United News of Bangladesh

The law ministry has asked the public prosecutors across the country to submit a list of all ‘political harassment cases’ filed during the tenure of the fallen Awami League government. The ministry has issued an order recently seeking a list of the cases filed from January 6, 2009 to August 5, 2024. The public prosecutors have been asked to send the list to solicitor @lawjusticediv.gov.bd or solicitor wing of the Law and Justice division as per the table made by the ministry before December 17. The ministry has prepared a table requiring the inclusion of information such as the name of the district, case number, name of the court, name and identity of the complainant or plaintiff, total number of accused persons, the number of unidentified accused (if any), the date of the incident mentioned in the complaint or first information report (FIR), the specific law and section under which the case was filed and the current status of the case.

The bail hearing in a sedition case against Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari, spokesperson for Bangladesh Sammilit Sanatan Jagran Jote and former ISKCON leader, has been rescheduled to January 2. Chattogram Metropolitan Sessions Judge Md. Saiful Islam fixed the next hearing date for January 2 on Tuesday following the prosecution's request for time due to the absence of his lawyer. Protest for Chinmoy Krishna’s release: Three cases filed over attack on police On November 26, Chattogram Sixth Metropolitan Magistrate Judge Kazi Shariful Islam rejected the bail plea and ordered Chinmoy Das to be sent to jail. On November 26, lawyer Saiful Islam Alif was hacked to death amid clashes among law enforcers, agitated protestors, and supporters of Chinmoy Krishna following the denial of his bail petition in a sedition case. Protestors vandalised several motorcycles and vehicles parked on the court road. India attempting to further provoke Chinmoy incident: Nahid Five cases, including a murder case, were filed. Police arrested around 30 people in connection with these cases. A large number of law enforcement personnel were deployed around the court area apprehending untoward incidents centering the possible bail hearing on Tuesday. Dhaka responds to Delhi’s Chinmoy statement as Bangladesh’s 'internal affairs' Members of  Chattogram Bar Association staged protests on the court premises, demanding the arrest of the killers of Advocate Saiful Islam Alif and criticising the exclusion of Chinmoy Krishna Das from the murder case.

Sixty percent of those taking part in a survey have demanded investigations into allegations of human rights violations by the police through an independent organisation. Many also supported forming a permanent investigative commission led by a retired justice of the High Court to probe such allegations against the police according to the survey titled ‘The Kind of Police We Want.’ Currently, no independent body investigates such allegations. 71.5% support punishing police for excessive force: Survey The survey findings were revealed on Tuesday by the Public Relations Division of the Ministry of Home Affairs. Section 18 of the National Human Rights Commission Act 2009 bars the Commission from investigating allegations against the police or other law enforcement agencies. Of the remaining respondents, another group advocates empowering the Human Rights Commission through legal amendments to investigate such allegations.   The survey also uncovered that 58.9% of respondents support creating a regulatory agency or commission to ensure police accountability and shield them from undue influence. Meanwhile, 41.1% favour establishing an independent ombudsman for the police within a constitutional framework. 44.9% dissatisfied with online police clearance: Survey The Home Ministry conducted this survey with the participation of 24,442 people. Among them, 86.6% were aged between 18 and 44. However, nearly 95% of the respondents were male. Of the respondents, 36.4% were employed, 27.2% were students, 7.6% were businessmen, and 7.1% belonged to other significant categories. Most respondents were from Dhaka district, followed by Chattogram and Cumilla.

A recent survey by the Ministry of Home Affairs has revealed that 71.5% of people demand punishment for police members involved in excessive use of force to handle protest marches and suppress opposing views. The findings emerged from the analysis of the survey titled 'What Kind of Police Do We Want?' conducted by the Public Relations Department of the Ministry. Survey results on ‘The Police We Want’ published The Police Reform Commission released the survey results on Tuesday. The survey highlighted strong public sentiment regarding the need for accountability and the safeguarding of human rights. "…71.5% of respondents want punishment for police members involved in excessive use of force to handle protest marches and suppress dissent, which amounts to human rights violations and is considered a criminal act," the survey results indicated. Besides, 68.8% of respondents supported including international human rights guidelines and formalising standard procedures in policing. They believed such measures would strengthen adherence to human rights. The survey also found that 68.27% of respondents backed rewarding and penalising police members annually to encourage respect for and loyalty to human rights. The survey also addressed public opinion on the need for prior approval from the Metropolitan Police Commission to organise meetings and gatherings. Fifty-one point eight percent of respondents considered this requirement contrary to fundamental rights. In contrast, 37.4% did not fully agree with the requirement, and 10.8% were uncertain or hesitant. Speakers call for urgent police reform to create public-friendly policing The survey said that Article 37 of the Constitution recognises the fundamental right to organise meetings and express opinions. But, under Section 29 of the Dhaka Metropolitan Law 1976, the police commissioner holds the power to postpone such gatherings for up to 30 days in the public interest. The requirement for prior approval, however, is not mentioned in this law. Regarding the democratic development of the country, 71.2% of respondents expressed the desire to amend this provision. Italy offers support for Bangladesh's police reforms, safe migration The survey also shed light on the public's views on Section 54 of the Criminal Procedure Code, with 82.5% of respondents considering it an easily misused law. Among them, 46.2% called for modernising the section. They argued that reforming this colonial-era law would uphold democratic values and implement measures that offer a scientifically beneficial quality of life. Specifically, 39.7% of respondents supported amending Section 54 based on recommendations from higher courts. The ministry's survey engaged 24,442 participants, with 86.6% aged between 18 to 44 years. Job holders made up 36.4%, students 27.2%, and business owners 7.6%, while 7.1% were in other occupations. Most respondents came from Dhaka, followed by Chattogram and Cumilla.

A petition has been filed in the High Court seeking the suspension of all Indian television channels' broadcasts within Bangladesh. Supreme Court lawyer Ekhlas Uddin Bhuiyan submitted the petition on Monday, naming the Information Secretary, Home Secretary, and the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) as respondents. Dhaka sharply reacts over “heinous attack” on its Agartala mission The motion, grounded in Section 29 of the Cable Television Network Operation Act 2006, urges the High Court to impose a complete ban on Indian TV channels' broadcasts in the country. It further requests the issuance of a rule to determine why an official directive should not be enacted to stop such broadcasts. According to Bhuiyan, the High Court’s Division Bench is expected to hear the matter later this week.

Former law minister Anisul Huq has been sent to jail following a five-day remand in connection with a case over the murder of garment worker Fazlul Karim. Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Md. Ragib Noor gave the order on Monday, after the investigating officer of the case, Inspector Md Mahmudur Rahman of the Ramna Zone, submitted a petition seeking to keep Anisul detained in jail. Earlier, on November 20, the court had approved a five-day remand for the former law minister in relation to the case. According to the case details, Fazlul Karim was shot during his participation in an anti-discrimination protest on August 5. He was subsequently taken to Kuwait Maitree Hospital, where he died while receiving treatment. Following the incident, the victim’s brother lodged a case against 40 individuals at Uttara East Police Station.

Police detained a Rohingya man while he was attempting to register as a voter in Sadullapur upazila of Gaibandha on Sunday. The detainee was identified as Nurul Amin, said an Election Commission press release on Monday. Nurul visited the Sadullapur Upazila Election Office on Sunday to register as a voter. Two Bangladeshi individuals, Tayeb Sarkar and Jibon Kresh Dipan Ujjal, recommended him for registration, it said. Rohingyas trying to be voters illegally: EC When election office staff questioned him about his identity and address, Nurul could not respond satisfactorily. His inconsistent answers raised suspicions, prompting the staff to infom the police. Police arrived at the election office, investigated the matter, and confirmed that Nuru was not a Bangladeshi citizen but a member of the Rohingya community, the release also said. Sadullapur Upazila Election officer filed a case at the local police station and handed Nurul over to the authorities.

A petition was filed with the Appellate Division on Monday seeking a stay on the High Court order for declaring ‘Joy Bangla’ as national slogan. Additional Attorney General Barrister Anik R Haq said the state filed the petition against the High Court (HC). He said the Appellate Division will hold a hearing on the petition on Sunday next. In 2020, an HC bench of Justice FRM Nazmul Ahasan and Justice K.M. Kamrul Kader passed the order. While issuing the order, the court had said Joy Bangla is the slogan the nation’s solidarity and favourite slogan of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. Read: Writ petition seeks cancellation of power deals with Adani Group  

A Dhaka court on Monday sent four former MPs, including former Social Welfare Minister Dipu Moni, to jail showing them arrested in new cases. Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Imran Ahmed passed the order. Those sent to jail also include former state minister for Post, Telecommunications and Information Technology Zunaid Ahmed Palak, former MPs Hasanul Haq Inu and Rashed Khan Menon. Bangladesh’s top court stays HC order declaring Aug 15 as National Mourning Day Court sources said Inu and Menon were shown arrested in a case filed with Hatirjheel police station for attacking a motorcade of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia. Besides, Dipu Moin and Palak were shown arrested in a new murder case filed with Shahbagh police station while Inu faces a murder case lodged with Rampura police station. HC acquits Tarique Rahman, others in Aug 21 grenade attack cases After the fall of Sheikh Hasina government on August 5, the former MPs were arrested and put on remand several times in a number of cases, mostly of murders.

The Appellate Division on Sunday stayed a High Court (HC) order that declared August 15 as a national holiday in observance of National Mourning Day in 2008. A six-member bench, headed by Chief Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed, passed the order after hearing an appeal submitted challenging the HC order, said Additional Attorney General Barrister Anik R Haq. The state submitted the appeal against the HC order, he said. In 1996, the then Awami League (AL) government declared August 15, the day of the assassination of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and some of his family members, as a national mourning day and a public holiday. Read: Observance of March 7, Aug 15, 6 other national days to be cancelled However, the four-party alliance government, led by the BNP, scrapped the national mourning day and holiday in 2002. In 2008, AL-backed three lawyers filed a writ petition with the HC, and the court declared the BNP-led government's decision invalid, restoring the observance of National Mourning Day and the public holiday. The appeal was filed with the HC seeking a stay order on the observance of August 15 and the public holiday.