Archive for September 30th, 2007
Sunday, September 30th, 2007Bangladesh has been put on the USA's watch list of countries that allow operations of some Pakistani companies producing pirated versions of multi-media compact disks (CDs), and digital video disks (DVDs) violating intellectual property rights (IPR).Due to the inclusion of Bangladesh on the list, the United States Trade Representatives (USTR) can now suggest its entrepreneurs to withdraw their investments from the country or to impose a trade embargo on the country.According to a report titled 'Special 301' on the adequacy and effectiveness of intellectual property rights (IPR), published by the Office of the US Trade Representatives, some pirate optical ...
(read more) Sunday, September 30th, 2007Chief Adviser (CA) Fakhruddin Ahmed has said his government will make corruption costly for politicians, bureaucrats and businessmen."This is by no means an easy task, but we're committed to eradication of high-level corruption," he said while delivering a lecture at Columbia University on Thursday.The chief adviser also pleaded for checks and balances in democracy to stop abuses of power and corruption, saying the caretaker government is working hard to develop zero tolerance against these vices."We must ensure that our people reap the benefits of economic growth… We're determined to re-institute the checks and balances of a functioning democracy," he ...
(read more) Sunday, September 30th, 2007Industry analysts believe the alarming drop in readymade garments (RMG) export orders stemmed from a number of reasons ranging from the upcoming withdrawal of all restrictions on China's garment exports, to the bearish trend in the US consumer market, to the negative image of Bangladesh and the persistent labour unrest here.Bangladesh was facing almost a similar situation in 2005 also, when China was given full access to the US and European markets. As China was scoring a stunning 1,000 percent growth in some export areas, much to the comfort of the countries like Bangladesh, the US imposed a cap on ...
(read more) Sunday, September 30th, 2007Chief of General Staff of Bangladesh Army Major General Sinha Ibne Jamali yesterday emphasised putting an end to centralisation of power in one hand and establish balance of power to fight corruption effectively.He said the present government has broken the "myth" that bigwigs can get away with corruption."One of the great successes of the present government is that it has established the notion among the people that nobody is above the law," Jamali said at a discussion styled "Anti-corruption Drive: Recent Learning and Future Concerns" organised by Neeti Gobeshona Kendra at the Jatiya Press Club."Some people thought they were above ...
(read more) Sunday, September 30th, 2007Bangladesh Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (BTRC) seized Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) equipment worth around Tk 5 crore from a factory of KDS Group, one of the leading conglomerates of the country, in the port city Friday night.This was the largest haul of illegal VoIP equipment in the port city, the law enforcers said.Reinforced by Rapid Action Battalion (Rab), a BTRC committee has been conducting raids in the city since September 26. The committee raided 25 spots so far and detected four ISPs (internet service provider) involved with illegal VoIP business, sources said.Acting on a tip-off, the joint team ...
(read more) Sunday, September 30th, 2007A bus of an army convoy collided head on with a goods-laden truck at Acchimtola of Mirzapur upazila in Tangail yesterday killing two privates on the spot and injuring 14 others, three of them critically.The convoy of five buses was heading towards Dhaka from Bogra Cantonment with around 200 soldiers, who were supposed to join the United Nation's peacekeeping mission in Congo, police sources said.The dead were identified as Mohammad Ali, 40, of Alipur of Kalihati upazila in Tangail and Mohammad Joinal Abedin, 35, of Paschim Lalpur of Kabelpur upazila in Noakhali.SM Badrul Alam, officer-in-charge (OC) of Mirzapur Police ...
(read more) Sunday, September 30th, 2007Awami League (AL) and Workers Party (WP) yesterday agreed in principle on opposing some of the Election Commission's (EC) proposals including one that says any criticism of the commission will be tantamount to contempt of court.Leaders of the two parties will ask the commission to drop the proposal when they meet the EC for dialogues on electoral reforms -- AL on November 4 and WP on November 11.At a meeting between the two components of AL-led 14-party coalition held in AL Acting President Zillur Rahman's Gulshan residence in the capital, they strongly protested the draft electoral reform proposal of ...
(read more) Sunday, September 30th, 2007Renowned legal experts of the country yesterday demanded disclosure of information and evidence of all corruption cases in recognition of people's right to information."Information and evidence of each corruption case and the bank accounts of the suspects have to be made public," said jurist Dr Kamal Hossain at a roundtable discussion yesterday.After people get such information, they will understand that there were incidents of corruption and that their wealth has been plundered, he added.At the roundtable organised on the second day of a three-day programme marking the Right to Information Day 2007, the legal experts preferred enacting a "right to ...
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