Archive for September 24th, 2006
Sunday, September 24th, 2006Prime Minister Khaleda Zia has said the caretaker government will be forced to take tough action if any party tries to launch agitation or create chaos during the interim period.Addressing a public meeting at Barura College ground yesterday, she criticised the opposition for its plan to stage agitation against the next caretaker government."Caretaker government is a constitutional government...It will be compelled to take stern action against any agitation or indiscipline," said Khaleda, also the chairperson of the BNP.In response to the opposition leader's call for people to come to Dhaka wielding stick and oar against the caretaker government, Khaleda said, ...
(read more) Sunday, September 24th, 2006Death toll of the violent storm in the Bay of Bengal reached 85 yesterday after the recovery of 20 more bodies while more than a thousand other fishermen are also feared dead as they have been missing for the last four days. Coast guard sources and local people of the coast said the hope of finding more floating bodies in the sea is dissipating as the sea fishes would have devoured them. But the relatives of missing fishermen and the local administration are still searching for bodies in the sea. Relatives of the missing ones were still waiting on beaches ...
(read more) Sunday, September 24th, 2006Jail authorities yesterday informed four militant leaders including Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) Chief Abdur Rahman and his deputy Siddiqul Islam alias Bangla Bhai of the death warrants against them.In the death reference case of Jhalakathi judges killing, the High Court (HC) has confirmed the trial court's verdict condemning seven JMB leaders to death. Of them, six are behind bars while one is still at large.Meanwhile, two convicts--Abdul Awal and Khaled Saifullah--are preparing to appeal against the death penalty. The latter has already submitted a mercy petition.The jail authorities told four of the six convicts about the death warrants immediately ...
(read more) Sunday, September 24th, 2006Unidentified assailants yesterday shot Prof Aftab Ahmad, former vice-chancellor (VC) of National University and a senior professor of political science at Dhaka University (DU), leaving him critically injured.Three unidentified assailants shot Prof Aftab entering into his third-floor residence on Fuller Road beside the British Council on the DU campus.Prof Aftab was rushed to Samorita Hospital with two bullet hits--one in the chest and one in the hip.Doctors stated his condition as critical.Later, Aftab was shifted to Combined Military Hospital (CMH) as his condition deteriorated."Prof Aftab needs immediate surgery in the chest," Dr Prof ABM Haroon of Samorita Hospital told The ...
(read more) Sunday, September 24th, 2006Speakers at a roundtable yesterday called upon all stakeholders to immediately solve the prevailing crisis regarding minimum wage structure in the readymade garment (RMG) sector and look into other hidden causes that are responsible for the stalemate.The minimum wage is one of the causes of violence in the sector but many other issues --workers right, overtime, regular increment, bonus, incentives and other facilities -- need to be resolved for bringing back normalcy in the thriving garment sector, they said.The speakers underscored the need for an amicable solution of the problems in the greater interest of the sector.The Junior Chamber ...
(read more) Sunday, September 24th, 2006Top opposition leaders yesterday said the political situation of the country will be even tougher if the alliance government hands over power to a caretaker government led by former Chief Justice KM Hasan."A justice, who feels embarrassed to deal with the Bangabandhu killing case because one of his relatives is involved in the killing, cannot be neutral even when he is the chief of caretaker government," said Awami League (AL) Presidium Member Tofail Ahmed at the closing ceremony of Batexpo 2006.Speaking at the programme, leaders of Bangladesh Garment Manufactures and Exporters Association (BGMEA) apprehended that the country's garment industry will ...
(read more) Sunday, September 24th, 2006The holy month of Ramadan begins tomorrow, as the new moon was not sighted anywhere in the country yesterday, according to the National Moon Sighting Committee.The committee announced this after reviewing the information about sighting of the moon.at a meeting at the Islamic Foundation yesterday evening.The holy Lailatul Qadr will be observed on the night of October 20.Chaired by State Minister for Religious Affairs Mosharef Hossain Shahjahan, the meeting was attended by 17 members of the committee.Meanwhile, the government has announced new office hours for all government, semi-government, autonomous and semi-autonomous bodies for the holy month.
(read more) Sunday, September 24th, 2006Many parts of the capital went under ankle- to knee-deep water as continuous downpour during the last four days, caused by the depression in the Bay, is disrupting city life, economic activities and road communications. Met office sources said they recorded 63mm of rainfall in the capital in 12 hours from 6:00am to 6:00pm yesterday.Heavy rain across the country is also likely today, and the situation would start to improve tomorrow, they forecast.Traffic movement was affected due to water-logging on many city streets including Mirpur Road, Kazi Nazrul Islam Avenue. Hundreds of taxis and CNG-run three-wheelers were seen stuck ...
(read more) Sunday, September 24th, 2006Awami League (AL) General Secretary Abdul Jalil has called for resolving the pre-election standoff through dialogue, saying that they will propose two names for the chief advisor of the caretaker government and the chief election commissioner, which will be acceptable to all including the ruling BNP."We've given some space to the BNP-led coalition government for holding dialogue...and we are waiting for government initiative in this respect," he said while talking to some reporters at his Mercantile Bank in the city yesterday.Jalil, also the coordinator of the 14-party opposition combine, said Justice KM Hasan has not yet declared his dissociation with ...
(read more) Sunday, September 24th, 2006Two regional leaders of the outlawed Purbo Banglar Communist Party ML Lal Pataka faction were killed during a 'shootout' between their cohorts and the Rapid Action Battalion (Rab).The incident took place at Natunpara of Dhulauri union under Santhia upazila early Saturday morning. The dead were identified as Haiful Islam and Hazrat Ali of the same village.Rab12 received a tip off and cordoned off the Natunpara brickyard early morning yesterday to capture the outlaws, Rab said.The wanted criminals opened fire on Rab and Rab returned fire in defence. Haiful and Hazrat died on the spot during the 'shootout', claimed Rab. ...
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