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“All Citizens are Equal before Law and are Entitled to Equal Protection of Law”-Article 27 of the Constitution of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh



Issue No: 178
February 20, 2005

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Law week

23 editors concerned over govt. indifference
The editors of 23 national dailies for the first time issued a joint statement expressing deep concerns "at the killing of and attack on journalists in Khulna and the country's southwestern region." "We are extremely concerned about the fact that journalists are dying at regular intervals, yet the government and the administration remain indifferent and unconcerned. So far not a single incident has either been properly investigated or the culprits punished. We think this fact alone may have emboldened the culprits and given them a sense of impunity to act against journalists," said the editors under the banner of the newly formed Forum to Protect Journalists (FPJ). They announced to hold simultaneous protest rallies in all press clubs across the country. "We call upon all journalists and every body concerned with the profession of journalism to make our rally a success," they urged. The Daily Star, February 14.

Valentine's day party at DU foiled by blasts
At least 16 people including 12 Dhaka University (DU) students were injured as four bombs exploded in a large Valentine's Day crowd in front of the DU Teachers-Students Centre (TSC) last night, creating panic on the entire campus. Witnesses said three bombs went off one after another just behind the Swoparjito Swadhinata sculpture at the TSC road-island. Another bomb exploded at Hakim Chattar near the central library, hardly 50 yards from the road-island, spreading a panic among the huge crowd at the TSC and the heavily-guarded Ekushey Book Fair at the Bangla Academy. Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) and the police retrieved three unexploded bombs from the spot which were defused by the police experts. Police failed to arrest any-one in connection with the bomb blasts. Assistant Commissioner (Patrol-South) of DMP Mushfiqur Rahman told reporters that they did not find any clue to the explosions. Prothom Alo, February 15.

Tifa draft finalised
Dhaka and Washington through a two-day negotiation finalised the draft of Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (Tifa) paving the way further for creating a platform to talk bilateral trade issues. The draft now requires approval of the two governments before formal signing of the agreement aimed at promoting bilateral trade and investment.

Emerging from the four-hour talks in the boardroom at commerce ministry, leader of the US side Betsee E Steelman said, "We've made good progress in the last two days' discussions." She declined to give any details of the final draft, saying, "As we're still in the negotiation process, we don't like to disclose the contents of the draft." Steelman, a senior US trade policy advisor for Asia and the Pacific, who is on a five-day visit to Bangladesh, was unable to say when the agreement would be signed. According to the draft prepared by US, the areas Tifa is to cover include removal of non-tariff barriers, implementation of intellectual property rights, promotion of trade and private investment, improvement of workers' rights and pursuing WTO talks on the basis of Doha Development Agenda. The Daily Star, February 16.

Magurchhara blowout Dhaka to go to int'l court for compensation
Bangladesh will go to the international court seeking compensation for the damage caused by fire in the Magurchhara gas field. The 1997 fire damaged gas worth Tk 3,900 crore, State Minister for Energy AKM Mosharraf Hossain said in parliament, replying to a question by a Jamaat lawmaker. Unocal had given Tk 38 crore only as compensation to the government in 1997, the minister informed the House. Under a deal signed with the government in 1998, Unocal is supposed to give the government five percent additional quantum of gas the company would extract, he said, adding that the company was, however, claiming that it had already compensated the loss as per the 1998 deal with the government.

"Under this situation, the government has initiated necessary process to go to the international court for realising the compensation," the minister said. UNB, February 16.

Habiganj attack FBI probe help in stalemate
Lack of clarity of what Bangladesh government wants and refusal of US government to involve itself without clear terms of reference (ToR) have created a stalemate in FBI's investigation into the January 27 grenade attack. As no progress has been made in clarifying the ToR for the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the probe still remains uncertain. The Bangladesh government wants FBI to be involved in the investigation, but the US State Department is reluctant to participate without a clear ToR.

According to sources, a few days back, the government sent a letter to the US authorities regarding FBI involvement. In the letter, the government wanted FBI to be fully involved in the investigation. The US State Department's position is that it never takes full charge of any investigation in a foreign country. It only assists the host government. The Daily Star, February 17.

EU parliament worried at Bangladesh's political violence
Members of European Parliament (MEPs) have expressed concern over the recent spurt in political violence and deterioration of law and order situation in Bangladesh. The political parties should overcome their differences to ensure a congenial political environment and cooperate to make the parliamentary system work, they were quoted to have told Finance Minister Saifur Rahman in Brussels.

During his three-day visit there, he met the MEPs, vice-president of the European Parliament Gerard Onesta and European Commi-ssioner for Trade Peter Mandelson. Besides political unrest, Saifur encountered a volley of questions on Bangladesh perspectives that include terrorist activities, law and order and corruption while the EU lawmakers appreciated economic achievements. Saifur apprised them that sporadic law and order incidents that took place recently in the country do not portray actual situation on the ground. UNB, February 17.

HC asks govt why case against Partha should not be quashed
The High Court (HC) stayed for three months the proceedings of the lower court that indicted Shaibal Saha Partha for threatening the life of Awami League (AL) President Sheikh Hasina through an email sent to the Prothom Alo in August last year.

A division bench comprising Justice SK Sinha and Justice Shamim Hasnain issued a rule on the government to explain in four weeks why the case against Partha should not be quashed.

The orders came upon a petition filed by Partha, which was moved by Dr Kamal Hossain. Partha was also shown arrested in the August 21 grenade attack case. Prothom Alo, February 17.

Brac, Grameen bank under bomb attack
Eight people -- six employees of Brac and two of Grameen Bank -- have been injured in identical bomb attacks on two Brac offices and a branch of the bank since Sunday, while three grenades were recovered from another Brac office.

In the last of these attacks, unidentified men last night hurled three bombs one after another at the Grameen Bank branch at Nabagram village in Ullapara upazila of Sirajganj district, leaving bank employees Kona Khatun and Nurul Islam critically hurt.

A similar attack was made on the Brac office in Porsha upazila in Naogaon district that severely injured four of the office staff. The attacks are guessed to be made by Jagrata Muslim Janata Bangladesh (JMJB), as an arrested JMJB operative in a statement to a Bogra magistrate said the ultra-militant Islamist outfit has been carrying out and is determined to continue bombing NGO offices. The Daily Star, February 17.

ACC to take in all Bac staff
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has once again taken a controversial decision to temporarily take in all regular staff of the now-defunct Bureau of Anti-Corruption (Bac) violating the ACC Act and ignoring a government order. The government had earlier clearly said that the Bac staff should not be absorbed into the ACC without screening. It even ordered them not to work with the commission.

"We've decided to utilise all former Bac staff, now unemployed, by attaching them temporarily to the commission to make it an effective institution," ACC Chairman Justice Sultan Hossain Khan told newsmen after an internal meeting.The former Bac staff will start working from Saturday (tomorrow), said the chairman. The commission also formed a five-member advisory committee headed by former Comptroller and Auditor General M Hafizuddin Khan for screening of Bac staff. The Daily Star, February 18.


Corresponding with the Law Desk
Please send your mails, queries, and opinions to: Law Desk, The Daily Star 19 Karwan Bazar, Dhaka-1215; telephone 8124944,8124955,fax 8125155;email <dslawdesk@yahoo.co.uk,lawdesk@thedailystar.net

 
 
 


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