June 2020

Gunfight with Cops

Four suspected members of a notorious Rohingya robbery gang were killed in a “gunfight” with police in a remote forest in the district’s Ukhiya upazila on  June 26, 2020. The dead are Bashir Ahmed, Hamid Hossain, Royingya, and Mohammed Rafiq, all Ronhigyas from Myanmar and aged between 35 and 45.The bodies were sent to Cox’s Bazar District Hospital morgue last night for autopsies. [Source: The Daily Star]

Democrats accuse Barr of political meddling in US justice system

US House Democrats blasted Attorney General William Barr at a hearing on Wednesday over accusations he had improperly meddled in criminal cases and antitrust probes for political gain, but they stopped short of pledging to take any steps to try and oust the nation’s top law enforcement official. Nadler had mulled subpoenaing Barr to appear before the panel for a future hearing, but a Justice Department spokeswoman tweeted that Barr would voluntarily appear to testify on July 28. [Source: The Daily Star]

Gunfight with cops

Three robbers were killed and another was injured in a “gunfight” with police following a robbery incident in Feni’s Daganbhuiyan upazila early on June 25, 2020. The robbers also murdered a night guard before the “gunfight” took place at Bekerbazar in the upazila. The three robbers have been identified as Dulal Matobbar, 45, Babul Molla, 40, of Barguna district, and Md Bidyut, 32, of Naogaon district,while the night guard was Abdul Mannan, 40, of Ashrafpur village. [Source: The Daily Star]

Minor raped, one arrested

Police, on June 25, 2020, arrested a youth in connection with a case for raping a minor girl in Sirajganj’s Kamarkhand upazila on Wednesday. The arrestee, Monirul Islam, 25, is son of Abdul Hamid of Jamtoil Sheikhpara village in the upazila. Police produced the arrestee before a court that sent him to jail. Meanwhile, the seven-year-old victim was admitted to Sirajganj General Hospital for medical test. [Source: The Daily Star]

64 Bangladeshis found in Macedonia

Police in North Macedonia said 64 Bangladeshi migrants were found in a truck on a highway near the country’s border with Greece, reports AP. The driver evaded arrest during an inspection late Monday near Strumica in the country’s southeast. In a statement Tuesday, police gave no other details about the migrants. The migrants were detained and transferred to a holding site in the border town of Gevgelija, pending deportation to Greece. [Source: The Daily Star]

Kajol denied bail by Dhaka Court

Gunfight with RAB

An alleged drug peddler was killed in a “shootout” with Rab members in Gazipur’s Tongi upazila early on June 23, 2020. Jahangir Hossain Pinku, 40, used to live in Sattola slum in the capital’s Mohakhali area. The “gunfight” took place around 1:30am when a RAB team was raiding in T&T Math area in Tongi on information that some drug peddlers gathered there. [Source: The Daily Star]

Rape case settled outside court

Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) on June 23, 2020 solved a seven-month-old rape case that took place in Rajshahi’s Durgapur upazila, revealing involvement of a village leader and a lawyer in arbitrating the non-compoundable offence of the rape of an autistic girl. The rapist, Shahidul Islam, (50), confessed to committing the crime while he was placed before the court of judicial magistrate Uzzal Mahmud in Rajshahi in the afternoon. Shahidul revealed the name of the village leader, Abdul Khaleque who took Tk 90,000 from him to “settle” the case, without taking it to police or court. [Source: The Daily Star]

HC seeks health, inquiry reports on Jashore’s Imran

The High Court yesterday wanted to know the health condition of Imran Hossain, a student of Kazi Nazrul Islam Degree College in Jashorem who was reportedly mercilessly tortured by police on June 3 without any specific allegation. The civil surgeon of Jashore was asked to submit the report on the health condition of Imran, who received treatment at Queens Hospital in the district, to the HC through the attorney general’s office by June 28. [Source: The Daily Star]

Gunfight in Ashulia

A suspected drug peddler was killed in a “shootout” with Rapid Action Battalion in his rented flat in Ashulia of Savar on June 22, 2020. The dead, Raihan Sarkar, 35, was from Chandpur’s Matlab upazila. He was accused in at least 11 cases, including those for murder and drug-related offences. Standing at the front door of the flat, Rab members asked Raihan to surrender, but he did not comply. Instead, he opened fire at the law enforcers, forcing them to fire retaliatory shots. At one stage, Raihan was hit by bullets and he died on the spot. [Source: The Daily Star]

Defaming the PM

Police arrested a ninth-grader in Mymensingh’s Bhaluka upazila on Saturday night allegedly for putting up a Facebook post “defaming” Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Md Emon, 14, is a student of Paragaon High School in the upazila, police said, adding that his father, Ismail Hossain, was a farmer from Kadighar Nayapara village. Hanif Mohammad Nipun, secretary of Hobirbari union Jubo League, filed a case accusing the boy under the Digital Security Act with Bhaluka Police Station. [Source: The Daily Star]

Gunfight in Pabna 

A suspected drug peddler was killed in a “gunfight” with police on Karamza Eidgah ground in Santhia upazila of Pabna on June 22, 2020. The dead, Abdus Subhan, 48, of the upazila’s Karamza Sardarpara area, was accused in 11 criminal cases including of drug peddling, claimed police. The body was sent to Pabna Medical College Hospital morgue for autopsy. [Source: The Daily Star]

Proposed Changes in the VAT Law

Businesses are worried that some proposed changes in the value-added tax (VAT) law will increase their costs and discourage them from seeking justice against inflated revenue claims by field officials of the National Board of Revenue (NBR). One of the changes is that the deposit needed for appealing against tax claims before VAT commissioners and appellate tribunals has been hiked from 10 per cent of the disputed amount at present to 20 per cent from next fiscal year, beginning in July. [Source: The Daily Star]

Colombia court overturns restriction on Uber

A Colombian court has overturned an order which forced ride-hailing app Uber to briefly suspend operations in the country last year and change its service provision model. The Superintendency of Industry and Commerce (SIC), which regulates fair competition and protects consumers, said Uber had violated competition rules amid a lawsuit from a taxi company. [Source: The Daily Star]

US Bankruptcy Court approves its Chapter 11 reorganisation plan

PG&E Corp said its Chapter 11 reorganisation plan has been confirmed by the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of California, bringing the power provider one step closer to emerging from bankruptcy and participate in a state-backed wildfire fund. The court’s approval follows the confirmation of the plan by power regulator California Public Utilities Commission in May. [Source: The Daily Star]

BELA gets int’l award

Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association (Bela) has received the 2020 Tang Prize in “Rule of Law” for its “efforts in furthering the rule of law and its institutions through education and advocacy”. Two other NGOs — Dejusticia: The Center for Law, Justice and Society from Colombia and The Legal Agenda from Lebanon — were also named joint winners of the award, according to a press release. [Source: The Daily Star]

Freedom of expression under threat

Expressing deep concern over the recent arrests and intimidation of journalists and citizens across the country, Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) said the constitutional right to information and expression is under threat in the name of digital security. In a press statement on 20 June, 2020, TIB demanded immediate and unconditional release of the detained journalists, teachers, writers, cartoonists and others, and stopping such undemocratic harassment in order to protect the constitutional right to free expression. They also demanded avoiding the path of arbitrariness. [Source: The Daily Star]

Man killed in gunfight

A suspected drug peddler was killed in a “gunfight” with Rab in EPZ area of Chattogram city early on 20 June, 2020. The identity of the 25-year-old deceased could not be known immediately. Sohel Mahmud, senior assistant director of Rab-7, said one of their teams went to the area on information that a consignment of yaba was being smuggled there. [Source: The Daily Star]

103 judiciary personnel infected with Covid-19

Twenty lower court judges, 24 Supreme Court staff and 59 staff members of subordinate courts across the country have so far been infected with Covid-19. Six lower court judges with Covid-19 symptoms are receiving treatment in isolation, Supreme Court sources said on 20 June, 2020. Besides, Md Kausar, a staff of Madaripur District Judge Court, died with Covid-19 symptoms on June 18 and Mohiuddin Mohan, an office assistant of Naogaon District Judge Court, died with symptoms the next day. [Source: The Daily Star]

6,047 granted bail by lower courts last week

The lower courts across the country granted bail to 6,047 people in five working days last week. With these bail orders, a total of 39,202 people including 536 children, accused of criminal charges, secured bail from the lower courts in the last 25 working days. Among the 536 children, 471 were handed over to their guardians after they had got released from three Shishu Unnayan Kendra (children development centres), Supreme Court sources said yesterday. More than 300 courts granted bail to the accused through holding virtual hearings. [Source: The Daily Star]

China unveils HK security law

Beijing unveiled details of its new national security law for Hong Kong yesterday, paving the way for the most profound change to the city’s way of life since it returned to Chinese rule in 1997. The much-anticipated legislation, which has provoked deep concerns in Washington and Europe, includes a national security office for Hong Kong to collect intelligence and handle crimes against national security, the official Xinhua news agency reported. [Source: The Daily Star]    

Man shot dead by criminals in Rajbari

A man was shot dead by a group of miscreants at Kazipara in Sadar upazila of Rajbari around 11:00 am on June 19, 2020. The victim is Shaheed Sheikh, 55, son of late Ibrahim Sheikh, of Kholabaria village in the upazila’s Pachuria union. Quoting witnesses, Pachuria Union Parishad Chairman Kazi Alamgir said three men were involved in the murder. [Source: The Daily Star]

RU teacher held over FB posts

Police yesterday arrested a Rajshahi University teacher under the Digital Security Act for making “defamatory” comments about Awami League’s deceased presidium member Mohammed Nasim. Meanwhile, a lecturer of Begum Rokeya University (BRU) in Rangpur, who was also arrested under the DSA for making derogatory remarks about Nasim on Facebook, was suspended by the university authorities, said a BRU press release issued on Wednesday night. [Source: The Daily Star]

New Zealand gun laws tightened

New Zealand further tightened its firearms laws yesterday in the wake of the last year’s Christchurch mosques massacre, when a lone gunman murdered 51 Muslim worshippers. Parliament passed legislation to establish a firearms registry to track every gun in the country and ensure only a “fit and proper person” can hold a firearms licence. It follows a ban on military-style semi-automatic rifles and a nationwide gun buyback enacted shortly after the March 2019 killing spree by Australian national Brenton Tarrant, a self-avowed white supremacist. [Source: The Daily Star]

TIB about DMP summons on journos

Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) has expressed grave concern over the summoning of journalists by a police probe committee. The summons were issued after the media run reports based on a leaked letter the Dhaka Metropolitan Police commissioner wrote to the police chief with allegations of corruption against a DMP high-up. [Source: The Daily Star]

DMP summons goes against law

Dhaka Union of Journalists, on June 18, 2020, expressed deep concern over summoning of at least 10 journalists by the police after the publication of a report on the immoral activity of a senior cop. DUJ President Quddus Afrad and General Secretary Sajjad Alam Khan Topu said this type of letter by the police created a kind of psychological pressure which was inconsistent with the free flow of news. Recently, Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) sent letters to some journalists asking them to appear before an enquiry committee at the scheduled time to “enable it to conduct a proper investigation”. [Source: The Daily Star]

BANGLADESH BECOMES A MEMBER OF ILO

Bangladesh, on June 18, 1972, got the membership of the International Labour Organisation. The decision was taken unanimously by the ILO member countries. The International Labour Organization is a United Nations agency whose mandate is to advance social and economic justice through setting international labour standards. Founded in 1919 under the League of Nations, it is the first and oldest specialised agency of the UN. [Source: The Daily Star]

Fifth-grader raped 

A Jhenidah court, on June 18, 2020, sent a man to jail on charge of raping his fifth-grader stepdaughter in the district’s Kaliganj upazila. The accused, an employee of a local hotel, married the victim’s mother a year back, said the mother who supplies water door to door. [Source: The Daily Star]

Doctor jailed ‘for harassing patient’

A doctor was arrested in Sylhet on Monday night, hours after he was confined to his chamber by locals, allegedly for sexually harassing a teenage patient. The girl that night filed a case, and the doctor was sent to jail the next day by Sylhet court. However, the doctor, Jobayer Ahmed, a general practitioner of Dr Jobayer Medicare and Pathology Centre in Beanibazar upazila and his family say some influential locals have framed him, and they will continue the legal fight. [Source: The Daily Star]

Arrest of Indian High Commission stuff in Pakistan 

A day after two Indian High Commission officials in Islamabad were arrested and interrogated over a road accident, Pakistan on Tuesday rejected New Delhi’s accusation that the officials were harassed and tortured. According to Pakistani authorities, Monday’s incident saw the two Indian high commission officials crash a speeding car into a pedestrian, causing serious injuries. They allegedly then tried to flee the scene but were arrested and detained for several hours. [Source: The Daily Star]    

SC stays all but 3 HC directives

Chamber judge of the Appellate Division of the SC Justice Md Nuruzzaman passed the order following a petition filed by the government, seeking stay on the HC orders and observations delivered on Monday. The three HC directives that the apex court upheld are — submission of a report by the health ministry and the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) by June 30 on whether the directives issued by the health ministry to public and private hospitals on May 11 and 24 have been implemented properly; the formation of a monitoring cell to ensure that private hospitals provide proper treatment to patients and that they do not charge extra or unreasonable fees; and fixing and displaying of retail and refilling prices of oxygen cylinders at outlets and shops so that the customers are not charged extra. [Source: The Daily Star]

13 judges infected with Covid-19

Thirteen judges and 26 staff of lower courts across the country have so far been infected with Covid-19. Four lower court judges with Covid-19 symptoms are receiving treatment in isolation. Law Minister Anisul Huq is giving necessary directives to the monitoring cell to ensure treatment of the lower court judges. [Source: The Daily Star]

Lanka police seize journo’s laptop

A Sri Lankan journalist working for The New York Times has said police raided her home and seized her laptop over the alleged kidnapping of a Swiss embassy staffer last year. A diplomatic row erupted in late November after the Swiss embassy said the woman was abducted and sexually assaulted by unidentified attackers. [Source: The Daily Star]

UP member shot dead

A union parishad member died of bullet wounds at Chattogram Medical College Hospital late on Monday night, hours after unidentified criminals shot him at his Bandarban home. The dead is Chain Chahla Marma, 35, a member of Kuhalong Union Parishad under Bandarban Sadar upazila. Locals rushed the UP member to Bandarban Sadar Hospital.  [Source: The Daily Star]

Cartoonist Kishore, writer Mushtaq denied bail

A virtual court in Dhaka, on June 16, 2020, rejected both the remand and bail petitions of four accused, including cartoonist Ahmed Kabir Kishore and writer Mushtaq Ahmed, in a case filed under the Digital Security Act. The court, however, allowed police to interrogate the accused at jail gate for two days, within seven working days. [Source: The Daily Star]

Suspended jailer Sohel Rana granted bail

The High Court bench of Justice Md Nazrul Islam Talukder, on June 16, 2020, granted bail to Sohel Rana Biswas, suspended jailer of Chattogram Central Jail, in a money laundering case, after virtually hearing a petition filed by Sohel, seeking bail. The bail was granted until Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) submits charge sheet to the trial court, on condition that he must surrender his passport to the lower court. [Source: The Daily Star]

Cop caught red-handed 

A police sub-inspector and his associate were caught red-handed with 11,600 pieces of yaba while selling the drugs to narcotics dealers in Mohamamdpur area of the capital on June 16, 2020. The arrestees were identified as Atikul Islam, a sub-inspector of Bandarban District Court, and his associate Rezaur Rob, said Abdul Latif, officer-in-charge (OC) of Mohammadpur Police Station. Based on information that narcotics dealers are selling yaba tablets from a pickup van at Shahjahan Road of Mohamamdpur area. [Source: The Daily Star]

Security law are ‘enemy of the people’

Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam yesterday urged opponents of Beijing’s plan to impose national security legislation in the financial hub to stop “smearing” the effort, saying those who did were “the enemy of the people”. Beijing last month announced a plan to introduce legislation in Hong Kong to tackle secession, subversion, terrorism and foreign interference. The law could see Chinese security agencies set up bases in the city for the first time. [Source: The Daily Star]

Don’t send away any patient: HC

The High Court observed that no patient, regardless of whether they are infected with coronavirus, can be deprived of treatment at any government or private hospital. If a patient dies or is deprived of treatment at a hospital due to negligence, it would be considered a criminal and punishable offence. [Source: The Daily Star]

52 arrested in cases over Libya killings

Bangladesh Police have so far arrested around 52 people in 26 cases filed across the country over the killing of 26 Bangladeshis in Libya on May 28.Under strict guidelines of Inspector General of Police Benazir Ahmed, all police units including Rapid Action Battalion, Criminal Investigation Department, Police Bureau of Investigation and Dhaka Metropolitan Police started the drive to arrest those responsible behind the trafficking and made the arrests. [Source: The Daily Star]

Petition filed against WASA

A Supreme Court lawyer yesterday filed a writ petition with the High Court seeking its order of injunction on the Dhaka Water Supply and Sewerage Authority’s (WASA) decision to hike the water price by 25 percent from April 1 this year. Advocate Tanvir Ahmed submitted the petition as a public interest litigation to the HC through virtual system, and also prayed to the court to declare Dhaka WASA’s move illegal. [Source: The Daily Star]

Atlanta killing a homicide

The death of Rayshard Brooks, a black man killed by a white police officer in Atlanta on Friday, was a homicide caused by gunshot wounds to the back, the Fulton County Medical Examiner’s office said, as race protests around the world forced governments to rethink on their policies. Brooks’ death reignited protests in Atlanta after days of worldwide demonstrations against racism and police brutality prompted by the death of George Floyd, an African American, in Minneapolis police custody on May 25. [Source: The Daily Star]

Virtual courts refuse to hear journo Kajol’s bail plea

Around one and a half months into the detention of photojournalist Shafiqul Islam Kajol, his lawyer could not apply for bail yesterday as the three police stations in Dhaka — where cases against him were filed — were yet to “show him arrested”. Three separate virtual courts in Dhaka yesterday refused to hold hearings on Kajol’s bail petitions as he was not shown arrested in the cases filed with Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, Kamrangirchar, and Hazaribagh police stations under the Digital Security Act in March. [Source: The Daily Star]

HC grants journo Sushanta bail

The High Court bench of Justice Md Ashraful Kamal granted ad-interim bail to Sushanta Dasgupta, editor and publisher of local newspaper Dainik Amar Habiganj, in a case filed under the Digital Security Act. The ad-interim bail will continue till further hearing of his bail petition in the same case before a regular High Court bench following its reopening after the ongoing shutdown. [Source: The Daily Star]

No end to ‘gunfights’

Incidents of so-called “gunfights” between law enforcement agencies and alleged criminals have continued unabated across the country even during the Covid-19 outbreak, according to reports by Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK) and Dhaka University’s Centre for Genocide Studies (CGS). Besides, there has been no let-up in violence against women and children. [Source: The Daily Star]

Woman killed for dowry

A woman, who was beaten mercilessly by her husband allegedly for dowry in Panchagarh Sadar upazila, died at Rangpur Medical College Hospital the same afternoon. The deceased was identified as Fatema Jinnah Jotsnya, 25, wife of Delwar Hossain, 35, of Domoni Sarkarpara village. Police arrested Delwar from his house after deceased’s elder brother Safiqul Islam filed a case with Panchagarh Sadar Police Station, accusing five people including Delwar and his mother, the same night.

N’ganj man dies after assault

An elderly man died, a day after he had been beaten by a Jubo League leader’s father following a dispute over money in Narayanganj city. Shajahan Miah, father of district Jubo League’s cultural affairs secretary Sha Foyez Ullah, hit Siraj with a stick in the head and other parts of his body at Jamtola, Fatullah Model Police Station Officer-in-Charge Aslam Hossain quoted witnesses as saying. [Source: The Daily Star]

2 held over murder of Barishal trader

A timber trader was murdered in Barishal city and two people were arrested in this connection hours later. Police arrested Md Rabbi (32) from the city’s Rupatoli, while Rapid Action Battalion captured Jisan (25) in Jhalakathi for allegedly killing Mamun Matabbar. Barishal Kotwali Police Station Officer-in-Charge Nurul Islam said Rabbi and Jisan demanded Tk 20,000 as extortion from Mamun several days ago. [Source: The Daily Star]

Woman found dead

Police recovered the body on an elderly woman from her house in Sadar upazila. The victim, Rokeya Begum, 62, was wife of late Mohammad Sukuddi of Maharajpur Purbo Tikra village in the upazila. Being informed by the neighbours, police recovered Rokeya’s throat-slit body from her room around 1:00pm and sent it to Sadar Hospital for autopsy. [Source: The Daily Star]

Taliban attack

Seven police officers were killed when their checkpoint was attacked in central Afghanistan, blaming the Taliban for the assault. The attack happened in Pasaband district of Ghor province. The attack was confirmed by the deputy governor of Ghor, Habibullah Radmanish, who blamed Taliban insurgents for the attack. [Source: The Daily Star]

Judges to get treatment on priority basis

A memorandum of understanding (MoU) has been signed between Bangladesh Judicial Service Association and Universal Medical College Hospital Ltd in order to provide treatment to the lower court judges across the country for Covid-19 and other diseases. The MoU was signed in association with Law Minister Anisul Huq in the conference room of the law ministry at Bangladesh Secretariat. [Source: The Daily Star]

Nepal-India border incident leaves one dead

Nepali border guards opened fire after a group of Indians crossed the frontier, killing one man and wounding two. It was the latest in a series of incidents along the border which Nepal has tightened since imposing a nationwide pandemic lockdown in March. About 30 Indians crossed about 100 metres (yards) into Nepal’s territory in the southern district of Sarlahi and clashed with police when stopped. [Source: The Daily Star]

4 killed in Kabul mosque blast

At least four people were killed and several others were wounded after a blast ripped through a crowd during Friday prayers at a mosque in Kabul in the latest attack on the city ahead of potential talks with insurgents. The attack comes a week after an Islamic State-claimed attack killed two people at a mosque on the edge of Kabul’s heavily fortified green zone. [Source: The Daily Star]

52 killed in migrant shipwreck off Tunisia

More than 50 people, mostly from sub-Saharan Africa, died when a boat carrying migrants bound for Italy sank off Tunisia, a health official said Thursday in an updated toll. Another 17 bodies were recovered, raising the total to 52 since the authorities were alerted by fishermen near the port city of Sfax. An investigation has been launched to identify the organisers of the journey. [Source: The Daily Star]

Eight mass graves found in Libya

The United Nations voiced “horror” after reports that eight mass graves had been discovered in an area recently seized by the unity government after forces loyal to strongman Khalifa Haftar withdrew. Pro-Haftar forces backed by Russia, Egypt and UAE had been battling since April in fighting that has left hundreds dead and forced 200,000 to flee their homes. In recent weeks the GNA, reinforced with Turkish drones and air defences, has staged a pounding counter-attack to regain control of the whole of the northwest. [Source: The Daily Star]

Five officials of SC asked to remain on duty round the clock

Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain has directed five Supreme Court officials – Register General Md Ali Akbar Appellate Division’s Registrar Badrul Alam Bhuiyan, High Court Division’s Registrar Golam Rabbani, its Additional Registrar Mohammad Osman Haider and its Special Officer Mohammad Saifur Rahman, to discharge duties round the clock, in order to take necessary measures for Covid-19 treatment to its judges, during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. [Source: The Daily Star]

Afghan War Crimes

President Donald Trump issued an executive order authorising US sanctions against International Criminal Court employees involved in an investigation into whether American forces committed war crimes in Afghanistan. According to a letter sent by Trump to US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi accompanying the order, it authorises Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, in consultation with Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, to block assets in the United States of ICC employees involved in the probe. [Source: The Daily Star]

Robber killed in gunfight

An alleged robber was killed in a gunfight with members of Rapid Action Battalion (Rab-7) at Mirsarai upazila of Chattogram.Two firearms, eight rounds of bullets and sharp weapons were recovered from the spot. Before it, Rab arrested three alleged robbers in possession of firearms from Dhaka-Chattogram Highway in Sitakunda upazila.  [Source: The Daily Star] 

HC directed to sell essential commodities at upazilas

The High Court bench of Justice JBM Hassan  directed the government to continue selling essential commodities through Trading Corporation Bangladesh (TCB) to people at upazila level, beyond the city corporations and municipality areas, until the coronavirus pandemic ends. The court also asked them to submit a report to it after complying with the directives. [Source: The Daily Star] 

SC officials asked to remain on duty for 24 hours

Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain has directed five Supreme Court officials including its registrar general to discharge duty round the clock for taking necessary measures for Covid-19 treatment to its judges during the pandemic. The Supreme Court administration issued a notification to this effect yesterday asking the five officials to keep their mobiles active for 24 hours every day. [Source: The Daily Star]

Probe report on Fire at corona unit

United Hospital submitted to the home ministry today. The fire at corona unit originated from short circuit of an air conditioner (AC). Fire Service and Civil Defence Director General Brigadier General Md Sazzad Hossain said if the doctors, nurses or staff of the corona unit were more careful, the fire would not have spread. The authorities of the United Hospital should have been more cautious to install a fire system at the corona unit as they had done in main building of the hospital. [Source: The Daily Star]

Ban 17 lawyers in virtual courts stayed by HC

A High Court virtual high court bench of Justice JBM Hasan passed the suo mottu order to stay the notice issued by the Gaibandha District Bar Association that restricted 17 lawyers, who are members of the bar, from taking part in virtual courts as part of their professional duties. At the same time, the HC also asked the Gaibandha District Bar Association to refrain from preventing any lawyer member from conducting cases in the virtual court. [Source: The Daily Observer]

Kashmir rebels killed

Five suspected rebels were killed in a dawn firefight with hundreds of troops in Indian-administered Kashmir, as New Delhi escalates counter-insurgency efforts in the disputed territory. Indian-administered Kashmir has been in turmoil since last August when New Delhi revoked its semi-autonomous status and imposed a communications blackout that has not been fully lifted. At least 93 rebels, including six top commanders, have been killed by Indian forces since January. [Source: The Daily Star]

Bangladeshi man found dead at vegetable farm in Malaysia

A Bangladeshi man (50) was found dead at a water pumpkin farm at Jalan Ara Kuda in Tasek Gelugor, Penang, Malaysia on Wednesday morning (June 10) by a female farmworker who was on her way to work around 8:45am. [Source: The Star]

Legal notice for proper medical waste management

Md JR Khan Robin, Advocate, Supreme Court, served a legal notice to the authorities concerned to take necessary steps in 72 hours for proper management of coronavirus-related medical waste. He has sent the legal notice through emails to the secretaries of the ministries of health, local government and rural development and environment and forest, Mayors of Dhaka north and south city corporations and chief waste management officers and Directorate General of Health Services for taking steps to this effect. [Source: The Daily Star]

Virtual remand prayer hearings

Magistrates can now virtually hold hearings on remand prayers of accused without physical presence in courts. The Supreme Court cleared barriers and directed all magistrates to hold remand prayer hearings through videoconferencing with jail authorities. Before hearing, the magistrate will send a virtual link to respective jail authorities responsible for the accused. After connecting with jail authorities, the conducting magistrate will witness the accused virtually and hold a hearing. [Source: The Daily Star]

Demonstration against the Anti-Terrorism Bill in Philippine

The Philippine Congress has sent controversial anti-terrorism legislation to President Rodrigo Duterte, paving the way for him to sign it into law, while also setting the stage for opponents to mount an immediate legal challenge on the constitutionality of some of its provisions before the Supreme Court. Senate President Tito Sotto announced that he and House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano signed the bill and that the document had been received by the office of the president. [Source: Al Jazeera News]

Asked to withdraw cases against workers under Disaster Management Act

A three-judge bench of Supreme Court of India has ordered states to identify stranded migrant workers and transport them back to their hometowns within 15 days as the humanitarian crisis surrounding their movement has continued over weeks of the coronavirus lockdown. This Court also directed the state governments to consider withdrawing cases filed against the workers under the Disaster Management Act for lockdown violations, including crowding at rail stations. [Source: Al Jazeera News ]

Detained a man on suspicion of planning to kill Muslims

Police in Germany have detained a man, 21-year-old from the northern city of Hildesheim, on suspicion of planning to kill Muslims in an attack inspired by the 2019 mosque shootings in Christchurch, New Zealand. Initial investigations show the suspect has for some time been considering the idea of committing an attack in which he wanted to kill numerous people in order to attract worldwide media attention. [Source: The Daily Star]

Not to arrest Bangladeshi MP until official response of Kuwait

Until Kuwait authorities officially respond to their query about the matter, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is unlikely to take any action regarding the arrest of Bangladeshi lawmaker Md Shahid Islam, also known as Kazi Papul, landed in jail over human trafficking and money laundering charges on 07 June, a day after being detained by the Kuwait Criminal Investigation Department (CID). Before arresting Papul from his rented villa in the Mushraf residential area in Kuwait, some media outlets in Kuwait had run reports saying that three Bangladeshis were operating a human trafficking racket in the country and one of the them was a “member of parliament in Bangladesh”. [Source: The Business Standard]

BB governor’s age limit to 67

On 08 June, the cabinet in principle approved the draft of “The Bangladesh Bank (Amendment) Act, 2020” by extending the highest age limit for the governor of the central bank from 65 years to 67 years. The approval came at the regular cabinet meeting held at the cabinet room of the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair. According to the provision of clause (5) of the Article 10 of The Bangladesh Bank Order, 1972 (President’s Order No. 127 of 1972) the tenure of the central bank governor is four years and he or she could be given reappointment. However, the ‘proviso’ of that clause mentioned that no person can hold the post of the governor after completion of 65 years of his or her age. From now, it is 67. [Source: The Business Star]

HC stays Rana Plaza owner’s bail

A Dhaka court on May 17 had granted bail to Sohel Rana, owner of Rana Plaza, in the case, which ACC had filed at Savar model police station on December 31, 2017. The High Court bench of Justice Md Nazrul Islam Talukder has stayed a lower court order that granted bail in a corruption case to Sohel Rana that collapsed on April 24, 2013 and killed more than 1,100 people after virtually hearing a petition filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) challenging the bail order. [Source: Dhaka Tribune]

Chinese company sued for selling ‘fake’ N95 masks

The US Justice Department filed a suit in federal court in Brooklyn, New York against a Chinese company, Guangdong-based King Year Packaging and Printing for selling nearly a half million fake and substandard N95 respirator to US buyers in April as the COVID-19 pandemic swept the country. According to the complaint, this company was charged with four counts of importing misbranded and substandard health products and making false to the US Food and Drug Administration. [Source: The Daily Star]

First arrest in elephant death case in Kerala

A man has been arrested in India’s Kerala state for his alleged involvement in the death of a pregnant elephant and others are being questioned on 05 June where the government previously said they have identified 3 suspects. A preliminary post mortem report indicated the elephant suffered injuries in its mouth and was not able to eat for days. The pregnant animal eventually died standing in a river on May 27. [Source: The Daily Star]

Pakistan court issues notice to PM

Additional District and Sessions Court, Lahore, Pakistan has issued a notice to Prime Minister Imran Khan in a defamation case filed by PML-N chief Shahbaz Sharif seeking early hearing of his suit against the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman, pending for three years. In April 2017, Khan alleged that Shahbaz Sharif allegedly offered him USD 61 million through a “common friend” to withdraw the Panama Papers case in the Supreme Court against 70-year-old former Prime Minister and his elder brother Nawaz Sharif. [Source: The New Indian Express]

No order on the decision to increase bus fares

The High Court bench of Justice JBM Hassan, on 04 June, upheld the government decision to increase bus fares by 60 percent after hearing on the petition through video conference. The court passed “no order” on a writ petition that challenged legality of the gazette notification issued by the government hiking bus fares. [Source: The Daily Star]

“Justice will prevail” tweeted by Kerala CM

Three suspects have been identified in investigations into the killing of a pregnant elephant that ate an explosives-filled pineapple on 04 June. The wild elephant strayed into a village near Silent Valley National Park in Palakkad last Wednesday and ate a pineapple filled with firecrackers. It exploded in its mouth and in that state the elephant walked for days in pain before it went into a river and died standing on May 27. [Source: The Daily Star]

Bail granted in a corruption case

The High Court yesterday scrapped a lower court order that granted bail to Rashedul Haque Chisty, son of former chairman of Farmers Bank audit committee Mahbubul Haque Chisty, in a corruption case involving Tk 9.28 crore. The special judge court of Tangail had granted bail to Rashedul Haque Chisty in the case on May 27. [Source: The Daily Star]

Probe reports called for United Hospital Fire

The HC bench of Justice M Enayetur Rahim sought separate inquiry reports on the deadly fire at the corona isolation unit in United Hospital that killed five patients on May 27 from authorities of Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk), Fire Service and Civil Defence, Criminal Investigation Department of Police and United Hospital by June 14. The Hon’able Court came up with the order while holding a virtual hearing on the writ petition filed by Supreme Court lawyer Mohammad Mahbub seeking necessary orders through a video conference on 02 June. [Source: The Daily Star]

Bail rejected under Digital Security Act

On 2nd June, Habiganj district and sessions judge Amzad Hosain rejected the bail petition by Sushanta Das Gupta, publisher and editor of the daily Amar Habiganj and founder of AmarMP.com, after hearing in the case filed under Digital Security Act. Another bail appeal by Sushanta on May 27 had also been also turned down. Recently, Sushanta Dasgupta’s newspaper ran several false reports about Abu Zahir, President, District Awami League and a lifetime member of Habiganj Press Club. [Source: The Daily Star]

HC seeks report on COVID-19 in prisons

The High Court bench of Justice M Enayetur Rahim on 02 June, wanted to know the situation of inmates in jails and prison staff across the country following the coronavirus pandemic during a virtual hearing on a writ petition filed on May 17 by Supreme Court lawyer Mohammad Shishir Manir, seeking it’s directives on the authorities concerned to take necessary measures to protect the prisoners and prisons staff from coronavirus. By adjourning the hearing till June 15, the court asked Deputy Attorney General Amit Talukder to collect the information from the jail authorities and the petitioner to monitor the situation inside the jails through media reports by this time. [Source: The Daily Star]

Leader of trafficking gang arrested

The RAB claimed to have arrested an alleged ringleader of the human trafficking gang that kidnapped and murdered some of the 26 Bangladeshi workers in Libya on 28 May. Kamal Uddin alias Haji Kamal (55) has trafficked more than 400 people to Libya over the last decade. Some of the Bangladeshis killed and injured in the firing were sent by Kamal, and their families paid ransom to him when the victims were held captive and tortured. [Source: The Daily Star]

Gunfights drug dealers

Two suspected drug peddlers were killed in separate gunfights with the BGB and Rab in Bandarban and Gazipur on 01 June. In Bandarban’s Naikhyangchhari upazila, a suspected Rohingya drug peddler, Abdur Rahman (25) was killed in a gunfight with the BGB. Meanwhile in Gazipur’s Kashimpur area, an alleged drug peddler, Nurul Haque (25) was killed in a shootout with RAB. #Gunfights [Source: The Daily Star]

Claim compensation for Migrant Workers

Regional rights bodies across Asia and the Middle East fear millions of migrants may face indebtedness and their families may slip into poverty, if they repatriated home without compensation amid the coronavirus pandemic. They demanded a transitional justice mechanism to address the grievances and claims of the repatriated workers who have lost their jobs as a result of the pandemic. Migrant Forum in Asia, Lawyers Beyond Borders Network, Cross Regional Centre for Migrants and Refugees, South Asia Trade Union Council, and Solidarity Center made the call in a statement on 01 May. [Source: The Daily Star]

Seeking stay order on hiking bus fare

Law and Life Foundation, a rights organisation, submitted the writ petition as public interest litigation to the HC through email seeking a stay on the gazette notification issued by the government to increase the bus fares by 60 percent. The Chairman of Law and Life Foundation, Barrister Humayun Kabir Pallob, said the decision to increase bus fares is contradictory to the fundamental rights of the people and also illegal. The HC may virtually hold a hearing on the petition. [Source: The Daily Star]

5 JMB arrested

Rapid Action Battalion arrested five alleged members of Jamaatul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) in Muktagachha upazila of Mymensingh on 01 June. In primary interrogation, they confessed that they are active members of the banned militant outfit. Of the arrestees, one is already an accused in a case filed under Anti-Terrorism Act with a Narayanganj police station. [Source: The Daily Star]

Suspended DIG prisons bail petition rejected

On 01 June, after holding a virtual hearing, the High Court bench of Justice Md Nazrul Islam Talukder rejected a bail petition of suspended Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Prisons Bazlur Rashid in connection with a corruption case. Advocate Khurshid Alarm Khan represented the Anti-Corruption Commission during the virtual hearing. According to the case statement, Bazlur signed a contract with a real estate company in 2018 to buy a flat in the capital’s Siddeshwari Road area at Tk 3.09 crore. [Source: The Daily Star]

Test pregnant women first for Covid-19

The High Court virtual bench of Justice M Enayetur Rahim on 01 June, ordered the health authorities to ensure coronavirus testing for pregnant women on a priority basis. Advocate Tavir Ahmed stood for the petitioner while Additional Attorney General Murad Reza and Deputy Attorney General Amit Talukder represented the State. [Source: UNB]

Decision of running virtual functions of courts challenged

A Supreme Court lawyer, Advocate Eunus Ali Akond, on 01 June, submitted the petition as a public interest litigation to the High Court through email, challenging the chief justice’s decision to run virtual functions of courts across the country and seeking stay on the circular issued in this regard. According to the petition, there is no provision in the constitution and Appellant and High Court rules for virtual court functions. The petitioners must swear an affidavit for filing any petition with the Appellate and High Court Division as per their relevant rules, but there is no scope for swearing affidavit in the virtual court functions and therefore the virtual court system is illegal and unconditional. [Source: The Daily Star]

Pardoned Aslam arrested for another murder

Former Jubo League leader Aslam Fakir, who escaped hanging on presidential clemency in 2015, has been arrested again in connection with another murder case. Earlier, Aslam was sentenced to death for killing Manikdaha union parishad chairman AKM Saheb Ali Mia on September 25, 2003. While on death row, Aslam pleaded guilty to the murder and appealed to the president for mercy which was rejected and November 13, 2014 was fixed for executing his death sentence. Laeter, he started behaving in a strange manner and it appeared that he was not sane which suspened the execution. On the besis of the second petition, Aslam’s sentence was commuted and he was sentenced to 14 years in prison. After 13 years and two days of imprisonment, Aslam was released from jail. [Source: The Daily Star]

Seeking justice for minorities attacked 

Sixteen noted citizens demanded justice for the attacks on minority communities, violence against women, land grabbing, harassment of common people, and torture of journalists, all of which took place during the coronavirus outbreak in the country. In particular, they demanded stern legal action against the perpetrators involved in the torture, harassment and violation of human rights of the country’s minority communities.[Source: The Daily Star]

Curfews on US

Curfews were imposed on 25 cities across 16 states as clashes over police brutality erupted across America with demonstrators ignoring warnings from the government. Minneapolis, the epicentre of the unrest, was gripped by a fifth consecutive night of violence with police in riot gear firing tear gas and stun grenades at protesters venting fury at the death of George Floyd, an unarmed black man.[Source: The Daily Star]