1. SC clears way for publication of Amar Desh
Dhaka: The Supreme Court yesterday upheld the High Court order that stayed the government’s action cancelling the declaration of Bangla daily Amar Desh.
A six-member bench of the Appellate Division headed by Chief Justice Mohammad Fazlul Karim passed the order after dismissing a leave-to-appeal petition filed by the government against the HC verdict.
The apex court also vacated its chamber judge’s order that stayed the HC order on June 15.
On June 1, the government cancelled the declaration of the daily, citing that it has no authorised publisher.
Following a writ petition filed by acting Chairman of the daily Anwar-un Nabi, an HC bench on June 10 passed the order and issued a rule upon the government to explain as to why its action closing the publication should not be declared illegal.
The apex court yesterday asked counsels of both sides to prepare for hearing on the HC rule as soon as possible.
Lawyers for the daily told reporters that there is no legal bar to resume its publication following the SC order.
Additional Attorney General MK Rahman, however, said it would not be legal to publish the newspaper since the SC did not issue any directives for its publication.
Moreover, there is no legal publisher of the daily, and a rule over this issue is pending with the HC, he added.
Barrister Rafique-ul Huq, a lawyer of Amar Desh, told The Daily Star that the Appellate Division delivered its verdict in the light of Article 39 of the constitution, which guarantees the freedom of press and speech.
Barrister Moudud Ahmed, another lawyer of the daily, described the verdict as a victory of the press. http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=147361
2. Arrest of Marak raises question, Family claims he was picked up 3 months back
Dhaka: Mystery shrouds the arrest of Pradip Marak, an alleged Bangladeshi aide to detained Ulfa leader Ranjan Chowdhury, as Pradip’s family members yesterday claimed that unidentified law enforcers picked him up in April from city’s Ashkona.
On April 21, an anonymous caller asked Pradip to go to a spot at 10:00am and he went missing after reaching the spot, said Pradip’s daughter Prima Chicham.
Following the incident they filed a case with Airport Police Station, she added.
Sub-Inspector Morshed Zaman, also the investigation officer of the case, told The Daily Star yesterday that Atishon Chicham, brother-in-law of Pradip, earlier filed a case in this connection.
Prima Chicham along with other family members reached The Daily Star office yesterday and claimed that the last anonymous caller to Pradip was a Rab personnel.
Meanwhile, Commander Mohammad Sohail, director of Rab legal and media wing told The Daily Star yesterday that Rab had not picked Pradip from Ashkona in April and such claim by Pradip’s family members against Rab is baseless and motivated.
“On Saturday, I saw Pradip in Rab custody in a television news. I lodged a general diary and informed the higher authority about the incident,” SI Morshed said adding that he collected callers’ list on Pradip’s cellphone according to the directives of the authority to trace the last call before his missing.
Prima, an employee of a fast food shop in Banani, said his father used to run a security firm Bangladesh Indigenous Security at Khilkhet and he was also the chairman of Garo Adibasi Unnyan Samabai Samity in Sherpur.
She claimed that Rab personnel had picked her father earlier and trying to implicate him with Ulfa connection.
On Saturday, Rab-9 arrested Ranjan and Pradip from Bhairab in Kishoreganj. They were placed on a three-day remand by a Kishoreganj court yesterday in connection with possessing illegal firearms, reports a correspondent from Kishoreganj.
Contacted, OC Mohammad Shahjahan Kabir of Bahirab Police Station said Ranjan, who is an Indian national, used to make frequent trips in Assam through Jhinaigati bordering area.
During preliminary investigation, Ranjan confessed that he took training in Afghanistan on firearms several times and used to receive financial help from Ulfa.
The OC, however, said they are verifying the information gleaned from Ranjan. http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=147413
