Archive for March 6th, 2007
Tuesday, March 6th, 2007The National Board of Revenue (NBR) yesterday directed banks to freeze the accounts of former law minister barrister Moudud Ahmed and his wife.It also instructed them to suspend the accounts of BNP leader Mazidul Islam and his wife and their two children.The central authority for tax administration, the NBR asked for bank statements of those by March 8 and said the records should cover all transactions since opening of the accounts.The decision was taken in the light of an ongoing investigation into their alleged tax evasion, according to the NBR directive to the banks.However, sources said the move is part ...
(read more) Tuesday, March 6th, 2007Controversial High Court (HC) Judge Faisal Mahmud Faizee has been 'de-listed' from judicial duty amidst mounting call for his resignation after Chittagong University (CU) cancelled his LLB certificate.Sources said the single-member bench of Faizee was found missing on yesterday's cause list as Chief Justice Mohammad Ruhul Amin withdrew him from judicial work. However, it could not be confirmed officially.Despite being at the epicentre of controversy, the judge himself appeared calm yesterday, saying he would take a few more days to consider resignation. "I did not get yet any papers stating cancellation of my certificate," sources said quoting Faizee, who applied ...
(read more) Tuesday, March 6th, 2007Bangladesh's international trade relations have been suffering badly for quite a long time due to poor negotiation skills and lack of expertise in related government agencies. Government posts earmarked for officials from the trade cadre are usually filled by officials from the administrative cadre resulting in a vacuum of experts in the commerce ministry, sources said.The ministry failed to create a pool of experts on international trade as the highly technical department, World Trade Organization (WTO) Cell, under the ministry is treated like any other administrative departments by the government, the sources added.Only three from the 30 officers, who ...
(read more) Tuesday, March 6th, 2007The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) prepares to lodge graft cases against three former state ministers now in detention. They are BNP leaders Mir Mohammad Nasiruddin, Amanullah Aman and Awami League (AL) leader Dr Mohiuddin Khan Alamgir.Mir Nasir's son barrister Mir Helal Uddin and Aman's wife Sabera Aman will also face charges of corruption."We will file cases against the five tonight (Monday night) or tomorrow (today) with Gulshan Police Station," ACC Commissioner Habibur Rahman said yesterday afternoon.The anti-graft body officials said immediate past state minister for civil aviation and tourism Mir Nasir and ex-state minister for labour and employment Aman had ...
(read more) Tuesday, March 6th, 2007Chief Adviser Fakhruddin Ahmed has said the ongoing drive against corruption will help create an environment congenial to holding a credible election.The head of the caretaker government reaffirmed his views about the purge when the outgoing Chinese Ambassador, Chai Xi, paid a farewell call on him at his office yesterday.Citing a great friendship between Bangladesh and China, the chief adviser appreciated Chinese assistance for Bangladesh in developing various sectors, including social, economic, military, cultural and educational fields.He hoped the Chinese cooperation will be increased in the days ahead.Referring to Bangladesh-China air link, he said it will help expand ...
(read more) Tuesday, March 6th, 2007A Dhaka court yesterday rejected bail petitions of detained former communications minister barrister Nazmul Huda and nine other BNP leaders arrested for their alleged involvement in activities against the state.Judge Mohammad Momin Ullah of Metropolitan Sessions Judge's Court passed the order following ten separate criminal appeals filed by the defence lawyers against the rejection orders of the lower court and also seeking bails for Huda and others.The nine others are Salauddin Quader Chowdhury, parliamentary affairs adviser to the immediate past prime minister, three former state ministers Amanullah Aman, Mir Nasir and Iqbal Hasan Mahmud, four former BNP lawmakers M Naser ...
(read more) Tuesday, March 6th, 2007The president has rejected the mercy petitions of six of the seven Islamist militants condemned to death for killing two Jhalakathi judges in November 2005.With the rejection of the mercy petitions, there will be no obstacle to the executions of the militants.Sources said the president rejected the mercy petitions on Sunday while the relevant documents were sent to the ministry concerned yesterday.Deputy Inspector General (Prisons) Maj Shamsul Haider Siddique told The Daily Star last night that he did not receive any official order regarding rejection of mercy petitions.He, however, said the order would reach the jail through the law and ...
(read more) Tuesday, March 6th, 2007The council of advisers yesterday decided to review the 2005 deal to hand over the operational management of Chittagong Shah Amanat Airport to Thai Airways in light of the airport's recent adoption of the new Open Skies system.The weekly council meeting also decided to ratify the Saarc (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) agreement on mutual administrative Assistance in customs matters at the next Saarc summit, informed the Chief Adviser's (CA) Press Secretary Syed Fahim Munaim at the post-meeting briefing at the CA's office."The council of advisers had a detailed discussion on whether the agreement with Thai Airways would be ...
(read more) Tuesday, March 6th, 2007A pair of peacocks were recovered yesterday evening from the residence of Harris Chowdhury, former political secretary to the immediate past prime minister Khaleda Zia, by forest department officials and the joint forces. After being tipped off, the joint forces along with the forest department officials raided the Harris residence at House 6 on Road 53 of Gulshan 2 at around 6:00pm and found the peacocks confined in a cage on the ground floor of the two-storey building.The birds were later taken to Dhaka Zoo in Mirpur.Harris Chowdhury is one of the 50 corruption suspects listed by the Anti-Corruption Commission ...
(read more) Tuesday, March 6th, 2007Criminals killed three people including a union parishad (UP) chairman at Char Balua under Companiganj upazila in Noakhali yesterday morning.The dead are Khairul Alam, 65, chairman of Urirchar Union Parishad under Swandip upazila, and his two nephews Mohabbat Ali, 28, and Nizam Majhi, 35.A gang of around 25 armed people led by Javed slaughtered the three when they went to their relative's house at Char Balua, said Maksud Alam Khoka, son of the slain UP chairman.Javed is the younger brother of Harish, chief of a pirate gang killed in 2006 by a group of criminals.Amzad Hossain, officer in-charge of Companiganj ...
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