Archive for August 20th, 2006
Sunday, August 20th, 2006The sensational August 21 grenade blast case seems to be going nowhere as the investigators wait for the fugitive criminals, accused of assassination attempt on Awami League (AL) President Sheikh Hasina, to return from India of their own accord where the government believes they have holed up.An in absence of the field level operators of the attack, the masterminds and motives behind the mayhem remain veiled in mystery.The investigators appear to be counting on the criminals to get back willingly and help them prepare a charge sheet in the case filed for the ghastly attack that left 23 people killed ...
(read more) Sunday, August 20th, 2006Banned Islamist militant organisation Harkatul Jihad al Islami (HuJi) that comprises Afghan war veterans is carrying out activities in the capital but the government seems not to bother at all.Many HuJi leaders and activists, who are known for their role in running militant activities openly until the organisation was banned last year, held a meeting under a new banner of Sachetan Islami Janata (conscious Islamist people) at the Baitul Mukarram Mosque on Friday.The names of these leaders--most sought-after figures following the grisly bomb attacks over the past few years--can be found on intelligence agencies' lists of Afghan war participants from ...
(read more) Sunday, August 20th, 2006The field level task of updating the voter list ends today without checking the authenticity of about two crore applications for inclusion and deletion of names and with many names of people eligible to be voters still left out of the list.The Election Commission (EC) however initiated a move to complete the entire task of updating the list by October and it is unlikely to extend the time limit again for the field level task.The EC secretariat last Tuesday sent a proposal to the cabinet purchase committee seeking exemption from the Public Procurement Regulation (PPR) 2003 for avoiding a long ...
(read more) Sunday, August 20th, 2006The Ministry of Post and Telecommunications has revived two cancelled contracts totalling $15 million for two Chinese companies and forwarded purchase proposals to the Cabinet Committee on Public Procurement (CCPP), which will meet on Monday.One of these two deals is over-priced by more than 200 per cent while the other is completely unnecessary and is based on a flawed bid, sources said.Bangladesh Telegraph and Telephone Board (BTTB), the customer, cancelled one of the deals more than two years back on financial grounds. The Ministry of Planning recommended cancellation of the other contract on technical reasons recently.But the telecommunications ministry has ...
(read more) Sunday, August 20th, 2006Speakers at the regional dialogue at Pabna yesterday emphasised direct election in seats reserved for women, selection of candidates through secret vote of local leaders and workers and bringing reforms in the Election Commission and political parties.If the national level leaders are honest, the grass roots leaders would automatically be honest, they said.They underscored the need for an emergency meeting of the major political parties for holding a free and fair election in 2007 which is 'very crucial' for implementation of vision 2021.The speakers also demanded turning the Pabna Edward College into a full-fledged university, resumption of production in closed ...
(read more) Sunday, August 20th, 2006Improper use and poor maintenance of 4,500 dumpsters in the capital, overflowing with mountains of garbage, are threatening the environment of the city and the health of its residents.Random dumping of wastes outside the dumpsters, usually on streets, has become a common practice of the city residents, as there is no monitoring body to control the bad habit.Unplanned deployment of the dumpsters along with improper disposal of wastes are the key reasons for the spread of various diseases and for aggravating many side effects of diseases among the city's ailing residents, experts said.Professor Abdul Jabbar, head of the department ...
(read more) Sunday, August 20th, 2006Bangladesh bowed out of the 10th South Asian Games football competition with a 2-1 loss to archrivals India at the Sugathadasa Stadium here yesterday.Although Bangladesh had beaten India for the first time in the history of the regional Games at this very ground in 1991, the current crop, despite playing a very attacking game in the second half, failed to repeat the same act in the crunch Group B match.India lead the first half 2-0. Feroz Mahmud Titu pulled onegoal back for Bangladesh converting a 68th minute penalty but that was not enough for them to avoid an early ...
(read more) Sunday, August 20th, 2006Jatiya Kabita Parishad, a national forum of poets, yesterday announced a weeklong programme to mourn the death of its founding president poet Shamsur Rahman, beginning today.The parishad will open condolence books at TSC of Dhaka University and Aziz Supermarket at Shahbagh today, offer special prayer in front of the poet's grave tomorrow and join a citizens' condolence rally at the Central Shahid Minar in a procession from TSC on August 22.It will also organise a poetry recitation programme at TSC on August 23, programme on poems and songs written by the poet himself on August 24 and video show at ...
(read more) Sunday, August 20th, 2006Leader of the Opposition Sheikh Hasina yesterday reiterated her accusation against late president Ziaur Rahman and Prime Minister Khaleda Zia that they had link to the killing of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on August 15 in 1975.She also harshly criticised the prime minister for celebrating August 15 as her birthday and alluded that the date might be false and an acknowledgement to the killers.Hasina, also president of the main opposition Awami League (AL), was addressing the discussion marking National Mourning Day (August 15) organised by Peshajibi Samannoy Parishad, a platform for different professionals, in the ...
(read more) Sunday, August 20th, 2006The government has declared a part of the second floor of Chandpur deputy commissioner's office as sub-jail to keep the top militants during trial, adding to the ongoing controversy on legal and security grounds about such a prison house in the capital.The district election office is also under the same roof of the recently declared Chandpur sub-jail, while the district collector's office within 20 yards and the judge court right behind the building on the same premises.The top militants, who will be taken there during their trial, will also have to share common toilet with the officials who work in ...
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