Archive for October 3rd, 2006
Tuesday, October 3rd, 2006The formal dialogue between the ruling BNP and opposition Awami League (AL) over electoral reforms will not start today as complexities arose at the last moment yesterday over settling a venue for the much-awaited talks. But in a sudden move last night US ambassador in Dhaka Patricia A Butenis invited BNP Secretary General Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan and AL General Secretary Abdul Jalil at her official residence at 8:00pm today.Accepting the invitation, Jalil phoned his counterpart Bhuiyan at about 11:00pm urging him to join the meeting at the US envoy's residence to settle the venue and time for the dialogue."The US ...
(read more) Tuesday, October 3rd, 2006The ruling BNP has identified 42 points from the main opposition Awami League's (AL) proposal for the reforms in the caretaker government system and the Election Commission while their leaders are preparing replies to place in the talks with AL. Meanwhile, Jamaat-e-Islami, the main ally of ruling BNP, finally gave its consent to BNP's sitting in dialogue with AL without their participation.In a crucial meeting of the ruling alliance, BNP Secretary General Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan convinced Jamaat leaders that there is no alternative to sitting with the main opposition as the next election will not be acceptable to the international ...
(read more) Tuesday, October 3rd, 2006Awami League (AL) General Secretary Abdul Jalil will place 31-point electoral reform proposals at the beginning of the much-awaited dialogue with the ruling BNP Secretary General Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan, sources said."We are awaiting government response to our proposals from the BNP secretary general at the talks," said a senior AL leader, asked about the party strategy at the one-to-one dialogue over reforms in the caretaker government system, Election Commission and electoral laws.The leader said the government's response will make it clear whether they are sincere to make the dialogue a success or agreed to hold it only to kill time ...
(read more) Tuesday, October 3rd, 2006Police yesterday severely beat up three shooters including Commonwealth Games Gold Medallist Asif Hossain Khan storming into the National Shooting Federation Complex in Gulshan following a trivial argument between a security guard of the complex and a police officer's chauffeur over parking of a car. After the beating at the complex, police arrested five including the shooters and took them to Gulshan Police Station where they beat the arrestees some more before sending them to a court charging them with assaults on policemen.Internationally acclaimed shooter Asif, who was preparing for the Asian Games to be held in Doha in December, ...
(read more) Tuesday, October 3rd, 2006An automatic fuel pricing formula will be introduced by the end of the current fiscal. At the same time ration cards for kerosene or direct cash transfer to the poor will also be introduced to mitigate the impact of energy price adjustments on vulnerable groups."The government will make commitments to International Monetary Fund (IMF) very soon about the fuel pricing formula and a policy commitment titled Memorandum on Economic and Financial Policies has already been drafted in this regard," said a high official of the finance ministry.He said the government's policy measures are in line with IMF's conditions for getting ...
(read more) Tuesday, October 3rd, 2006A 225 MW unit of Meghnaghat power plant was shut down yesterday, bringing down the power generation output to about 3,000 MW during the peak hours.According to official sources, the unit-1 of the Meghnaghat power plant, owned by private company Globeleq, was shut down for its scheduled maintenance.However, the electricity shortage was not that much severe yesterday as it was a public holiday on the occasion of Durga Puja.But, the officials said, the power crisis would deepen further in the coming days as the demand would go up to about 5,000 MW compared to 4,000 MW on a holiday."So, ...
(read more) Tuesday, October 3rd, 2006Unruly garment factory workers yesterday ransacked a factory and over a dozen vehicles at Mirpur in the capital after the factory staff beat up some workers.Some 15 workers were also wounded during the half an hour-long clashes with factory staff and the law enforcers at the factory of Opex group at Mirpur Section 13.The Opex workers alleged that around 50 workers from other nearby factories came to their factory at around 10:30am and asked the management to close the factory as yesterday was a public holiday for Durga Puja and the workers will not get overtime payment for the ...
(read more) Tuesday, October 3rd, 2006Jatiya Party (JP) Chairman HM Ershad yesterday expressed doubt over success of the intended dialogue between secretary-generals of ruling BNP and opposition Awami League (AL) to resolve the political impasse centring opposition's electoral reform demands."The dialogue will not bring any result as it is going to be held only between two parties," said the deposed dictator, who leads the third largest political party in parliament, at a JP pre-Iftar discussion at a hotel in the capital. "I think the planned dialogue between the two parties will not be successful and it's too late now.""It seems that no other party exists ...
(read more) Tuesday, October 3rd, 2006The five-day Durga Puja, the greatest religious festival of the Hindus, ended yesterday with the immersion of Durga idols all over the country.Bijoya Dashami, the special ceremony to reaffirm peace and good relations among people, was also celebrated afterwards.Hundreds joined a procession from Palashi in the capital and paraded the city through the National Press Club, Gulistan, and English Road with idols of Durga and her children Lakshmi, Saraswati, Kartik and Ganesh before the immersion."At least 15 Durga idols were brought at Waiz Ghat for immersion in the Buriganga after parading through the city at 5:20pm," Jayanta Sen Dipu, president ...
(read more) Tuesday, October 3rd, 2006Condemned Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) military commander Ataur Rahman Sunny submitted a special prayer to the jail authorities for filing leave to appeal yesterday, four days after he said that he would not appeal against the death penalty.The prayer came three days after the expiry of the seven-day stipulated time, following reading out of the warrant for execution to the convicts, for filing leave to appeal prayer against the death sentence.With Sunny's prayer, five of the seven condemned JMB men have already appealed against the death sentence. Of the seven, Arif is on the run.Meantime, the prisons authorities said ...
(read more) 
