Law
Week
BGMEA to inspect all RMG plants
The BGMEA (Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association) has decided to inspect all the garments factories across the country within next one month to find out whether the units are following the necessary safety standards and other compliance issues set by the national and international organisations. The decision was taken at an emergency board meeting of the association at Agarabad BGMEA Bhaban in Chittagong following the devastating fire at the KTS Composite Textile Mill of Arina group. BGMEA President Tipu Munshi chaired the meeting. Any factory lacking required safety and security arrangements or other facilities for the workers will be given 15-20 days of time to fulfil those conditions, the meeting decided. "If a factory fails to be compliant even after the time frame, we will cancel the association's membership of the company," said SM Abu Tayyab, first vice-president of BGMEA. The association decided to form a high-powered committee to carry out the inspection. - The Daily Star, February 26.
Rajuk in dark about sloppy buildings
The government's sloppy monitoring on the booming construction sector has once again come into focus with yet another building collapse in the city. There are 4,376 buildings six to 22 stories in 66 localities of the city but Rajuk has no idea how many of these structures were built following proper construction rules, Rajuk sources said. Unable to crosscheck documents due to theft of over 250 files from its archive, Rajuk sources said it would not be possible to verify the legitimacy of many structures unless a door to door survey is done. According to top officials of the Public Works Department (PWD) and Rajuk, the entire city is dotted with buildings which were either built without any approval of Rajuk or in total violation of proper construction rules. Officials said over 95 percent of all Rajuk approved structures in the city have been built deviating from original plans. PWD officials said a large section of landowners, developers, engineers and architects are involved in doing this. Rajuk, the sole authority to approve building plans and to monitor construction, is riddled with corruption where anyone can get anything done through a gang of highly influential and well-linked middlemen. - The Daily Star, February 27.
Judiciary separation bill tabled in JS
The government at last placed a much-awaited bill in the Jatiya Sangsad (JS) seeking separation of the judiciary from the executive with a provision for introducing separate executive and judicial magistracy. Another bill titled 'Public Procurement Bill, 2006', pursued for long by The World Bank as a condition for its Development Support Credit and aimed at bringing transparency and curbing corruption in public procurement, was also tabled in the House. Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Moudud Ahmed piloted the bill for separation of the judiciary styled the Code of Criminal Procedure (Amendment) Bill, 2006, terming the move a historic one. - The Daily Star, February 27.
Factory safety watch in complete disarray
Recurring accidents causing loss of a large number of lives and huge property have failed to make the government take effective steps to ensure safe working condition in factories. Three major factory accidents occurred recently -- two in Dhaka and one in Chittagong-- leaving 142 workers killed and more than 500 injured, many of them disabled for life. All these accidents took place due to lack of proper safety measures at the factories. But the government's factory inspection office under the directorate of labour is still to wake up to improve the situation. Directorate sources however said the number of factory inspectors is too small for this job. "Our manpower is too limited to cover all factories and take proper steps but we are doing our best," said Dr Md Serajuddin, chief inspector of factories. According to official statistics, only three inspectors are engaged in inspecting safety measures at as many as 15,000 factories under Dhaka divisional factory inspection office. - The Daily Star, February 28.
Sircar rejects 162 opposition notices
The speaker in parliament yesterday rejected 162 notices submitted by opposition lawmakers demanding discussions on dozens of burning issues including outage, reforms in caretaker government system and Election Commission. Speaker Jamiruddin Sircar did not entertain the notices as the treasury bench has already refused to hold discussions on any of the issues adjourning other businesses of the House. He however came up with a clarification about the opposition lawmakers' demands while disposing the notices. A minute afterwards, the treasury and opposition bench lawmakers traded blames against each other in an unscheduled debate. Sircar defending rejection of the notices on crises of diesel, power and fertiliser, price hike of essentials, corruption, and law and order slide said he hopes the government will take steps to deal with these. - The Daily Star, February 28.
No compensation from owners yet
Relatives of those killed in building collapse at Tejgaon are yet to get any compensation from owners of the multi-storey building despite the latter's offer of it, they alleged. The Phoenix building owners announced through advertisement that they would pay compensation to the families of the dead and bear all expenses for treatment of the injured and also pay compensation. Ten of the injured under treatment at Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) said they received some money for treatment. One of them said he received Tk 8,000 and the others received Tk 2,000 each. The injured and their relatives alleged the money given by the building owners is insufficient for treatment. - The Daily Star, February 28.
22 JMB cadres to walk gallows
A court in Jhenidah sentenced 21 members of JMB to death for taking part in the August 17 serial bomb blasts last year while a Sylhet court sentenced another member of the banned outfit to death for carrying out a bomb attack on a judge the same year. Judge Anisur Rahman Khan of Jhenidah District and Sessions Judge's Court sentenced the 21 men to death by hanging after they were found guilty of carrying out bomb blasts in Jhenidah. Three of the convicts were tried in absentia. All 21, aged between 20 and 25, are members of the militant group Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) and were sentenced under the Explosive Substances Act. The convicts carried out bomb attacks at six places including the judge court premises in the district town. Russell, an eight-year old child, was injured in one of the attacks. JMB leaflets were found at the blast sites calling for imposition of strict Islamic laws in the country, says an AFP report. - The Daily Star, March 1.
Judiciary Separation Hearing on contempt rule
Hearing on the contempt rule against nine bureaucrats on charges of distorting the judgement of judiciary separation case will be held in the Supreme Court (SC). The five-member full bench of the Appellate Division, headed by Chief Justice Syed JR Mudassir Husain, will also hear a contempt petition against another nine bureaucrats and the government proceedings regarding implementation of the Supreme Court's 12-point directives in judiciary separation case. Other members of the bench are Justice Mohammad Ruhul Amin, Justice MM Ruhul Amin, Justice Tafazzal Islam and Justice Amirul Kabir Chowdhury. On February 22, the Appellate Division fixed March 1 for hearing the contempt rule. On the same day, Barrister M Amir-Ul Islam, counsel for the Judiciary separation case, filed the contempt petition against the nine for 'violating at different times' the 12-point directives of the Supreme Court in the judgement of the Masdar Hossain versus Bangladesh case, popularly known as judiciary separation case. - The Daily Star, March 1.
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
