Law
week
HC scraps Hasina case
In a landmark judgment, the High Court (HC) yesterday declared illegal the government move to bring the Tk 2.99 crore extortion case against former premier Sheikh Hasina under Emergency Power Rules (EPR) and quashed it. An HC division bench comprising Justice Shah Abu Nayeem Mominur Rahman and Justice Shahidul Islam yesterday finished delivering the judgment around 12:05pm. Part of the judgment was delivered on Tuesday upon completion of hearing on a rule. Following Hasina's writ petition filed on July 29 last year, HC bench of Justice Nayeem and Justice Zubayer Rahman Chowdhury issued the rule on the caretaker government, asking it to reply why its approval for bringing the case under the EPR should not be declared illegal. The judgment said, "Since in the rule the sanction [for bringing the case under the EPR] has been challenged and we [the judges] have found that the sanction was given without lawful authority as the offence was committed by the accused prior to promulgation of the emergency, the rule is absolute." The proceedings already taken and are under process are without lawful authority and quashed, the court added. Hasina's counsels said the judgment is not only their victory but also of the rule of law. The state side, however, challenged the legality of the judgment with the Supreme Court (SC) within two hours of its delivery. --The Daily Star, 06 February, 2008.
ACC focuses on disposal of 150 cases
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) is putting more efforts into disposal of over 150 cases, proceedings of which have been stayed by higher court following writ petitions of the defendants. The ACC wants to get these cases filed by the commission disposed of, said ACC Chairman Lt Gen (retd) Hasan Mashhud Chowdhury while talking to the journalists at the ACC headquarters yesterday. Replying to a query over the fate of probe report on the Gatco corruption case submitted in November last year, he said the decision on the matter would be made very soon. Mashhud said the verdict of the cases, proceedings of which remain stayed, will decide the fate of the next cases.-- The Daily Star Feb 05, 2008.
Proposals to amend guidelines on
press accreditation
A meeting of the Press Accreditation Committee yesterday adopted some proposals to amend the guidelines on press accreditation to make the press accreditation cards of journalists more effective, says a PID handout. The meeting, held at the Press Information Department (PID), was presided over by president of the committee and Principal Information Officer Iftekhar Hossain. The meeting stressed upholding the importance and dignity of the press accreditation card. -- The Daily Star, February 5, 2008.
Lift emergency, declare polls date soon
A group of European Parliament members urged the caretaker government to lift the state of emergency and announce an election date as soon as possible. In a joint statement, they expressed concern over recent political developments in Bangladesh as well as health condition of detained former prime minister Sheikh Hasina. "As members of the European Parliament we are ready to support further cooperation with Bangladesh as a long lasting development partner, if the present government restores civic and political liberties and arranges as soon as possible free and fair democratic elections under the presence of international observers," they said. Some 21 members of European parliament issued the statement on January 22, which was released by Awami League office yesterday. They said, "Furthermore, we are faced with alarming reports on the physical condition of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, who has been in jail for several months, even though she is advised by specialists to get medical treatment aboard. We, therefore, emphasise the need for additional measures to address shortcomings in the implementation of justice." -- Unb, Dhaka, 03 February, 2008.
Right to information act at final stage: CA
Chief Adviser (CA) Fakhruddin Ahmed yesterday said his government, considering the importance of books in national life, is keen to formulate a new book policy to give a boost to the publication of books and their local and international marketing. The government, he said, is sincere in ensuring free flow of information in the country and has already taken an initiative to formulate a right to information act, now at the final stage. -- The Daily Star, 03 February, 2008.
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