Archive for November 5th, 2007
Monday, November 5th, 2007The Awami League (AL) has dramatically retreated from its stance on opposing a provision of the existing electoral laws, which empowers the defence forces including the army with magistracy powers during parliamentary elections.Over the last two and a half years the AL-led 14-party alliance has been strongly opposing the provision enacted by a caretaker government before the eighth parliamentary elections in 2001. But the AL now agreed with the provision.A high-powered AL delegation led by party's Acting President Zillur Rahman placed a set of proposals, including their consent to the provision, at the party's electoral reform talks with the EC ...
(read more) Monday, November 5th, 2007Pakistani forces rounded up hundreds of opponents yesterday as President Pervez Musharraf sought to shore up his grip on power by imposing emergency rule and possibly postponing elections.Defying international condemnation, military ruler Musharraf had a day earlier suspended the constitution, sacked the chief justice, imposed strict media curbs and arrested more than 500 opposition activists and lawyers.Accusing the judiciary and Islamic militants of destabilising the country, Musharraf said Saturday he had acted to stop the nation from committing "suicide," and appealed for understanding from the West.Troops and police poured into Islamabad and surrounded the Supreme Court, which ...
(read more) Monday, November 5th, 2007The investigation report on the Gatco corruption case against Khaleda Zia and 12 others recommended the inclusion of 18 more persons, including Saifur Rahman, Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan and Jamaat chief Motiur Rahman Nizami, in the charge sheet.The investigation officer also proposed to indict former ministers and BNP leaders Dr Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, MK Anwar, M Shamsul Islam, Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury and former cabinet secretary and incumbent Public Service Commission Chairman Dr Sa'dat Hossain.Deputy director at the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) and investigation officer of the case, Jahirul Huda, has already submitted the probe report to the watchdog, which filed the ...
(read more) Monday, November 5th, 2007Detained BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia will soon write to the Election Commission (EC) to clarify her stance on the party constitution and leadership.Her views regarding the leadership though remain the same as before, said a lawyer of the former premier yesterday.Shortly before her arrest on September 3, Khaleda expelled Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan and replaced him with Khandaker Delwar Hossain as the secretary general."She will inform the Election Commission of her position through the jail authorities," Advocate Shamsur Rahman Shimul Biswas yesterday told the newsman after meeting the BNP chief at the sub-jail in Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban complex."She has ...
(read more) Monday, November 5th, 2007The investigation report on the Gatco corruption case against Khaleda Zia and 12 others recommended the inclusion of 18 more persons, including Saifur Rahman, Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan and Jamaat chief Motiur Rahman Nizami, in the charge sheet.The investigation officer also proposed to indict former ministers and BNP leaders Dr Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, MK Anwar, M Shamsul Islam, Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury and former cabinet secretary and incumbent Public Service Commission Chairman Dr Sa'dat Hossain.Deputy director at the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) and investigation officer of the case, Jahirul Huda, has already submitted the probe report to the watchdog, which filed the ...
(read more) Monday, November 5th, 2007World Bank (WB) President Robert Zoellick yesterday concluded his first trip to Bangladesh, justifying the bank's practice of attaching conditions to loans, by saying they are required to protect funds from corruption, while admitting that the bank does need reforms to adapt to the changing times."As you put money in, you have to deal with certain issues, such as procurement policies, we don't want our money stolen and I presume you don't want our money stolen, and you have to make sure the right policy environment is set," he said in reply to questions at a news briefing on the ...
(read more) Monday, November 5th, 2007Nobel laureate Prof Muhammad Yunus has asked for major reforms in the World Bank saying the multilateral development bank has not been successful in achieving its main goal of poverty alleviation."The world has gone through so many changes over the last few decades, but the World Bank remains static since its establishment about 60 years ago. It needs reforms and there should be a rethink of its policies," Yunus told reporters after a meeting with visiting WB President Robert Zoellick at his Grameen Bank's Headquarters in Mirpur yesterday."Within the present structure, World Bank country offices are working like post offices," ...
(read more) Monday, November 5th, 2007The High Court (HC) yesterday granted bail to former prime minister and Awami League President Sheikh Hasina in a Tk 3 crore graft case filed against her and six prominent personalities by the Anti-corruption Commission (ACC) on September 2.A HC bench comprising Justice Shah Abu Nayeem Mominur Rahman and Justice Zubayer Rahman Chowdhury also stayed the proceedings of the case.The court issued a rule on the government and ACC asking them to explain within eight weeks why bringing the case under the ambit of Emergency Power Rules (EPR) should not be declared illegal.The HC order came following a writ petition ...
(read more) Monday, November 5th, 2007The High Court (HC) yesterday issued a rule on the Election Commission (EC) and the government to show cause within two weeks as to why they should not be directed to call upon the legitimate BNP officials.A HC bench issued the rule following a writ petition filed yesterday by a Supreme Court lawyer and a former leader of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD), student wing of BNP, seeking direction to the EC in this regard.The respondent of the rule is the EC, represented by its chairman and secretary, and principal secretary to the chief adviser.Petitioner of the case former JCD ...
(read more) Monday, November 5th, 2007A Dhaka court yesterday, for the third time, sentenced Harris Chowdhury, political secretary to detained former prime minister Khaleda Zia, to 59 years' imprisonment in connection with giving a government automobile to his friend for using it.Meanwhile, former BNP lawmaker Nurul Islam Moni and three of his party men were sentenced to 14 years' rigorous imprisonment in absentia in connection with embezzlement of government relief materials.CASE AGAINST HARRIS Judge Moahmmad Azizul Haque of the Metropolitan Sessions Judge's Court handed down the sentence on Harris, in absentia, dividing terms of offence into five parts.The term of offence starts from February ...
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