Archive for March 23rd, 2007
Friday, March 23rd, 2007A High Court (HC) bench yesterday rejected a petition seeking contempt rule against a Bangla daily, saying the judiciary is not above criticism and should not be too sensitive either. It also observed that democratic and constitutional institutions cannot flourish without freedom of press.Responding to the petition for contempt proceedings against the Daily Manabzamin, the court said it would not issue any suo moto (contempt) rule. The press is free and the HC does not intend to interfere.The Bangla tabloid in a report on Wednesday questioned qualifications and integrity of judges and accused them of political leanings.Barrister Masud Reza ...
(read more) Friday, March 23rd, 2007A Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) has been formed with technical assistance from the US to combat financial crimes and retrieve assets and money kept overseas by graft suspects. Established within the framework of the amended Money Laundering Prevention Ordinance, 2007, the unit will operate as part of the Bangladesh Bank's (BB) Anti-Money Laundering Department (AMLD).The United States government has already provided the department with software essential to analyse and detect financial crimes.Besides, it will send a consultant next month to train officials of the FIU that will consist of personnel from AMLD, the Attorney General's Office and the ...
(read more) Friday, March 23rd, 2007Avian Influenza virus has been detected in a poultry farm at Savar on the outskirts of the capital, advisers told a special meeting of the council of advisers yesterday. According to an official handout, Adviser for Health and Family Welfare Major General (retd) ASM Matiur Rahman and Adviser for Agriculture, Fisheries and Livestock CS Karim informed the meeting that "Avian Influenza virus has been detected in a poultry farm in Savar recently".Samples were sent on an urgent basis to Bangladesh Livestock Research Institute and also to the National Institute of Animal Health in Bangkok for confirmation."The results showed the ...
(read more) Friday, March 23rd, 2007The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) will fix a work plan within two to three days for confiscating assets of corruption suspects.The work plan includes setting the procedures for seizing assets, arranging places to keep the assets, and deciding which authorities will help the ACC carry out these actions, ACC Commissioner Abul Hasan Manzoor Mannan said at a press briefing yesterday.The government promulgated an amendment to the Emergency Powers Rules 2007 on Wednesday, giving the ACC sweeping powers to seize moveable and immovable assets of corruption suspects without the permission of the government or officials appointed by the government.The amendment now also ...
(read more) Friday, March 23rd, 2007Intelligence agencies may investigate alleged links between arrested Senior Joint Secretary General of BNP Tarique Rahman and Dubai-based Indian underworld don Daud Ibrahim.Communications Adviser MA Matin made this comment to reporters yesterday when he was asked about a Kolkata-based newspaper report that quoted Indian intelligence agency officials as saying Tarique had close links with Ibrahim as well as the al-Qaeda."I saw this in newspapers but this is just a bit of information. Now it is the duty of the intelligence agencies to investigate the matter and find out the evidence," he said. The government will have to check the veracity ...
(read more) Friday, March 23rd, 2007Six condemned Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) militants including its supremo Abdur Rahman and his second-in-command Siddiqul Islam alias Bangla Bhai will be executed between April 13 and 19.The jail authorities yesterday received a copy of the president's rejection of the militants' mercy petitions and as per the jail code the execution will take place between 21st and 28th days from the date of receipt of the president's decision.Inspector General of Police Noor Mohammad told The Daily Star last night that they are apprehending sporadic attacks by the militants as the day for the militants' execution nears.Since the president's rejection ...
(read more) Friday, March 23rd, 2007The interim government is going to award autonomy to state-run BTV and Bangladesh Betar to make them more competitive, educative and entertaining for the people at large, said information Adviser Barrister Mainul Hosein yesterday. The government would also explore various aspects of opening up terrestrial frequencies for private television channels, the adviser added."Success and future of BTV and Betar lie in freedom and autonomy similar to that of BBC [British Broadcasting Corporation]," Mainul said at a launching ceremony of final report on 'Media in development: Linkages between Socio-Economic Development and Diversified Media in Bangladesh' conducted by Bangladesh Enterprise Institute ...
(read more) Friday, March 23rd, 2007Seasoned politician and Chairman of a faction of Jatiya Party (JP) Anwar Hossain Monju announced his retirement from politics yesterday.The announcement, suddenness of which surprised the political arena, came amid a widespread rumour that a few senior political leaders received suggestions from different quarters to retire from politics.Talking to The Daily Star, however, Monju denied having any pressure on him to quit politics.In a statement, Monju, who was elected MP five times in 1986, 1988, 1991, 1996 and 2001 and was a minister for a long time, expressed his gratitude to the countrymen and the people of his constituency.But he ...
(read more) Friday, March 23rd, 2007As apparel factories without waste-treatment plants pollute environs, Adviser CS Karim yesterday said the government won't allow supplying fashion garments to the western consumers at the cost of food and clothing of its own people.He asked the factory owners to set up ETP within six months to neutralise the industrial wastes that affect the environment and people a lot.The agriculture and environment adviser expressed government's view during his meeting with garment factory owners at his secretariat office on the issue of installing effluent-treatment plant (FTP) at their industrial units. IndustriesAdviser Geeteara Safiya Chowdhury and Environment Secretary Nurul Amin were ...
(read more) Friday, March 23rd, 2007The Anti-corruption Commission (ACC) yesterday filed graft cases against former BNP lawmaker Abdul Wadud Bhuiyan, former Awami League lawmaker Mostafa Kamal alias Lotus Kamal and Awami Swechchhasebak League General Secretary Pankaj Debnath. ACC Deputy Director Nurul Alam lodged a case yesterday with Khagrachhari Police Station accusing Abdul Wadud Bhuiyan of illegally amassing wealth worth around Tk 6.15 crore.In the case, the ACC official mentioned that Wadud provided false information in his wealth statement submitted to the commission on February 25.Nurul Alam, also the investigation officer (IO) of the case, in the first information report (FIR) said Wadud's wealth did not ...
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