Violation of human rights in police custody rampant

Md Abdul Kader, a student of Dhaka University,was too injured to move alone because of police torture and he had to beproduced before a High Court bench on a wheel chair on July 28.

In the court, Kader described how police tortured himbrutally in custody, violating human rights (HR).

In fact, violation of human rights in police custody hasbecome a regular phenomenon in the country, ignoring a HC judgment passed eightyears ago. The constitutional and the international covenantal safeguards toprevent torture are also being violated in the police custody, according tolegal experts.

Experts blamed the high ups of the state for consideringthemselves above law and such disregard for law is slowly leading the countryto a failed state.

Supreme Court lawyer died in police custody: severe torture alleged, judicial probe demaned

Failing to bear alleged torture in police custody, detained pro-BNP lawyer Advocate Mamtaz Uddin Ahmed died on Friday after passing 15 days in critical condition in Bangladesh.

MU Ahmed, 57, died at 1 pm at Square Hospital in the city. He fell in a massive heart attack short after police picked him up from his Segunbagicha residence at 1:30 am on August 11 in two separate police cases.

His wife Selina Ahmed said he was quite well when police arrested him and alleged against law enforcers of severely torturing him while police claimed that he suffered heart attack after arrest.

Chaos at Courtroom: Pardon follows apology

HC exonerates errant lawyers from contempt of court charge; lower court sends 10 to jail in 2 criminal cases

A High Court bench yesterday pardoned and exonerated 13 pro-BNP lawyers from contempt of court charges after most of them apologised for staging noisy protests in the courtroom early this month.
Judges AHM Shamsuddin Chowdhury Manik and Gobinda Chandra Tagore also vacated their earlier order that banned the lawyers from practising.

Ancestral House of Suchitra Sen: Maintain status quo, SC asks authorities

The Supreme Court yesterday (August 4) directed the authorities concerned to maintain status quo on the possession of the ancestral house of renowned actress Suchitra Sen in Pabna till August 18.

SC gets back the 55-acre land

The Appellate Division has upheld the High Court verdict declaring 55 acres of land currently under Shishu Academy and Sharak Bhaban as the Supreme Court's property.

A seven-member bench, led by chief justice Muzammel Hossain, turned down two leave-to-appeals against the verdict on Thursday (July 28).

Suspend 3 police officers: HC

The High Court on Thursday (July 28) ordered the inspector general of police to suspend three police officers of Khilgaon Police Station including its chief for torturing a Dhaka University student.

It also ordered the government to provide treatment to Abdul Quader, a biochemistry and molecular biology student, at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) hospital.

Rajuk asked to explain building safety rule

The High Court (HC) on Thursday (July 28) summoned the chief of Rajdhahi Unnayan Kartipakkha (Rajuk) to explain the building safety rules.

The court asked Rajuk chief Md Nurul Huda and four police personnel to appear before it on August 3 to give their statements in connection with the death of a college student.

HC order to take over house of Suchitra Sen family in Pabna

The High Court (HC) on Tuesday (July 26) directed the government to take under its control the house inherited by prominent Indian actress Suchitra Sen in Pabna within seven days.

Suchitra Sen was born at the house, which was listed as vested property after her father Chidananda Dasgupta along with the family members left then East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) for India in 50s. Later in 1987, the land was leased to Jamaat run ‘Imam Gazzali Institute’. Though the ‘eksona’ lease was reportedly cancelled automatically in 1991, the land is still under the control of the institute.

Amini summoned; HC asks him to explain his derogatory remarks on constitution

The High Court yesterday (July 20) summoned Fazlul Haque Amini, chief of an Islami Oikya Jote faction, to explain his derogatory comment on the constitution.

The court also issued a rule upon the government to explain within two weeks why its avoiding legal steps against Amini should not be declared illegal.

Torture on Woman; UP chairman arrested

A union parishad chairman of Bagerhat who was allegedly involved in torturing a housewife during village arbitration was arrested from the Supreme Court premises yesterday (July 21) as per a High Court order.

Mozammel Hossain, chairman of Southkhali union in Sharankhola upazila, was nabbed after he appeared before the HC bench of Justice AHM Shamsuddin Chowdhury Manik and Gobinda Chandra Tagore in connection with the incident.

Etihad Airways boss asked to appear before HC on Aug 17

The High Court yesterday (July 21) again directed Country Manager of Etihad Airways Ashraful Kabir to appear before it on August 17 in connection with the incident of harassing and torturing two Bangladesh born women at Abu Dhabi International Airport. 

Ashraful Kabir yesterday appeared before the HC for explaining the incident, as per its earlier order passed on July 14.

Poultry, Fish Feed; Govt asked to stop use of toxic waste

The High Court yesterday (July 21) directed the government to stop use of tannery waste in poultry and fish feed production in the capital within 30 days.

Delivering a verdict on a writ petition, the court also ordered the government to shut within this period the factories and business enterprises which are using tannery waste as ingredients in poultry and fish feed production.

Toxic Ships; HC extends again time for import

The High Court yesterday (July 21) once again extended till October 12 its order allowing conditional import and dismantling of toxic ships, mentioning the importers and ship-breakers must ensure workers' and environmental safety. 

An HC bench of Justice AHM Shamsuddin Chowdhury Manik and Justice Gobinda Chandra Tagore passed the order after hearing a petition filed by Bangladesh Ship Breakers' Association (BSBA) seeking permission to import ships for scrapping.

SC moves to reduce backlog of cases: CJ

Chief Justice Md Muzammel Hossain on Friday said huge backlog of pending cases and long delay in its disposal are the main barrier in ensuring access to justice.

The Supreme Court is working hard to solve the problems, he said while addressing as chief guest at a inauguration of two day workshop on “Case Management: Towards a Better Justice System” at Savar.

The Supreme Court and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) jointly organized the workshop at BRAC-CDM in Savar where 21 judges from different district courts and some lawyers participate.