Law week
Appointment of 61 administrators challenged
A writ petition was filed with the High Court on December 18 challenging the appointment of district council administrators in 61 districts. Supreme Court lawyer Redwan Ahmed Runjib and Jabed Islam, a lecturer of London School of Legal Studies, filed the petition as public interest litigation. The petitioners said local government institution of the country cannot be run by any unelected representative as per article 59 of the constitution. As per the provision of the article, the local government institution will be run by the elected representatives, they said.- The Daily Star online edition December 18 2011.
War crimes charges pressed against Quader Molla
The prosecution on December 18 submitted formal war crimes charges against Jamaat-e-Islami leader Abdul Quader Molla to the International Crimes Tribunal. The three-member tribunal fixed December 28 for taking the charges into cognisance against Jamaat leaders Motiur Rahman Nizami, Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojaheed, Muhammad Kamaruzzaman and Quader Molla. On December 12, the tribunal fixed December 18 for taking the charges into cognisance against Nizami, Mojaheed and Kamaruzzaman.-The Daily Star online edition December 18 2011.
HC verdict ignored
Illegal housing projects are being displayed and sold in the ongoing Rehab fair in the capital flouting the High Court verdict that ordered the government to stop sale and advertisement of unapproved projects. Abdul Mannan Khan, state minister for housing and public works, accompanied by housing and public works Secretary Khondaker Showkat Hossain inaugurated the fair. The HC in a judgement on December 7 banned publishing advertisement of any unauthorised housing project in print and electronic media and ordered the government to take stern actions against publicity, earth filling and any activity of such projects. The judgement, along with some earlier HC directions, is binding on Rehab, the housing ministry, Rajuk, land ministry and the Department of Environment. Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association (Bela), Ain O Salish Kendra, Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon, Institute of Architects Bangladesh, and Paribesh Banchao Andolan filed a writ petition last year against unauthorised housing projects.-The Daily Star December 16 2011.
Nizami's petition rejected
The High Court on December 15 rejected a petition filed by Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Motiur Rahman Nizami for scrapping the proceedings of a case against him filed under the arms act in connection with the 10-truck arms haul in Chittagong. The court rejected his petition considering that it was not placed before the HC. The HC bench of Justice Syed Muhammad Dastagir Husain and Justice Gobinda Chandra Tagore passed the order after hearing arguments from the counsel of Nizami and the deputy attorney general. The same bench also dropped from its hearing list another petition submitted by Nizami for scrapping the proceedings of yet another case against him filed on charge of smuggling firearms following the 10-truck arms incident. On April 2, 2004, police seized 10 trucks of weapons and ammunition from the Chittagong Urea Fertiliser Ltd jetty. Two cases were filed the next day with Karnaphuli Police Station -- one for smuggling firearms and the other under the arms act.- The Daily Star December 16 2011.
Court to order in Pilkhana carnage case
Metropolitan Sessions Judge's court, trying the 850 accused of the Pilkhana carnage case, on December 15 said it would pass an order on the jail authorities to remove the fetters on the accused inside the jail. The court said this following a petition filed by the defence counsels saying that the accused could not perform their religious rituals and ablution properly as they are in fetters all the time. -The Daily Star December 16 2011.
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