Dhaka-7 MP was acquitted of a three-year jail term in the same case filed by the ACC for concealing wealth information.
The High Court also reduced the fine imposed on Selim by half to Tk 10 lakh. He will have to spend one more year in jail if he fails to pay the fine.
In 2007, the ACC filed the case against Salim. On April 27, 2008, a Dhaka court jailed him for 13 years and fined Tk 20 lakh.
Salim moved the High Court against the verdict.
Also read: Haji Selim ordered to surrender before trial court within 30 days
In 2011, the court overturned his sentence but the ACC later appealed against the lower court verdict.
Later, the Appellate Division asked the High Court to re-hear the petition.
Irregularities of Salim resurfaced after his son Irfan Selim was arrested for assaulting a navy official in 2020.
Govt enacted DSA to prevent cybercrime: Law Minister
Law Minister Anisul Huq has said that with the development of technology cyber crimes have also arisen across the country. To deal with these, the government enacted the Digital Security Act (DSA).
The minister made these remarks while speaking as the chief guest at an exchange meeting with GPs (Government Pleaders) and PPs (Public Prosecutors) at the Bangabandhu International Conference Center in the capital on Saturday.
Law and Justice Secretary Golam Sarwar presided over the meeting.
"Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman has mentioned the freedom of the press in the constitution, which is not in the constitution of many democratic countries. Bangabandhu has added it as a fundamental right in the constitution and his daughter will not pass any law that would impede freedom of speech or the media," the minister added.
“It is true that there were some misuses of the Digital Security Act," he said, adding that earlier it was seen that a journalist would be arrested as soon as there was a case under the Digital Security Act in the police station.
"I also spoke over the issue that no one should be arrested immediately after filing the case. If the court thinks it is a heinous crime, then such action will be taken," he added.
The minister said people will lose confidence in the judiciary if they do not get justice in time.
"So we have to minimize the time to solve any case. There is no need for so much time. We have taken steps to increase the number of courts and judges too,” he said.
The Law of Evidence is being updated. Section 155 (4) of this Act is being repealed. Initiatives have been taken to amend NI Act, 1881. Emphasis has also been placed on Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR).
He said many compromising cases have been pending in the civil courts for a long time. If these cases are settled in the ADR system, the backlog of cases will decrease.
Also read: US envoy discusses DSA with law minister
Prisoner marries victim at Kashimpur jail
Kashimpur Central Jail authority arranged a wedding ceremony of a convicted prisoner with his victim on Friday as per the order of the High Court.
Relatives of the bridegroom and the bride were present at the wedding ceremony.
Lawyers from both sides also attended the programme.
Nurunnabi Bhuiyan, acting jail super, Kashimpur Central Jail-1, said prisoner Nayeem Mia, 23, son of Shahed Mia, has been shifted to Kashimpur jail from Dhaka in 2020 in a case filed with Mirpur Police Station.
Read: Man killed by wife in Brahmanbaria
Both the bridegroom and the bride hailed from the Dewghar union under Austagram upazila of Kishoreganj district.
The bride left the jail for the village home with the relatives after the marriage, he added.
Man killed by wife in Brahmanbaria
A man was allegedly killed by his wife over a family feud in Ghatiara village in Sadar upazila of Brahmanbaria district in the small hours on Saturday.
The deceased was identified as Tajul Islam, 50, son of Emran Mollah of the village.
Read: Man held for assaulting girl wearing western attire at Narsingdi rail station
Police arrested his wife Samsia Akter Toha, 45, from the spot for questioning, said Sohrab Al Hossain, inspector (Investigation) of Brahmanbaria Sadar Model Police Station.
Tajul was in Saudi Arabia for two decades. He returned to the country two months back. Since then, the couple used to fight over various issues. On Friday midnight, Toha had an altercation with Tajul about closing the windows of the house. At one point, Tajul slapped Toha. Later, aggrieved Toha hit Tajul, leaving him injured.
Read: Fake ‘judge’ arrested in Chandpur
Tajul was taken to District Sadar Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries, said the inspector.
The body has been kept in the hospital morgue for autopsy.
The deceased's father Emran Mollah has lodged a complaint at the Sadar Model Police Station, the officer added.
Man held for assaulting girl wearing western attire at Narsingdi rail station
A man was detained on Friday night for assaulting a girl forwearing western attire at Narsingdi Railway Station two days ago.
The detainee was identified as Ismail Hossain, 25.
A three-member team from Narsingdi District Administration identified Ismail from CCTV footage of the incident on Friday afternoon and later detained him from near the station area, said ATM Musa, station master of the railway station.
“Narsingdi Detective Branch of police has detained a man for involvement with the incident but we could not show him as arrested as no one lodged any complaint yet,” said Ferdous Ahmed Biswas, OC of Narsingdi railway police station.
On Wednesday, a woman at the Narsingdi Railway Station made distasteful comments at the young girl and two boys with hrt who were waiting at the station for a train with other passengers around 5:30 pm.
The girl was wearing a crop-top and jeans and the boys were also wearing western outfits.
At one point the woman locked in an altercation with them and some local miscreants started beating the youths and harassed the girl, said the station master.
“The girl had to take shelter in the station master’s office room to save herself . The matter was resolved later with my intervention,” said ATM Musa.
The matter sparked debates among netizens after video footage of the incident went viral on social media and several news media published reports on it.
Fake ‘judge’ arrested in Chandpur
A 40-year-old man posing as a judge of the High Court has been arrested in Matlab Dakshin upazila of Chandpur on Friday.
Businessman Arif Hossain Prokash alias Biplob Prodhan, son of late Mahbub Prodhan, was nabbed from Uttar Dighaldi village, said OC Mohiuddin of Matlab police station.
Read: Rab arrests 2 BCL leaders
SI Ruhul Amin filed a case in this regard this afternoon.
Biplob Prodhan identified himself as a High Court judge and rented a car from Dhaka to Daudkandi and left for his village, said the OC.
He would also avail the protocol and facilities of the judge in different places.
“When he reached Daudkandi, he also introduced himself as a judge to the traffic police”.
Police got suspicious after visiting Biplob's home and arrested him.
Read: Moulvibazar: Three to hang for war crimes
During the preliminary interrogation, the accused admitted himself as a fake judge, the officer said.
Two identity cards were seized from his possession. The car was also seized. However, the driver of the car was released.
He will be produced before the court on Saturday.
1 held with 124 gold bars worth Tk 10 cr in Jashore
BGB members have held a man along with 14.45 kg gold worth Tk 10.11 crore from Chaugachha border area in Jashore.
The man has been named as Md. Shah Alam, 35, a resident Kabilpur in Chougachha, said a BGB media release.
Lt. Col. Shahed Minhaj Siddiqui, commander of BGB's Jashore Battalion said, on a tip-off they managed to nab the alleged smuggler who disguised as a farmer along the border on Friday morning.
Also Read: Gold bars worth Tk 1.16 crore seized in Jhenaidah
The BGB team recovered 124 gold bars of 14.45 kg worth Tk 10.11 crore, mobile phone and seized a motorcycle from the man, he said.
During primary questioning, the man admitted that he was trying to smuggle the gold bars to India, said the release.
Rab arrests 2 BCL leaders
Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) arrested two leaders of Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) from Sabujbagh area in the city on Thursday.
The arrestees were identified as Dhaka South City BCL vice president Delwar Hossain Sayedee, 24, and BCL Dhaka South city unit general Secretary Jubayer Ahmed, 29.
Based on secret information, a team of Rab-3 battalion arrested Delwar from Madartek area under Sabujbagh police station at around 3:00 am on early Thursday.
Read: Cumilla city mayor Sakku expelled for life from BNP
The elite force also recovered one foreign made pistol, one magazine, two round bullets and 578 pieces Yaba tablets from his possessions, said Additional SP Bina Rani Das of the Rab-3 battalion headquarters.
Delwar was arrested on charge of his involvedment in collecting extortion in the name of Home Minister, she said at a media release issued on Thursday evening.
Later, in an attempt to snatch BCL leader Delwar from the Rab, Dhaka South City BCL leader Jubayer was also arrested.
The Rab filed a case with Sabujbagh police station in connection with the incident. Jubayer and Delwar are in police custody at Sabujbagh police station. They will be produced in court on Friday.
During primary interrogation, Delwar admitted that he used to extort money using the name of the home minister. He also used to use his associates to spread terrorism to dominate the area showing firearms.
Read: Some Dhaka areas to see disruption in gas supplies Saturday
When the Rab's operational team took to the streets with the arrested Delwar at the end of the operation, about 200 people led by BCL leader Jobayer tried to snatch the arrested Delwar. They carried out an armed attack on the Rab. The Rab members then arrested Md. Jobayer Ahmed from North Mothertech area of Sabujbagh and dispersed the illegal mob in self-defense and for carrying out government duties. Two Rab members were injured in the attack.
The injured Rab members were given first aid at Dhaka Medical College Hospital.
Rohingya man held with 1.06kg crystal meth in Cox’s Bazar
Members of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) detained a Rohingya man along with 1.06 kg crystal methamphetamine (Ice) from Teknaf upazila in Cox’s Bazar early Thursday.
The detainee was identified as Shahidul Islam, 22, a resident of Jadimora refugee camp in Teknaf.
Read: Those selling stolen mobile phone sets to be arrested: DMP
According to a media release of BGB, tipped off, a team of BGB Teknaf (BGB-2) detained Shahidul with crystal meth worth Tk 5.30 crore while trying to smuggle those into the country from Myanmar around 3am.
The detainee was handed over to Teknaf Model police station.