law-order
Smuggled drugs, other goods worth over Tk 1,565 cr seized in 2022: BGB
Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) has said they seized smuggled goods, arms and drugs worth over Tk1,565 crore in various drives across the country last year.
In 2021, smuggled goods and drugs worth Tk 1073 crore were seized by BGB.
The smuggled goods seized last year included 1,27,78,100 Yaba pills, 77.690kg crystal meth, 316,157 bottles of phensidyl, 182,932 bottles of foreign liquor, 4,064 litres of local wine, 37,126 beer cans, 28,672kg cannabis, 72.159kg heroin, 4,98,754 stimulating injections, 6,55,940 Senegra tablets, 76,561 Eskuf syrups, 13.425kg Opium (afim), 13,562 bottles of Cofidil, 84,55,562 different types of medicines and 28,10,063 other drugs, Shariful Islam, public relations officer of the BGB headquarters, said Tuesday.
Also Read: Goods worth Tk107 crore seized in December: BGB
Also, 194.993kg gold, 279.162kg silver, 31 touchstone statues, 2,155,094 cosmetics, 1,57,309 sarees, 59,939 3pcs/shirts pcs, 21,068 readymade garments, 30,695 cubic feet of timber, 73,176kg tea leaves, 6,21,013kg coal, 35,223 cubic feet stone, 1,25,750 imitation ornaments, 1,699kg current net, 152,5kg turtle bone, 73 trucks/covered van, 44 private cars/microbuses, 106 pickup trucks, 340 CNG/battery run auto-rickshaws and 824 motorcycles were seized.
Forty-six pistols, nine rifles, five revolvers, 79 different types of guns, 25 magazines, 24 mortar shells, 5,345 rounds of bullets, 1 rocket bomb, 20 cocktails, 51 empty shells and 999.60kg of explosive-like materials were among the seized arms and ammunition.
Besides, legal actions were taken against 2,953 people smugglers during this period.
Some 2,085 Bangladeshis and 117 Indian nationals were arrested for crossing the border illegally, Shariful said.
High Court directs disposal of appeal in Barguna corruption case
The High Court (HC) on Monday directed the concerned authority to dispose of an appeal filed by a Barguna man, for swindling money meant for TR (Test Relief) to Kajer Binimoy Khaddo (Food for Work) against local lawmaker Md Showkat Hasanur Rahman Rimon, within 30 days.
The HC bench of Justice Md Nazrul Islam Talukder and Justice Khizir Hayat gave the directive after hearing a petition filed by Sultan Ahmed, said his lawyer Md Kamal Hossain.
Assistant Attorney Anna Khanam Koly represented the state during the hearing.
READ: HC bars performance bonuses for DWASA employees
The HC also issued a rule asking why it should not be illegal to take action against the ACC and others for their inactivity to move against the local lawmaker, district’s relief and rehabilitation officer, relief and rehabilitation officers of Patharghata, Betagi and Bamna upazilas.
ACC chairman, ACC commissioner (investigation), deputy commissioner, superintendent of police, Barguna-2 lawmaker Showkat, the district’s relief and rehabilitation officer and relief and rehabilitation officers of Patharghata, Betagi and Bamna were made respondents to the rule.
However, it set no timeframe to reply to the rule.
On May 9 last year, a report on ‘allegations on swindling crores from TR project without works’ was published in a newspaper.
READ: Court works independently: Law Minister
The report said money was realised without completing works of some TR projects in Patharghata and Betagi upazilas and money was also swindled without works of some projects in the upazilas respectively.
However, no irregularities were found in the Bamna upazila TR project.
An amount of Tk 2,2,91,805 was allotted for 323 projects under the TR projects in the three upazilas for the fiscal year 2021.
Following the newspaper report, the local Sultan lodged a complaint to the ACC chairman saying that the local lawmaker swindled money without carrying out development of infrastructures.
A legal notice was also served to the ACC chairman on November 7 asking why the complaint was not dismissed.
5 held for spreading rumors on social media about Islami Bank, S Alam group
Detectives in a drive on Sunday arrested five people from different parts of the city, for spreading rumors on social media about the reserve crisis of Islami Bank and S Alam group.
Harun-or-Rashid (DB), additional police commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP), disclosed the information when talking at a press briefing held at DMP media centre on Monday.
The arrestees were identified as Mohammad Nur-un-nabi, Afsar Uddin Roman, Abu Syed Saju, Swadhin Mia and Abdus Salam.
Also Read: Scam-hit Islami Bank earns operational profit in 2022, Basic Bank reports loss
When briefing, Harun said the arrestees were involved in spreading rumors through social media from home and abroad. Besides, they were also involved in discouraging the expatriates from sending remittances, he said.
“We have got the names of all who were involved in it and action will be taken against them soon,” he added.
Former director of Islami Bank and officials were also involved in the syndicate.
Also Read: Observers appointed for S Alam Group-controlled IBBL and FSIB
Replying to a question, whether there is any involvement between the syndicate members or any political parties, the DMP commissioner said “We have found involvement of Jamaat-Shibir men in the group.”
He also urged people not to pay any heed to the rumours as currently there is a sufficient foreign reserve.
Also Read: Tk 30,000cr loan from Islami Bank: HC asks S Alam Group to explain reports
Mentioning that the bankruptcy of banking sectors and financial institutions is nothing but a rumour, Harun also asked people to refrain from withdrawing money from the banks.
JS passes Bill replacing 1982 Ordinance for SC judges
The ‘Bangladesh Supreme Court Judges (Leave, Pension and Privileges) Bill, 2023’ was placed in Parliament on Monday with a provision of a monthly special allowance of Tk 70,000 for a retired chief justice.
Law minister Anisul Huq moved the Bill and it was passed by voice vote.
As per the Bill, a “Chief Justice” means the Chief Justice of Bangladesh while “Judge” means a Judge of Appellate Division and High Court Division of the Supreme Court and includes the Chief Justice and Additional Judges.
The special allowance will be given to meet expenses such as paying for domestic help, car driver, house guard and maintenance of office-cum-residence.
The draft law was brought to formulate a law repealing an ordinance of the military regime as per a judgment of the High Court.
The proposed law will replace the Supreme Court Judges (Leave, Pension and Privileges) Ordinance, 1982.
It says the leave granted to a judge may, at his option, be either- leave on full salary; or leave on half salary; or leave partly on full salary and partly on half salary.
For the purpose of this part, any period of leave on full salary shall be reckoned as double the period of leave on half salary.
The aggregate amount of leave granted to a judge during the whole period of service as such shall not exceed, in terms of leave on half salary, 36 months.
Read more: JS passes Bangladesh Oil, Gas and Mineral Corporation Bill, 2022
The period of leave granted at any one time shall not exceed, in the case of leave on full salary.
The monthly rate of leave salary payable to a judge while on leave on full salary shall be equal to the monthly rate of his salary.
The monthly rate of leave salary payable to a Judge while on leave on half salary shall be equal to half the monthly rate of his salary.
A judge shall be entitled to draw his leave salary in Bangladeshi currency only.
A judge shall, on his retirement, resignation or removal, be paid a pension in accordance with the provisions of this Ordinance if he or she has- completed not less than five years of service for pension and attained the retiring age; or completed not less than ten years of service for pension and, before attaining the retiring age, resigned; or completed not less than five years of service for pension and, before attaining the retiring age, either resigned, his resignation having been medically certified to be necessitated by ill health, or been removed for physical or mental incapacity.
The chief justice will get Tk 4.50 lakh as injury gratuity and Tk 1.50 lakh for annual pension while the amount for both is Tk 4.50 and Tk 1.40 lakh respectively for justice or additional justice.
Read more: 21st Parliament session to continue till Feb 9
The chief justice will get Tk 5 lakh as family gratuity and Tk 1.40 lakh for annual pension while the amount for both is Tk 4 lakh and Tk 1.20 lakh respectively for justice or additional justice.
The children of justices will get Tk 20,000 if the mother is not alive while Tk 12,000 if the mother is alive.
ACC may submit progress report of probe against Wasa MD within 15 days: HC
The High Court on Monday said the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) may submit a progress report of its ongoing investigation against managing director of Dhaka Water Supply and Sewerage Authority (Wasa) Taqsem A Khan.
The ACC may submit the progress report within 15 days, said the HC bench of Justice Md Nazrul Islam Talukder and Justice Khizir Hayat when ACC lawyer Khurshid Alam Khan drew attention of the court to a newspaper report ‘Taqsem’s 14 houses in the US’
The report was published in Bangla daily ‘Samakal’ on Monday.
Read: Narcotics case: SC upholds HC’s stay order or trial proceedings against Pori Moni
However, the court did not pass any order based on the newspaper report.
According to the Samakal report, the Wasa MD bought 14 houses in different states of the US. Several intelligence agencies including US intelligence watchdog Interpol, have started investigating the source of his money to buy the houses and information about the transaction process.
According to the complaint submitted to the ACC recently, Taqsem laundered thousands crores Taka from Wasa’s big projects with foreign loans to the US through various means including hundi. He bought 14 luxury houses in posh areas of the country including Los Angeles, New York.
Taqsem, also a US citizen, joined Dhaka Wasa as MD in 2009 while staying in the US. All members of his family stay there.
Taqsem also stays with family in the US for about three months every year.
On December 5 last year, HC bench of Justice Md Nazrul Islam Talukder and Justice Khizir Hayat asked the ACC for an update on the ongoing investigation against Taqsem following a writ petition challenging the legality of his’s appointment as Wasa MD.
Taqsem A Khan was appointed Wasa MD on a three-year contract in 2009. His contract was extended three times despitehis “poor performance”.
Read: HC Chamber Judge asks Wasa MD to submit salary statement
On October 11, the Appellate Division Chamber Judge sought a report on how much money Taqsem received as salary, bonus and other facilities in the last 13 years.
He was drawing extra salary and allowances going beyond the rules. According to the latest board decision, the monthly salary of Wasa MD is Tk 6.25 lakh.
A case was filed against nine people including Taqsem alleging that Tk 132.4 crore of Dhaka Wasa Employees Multipurpose Cooperative Society was withdrawn and embezzled from six banks through various checks with the help and instructions of Wasa MD.
The Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU) also sent a letter to all banks seeking information of accounts of the Wasa MD on August 25 last year.
Narcotics case: SC upholds HC’s stay order or trial proceedings against Pori Moni
The Appellate Division on Monday upheld the High Court order that stayed the trial proceedings against Dhallywood actress Pori Moni in a case filed under the Narcotics Control Act.
A three-member bench of the Appellate Division led by Appeal Division Judge Justice Md Nuruzzaman passed the order following the state’s appeal against the HC order.
The court also ordered disposing of the HC rule over charge framing against Pori Moni in six months.
Read more: SC clears way to continue trial against Pori Moni
Advocate ZI Khan Panna and Advocate Shah Monjurul Hoque appeared for Pori Moni in the court today.
Advocate Monjurul said the trial proceeding of the case will remain suspended for six months and the HC rule should be disposed of by this period.
Otherwise, the trial court may start the trial proceeding of the case after this period, he added.
On March 1 last year, High Court stayed the trial proceeding of the case for three months.
It also issued a rule asking the government to explain as to why the order of charge framing against Pori Moni should not be revoked.
Judge of Dhaka Special Judge of Court-10 Md Nazrul Islam indicted Pori Moni and two others in the case on January 5 last year.
On January 30, Pori Moni appealed before the High Court for quashing the case and subsequent indictment by the trial court.
Read more: Drug case against Pori Moni: HC stays trial proceedings for 3 months
On November 15 2021, Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions Judge KM Emrul Kayesh took into cognizance the charges framed by police against the accused.
On October 4, the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) submitted a charge sheet against them.
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 31, 2021, a Dhaka court granted bail to Pori Moni in the narcotics case. She had walked out of jail the following day.
3 ‘members of new militant outfit’ held with arms, explosives in Bandarban
Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime (CTTC) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police has arrested three suspected members of new militant outfit 'Jamatul Ansar Fil Hindal Sharqiya', from Naikhongchhari upazila of Bandarban and Kadamtoli area in Dhaka.
The arrestees were Kabir Ahmed, 50, arms supplier, Yeasin, 40, an aide of Shamim Mahfuz, a mastermind of the new militant group and trainer and Abdur Rahman Imran.
Kabir Ahmed was arrested from Bandarban and the rest were arrested from Dhaka based on information given by Kabir.
The members of the new militant outfit used local and foreign made firearms during their training, said DMP's Additional Police Commissioner Md Asaduzzaman, also CTTC chief at a press briefing held at DMP media centre on Monday.
Police also seized three locally made arms, six guns, 11 bullets, lead, acid, gun powder, octane and other chemicals from their possession, said Asaduzzaman.
The CTTC unit conducted the drives based on the information gleaned from two members of the new militant group--Saiful Islam Tuhin and Naim Hossain, who were arrested from the hill districts of Chattogram on December 21, he said.
After interrogation, police identified Kabir as the main arms supplier and arrested him from Bandarban district.
Following interrogation, they seized the arms and ammunition from two plastic drums, digging soil in a hilly area of Bandarban, said the CTTC chief.
During interrogation, Kabir confessed to police that that he was the main arms supplier the militant outfit and he planned to supply the arms seized during the drive to some extremists, he said.
Read more: Jamaat ameer involved in breeding new militant outfit: CTTC chief
Mahfuz contacted Kabir several times for arms for providing training to the militants, he said.
Meanwhile, the team conducted another drive in Kadamtoli area of the capital and arrested two more members of the outfit, he added.
It is known that, Yeasin and Rahman were two active members of the outfit and close aide of Mahfuz and through Rahman Mahfuz used to run his financial activities, said Asaduzzaman.
Replying a question, Asaduzzaman said they are working for those who have fled their houses and it is still not clear yet how many members are there in the militant outfit.
A case was filed under Anti-terrorism Act with Demra Police Station and remand will be sought for the arrestees after producing them before the court, he said.
From October 10, law enforcement agencies started a joint drive against the underground extremists and criminals in the district.
Sedition complaint lodged against Nur
A sedition complaint was filed against Nurul Haque Nur, former Ducsu VP and leader of Bangladesh Gono Odhikar Parishad at a police station in Sylhet.
Emon Ahmed, secretary of the district unit of Bangladesh Muktijoddha Mancha lodged the complaint with Kotwali Police on Sunday afternoon.
The complaint said Nur held a secret meeting with an individual named Mendi N. Safadi, apparently an agent of Israel's intelligence agency Mossad according to the complaont, in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). "It seems that Nur has been involved in a conspiracy to unseat the elected government in Bangladesh," it added.
Read: “Mismanagement”: BCL faction to submit complaint against Al Nahian, Lekhak to AL high-ups
It also said he is actually conspiring to create division among Bangladesh, its government and the holy religion Islam by handshake with the Mossad agent going abroad in the name of holy Kaaba Sharif Tawaf.
Md Abul Kaher, inspector (Investigation) of Kotwali police station, however, said this type of case cannot be filed by an individual without the permission of the state.
Police cordon off ‘militant den’ in Sunamganj
Sunamganj, Jan 8 (UNB) - Police cordoned off a house at Fechi Atghar in Jagannathpur upazila of Sunamganj district on Sunday, suspecting it to be a militant hideout.
Subhasish Dhar, additional superintendent of Sunamganj (Jagannathpur circle) police, said a team of police cordoned off the house Sunday morning on an information that there are a huge quantity of illegal firearms and bombs in the abandoned house.
Also Read: 6 ‘Al Qaeda-inspired militants’ arrested in city
The owner of the house is a resident of Sylhet city, he said.
A bomb disposal unit went to the spot.
Fardin's death: Bushra finally granted bail
A Dhaka court today (January 08, 2023) granted bail to Amatullah Bushra, a 3rd year student of East West University, in the case over the death of her friend, Buet student Fardin Noor Parash.
Judge Tahsin Iftekhar of Additional Metropolitan Sessions Judge's Court-7 passed the order after hearing the bail petition.
Earlier on January 5, the court set today's date for passing its order on the bail petition.
Bushra has been languishing in jail for almost two months in the case, despite investigation agencies failing to find any evidence connecting her to her friend's death.
Read more: DB to apprise court that Bushra has no link to Fardin’s death, says its chief
On December 15 last year, Additional Commissioner (Detective Branch) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Mohammad Harunur Rashid said they would give a report to the court that Bushra has no connection with the death of Fardin.
Bushra was arrested from her Banasree home in Dhaka on November 10, 2022, soon after the recovery of Fardin’s body. She was sent to jail after expiry of her five-day remand on November 16.
After a long 38-day investigation, the DB chief said on December 14 that Fardin roamed alone in different areas of Dhaka before he went missing.
“Fardin was not murdered, he committed suicide by jumping into the river from Sultana Kamal Bridge On November 4 out of desperation,” he said.
Read more: Fardin Noor Parash died by suicide: DB
Fardin was a 3rd year student of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology’s civil engineering department and a resident of Qutubpur area in Narayanganj's Fatullah.
Police recovered Fardin’s body from the Shitalakhkhya River, behind a cotton mill at Siddhirganj, on November 7, three days after he went missing.
Sheikh Farhad, a physician at Narayanganj General Hospital where the autopsy was done, said there were several injury marks on Fardin’s head and body.
Kazi Nuruddin Rana, Fardin’s father, filed a case in connection with his son’s killing with Rampura Police Station on the same day and the case was later transferred to Detective Branch (DB) Police.
Read More: Fardin Noor: Home Minister puts faith in RAB, DB investigation