Archive for November 30th, 2006
Thursday, November 30th, 2006The first Bangladeshi Nobel laureate, Dr. Muhammad Yunus, urged the battling political parties to sign a peace accord, agree to participate in the coming elections and pledge themselves to form a coalition government whatever the election results.Under Yunus' draft proposals the party to lose the election would still get one third of the posts in the cabinet. The tenure of the coalition government would be one year and it would be charged with devising a long-term solution to the political crisis.Dr. Yunus made the proposal at a civic reception held by Dhaka city Mayor Sadeque Hossain Khoka in honour of ...
(read more) Thursday, November 30th, 2006BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia yesterday accused the advisers to the caretaker government of breaching oath, saying it seems that they have been made advisers to thwart free and fair election.Khaleda expressed her resentment at the activities of the advisers, especially for their talking to the media. "The way the advisers have been inviting journalists and talking to them...it seems that they are working to stop the free and fair election," said the immediate past prime minister."The advisers are oath-bounded and they know the constitution better. But, have they maintained their oath?" Khaleda said while addressing a views-exchange meeting with the ...
(read more) Thursday, November 30th, 2006The United States has observed that the willingness of Bangladeshi politicians to bury their differences of opinions is the key issue for the country at present. Speaking at the Asian Society dinner in Washington on Monday, US State Department's Under-Secretary for Political Affairs Nicholas Burns also noted that despite these concerns, Nobel Peace Prize winner Dr Mohammad Yunus has earned an important distinction for Bangladesh."Can its (Bangladesh) leadership put aside their differences to lead the country forward in peace? That is the central question to ask as we approach 2007," Burns said. He also noted that there are reasons to ...
(read more) Thursday, November 30th, 2006UN secretary general's special envoy Craig Jenness has said the United Nations is concerned about free, fair and transparent general elections in Bangladesh and urged political leadership to resolve differences in the electoral process through dialogue."We're concerned about free, fair and transparent elections in Bangladesh and UN is ready to support the holding of free and fair elections," he told reporters after a meeting with Foreign Secretary Hemayetuddin at the foreign ministry yesterday.Craig Genness arrived here yesterday morning. Explaining the purpose of his visit to Dhaka, Jenness said Secretary General Kofi Annan has sent him to offer UN support to ...
(read more) Thursday, November 30th, 2006Election Commission (EC) Secretary Abdur Rashid Sarkar yesterday said President and Chief Adviser Iajuddin Ahmed is satisfied with the EC activities for conducting the next parliamentary elections scheduled for January 21."We briefed the president on our overall preparatory work, including announcement of the schedule for holding the next election, and he expressed his satisfaction," Sarkar told reporters after meeting Iajuddin at Bangabhaban yesterday afternoon.Asked about the president's reaction to the prevailing situation centring the announcement of polls schedule, he said, "The president would have told me had there been any reason for his dissatisfaction."Earlier, the EC secretary met the president ...
(read more) Thursday, November 30th, 2006A BNP delegation met Finance Adviser Akbar Ali Khan and Energy Adviser Hasan Mashhud Chowdury yesterday to assure them of BNP-led four-party alliance's all out support for holding the upcoming general election timely in a free and neutral manner.Akbar Ali Khan said the delegation informed them that BNP is eager to defuse the prevailing political crisis and it wants all political parties to participate in the election.Former education minister M Osman Farruk led the delegation which included former secretaries Mofazzal Karim, Shafiqul Islam, and Sayed Shujauddin.An Awami League (AL) delegation comprising HT Imam and M Mokammel Haque also met the ...
(read more) Thursday, November 30th, 2006For the second time this week, the 14-party alliance and some other political parties will stage a sit-in around the Bangabhaban today to press home their demands for cancellation of the polls schedule, correction of the updated voter list, 'meaningful' reconstitution of the Election Commission (EC) and resignation of the chief adviser. The Awami League (AL)-led coalition, Liberal Democratic Party led-Jatiya Oikyo Front and some Islamic political parties will stage the sit-in from 10:00am to 2:00pm at 10 points around the Bangabhaban simultaneously to realise their common demands, which also include depoliticisation of the administration.Earlier on Monday, the combine ...
(read more) Thursday, November 30th, 2006The High Court might make its ruling today on the three writ petitions challenging the legality of the president's taking over as the chief adviser (CA), his 'unilateral' decisions and the Election Commission's (EC) move to declare election schedule.An HC division bench yesterday heard submissions from both the sides and fixed today for passing the order.It also heard a similar petition filed by Adnan Anwar, a businessman and nephew of late president Ziaur Rahman, on November 20. In his petition, Adnan seeks the court's order asking the president to explain under what authority he is holding the office of ...
(read more) Thursday, November 30th, 2006Jubo Sangram Parishad, youth wing of 14-party alliance and like-minded parties, yesterday demanded revision of the election schedule and firing of those government officials who were involved in 'Uttara Conspiracy'. At a rally during the sit-in programme in front of the Secretariat in the city, they also urged the advisers to depoliticise the administration to ensure an environment for free and fair election.Following the rally, a representative team of Jubo Sangram submitted a memorandum to the advisers.Hundreds of riot police and paramilitary BDR were deployed around the Secretariat to ward off any violence. Police have beefed up security ...
(read more) Thursday, November 30th, 2006President and Chief Adviser of the caretaker government Iajuddin Ahmed yesterday dropped NGO Affairs Bureau and Public Service Commission out of the 11 portfolios kept under him from November 1.The portfolios of the Chief Adviser's Office, Cabinet Division, Election Commission secretariat and the ministries of establishment, home, foreign affairs, and education are now under the chief adviser.As the president, Iajuddin also holds the portfolios of the Armed Forces Division and defence ministry.The change in the portfolios of the president and chief adviser came amid strong criticism by different political parties about his holding of 11 important departments and ministries. ...
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