Archive for December 12th, 2006
Tuesday, December 12th, 2006The persisting political crisis seems to have deepened further as in an unprecedented move, four advisers to the caretaker government (CG) finally resigned yesterday seething with frustration over President and Chief Adviser (CA) Iajuddin Ahmed's frequent unilateral actions on election issues.Adviser Dr Akbar Ali Khan, Hasan Mashhud Chowdhury, CM Shafi Sami and Sultana Kamal sent their resignation letters to the president in the morning.Later they told reporters that despite hectic efforts, they could not contribute anymore to create a congenial atmosphere for holding the next parliamentary election, and decided to resign.The president, who did not accept the resignation letters ...
(read more) Tuesday, December 12th, 2006Advisers, who yesterday submitted resignation, said they decided to quit as the present circumstances do not allow them to perform their responsibility for creating a congenial atmosphere to hold a free and fair election. They expressed utter dissatisfaction over the president and chief adviser's unilateral decision that they termed 'responsible' for failure to implement the 'package proposal' formulated to end the political impasse.Akbar Ali Khan, Sultana Kamal, Hasan Mashhud Chowdhury and CM Shafi Sami gave their reactions to the press separately after sending resignation letters to the president."There was no scope to contribute in the caretaker government to create a ...
(read more) Tuesday, December 12th, 2006Advisers to previous caretaker governments yesterday feared the resignation of the four advisers might render the interim government dysfunctional, add to the instability, and diminish the prospects for holding a free, fair and credible election.The former advisers also said President and Chief Adviser Iajuddin Ahmed and the major political parties have to shoulder the responsibility for creating a situation where the four were left with no alternative but to resign."It will have a destabilising effect and creating an atmosphere congenial to free and fair holding of the upcoming election will be difficult," former adviser M Hafizuddin Khan told The Daily ...
(read more) Tuesday, December 12th, 2006President Iajuddin Ahmed, who assumed the office of chief adviser (CA) to the caretaker government (CG) triggering a constitutional debate, has been giving rise to incessant controversies since then by taking unilateral decisions one after another on electoral issues. The latest raging presidential controversy over Iajuddin's yet another unilateral decision of deploying the armed forces prompted four of the advisers to the CG to resign.In the last 44 days, Iajuddin decided unilaterally three times to deploy the armed forces, appointed two election commissioners --- one of whom had been an aspiring BNP candidate in the next election, made the ...
(read more) Tuesday, December 12th, 2006Bangladesh's major development partners were shocked and worried about the functioning of the caretaker government following resignation of four advisers, halfway through the election process.The US, UK, Germany and Canada appreciated the advisers' hard work to create a positive political climate for the upcoming elections and said their resignation is unfortunate.A spokesman for the US embassy told the news agency that the advisers' resignation would pose a serious challenge to the concept of neutral and nonparty caretaker government."Their decision that they could no longer serve effectively, and that they had no recourse but resignation, is unfortunate and a serious challenge ...
(read more) Tuesday, December 12th, 2006BNP Secretary General Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan has expressed hope that the four advisers, who stepped down yesterday, would join their posts again and carry out their duties once the president and chief adviser has a talk with them. "I hope they will withdraw their resignations after the president talks to them and continue their activities as advisers to the caretaker government for holding a free and fair election," he said at a press briefing yesterday at the BNP Central Office in Dhaka.The advisers who quit Chief Adviser Iajuddin Ahmed's cabinet are -- Akbar Ali Khan, Hasan Mashhud Chowdhury, CM Shafi ...
(read more) Tuesday, December 12th, 2006The six advisers to the caretaker government, who are continuing in their jobs, played down the resignations of four of their colleagues yesterday saying it will not create any constitutional crisis nor will it sap the spirit of the government.They categorically said the upcoming general election will be held on schedule and in a free and fair manner.They also hoped that the president will request their resigning colleagues to withdraw their resignation letters or will fill the vacant posts soon by appointing others.They said deploying the armed forces for domestic police work is within the jurisdiction of the president but ...
(read more) Tuesday, December 12th, 2006The armed forces personnel deployed on Monday across the country may lunch illegal arms recovery operations today.Sources said the commanding officers of the armed forces held meetings with the officers of different law enforcement agencies to determine modus operandi of the operation.According to the home ministry, troops have been deployed at 22 places in Dhaka, 14 spots in Chittagong and at district levels so far."If required, troops will be deployed at upazila levels," a home ministry official told The Daily Star last night.The troops will act on demand from the civil administration to protect public life and properties, keep economic ...
(read more) Tuesday, December 12th, 2006Acting Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Justice Mahfuzur Rahman yesterday expressed hope that the upcoming general election will be held in time.Talking live to a private TV channel on the EC premises, he declined to make any comment on resignation of the four advisers and troops deployment.He affirmed that the voter list will soon be rid of errors.Meanwhile, two controversial election commissioners--SM Zakaria and Modabbir Hossain Chowdhury-- held a meeting at the office of the former yesterday afternoon.Earlier, ex-lawmaker from Jamaat-e-Islami Delowar Hossain Saidee met Zakaria.About the ongoing task of correcting the updated voter list, the acting CEC ...
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