Law-&-Order
Writ seeks 30-day closure of educational institutions as pandemic surges
A writ petition seeking a 30-day closure of educational institutions due to renewed Covid-19 surge has been filed before the High Court. The writ was filed on Wednesday by Supreme Court lawyer Yunus Ali Akond.
Read:Classes to go online if Covid spreads to educational institutions: Minister “When the pandemic started in the country, the government directed to shut the education institutions and the students were less infected. Currently the covid-19 situation is on the spike and the students of schools, madrashas, colleges and universities are going to their institutions,” he said in the writ petition. “Many students use public transport to go to school and they might have been infected with the virus. As a result, there is a possibility of infecting other family members. So the educational institutions should be closed for 30 days,” said the writ. The writ will likely be heard by the bench of Justice Farah Mahbub and Justice SM Maniruzzaman on Thursday. On March 15, 2020, a writ was filed in this regard. The writ also sought directives to take steps in identifying those infected with Covid-19 in all ports including land and airports and strengthening monitoring in all land ports.
Read: JU suspends in-person classes It also sought directives to shut the educational institutions and issued an interim order to take necessary steps in all ports and entrance of the country to fight of Covid-19. Cabinet secretary, health secretary, education secretary, civil aviation and tourism secretary, home secretary and directorate general of health services were made respondents to the writ.
Abrar murder case: Death-row convict files plea seeking acquittal
SM Mahmud Setu, a death-row convict in Buet student Abrar Fahad murder case, filed a petition with the High Court seeking acquittal on Wednesday.
Advocate Jamiul Haque Foysal and Barrister Sharmin Akter Sheuli filed the petition with the HC bench concerned on behalf of Setu.
On December 8 last year, a Dhaka court sentenced 20 young men to death and five others to life imprisonment for killing Abrar, 21-year-old student of Buet, in October 2019.
Read: Abrar murder case: Death reference reaches High Court
The death references of Abrar Fahad murder case reached the High Court for examining the lower court verdict on January 6.
According to the prosecution, Abrar, a second-year student of Electrical and Electronics Engineering at Buet, was beaten to death by Bangladesh Chhatra League leaders at Sher-e-Bangla Hall in 2019.
He was found dead on the staircase of the hall in the early hours of October 7, after he was taken to room No-2011 around 8pm on October 6 and beaten mercilessly.
Those sentenced to death are Mehedi Hassan Rasel, Muntasir Al Jemi, Tabakhkharul Islam Tanvir, Mohammad Sadat, Mizanur Rahman, Samsul Arefin Rafat, Md Shamem Billah, Mazedur Rahman, Hossain Mohammad Toha, Moniruzzaman Monir, Mehedi Hasan Robin, Muzahidur Rahman Muzahid, Anik Sarker, Meftahul Islam Zion, Ifti Mosharraf Shakal, Mahmud Setu, Morshed Amartya Islam, Morshedzamman alias Jisan, Ahtesamul Rabbi Tanim and Muztaba Rafid.
Read: 20 to die for killing Buet student Abrar
On October 7, 2019, an FIR for murder was lodged at the Chawkbazar police station against 19 people, following a complaint from Abrar’s father Barkat Ullah.
On November 13, 2019, Detective Branch (DB) inspector and investigation officer of the case Wahiduzzaman submitted a chargesheet against the 25 accused.
On September 15, 2020, the court framed charges against the accused.
Regent’s Shahed, 2 others indicted in fraud case
A Dhaka court on Tuesday framed charges against three people including Regent group chairman Mohammad Shahed and Managing Director (MD) Masud Parvez in a fraud case.
The formal trial in the case has started with the charge framing.
The other accused in the case is Shipon Ali, general manager of Regent KCS Ltd.
Read: Regent Group Chairman Shahed put on 4-day remand
Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Devdas Chandra Adhikari frame charges against them rejecting their plea for exemption from the case.
The court also fixed February 15 for recording the statements of the witnesses, said State Public Prosecutor Azad Rahman.
On July 24, 2020, SM Shipon, a sand trader, filed a case against the trio at Uttara West Police Station on charge of fraudulence.
On November 8 of the year, CID Inspector of Police Akram Hossain submitted a chargesheet against the three after investigating the case.
According to the case, accused Shipon Ali ordered 50 lakh CFT sand worth Tk 19.75 crore from the plaintiff’s company. Shipon Ali issued three cheques of Pubali Bank in this regard that were dishonored later.
Meanwhile, according to the order, SM Shipon delivered sand worth Tk 61 lakh.
Later, accused Shipon informed that the sand was ordered by Regent Chairman Shahed and the company’s MD Masud.
Read: HC rejects Shahed’s bail application
On February 14 the same year, Shipon took the plaintiff to Shahed and Masud for money when the accused threatened the plaintiff.
On the other hand, on July 6, 2020, Rab raided the Uttara and Mirpur branches of Regent Hospital. During the operation, fake Covid test reports, and various irregularities including collection of money from patients in the name of Covid treatment were unveiled.
The next day, a case was filed against 17 people at Uttara West Police Station. On July 15, from the border area of Satkhira, Regent Group and Regent Hospital Chairman Shahed was arrested by RAB. Shahed has been in jail since then. Last year, the court sentenced him to life imprisonment in an arms case.
Graft case: HC rejects ex-MP Bodi's plea challenging indictment order
The High Court on Tuesday rejected an appeal of former Cox’s Bazar MP Abdur Rahman Bodi seeking the cancellation of indictment order in a graft case.
The HC bench of Justice Md Nazrul Islam Talukder and Judge Md Mostafizur Rahman rejected the petition saying the petition was not placed properly.
Read:Ex-MP Bodi indicted in corruption case
It also ordered quick disposal of the case in a magistrate court.
Advocate Khurshid Alam Khan appeared for the Anti-Corruption Corporation (ACC) while Deputy Attorney General AKM Amin Uddin Manik for the state and Advocate ARM Hasanuzzaman for the accused.
Advocate Khurshid Alam Khan said Bodi had sought exemption from charge framing but the lower court rejected his appeal. The accused later filed a petition with the High Court.
On December 17, 2007, ACC filed the case against Bodi on charges of concealing information of assets worth Tk 57,11,500 and acquiring wealth illegally worth Tk 79,37,797.
Read: Ex-MP Bodi infected with coronavirus
In 2017, the proceedings of the case started after a long delay.
On September 13, 2020, a Chattogram court ordered charge framing against him in the case rejecting his plea for exemption. Bodi appealed to the High Court for the cancellation of the order.
Actress Shimu’s death: Husband, driver remanded
A Dhaka court on Tuesday placed the husband of actress Raima Islam Shimu and his driver on a 3-day remand each in a case filed after recovery of her body in a sack.
Dhaka Chief Judicial Magistrate Court Judge Rabeya Begum passed the order after the investigating officer in the case Chunnu Mia, Officer-in-Charge of Keraniganj Model police station, produced the accused before court and sought a 10-day remand to interrogate them.
Earlier in the day, Shimu’s brother Harunur Rashid filed the case against her husband Shakhawat Ali Nobel and his driver SM Farhad along with some anonymous people at Keraniganj Model police station.
On Monday morning, spotted by some locals, the 35-year old actress’s body was found in a sack near a bridge in the Keraniganj upazila. She was identified through her finger print by Police Bureau of Investigation (PIB) later in the day.
Read: Hubby among 2 held for actress Shimu's death
Shimu’s body was kept at Mitford Hospital morgue for an autopsy. Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) members detained Nobel and his driver Farhad from the hospital on Tuesday.
"The two were later handed over to the police. The duo broke down and confessed their crime during interrogation," said Ramzanul Haque, the officer-in-charge (investigation) of Keraniganj Model Police Station.
Shimu used to live at city’s Kalabagan area with her husband and two children. On Sunday morning she went out from the house and remained missing since.
A general diary was lodged at Kalabagan police station in this regard on Sunday night.
Shimu worked with many renowned film directors after making her debut in 1998.
SC trial proceedings to go virtual Wednesday
The trial proceedings of both the Appellate Division and the High Court of the Supreme Court will be conducted virtually from Wednesday due to spike in Covid cases in the country.
The Supreme Court administration on Tuesday issued two notifications in this regard being instructed by Chief Justice Hasan Foez Siddique.
According to the notifications, all the judicial proceedings of the Appellate division and the High Court will be conducted virtually under the ‘Use of Information Technology by Courts Act, 2020’ and the Practice Direction issued in this regard from Wednesday.
Also read: 22 lower court judges infected with Covid-19 during training
Earlier in the morning, while conducting a judicial proceeding at the Appellate Division, Chief Justice Hasan Foez Siddique said, “Citing the worsening Covid-19 situation, it seems that we'll have to conduct trials through virtual courts again. Many cases were disposed of during the virtual court hearing.”
Thirteen judges of the High Court division and a number of judges and staff have been found infected with Covid-19, he added.
Besides, Biswajit Debnath, deputy attorney general, who was present at the court, said, “Our Attorney General and Additional Attorney General were found infected with Covid-19 and a number of lower court judges were also infected with the virus.”
The activities in all courts of the country remained suspended for several days due to the Covid-19 surge.
The Cabinet on May 7, 2020 cleared the draft of an ordinance to pave the way for courts to run trial proceedings through video conferences and other digital means using the information technology.
On May 9, an ordinance was promulgated allowing courts to run trial proceedings through video conferences and availing of other digital facilities. President Abdul Hamid promulgated the ordinance.
Also read: Judicial activities of SC to remain suspended Monday
On May 10, the High Court formed three benches for hearing urgent cases virtually and directed the subordinate courts concerned to hear cases related to emergency bail.
All the judicial activities of benches under the High Court division of the Supreme Court resumed virtually from August 11, 2020.
However, the judicial activities of both the High Court and Supreme Court divisions conducted in physical presence maintaining health protocols from December 1, 2021.
Man gets jail unto death for Kushtia murder
A Kushtia court on Tuesday sentenced a man to imprisonment until death and two others to life term jail for killing a man in 2009.
The convict who was sentenced to jail unto death is Salam Mollah, son of late Munser Mollah of Kalikatala area of Kumarkhali upazila. while the lifers are Saiful Islam, son of Amir Hamza and Rezaul Joardar Kalu, son of Haruna Rashid Haru of the same area.
Read: One to die, 4 get life term for killing man in Cox’s Bazar
According to the prosecution, Shahidul Islam, 21, son of Munser Ali of Kalikatala area, went missing on May 23, 2009. Later, on May 26, Shahidul’s throat-slit body was found in a pond.
Victim's father Munser Ali filed a murder case accusing five people on the same day.
Following investigation, a report was submitted to the court on June 17, 2011 against the accused.
After examining all the records and witnesses, Kushtia Additional District and Sessions Judge Abdullah Al Mamun handed down the judgment.
9 fined for not wearing masks in B'baria
A mobile court on Monday fined nine people in the district's Akhaura upazila for not wearing masks in public places.
A team, led by Saiful Islam, the executive magistrate and assistant commissioner of the upazila administration (land), conducted a drive in Sorokbazar, Borobazar and rail station areas and challaned the nine for not adhering to Covid-safety protocols.
Read: 2 restaurants fined Tk 1.5 lakh in DMP drive
“The nine people were fined Tk 2,500 for breaching the government's Covid-safety guidelines,” said upazila sanitary inspector Md Rafiqul Islam.
The Bangladesh government has announced strict measures to contain the rising cases of the Omicron variant of Covid-19 and those flouting the same will be punished, said the executive magistrate.
The drive will continue until further notice, he added.
Read: Extra fares in public transports: 1408 buses fined Tk 57.3 lakh in 30 days
Bangladesh is currently witnessing a surge of Covid cases, with the country registering 38,478 infections in the last 16 days since January 1.
29-yr-old to hang for killing rickshaw puller
A court in Barishal has sentenced a man to death and another to life in jail for killing a rickshaw puller in 2015.
Public Safety Disturbance Crime Prevention Tribunal judge TM Musa handed down the judgment on Monday, after holding Shoyeb Hawladar Sabuj and Ali Azim, both 29, guilty of the crime.
Read: One to die, 4 get life term for killing man in Cox’s Bazar
The court also imposed a fine of Tk 20,000 on Shoyeb, who was sentenced to death. He is the son of Adam Ali Hawladar, a resident of Banaripara upazila and a former member of Border Guard Bangladesh.
According to the prosecution, the rickshaw puller -- Jamal Khan, 28, son of Abul Kalam of Madarkathi village in the upazila -- was found dead on June 17, 2015.
Days before, Shoyeb and Jamal had an altercation over the former's alleged illicit relationship with a woman. Subsequently, Shoyeb and Azim killed Jamal and dumped his body in a canal.
Read: Two men to remain in prison until death for killing a 7-year-old girl
On March 12, 2016, police submitted a chargesheet against eight people, including Shoyeb. However, six other accused in the case were acquitted due to lack of evidence.
Judicial activities of SC to remain suspended Monday
The judicial activities of both the Appellate Division and the High Court of the Supreme Court will remain suspended on Monday in honour of late Justice Tafazzal Hossain Khan, a former High Court judge and veteran Supreme Court lawyer.
Activities of both the divisions of the Supreme Court will remain suspended today, said Special Officer of the Supreme Court Mohammad Saifur Rahman on Monday.
Read: TH Khan passes away
TH Khan, also a former MP, died at Bangladesh Specialised Hospital in the capital at 4:45 pm.
He, a founding member of BNP, was the vice-chairman of the party at the end of his life.