The High Court on Tuesday turned down a writ petition filed seeking investigation into allegations of graft against some 51 people including judges and staff of lower courts across the country. The HC bench of Justice Farah Mahbub and Justice Debasish Roy Chowdhury passed the order after hearing the petition. Advocate Md Amimul Ehsan Zobair, a Supreme Court lawyer, stood for the petition while Additional Attorney General Arshadur Rauf represented the state. Writ seeks investigations into graft allegations against 51 judicial staff, inc judges The court said they did not find any such ACC report based on which media published report about involvement of judges and staff of the lower courts in graft and it is not acceptable without cent percent assurance. Advocate Md Amimul Ehsan Zobair filed the writ petition on Monday. The Secretary of the Law Ministry, Registrar General of the Supreme Court, and the Chairman of Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) were made respondents to the writ petition. A report was published in a national daily headlined 'Unbelievable wealth of 51 judges and staff’ and the writ was filed attaching the newspaper report.

The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court on Tuesday stayed a High Court order that had sentenced BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman to seven years jail in a money laundering case. The full bench of the Appellate Division led by Chief Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed passed the order after hearing a petition. Barrister Kaisar Kamal and Barrister Sheikh Mohammad Zakir Hossain stood for the petitioner while Advocate Asif Hasan represented the Anti-Corruption Commission. HC order declaring ‘Joy Bangla’ as national slogan suspended Barrister Kaisar Kamal said the Appellate Division approve to move for a leave-to-appeal against the HC order and asked to submit the brief text of the verdict to the ACC within December 31. The court also stayed the lower court order that had sentenced businessperson Gias Uddin Mamun in the same case. ACC filed the case with Cantonment Police Station on October 26, 2009 and police submitted chargesheet against Tarique and Mamun on July 6, 2010. Court pressed charges against them on August 8, 2011. According to the case statement, Mamun siphoned off Tk 20,41,25,843 from Khadiza Islam, chairman of a construction company limited in the name of installing 80 MW power plant in Tongi. Mamun deposited the money to his bank account in Singapore and Tarique spent Tk 3.78 crore from the money. Palak placed on three-day remand again On November 17, 2013, a lower court convicted Tarique and sentenced him to seven years of  jail in the case. The court also fined Mamun Tk 40 crore and asked the government to confiscate the money which was laundered to Singapore. On December 5, 2013, the ACC filed an appeal on July 21, 2016. The High Court sentenced Tarique to seven years imprisonment and fined him Tk 20 crore in the case. It also upheld the lower order sentencing seven-year jail to Mamun.

The Appellate Division has stayed the High Court order declaring “Joy Bangla” as the national slogan of Bangladesh. A four-bench bench of the Appellate Division, led by Chief Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed, passed the order on Tuesday following a petition in this regrd. Besides, the Appellate Division granted permission for the state to appeal against the High Court order, said Additional Attorney General Anik R Hossain, who represented the petitioners. Writ seeks investigations into graft allegations against 51 judicial staff, inc judges ON March 2, 2022, the then government issued a notification declaring 'Joy Bangla' as the national slogan of Bangladesh. The decision came after the High Court on March 10, 2020, declared ‘Joy Bangla’ to be the national slogan of the country. The High Court bench, led by Justices FRM Nazmul Ahasan and KM Kamrul Kader, passed the order after disposing of a rule issued on the matter. HC verdict on 15th Amendment set for Dec 17 On December 4, 2017, the High Court had issued a rule after hearing a petition. The rule questioned why ‘Joy Bangla’ should not be declared the national slogan.

The High Court has acquitted Aman Ullah Aman, an adviser to the BNP  Chairperson), from a seven-year jail term handed down by a lower court in a case of alleged extortion. A High Court bench comprising Justice AKM Asaduzzaman and Justice Syed Enayetur Rahim delivered the verdict on Thursday. Senior advocates Barrister Mahbub Uddin Khokon and Nazmul Huda argued on behalf of Aman, with legal assistance from Tariq Bhuiyan. Tarique’s homecoming ‘looms large’ following steady acquittal in multiple cases The case dates back to 6 March 2007, when a complaint was filed at the South Keraniganj Police Station by Rafiqul Alam, a resident of Purba Aganagar, accusing Aman of extortion. The allegations are related to an incident on June 26, 2004, where Aman was accused of collecting Tk 5 lakh in two installments in 2005. Aman was shown arrested in the case on March 7, 2007, and the trial court sentenced him on May 8, 2008 to seven years of rigorous imprisonment along with a Tk 1 lakh fine. After the conviction, Aman appealed to the High Court in 2008, challenging the verdict. After a prolonged legal battle, the High Court's decision now clears him of the charges.

The High Court has set December 17 for the verdict on a rule issued regarding the validity of the 15th Amendment of the Constitution, which abolished the caretaker government system. A High Court bench comprising Justice Farah Mahbub and Justice Debashish Roy Chowdhury announced the date for the ruling. Attorney General Mohammad Asaduzzaman and Deputy Attorney General Mohammad Asad Uddin represented the state during the proceedings. HC orders Harris Chowdhury’s burial with state honour Senior lawyer Dr. Sharif Bhuiyan presented arguments on behalf of the petitioner, Badiul Alam Majumdar, representative of Shushashoner Jonno Nagorik. The BNP was represented by senior lawyers, including Zainul Abedin, Barrister Badaruddin Badal, Barrister Ruhul Quddus Kajal, and Advocate Farzana Sharmin Putul. Advocate Mohammad Shishir Monir and Barrister Ehsan Siddique argued on behalf of Jamaat-e-Islami. Earlier, the rule was issued to address the legality of the 15th Amendment and the abolition of the caretaker government system. BNP's Secretary-General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and Jamaat-e-Islami's Secretary-General Mia Golam Parwar had joined the proceedings as parties in favor.

The High Court has ordered the burial of BNP leader Abul Harris Chowdhury with state honour as a freedom fighter, following a DNA test that confirmed his identity. Justice Fahmida Kader and Justice Mobina Asaf’s HC bench issued the order on Wednesday after receiving a report related to a writ petition filed by Chowdhury’s daughter Barrister Samira Tanzin. The DNA test, conducted after exhuming his body, confirmed that the person buried under the name “Mahmudur Rahman” in the Jamia Khatamun Nabiyyin Madrasa cemetery in Savar, Dhaka, was indeed Harris Chowdhury. Harris Chowdhury: A mystery resolved through DNA confirmation Authorities are currently holding his body at the Dhaka Medical College morgue, and they will transfer it to his family graveyard in Kanaighat of Sylhet, for burial. Samira expressed her relief, highlighting the long-standing questions and doubts surrounding her father’s death. “As a child, it is deeply tragic and painful to have doubts about my father’s death. People still ask if he really died. We are being harassed. That is why we turned to the court to end this,” she said. The court issued a rule to ensure authorities would issue a death certificate in his name, withdraw the Interpol red notice against him, and arrange for his burial with the proper recognition as a ‘heroic’ freedom fighter. This case dates back to 2021 when reports revealed that Harris Chowdhury had been buried under the name ‘Mahmudur Rahman’ on September 4 of that year.

Three years ago, a man known only as ‘Mahmudur Rahman’ was quietly laid to rest in a madrasa graveyard in Savar, his identity shrouded in mystery. Today, DNA testing has brought this chapter of uncertainty to a close, unearthing a poignant tale of mistaken identity, unanswered questions, and a family's enduring quest for closure. The man has been conclusively identified as Harris Chowdhury, the former political secretary to ex-Prime Minister Khaleda Zia and a prominent BNP leader. This revelation ends years of speculation about his fate and sheds light on a story that had remained buried—both figuratively and literally. DNA Confirmation and Exhumation Following a High Court order, Harris Chowdhury’s body was exhumed from the madrasa graveyard by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID). DNA samples collected from the remains were matched with those of his daughter, Barrister Samira Tanzin Chowdhury, yielding a positive match. The High Court, led by Justice Fahmida Khatun and Justice Mubina Asaf, granted permission for Harris Chowdhury’s burial at a location chosen by his family. The court further instructed that he be accorded due honours as a freedom fighter. Barrister Mahdin Chowdhury, who represented the petitioner, said that the court's decision brought long-awaited justice for the family. Read: Body exhumed in Savar to verify Harris Chowdhury’s identity Barrister Samira expressed relief, saying, “The outgoing fascist regime scripted a drama to cast doubt on my father’s death, perpetuating confusion through media reports. This uncertainty was agonising for us as a family. We turned to the court for closure, and today, justice has been served.” A Life Shrouded in Mystery Harris Chowdhury disappeared in 2007 during the military-backed caretaker government’s anti-corruption drive. He reportedly went into hiding in Sylhet, later fleeing to India and eventually settling in the United Kingdom after stints in Pakistan and Iran. In 2015, rumours suggested he had returned to Bangladesh, but no concrete evidence emerged. Even his family and close political associates were unaware of his whereabouts. Living under the alias Mahmudur Rahman, Chowdhury resided in Dhaka until his death from Covid-19 on September 3, 2021, at Evercare Hospital. Under pressure from law enforcement agencies, his death was concealed, and he was buried in Savar without a death certificate under his real name. Barrister Samira said the government of the time denied her father the honours he deserved as a freedom fighter. Read more: HC orders to exhume body of Harris Chowdhury for DNA test “Today’s court order ends the harassment and confusion surrounding my father’s death. We are grateful to the court for allowing us to re-bury him with dignity,” she remarked. As his body is finally laid to rest, the veil over his life—and death—has been lifted, ending a tale of mystery, intrigue, and resilience.

Expressing relief over the High Court's acquittal of Tarique Rahman in the August 21 grenade attack cases, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir stated on Sunday  said this verdict has manifested all the cases filed against their party Acting Chairman were politically motivated and conspiratorial. “Tarique Rahman was acquitted by the High Court after legally facing the charges brought against him,” he said in a statement. Fakhrul, now in London, issued the statement following the High Court's verdict in the two cases filed over the August 21 grenade attack. The judgement has shown that the Awami ‘fascist’ government accused Tarique Rahman in these cases with political motives, he said. “Through this historic verdict, it has been demonstrated once again that all the cases filed against Tarique Rahman were political conspiracies,” Fakhrul said. He expressed his gratitude to Allah for the verdict and called upon party leaders and activists across the country to pray for Tarique's well-being. Commission to recommend dropping of word 'Cadre' from civil service Earlier, at a press conference at the BNP's Nayapaltan central office, party Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi expressed his satisfaction, saying that justice has been served as the High Court acquitted Tarique Rahman and the others convicted in the two cases. Rizvi said when retired police officer Abdul Kahar Akhand was reappointed and made the investigation officer (IO) of the cases during the Awami League rule, it became clear to them that the government had malicious intentions. The BNP leader also alleged that the Awami League government had used state power to forcibly convict Tarique Rahman and other BNP leaders in the cases. “We have got the proper judgement from the apex court. Some of the justice for which we have been engaged in a long political struggle has been reflected in the verdict,” he said. Earlier in the day, the High Court (HC) had overturned the verdict of a lower court in two cases filed over the August 21 grenade attack, acquitting all convicts, including BNP's Acting Chairperson Tarique Rahman and former state minister for home affairs Lutfozzaman Babar. Appeal depends on review: AG about grenade attack case verdict   An HC bench comprising Justice AKM Asaduzzaman and Justice Syed Enayet Hossain delivered the judgement on Sunday. The court also declared the charge sheet in the case illegal. The grenade attack, a shocking incident, occurred on Dhaka's Bangabandhu Avenue on August 21, 2004.  

The High Court (HC) has overturned the verdict of a lower court in two cases filed over the August 21 grenade attack, acquitting all convicts, including BNP's Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman and former state minister for home affairs Lutfozzaman Babar. An HC bench comprising Justice AKM Asaduzzaman and Justice Syed Enayet Hossain delivered the judgement on Sunday. The court also declared the charge sheet in the case illegal. Earlier, the court concluded hearings on the death reference and appeals of the accused on November 21, keeping the cases awaiting judgment (CAV). Subsequently, the two cases were listed for verdict today (Sunday). The grenade attack, a shocking incident, occurred on Dhaka's Bangabandhu Avenue on August 21, 2004. On October 10, 2018, a Dhaka Speedy Trial Tribunal issued a verdict in one of the cases (pertaining to murder and explosives). The tribunal sentenced 19 accused, including former state minister for home affairs Lutfozzaman Babar and former deputy education minister Abdus Salam Pintu, to death. Read: Silence marks 20th anniversary of Aug 21 grenade attack Besides, 19 others, including BNP’s acting chairman Tarique Rahman, were handed life imprisonment sentences, while 11 accused received various terms of imprisonment and fines. The judgment was subsequently transferred to the HC in 2018, registered as a death reference case.  

Lawyers allegedly threw an egg at Justice Md Ashraful Kamal at the High Court on Wednesday. The incident occurred during a session at the bench led by Justice Ashraful Kamal and Justice Kazi Waliul Islam. Eggs to be supplied to dealers in 11 more markets in capital Eyewitnesses reported that a group of lawyers entered the courtroom during ongoing proceedings and confronted Justice Kamal. They accused him of making derogatory remarks about former President and BNP founder Ziaur Rahman in his observations related to the 16th Amendment case verdict in 2016. The lawyers said, “As a judge, you have no right to conduct proceedings if you still hold such biased views.” During the confrontation, one of the lawyers threw an egg at Justice Kamal. However, the egg hit the desk in front of the judge’s seat. Following the incident, Justice Kamal and Justice Kazi Waliul Islam left the courtroom and went to their chambers.