law-order
HC asks ACC to end investigation into irregularities of over Tk 472 crore against BPC’s associate body SAOC
The High Court (HC) on Thursday asked the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) to end the investigation into the irregularities of over Tk 472 crore against Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC)’s subsidiary body Standard Asiatic Oil Company (SAOC) within next three months.
An HC bench of Justice Nazrul Islam Talukder and Justice Khizir Hayat Lizu on a suomoto rule asked the authorities concerned after a hearing in this regard.
In the rule, the HC also wanted to know what actions were taken against the SAOC regarding the misappropriations and irregularities.
Apart from this, ACC, Comptroller Auditor and Audit General, BPC chairman and others were made respondents to explain as to why it would not be illegal to take action against the authorities concerned for their inaction to move against the accused.
On November 4 last year, English newspaper Daily Star published a report saying ‘BPC’s associate body embezzles Tk 472.7 crore’.
On November 6, the HC issued a rule on a suo-moto after ACC Counsel Khurshid Alam Khan drew the attention to it.
According to the report, the government has been deprived of Tk 472.7 crore for 21 counts of irregularities by SAOC, a subsidiary of the BPC, found in an audit.
The disclosure comes after the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) went through the company's books from FY 2012-13 to 2019-20 and made field visits.
Read more: HC seeks explanation over irregularities of Tk 472 crore in BPC’s SAOCL
The SAOC, which is a 50-50 joint venture between the BPC and the Asiatic Industries, is involved in the blending and marketing of engine oil and lubricating oil for vehicles; the marketing of diesel oil; the marketing and distribution of bitumen, liquefied petroleum gas and furnace oil; and supplying jet fuel to aircraft at Cox's Bazar International Airport, it said.
The anomalies include embezzlement by top officials, high rates, overtime, missing funds, irregularities in payment of litigation fees and violation of the Income Tax Ordinance and VAT Rules, the report added.
Petition filed to bar GM Quader from performing duties as JaPa chief
A petition has been filed with the Supreme Court seeking a stay on a High Court order that cleared the way for GM Quader to perform duties as the Chairman of Jatiya Party (JaPa).
Lawyer Mohammad Sayeed Ahmed Raza, on behalf of Ziaul Haque Mridha submitted the petition on Thursday requesting the apex court to prohibit GM Quader from performing party activities.
The chamber judge of the Appellate Division of the SC may hold a hearing of the petition on Sunday, advocate Sayeed Ahmed Raza said.
Earlier on Sunday (Feb 5), the High Court cleared the way for GM Quader to perform duties as the Chairman of Jatiya Party (JaPa).
The HC also issued a rule asking the government to explain as to why the temporary embargo on performing duties by GM Quader should not be cancelled.
The Appellate Division on December 14 last year upheld the verdict of a lower court that barred GM Quader from performing his duties as the Chairman of Jatiya Party (JaPa).
The Appellate Division bench also asked Dhaka Joint District Judge’s Court to quickly dispose of the petition filed by Quader against its verdict that prevented him from acting as JaPa chief.
Read more: Criticizing govt can never be seditious: GM Quader
Following the rejection, GM Quader filed a revision petition against the court order.
On November 30 last year, Chamber Judge of the Appellate Division M Enayetur Rahim stayed the High Court order allowing Jatiya Party Chairman GM Quader to perform the duties of his post.
On November 29, 2022, the HC cleared the way for GM Quader to perform his duties as Jatiya Party Chairman by staying the lower court embargo till January 3 following a revision petition.
Ziaul Haque Mridha filed the case against GM Quader on October 4.
On October 30, last year, Dhaka Joint District Sessions Judge court-1 issued a temporary embargo on the political activities of Quader.
Quader declared himself as chairman of the party through forgery at a council on December 28, 2019 when a writ petition case was pending at the High Court.
Man gets life term for killing wife in Khuna
A Khulna court on Thursday sentenced a man to life term imprisonment in a case over the killing of his wife around five years back.
Khulna Metropolitan Sessions Court Judge Mahamdua Khatun also fined the convict Tk 30,000, in default of which he will have to serve six more months’ imprisonment, the plaintiff’s Counsel KM Iqbal, also public prosecutor of the court, said.
The convict is Omar Faruk, son of Rustum Ali Farazi of Padiyadanga area under Khanjahan Ali police station in Khulna city.
According to the case statement, Faruk used to torture his wife Nupur over family feud since their marriage in 2015.
Nupur's father Khalilur Rahman came to know that her daughter’s body was lying in a garden on July 17, 2018.
Later he filed a murder case accusing Faruk in this connection.
Police pressed chargesheet against him on December 19, 2018.
After completing legal procedures, the court handed down the judgment in the presence of the accused.
Attack on Navy officer: arrest warrant issued for Irfan Selim
A Dhaka court has issued an arrest warrant for Irfan Selim, son of Dhaka-7 MP Haji Selim, in a case over the unprovoked attack on an off-duty Navy officer in 2021.
Dhaka Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court Judge Muhammad Asaduzzaman Nur passed the order while rejecting an application for bail by the accused.
The court had earlier set Wednesday (Feb. 8) for hearings, but Ifran was absent from court on account of illness. A time petition was also placed for him, but the court rejected it.
Irfan's counsel, Sri Prannath, prayed for bringing forward the date of hearing due to his personal jobs.
Rejecting the time petition, the court issued the arrest warrant for Irfan and asked for the trial process to be formally initiated through the framing of charges against the five accused, including Irfan.
The court also set March 6 for recording testimonies of witnesses in the case.
The other four accused are his bodyguard Jahidul Mollah, driver Mizanur Rahman, Madina Group Protocol Officer AB Siddique Dipu and associate Kazi Ripon.
Of them, Jahidul has been in jail, Mizanur and Dipu are now out on bail, while Ripon is absconding.
A case was filed with Dhanmondi Police Station against Irfan Selim for assaulting a navy official, Lieutenant Wasif Ahmed Khan, more than two years back. October 26, 2020.
Lt Wasif filed the case against four named, including Irfan Selim, also councillor of ward-30 of Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC), and 2-3 unnamed persons he accused.
According to the case statement, a private car hit Lt Wasif's motorcycle near Labaid Hospital at Dhanmondi on October 25, 2020 when he along with his wife was returning to their Mohammadpur residence from Nilkhet area.
Members of Rapid action Battalion (Rab) detained Irfan Selim in this connection later.
Read more: Irfan Selim relieved from narcotics case
HC asks 17 former and incumbent Biman officers to surrender in Tk 1100 crore embezzlement case
The High Court on Wednesday asked 17 former and incumbent officials of Biman Bangladesh Airlines to surrender before it within next three weeks in a case over embezzlement of around Tk 1100 crore in the name of taking two Egyptian aircraft on lease.
An HC bench of Justice Mustafa Zaman Islam and Justice Md Aminul Islam passed the order after hearing an interim bail petition.
Advocate Khurshid Alam Khan stood for Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) in the court while counsel ARM Hasanuzzaman represented the accused.
The accused are Biman Flight Operations Director Captain Ishrat Ahmed, Deputy Engineer Md Shafiqul Alam Siddique, Director General Md Abdur Rahman Fukoy, former chief Engineers Shaheed Uddin Mohammad Hanifi and Devesh Chowdhury, Engineer Md Sadekur Rahman and DGM Kamal Uddin Ahmed, among others.
All the 17accused appeared before the court with bail petitions while they were asked to surrender before it after rejecting the bail prayer. ACC Deputy Director Jesmin Akter filed the case accusing the former and incumbent officers of corruption on February 6 this year.
According to the case statement, the accused in collaboration with each other misappropriated Tk 1000.61 crore in the name of taking two Egyptian aircraft on lease through misuse of their power.
Engines of two Boeing-777 and-200 aircrafts of ER model went out of order one year after those were brought for five years on lease in 2014.
Another engine from Egypt was also flown to operate the previous engines but it also went out of order around one and a half years of its arrival.
The government had to incur a Tk 1100 crore loss over five years.
These irregularities were found in an investigation carried out by the parliamentary standing committee on civil aviation and tourism ministry.
Later, the committee asked the ACC to conduct more investigation into the irregularities.
Read more: Biman MD's office assistant involved in question paper leak: DB chief
Thursday’s BNP street march could cause people’s sufferings: DMP Commissioner
Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner Khandker Golam Faruq on Wednesday said action will be taken if any incident of deterioration of law and order occurs from the BNP's street march programme on Thursday.
Requesting not to hold programmes of political parties and social organisations on any week day, the DMP Commissioner said, “I have left the BNP's programme for tomorrow (Thursday) to their conscience. However, if there is any untoward incident from the march programme action will be taken by the law enforcement agencies,” he warned.
The DMP commissioner came up with the remarks while briefing reporters at the DMP headquarters on Wednesday.
Stating that the BNP's march programme could create cause sufferings to the people of the capital, he called upon the BNP's policymakers to hold programme in any open space instead of streets.
The DMP Commissioner said, “We respect the political programmes of various political parties and organisations. However, we request that political parties and organisations not yo hold programmes on the working day. These political programmes are requested to be stopped.”
The top officer of the DMP also said that BNP's scheduled march programme on Thursday will start from Old Dhaka and will end at the Jatiya Press Club via Naya Paltan party office.
“This will cause public suffering in the capital,” he said.
HC asks Bangla Academy for stall allotment to Adarsha Prokashoni on condition
The High Court on Wednesday asked the authorities concerned to give stall allotment to Adarsha Prokashoni to participate in the month-long Ekushey Book Fair on condition.
An HC bench of Justice Md Khasruzzaman and Justice Md Iqbal Kabir passed the order after hearing a petition filed by the publishing house owner Md Mahabubur Rahman, said the plaintiff’s counsel barrister Anik R Hoque.
Assistant Attorney General Selim Azad represented the state.
Counsel Anik said the court asked the Bangla Academy to give the stall allotment on condition that it cannot keep three books—‘Bangalir Mediacretir Sandhane’ by Faham Abdus Salam, ‘Unnoyan Bibhram’ by Zia Hasan and ‘Oprotiroddo Unnoyane Obhabniyo Kothamala’ by Foyez Ahmad Taiyeb.
He said that though the books were not blacklisted or banned, the participation of the publishing house was restricted involving the books.
Read More: Barred from Ekushey Book Fair 2023, Adarsha goes to High Court
The writers of 600 books, which were published from the Adarsha Prokashoni, will be deprived of taking part in the month-long fair, he said.
Owner Mahabubur Rahman filed a petition to the HC seeking intervention after authorities disclosed the names of the participating publishing houses except the Adarsha Prokashoni on January 12.
Fakhrul, Abbas get permanent bail in Nayapaltan clash case
The High Court (HC) on Wednesday granted permanent bail to BNP leaders Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and Mirza Abbas in a case over the clash between police and the party activists at Nayapaltan on December 7 last year that left one dead.
An HC bench of Justice Md Selim Azad and Justice Md Riaz Uddin Khan passed the order after hearing a rule in this regard.
Advocates Jainul Abedin and Sagir Hossain stood for the BNP leaders while Additional Attorney General SM Munir and Deputy Attorney General SM Golam Mostafa represented the state.
Terming the rule as absolute, the HC granted permanent bail to them, said counsel Sagir.
On the other hand, state counsel Munir said they would take a decision on appeal against the HC order after discussion.
On December 9 last year, a team of Detective Branch (DB) of police picked up Fakhrul and Abbas from their homes in separate raids in the capital.
Later, they were shown arrested in a case over the clash between police and the party activists in the capital’s Nayapaltan. A Dhaka court sent them to jail rejecting their bail pleas.
On January 3, the High Court granted six months bail to BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and Standing Committee member Mirza Abbas in the case.
Read more: State files petition challenging HC bail to Fakhrul, Abbas
On the following day, the government filed a petition with the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court seeking stay on the High Court order granting bail to the BNP leaders in the case.
On January 8, A four-member bench of the Appellate Division led by Chief Justice Hasan Foyez Siddiqui upheld the High Court order granting bail to the BNP leaders.
Just after a month of their arrest, Fakhrul and Abbas were freed from jail on bail on January 9 evening.
20 ‘teen gang members’ held in Dhaka, RAB says
Members of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) arrested 20 members of a “teen gang” along with sharp weapons from different areas of Dhaka on Monday.
Tipped off, a team of RAB-2 conducted drives in the capital’s Mohammadpur, Adabar, Hazaribagh, Bosila and Kawran Bazar areas on Monday night and arrested them along with sharp weapons, said Senior ASP Md Fazlul Haque, senior assistant director (Media) of RAB-2.
Read: Anti-Terrorism Unit arrests convicted ‘Hizb ut-Tahrir activist’ in Dhaka
After primary interrogation, RAB came to know that they were involved in criminal activities including selling drugs, mugging, extortion and stealing.
The process is underway to take legal action against them, said the RAB official.
Tight security measures planned for Shaheed Dibash, International Mother Language Day
Adequate security measures have been taken at the Central Shaheed Minar ahead of the Shaheed Dibash (Martyrs' Day) and the International Mother Language Day on February 21, said Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan on Monday.
This year, President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will pay tribute to the Language Movement heroes in person, he said while talking to reporters after a meeting on law and order situation on the occasion of Martyr’s Day at the Secretariat.
Law enforcers will also ensure foolproof security on the arrival of the President and the Prime Minister.
A several-tier security measures will be taken in around the Central Shaheed Minar, Dhaka University and its adjacent areas.
The areas will be brought under video, night vision cameras and CCTV surveillance especially on the entry and exit points while the archway will be installed.
Necessary steps will be taken on the Central Shaheed Minar premises and Azimpur graveyard to avoid crowds and untoward situations.
The Dhaka Metropolitan Police and Traffic department will take measures in the designated areas and a roadmap will be issued for traffic management on the occasion.
Besides, allout security measures will be taken in the metropolitan area, divisional areas and district and upazila level programmes, he said.
Read more: Tight security for Victory Day, says minister
Steps will also be taken to ensure security of the representatives of the foreign missions in Dhaka.
Meanwhile, special security measures will be taken for 30 minutes after the departure of the President and the Prime Minister, for the wounded freedom fighters so that they can pay their tribute on the day.
Lighting unit, Fire Service and Civil Defence team will be deployed at the Central Shaheed Minar area to prevent fires.
Besides, adequate physicians and nurses will be deployed to provide first aid while ambulances will remain standby and two medical camps will be installed there.