Law-&-Order
It’s settled: Life term means 30 yrs imprisonment
Life imprisonment in Bangladesh means a convict will remain behind bars for 30 years unless specifically mentioned in the verdict that the person is sentenced to imprisonment until natural death.
The 120-page full verdict of the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of Bangladesh on the matter was published on its website on Thursday.
Also read: Six get life term over killing Rajshahi man
“Imprisonment for life is equivalent to imprisonment for 30 years if sections 45 and 53 are read together along with sections 55 and 57 of the Penal Code and 35A of the Code of Criminal Procedure,” it read.
However, the convict will not be entitled to get the benefit of section 35A of the Code of Criminal Procedure, if awarded life imprisonment by the International Crimes Tribunal under International Crimes Tribunals Act, 1973.
Also read: Life term means 30 yrs imprisonment: Appellate Division
A seven-member bench, led by Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain, passed a short verdict on December 1 last year over the matter following a review petition filed by a convict, Ataur Mridha.
Attorney General AM Amin Uddin stood for the state while Advocate Khandakar Mahbub Hossain represented the petitioner.
Rupganj factory fire: Owner sent to jail, his 2 sons granted bail
A Narayanganj court on Wednesday sent to jail six accused, including Abul Hashem, owner of Hashem Foods Ltd., on completion of a four-day remand in a case over last week’s devastating factory fire in Rupganj.
Hashem two sons accused in the case - Hashem Bin Hashem and Tareq Ibrahim -were among those sent to jail.
Also read: Rupganj factory fire: Claimants found for 40 bodies out of 48, after 56 families submit DNA samples
However, the court granted bail to Hashem’s two other sons Tawsif Ibrahim and Tanjib Ibrahim, on grounds that they study abroad and don't have any ownership of the company.
Another death row prisoner's sentence commuted
The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court on Tuesday commuted the sentence of a death-row prisoner to life term in jail for killing his son in Patuakhali in 2008.
The six-member virtual bench of the Appellate Division, led by Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain, passed the order during a hearing on a petition filed by the defendant. The court also ordered to shift the accused to general cell from the condemned cell and to avail the facilities for commutation.
State appointed lawyer Advocate Helal Uddin Molla presented the defendant side while Deputy Attorney General Bishwajit Debnath represented the state at the court.
According to the case statement, accused Shahid Rari used to live in his father-in-law’s house in Charguni village in Dashmina upazila with his family. One day he was beaten for stealing his brother-in-law’s money and following the incident he killed his son out of anger on May 23, 2008 taking him two kilometers away from the home.
The same day, Shahid Rari was arrested by police after recovering his son’s body and a case was filed in this regard.
The next day Shahid Rari gave confessional statement at the court and police submitted the charge sheet of the murder case.
On May 24, 2009, a Patuakhali court sentenced him to death and sent the death reference to the High Court for approval.
Meanwhile Shahid Rari filed a petition against the lower court’s hearing.
On June 18, 2014, the High Court upheld the death penalty during a hearing on the both petitions.
Later, Shahid Rari again filed a petition with the Appellate Division challenging the high Court’s order.
On Monday another death row prisoner, Swapan Kumar Biswas, had his sentence commuted to life in prison.
Fake currency notes recovery: Couple put on 2-day remand
A Dhaka Court on Tuesday placed a couple on a two-day remand each in connection with a case filed over recovery of Tk 43 lakh fake currency notes from their possession in the city's Badda area.
Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Sadbir Yeasir Ahsan Chowdhury passed the order when DB Inspector Zahidul Islam also the investigation officer of the case produced them before the court with ten-day remand prayer.
Also read: Rupganj fire: Sajeeb Group chairman, sons among 8 put on remand
Those who remanded were identified as Rahim Sheikh and his wife Fatema Begum.
The court also sent three other accused in the case to jail. They are—Helal Khan, Anwar Hossain and Israfil Amin.
Detectives in a drive busted a fake currency note factory in the city's Badda area on Monday.
Also read: OC, Inspector suspended for ‘sexual assault’ during remand in Barishal
Police also arrested five people including the couple along with Tk 43 lakh fake notes, a laptop, two colour printer, glue, colour, paper, laminating machines and other fake note making materials.
A case was filed with Bhatara Police Station.
Mitu murder case: Court bars 3 accused from leaving Bangladesh
A court in Chattogram has imposed a travel ban on three persons wanted in connection with the murder of former police superintendent Babul Akter's wife Mahmuda Khanam Mitu.
Chattogram Metropolitan Magistrate Mehnaz Rahman gave the order on Monday in the wake of a plea by the investigating officer, inspector Santosh Kumar Chakma of the Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI).
Read: Mitu murder case: No confessional statement from Babul after remand
The three absconding accused are Kamrul Islam Shikder alias Musa, Ehteshamul Haque Bhola and Khairul Islam alias Kalu.
Chittagong Metropolitan Police's assistant commissioner (prosecution) Kazi Shahabuddin Ahmed said the court's order will soon be sent to all ports across the country.
Inspector Santosh said that the petition was filed in the court to prevent the three fugitives from flying abroad amid the ongoing drive to arrest them for solving the murder case.
From the footage of CCTV cameras, investigators have already confirmed that Musa and Kalu were directly involved in the killing while Bhola had supplied the gun used in the crime.
Read:Mitu murder case: Another prime accused arrested in Chattogram
However, Panna Akter, wife of Musa, told a court that her husband was arrested by the police immediately after the murder.
Bhola, on the other hand, was earlier arrested by police, but has been absconding since his release on bail. Kalu has been on the run since the murder, said the PBI.
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, a murder case was filed at Panchlaish Police Station against three unidentified men, following a complaint by Babul.
Read:Mitu murder case: Former Chattogram SP Babul Akter detained
On May 12 this year, PBI submitted its final report in the case, prima facie holding Babul guilty of plotting the murder. Babul was held that day only, following a complaint by Mitu's father.
After being in police custody for five days, Babul was remanded in judicial custody by a court. He has been lodged in Feni district jail since May 17.
SC upholds death sentence in Dr. Nazneen murder
The Supreme Court on Monday upheld the death sentence to a man in a case filed over the killing of Dr Nazneen Akther of Labaid Specialised Hospital and her domestic help in 2005.
The six-member virtual bench of the Appellate Division led by chief justice Syed Mahmud Hossain passed the order after rejecting a petition.
Advocate ABM Bayezid stood for the petitioner while Deputy Attorney General Biswajit Debnath represented the state.
Also read: Murder of wife: Bangladesh’s top court commutes sentence of husband
According to the prosecution, Aminul, then a college student and also a nephew of Dr Nazneen’s husband Asaruzzaman, stabbed the doctor to death over a dispute on March 7, 2005.
He also killed her domestic help Parul, who witnessed the murder.
Later, Aminul went into hiding. A case was filed with Dhanmondi police station.
Police arrested Aminul from Faridpur district.
Also read: SC commutes death sentence of a father over killing his minor son
In 2008, a Speedy Trial Tribunal sentenced Aminul to death in the double murder case.
In 2013, The High Court also upheld the death penalty.
Aminul filed an appeal petition against the HC order which was also rejected by the Supreme Court.
Murder of wife: Bangladesh’s top court commutes sentence of husband
The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court on Monday commuted the sentence of a death-row prisoner to life in jail for killing his wife in Nilphamari in 2006.
The six-member virtual bench of the Appellate Division, led by Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain, passed the order following an appeal petition filed by the convict.
Also read:HC asks police investigators: Explain allegation of forced murder confession from a minor
The SC also fined convict Swapan Kumar of Kushtia Tk 5,000 to, and asked the authorities concerned to shift him to a normal cell from the condemned one.
Additional Attorney General Sheikh Mohammad Morshed stood for state while Advocate Khandaker Mahbub Hossain appeared as the defence counsel for free.
According to the prosecution, Swapan killed his first wife Swapna Ghosh, 35, hitting her in her head over a family feud in Syedpur upazila of Nilphamari district on October 16, 2006.
On October 28, police filed a case against Swapan and arrested him. On November 18, 2008, Nilphamari District and Sessions Judge sentenced Swapan to death.
Also read: HC refuses bail to another 3 accused in Sinha murder case
On April 9, 2014, the High Court upheld the lower court verdict.
Later, Swapan filed a petition to the Appellate Division challenging the HC order and it commuted his sentence today.
END/UNB/Corr/MAS/SAM
Factory Fire: HC says compensation to be decided after identification of bodies
The High Court said on Sunday it will wait until identification of the bodies recovered from the burnt factory in Rupganj before giving its ruling on compensation to the families of the victims.
The bench of Justice M Enayetur Rahim described Thursday’s massive fire at Hashem Foods factory a as terrible in responding to a writ petition seeking compensation for proper treatment of the injured and to families of the deceased.
At least 52 people died and many were injured in the fire, one of the country’s worst factory fire.
The writ petition was filed on behalf of Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK), Bangladesh Legal and Services Trust, Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers’ Association (BELA) and Safety and Rights Society.
Lawyers ZI Khan Panna, Sara Hossain, SM Rezaul Karim, Anik R Haque and Shahinuzzaman stood for the petition. Deputy Attorney General Samarendra Nath Biswas represented the state.
Also read: Rupganj factory fire: Claimants found for 40 bodies out of 48, after 56 families submit DNA samples
After the lawyer Sara Hossain presented the writ, the court said that the concern was legitimate, but the issues needed to be given a reasonable time for the remedy.
The judge said of the 52 bodies found, only one was handed over to family as it has been identified. The process would take at least 21 days and the compensation amount could be determined once the bodies were identified.
About the transparency of the investigation Justice Enayetur said that the court was observing how it goes.
During this time, the HC also asked the Attorney General to contact the Health Secretary and the Labour Secretary to look into the treatment of the injured.
The petition sought directions to pay Tk 1 crore to the families of each worker killed in the fire and Tk 35 lakh to each injured. However, Tk 10 lakh for the deceased and Tk 5 lakh for the injured have been sought as interim compensation.
Also read: Rupganj factory fire: Tk 50,00 medical assistance provided to injured
The fire broke out at the factory located in Karnagop area of Rupganj upazila on July 8 at 6 pm.
Eighteen units of fire service including Demra and Kanchan brought the terrible fire under control after a 29-hour effort. However, 52 lives were lost during this period. Many workers were injured.
A case has been registered under sections 302, 326, 325, 323, 324 and 307 for murder and murder accusation. Eight people, including Sajeeb Group Chairman, Abul Hashem were arrested in the case.
On July 10, a Narayanganj court remanded the eight people for four days.
HC suspends demotion of WASA’s Executive Engineer
The High Court on Sunday suspended for a month an order of Dhaka Water Supply and Sewerage Authority (WASA) on demotion of its Executive Engineer Md Mozammel Haque on charge of providing information to the media.
A special bench of Justice M Enayetur Rahim passed the order during a hearing on a writ petition filed by Barrister SS Arefin Junnun.
Read:HC directs to prioritize jabs for students going abroad
Mozammel received the demotion order through a letter signed by Managing Director of Dhaka WASA Taqsem A Khan on July 4. He challenged the demotion in a petition filed before the High Court.
His lawyer Arefin argued that as the managing director is currently on a leave he can’t sign any official letter.
In 2017, three national dailies published reports on Dhaka city’s drainage system, canals and water logging during the months of July and August including comments from Mozammel, who was at that time responsible for Dhaka’s drainage circle.
Read: HC bans shops and restaurants in Hatirjheel recreation area
Later authorities formed a probe committee in this regard, claiming Mozammel’s comments have tarnished the image of Dhaka WASA.
On December 21, 2020, Investigative officer Administrative engineer Ruhul Amin submitted the probe report finding engineer Mozameel guilty.
On January 8 this year secretary of WASA issued a show cause notice to Mozammel saying that it goes against the job regulations-2010 of WASA if any official talk to the media on the activity of the organisation.
Read:HC asks police investigators: Explain allegation of forced murder confession from a minor
The notice reminded Mozammel that his comments have undermined the authority’s image and it is considered as misconduct and punishable crime.
Mozammel’s reply to the notice was considered unsatisfactory to the authority and a divisional case was filed against him, followed by the demotion order.
Rupganj fire: Sajeeb Group chairman, sons among 8 put on remand
A Narayanganj court on Saturday placed the eight people, including the chairman of Sajeeb Group, his four sons and the group CEO, on a four-day remand each following their arrest in connection with the Rupganj factory fire case.
Narayanganj Senior Judicial Magistrate Fahmida Khanam passed the order in the afternoon after a hearing as police produced the arrestees before the court seeking a 10-day remand for them, inspector Asaduzzaman told the UNB correspondent from the court.
Earlier in the day, Narayanganj police arrested Md Abul Hashem, chairman of the group, his four sons -- Hashem Bin Hashem, Tareq Ibrahim, Tawsib Ibrahim and Tanjim Ibrahim-- and its CEO Shahan Sha Azad, DGM Mamunur Rashid and head of admin Salauddin in the connection with the tragic fire in the factory owned by the group that claimed the lives of 52 people so far.
Earlier, police filed a case with Rupganj police station against the eight people and many unknown others following the massive fire in the factory, said Superintendent of Police in the district Md Zaidul Alam.
Also read: Rupganj factory fire: Sajeeb Group chairman, 4 sons, CEO among 8 arrested
Group CEO Shahan Sha Azad was arrested from the company’s head office in the capital’s Farmgate area, while Chairman Hashem from his Gulshan residence, SP Alam said.