Bangladesh News

Pick reforms or retirement

Friday, June 1st, 2007BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia appears to be in a quandary whether to give in to the growing pressure for reforms both from within and outside her party or to quit politics. She has been in virtual isolation as most of the senior leaders have opted to keep away from her during the present crisis situation.They believe it is about time she relinquishes absolute power she holds over the BNP. Many of them in fact want the former prime minister to bow out of politics to pave the way for the reforms that the party needs badly, sources said.On ... (read more)

Govt for 33pc raise in budgetary allocation

Friday, June 1st, 2007The government is proposing 33 percent increase in budgetary allocation in the next fiscal year for the development of the power sector. The Economic Relations Division (ERD) is going to seek $300 million from the World Bank (WB) for this purpose.A total of Tk 3,700 crore has been proposed for power sector development in the coming fiscal year and it is the highest allocation of FY 07-08 as a single sector, planning ministry sources said.The revised allocation for the power sector in the current fiscal year is Tk 2,779 crore, which is 6 percent less than that of the previous ... (read more)

Gani’s shenanigans

Friday, June 1st, 2007The general impression about Osman Gani as a soft-spoken person and an academician notwithstanding the chief conservator of forests never gave up making money by abusing power like his predecessors.Gani allegedly launched a drive recently to collect money from different station officers and range officers in Khulna, Dhaka and Chittagong."Many range officers and station officers were recently due for transfer. So far I know, they gave the chief conservator huge money to stop their transfer and his wife received the money at home," said a forest official from Chittagong."Money flows in natural course to the chief conservator," a Forest Department ... (read more)

Agro, light engineering, IT get the thrust

Friday, June 1st, 2007The government yesterday announced a three-year Export Policy for FY07 to FY09 setting a target to diversify the export basket, create employment and alleviate poverty. The policy included pharmaceutical products in the list of thrust sector and nine more products identified as special development sector."The government's main objective of the policy is to enhance export growth in order to alleviate poverty for reaching the millennium development goals," Finance and Commerce Adviser Mirza Azizul Islam said while announcing the new policy at a press conference at the commerce ministry conference room.Under the new export policy, agro-products and agro-processing items, light engineering ... (read more)

CHT land body to be activated

Friday, June 1st, 2007The government is going to activate the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) Land Commissions to resolve land related disputes between indigenous communities and Bangla speaking settlers of the region. The CHT Land Commission was made to resolve land related disputes between the two communities but the commission remained inactive since its formation more than three years ago.The decision was made yesterday at a meeting of CHT Advisory Council held after more than six years. Since the formation of the council, only two meetings were held during the last Awami League government. No meeting of the council were held during the ... (read more)

ACC to submit charge sheets against Huda, Wadud next week

Friday, June 1st, 2007The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) will submit charge sheets against former minister Nazmul Huda, former BNP lawmaker Abdul Wadud Bhuiyan, Awami League leader Pankaj Debnath and T&T CBA President Firoz Miah next week."Charge sheets will be submitted against the four corruption suspects either on Monday or Tuesday," a well-placed source at the ACC told the news agency yesterday.He said the commission has already approved the submission of charge sheets, but those will be submitted on completion of some more formalities.A charge sheet will be submitted against Huda and his wife Sigma Huda for allegedly taking Tk 2.40 crore in bribe to ... (read more)

Hasina asks AL leaders to provide legal support to held party men

Friday, June 1st, 2007Awami League (AL) President Sheikh Hasina yesterday directed the party leaders to provide necessary legal support to the party leaders and workers who have been arrested.She also urged them to stand beside the party activists, so that the activists do not get panicked in the prevailing political situation.Hasina said this when a group of leaders of the AL and its front organisations met the party chief at her Sudha Sadan residence in Dhanmondi in the capital.AL presidium member and former lawmaker Suranjit Sengupta, central committee member AHM Khairuzzaman Liton, former lawmaker Sahiduzzaman Sarker, Mohila League President Ashrafunnesa Mosharraf, Jubo ... (read more)