The High Court today lightenthe death sentences of seven jailed militants in the Holey Artisan attack case to imprisonment till death. Justice Sahidul Karim and Justice Md. Mostafizur Rahman's High Court bench announced the verdict on Monday, October 30. The convicts are - Jahangir Hossain, Aslam Hossain Rash, Hadisur Rahman, Rakibul Hasan Regan, Md Abdus Sabur Khan, Shariful Islam Khaled, and Mamunur Rashid Ripon. Earlier on October 11, the High Court (HC) was set to deliver the verdict of the Holey Artisan Bakery attack case today, HC bench of Justice Shahidul Karim and Justice Md Mostafizur Rahman delivering the date of its verdict. On July 1, 2016, five militants armed with firearms, machetes and grenades attacked in the diplomatic zone of Gulshan. During the attack, they killed three, seven Japanese, nine Italians and one Indian.

The imprisonment day of Awami League President and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was observed in the country on Friday in a befitting manner, maintaining the health safety guidelines. The AL president was arrested from her Sudha Sadan residence at Dhanmondi in the city on July 16, 2007 during the military-backed caretaker government, which assumed power in the political changeover of 1/11 in 2007. To mark the day, the AL and its associate bodies took various programmes, including discussions, milad and doa mahfils and cloth and food distribution, maintaining the health guidelines and social distancing. Dhaka city south AL organised a discussion and a doa mahfil at the party's central office in the city's Bangabandhu Avenue Friday morning. AL General Secretary and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader joined the event virtually as the chief guest with Dhaka city south AL President Abu Ahmed Mannafi in the chair. AL presidium members Begum Matia Chowdhury, Abdur Razzaque and Jahangir Kabir Nanak, its joint general secretary AFM Bahauddin Nasim, organising secretary Mirza Azam and Dhaka south city AL general secretary Humayun Kabir, among others, spoke. On the other hand, Dhaka north city unit of AL organised a food distribution programme on the Solmadh High School ground in the city’s Bhatara area. AL joint general secretary AFM Bahauddin Nasim addressed the function as the chief guest. Advisory council member of Dhaka north AL  AKM Rahmatullah, its general secretary SM Mannan Kochi and Habib Hasan, MP, also spoke at the function with Dhaka north AL president Sheikh Bazlur Rahman in the chair. Besides, Swechchhasebak League arranged a discussion and a milad and doa mahfil at its office in the city's Bangabandhu Avenue, seeking the healthy and long life of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Marking the day, Awami Jubo League organised doa and milad mahfils at Bangabandhu Avenue and across the country.   Bangabandhu Sangskritik Jote also arranged a virtual discussion on this occasion. AL President Sheikh Hasina was released from the special sub-jail set up on the premises of the Jatiya Sangsad Building on June 11 in 2008 after remaining captive there for nearly 11 months. As she fell sick during her captivity, demands were raised then from different quarters, including the Awami League and its associate bodies, to send her abroad for better medical treatment after releasing her from jail. Conceding to the people's spontaneous and repeated demands and pressure from different quarters, the caretaker government was compelled to release Sheikh Hasina from prison. Source: BSS AH

A Dhaka court today (Monday) sentenced expelled Jubo Mohila League leader Shamima Nur Papia and her husband Mofizur Rahman Sumon to 20-year imprisonment in an arms case. Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions Judge KM Imrul Qayesh passed the order, sentencing the couple 20-year imprisonment in one section of the act, while they were sentenced to seven-year imprisonment in another. Both the sentence would run concurrently, meaning the couple would have to suffer total 20 years behind the bars. The court on September 27 set today to pronounce judgement as both the prosecution and defence concluded their closing arguments and rebuttal in the case. The prosecution on September 8 ended their testimony in the case as they produced a total of 12 witnesses on different hearing dates. The court on August 23 framed charges in the case. Investigation officer (IO) and Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) Sub-Inspector Arifuzzaman filed charge-sheet against the couple in the case on June 29, making 12 people witnesses. Earlier on February 22, RAB arrested Papia and her husband, along with two of their accomplices, from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport with counterfeit banknotes, foreign currencies and cash. RAB later raided their two luxurious flats in the capital’s Indira Road area and recovered a foreign-made pistol, two magazines, 20 bullets, five bottles of foreign liquor and Taka 58.41 lakh in cash, among other things. Source: BSS AH

Regent Group Chairman Shahed Karim has been sentenced to life imprisonment in an arms case. Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions Judge KM Imrul Kayes delivered the verdict on Monday afternoon, just over two months after the case was filed. Later, the court also jailed him for seven years under section 19 (F) of the same case. Rab arrested Shahed from a bordering area of Satkhira on July 15. They also recovered a firearm, some bullets and foreign currencies from his possession. Later, DB police took Shahed with them and conducted a drive in Uttara where some firearms were recovered. A case was filed in this connection with Uttara Pashchim Police Station on July 19. On August 13, the arms case was transferred to Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions Judge’s Court. Law enforcers raided Mirpur and Uttara branches of Regent Hospital on July 6 on charge of issuing fake Covid-19 certificates and charging the admitted patients exorbitant fees. The Regent Group head office and both hospitals were sealed off and 16 people, including the chairman, were sued on charge of issuing fake coronavirus test reports. Chargesheets were submitted against Shahed in two cases. The tribunal recorded statements of 11 prosecution witnesses. The prosecution completed arguments in the case on September 17. Source: UNB AH

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia was released on Wednesday from jail for six months suspending her sentences following an executive order over 25 months after she had been convicted and sent to jail in graft cases. The government passed the executive order for her release upon two conditions -- receiving treatment staying at her Gulshan residence and not leaving the country. The BNP chief, who has been undergoing treatment at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) since April 1 last year, came of the hospital around 4:13pm as her release order reached the jail authorities on completion of all necessary procedures. However, she started for her Gulshan residence around 4:20pm after being caught in huge crowd from her party leaders and activists. Meanwhile, ‘Firoza’, the luxury home of Khaleda at Road No 79 in Dhaka’s Gulshan area which turned into an abandoned house since she went to jail, was prepared for her comfortable stay there. As the government announced on Tuesday that the BNP chief will be released from jail for six months, the house was cleaned and refurbished to welcome her. Khaleda Zia’s family recently submitted an application to the government seeking an executive order to have the BNP chief released for her treatment in London. Her brother Shamim Eskandar, sister Selima Islam, and her (Selima’s) husband Dr Rafiqul Islam met Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and made an appeal for her release through the executive order. Under the circumstances, the former prime minister’s sentences have been suspended as per section 401 (1) of Criminal Code of Procedure (CrPC), said Law Minister Annisul Huq on Tuesday. Meanwhile, BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said Khaleda’s personal doctors will provide her treatment at her residence. “We’re contacting her personal doctors and taking steps to ensure her treatment at her residence.” He also said it depends on Khaleda’s decision that whether she will receive treatment at her residence or any hospital. Khaleda has been in jail since she was convicted in the Zia Orphanage Trust corruption case on February 8, 2018. She was found guilty in another corruption case later the same year, though her party claims both cases are politically motivated. Source: UNB AH

The cabinet has approved a draft law keeping provision for imprisonment and fines for filing false case over dowry. The draft of ‘The Dowry Prohibition Law-2018’ was approved in the cabinet with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair at her office on Monday. Later Cabinet Secretary Mohammad Shafiul Alam told the newsmen at the secretariat that a new provision was added in the draft law. The punishment for filing any false case will be maximum five years’ imprison or maximum 50 thousand taka as fine or both. There was no scope for jail or fine in the existing law for filing false case over dowry. Shafiul Alam said, the government formulated The Dowry Prohibition Ordinance in 1980. Amendments were made in the ordinance in 1982, 1984 1nd 1986. To make the ordinance up to date the new law is being formulated. A little change has been made in the earlier provisions. The punishment was kept as like the previous but amount of fine was increased. In the previous ordinance the punishment for claiming, giving and receiving dowry was one to five years jail or fine. The punishment was kept like the previous in the proposed law but fine was fixed up to 50 thousand taka. Jail or fine or both will be applicable. AH   

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami has claimed that to implement the political vengeance BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia was given five years imprisonment in a false and conspiratorial case. Acting Ameer of the party Professor Mujibur Rahman expressed protest and condemnation over a statement to the mass media on Thursday after the verdict of Khaleda Zia in the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case. In the statement he said, the punishment which was given to Khaleda Zia in the so called Zia Orphanage Trust corruption case is nothing but revenge and conspiracy of the government. This verdict is the continuation of government’s ill strategy of using courts in political purpose. This verdict is not acceptable to the people. Professor Mujibur Rahman said, we also urge authorities concern to take measures to withdraw the false cases filed against 20-party alliance leaders and workers including Begum Khaleda Zia and Jamaat Ameer Maqbul Ahmad and unconditional release of the arrested. We also demand for holding a free, fair and impartial election under a neutral government with participation of all party. AH      

Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) has sought seven years imprisonment for BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia in the Zia Charitable Trust graft case while presenting summary of arguments. Lawyer of ACC Mosharraf Hossain Kajol delivered his speech on Tuesday upholding the arguments of the state. During his presentation he upheld summary of the case and the proceedings of 32 witnesses. The arguments placing took place at the Dhaka Special Court-5 set up at the Alia Madrassa ground at Bakshibazar in the capital. Mosharraf Hossain Kajol said, nobody can form a trust while remaining in the post of Prime Minister. Because, she took oath as a Prime Minister of 16 crore people. For this reason she cannot form a trust in personal interest. The lawyer also said, Khaleda Zia formed the trust while the oath was active. She is also a trustee of the trust. It was not known that whether she paid any money for the trust formation according to the trust act. She collected the amount by misusing the power of Prime Minister. The other accused of the case are, Haris Chowdhury former Political Secretary of Kahleda Zia, APS of Haris Chowdhury Ziaul Islam Munna, Monirul Islam Khan APS of former Mayor Sadek Hossain Khoka and others. AH