HC rules on compensation for daily labourers jailed by mobile court

The High Court on Sunday issued a rule asking the government to explain as to why the two daily wagers of Khagrachhari district, who were sentenced to five-day jail through a mobile court, should not be provided Tk 1 million as compensation, reports UNB.

The HC bench of justice Zafar Ahmed and ustice Md Akhtaruzzaman issued the rule following a petition.

The court also issued another rule asking the government to explain as to why punishing the two daily wagers—Abul Kalam and Ruhul Amin—should not be declared illegal.

The court also asked the Ramgarh upazila nirbahi officer (UNO) of Khagrachhari district, Khandaker Ikhtier Uddin Arafat, to refrain from conducting mobile court drive for punishing the two daily wagers until the disposition of the rule.

Secretary of the public administration ministry and Khagrachhari deputy commissioner (DC) have been asked to implement the order.

Barrister Hasan SM Azim stood for the writ petitioner while assistant attorney general AMG Sarwar Payel represented the state.

On 23 October, a writ petition was filed seeking its directives to not to allow Khagrachhari Ramgarh UNO Ikhtier to conduct any mobile court drive by sitting at this office though there is a provision that UNO should punish people after visiting the spot through mobile court.

On 5 August, a report was published at a daily vernacular saying that Khargachhari Ramgarh Local Administration and Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) had a dispute over a piece of land in the upazila.

On 1 August, UNO Ikhtier sentenced two day labourers to five-day jail while they were engaged in erecting fence on the disputed land.