Rule issued on hotel staff arrests in raids

The High Court on Wednesday issued a rule asking the authorities concerned to explain why the arrests of workers during raids on hotels and restaurants in the capital following the Bailey Road fire, should not be declared illegal.

The HC asked the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to provide within the next 30 days a list of the total number of workers arrested during raids.

The HC bench of Justice Mustafa Zaman Islam and Justice Md Atabullah passed the order following a writ petition.

Secretaries to home, labour, employment and law ministries, and inspector general of police have been asked to respond to the rule within four weeks.

Barrister Masud R Sobhan stood for the writ petitioner while Deputy Attorney General Tushar Kanti Roy represented the state.

Earlier Monday, Barrister Masud R Sobhan and his wife Barrister Fatema S Chowdhury filed the writ petition.

Barrister Fatema S Chowdhury said according to media reports, law enforcers have arrested at least 800 workers.

"However, these workers do not own any building or restaurant. They are just employees. They used to get a salary of Tk 10,000 to Tk 15,000 per month. They are innocent. They were illegally detained and kept with the inmates in the jail. That's why I filed a writ challenging the legality of their arrest," she said.

On February 29, 46 people were killed in a devastating fire at Green Cozy Cottage building on Bailey Road in the capital. Since then, Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) has been conducting drives in various restaurants.

A total of 872 people have been arrested and 20 cases filed so far during these drives. Disciplinary action was taken in 887 cases.

The Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (RAJUK) is also conducting drives and closing some restaurants. Police are also allegedly detaining many people from small roadside food shops.

The Restaurant Owners' Association has criticised the raids conducted by government agencies on various restaurants in Dhaka, claiming it “harassment.”

Earlier on Tuesday, the same bench of the High Court issued a rule in response to a writ petition filed by the Bangladesh Restaurant Owners' Association. The High Court issued a rule asking why harassing hotels and restaurants in the name of raids in the capital are not illegal.

Rule issued on payment of compensation to bird rescuer Atif

The High Court on Wednesday also barred animal rescue organisations from carrying out rescue operations without training.

The court also issued a rule asking the authorities concerned to explain as to why Atif Islam, a volunteer of “Robin Hood – The Animal Rescue Society" who died after being electrocuted while rescuing a bird, should not be given adequate compensation.

The HC bench of Justice Mustafa Zaman Islam and Justice Md Atabullah passed the order after hearing a writ petition filed by Atif’s mother Tanjina Rahman Tumpa.

Advocate ABM Shahjahan Akand Masum stood for the writ petitioner while Assistant Attorney General Selim Azad represented the state.

Advocate ABM Shahjahan Akand Masum confirmed the order.

Tashfian Atif, a member of “Robin Hood- the Animal Rescue Society” who was electrocuted while rescuing a parrot stuck in an electric wire at Hasnabad Insaf Bazar in Dhaka's South Keraniganj on December 21 last year, died on December 22 while undergoing treatment.

Atif was first taken to Sheikh Hasina National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery. From there, he was admitted to the emergency department of Dhaka Medical College where he died.

After the incident, Afzal Khan, head of Robin Hood- the Animal Rescue Society, told the media that they work to rescue animals if they fall in danger. They got information on a mobile phone that a parrot was trapped on an electric pole in the Hasnabad area on December 21.

Then a team of 5-6 people went to the spot to rescue the bird and rescuers climbed onto the roof of a three-storey building, he said. Atif went to rescue the bird with a stick in his hand and when he hit an electric cable with the stick he and two others got electrocuted.

Atif's father Nazmul Hossain said Atif was a second-year student of Dhanmondi Ideal College and he was involved in the work for his love for animals. Then Atif’s mother filed a writ petition with the High Court.