Law-&-Order
Writ seeks judicial inquiry into Cox's Bazar gang-rape
A writ petition was filed with the High Court on Monday seeking its directive to conduct judicial inquiry into the recent gang-rape of a tourist in Cox’s Bazar.
Supreme Court Advocate Abdullah Al Harun filed the writ petition to the office concerned of the High Court.
This writ petition is likely to be presented before the HC bench of Justice M Enayetur Rahim and Justice Md Mostafizur Rahman for hearing.
Read: Cox's Bazar gang rape: Prime accused Ashiq arrested
The petition sought issuance of a rule seeking explanation as to why the Cox's Bazar District Judge or Chief Judicial Magistrate should not be directed to conduct a judicial inquiry into the rape incident and take appropriate legal action against the accused.
Six persons, including Home Secretary, Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Civil Aviation and Tourism Secretary, Cox’s Bazar Deputy Commissioner and Superintendent of Police have been made respondents.
On December 22, a 22-year-old woman was taken to a desolate place near the golf club where three accused allegedly violated the woman following an altercation with her husband.
Read:Cox's Bazar horror: Woman kidnapped & raped by 3 in front of husband & child
Later, she was taken to Zia Guest Inn and there the three accused again took turns to rape her for hours. They released her in the early hours on the following day and allegedly threatened to kill her family if she discloses the matter to anyone.
On December 23, the woman’s husband filed the case under the Prevention of Women & Children Repression Act at Cox's Bazar Sadar Model Police Station accusing seven people. So far, six people have been arrested.
2 Japan-born girls to stay with Japanese mother till January 23: SC
The Appellate Division on Monday ruled that the two children of Bangladesh-born US citizen Imran Sharif and Japanese mother Nakano Erico will stay with their mother till January 23.
A three-member full bench of the Appellate Division, headed by Chief Justice Hasan Foez Siddique, passed the order following a petition filed by Erico challenging a High Court order.
The court said their father Imran Sharif, can visit his daughters between 9am and 9pm every day during this period.
Read: SC: 2 Japan-born girls to stay with Japanese mother for 2 days
Advocate Ahsanul Karim and Advocate Shishir Monir appeared for Erico while Lawyer Fawzia Karim Firoze for Imran Sharif.
On November 21, the HC bench of Justice M Enayetur Rahim and Justice Md Mostafizur Rahman ruled that the Japan-born daughters of Imran and Erico will stay with their father.
However, the mother can exclusively meet the daughters, aged 11 and 10, three times a year for 10 days at a time and Imran, the father, will bear her travel and accommodation expenses, said the court.
If Erico wants to meet her children beyond the court-prescribed time she has to do it at her own expenses, the court said.
Imran was also instructed to allow the children to talk to their mother on video calls twice a month on holidays.
Following the writ petition, the High Court also ordered Imran to give Tk 10 lakh to Erico for the expenses she incurred to travel to Dhaka and stay here for seven days.
The concerned social service officer was directed to continue monitoring the development regarding the children and submit a report to the Registrar of the High Court on the issue of children every three months.
However, the high court rejected the writ petition filed by Imran seeking order to produce their third and youngest daughter, who is in Japan.
After 12 years of marriage, on January 18, Erico, a physician, appealed for divorce from Engineer Imran Sharif over marital dispute.
On January 28, 2021 she also filed a case with a Tokyo family court for custody of their three children.
Read: HC allows two girls to stay with Bangladeshi father in custodial battle with Japanese mother
But on February 21, Imran returned to Bangladesh with the first two girls fom Japan. After that a Japanese court passed a verdict giving the children under their mother’s custody.
On August 19, Erico filed a writ petition before the High Court here seeking custody of the two girls.
HC rules against 5 officials including CEC for defying court order on results of 1 UP
The High Court on Sunday issued a contempt of court rule against 5 officials including the Chief Election Commissioner and Election Commission Secretary for disobeying an order.
The rule was issued over publishing the gazetted election results of a union parishad at Rangunia upazila in Chattogram.
HC bench of Justice Mamnoon Rahman and Khandaker Diliruzzaman passed the order during hearing on a writ petition filed in this regard.
The HC questioned why punitive measures will not be taken against the five officials.
Also read: Launch fire: Writ seeks HC directive on compensation for victims
CEC KM Nurul Huda, EC secretary Md Humayun Kabir, Chattogram District Commissioner Mominur Rahman, Rangunia upazila election officer Bayezid Alam, and Ratan Kanti Shil, presiding officer at the Chainipara Government Primary School polling center, were made respondents to the rule.
Petitioner’s lawyer ABM Altaf Hossain said petitioner Ahmed Kabir, a general member candidate for Kumra Union Parishad election lost by 8 votes.
On December 2, Ahmed Kabir sent an application to the CEC for a recount of the votes or reelection as there was a discrepancy between the result announced at the Chainipara school center and the number of voters.
Also read: HC stays govt order on withdrawal of allowance to Birangana Majeda
Getting no reply, Kabir filed a writ petition with the High Court.
On December 6, the HC ordered to settle the appeal within 15 work days and suspended issuing gazette on the UP election result until then.
On December 23, the gazetted election result was published by CEC without settling the petition.
Marine Court sends two drivers of MV Abhijan-10 launch to jail
The Marine Court here on Sunday ordered to send the two drivers of the MV Abhijan-10 launch to jail in a case related to last month’s deadly fire that killed at least 42 passengers of the vessel.
They are - the 8th accused in the case Abul Kalam ( in-charge driver) and the 7th accused Masum Billah (2nd driver).
Earlier on December 28, the same court sent the two masters of the launch Riaz Sikder (master in charge) and the 6th accused Khalilur Rahman (2nd master) to jail when they surrendered before it.
The court was set up on the 8th floor of BIWTA Bhaban in the city’s Motijheel after the launch fire on December 24.
Read:Launch tragedy: Probe committee gets 3 more days to submit report
Sources at the court said the two drivers of the launch surrendered before Special Metropolitan Magistrate Zainab Begum on Sunday morning and applied for bail. After hearing, the court ordered to send them to jail.
Advocate Billal Hossain, prosecuting officer of the Department of Shipping, confirmed this to UNB.
He said that the overall responsibility of the engine room rests with the engine drivers. Not only did they neglect their responsibilities, their role in the aftermath of the fire was presumptuous. The fire was initially reported to have started from the engine room, he said.
If they had managed the engine room properly with perfect supervision, perhaps this horrible tragedy could have been averted, Adv Billal added.
Adv Md Jahangir Hossain argued for the defendants seeking bail.
On December 26, the chief inspector of the Department of Shipping Shafiqur Rahman filed a case against eight people, including four owners of the launch, under the Marine Act with the Marine Court. The court took cognizance of the case and issued arrest warrants against the accused.
Read:Launch fire tragedy: 47 confirmed dead now, at least 58 still missing
The worst launch fire in memory occurred in the early hours of December 24 on Sugandha river off Jhalakathi town as Abhijan-10 packed with more than 800 passengers was on the way to Barguna from Dhaka.
Police received reports of 42 deaths in the incident. At least 80 people were injured and many others reported missing.
Pori Moni case: Charge-framing hearing deferred until Jan 5
A Dhaka court on Sunday set a new date, January 5, for hearing arguments on whether to press charges against actress Pori Moni and two others in a case filed under the Narcotics Control Act.
The hearing was scheduled for today.
But Dhaka Special Judge of Court-10, Md Nazrul Islam deferred it as the court was adjourned due to the death of former general secretary of Dhaka Bar Association Ayubur Rahman.
Read: Dhaka court defers framing of charges against Pori Moni in narcotics case
The January 2 hearing date was set on December 14 following request of the actress’s lawyer Lawyer Nilanjana Rifat Surovi as Pori Moni fell sick on her way to the court that day.
Pori Moni and two others are currently out on bail in the case.
On November 15, Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions Judge KM Emrul Kayesh took into cognizance the charges framed by police against the accused and fixed December 14 as the date for the framing of charges.
Earlier, on October 4, the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) submitted a charge sheet against Pori Moni and the two others in the case.
CID inspector and also the investigation officer in the case, Kazi Mostafa Kamal submitted the charge sheet to the Dhaka Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's Court.
Read: 'Rape and Murder attempts' on Pori Moni: Court accepts charges
Pori Moni was arrested on August 4, following a raid by RAB on her Banani residence. A case was filed against her under the Narcotics Control Act the following day.
On August 22, she was remanded in judicial custody again after inspector Kazi produced her in a court on the completion of a day's police remand, her third.
On August 31, a Dhaka court granted bail to Pori Moni in the narcotics case until the submission of the charge sheet. She walked out of jail the following day.
No compromise on corruption: Chief Justice
Newly-appointed Chief Justice Hasan Foez Siddique on Sunday said he will not compromise on corruption. “I won’t compromise on corruption. I’ll take stern action instantly against staff and officers once they’re found involved in any corruption,” he said.
Read:Bangabandhu in death much stronger than living Bangabandhu: Chief Justice Chief Justice Hasan Foez Siddique came up with the remarks while speaking at a programme arranged by the Attorney General’s Office and Supreme Court Bar Association at No 1 courtroom of the Supreme Court.
“I just want to convey the message to those involved in judicial activities and we won’t allow any evil force in the judiciary. Corruption is like cancer. If cancer is detected in any finger then it’s the best way to severe it,” he said. Welcoming the constructive discussion and criticism of the judiciary, the Chief Justice said, “We can’t let any evil force harm the right to justice of common people. If any branch of a state becomes weak, then it’ll be difficult to establish a strong state. All the departments and people concerned of a state must remember that democratic power will be defeated if we fail to ensure justice.”
Read: Hasan Foez new Chief Justice of Bangladesh Justice Hasan Foez Siddique, a judge of the Appellate Division, was appointed the Chief Justice (CJ) of Bangladesh on Thursday.
4 more held over torching, vandalising buses in Rampura
Members of Rapid Action Battalions (Rab) have arrested four more people in connection with the vandalism and torching of buses during protests over the death of student Md Mainuddin in a bus accident in Rampura.
The arrestees were identified as Monir Hossain, 54, Md Hridoy Hasan Parvez, 19, Md Alaudding Sifat, 25, and Md Naeem Hasan Mir, 24.
ANM Imran Khan, Assistant Director (ASP) of Legal and Media Wing of Rab, said the mastermind Monir and three of his associates were arrested from the capital's Rampura and Cumilla district on Tuesday night in a drives conducted by a team of the intelligence branch of Rab headquarters and Rab-3.
During primary interrogation, the arrestees confessed to their involvement with the crime.
Read: 3 arrested in city with 40,000 pcs of yaba
The arrestees deliberately plotted the sabotage using a possible incident in Rampura centering the Gazipur incident as per the direction of Monir. This gang was prepared for sabotage for the purpose of abusing the ‘half fare’ issue for running students.
There are seven cases of sabotage with explosives against Monir. He is an identified terrorist and an agent of anti-state conspirators, said a media release issued by Rab HQ.
Legal processes are underway in this regard, the release added.
Earlier, police arrested Swapan Reza ,25, and Shahid Bepari ,22, over the incident.
On November 29, an angry mob set fire to at least eight buses and vandalised several others in Dhaka's Rampura area after the student was killed on that day.
Passenger held with huge gold at Dhaka airport
Customs officials detained a man along with 44 gold bars and gold ornaments, weighing 5.180 kg, at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport on Tuesday night.
The detainee was identified as Ataur Rahman of Habiganj district.
Md Toriqul, a surveillance officer of Dhaka Preventive Customs House, said a flight of Arabian Airlines from Sarjah landed at the airport around 9:10 pm.
Read: 4 held with 11 kg gold at Sylhet airport
Tipped off, a preventive team of customs house challenged Ataur while passing through the green channel of the airport and recovered gold from his luggage.
Later, the customs officials recovered 44 gold bars, five pieces of gold ornaments, worth 3.40 crore, from his luggage and body.
HC seeks probe report on launch fire within 30 days
The High Court on Tuesday directed all the probe committees formed to investigate the fire incident in Avijan-10 launch fire to submit reports within next 30 days.
It also sought the lists of those died and injured in the incident and asked the District Commissioners concerned to consider the applications seeking fund for treatment of the injured ones.
The HC bench of Justice M Enayetur Rahim and Md Mostafizur Rahman passed the order after hearing on two writ petitions filed in this regard.
Read: Launch tragedy: Death toll climbs to 44
The court also asked the authorities concerned to submit fitness documents of all the vessels within 90 days.
The court also issued a rule asking the authorities concerned to explain as to why their inactivity to prevent launch accidents should not be announced illegal.
Secretaries to the Home Ministry, Shipping Ministry, Directorate General of Fire Service and Civil Defence, Chairman of Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation (BIWTC) and the owner of the launch Hamjalal Sheikh and others involved were made respondents to the rule.
On December 27, Supreme Court lawyer Soumitra Sardar filed a writ petition with the High Court which sought a rule asking the government to explain as to why the authorities concerned should not be asked to submit statements about the condition of engines in water vessels and legal license permits. On December 26, another Supreme Court lawyer Advocate Eunus Ali Akond filed a writ petition with the HC seeking its directives on the authorities concerned to ensure immediate payment of Tk. 10 lakh for the families of the dead and Tk 5 lakh for the injured in the launch fire.
Read: Writ on launch fire: Govt. must explain why the fire could not be prevented
The blaze broke out at 3am on Friday on the Barguna-bound launch carrying some 800 passengers from Dhaka and it engulfed the entire vessel within 10 minutes.
The death toll from the fire incident climbed to 44 on Tuesday. Besides, over 81 people suffered injuries and many of them are undergoing treatment at different hospitals.
Munia murder case: Probe report submission deferred again to Jan 16
A Dhaka court on Tuesday deferred to January 16 the submission date of the probe report in a case filed against Bashundhara Group MD Sayem Sobhan Anvir and seven others over the rape and murder of college student Mosarat Jahan Munia.
Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Begum Yasmin Ara fixed the fresh date as Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) failed to submit the report on the day.
Read: HC rejects Bashundhara MD’s anticipatory bail plea over Munia death case
With this, the court deferred the submission of probe report in the case for six times.
On April 26, police recovered the body of the 21-year-old college student hanging from a ceiling fan of her bedroom in a Gulshan flat.
Munia's elder sister, Nusrat Jahan Tania, filed a case against Anvir that night accusing him of incitement to suicide.
According to Tania, her sister, Munia, was in a relationship with Anvir who regularly visited her at the Gulshan apartment.
On July 19, the investigating officer of the case Abul Hasan, also the officer-in-charge of Gulshan Police Station, submitted a final report to the court giving a clean chit to Anvir.
On September 6, Munia's sister Tania filed a rape and murder case against the Bashundhara Group MD Anvir and seven others with Dhaka's 8th Tribunal for Prevention of Women and Children's Repression.
Read:Munia rape and murder case: Bashundhara MD seeks anticipatory bail
The court, after recording the complaint, directed the PBI to submit a report on it.
The seven other accused in the case are: Bashundhara Group's Chairman Ahmed Akbar Sobhan Shah Alam, Shah Alam's wife Afroza Begum; Anvir's wife Sabrina Sayem; Faria Mahbub Piyasha; Saifa Rahman Mim; landlord of the flat where the victim was staying, Ibrahim Ahmed Ripon and his wife Sharmim Akhter.