The High Court (HC) has issued a stay order of the gazette notification on results of the national elections for the Dhaka-4 constituency. The HC bench of Abu Taher Md Saifur Rahman and Justice Md Bashir Ullah passed the order on Tuesday (Jan 9) after hearing a writ petition by Awami League nominee Sanjida Khanam, who lost to independent candidate Awlad Hossain. She sought re-elections in 18 of the polling centres for this seat. The court has directed the Election Commission (EC) to refrain from publishing a gazette declaring independent candidate Awlad Hossain as the winner until the investigation is completed. The Dhaka-4 constituency comprises Sutrapur and Demra upazilas. In this constituency, independent candidate Awlad Hossain with the Truck symbol defeated the Awami League's nominated candidate Sanjida Khanam with the Boat symbol.  Awlad Hossain received a total of 24,775 votes, while Sanjida Khanam secured 22,577 votes with the Boat symbol. The Jatiya Party candidate Syed Abu Hossain Babla, with the Plough symbol, received 7,798 votes.

A court here On Wednesday (22 November) scrapped BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir's bail plea in a vandalism case lodged over attack on the official residence of the chief justice (CJ) during BNP's grand rally in the city's Nayapaltan area on October 28. Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions Judge Court's acting judge Foysal Atiq Bin Kader passed the order after holding a hearing regarding the matter. On October 28, a chaos broke out as BNP leaders and workers entered into a clash with police at city's Nayapaltana and surrounding areas during BNP's grand rally. Amid the clash, BNP men allegedly attacked the residence of the chief justice and broke one of its gates and damaged its nameplate.  Police filed the case with Ramna Police Station against 59 leaders and activists of BNP, including its secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, standing committee member Mirza Abbas, vice-chairmen Barkat Ullah Bulu, Abdul Awal Mintoo and Shamsuzzaman Dudu. Fakhrul was arrested from his Gulshan residence the next day by Detective Branch (DB) of police and sent to jail. A bail plea was filed with Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions Judge Court on November 2. Source : BSS

The High Court (HC) today (May 23) ordered authorities concerned to identify people and companies behind e-commerce scams across the country. A High Court division bench of Justice Md Mozibur Rahman Miah and Justice Khizir Hayat passed the order after holding hearing on three separate writ petitions filed in this regard. "The court asked the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) to determine the amount of money laundered abroad from the country's e-commerce companies. The court also issued a rule asking authorities concerned as to why their inaction in determining the liability behind financial scams," Barrister Humayun Kabir Pallab, who moved the writs among others before the court, told BSS. Advocate Mohammd Shishir Manir, Advocate Anwarul Islam and Barrister Humayun Kabir Pallab filed and moved the writ before the court. Deputy Attorney General Bipul Baghmar stood for the state. Source: BSS AH

The High Court has issued rule asking why not order would be given to compensate and rehabilitate the children who are victims of rape. The High Court bench of Justice Md. Mojibur Rahman Mian and Justice Md. Kamrul Hossain Mollah issued the rule on Wednesday. The rule also wanted to know why not order would be given to the government to formulate a regulation to compensate the children who are victims of rape whether the case is proved or not. Barrister Abdul Halim took part in the hearing for the writ petitioner. Advocate Isharat Hasan and Advocate Shayla Jahan accompanied him. The rule asked 15 persons including Home Secretary, Women and Children Affairs Secretary to answer within seven days. An organization named ‘Children Charity Foundation’ filed the writ with the High Court on January 2 attaching three incidents of rape published in the mass media in different times. Lawyer Abdul Halim said, 97 per cent accused in rape case are acquitted. Is that mean 97 per cent incidents of rape did not happen? The reason of acquittal is that the state fails to present proper evidences. Then why victims will be responsible? They have self dignity. Education of the children has been damaged. These children cannot go to schools. Then where they would go? Here comes the matter of responsibility of the state. There are regulations across the world to compensate the rape victims. We have submitted the example that Indian Supreme Court ordered to compensate a rape victim by paying 10 lakh rupees. AH      

The High Court today sought a list of Bangladeshi nationals suspected of money laundering with dual nationality and passports. A virtual High Court division bench comprising Justice Mohammad Nazrul Islam Talukder and Justice Ahmed Sohail passed the order on Monday. Deputy Attorney General AKM Amin Uddin Manik told BSS that the Special Superintendent of Police (Immigration) has been directed to submit the list by February 28 next year. Advocate Khurshid Alam Khan who represented the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) in the virtual court said that ACC sought an order from the court seeking a list Bangladeshi nationals with double citizenship and passports holders involved in money laundering. Earlier, Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen at a press conference on November 18 spoke about money laundering abroad. Based on his speech, reports were published in various media on the issue. Taking those reports into cognizance, the court issued the rule on November 22 and issued the order after hearing suo moto. In the rule, the court wanted to know why the inaction of the defendants would not be declared illegal to take appropriate action as per the law against government officials and businessmen involved in money laundering. ACC Chairman, Home Secretary, Foreign Secretary, Bangladesh Bank, Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit, NBR Chairman and Dhaka Deputy Commissioner were asked to respond to the rule and submit all kinds of information including names and addresses of money launderers abroad. On December 17, five agencies, including the ACC, placed information about money laundering before the court. On the same day, the court again ordered more details about the money launderers. The court today, sought a list of Bangladeshi nationals who have dual citizenship and passports and have amassed wealth abroad through money laundering. Source: BSS AH

The High Court (HC) today (Monday) ordered authorities concerned to take immediate steps to protect Muktijoddha Complexes and all the murals of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, across the country. A High Court division virtual bench comprising Justice FRM Nazmul Ahasan and Justice Shahed Nuruddin passed the order on today. The court also directed the cabinet secretary to submit report within one month on the progress of installing murals of the Father of the Nation at all the district and upazila sadars of the country, Deputy Attorney General ABM Abdullah Al Mahmud Bashar told the newsmen. Earlier on February 25, the court had ordered the government to declare March 7 as ‘Historic National Day’ and issue gazette notification within next one month in this regard. The court had also ordered to construct mural of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in all districts and upazilas within this Mujib Year. The High Court had asked the Ministry of Liberation War Affairs to submit a report on executing that order, and the ministry today filed that report. Source: BSS AH

The High Court on Sunday sought information on money launderers it termed as “national traitors” and “enemies of the state” who should be brought to book. It issued a rule asking the government to explain why the ineffectiveness of government institutions concerned to prevent money laundering should not be declared illegal. The bench of Justice Md Nazrul Islam Talukder and Justice Ahmed Sohel issued the suo–mote rule after noticing the comment of the Foreign Minister published in different newspapers. It also ordered the Anti-Corruption Commission, the Bangladesh Bank governor and National Board of Revenue (NBR) chairman to submit the list of those involved in money laundering with their names and identification to the court within December 17. Deputy Attorney General AKM Amin Uddin Manik represented the state while Advocate Khurshid Alam stood for the ACC. On November 18, Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen said government officials are involved in siphoning-off money. “I thought that the number of the politicians (involved in money laundering) would be higher but [according to] the report I received … many government officials have houses in foreign countries and their children are studying there. I’ve received 28 cases and among them four are politicians while some are RMG businessmen. We’re trying to collect more information,” he said at a programme at the Dhaka Reporters Unity. A number of newspapers carried the minister’s remarks. A report of the Global Financial Integrity (GFI) in March said that  Bangladesh lost Tk 63,924 crore ($7.53 billion) a year between 2008 and 2017 to trade misinvoicing. According to Swiss National Bank's (SNB) annual report for 2019, deposit of money by Bangladeshis and enterprises went down by 2.38 percent to 603 million Swiss Francs (CHF) in 2019 from 617 million CHF in the previous year. Bangladesh is gearing up for a crackdown on black money. The government is reportedly planning to sign taxation agreements with as many as 12 countries for allowing exchange of information in order to bring back black money stashed abroad. In the latest budget, the government introduced a scope to whiten black money. Source: UNB AH