Law-&-Order
ACC summons Ideal school and college principal over graft allegation
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) on Monday summoned Ideal school and college principal Shahanara Begum over the allegation of acquiring illegal assets.
A letter signed by the Assistant Director of the ACC Ataur Rahman Sarkar asked the principal to be appeared on November 15 at the ACC head office to record her statement.
Also read: Corruption allegations: ACC summons 15 Thakurgaon teachers
Deputy Director of ACC Public relation office Muhammad Arif Sadeq confirmed this to UNB.
If she fails to appear at ACC at the given time, it will be considered that she does not have any statement regarding the charges against her, he said.
Photojournalist Kajol indicted in 3 DSA cases
The cyber tribunal in Dhaka on Monday framed charges against photojournalist Shafiqul Islam Kajol in three cases filed under the Digital Security Act (DSA).
Judge Ash Sams Joglul Hossain of the Dhaka Cyber Tribunal fixed January 2 for the formal trial to begin with the deposition of witnesses.
Journalist Kajal, now on bail, pleaded innocence and demanded justice.
Read:Dhaka cyber court accepts charges against Kajol
Earlier, the hearing on charge framing in the cases was scheduled to be held on October 21. As the judge of the tribunal Ash Sams Joglul Hossain was on leave, acting judge Iqbal Hossain fixed November 8 for the hearing.
Kajol went missing on March 10, 2020, a day after Magura-1 MP Saifuzzaman Shikhor filed a case against him and 31 others, including Manab Zamin Editor Matiur Rahman Chowdhury.
They were sued under the DSA for publishing and sharing an article on social media about expelled Jubo Mohila League leader Shamima Noor Papia.
Two other cases were filed against Kajol at Kamrangir Char and Hazaribagh police stations under the same act on March 10 and 11 last year.
After his 53 days of disappearance, Kajol was detained by Border Guards Bangladesh (BGB) near the Benapole border on May 3,2020 and produced in a Jashore court on the same day.
Read:Court takes cognizance of charges against photojournalist Kajol
Although the court granted him bail in the case, he was sent to jail as Kotwali police brought another charge against him under Section 54 of the Code of Criminal Procedure.
On October 19, 2020, the High Court issued a rule asking the government to explain why photojournalist Kajol should not be granted bail in the case filed at Sher-e-Bangla Nagar Police Station.
On November 24, 2020, the photojournalist secured bail in another case filed against him under the DSA.
On December 17, that year, the High Court granted him bail in two cases filed under the DSA, clearing the way for his release.
He was freed from Dhaka Central Jail on December 25 last year.
Dispose child custody cases in 6 months: High Court
The High Court on Sunday directed family courts to dispose of cases filed over the custody of children in six months.
The law secretary and Supreme Court registrar general have been asked to deliver the directive to the family courts concerned.
Read:HC passes split order on granting bail to Destiny Group director
A bench of Justice M Enayetur Rahim and Justice Md Mostafizur Rahman issued the directive, following a writ petition filed by a mother in Rangpur seeking custody of her child from her ex-husband.
The bench also ordered the family court in Dhaka to finish the trial proceedings of the case filed by the writ petitioner by March 31, 2022.
At the same time, the High Court said that the mother would be able to go to Rajshahi to see and spend time with the child, for which the concerned police commissioner has been asked to provide assistance.
Disposing of the writ, the court said it was sad and frustrating that the case filed in a family court regarding the custody of the child is still not settled, even 2-3 years after being filed.
Lawyer Motahar Hossain Sazu appeared for the mother, while lawyers Fawzia Karim Firoz and Kazi Maruful Alam appeared for the father of the child during the hearing.
Read: HC issues contempt of court rule against DU VC , 3 others
According to the case, the writ petitioner, a woman from Rangpur, married a man from Rajshahi in 2011 and they became parents of a daughter in 2015. However, they got divorced in 2018 and since then the child has been living with the father.
The mother filed a case with the family court in Dhaka seeking custody of the child. As the family court failed to settle the case, she filed a writ petition in the HC.
SC suspends execution of death row convict until release of full judgment
The Supreme Court on Sunday postponed the execution of a death row convict Shukur Ali in a child rape and murder case in Kushtia until the release of the full text of the judgment.
The Appellate Division asked Attorney General AM Amin Uddin to inform IG(Prison) and the jail authorities of the order.
The five-member bench led by Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain passed the order after convict’s lawyer Helal Uddin Molla informed it of the preparation to execute Shukur following an ‘advance order’ of the court.
Helal Uddin prayed for court’s intervention as Shukur couldn’t appeal for review of the verdict as the full text of the order was not released as yet.
The apex court said the advance order was issued to transfer other three convicts from condemn cells whose punishment was reduced to life term imprisonment from death penalty.
Read:SC forms 5-member committee to prevent sexual harassment
Meanwhile Helal Uddin said the advance order was already sent to Kashimpur Jail from Kushtia court and the preparations were made to execute the convict. As part of the process the convict sent clemency appeal to the President which got rejected, he said.
The Appellate Division on August 18 this year upheld the death penalty of Shukur Ali, and commuted death sentences of three others to life imprisonment in a case filed over abduction, rape and murder of 13-year-old girl in Kushtia in 2004.
The court later asked Shukur Ali’s lawyer Helal Uddin to submit a appeal to Chamber Judge for necessary direction in this regard and ordered to suspend the execution till November 16.
Chamber Judge Obaydul Hasan passed the order and directed IG (Prisons) and jail authority for enactment.
The court also asked Shukur’s lawyer to submit petition following the procedures for reviewing the judgment.
The other three accused sentenced life imprisonment in the case are Nuruddin Sentu, Azanur Rahman and Mamun Hossain.
On March 25, 2004, the victim was abducted by the accused while returning from a neighbour’s house after watching television at Lalnagar village under Kushtia's Daulatpur Upazila.
They took her to a tobacco field, raped and killed her.
The following day, her father filed a case against five people with the Daulatpur Police Station in connection with the incident.
Read:SC directs to deduct custody time from total jail term given to convicts
On February 4, 2009, The Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal of Kushtia sentenced five accused, Shukur, Sentu, Azanur, Mamun and Kamrul to death in the case.
Later the convicts filed separate appeals with the HC, challenging the verdict while the death reference was sent to the court for approval.
In the meantime convict Kamrul died in jail.
In 2014, The HC upheld their punishment.
Later the convicts filed appeals with the Appellate Division challenging the HC verdict.
HC passes split order on granting bail to Destiny Group director
The High Court on Sunday passed a spilt order on a petition over granting bail to Destiny Group Director Lt Col (retd) Didarul Alam in a money laundering case.
The HC bench consisting of Justice Md Nazrul Islam Talukder and Justice SM Mzibur Rahman passed the order.
Read: SC forms 5-member committee to prevent sexual harassment
Lawyer Sarwar Hossain appeared for the bail petitioner during the hearing while advocate Asif Hasan presented the Anti-Corruption commission (ACC) and Deputy Attorney General AKM AMin Uddin Manik stood for state.
The senior member of the 2-member bench granted bail to Didarul Alam but another judge rejected it.
Following the spilt order, the matter will now be sent to the Chief Justice who will assign a new bench to dispose of it.
Read: Multiple remands of Pori Moni: 2 magistrates seek unconditional apology to HC
According to the case filed by ACC, Destiny Multipurpose Cooperative Society Limited and Destiny Tree Plantation laundered Tk 1,178.61 crore from 2009 to 2013.
ACC filed the case with Kalabagan Police Station accusing 22 people on July 31, 2012.
On October 20, 2012, Didarul was arrested and he has been behind bars since then.
SC forms 5-member committee to prevent sexual harassment
The Supreme Court has formed a five-member committee to receive complaints of sexual harassment, investigate those and make necessary recommendations.
Justice Krishna Debnath, a High Court judge, has been made the chairman of the committee.
Other members of the committee are- High Court division judge Justice Kazi Zinat Hoque, Md Badrul Alam Bhuiyan, Registrar of the Appellate Division, Advocate Fawzia Karim and Assistant Attorney General Advocate Tamanna Ferdous.
Read: ASK seeks implementation of HC guideline on preventing sexual harassment
The committee has been formed following a High Court order issued in 2009, said a statement issued by Md Ali Akbar, Registrar of the Supreme Court on Wednesday.
On August 7, 2008, a writ petition was filed with the High Court seeking its directive to prevent sexual harassment of women and children at workplaces and educational institutions.
Following the writ petition, the HC on May 14, 2009, issued an order to form a committee to prevent sexual harassment of women, girls and children in all institutions, including educational institutions, government and non-government organizations and media houses in the country.
New bench to hear death references for convicts in Ramna Batamul bombing case
The High Court has dropped the death references, appeals and jail appeals of the convicts in the Ramna Batamul bombing case from its daily cause list for procedural purposes.
A special bench of Justice Krishna Debnath and Justice ASM Abdul Mobin sat for the purpose on Monday
During this time Deputy Attorney General Shaheen Ahmed Khan represented the state and advocate Shishir Monir stood on behalf of the convicts.
Deputy Attorney General Shaheen Ahmed Khan said, "The hearing was taking place before the bench of Justice Krishna Debnath and Justice ASM Abdul Mobin. But at present this bench no longer exists, and a new bench has been formed comprising Justice Krishna Debnath and Justice KM Zahid Sarwar Kajal. For this reason, Justice Krishna Debnath and Justice ASM Abdul Mobin sat in a special bench to delist it, so that the Chief Justice can now appoint a new bench for it.”
On April 14, 2001, during the Chhayanat’s Bengali New Year celebrations at Ramna Batamul, a bomb blast left nine people dead on the spot. Another died at the hospital later.
Two cases under the Murder and Explosives Act were filed at Ramna Police Station after the incident. Dhaka's Second Additional Metropolitan Sessions Judge ruled on June 23, 2014 in a murder case involving the bomb attack.
Eight people including Mufti Hannan, the top leader of Harkatul Jihad (Huji) were sentenced to death and six to life imprisonment. However, Mufti Hannan has already been hanged in a conviction over another grenade attack in Sylhet.
The death references and appeals of the convicts are currently awaiting hearing in the High Court.
Casino crackdown: Appellate Division cancels Joy Gopal’s bail order
The Appellate Division on Tuesday cancelled the bail granted by the High Court to Dhaka Wanderers Club general secretary Joy Gopal Sarker in four cases filed for his alleged involvement in illegal casino business.
A five-member bench of the Appellate Division headed by Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain passed the order and directed to settle the cases within a year.
During the hearing, the Appellate Division said there is no scope to consider money laundering lightly as money laundering is increasing nowadays.
Advocate Md Khurshid Alam Khan stood for the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) while Additional Attorney General Sheikh Mohammad Morshed and Deputy Attorney General AKM Amin Uddin Manik represented the state.
On the other hand, Advocate Momtaz Uddin Fakir appeared for Joy Gopal.
On August 19, High Court Bench of Justice Md Najrul Islam Talukdar and SM Mojibur Rahman granted bail to the accused.
Read: Casino crackdown: Appellate Division stays Joy Gopal’s bail order
On August 23, the Appellate Division stayed for six weeks the bail granted by the High Court.
On July 14, 2019 Joy Gopal was arrested during a drive against casino business.
He was shown arrested in four separate cases filed with Gendaria, Sutrapur and Wari police stations later.
On July 22, 2020, Criminal Investigation Department (CID) submitted the charge sheet of these cases.
According to the charge sheet, after his retirement as a footballer of the Wanderer’s Club, Joy Gopal became a member of the board of directors and later the cashier.
In 2014, he joined hands with AL leaders Enu, Rupom and became the general secretary of the club, getting involved in directing the casino club, said the charge sheet.
On September 18, 2019, a Rab-3 team conducted a drive at a casino inside Dhaka Wanderer’s Club where illegal drugs, fake currency, huge money and gambling materials were seized.
E-commerce fraud: Adyan Mart CEO, 2 others remanded
A Chuadanga court placed three people including Chief Executive Officer of e-commerce platform Adyan Mart on a 3-day remand in a fraud case.
Senior Judicial Magistrate Manik Chandra Dash passed the order and asked police to interrogate another accused at the jail gate considering his age.
On Saturday Rab members arrested Adyan Mart CEO Juabayer Siddque Manik, its director and his brother Mahmud Siddique Ratan, their father Abu Bakar Siddique and manager of the e-commerce platform Minarul Islam in the case filed by Atiqur Rahman Ujjal at Chuadanga sadar police station.
Read: 49 e-commerce platforms are blacklisted, refund of customers’ money in process: Commerce Ministry
Later, police produced the arrestees before the court and sought a 7-day remand for each for interrogation.
Investigation officer in the case Sub Inspector Gopal Chandra Mondol said the court put the three accused on a a 3-day remand after hearing on the petition submitted by police.
In February, 2020, controversial e-commerce platform Adyan Mart started their activities in Chuadanga by opening a big office at Mominpur.
Read: E-commerce firms must get registered within 2 months: Cabinet
The company used to attract customers with lucrative offers. They managed to get huge orders from across the country but they did not deliver their products in time.
The company closed their customer care and all other offices few months ago.
Major Mohammad Shariful Ahsan, Company Commander of Rab-6, said a customer Atiqur Rahman Ujjal lodged a complaint against Adyan mart for embezzling around Tk 18.52 lakh.
Munia Murder Case: Probe report submission deferred to Nov 21
A Dhaka court on Tuesday deferred to November 21 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 refixed the date as investigating officer (IO) of the case Golam Muktar Ashraf Uddin, also an inspector of the Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI), failed to submit the report on the day, said Saifur Rahman, general registration officer (Women-Children) of Gulshan Police Station.
Read: Munia Murder Case: IO summoned Sunday to explain inaction
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 and seven others with Dhaka's 8th Tribunal for Prevention of Women and Children's Repression.
Read:HC rejects Bashundhara MD’s anticipatory bail plea over Munia death case
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.