The High Court on Wednesday granted anticipatory bail to 178 leaders and activists of BNP in connection with the cases over the arson attacks on buses including two government staff buses and a BRTC double-decker bus in different parts of the city.

Also read: Cases filed over torching of 9 buses in city

The HC bench of Justice Md. Habibul Gani passed the order after hearing 36 petitions.

Also read: BNP engaged in arson to make by-polls questionable: PM

Jubo Dal vice-chairman Abdul Baten Shamim Rabiul Alam was among the accused.

The bail will remain in force till February 7 and during this period they have to surrender before the judicial court, said Barrister Kaisar Kamal, a counsel of the accused.

Also read: Arson attacks on buses: 3 held in city

A number of buses were torched in separate places of the capital including Uttara, Kalabagan, Shahbagh, Motijheel and Paltan areas of the city on November 12 cantering the by election of Dhaka-18 constituency.

Also read: 'BNP denied recent arson attacks only to protect criminals within'

Separate cases were filed against the leaders and activists of BNP in connection with the incident.

Also read: 'BNP playing old game of arson attack even amid Covid-19'

A man convicted of raping his own daughter has been sentenced to life in prison.

Md. Nejam Uddin, 40, a carpenter of Vujpur, Chattogram stood accused of raping his 12-year-old daughter. Chattogram Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal-7 judge Munshi Abdul Majid found him guilty in a judgment announced today.

The public prosecutor of the tribunal Kh. Ariful Alam confirmed the matter and said Nejam is facing his sentence under two separate sections. 

Also read: Rape attempt on Sunamganj college student: Bus driver held

He said the tribunal additionally fined the convict Tk 20,000 and also sentenced him to life imprisonment under section 9(1). Under another section 9(4)(B) he is liable to pay Tk 5,000 and sentenced to five years in prison. If he fails to pay, he would face rigorous imprisonment for another three years and three months.

Eleven witnesses testified in the case proceedings, he added. 

Also read: Cumilla witnesses alarming number of rapes in 2020

According to the court statement, Nejam sexually violated his daughter several times. After the abuse came to light, locals first resorted to local Chairman Rustom Ali. Later they handed him over to Police. 

Nejam's wife filed a case against her husband with Vujpur Police Station. 

Also read: Magura witnesses 73 rape incidents in 2020

On 30 October 2019, the Police submitted a charge sheet against the accused. The court later lodged charges against the convict and ordered starting the trial on March 5, 2020.

A Meherpur court on Tuesday sentenced a couple to hang for throttling the man's second wife to death in 2010.

Also read: 3 to die for murder in Khulna

Meherpur additional district and sessions judge Ripti Kumar Biswash handed down the death sentence to Saidul Islam and his first wife Jamela Khatun of Ichakhali village in Sadar upazila, after convicting the duo of the murder.

The court also imposed a fine of Tk 10,000 each on the two convicts.

Also read: 3 to die for killing housewife in Khulna

According to the prosecution, Jarina, the second wife of Saiful, went missing on January 31, 2010. A week later, police discovered the body of Jarina from a farm land at Jadabpur village in Sadar upazila.

Also read: Man to die for killing wife in Natore

On a complaint filed by Ferdousi Khatun, the sister of the deceased, against five suspects, Saidul and his first wife Jamela were arrested and the duo subsequently confessed to the crime before a magistrate under Section 164 of CrPC.

Also read: Woman, 4 others to die for killing husband in Khagrachhari

Later, police submitted a chargesheet against the couple.

Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution (BSTI) on Monday filed cases against two refuelling stations in the city for fraudulence in fuel measurement.

The mobile court, arranged by the BSTI, also fined the two filling stations Tk 75, 000, said a press release.

The two refuelling stations are M/S Gulshan Service Station located at Mohakhali and M/S Trust Filling Station at Tejgaon.

Also read: Petrol pump owner fined for short-selling customers in city

Gulshan Service Station was providing 90ml less per 10 litres of octane and Trust Filling Station was providing 50-60ml less in 10 litres of octane and 50ml less in 10-litre diesel.

Also read: Man hurt in Mohakhali filling station fire

Besides, the mobile court, led by Executive Magistrate of BSTI Muhammad Amimul Ehsan, ordered the two filling stations to keep the fuel sale suspended through their flawed dispensing units.

Also read: LPG refuelling station for motor vehicles launched in Motijheel

The High Court on Thursday ordered the Inspector General of Police (IGP) and Commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) to provide Tk 20 lakh as compensation to Arman, who has been in jail for four years instead of real convict Shahabuddin Bihari, within 30 days.

The bench of Justice Md Mozibur Rahman Miah and Justice Mohi Uddin Shamim passed the order after declaring the imprisonment of Arman illegal and unconstitutional.

The HC also ordered to free Arman immediately and asked the Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) to submit a report within three months after investigation.

Also read: HC verdict on Jaha Alam’s compensation on Sept 29

Besides, the HC asked the authorities concerned to attach the former officer-in-charge of Pallabi Police Station Dadon Fakir, investigation officer Sirajul Islam Khan, Sub-Inspector Russel and Nazrul Islam to the Police Lines.

Barrister Humayun Kabir Pallab stood for the petitioner while Deputy Attorney General Nouroz M Russel Chowdhury represented the state.

Also read: BRAC seeks stay on Jaha Alam’s compensation order

On April 18, 2019, a local paper ran a report titled ‘another Jaha Alam in prison’. Human rights organisation ‘Law’ and Life Foundation’ moved the court and attached the newspaper report with its petition.

On April 23, 2019, the High Court issued a rule seeking documents of the case. It also issued a rule asking the government to explain why the imprisonment of Arman should not be declared illegal.

Also read: HC to hear compensation rule on Titumir student Rajib next week

The HC also issued another rule asking why the authorities concerned should not be directed to release Arman and should not be produced before the court and provided necessary compensation.

According to the report, Mohammad Arman, a worker of Pallabi Benarasi Polli, has been languishing in jail since January 17, 2016, in a drug case.

Also read: Paying Tk40 lakh damages to Russel: Appellate Division stays HC order

Shahabuddin Bihari is the real accused in the case and a court convicted him to 10 years imprisonment in the case. He is absconding.

The family members of Arman said police arrested Arman because of similarity between the names of Bihari and Arman’s fathers.

Also read: Finally, innocent Jaha Alam walks out of jail