Law-&-Order
Abontika’s death: Probe committee members visit her Cumilla residence, talk to mother
The five-member committee formed by Jagannath University (JnU) authority to investigate the death of their student Fairuz Abontika visited her village home in Cumilla and talked to her mother Tahmina Shabnam on Friday.
The probe committee headed by its Convenor Prof Md Jakir Hossain came to Abontika’s house in Shasangachha area of Cumilla city on Friday morning and talked to her mother for around two and half hours.
The committee included member secretary and JnU deputy registrar Ranjan Kumar, members Prof Dr Abul Hossain, Prof Mohammad Masud Billah and Dr Johar Ahmed.
Later, the committee also went to Cumilla’s Kotwali Model police station and talked to the investigation officer of the case filed by Abontika's mother on charge of torturing her to death.
The committee also talked to reporters about the progress of the investigation into the suicide of Abontika on March 15 in her Cumilla residence.
Convenor Prof Jakir said, “We are carrying out investigation. We learned a lot from Abontika’s mother after coming to the house of Abontika. We again will go to police, and take statements from police. Besides, we'll take statements from several sources.”
Abontika’s mother said, “I told everything to the probe committee that came from Dhaka. They heard my words and wrote down those.”
Abontika, a student of the 2017-18 academic year of the JnU Law Department, hanged herself to death at her Cumilla residence after accusing her classmate Amman and relieved assistant proctor Din Islam in a Facebook post around 10 pm on Friday.
In the Facebook post before committing suicide, Abantika said that Amman Siddique and Din Islam would be responsible for her suicide.
Hours after death of Abontika by suicide, massive protest broke out and continued till Saturday morning, demanding justice for the student.
In the face of student movement, the university authorities were compelled to relieve the assistant proctor and suspend the student to assuage the movement.
Besides, the university administration formed a four-member probe committee.
On March 17, members of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) arrested the teacher and student from Dhaka on Saturday night.
On March 18, a Cumilla court placed Jagannath University’s suspended student Raihan Siddique Amman and teacher Deen Islam on a two and one- day remand respectively in a case filed over the death of JnU student Fairuz Abontika.
After expiring the remand period, the Cumilla court sent them to jail and since then they have been in jail.
Swechasebak League leader murdered over supremacy in Jashore Sadar
A local leader of the ruling Awami League’s voluntary organisation Swechasebak League was allegedly hacked to death by his rivals over establishing supremacy and political conflict in Sadar upazila of Jashore on Thursday night.
The deceased Jillur Rahman Shimul was general secretary of Churamonkati union unit of the Swechasebak League and son of former union parishad member Mokleshur Rahman.
He was also serving as guardian member of Aambouttala High School Managing Committee.
Locals said Shimul had an altercation with his rivals Bulbul, Billal, Nayeem, Sohrab and others for not having a headlight of his motorbike at night two days back. Later the opponents threatened him to take revenge.
Some miscreants obstructed his way when he was walking alone in Govila village around 8:15 pm and stabbed him with sharp weapons, leaving him critically injured.
Hearing screams, locals rushed to the spot and took him to 250-bed General Hospital where physicians declared him dead, they said.
Dr Saifur Rahman, medical officer of the hospital, said excessive bleeding might be the cause of the death.
Echoing locals, the victim’s wife Nasima Khatun also held Bulbul, Nayeem and others responsible for the killing.
Kotwali police station Officer-in-Charge Abudur Razzak said, “It is now impossible to say anything why the killing occurred.”
Several teams of police were engaged in identifying the accused involved with the murder, he said.
Draft of law on AI and its use to be formulated by September, says Law Minister
A new law regarding Artificial Intelligence (AI) will be drafted by next September, Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Anisul Huq said on Thursday.
“We think that Bangladesh should formulate a law regarding the way artificial intelligence or AI is changing the world. This matter should be thought of here in Bangladesh as it is being thought of all over the world,” he said.
The minister was talking to journalists after a meeting on AI law at the Secretariat on Thursday. State Minister for Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology Junaid Ahmed Palak was also present at the meeting.
Read: Cabinet okays draft law for making Speedy Trial Act as permanent one
“Experience and knowledge are needed to make laws. That’s why we sat today to think about that.”
“Today, we have decided to draft this law and it will be prepared by next September. We discussed the outline of what will be in that draft. We will work according to that outline,” he added.
He said: "We have discussed the things that should be included in this law, the things that should be protected from the point of view of humanity. That discussion has started and it will continue.”
Regarding the outline, the law minister said: "We don't want to disclose that at the moment as it is changeable. We are taking this time to observe the matter and gain experience from others.”
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Asked about the outcome of this law, Huq said: This is also a question for us as we are yet to know how much control we have. But it will be for human rights protection and the benefit of people."
State Minister Palak said, "A very timely decision has been taken by the Law Minister."
Last February, he gave me guidance on what we think about artificial intelligence and how ready we are to legislate. After that, we discussed with the information technology advisor and those who have studied artificial intelligence.
Later, "We came to the conclusion that if we want to make a smart Bangladesh, smart governance, and smart economy by 2041, we cannot bypass artificial intelligence," he added.
Read more: Cabinet clears draft law to extend tenure of BSMMU VC, pro-VC
HC orders probe into rent of Metro rail canteen
The High Court (HC) on Thursday directed the authorities concerned to investigate the matter over fixing Tk 1000 as monthly rent for a 7,580-square feet staff canteen at Uttara Depot of Mass Rapid Transit Line-6.
The High Court bench of justices Mustafa Zaman Islam and Md Atabullah passed the order after hearing the petition on Thursday.
HC issues rule on arrest of hotel, restaurant workers during raids
The HC asked the roads and transport secretary to investigate the matter and submit a report within a month.
The court also issued a rule seeking an explanation as to why a circular announcing that the canteen is being rented out for Tk 1,000 per a month should not be declared illegal.
Barrister Tanvir Ahmed stood for the petitioner while Assistant Attorney General Salim Azad represented the state.
On March 14, a DMTCL circular signed by General Manager (Stores and Procurement) Nazrul Islam was issued, renting out the canteen for Tk 1,000 per month and Tk 12,000 per year excluding income tax and VAT.
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The circular mentioned that the tender of Khandaker Enterprise has been deemed acceptable by the DMTCL.
Later, Supreme Court lawyer Barrister Tanvir Ahmed filed the writ challenging the decision of the DMTCL.
Abontika’s death: Suspended JnU student Amman lands in jail after remand
A Cumilla court on Wednesday sent Jagannath University’s suspended student Raihan Siddique Amman to jail after completion of his two- day remand in a case over the death of Law Department student Fairuz Abontika by suicide.
Judge of Cumilla Chief Judicial Magistrate Court Abu Bakar Siddique passed the order when he was produced before the court after remand.
The court also denied bail to Din Islam, a teacher of the university who was relived from proctor post for suspected connection with the death.
Accused JnU teacher, student arrested over Abantika's suicide
A Cumilla court on Monday placed Amman and teacher Din Islam on a two and one-day remand respectively in the case.
On Tuesday, the court sent Din Islam to jail on completion of his one-day remand.
The court also ordered the investigation officer of the case filed to submit a report within seven days.
Dhaka court sentences 9 including Hallmark MD Tanvir, wife to life imprisonment
Abontika, a student of the 2017-18 academic year of the JnU Law Department, hanged herself at her Cumilla residence after accusing her classmate Amman and relieved assistant proctor Din Islam in a Facebook post around 10 pm on Friday.
In the Facebook post before committing suicide, Abantika said that Amman Siddique and Din Islam would be responsible for her suicide.
Hours after death of Abontika by suicide, massive protest broke out and continued till Saturday morning, demanding justice for the student.
In the face of student movement, the university authorities were compelled to relieve the assistant proctor and suspend the student to assuage the movement.
Besides, the university administration formed a four-member probe committee.
Members of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) arrested the teacher and student from Dhaka on Saturday night.
HC orders MP Salam Murshedy to hand over Gulshan house to govt
The High Court on Tuesday (March 19, 2024) ordered Khulna-4 MP and vice president of Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) Abdus Salam Murshedy to hand over his residence in Gulshan to the Housing and Public Works Ministry.
The HC bench of Justice Md Nazrul Islam Talukder and Justice Kazi Ebadoth Hossain passed the order and asked Murshedy to complete the process within three months after receiving the copy of the verdict.
The court also said that the residence in Gulshan where Salam Murshedy is living is an abandoned property of the government.
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Senior Advocate Mohammad Syed Ahmed stood for Murshedy, Senior Advocate Khurshid Alam Khan for Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) while deputy attorney general Saifuddin Khaled represented the state and Advocate Anik R Haque stood for the petitioner.
Advocate Syed said they will file an appeal petition challenging the verdict.
On October 30, 2022, Barrister Sayedul Haque Sumon filed a writ petition with the High Court seeking an inquiry into the allegations of corruption against the BFF official.
According to the writ petition, the house located in Gulshan-2 was listed as the abandoned house under the gazette in 1986. But Murshedy is living there after occupying it.
Three letters of the Housing and Public Works Ministry to the chairman of Rajuk issued on April 13, 2015, January 20, 2016 and July 4, 2022 were attached to the writ petition.
The Housing and Public Works Ministry sought explanation from Rajuk Chairman over the occupation of the house by Murshedy .
On November 1, 2022, the HC issued a rule asking the government to explain as to why the inaction of the authorities concerned in taking legal steps against the AL lawmaker for occupying the house illegally, should not be declared beyond legal authority.
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It also asked the authorities concerned to submit all documents regarding the house to the court.
On February 8 this year, the ACC in its investigation found the allegations of forgery and fraud over the house true and on the basis of information of witnesses and documents, the ACC filed a case against five people including Murshedy.
Dhaka court sentences 9 including Hallmark MD Tanvir, wife to life imprisonment
A Dhaka court on Tuesday sentenced nine people including Hallmark Group Managing Director (MD) Md Tanvir Mahmud and its Chairman and Tanvir’s wife Jesmin Islam to life imprisonment in a case filed over the misappropriation of over Tk 525.62 crore from the state-owned Sonali Bank.
Judge Md Abul Kashem of Dhaka Special Judge Court-1 also sentenced eight more accused including a senior officer of Sonali Bank to 10 years’ jail in the same case.
Others receiving life sentence include Hallmark Group General Manager Tushar Ahmed, T and Brothers Director Taslim Hasan, Max Spinning Mills owner Mir Zakaria, Paragon Group Managing Director Saiful Islam Raja, Nakshi Knit Managing Director Md. Abdul Malek, Abul Matin and Taslim Hasan.
Storekeeper jailed for 3 years for amassing illegal wealth
Those sentenced to 10 years in prison are: Savar’s Tetuljhora Union Parishad Chairman Md Jamal Uddin Sarkar; the then Sonali Bank’s Dhanmondi Branch Senior Executive Officer Meherunnesa Merry; former GMs of the bank’s head office Noni Gopal Nath, Mir Mahidul Rahman, MD Humayun Kabir; Deputy GM Moinul Haque; DGM Safiz Uddin; and AGM Md Kamrul Hossain Khan.
Though the court set February 28 for delivering the judgment of the case, Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) submitted an appeal to the court to produce two more witnesses.
Accepting the appeal, the court later took testimony from the witnesses and set March 19 for final delivery of the judgment.
ACC filed the case accusing Hallmark MD Tanvir and others bringing the allegations of embezzlement of Tk 525 crore, 62 lakh and 92,800 with Ramna Police Station on October 4, 2012.
After investigating, ACC submitted chargesheet accusing 26 people on October 7, 2013.
Former ‘member of outlawed party’ shot dead in Pabna
A Dhaka court framed charges against the accused on February 17 and 27 in 2016.
A total of 11 cases were lodged in the Hallmark scam while the judgment of one of the cases was delivered on Tuesday.
Lakshmipur Jubo League leader’s eye gouged, no arrest so far
Miscreants gouged a local Jubo League leader’s eye in Sadar upazila of Lakshmipur last night.
The victim, identified as Kamal Hossain, is president of Awami League’s youth wing Jubo League’s ward 3 unit under Bashikpur union and a fruit seller at the local Poddar Bazar.
Police and locals said Kamal came under attack on his way to Poddar Bazar from his house around 8:30 pm.
The miscreants obstructed his way, attacked him with rods and gouged his right eye when he reached Nandigram, leaving him critically injured, they said.
Hearing his screams, locals rushed to him and took him initially to Sadar Hospital. He was later shifted to Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) due to his critical condition.
Dr Anowar Hossain, resident medical officer of Sadar Hospital, said there were marks of injuries on several parts of his body including head, face, nose and eyes.
Due to his critical condition, he was referred to DMCH, he said.
Chandraganj police station Officer-in-Charge Md Enamul Hoque said there had long been a dispute between the victim and a fertilizer trader of the Poddar Bazar. This dispute might have led to the attack.
Drives are on to arrest the accused involved with the incident, the police officer said.
Storekeeper jailed for 3 years for amassing illegal wealth
A Rangpur court on Monday sentenced a storekeeper of Rangpur Family Planning Office to three years imprisonment in a case filed for acquiring illegal wealth worth more than Tk1 crore.
Md Haider Ali, judge of Rangpur Special Judge Court, handed down the judgment this afternoon.
The convict is Hamidur Rahman, son of Najibor Rahman Mandal of Keshabpur village of Sadar Upazila of Naogaon district.
4 suspected robbers lynched in Narayanganj
The court also fined him Tk 7,40,745 and ordered to deposit the money to the government treasury within the next 60 working days.
Jalal Uddin, deputy assistant director of the Anti-Corruption Commission (Rangpur office) filed the case on July 27, 2011, against Hamidur Rahman for his alleged involvement in acquiring illegal wealth.
Former ‘member of outlawed party’ shot dead in Pabna
Later, a charge sheet was filed against him in the court.
Haroon ur Rashid, a special public prosecutor at the court, said that the accused came to the court but fled before the judgment.
The court ordered to issue an arrest warrant against him, he said.
4 suspected robbers lynched in Narayanganj
Four suspected robbers were killed in a lynch-mob attack at Baghri village in Sonargaon upazila of Narayanganj on Sunday night.
Another youth injured in the mob attack was admitted to National Institute of Traumatology and Orthopaedic Rehabilitation (NITOR).
However, the identities of the deceased couldn’t be known immediately.
Sheikh Billal Hossain, additional superintendent of police (circle-Kha) of Narayanganj, said a youth saw some 10 to 12 unidentified youths roaming in the village around 10 pm.
When he announced presence of robbers in the village using loudspeaker of a local mosque, some residents of three villages besieged the youths and gave them a good thrashing, leaving three of them dead on the spot, he said.
One injured victim died when he was taken to a hospital, he said, adding that another is undergoing treatment at the NITOR.
A daring robbery occurred in two houses in Kazadi area under the same upazila on Friday night.
The robbers stabbed inmates of the houses when they tried to resist the robbers.