Law-&-Order
HC asks govt to pull down 130 illegal brick kilns in CHT
The High Court on Monday asked the government to raze 130 unregistered brick kilns and related establishments in three hill districts of Bandarban, Rangamati, Khagrachhari to curb air pollution.
The order was passed by the HC bench of Justice JBM Hassan and Justice Fatema Najib responding to a writ petition filed by Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh, a rights group.
The bench also asked the deputy commissioners of the hill districts to take legal action against the owners of the illegal brick kilns there and submit a progress report on it within six weeks.
Also read: Raze all illegal brick kilns in Dhaka & adjoining districts in 15 days: HC
Advocate Manzill Murshid stood for the petitioner while Deputy Attorney General Tushar Kanti Roy represented the state.
According to Brick Manufacturing and Brick Kiln Establishment (Control) Act, 2013, no brick kiln without a license can operate in the country and the owners can be jailed for two years for violating the law.
Despite the law many run unauthorized brick kilns across the country, polluting environment.
The deputy commissioners concerned of the three hill districts recently submited separate reports regarding the illegal brick kilns.
Also read: 319 illegal brick kilns in Dhaka, 4 surrounding districts, DoE DG reports to HC
According to the reports, there are 25 illegal brick kilns in Rangamati, 35 in Khagrachhari and 70 in Bandarban. The local administration has closed down 64 brick kilns in the hilly districts.
Why Babul Akter should not be granted bail: HC
The High Court on Monday issued a rule asking the government to explain why former Chattogram Superintendent of Police (SP) Babul Akter, arrested in a case over the murder of his wife Mahmuda Khanam Mitu in 2016, will not be granted bail.
A divisional bench of Justice AKM Asaduzzaman and Kazi Ejarul Haque Akondo issued the rule after hearing the bail petition of Babul Akter.
Read:Mitu murder case: Babul Akter denied bail again
The respondents were asked to respond to the rule in the next two weeks.
Senior lawyer Mansurul Haque Chowdhury and lawyer Mohammad Shishir Monir appeared for his bail while Deputy Attorney General Md Aminul Islam and Assistant Attorney General Md Jahangir Alam and Md Humayun Kabir represented the state.
Earlier on January 6, a Chattogram Court denied bail to Babul Akter in the case. He was shown arrested on January 9.
On June 5, 2016, unidentified assailants gunned down Babul's wife Mitu at the port city's GEC intersection while she was going to drop her son Mahir Akhter, 7, for a bus of Chittagong Cantonment Public School and College.
Soon after the crime, Babul filed a murder case at Panchlaish Police Station against three unidentified men.
The case was transferred to the Police Bureau Investigation (PBI) in 2019 after Mitu's father, himself a retired police officer, filed a complaint against the CMP's mishandling of the case.
Read: Ex-SP Babul shown arrested in case filed by him
On May 12, 2021, the PBI submitted its final report and arrested Babul Akter in another case filed by Mitu’s father and since then he has been in prison.
Babul Akhter also filed a ‘naraji petition’ against the PBI report on October 14.
On November 3 last year, a Chattogram Court rejected the final report of Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) the murder case and ordered it to conduct further investigation.
PBI in an investigation found Babul’s involvement in his wife's murder.
ACC official Sharif’s termination: Writ petition filed seeking reinstatement in job
Sharif Uddin, a sacked officer of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), on Sunday filed a writ with the High Court seeking reinstatement in his job.
Advocate Mia Mohammad Ishtiaq filed the writ petition on behalf of Sharif in the branch concerned of the High Court.
The ACC chairman, ACC secretary, law secretary and public administration secretary were made respondents in the writ.
The petition sought HC’s declaration that the dismissal of Sharif was illegal and unconstitutional under Section 54 (2) of the ACC Employment Rules 2008.
Also read: Fired ACC officer Sharif fears becoming disappearance victim
The petition may be presented for hearing in a bench of Justice Md Nazrul Islam Talukder and Justice Md Mostafizur Rahman on Monday or Tuesday, said Advocate Mia Mohammad.
Earlier on February 23, ten lawyers of the Supreme Court filed a writ petition seeking probe into the termination of Sharif.
The court set Tuesday for delivering the order of writ petition of 10 lawyers.
The ten SC lawyers are Mohammad Shishir Monir, Rezwana Ferdous, Jamilur Rahman Khan, Uttam Kumar Banik, Mustafizur Rahman, Tarequl Islam, Ahmed Abdullah Khan, Syed Mohammad Raihan, Saiful Islam and Noab Ali.
On February 16, the ACC issued a gazette notification firing Sharif from the post of deputy-assistant director of ACC, Patuakhali.
Also read: ACC official Sharif’s termination: Writ petition filed seeking probe
He also served as the ACC officer in Chattogram for three years and when he was in Chattogram, Sharif recommended submitting a charge sheet against 155 officials including police, admin cadre officials and political persons for allegedly embezzling Tk 3.5 crore by acquiring land in Cox’s Bazar.
Sharif also filed a case against Chattogram City Corporation Ward Councillor, Union Parishad chairman of Chattogram and Cox’s Bazar and police officers for providing National Identity Cards to Rohingyas and inserting them in the voter list.
He also filed a case against some people including high officials concerned of Karnaphuli Gas Distribution Company Limited (KGDCL), former Minister Nurul Islam’s son on June 10, 2021 for providing gas connections illegally.
Later, Sharif was transferred to Patuakhali from Chattogram.
He alleged that he also received death threats from someone for his anti-graft role.
Stockpiling of daily commodities for higher profits not acceptable: HC
A syndicate monopolising and hoarding daily commodities, including soybean oil, for extra profit is unacceptable, said the High Court on Sunday.
The HC bench of Justice Farah Mahbub and Justice SM Moniruzzaman made the remarks while hearing a writ petition seeking directions to set up a monitoring cell to control soybean oil prices in the market.
The court said some people buy more soybean oil than they need, which may lead to higher prices in the market. In the case of daily commodities including soybean oil, it is not acceptable for a syndicate to have monopoly business and stockpile products for extra profit.
Also read: HC to hear writ seeking directions to rein in edible oil prices Monday
Instructing the writ petitioners to amend the petition, the court said there can be an artificial crisis of all essential commodities ahead of the month of Ramadan. Not just soybean oil, but all essential commodities are included in the writ. Such an order should be given for the benefit of every citizen of the country.
The court also said that the Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) needs to formulate a policy on the distribution of essential commodities.
The court also set Monday for the hearing of the petition.
Advocate Syed Mohidul Kabir appeared for the writ petition in the court while Deputy Attorney General Pratikar Chakma represented the state.
Earlier on March 6, Supreme Court lawyers Monir Hossain, Syed Mohidul Kabir and Mohammad Ullah filed the writ petition in the public interest.
The secretary of Commerce Ministry, Consumer Rights Authority and others were made respondents in the petition.
Also read: VAT on import of edible oil, other commodities withdrawn: Minister
On March 3, the three lawyers brought the issue of soybean oil price hike to the notice of HC following a report published in an English daily about the hike in the price of soybean oil.
According to the report, a group of traders in Bangladesh has raised the price of soybean oil at an unusual rate, taking advantage of the Russia-Ukraine war.
On March 2, the price of a liter of loose soybean was charged at Tk 175 from the buyers in the market that is fixed at Tk 143 by the government.
Two more held for attack on RU student
Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) arrested two more people Friday in connection with the attack on a Rajshahi University (RU) student Wednesday.
The arrestees are Salauddin Bappi (26) and Nawab Sharif (26) from the Khojapur of Rajshahi city, said Lieutenant Colonel Riaz Shahriar, commanding officer of RAB-5, Saturday.
Salauddin is a masters student of Rajshahi New Government Degree College; Sharif works at a clothing store.
Read: Man arrested by DMP for stockpiling Soybean oil
They were arrested from Jahajghat of the city after a case was filed at Motihar Police Station Thursday following a complaint from RU physics department student Saffat Naeem Nafi's friend Sharif.
Nafi, who was stabbed and seriously injured at a hostel in Amzader More area near RU, is now being treated at Dhaka's National Institute of Traumatology and Orthopedic Rehabilitation.
"Both Salauddin and Sharif are involved with an extremist political party. They admitted attacking Nafi on March 9 and were handed over to Motihar Police Station," said Lieutenant Colonel Riaz.
Read: Jamalpur schoolgirl ‘kills self after rape’; Accused youth held
Thursday, a case was filed at the police station following a complaint from Sharif.
Police arrested three people in connection with the case and sent them to jail through the court on that day.
Man arrested by DMP for stockpiling Soybean oil
Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) have arrested a man on charges of stockpiling soybean oil aiming to make more profit ahead of the artificial crisis in the market and Ramadan.
The name of the arrested person is Md. Layekuzzaman, a former Deputy Assistant Officer in the Department of Agricultural Extension.
Briefing reporters at his Office, Deputy Commissioner (DC) Tejgaon division Biplob Kumar Sarker on Saturday said based on a secret information, Sub-Inspector Monir Hossain of Mohammadpur Police Station recovered around 512 liters of Soybean oil of Teer and Bashundhara brands raiding a house at Kazi Nazrul Islam Road at around 7:50 pm on Friday.
Read: BGB seizes Yaba worth Tk 5.1 crore from Cox's Bazar
The police also arrested Md. Layekuzzaman on charge of stockpiling the recovered edible oil, he said.
About the stock of soybean oil at this time, he said, “The arrested Layekuzzaman bought 40 liters of soybean oil in two cartons on March 6 from Surya Enterprise of Krishi Market at Tk 6360 and also collected money receipt. He later collected soybean oil from various shops and wrote the amount in the receipt with his own hands, which is a criminal offense."
Regarding the motive behind the soybean oil stockpile, the police official said, "The arrested Layekuzzaman is neither a trader nor an oil dealer. He has stockpiled the oil ahead of Ramadan to sell at higher prices in the future and to create an artificial crisis in the market," the DC (Tejgaon Division) said.
A case was filed with Mohammadpur police station against the arrested person under the Special Powers Act.
Replying to a question, Biplob Sarker said, "Individual and businessmen have been kept under police monitoring at every stage so that no one can create an artificial crisis in the market." Whether anyone else is behind the arrested Layekuzzaman will be known through interrogation on remand through a CMM court.
Whenever anyone tries to cause trouble to the people or create an artificial crisis in the market, appropriate legal action will be taken against him, said the DC (Tejgaon Division).
Jamalpur schoolgirl ‘kills self after rape’; Accused youth held
Rapid Action Battalion(RAB)-14 members arrested the main accused in a case filed over the ‘suicide’ of a tenth grader allegedly after being raped in Melandaha upazila of Jamalpur district.
Rab-14 members arrested Tamim Ahmed Swapan,25, on Friday night from Charshasha area in Mymensingh sadar upazila during a drive, said Asik Uzzaman, company commander of Rab-14 Jamalpur camp during a briefing on Saturday.
On Thursday, the girl aged 16 years allegedly killed herself by hanging.
Read: BGB seizes Yaba worth Tk 5.1 crore from Cox's Bazar
From a suicide note of the victim her father came to know that accused Tamim had mentally and physically tortured her by keeping her hostage, said the Rab-14 commander.
On Friday, a case was filed at Melandah police station following a complaint lodged by the victim’s father.
The victim’s father said Tamim used to tease his daughter regularly on her way to school.
On Thursday night, she went to sleep after returning from school and later they found her hanging body, he said.
BGB seizes Yaba worth Tk 5.1 crore from Cox's Bazar
Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) recovered 170,000 pieces of Burmese Yaba, with a street value of Tk 5.1 crore, in separate drives at Ukhiya Upazila in Cox’s Bazar, said a media release on Friday.
The illegal drug was being smuggled to Bangladesh from Myanmar through Lal Boro pahar area on Thursday night, added the release.
Read: ASP Anisul's death: Murder charges filed against 15 people
Tipped off, a patrol team of BGB-34 under Rejupara BOP, conducted a drive in the area around 9pm and challenged some people.
Sensing the presence of the law enforcers, the suspected smugglers abandoned a bag and fled into the deep jungle.
Later, the patrol team recovered 150,000 Yaba pills worth from the bag they left at the spot.
Read: Actor Sohel Chowdhury murder: Court to record statements from March 20
Meanwhile, another special patrol team of Palong Khali BOP, conducted a drive around 3am in the East Farirbil area and recovered 20,000 abandoned yaba pills worth Tk 60 lakh, said the release.
Legal steps will be taken in this regard, added the release.
ASP Anisul's death: Murder charges filed against 15 people
Police have pressed charges of murder against 15 people, including National Institute of Mental Health and Hospital (NIMH) Registrar Dr Abdullah Al Mamun, over the death of Senior Assistant Superintendent of Police Anisul Karim at a hospital in the city in 2020.
Inspector Faruk Mollah of Adabor Police Station, investigation officer of the case, submitted the charge sheet at Dhaka's chief metropolitan magistrate's court on Tuesday, confirmed Sub-Inspector Shariful Islam, general registration officer of Adabar Police Station, on Friday.
Read: ASP Anisul's death: Registrar of NIMH remanded
The other accused are- Director of Mind Aid Hospital Arif Mahmud, Pharmacist Tanvir Hasan, Officer Sakhawat Hossain, Sajjad Amin and Fatema Khatun, Coordinator of the hospital Redwan Sabbir, hospital staff Masud Khan, Jobaer Hossain, Tanif Mollah, Sajeeb Chowdhury, Asim Kumar Pal, Liton Ahmed and Saiful Islam.
Niaz Morshed, director of Mind Aid Hospital, was absolved of the charge by the court due to his death.
According to the charge sheet, ASP Anisul Karim was tortured in a medieval manner. Anisul was pushed off from the second floor of Mind Aid Hospital with his hands tied. The accused then confirmed his death by hitting him.
Anisul was the Assistant Commissioner in the Traffic Division of Barishal Metropolitan Police. He had been suffering from mental illness and was brought to Mind Aid for treatment on November 9 in 2020.
The accused forcefully took the victim to the observation room of the hospital and beat him repeatedly, CCTV footage showed.
Read: Those responsible for ASP Anisul’s death to be punished: Minister
The hospital staff informed Anisul’s family that he had fainted. And when the police officer's relatives took him to the National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, he was declared dead.
Anisul's father filed a case at Adabor police station against 15 people a day he died.
Police arrested 13 people in connection with the ASP’s death.
SB man suspended for beating up DU student-journalist at campus
A member of the police's Special Branch (SB) has been suspended for beating up a journalist, who is also a student of Dhaka University (DU).
Harunur Rashid, additional deputy commissioner (Ramna zone) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police, said this to the Dhaka University Journalists Association (DUJA) members at Shahbagh Police Station Thursday.
"The Special Branch has confirmed the suspension of the Abdur Rab, an assistant sub-inspector (ASI) at SB. The incident will now be investigated and the next move will be made after that," he added.
The assaulted Raihan Ahmed, a student of public administration of DU, is the university correspondent of Daily Sun and a resident of Muktijoddha Ziaur Rahman Hall.
Read:Actor Sohel Chowdhury murder: Court to record statements from March 20
"I was returning to my dormitory after attending a press conference of Dhaka University Alumni Association at 5.30pm. While I was crossing the road in front of the Central Shaheed Minar, Abdur Rab almost hit me from behind with his bike," he said.
“As I asked for an explanation, he started beating me, saying that he is a policeman,” said Raihan.
"However, I managed to escape with his identity card and keys. I gave his identity card and keys to the nearby police box of Dhaka Medical College Hospital."