Court orders to return passports of Hasina

A Dhaka court today ordered the authorities concerned to return three passports of detained former premier and Awami League chief Sheikh Hasina.

Metropolitan Magistrate Abdullah Al Mamun passed the order following a petition submitted by Hasina’s lawyers seeking return of the passports.

The court also ordered Advocate Kamrul Islam, a lawyer of Hasina, to receive the passports on behalf of Hasina, as she is in detention.

The prosecution side during the hearing did not oppose the petition.

The return of the passports which were seized after Hasina’s arrest on July 16 last year in connection with an extortion case filed by businessman Azam J Chowdhury will facilitate her with going abroad for treatment.

Source: The daily star

Wives of Khoka, Khandaker Mosharraf, Barisal mayor get bails

The High Court (HC) today granted anticipatory bails for three months to the wives of three top BNP leaders in connection with three separate graft cases.

The High Court also granted the same type of bail to Dhaka City Corporation (DCC) Mayor Sadeque Hossain Khoka’s daughter Sarika Sadeque.

An HC bench comprising Justice Khondker Musa Khaled and Justice Moyeenul Islam Chowdhury granted the bails to Khoka’s wife Ismat Ara, former health minister Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain’s wife Bilkis Akhter Hossain and Barisal Mayor Mujibur Rahman Sarwar’s wife Sayda Nasima Sarwar on separate bail petitions.

Earlier, the Anti-Corruption Commission filed three separate cases accusing the wives of the BNP leaders for aiding and abetting their husbands in accumulating wealth illegally and hiding the information in the wealth statement submitted to the commission. Khoka’s daughter was also accused in the same charges.

Source: the Daily Star

Court spurns Tarique’s petitions for bail, overseas treatment

A special court today turned down petitions for bail and overseas treatment of the BNP’s detained Senior Joint Secretary General Tarique Rahman and asked the authorities concerned to give him proper treatment inside the country as per the jail code.

The court also deferred the hearing of charge framing in the Tk 21 crore bribery case against Tarique, former state minister for home affairs Lutfozzaman Babar and six other people till June 15.

Judge Shahed Noor Uddin of the Special Court-3 gave the ruling after the defence filed three petitions before the court, seeking Tarique’s bail, his treatment abroad and a seven-day time for the defence lawyers to pore over the case documents.

The third appeal, however, was granted.

Among the eight accused, Tarique, Babar and Abu Sufian, director of East-West Property Development Ltd, a concern of the Bashundhara Group, was produced before the court.

On October 4 last year, Anti-corruption Commission (ACC) Deputy Assistant Director Abul Kashem filed the bribery case, involving the murder of Bashundhara Group Director Humayun Kabir Sabbir, with Ramna Police Station accusing six people including Babar.

Tarique and former BNP lawmaker Qazi Saleemul Huq Kamal were indicted in the case following investigation.

Bashundhara Group Chairman Ahmed Akbar Sobhan alias Shah Alam and his two sons Shafiat Sobhan Sanvir and Sadaat Sobhan, and Tarique’s personal secretary Mia Nur Uddin Apu are the other charge-sheeted accused. They are on the run.

The ACC said the eight were involved in receiving and giving the bribe to ensure that Sanvir did not face charges for the murder of Sabbir.

Sabbir’s body was found outside a building in Bashundhara residential area on July 5, 2006.

Tarique was arrested on March 7 last year on extortion charges while Babar was arrested on May 29 last year.

Source: The Daily Star

Human Rights Watch slams Bangladesh mass arrests

Human Rights Watch called on Friday for Bangladesh’s emergency government to charge or release thousands of people it has detained in the past eight days.

At least 10,000 people — many of whom have ties to the country’s two main political parties — have been arrested since May 28.

Police say the operation is expected to last one month and is aimed at improving security ahead of the country’s scheduled return to democracy with elections due by the end of the year.

The main parties — the Awami League and Bangladesh Nationalist Party — say the arrests are part of a political crackdown by the emergency government, which has already detained both parties’ leaders.

New York-based Human Rights Watch described the arrests as “arbitrary” and said they could result in a breakdown of the country’s prison system, already under pressure.

“The timing and targets of the arrests are a dead giveaway they are politically motivated,” said Brad Adams, the group’s Asia director, in a statement.

“It’s obvious they are paying the price for the political parties’ refusal to accept the government’s conditions to participate in the elections.”

The arrests began days after the two parties said they would boycott talks with the army-backed administration on organising elections unless their leaders were freed.

Local newspaper The Daily Star said 13,465 people had been arrested since the crackdown began. Police chiefs were unable to confirm that number to AFP Friday.

The military-backed government, which came to power in January 2007 after emergency rule was imposed and elections cancelled, last year detained thousands of party activists in a bid to clean up the country’s graft-ridden politics.

More than 150 top politicians have been arrested during the drive while dozens of former ministers and ex-lawmakers have been jailed for up to 20 years.

Source: AP

Anti-crime crackdown: 14,000 held so far

IG cautions police about arresting innocent people

More than 8,000 people were arrested by law enforcing agencies, including army during the last five days under the ongoing countrywide crackdown that began after midnight on May 28 last.

Inspector General of Police (IGP) Noor Mohammad yesterday told journalists at a briefing at Police Headquarters in the city yesterday that a total of 8,325 people were arrested on various charges and 33 firearms recovered so far since May 28 during the special drive to improve country’s law and order.

In 24 hours ending 5:00pm yesterday, he said 1,439 people were arrested while 7 firearms recovered across the country.

Different political parties have strongly protested against the ongoing countrywide crackdown saying that many of the arrestees were prominent political leaders including former lawmakers and municipal chairmen. Most of the arrestees belong to Awami League, BNP, Jatiya Party and Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh.

Major political parties are considering this drive as a move to cripple the organizational base of their parties as they are preparing to launch a countrywide movement to free Awami League President Sheikh Hasina and BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia.

However, IGP Noor Mohammad said the special drive

across the country is aimed at improving the law and order situation and to create congenial atmosphere for holding the upcoming general election free from muscle power and terrorism.

Explaining the objective of the special drive, he said that it was in no way motivated against the politicians as reported by a section of the press.

“I want to make it clear that improving the country’s law and order situation and creating congenial atmosphere for the general elections due in December is the only objective of the drive,” he said.

“Illegal arms holders, listed criminals, extortionists and terrorists are the target of the drive,” he said and pointed to the recent incidents showing deterioration of law and order situation and causing worries of the people.

The IGP said though the special drive was being carried out under the State of Emergency, none of the arrested persons was sued under that law.

“‘Those arrested during the last few days were held on specific charges or allegations. After long one and a half years, such a drive is being launched only to arrest listed terrorists, criminals and extortionists. The special drive was not intended to harass or arrest politicians,’ he said.

He, however, mentioned that they had nothing to do if anyone of the arrested persons was affiliated to any political party.

Noor Mohammad also cautioned that if any police personnel was found guilty of arresting innocent people, he would be sacked and sent to jail.

Meanwhile, leaders of different political parties also gave strong reactions to the ongoing countrywide crackdown.

Awami League Acting General Secretary Zillur Rahman said the government has started arresting political leaders and activists at the grassroots level fearing a popular mass upsurge scheduled to be launched any time by the major political parties.

Jatiya Party Secretary General Ruhul Amin Howlader said it would be very shameful for the nation if the government’s ongoing drive is to arrest the political leaders and activists.

It is also regretting that in the name of arresting criminals, the government has targeted the political leaders and activists.

Former President of Dhaka University Teachers Association (DUTA) Prof AAMS Arefin Siddique said a panic has created in the mind of common people and politicians following the launching of the crackdown.

Our correspondents from different districts of the country reported that hundreds of people were arrested on various charges yesterday.

Our Kishoreganj Correspondent Alam Sarwar Titu reports: During the 48 hours, ending 6:00pm yesterday, the joint forces and police arrested 81 persons including ‘listed criminals’ and raided the residences of local leaders of different political parties including Awami League, BNP, Jatiya Party and union parishad chairmen.

On Sunday night, joint forces led by Lt Col Md Ashikuzzaman, Police Super Mizanur Rahman and Deputy Commander Major Salahuddin jointly launched a special drive to arrest 216 ‘most wanted’ criminals, including AL, BNP and JP leaders and activists, who were allegedly involved in various criminal activities and extortion.

They said that so far 81 wanted persons were arrested from Kishoreganj Sadar and other upazilas of the district.

The joint forces also raided the residences of Poura BNP president Ismail Hossain, Sramik League president Sirajul Islam, ward commissioner Shamim, Shahriar, Jubo Dal leader Polin and several other ward commissioners and union parishad chairmen.

SP Mizanur Rahman said the crackdown would continue to recover illegal arms and detain most wanted criminals. “Except listed terrorists, no political leader will be arrested,” he said.

Source: The New NAtion

MM Ruhul Amin new Chief Justice

Senior Appellate Division Judge of the Supreme Court MM Ruhul Amin has been appointed the 16th Chief Justice of Bangladesh effective from June 1.
President Dr Iajuddin Ahmed, who appointed him yesterday, is expected to administer the oath of office to the new Chief Justice on June 1 at 10:30am, Bangabhaban sources said.
MM Ruhul Amin, the second most senior judge of the Appellate Division, will hold the office of the Chief Justice till December 23 in 2009. The outgoing Chief Justice will go on retirement on May 31.

Truth and Accountability Commission approved

The Council of Advisers of the Caretaker Government yesterday approved a law titled Voluntary Disclosure Ordinance 2008 for constituting the much talked about Truth and Accountability Commission.
A former chief justice will head the three-member Truth and Accountability Commission and its term will be five months initially, according to the ordinance.
The Commission will start hearing an appeal within 14 days of its submission and deliver a verdict within 30 days. Anybody, excepting those who have already been convicted of graft, can admit his/her offence before the Commission.