Archive for November 6th, 2006
Monday, November 6th, 2006Nobel Peace Laureate Prof Mohammad Yunus yesterday urged the president and chief of the caretaker government to be tough and proactive in running the country.“You will have to be very tough, otherwise the nation will plunge into darkness. But you must be tough on all, not only on some particular ones,” he said speaking at a grand reception accorded by President Iajuddin Ahmed for winning Nobel Peace Prize in 2006.“It's a hard time for the nation and the people want to see an active and courageous leadership,” he observed.“Set a precedent dealing with at least one area of massive ...
(read more) Monday, November 6th, 2006The Election Commission (EC) yesterday informed the caretaker government chief that it is not possible to correct the mistakes in the controversial updated voter list due to constraints of time.After wasting at least six months in the voter listing job, the EC now plans to hold the upcoming parliamentary election using the 'flawed' list as, it maintains, it does not have any other alternative.The commission communicated its decision to President and Chief Adviser Iajuddin Ahmed yesterday noon through the secretary of its secretariat.Earlier the president had summoned the EC secretary in the wake of intense anxiety among the ...
(read more) Monday, November 6th, 2006The Awami League-led 14-party alliance yesterday urged opponent BNP-led four-party coalition not to pressurise the caretaker government but help it create a congenial atmosphere for holding the upcoming general elections in a free and fair manner.Awami League (AL) General Secretary and 14-party Coordinator Abdul Jalil alleged that the four-party alliance placed its 10-point demand to the caretaker government as part of a conspiracy to foil the next election.At a press conference at the AL Dhanmondi office, Jalil also urged BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia and Secretary General Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan not to try to protect the "controversial" chief election commissioner (CEC) ...
(read more) Monday, November 6th, 2006A visibly shaken Saddam Hussein was found guilty of crimes against humanity yesterday and sentenced to hang by the US-sponsored court that has been trying him in Baghdad for the past year. Two other senior aides, including his half-brother Barzan al-Tikriti, will also hang if automatic appeals fail in the coming months. His vice-president was jailed for life and three minor officials of his Baath party were sentenced to 15 years.Shortly after the verdict was read out at noon (0900 GMT) in a heavily fortified Baghdad courtroom that was once a Baath party office, clashes broke out between gunmen and ...
(read more) Monday, November 6th, 2006President and Chief Adviser to the caretaker government Prof Iajuddin Ahmed directed security officials to beef up security measures to maintain law and order for holding free and fair elections.The president gave the directives at a meeting with the top officials of police, BDR and intelligence agencies at Bangabhaban yesterday, reports BSS."Take stern actions against any attempt at creating law and order situation, no relaxation will be allowed on this question," BSS quoted the president's Press Secretary Mokhlesur Rahman Chowdhury.Home Secretary Zahirul Islam, Inspector General of Police (IGP) Khuda Bokhs Chowdhury, directors general of Rapid Action Battalion (Rab), Bangladesh ...
(read more) Monday, November 6th, 2006President and Chief Adviser Prof Iajuddin Ahmed yesterday categorically said that nothing is to be done beyond the constitution regarding the Election Commission.He cleared the caretaker government's stance apparently on the critical question of removing CEC Justice MA Aziz during a meeting with a delegation of the European Commission, comprising ambassadors and high commissioners, at Bangabhaban.Iajuddin said his caretaker government has already taken various steps for holding the coming general election "in a free, fair and neutral manner".He also informed the European diplomats that his interim government is holding discussion with all political parties to achieve this assigned objective.He ...
(read more) Monday, November 6th, 2006Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) recommended to the caretaker government that it should instruct the National Board of Revenue (NBR) to disclose the names of those electoral candidates who had taken advantage of the recent tax amnesty which allowed them to whiten their undisclosed earnings. The amnesty provided black money holders with an opportunity to legitimise their illegitimate earnings by paying 7.5 percent tax on their incomes instead of the highest rate of 25 percent. NBR has been keeping the names of the beneficiaries undisclosed so far.CPD also recommended that the caretaker government takes steps through the Election Commission (EC) ...
(read more) Monday, November 6th, 2006Jatiya Party (JP) Chairman HM Ershad changed his mind not to join the BNP-led four-party alliance immediately as he has been facing tremendous opposition from a number of senior party leaders including even the pro-BNP ones.Sources said most JP leaders who were lawmakers in the eighth parliament along with a number of pro-BNP others opposed the decision to join the four-party coalition as they think it is likely to face disaster in the upcoming elections.Meanwhile, the BNP high command is continuing its efforts to bring Ershad in their coalition as soon as possible. Sources said the BNP is trying to ...
(read more) Monday, November 6th, 2006Moudud Ahmed, law minister of the immediate past four-party alliance government, omitted from the constitution the Proclamation of Independence and several chapters that dealt with provisions for declaring emergency, taking oaths of office, and amendments to the constitution. Rather, the minister included a new preface to the constitution that allegedly distorted the real history of the proclamation of independence.The latest version of the constitution with a new preface written by former law minister Moudud Ahmed was published on the last working day of the eighth parliament by the Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs.In the new preface, ...
(read more) Monday, November 6th, 2006The BNP leaders are divided over asking the chief election commissioner (CEC) and other election commissioners to resign for holding a free and fair election, sources said.Party insiders said liberal leaders have no reservations if the president and chief adviser takes any decision against the CEC and his colleagues.But the party hardliners, who are now in command, want to back CEC MA Aziz and other election commissioners.A former state minister speaking anonymously said the hardliners who had earlier played a negative role in party's bad times are now showing "great" enthusiasm for the CEC and other controversial Election Commission officials.He ...
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