15-11-2021

Monday, Dhaka: November 15, 2021; Kartik 30, 1428 BS; Rabius-Sani 9, 1443 Hijri
Writ seeks cancellation of
Evidence Act provisions
on rape victims' character
DHAKA : A writ petition was submitted
before the High Court on Sunday
seeking abolition of two provisions of
the Evidence Act, 1872, which allow
raising questions about the character
of rape victims who are usually women,
reports UNB.
Lawyer Sara Hossain filed the petition
on behalf of three rights organizations-
Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust,
Ain O Salish Kendra and Naripokkho
before the HC bench of justice M Enayetur
Rahim and Md Mostafizur Rahman.
The petition sought a rule on why section
155 (4) and 146 (3) of the Evidence
Act will not be deemed unconstitutional
and not be abolished, said Sara Hossain.
The lawyer said, "According to these
sections woman who files complaint of
rape and sexual harassment is generally
presumed of immoral character and her
Judgement in Abrar
murder trial Nov 28
DHAKA : A special tribunal yesterday
set November 28 for pronouncing
judgement in a case lodged over the
murder of Bangladesh University of
Engineering and Technology (BUET)
student Abrar Fahad.
Judge Abu Zafar Md Kamaruzzaman
of Dhaka Speedy Trial Tribunal-1 set
the date as both prosecution and
defence concluded their arguments in
the case.
The tribunal on September 8 framed
charges in the case afresh. A total 46 out
of 60 prosecution witnesses have testified
in the sensational case.
Earlier on November 13, 2019, Dhaka
Metropolitan Sessions Judge Court
took into cognizance the charge sheet in
the case filed by Detective Branch (DB)
of police against 25 accused.
The case was later transferred to the
speedy trial tribunal, allowing a plea of
Abrar's father.
The tribunal on September 15, 2020,
had framed charges against all 25
accused in the case.
The 25 accused are - Mehedi Hasan
Russel, Anik Sarker, Ifti Mosharraf
Sakal, Md Mehedi Hasan Robin, Md
Meftahul Islam Jeon, Muntassir Alam
Jemmy, Khandaker Tabakkharul
Islam Tanvir, Md Muzahidur
Rahman, Muhtasim Fuad, Md
character and background can be questioned
and inquired in the court."
Rights groups have been campaigning
against these provisions for long, said
Sara adding that they are now seeking
intervention from the High Court.
She said the hearing on the petition is
likely to be held next week.
Section 155(4) of the act says, "When a
man is prosecuted for rape or an
attempt to ravish, it may be shown that
the prosecutrix was of generally
immoral character."
Meanwhile section 146 (3) says during
cross examination a witness can be questioned
to shake his credit, by injuring his
character, although the answer to such
questions might tend directly or indirectly
to criminate him or might expose
or tend directly or indirectly to expose
him to a penalty or confiscation.
A human chain was organized by Bangladesh Mahila Parishad in
front of the High Court on Sunday in protest of the patriarchal
attitude in the verdict of rape case of Raintree Hotel. Photo: PBA
Moniruzzaman Monir, Md Akash
Hossain, Hossain Mohammad Toha,
Md Mazedul Islam, Shamim Billah,
Moaj Abu Hurayra and ASM Nazmus
Sadat, Istiak Ahammed Munna, Amit
Saha, Md Mizanur Rahman alias
Mizan, Shamsul Arefin Rafat, SM
Mahmud Setu, Morsheduzzaman
Jisan, Ehteshamul Rabbi Tanim,
Morshed Amatya Islam and Mostaba
Rafid. Of these, Jisan, Rafid and
Tanim are yet to be arrested and are
tried in absentia.
According to the police, of the 25
accused, 11 took part in the gruesome
murder directly and the other played
role in the crime one way or another. Of
those arrested, eight have given confessional
statements before court.
BUET students and the varsity
authorities found the seemingly lifeless
body of Abrar, 22, on first-floor stairs of
Sher-e-Bangla Hall and rushed him to
Dhaka Medical College Hospital
(DMCH), where doctors declared him
dead at around 6.30 am on October 7,
2019.
He was allegedly beaten to death by a
couple of leaders of the then BUET unit
of Chhatra League over his posts on
Facebook. Abrar's father filed the case
with Chawkbazar Police Station
against 19.
Govt plans to hold 6th Population, Housing
census on Dec 24-30: Mannan
DHAKA : Planning Minister MA
Mannan yesterday said in Jatiya
Sangsad that the government has
planned to conduct the sixth population
and housing census from
December 24 to 30 this year.
Replying to a tabled question from
ruling party lawmaker M Abdul Latif
(Chattogram-11), the minister said the
government has also a plan to conduct
fully the population and housing census
in digital method.
The census, which is usually conducted
once in a decade, provides
complete data on the overall population,
its composition, workforce, density,
housing and other socio-economic
indicators vital for formulating economic
and other policies.
The last census was conducted in
2011 when the country's population
stood at 15.17 crore, with the population
growing at 1.37 percent per
annum.
Currently, the estimated population
is 16.8 crore, according to the
Bangladesh Economic Review 2021.
In Bangladesh, the first population
Patents bill placed
in Parliament
DHAKA : Bangladesh Patents Bill, 2021
was placed in Parliament aiming to make
the century-old patent law more timebefitting
one and strengthen the safeguard
of intellectual property rights,
reports UNB.
Industries Minister Nurul Majid
Mahmud Humayun placed the bill in the
House, which was sent to the respective
parliamentary standing committee for
further scrutiny. The committee was
asked to submit its report within 30 days.
According to the bill, the owner will be
given the patent of any innovation for 20
years and then it will become public
property. A registrar office will be there
to issue or cancel patents of any single
inventor or joint inventors of a technical
innovation under the proposed law.
On February22, 2021, the Cabinet cleared
the draft of Bangladesh Patents Bill 2021,
which will repeal the patent related provisions
in 'Patents and Designs Act, 1911.'
Besides, the Industries Minister placed
the Boilers Bill, 2021 in the House aiming
to check boiler-related accidents and
ensure a safer work environment in
industrial mills by constructing and
using standard boilers there. Later, the
bill was sent to the respective parliamentary
committee. The committee was
asked to submit its report within 30 days.
The bill will replace the Boiler Act, 1923.
Gaibandha UP member killing
Prime accused held
GAIBANDHA : Members of Rapid
Action Battalion (RAB) detained the
prime accused in the case over the killing
of newly-elected UP member Abdur Rauf
from Boda upazila in Panchagarh district
on Sunday. The detainee is Arif Mia,
reports UNB. Tipped off, a team of Rab-
13 conducted a drive in the area and
detained Arif from Panchagarh district.
Earlier, on Friday night, Abdur Rauf, a
newly elected member of Laxmipur
union parishad, was killed by a youth in
Gobindapur village of Gaibandha Sadar
upazila. Police claimed to have arrested a
man, identified as Rezaul, in connection
with the murder. Touhidul Islam, superintendent
of Gaibandha Police, said "A
compliant was lodged with Sadar Police
on Saturday and the attacker might have
killed him over previous enmity."
Local people on Saturday blocked
Gaibandha-Sundarganj road at Laxmipur
Bazar in Sadar upazila demanding exemplary
punishment of the killer.
Indian President to
attend Victory Day
celebrations Dec 16
DHAKA : Indian President Ram Nath
Kovind will attend the Victory Day celebrations
here on December 16 apart from
his other key engagements, reports UNB.
President Kovind will be visiting
Bangladesh at the invitation of his
Bangladesh counterpart Abdul Hamid.
Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen
confirmed the Indian President's visit to
Bangladesh. Bangladesh is also expecting
a high-level participation from
Bhutan. This will be the first visit by the
14th president of India to Bangladesh.
He was sworn in on July 25, 2017.
Bangladesh is celebrating the Golden
Jubilee of its Independence and the birth
centenary of Father of the Nation
Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
The two countries also decided to commemorate
December 6 as Maitri Diwas
(Friendship Day), the day when India
recognized Bangladesh in 1971.
Bangladesh and India are working
together eyeing two mega events next
month - Maitri Diwas and Victory Day of
Bangladesh - on Dec 6 and Dec 16 respectively
with exchange of high-level visits,
officials said.
census was conducted in 1974.
Subsequently, the population and
housing censuses were held in 1981,
1991, 2001, and 2011.
In October 2019, the Executive
Committee of the National Economic
Council (ECNEC) approved a Taka
1,761 crore project for the population
and housing census.
However, the BBS could not hold the
census as per the scheduled timeframe
due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In
January 2021, it pushed back further
the date to October 25-31.
Cabinet members and senior officials welcomed Prime
Minister Sheikh Hasina on her arrival at Dhaka's Shahjalal
International Airport on Sunday morning after attending a
climate conference in Glasgow and a two-week visit to the
United Kingdom and France.
Photo : Star Mail
Culture of apathy
Villagers' 50-year wait
for a concrete bridge
doesn't end
KURIGRAM : A bridge that can ensure
an all-season access to both sides of a
river can transform the lives of local
residents as it improves access to basic
services and facilities.
But thousands of villagers in Phulbari
upazila of Kurigram district have been
using a rickety makeshift bridge for
over 50 years to cross the Baromasia
River as there is no concrete bridge.
Authorities have failed to take any
initiative to build a concrete bridge over
the river since the independence of the
country, said aggrieved villagers.
They said they do not understand
why they cannot have a concrete bridge
even after five decades of the country's
independence!
Shahadat, 45, a resident of the village,
said, "It's too difficult for us to
cross the bridge with heavy goods.
Those who ride bicycles have to cross it
with a greater caution."
Fed up with the apathy of the authorities,
Shahadat said, "It's clear the
administration is least bothered about
the problems we face."
He said they have to repair the bamboo-bridge
over the river at Nabiul ghat
in Shimulbari village every year as it is
the only way to reach the upazila headquarters.
Children, students and elderly people
have to cross the broken bamboobridge
risking their lives. Many villagers
slip into the river or get hurt
while crossing the river using the
bridge.
According to the villagers, two bamboo-bridges
were built on the 5-km
long Baromasia River and one of them
built along Nabiul Ghat has turned
risky as it largely got damaged by the
recent floods.
During a recent visit to the area, the
UNB correspondent came to know that
the 120-feet bamboo-bridge is in a very
bad shape as it has got its different portions
broken.
Women and children are usually seen
crossing the river very crawling while
school and college students cross it by
bicycles with fear.
During the time of harvest, farmers
suffer a lot as they have to hire boats
paying additional charges to take their
produce to local markets.
Two school students-Maminul, 14,
and Azmeri, 13, -- of Jhaukuti village
said they have to cross the bamboobridge
to reach their school though
they are well aware it may collapse
anytime.
Shahadat, 45, a resident of the village,
said, "It's too difficult for people to
cross the bridge with heavy goods and
people who ride by-cycle have to cross
it with more caution."
Hamid Mia, a farmer of the upaizla,
said, "There was a ghat in the area six
years back and we used boats for crossing
the river. Later, local people built
the bamboo-bridge over there but now
it's in a very shabby state."
Ataur Rahman, assistant teacher of
Balahat School and College, said:
"School students and farmers are suffering
a lot as they've to cross the bridge
every day. Every year, we renovate the
bridge with the help of villagers as the
local administration is reluctant about
recognizing their sufferings."
Sumon Das, Phulbari Upazila
Nirbahi Officer, said, "We've already
taken an initiative to repair the two
dilapidated bridges to mitigate the sufferings
of the villagers."
But he did not say anything about
building a concrete bridge over the
river.
Reduce fuel prices
Jatiya Party
MPs to govt
DHAKA :Two Jatiya Party MPs-
Mujibul Haque and Rustum Ali Farajion
Sunday demanded the government
reduce diesel prices to ease public sufferings,
reports UNB.
"Common people, particularly the
poorer section, are now suffering due to
diesel price hike. I would like tell the
Leader of the House and the Prime
Minister either to reduce the price, or
withdraw the recent decision, or make an
alternative arrangement," said Mujibul
Haque (Kishoreganj-3), taking floor on
point of order in Parliament.
He said the diesel price was suddenly
raised at a time when people are trying to
return to their normal life after two years
of sufferings caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Mujibul, also known as Chunnu, said
the diesel price was increased by 23 percent
this time, but such a big hike was not
seen in the past.
Mujibul said the government took the
decision at a time when people were
going through a tough time due to the
price hike of essentials. The diesel price
hike also contributed to a rise in transport
fare and the prices of essentials, adding to
the woes of people, he added.
Later, another Jatiya Party MP,
Rustum Ali Faraji (Pirojpur-3), asked the
government to review its recent decision
of diesel price hike, prioritizing the public
interest. "The government should either
reduce the diesel price or give subsidies,"
he added.
BNP becomes
bankrupt
now: Quader
DHAKA : Awami League General
Secretary Obaidul Quader yesterday said
those abandoned by the people and afraid
of standing by the countrymen have
become bankrupt now.
"Those going to lose everything by
making themselves bankrupt are now
talking about others, which is absolutely
ridiculous. In fact, the BNP has become
bankrupt now," he said.
Quader, also the road transport and
bridges minister, made the remarks joining
virtually an event arranged to open
two bridges built under the Khulna Road
Zone.
Responding to an allegation of BNP
leaders that the ruling Awami League has
turned into a bankrupt party, he said the
country's people get entertainment from
such statements of the BNP.
Although the BNP leaders talk about
democracy in words, they fear to join
polls and wage a movement, the AL general
secretary said, adding, "So, the party
became a bankrupt one".
Earlier in the day, Quader inaugurated
two bridges constructed under the
Khulna Road Zone through videoconferencing
from Dhaka.
The 305-metre Manikkhali Bridge was
constructed, spending Taka 37 crore, on
Satkhira-Ashashuni-Goaldanga-
Paikgacha Road, while a 140-metre
bridge involving Taka 22.63 crore was
built on Mathavanga River on Meherpur-
Kushtia-Jhenaidah Road.
About the newly constructed bridges,
the roads and bridges minister said the
two bridges have significance.
Winter is in full swing in Kurigram. Dense fog is all around. During the movement in daytime,
the headlights of the vehicles remain turned on.
Photo : Star Mail