Archive for November 25th, 2006
Saturday, November 25th, 2006The Election Commission (EC) has directed the district administration, which is still largely dominated by the immediate past government's appointees and its selection, to prepare a panel of polling officials to conduct the next parliamentary election at field level.The directive violates the existing electoral laws, which do not allow to officially start the process before announcing the election schedule and appointing returning officers (RO), who are legally authorised to do the job.The EC generally appoints the ROs soon after announcing the election schedule and the ROs prepare the panel of presiding officers, assistant presiding officers and polling officers.But, in line ...
(read more) Saturday, November 25th, 2006Hinting at Awami League (AL), BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia said the caretaker government could not announce the election schedule timely, despite its willingness, due to the 'anarchy and chaos created by a political party'.Describing the initiative taken by the president to resolve the political impasse, Khaleda Zia said, "All of you know what the president have done and what he said. The election schedule will be announced soon. He (the president) urged all to participate in the electoral process.""We handed over power following the constitution on October 29 and we hoped that the caretaker government would begin the electoral process ...
(read more) Saturday, November 25th, 2006The Awami League (AL)-led 14-party coalition along with several other political parties is heading towards a one-point movement to force the Chief Adviser to the caretaker government (CA) Iajuddin Ahmed to resign as they think his 'absolute partisan role' is the main barrier to creating a congenial atmosphere for a free and fair election."The president is performing unlawful activities as the chief adviser from Bangabhaban under the direction of Hawa Bhaban only to implement the BNP-Jamaat alliance's conspiracies to rig the next election. That's why we have no option but to wage a movement against him," 14-party coordinator AL General ...
(read more) Saturday, November 25th, 2006The 14-party coalition said yesterday it would reject the schedule for next general election if it is announced without correcting the voter list by excluding 1.40 crore fake voters."If the Election Commission announces election schedule before the voter list is corrected, then we along with the people will reject and resist it," 14-party Coordinator Abdul Jalil said at a press briefing at his Gulshan residence.Prior to the briefing, the Awami League (AL)-led coalition held a meeting with AL Presidium member Abdur Razzak in the chair.At the meeting that lasted more than two and a half hours, the 14-party ...
(read more) Saturday, November 25th, 2006Leaders of BNP-led four-party alliance yesterday called upon their activists to make preparation for the upcoming general elections."On the day after tomorrow we will announce our next course of programme which will be focused on preparation for the election," Bhuiyan told a rally at Muktangon in the capital that was organised as part of the alliance's countrywide processions and rallies in cities, districts and upazilas.Criticising the Awami League (AL)-led 14-party combine's Bangabhaban and Election Commission (EC) siege programme, the BNP secretary general said as part of a deep-rooted conspiracy they are keeping issues alive to go on movement.They raise ...
(read more) Saturday, November 25th, 2006The alarming depletion of subsoil water table in Barapukuria coal mine area could be easily halved if the mine and its power plant shared the same water pumps, instead of using separate sets and wasting 2,500 tonnes of water per hour.Although both the mining and power projects were designed and implemented by the same Chinese companies, they ignored this simple design issue deliberately and chose a financially wasteful and environmentally harmful design, sources say.The government also overlooked the matter mysteriously, allowing the Chinese companies to spend hundreds of crores of taka for separately installing water pumps and creating a ...
(read more) Saturday, November 25th, 2006In an ominous development in Shyamnagar upazila, Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh is quietly 'Islamising' the names of villages and educational institutions there, destroying the rich history, tradition and heritage of the area.The move, bearing all signs of rabid communalism, was initiated following a locally issued fatwa that the names, many of which have been existing for many centuries, now smack of 'Hinduism'.Since the immediate past four-party alliance government had assumed power in 2001, of which Jammat is an important component, it successfully 'Islamised' the names of many villages and educational institutions in the upazila.Local units of Jamaat also started using the ...
(read more) Saturday, November 25th, 2006bracNET, an affiliation of Brac, the world's largest non-government organisation, has recently launched e-Hut to give internet access to people in rural areas of Bangladesh.Through e-Hut the people living in the remote corners of the country will have access to the internet at an affordable price. While explaining the programme, bracNET officials said e-Hut is a one-stop shop of different types of digital services including internet browsing, basic computer training, photocopying, scanning, digital photo taking and lamination of documents and photos.Moreover, e-Huts are franchisees of bracNET and owned by local entrepreneurs, thus, it would facilitate young people to be self-reliant.Khalid ...
(read more) Saturday, November 25th, 2006The non-government teachers who work as presiding and polling officers fear they might not be able to perform their duties freely if individuals involved with the immediate past ruling alliance remain in the governing/managing bodies of the institutes."Those nominated by the BNP-Jamaat alliance to the governing bodies or managing committees of the non-government primary schools, high schools, colleges and madrasas over the last five years are still there," said Quazi Faruque Ahmed, chief coordinator of the National Front of Teachers and Employees (NFTE), a group of 11 teachers organisations.He added that this has been possible due to exploitation of ...
(read more) Saturday, November 25th, 2006Life came to near normality in the capital yesterday again after four days as the Awami League (AL) led 14-party alliance postponed its countrywide blockade programme.People came out of their homes on various personal businesses while many schools and colleges ran classes yesterday--although it was a public holiday--to cover up losses caused by the four days' blockade.Those who had been stranded in different districts over the last four days rushed to the capital.The city markets and shopping malls were seen buzzing with activities.Traffic jams were also noticed at different intersections of the city. A large number of motorised vehicles were ...
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