HC
HC grants three more months for converting to digital set-top boxes
The High Court on Tuesday stayed for three months the notice issued by the Information Ministry asking the authorities concerned to set up digital set-top boxes in Dhaka and Chattogram cities.
The HC bench of Justice Md Mozibur Rahman Miah and Justice Khizir Hayat passed the order after hearing a writ petition.
The HC also issued a rule asking the government to explain as to why the notice issued by the government on April 28 asking the authorities concerned to convert the cable network to a digital system should not be declared illegal and declared as contradictory to the constitution.
Secretary to the Information and Broadcasting Ministry, Director General of BTV and deputy secretary of the Information and Broadcasting Ministry have been asked to respond to their rule within four weeks.
Abul Kawsar Kalpan, a resident of Goran in the capital filed a writ petition challenging the legality of the notice issued without forming any policy.
Advocate Khandaker Mohammad Mushfiqul Huda stood for the petitioner while Deputy Attorney General Bipul Bagmar represented the state.
On February 1, the government has taken up a plan to set up set-top boxes following a discussion with the representatives of the Association of Television Channel Owners (ATCO).
READ: HC orders arrest of two AB Bank officials
On April 28, the Information and Broadcasting Ministry issued a notice imposing three decisions including to convert the cable network activities to digital form within May 31, to advertise about set-top box to raise awareness among people through government and private TV channels and the cable operators should sent necessary inputs to the ministry for the formation of the guideline.
On November 4, last year, the Information and Broadcast Ministry issued a notice informing that the TV cable network will be brought under digital system by November 30 in Dhaka and Chattogram cities.
Later, Shahed Kausar, a resident of Khilgaon filed a writ petition challenging the notice. The Court later stayed the effectiveness of the notice.
HC orders arrest of two AB Bank officials
The High Court on Tuesday has directed the authorities concerned to arrest two officials of AB Bank within 24 hours for not complying with the court order.
The two officials are AVP Aminul Islam of the bank’s head office and Satkhira branch manager.
An HC bench comprising Justice Abu Taher Md Saifur Rahman and Justice AKM Zahirul Hoque passed the order.
Gulshan police station in Dhaka and Satkhira sadar police station have been ordered to arrest the duo and produce them before the court on June 5.
Lawyer Earul Islam stood for the writ petitioner while deputy attorney general Wais Al Haruni represented the state.
READ: HC grants anticipatory bail to four pro-BNP lawyers
According to the case statement, Safiur Rahman, owner of Safi Enterprise in Satkhira, had taken a loan from the AB Bank Satkhira branch.
After several months, he wanted a bank statement from the branch over the loan. But the bank refused him to give the statement. He later filed a writ petition with the High Court seeking its directive to provide the statement.
HC grants anticipatory bail to four pro-BNP lawyers
The High Court on Monday granted six weeks’ anticipatory bail to four pro-BNP lawyers in a case filed over attacking pro-Awami League lawyers and vandalising the nameplate of Supreme Court Bar Association Secretary Abdun Noor.
It also directed two other pro-BNP lawyers accused in the case to surrender before the court.
An HC bench comprising Justice Jahangir Hossain and Justice SM Mozibur Rahman passed the order taking the plea of the accused.
Jatiyatabadi Ainjibi Forum Supreme Court unit general secretary and BNP’s national executive committee member Gazi Md Kamrul Islam Sajal, Jatiyatabadi Ainjibi Forum Supreme Court unit assistant general secretary Rasel Ahmed, Supreme Court Bar Association executive member Kamrul Islam and Supreme Court Bar Association information and research affairs secretary Sagor Hossain were the ones granted anticipatory bail.
On the other hand, lawyers Abdul Kaiyum and Nure Alam Siddique have been ordered to surrender.
READ: HC directs UGC to find out about pvt unis' benefits for FF children, underprivileged
Khandaker Mahbub Hossain, AJ Mohammad Ali, Joynul Abedin, Mahbub Uddin Khokon, and Ruhul Kuddus Kajol stood for the accused while Deputy Attorney General Md Sarwar Hossain Bappy represented the state.
According to the case statement, pro-BNP and pro-Awami League lawyers locked in a clash over the post of secretary of the Supreme Court Bar Association on May 18.
The following day, Rabiul Hasan, an administrative officer of the SCBA, filed a case with Shahbagh police station, mentioning six names.
HC directs UGC to find out about pvt unis' benefits for FF children, underprivileged
The High Court has asked the University Grants Commission (UGC) for information on the number of students at private universities availing benefits as offspring of freedom fighters, or stipends as poor or under-privileged since 2010.
Besides, the court also asked the UGC to report how much money has been allotted for research by the private universities since 2010.
UGC will have to submit the information to the High Court within the next 60 days.
The bench of Justice Md Mojibur Rahman Mia and Justice Khizir Hayat passed the order with a rule on Monday.
In the rule, the court also wanted to know why the inaction of the government in implementation of a law to facilitate 6 percent of the student body at private universities from poor backgrounds should not be declared illegal.
Barrister Jyotirmoy Barua, counsel for writ petitioners the Consumers Association of Bangladesh (CAB), said: "According to section 9(4) of the Private Universities Act, 6 percent seats should be reserved for the children of freedom fighters and meritorious students every year. According to section 9(6) of the law, a certain portion of the budget fixed by the University Grants Commission should be kept for research in the budget of private universities every year. These accounts must be sent to UCG. The UGC will later send the report to the ministry, and the ministry will send it to the parliamentary committee. They will take necessary action. We have tried to find out on behalf of the Consumers Association of Bangladesh, and our investigation found that since 2010, no private university has met these requirements."
READ: HC orders probe on ‘disappearance’ of birth and death registration info
The education secretary and UGC chairman are among those made respondents of the rule and they have to explain to the court within the next four weeks.
The court has also fixed August 14 for the next hearing on the writ.
Deputy Attorney General Bipul Bagmar stood for the state.
Architect Mubasshar Hussein, on behalf of CAB, filed the writ petition last week.
HC cancels bail of expelled JL leader Samrat
The High Court on Wednesday cancelled the bail granted to expelled Jubo League leader Ismail Hossain Chowdhury Samrat in a graft case.
A two-judge bench of justices Md Nazrul Islam Talukder and Kazi Md Ejarul Haque Akondo passed the order in the wake of a petition by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) challenging the bail order of a lower court on May 11.
The court also asked Samrat to surrender before a lower court within seven days, said deputy attorney general AGM Amin Uddin.
Read: India's top court orders release of ex-PM Rajiv Gandhi's assassin
Earlier, on May 16, the ACC filed a petition before the High Court seeking cancellation of the bail of Samrat in the graft case.
On May 11, the Dhaka court granted bail to Samrat in the graft case, paving the way for his release from judicial custody.
Judge Al Asad Md Asifuzzaman of Dhaka Special Judge Court-6 passed the order but with riders — Samrat can't leave the country without the permission of the court, has to submit his passport and also his health reports on the designated date.
Earlier, the same court turned down his bail plea in the corruption case filed by the ACC twice -- on April 28 and April 13.
Samrat secured bail in a drugs case on April 11 and in an Arms Act case and a money laundering case on April 10.
The expelled Jubo League leader has been undergoing treatment at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) Hospital since November 24 last year.
On October 6, 2019, Rab detained Samrat and his associate Enamul Haque Arman from Chauddagram in Cumilla.
Rab raided his Kakrail office later that day. Huge quantities of foreign liquor, pistols, and two hides of kangaroo were seized from his office.
He was later sentenced by a mobile court to six months in prison under the Wildlife Conservation Act.
Read: Global pollution kills 9 million people a year, study finds
On October 7, Abdul Khaleque, deputy assistant director of Rab-1 lodged two complaints against Samrat at Ramna police station under the Arms and the Narcotics Act. Arman was also made an accused in the narcotics case.
On November 4, Shekhar Chandra Mallik, a sub-inspector, submitted a chargesheet against Samrat in the Arms Act case.
On November 12, the ACC lodged a complaint against him for acquiring assets worth Tk 2.94 crore beyond his known sources of income.
On September 12, 2020, Rashedur Rahman, sub-inspector of CID, registered a case against him at the Ramna police station for laundering Tk 195 crore to Malaysia and Singapore.
Lastly, on November 26 last year, the investigating officer in the case, Jahangir Alam, submitted a chargesheet in the court.
HC asks for list of closed brick kilns around Dhaka
The High Court on Tuesday ordered the Directorate General of the Department of Environment and deputy commissioner of five districts adjacent to Dhaka to submit a list of the closed brick kilns, which were listed as illegal, within two weeks.
The HC bench of Justice Md Ashfaqul Islam and Justice Mohi Uddin Shamim passed the order after hearing a petition.
Earlier, on April 20, the HC asked the deputy commissioners of five districts, Dhaka, Narayanganj, Munshiganj, Manikganj and Gazipur district and Directorate General of DOE to appear before the court today (May 17) for not fully complying with its order to raze illegal brick kilns in Dhaka and its adjacent districts to check air pollution .
Advocate Manzill Murshid stood for the petitioner while Amatul Karim stood for the DOE. Deputy Attorney General Mainul Islam represented the state while Advocate Anik R Haque stood for the brick kiln owners.
“After appearing before the court, the five deputy commissioners said they were able to close 95 % brick kilns while DoE director General provide a list of 411 illegal brick kilns in the five district, of them 65% were closed. But actually it is seen that the unauthorised brick kilns are still operating,” said advocate Manzill Murshid.
READ: HC issues rule on extending former ACC director Enamul Basir's sentence
On January 21, 2019, Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh, a human rights organisation filed a writ petition seeking steps to close the unauthorised brick kilns.
On January 13, 2020, the High Court issued nine directives and asked to implement them.
Manzill Murshid, said the authorities concerned started to take steps against illegal brick kilns from February last year and after going into operation, the air pollution started to decrease from the country.
But nowadays, Dhaka is again identified as the most polluted city, he said.
On January 30, a supplementary petition was submitted on behalf of the Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh seeking order to close illegal brick kilns.
On February 1, the HC summoned the deputy commissioners of five districts and Directorate General of DOE as they failed to comply with the court order.
Recently, a journalist in an investigative report said many brick kilns in Savar are still continuing their operation but the DCs said they had taken steps to stop their operation, said Manzil.
HC to hear rule on bringing PK Halder back on June 12
The High Court on Tuesday fixed June 12 as the date to hear a rule issued on bringing back businessman PK Halder to Bangladesh from India.
A bench of justices Nazrul islam Talukder and Kazi Md Ezarul Haque Akunnd passed the order.
Deputy attorney general AKM Amin Uddin appeared for the state during the hearing and senior lawyer Khurshid Alam Khan represented the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).
The High Court also asked the ACC to keep it posted about the latest developments on the investigation in a case filed over money laundered to different countries by Halder.
On May 13, India's Enforcement Directorate (ED) arrested Halder and his two associates in the eastern state of West Bengal. The next day, a court remanded him in ED's custody for three days.
"PK Halder has been posing as an Indian citizen by the name of Shibshankar Halder after having managed to fraudulently obtain various government identities...," the Directorate had said in a statement.
Also read: India's federal agency may seek extension of PK Halder's remand
According to the Directorate, the three managed to float companies in India on the basis of the fraudulent documents.
On May 16, the DAG brought the matter to the HC's attention and on Tuesday, the self-initiated rule was taken into the cause list of the court for hearing.
Halder, the former MD of NRB Global Bank, had been on the run since being charged by the ACC for money laundering and amassing ill-gotten wealth.
In cases filed by the ACC, Halder is accused of embezzling and swindling multiple non-banking financial institutions of more than Tk 10,000 crore.
On January 19, 2020, the High Court directed to seize passports and freeze bank accounts of 20 people, including Halder, following a petition by investors.
Also read: India deserves thanks for arresting PK Halder: HC
But before that, on October 23, 2019, Halder managed to cross the border through the Benapole land port, according to the immigration police.
On November 19 , 2020, the High Court wanted to know the steps taken to bring back Halder and arrest him and issued a rule questioning why a direction in this regard should not be given.
India deserves thanks for arresting PK Halder: HC
The High Court (HC) has observed that Bangladesh should extend thanks to the Indian government for arresting fugitive businessman PK Halder.
An HC bench comprising Justice Md Nazrul Islam Talukder and Justice Kazi Md. Ejarul Haque Akondo made the observation when Deputy Attorney General AKM Amin Uddin Manik brought the issue before the court on Monday.
The court also said, “Our message is clear. We have taken a zero-tolerance policy against corruption and money laundering. None will be spared whoever they are. We are very serious about this matter.”
On May 13, India's federal economic offences police arrested PK Halder and his two associates in the eastern state of West Bengal.
Halder, the former MD of NRB Global Bank, had been on the run since being charged by the Anti-Corruption Commission in Bangladesh for money laundering and amassing ill-gotten wealth.
READ: We will do everything regarding PK Halder, says Momen after fugitive businessman's arrest in India
The disgraced director of International Leasing and Finance Service Ltd (ILFSL), has been posing as an Indian citizen by the name of Shibshankar Halder after having managed to fraudulently obtain various government identities.
In cases filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), PK Halder is accused of embezzling and swindling multiple non-banking financial institutions out of more than Tk 10,000 crore.
HC denies bail to suspended ACC director in bribery case
The High Court on Thursday turned down the bail petition of suspended Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) director Khandaker Enamul Basir who was sentenced to 8 years imprisonment in a bribery case.
The HC bench of Justice Md Mostafizur Rahman passed the order after hearing on the bail petition submitted by Basir’s lawyer.
The court also suspended Tk 80 lakh fine imposed on Basir by a lower court in the case.
On April 13, the court received his petition for acquittal from the charges in this case for hearing.Advocate Motaher Hossain Saju appeared for the accused while senior advocate Md Khurshid Alam Khan represented the ACC.
Also read: Former ACC director Basir gets 8 yrs in jail in bribery case
On April 6, the court received Mizanur Rahman’s bail petition who was sentenced three years in jail in the same case.
On February 23, Dhaka Special Judge Court-4, judge Sheikh Nazmul Alam sentenced Basir and Mizan to eight and three years in jail, respectively in this case. A fine of Tk 80 lakh was also imposed on Basir in the case.
Mizan was an additional commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP). He was removed from the post on January 9, 2019, after he was accused of abducting a 25-year-old female anchor of a private news channel and forcibly marrying her.
He had also allegedly implicated her in a false case in which she was arrested and sent to judicial custody for three weeks.
The corruption case dates back to June 24, 2019, when ACC director Manjur Morshed lodged a complaint against the disgraced DIG, his wife Sohelia Anar Ratna, nephew sub-inspector Mahmudul Hasan and younger brother Mahbubur Rahman.
Also read: Suspended DIG Mizan, ACC director Enamul Basir indicted
According to the case statement, Mizan accumulated wealth worth Tk 3.28 crore beyond his known sources of income. On the other hand, he had declared wealth worth Tk 3.7 crore in his tax statement.
Then director of ACC, Basir, was made the investigating officer in the case.
During the probe, Mizan had accused Basir of demanding Tk 40 lakh as bribe for setting the case, prompting the Commission to appoint director Monjur Morshed as the investigating officer in the case.
At the same time, a three-member probe body was formed, led by ACC director Sheikh Mohammad Fanafillah, to look into the allegations of bribery.
On July 16, 2019, Fanafillah lodged a complaint against both Mizan and Basir. And on April 16, 2020, a Dhaka court indicted the two and directed the official beginning of the trial in the case.
Another case is currently under trial against four people, including Mizan, filed over accumulation of ill-gotten assets and money laundering at the Dhaka Special Judge Court-6.
HC rejects Ex-DIG Mizan’s bail plea in graft case
The High Court on Tuesday rejected the bail plea of suspended Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Mizanur Rahman in a case filed by Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) for amassing illegal wealth as a rule issued on his bail was not pressed.
A HC bench of Justice SM Kuddus Zaman and Justice Md Riaz Uddin Khan rejected the bail plea.
Although Mizan was granted bail on April 13 after appealing against a three-year sentence in a bribery case, he will not be able to walk out of jail as he was denied bail in the graft case.
Barrister Mahbub Shafiq appeared for the bail plea in the court while Lawyer Khurshid Alam Khan for the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).
Earlier, the High Court had issued a rule questioning why he should not be granted bail in the case.
On February 23, Dhaka Special Judge Court-4 Sheikh Nazmul Alam sentenced Mizanur Rahman and suspended ACC director Khandaker Enamul Basir to three and eight years in jail respectively in the case.
READ: HC issues rule on extending ex- DIG Mizan’s sentence in bribery case
Later Mizan and Basir moved to the High Court against the order.
On April 13, HC granted two-month bail to Mizan against which ACC appealed to the appellate division.
The corruption case dates back to June 24, 2019, when ACC director Manjur Morshed lodged a complaint against the disgraced DIG, his wife Sohelia Anar Ratna, nephew sub-inspector Mahmudul Hasan and younger brother Mahbubur Rahman.
According to the case statement, Mizan accumulated wealth worth Tk 3.28 crore beyond his known sources of income. On the other hand, he had declared wealth worth Tk 3.7 crore in his tax statement.
Then director of ACC, Basir, was made the investigating officer in the case.
During the probe, Mizan had accused Basir of demanding Tk 40 lakh as bribe for setting the case, prompting the Commission to appoint director Monjur Morshed as the investigating officer in the case.
At the same time, a three-member probe body was formed, led by ACC director Sheikh Mohammad Fanafillah, to look into the allegations of bribery.
On July 16, 2019, Fanafillah lodged a complaint against both Mizan and Basir. And on April 16, 2020, a Dhaka court indicted the two and directed the official beginning of the trial in the case.