Civil, defence taskforces to stop illegal logging The environment ministry formed four taskforces with civil and defence officials for four regions in the wake of growing incidents of timber smuggling. A senior army officer with the rank and status cf a lieutenant colonel or major will lead each taskforce, said an official announcement.
The taskforces will initially operate in Dhaka, Chittagong, Khulna and Sylhet, Environment Minister Tariqul Islam told The Daily Star. The number of the task forces will be gradually increased, he added. A task force also has an officer each from Bangladesh Navy, Airforce and Coastguard, a representative from the deputy commissioner’s office, a class one magistrate and an official from the forest department.
Ministry sources said formation of the taskforces was a must following frequent reports of timber smuggling in the forest areas. They expressed the hope that now smuggling of forest resources, especially timber, can be checked. The official announcement says the taskforces will carry out sudden raids on railway stations, roads and highways and waterways to check illegal timber transportation and take legal action on the spot. -The Daily Star, December 7.
IGP guilty of contempt
Inspector General of Police (IGP) Shahudul Haque was convicted of contempt of court after the Supreme Court rejected his appeal petition against the conviction by the High Court The police chief will have to either pay Tk 2,000 in fine or serve a month in jail. Tills is for the first time such a high government official responsible for keeping law and order has been punished by court. An Appellate Division bench headed by the chief justice yesterday dismissed the appeal petition filed by Shahudul and three others against the January 27 High Court order that handed down the punishment. Legal experts quoting the law said the verdict of the highest court means the IGP stands dismissed from service.
Barrister Mainul Hosein, one of Shahudul’s counsels, said the IGP has lost his job with the judgement. "Maybe the government would say it will take action after receiving the certified copy of the verdict but I can say he is dismissed, " he told the BBC. Shahudul, whose contractual job as the IGP expires next March, is now in New York where he will visit the UN Peacekeeping Department before going to France to meet the Interpol secretary general at its secretariat in Lyon. He will return on December 13. The government has given Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner Ashraful Huda additional charge of the IGP -The Daily Star, Decembers.
Dhaka to ban chemical weapon production'
Bangladesh as a signatory to the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) is going to enact a law imposing a permanent ban on development, production, stockpilingand use of chemical weapons in its military defence system.
The CWC implementation cell at the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) has already prepared a draft bill, which is likely to be placed in parliament in the next session to make it a law with a provision for strict punishment for its violation, sources said.
The state parties to the convention are determined to achieve effective progress towards general and complete disarmament under strict and effective international control, including the prohibition and elimination of all types of weapons of mass destruction. "As a signatory to the CWC, we have to
enact a law to implement the convention," former army chief and defence advisor to the prime minis ter Mahbubur. Rahman told The Daily Star. He said the enactment of the law would help Bangladesh uphold its positive image in the campaign for world peace. Bangladesh earlier signed the Comprehensive Test Ban TYeaty (CTBT), an accord against nuclear proliferation and test of nuclear weapons. -The Daily Star, Decembers.
Bangladeshi truck driver released
The Bangladeshi truck driver held hostage in Iraq was released by Iraqi resistant fighters according to diplomatic sources. Abul Kashem Faruk, 44, who was captured by the Islamic Army of Iraq (IAI) on October 28, is now under the Iraqi Interior Ministry.
A Sri Lankan truck driver, who was kidnapped along with Faruk, has also been released. Sri Lankan ambassador to Kuwait who is already in Iraq has been asked by the government to receive Faruk on behalf of Bangladesh.
The Iraqi militants was abducted Faruk 60km away from Baghdad while transporting supplies to a US military base. Al-Jazeera was the first to broadcast a video message picturing him and the Sri Lankan driver. He was driving the truck for a private Kuwaiti company, Al-Jashern.
Bangladesh engaged the International Organisation for Migration and the Red Crescent Society in the rescue effort of Faruk. -Daily Ittefaq, December 10.
Concern over violation of human rights
Speakers at the inaugural session of a fair marking International Human Rights Day expressed grave concerns at escalating human rights violations in the country including violence against women and children, persecution of minorities, deaths in 'crossfire', mass arrests and corruption.
They asked the government and the people of Bangladesh to honour and promote the fundamental principles of personal liberty and freedom as guaranteed in the constitution. They also urged all to exercise the principles of the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights in 1948. Bangladesh Human Rights Advocacy Program (BHRAP) of the Academy for Educational Development (AED), a Washington-based NGO, organised the daylong 'human rights fair', first of its kind in the country, on the Jatiya Press Club premises in the capital with the slogan: 'Human Rights Begin at Home.'
The programme participated by several rights bodies from across the country began with an hour-long human chain near the Supreme Court. Susan Ward, chief of AED, Reazuddin Ahmed, president of Jatiya Press Club, Sigma Huda, special reporter on trafficking in persons of the UN Commission for Human Rights, and Judith Chammas, deputy chief of Mission of US Embassy, were present as special guests. -Prothom Alo, December 11.
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