Archive for November 3rd, 2006
Friday, November 3rd, 2006Two advisers to the caretaker government late last night rushed to AL President Sheikh Hasina conveying the message that they have initiated effective steps to reconstitute the Election Commission (EC).Advisers CM Shafi Shami and Sultana Kamal on instruction from Chief Adviser Iajuddin Ahmed met Hasina at 9:40pm for more than an hour.Following the meeting the AL softened its ultimatum ending today for tough action unless the caretaker government implements its 11-point demand including EC reconstitution. The AL will wait for another week for the implementation of its demands, party sources said."We have been told from the council of advisers that ...
(read more) Friday, November 3rd, 2006The 14-party alliance yesterday reminded the president and caretaker government chief of the deadline to prove his neutrality and threatened to go for all-out movements if their demands are not met by noon today.A three-member delegation of the Awami League (AL)-led 14-party yesterday met President and Chief Adviser to the caretaker government Prof Iajuddin Ahmed at Bangabhaban. The delegates -- Abdul Jalil, Amir Hossain Amu and Nurul Islam -- urged him to carry out the 11-point task, saying they would otherwise announce fresh course of agitation from today's Paltan Maidan rally."We have told the president if we can't see his ...
(read more) Friday, November 3rd, 2006The top posts of the police were reshuffled again yesterday in a span of 24 hours, leaving the same men in important positions. For example, the DG of Rab has been made the inspector general of police within 48 hours of his appointment to the former post. On the other hand, the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) chief has been put at the helm of Rab. The same CID chief was the commissioner of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) only 48 hours earlier.IGP Anwarul Iqbal has been made an officer on special duty (OSD).The posts of chief of Special Branch (SB) ...
(read more) Friday, November 3rd, 2006In a major political development, former president HM Ershad-led Jatiya Party (JP) is going to join the BNP-led four-party alliance today. JP sources said Ershad unilaterally finalised the decision yesterday, ignoring the opinion of senior party leaders including Kazi Zafar Ahmad and Secretary General Ruhul Amin Hawlader.To avoid discontent and unexpected situation arising out of his move, Ershad also suspended the November 4 and 5 extended meeting of his party."The party chairman has decided to return to the BNP-led four-party alliance, and this will be announced tomorrow (Friday)," JP Presidium Member Kazi Firoz Rashid told The Daily Star last ...
(read more) Friday, November 3rd, 2006Changes to the commerce ministry portfolio twice did little help to curb the price hike of essentials during the BNP-led four-party government's tenure. The situation rather worsened further, making the life of the general public unbearable in the last five years.The ministers holding the commerce portfolio always remained in the media limelight for their contradictory statements and other moves. They shitted from one policy to another without considering its impact, allowed syndicates to operate virtually unchallenged, and proved inefficiency in dealing trade not only at home but also in the global forums.At the end of the alliance government's tenure, the ...
(read more) Friday, November 3rd, 2006BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia yesterday said the chief election commissioner (CEC) and the other commissioners are "neutral and non-partisan people" holding the constitutional posts. The country cannot concede to Awami League (AL) and its allies' ''illogical demand'' for removal of the commissioners.During her visit to the BNP central office last night, the first since handover of power, she also told reporters that AL had appointed their 'own man' as the CEC but the present CEC is a neutral person.She arrived at the party office at around 8:00pm amid applause from hundreds of leaders and workers of BNP and ...
(read more) Friday, November 3rd, 2006The caretaker government chief this time holds more portfolios than the ones in 1996 and 2001. Chief Adviser President Iajuddin Ahmed is in charge of nine key ministries while his predecessors headed six government departments in 2001 and seven in 1996.Justice Latifur Rahman while in command of the interim government of 2001 held cabinet, establishment, home, foreign, Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) affairs ministries and the Election Commission (EC).As the head of the caretaker government in 1996 Justice Habibur Rahman was at the helm of cabinet, establishment, home, foreign affairs, information, special affairs ministries and the EC.Chief Adviser ...
(read more) Friday, November 3rd, 2006Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) MA Aziz yesterday said he will consider if advisers to the caretaker government request him to resign from his post but he reminded them to follow the constitution before making such request."I am 100 per cent confident--absolutely confident--that insha Allah there will be an election and everybody will participate in it," Aziz said, adding that the EC is prepared to hold the election in time."I have told you many times that the posts of CEC and other election commissioners are constitutional posts and we have been appointed through a special process," Aziz told reporters at his ...
(read more) Friday, November 3rd, 2006Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) has demanded immediate resignation of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Adviser Justice M Fazlul Huq for what it said his hostile attitude towards the 14-party combine.The demand from the SCBA came within three days of his taking over the charge of an adviser to the caretaker government."Justice Huq has lost his neutrality by making arrogant comments on the political stand of the 14-party alliance with regard to overseeing the actions of the non-party caretaker government to judge its impartiality," SCBA President Barrister M Amir Ul Islam said at a press conference in its hall ...
(read more) Friday, November 3rd, 2006Today is the 30th anniversary of the killing of four national leaders and Liberation War heroes.On this day in 1975, Syed Nazrul Islam, acting president of Bangladesh government in exile in 1971, Tajuddin Ahmed, prime minister of the same government, M Mansur Ali, finance minister, and AHM Qamaruzzaman, minister for home affairs, relief and rehabilitation, were gunned down inside the Dhaka Central Jail.The day is known as the 'Jail Killing Day'.Only 79 days after the assassination of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and most of his family on August 15, 1975, the power usurpers took the desperate bid.A murder ...
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