Archive for October 28th, 2006
Saturday, October 28th, 2006 In a dramatic development late last night, former chief justice KM Hasan has indicated his reluctance to take oath as chief adviser to the caretaker government, a source close to Hasan said.The former chief justice, who became the centre of controversy after the Awami League accused him of politically bias, informed his decision to the cabinet secretary when he rang up Hasan last night for the oath-taking, the source confirmed.Moklesur Rahman Chowdhury, press secretary of the president, also told The Daily Star last night that the cabinet secretary had contacted Hasan about the oath-taking ceremony."Hasan told the cabinet ...
(read more) Saturday, October 28th, 2006The country plunged into a chaos yesterday as Awami League (AL) and BNP activists were locked in battles over establishing supremacy in the localities of Dhaka and other places just hours before the end of the four-party alliance government's tenure. The clashes left three ruling alliance leaders and activists killed, over 500 injured, and hundreds of houses and vehicles ransacked and torched. Two women also died in a road accident at Jatrabari during the rampage.Even senior ministers and lawmakers of the four-party alliance were also not spared as their houses and offices came under attacks during yesterday's rampage in Dhaka ...
(read more) Saturday, October 28th, 2006As the curtain fell on the BNP-led alliance's five years in office last night, Bangladesh entered a phase of political uncertainty seldom seen before with the main two political parties -- AL and BNP -- set to establish their supremacy even at the cost of physical attacks on each other.What the future will hold depends much on whether former chief justice KM Hasan, who has been opposed nail and tooth by the AL for his alleged political bias, will take oath as chief adviser to the caretaker government (see commentary in separate column).But as soon as Prime Minister Khaleda ...
(read more) Saturday, October 28th, 2006Seldom have the future political events of a nation rested solely on the personal decision of a single man, former chief justice KM Hasan, as they do today. Leaders of movements, political parties, or those occupying powerful posts may, though rarely, face such situations. But a private citizen, leading neither any party nor a cause, hardly ever faces such critical moments as Justice Hasan does today. Within hours of publication of this piece, he will have decided, one way or the other. It is our hope that neither personal pride nor any sense of fear or arm-twisting should guide his ...
(read more) Saturday, October 28th, 2006Prime Minister Khaleda Zia yesterday appealed to the people for maintaining peace across the country in the run-up to the next general election, as her tenure ends amid a political standoff."We are going to hand over power to a caretaker government in accordance with the constitution. The general election will be held within 90 days under the caretaker government," she said in a televised address to the nation, marking the end of her five-year rule.The outgoing prime minister regretted that the BNP-Awami League dialogue could not produce any expected result. She said the objective of the political dialogue was to ...
(read more) Saturday, October 28th, 2006In a major political development the ruling BNP experienced the largest break-up in its history as a large number of dissident leaders defected from the party just two days before the scheduled date for handover of power to a caretaker government. The defection en masse came on Thursday protesting 'record corruption' and 'dynasty' in the party over the last five years.About 102 leaders including 13 incumbent lawmakers with a state minister, a deputy minister and an adviser to the prime minister among them, resigned from BNP led by its standing committee member Col (retd) Oli Ahmad, a veteran freedom ...
(read more) Saturday, October 28th, 2006With the alliance government's tenure having expired yesterday, the titular head of state President Iajuddin Ahmed has become constitutionally important and the most powerful and all eyes are on him whether he initiates steps to end the ongoing political turmoil.The president will now appoint the chief adviser to the next caretaker government. But the alliances led by BNP and Awami League are at loggerheads over Justice KM Hasan, who is supposed to be the interim government chief in accordance with the constitution.Once the chief of caretaker government is appointed, the president in consultation with him will appoint ten other advisers ...
(read more) Saturday, October 28th, 2006Former chief justice KM Hasan remained in an apparent seclusion out of public eyes over the last few days.After his meeting with US Ambassador Patricia A Butenis on October 22, Justice Hasan, who is likely to take oath as the chief adviser to the caretaker government today, did not attend the Eid-ul-Fitr prayers, Juma prayers or meet any friend, well wisher or civil society member who went to his residence.Although leaders of different organisations went to meet him to convey their concerns over the existing political situation, he did not meet them.Different socio-cultural and professional organisations called upon KM ...
(read more) Saturday, October 28th, 2006The alliance government in its last five days promoted, transferred and gave forced retirements to about 300 officers at different levels.A good number of officials who have been strategically transferred or promoted are deemed as "favourable" who would give extra service to the alliance parties. Some officials who enjoyed favouritism for the five years were transferred to lower profile posts as a 'protection'.At least three officers given forced retirements were deemed as "unfavourable" for the BNP-led alliance in the upcoming national election. Inspector General (IG) of Prisons Liaqat Ali was made Officer on Special Duty (OSD) soon after the ...
(read more) Saturday, October 28th, 2006As soon as the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) was formed with breakaway BNP leaders and activists Thursday, enraged BNP men led a wave of attacks on the new party across the country much as a repeat show of what happened when former president Badruddoza Chowdhury formed his Bikalpa Dhara Bangladesh. The BNP men mainly targeted the residences of the leaders who left the BNP to join the LDP. Eight residences and seven vehicles of LDP leaders were torched and bombs were hurled on the residences.In one incident in Dhamrai, BNP men attacked a market in Balia Thursday in protest ...
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