Archive for December 30th, 2006
Saturday, December 30th, 2006Awami League (AL)-led grand electoral alliance yesterday announced back-to-back countrywide blockades on January 7 and 8 demanding publication of a 'properly' corrected and updated voter list, and resignation of Chief Adviser (CA) Iajuddin Ahmed. Speaking at a packed news conference yesterday, AL President Sheikh Hasina warned, if the demands are not met, the president's official residence, Bangabhaban, will be blockaded indefinitely."If the demands are not met even after the countrywide blockades, Bangabhaban will be blockaded indefinitely," Hasina said at the grand alliance news conference flanked by Jatiya Party (JP) Chairman HM Ershad, Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) President AQM Badrudozza Chowdhury, ...
(read more) Saturday, December 30th, 2006Dense fog in the early hours yesterday disrupted road and river communications across the country and forced suspension of flight operations at the Zia International Airport (ZIA) for hours, causing immense sufferings for the homebound passengers ahead of the Eid-ul-Azha.Thousands of passengers had to wait from Thursday last night until 11:00am, as there were long queues of vehicles at Paturia and Daulatdia ferry terminals. Chilly weather on the riverbank added to their sufferings."My family left for Magura early in the morning but reached there at 5:00pm. As they had to wait for several hours to get the ferry at ...
(read more) Saturday, December 30th, 2006Rejecting the demands of Awami League (AL)-led grand alliance, BNP Secretary General Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan yesterday said the question of resignation of the chief adviser of the caretaker government does not arise at all.On the alliance's demand on voter roll updating, he said, "Voter roll updating work is going on as it is a continuous process but there is no scope to re-fix the election schedule."Terming all the demands raised by the alliance as 'resolved issues', he said, "The 14-party [AL-led alliance] wants to make issues of the resolved ones.""Abandon the illogical demands and join the election process ...
(read more) Saturday, December 30th, 2006A total of 70 aspirants including Jatiya Party (JP) Chairman HM Ershad, whose nomination papers had been rejected by returning officers (RO), yesterday filed appeals with the Election Commission (EC), challenging the validity of the ROs' decision. The number of appealing candidates whose nomination papers were rejected on different grounds now reached 79 in two days of the three-day process for filing appeals against the ROs' decision.Meanwhile, the EC is not receiving bank appeals to cancel nominations of loan-defaulting candidates, whose nominations have been accepted by the ROs although it had accepted 22 such appeals ahead of the last parliamentary election.EC ...
(read more) Saturday, December 30th, 2006Even after a month of the Supreme Court (SC) judgment on the Jhalakathi judges murder case that confirmed death sentences of six Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) leaders, its copy has not yet reached the prisons where the six convicts have been kept.While the people of broad walks of the society are eagerly waiting to see the execution of the verdict for JMB's killing of a number of innocent people including judges in the name of religion, it is still uncertain when the jail authorities will get the court order.The prisons authorities said they cannot fix the date for execution of ...
(read more) Saturday, December 30th, 2006Police arrested two alleged Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) militants with firearms, ammunition and detonators after they shot a police constable and a police informant during luggage checking at a check post on Rabna Bypass in Tangail yesterday.The arrestees -- Mohammad Fahad, 24, and Mohammad Saiful, 23 -- told police that they are cadres of the banned militant outfit JMB, police sources said.The injured are constable Sirajul Islam and police informant Muhammad Joynal. They were sent to Dhaka in a critical condition with bullets in their chest.The criminals told police that they were coming from Meherpur to deliver the ...
(read more) Saturday, December 30th, 2006More than 2 million elated Muslim pilgrims crowded onto holy Mount Arafat near Makkah yesterday, praying for Muslims around the world and hoping for a safe hajj.Muslims believe Allah is more likely to answer their prayers if they are made within the sacred zone on the mountain plain, the site of Prophet Mohammad's last sermon 1,400 years ago.Wearing simple white robes to symbolise equality and selflessness, many trekked at dawn to the rocky outcrop, known as Jebel al-Rahma (Mount Mercy)."Whenever I stand on Jebel al-Rahma I feel reborn," said Ruquia Manouzi, a Moroccan woman.Mohamado Thiam, a telecoms engineer from ...
(read more) Saturday, December 30th, 2006Iraqi officials have completed all paperwork necessary to execute Saddam Hussein and could hang him as early as today, but may wait until later in the week, said an aide to the prime minister. "All documents relating to the implementation of the execution are compiled and ready," Sami al-Askari, a member of Iraq's main Shiite parliamentary bloc and a political consultant to Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, said Friday."Saddam has only a very short time ahead of the implementation of the execution. The execution will be either before dawn on Saturday, or immediately after the Eid holiday," Askari told AFP.Eid al-Azha will ...
(read more) Saturday, December 30th, 2006BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia will formally kick off electioneering by offering special prayer at the shrine of Hazrat Shahjalal in Sylhet tomorrow.She will leave for Sylhet by road around 10:00am. During her daylong visit, the BNP chairperson will also offer special prayer at the shrine of Hazrat Shah Poran.But it is not sure whether she will address any public meeting in Sylhet.On the Eid Day on January 1, Khaleda will exchange greetings with diplomats and cross sections of people at the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban Plaza.She will exchange greetings with diplomats from 10:00am to 10:30am and with people from ...
(read more) Saturday, December 30th, 2006Jatiya Party (JP) Chairman HM Ershad has said the upcoming general elections may not be held if the grand alliance's demands are not met."A congenial atmosphere for holding a free and fair election is yet to be created. If the grand alliance's demands are not implemented, the election may not be held," Ershad told reporters after attending a press conference with AL President Sheikh Hasina at a city hotel yesterday.The grand alliance's demands include resignation of President Iajuddin Ahmed from the post of chief adviser, updating the voter list as per the high court verdict, and reform of the Election ...
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