Archive for November 21st, 2006
Tuesday, November 21st, 2006A full-day hectic meetings by the advisers finally yielded a 'light at the end of the tunnel' as Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Justice MA Aziz, with all probability, may either go on leave until the elections are over or resign in a couple of days. He is likely to go to perform hajj, Aziz hinted to a three-member delegation of advisers who met the CEC with a request from the president to step down to resolve the crisis. He may then resign while on leave, sources saidPresident/Chief Adviser Iajuddin Ahmed sent Advisers Mahbubul Alam, M Azizul Haque and Advocate Sultana ...
(read more) Tuesday, November 21st, 2006The entire country came to a grinding halt yesterday as Awami League (AL)-led 14-party coalition resumed an indefinite blockade for the third time amid noticeable support from people for reconstitution of the Election Commission. At least 150 people were injured, including 50 with bullet wounds, in gunfights between 14-party and BNP activists over capturing streets in Natore town.Clashes between the rival political activists in Sirajganj and Bagerhat saw 24 people injured.Otherwise the blockade passed peacefully elsewhere in the country yesterday with an increase in the number of blockaders on the streets.General population seemed to be more or less in ...
(read more) Tuesday, November 21st, 2006The 14-party coalition yesterday expressed its firm resolve to go on with its blockade programme until its demands including reconstitution of the Election Commission (EC), removal of the chief election commissioner (CEC) and three election commissioners and correction of voter list are met. "The blockade programme will continue until the Election Commission is reconstituted and 11-point immediate tasks placed before the president/chief adviser are implemented," Awami League (AL) President Sheikh Hasina said in a statement.At a press briefing at AL's Dhanmondi office in the capital yesterday, AL-led 14-party Coordinator Abdul Jalil also echoed the same view.The AL president ...
(read more) Tuesday, November 21st, 2006It is possible that Chief Election Commissioner MA Aziz will not read this piece. We will understand if we are not his favourite newspaper. He may have concluded, and rightly so, that we are against his holding on to his post. To end the story here would be unfair to us. It would be in the fitness of things to ask why we took the position that we did several months ago. In his latest press briefing, the spokesperson of the advisery council, Mahbubul Alam, said 'there is probably a light at the end of the tunnel' that we will ...
(read more) Tuesday, November 21st, 2006BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia yesterday demanded the election schedule be announced immediately and urged the caretaker government (CG) to take punitive measures against those who are "creating anarchy" in the name of realising their demands. Urging the CG to assist the Election Commission (EC) in holding the polls, she said, "The advisers to the caretaker government should start preparing for the elections and our party will also begin election preparations soon.""The only duty of the advisers is to do the routine works and conduct the elections, nothing else," she added.Pointing towards the leaders of Liberal Democratic Party, Khaleda ...
(read more) Tuesday, November 21st, 2006Operations at Chittagong port came almost to a standstill yesterday as the Awami League (AL)- led 14- party combine enforced a countrywide rail, road and port blockade. Activities at Mongla port and all land ports including Benapole were also hampered due to the indefinite blockade programme to press home the combine's 11-point demand for ensuring free and fair elections.The business community is worried over the persisting political stalemate that is having crippling effects on all economic activities, including port operations."Ports should be kept out of the purview of all political programmes," said Mir Nasir Hossain, president of the Federation ...
(read more) Tuesday, November 21st, 2006Business leaders of the country again voiced their concern over the ongoing political impasse and expressed dissatisfaction over the chief adviser's dilly-dallying to find a peaceful solution to the deadlock.In a joint statement yesterday, they also declared that they would have no choice but to declare demonstration programmes if the chief adviser (CA) of the caretaker government fails to resolve the problem shortly.Noting that the prevailing stalemate would have a serious negative impact upon the country's business activities, the business leaders said that it is the principle duty of the CA to take steps to end it immediately and ...
(read more) Tuesday, November 21st, 2006A writ petition was filed in the High Court (HC) yesterday to issue a rule to the President and Chief Adviser (CA) of the caretaker government Iajuddin Ahmed to show cause under what authority he is holding the office of the CA.Adnan Anwar, a businessman and nephew of late president Ziaur Rahman, filed the writ stating that President Iajuddin did not comply with all the provisions of the constitution before assuming the office of the CA.The respondents are the chief adviser, the president, and secretaries of Law and Establishment ministries."President Iajuddin without exhausting the mandatory provisions of the article 58 ...
(read more) Tuesday, November 21st, 2006Two handmade bombs exploded last evening near the south gate of Bangabhaban -- minutes after president and chief adviser (CA) Iajuddin Ahmed left the premises for a meeting with his council of advisers at the CA's office in Tejgaon. The bombs exploded at around 6:00pm on the road adjacent to the south gate of Bangabhaban, almost 15 feet away, dodging the surveillance by intelligence officials on guard at the president's official residence.However, the president does not usually use the south gate of Bangabhaban and its adjacent road is open to public.The president yesterday went out through the north ...
(read more) Tuesday, November 21st, 2006Jatiya Party (Ershad) yesterday declared to join the movement along with the 14-party alliance demanding immediate resignation of the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) MA Aziz, only days after confirming that it would contest the upcoming polls under him."The CEC can resign from his post as per the constitution as the present political crisis is persisting just for one person," JP Chairman HM Ershad said at a press conference at his party central office yesterday. "Through his resignation, we want a congenial atmosphere for all for the next general elections," he added.Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) under the banner of Jatiya Oikya ...
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