Archive for December 10th, 2007
Monday, December 10th, 2007The Anti-corruption Commission (ACC) yesterday sued former prime ministers Khaleda Zia and Sheikh Hasina along with 10 others for inflicting an enormous loss to the state through awarding gas deals to Canadian gas exploration company Niko by abusing their power.In two separate cases -- one filed against Sheikh Hasina and six others, and the other against Khaleda Zia and four others -- complainants alleged that primary investigations found involvement of the accused in illegally awarding contracts to Niko for exploring and developing three gas fields in the country.ACC Deputy Director Sabbir Hasan, in the case filed against Sheikh Hasina and ...
(read more) Monday, December 10th, 2007The High Court (HC) yesterday stayed for three months the proceedings of the Tk 2.99 crore extortion case filed against former premier and Awami League chief Sheikh Hasina and two others.The HC also stayed for three months the operation of the November 26 gazette notification providing special arrangements for the trial of the case fixing the Sangsad Bhaban premises as the trial venue until a writ petition filed yesterday is disposed in the higher court.The HC bench comprising justices ABM Khairul Huq and Abdul Awal also issued a rule upon the government asking it to reply in four weeks why ...
(read more) Monday, December 10th, 2007Most teachers of Dhaka University (DU) yesterday gave their lectures wearing black badges as part of their two-day demonstration demanding immediate release of their detained colleagues and students.A number of DU students also wore black ribbons to express their solidarity with the teachers' demands.Dhaka University Teachers Association (Duta) held a general meeting last night to discuss their today's (Monday) programme after Education Adviser Ayub Quadri assured its Duta acting President Prof Tajmeri S Islam, over telephone, about releasing the four detained professors and nine students.Meanwhile, students of mass communications and journalism department decided to abstain from classes ...
(read more) Monday, December 10th, 2007The death toll in Saturday night's Rangs Bhaban cave-in on the city's Bijoy Sarani rose to four yesterday while the fire service stopped rescue operation on safety grounds.As of last night, at least a dozen people were feared trapped inside.Fire Service and Civil Defence has so far rescued 12. Of them, one died at the city's orthopaedic hospital yesterday and the rest were undergoing treatment at different hospitals.Meanwhile, the government has formed a three-member committee headed by Rajuk's Chief Engineer Shah Alam to probe the incident. The two other members are Rajuk's deputy chief engineer and a ...
(read more) Monday, December 10th, 2007Country's trade deficit has increased by 223 percent in the first quarter of the current fiscal year due mainly to huge increase in food import.Despite strong remittance growth, the current account balance of the country stands at $23 million against strong surpluses of $445 million during the same period of FY2006-07. The balance was $629 million in the fourth quarter of the last fiscal year.Asked about the huge increase in trade deficit, a Bangladesh Bank (BB) official said, "There was huge increase in import, especially food items, and at the same time export has decreased." Increased prices of petroleum products ...
(read more) Monday, December 10th, 2007 Lack of experience and adopting no proper plans in demolishing the 22-storey Rangs Bhaban have apparently caused the Saturday night disaster.In early August experts warned the authorities of the lack of safety measures as well as a proper plan under supervision of engineers in demolishing the building. But the warnings went unheeded and the demolition work was clearly proceeding to a disaster.Following Saturday's disaster, a probe committee was formed headed by the Rajuk chief engineer to find out why the building's 17th floor caved in, triggering a series of breakdowns to the second floor. Cracks developed on the first floor ...
(read more) Monday, December 10th, 2007The four convicted teachers of Rajshahi University (RU) yesterday lodged an appeal with the District and Sessions Judge's Court challenging a lower court order that sentenced them to two years' rigorous imprisonment.Judge AR Masud of the District and Sessions Judge's Court, Rajshahi admitted the criminal appeal petition and set December 27 for the hearing on the appeal. The judge also subpoenaed case documents from the lower court.Advocate Golam Arif Tipu and Nurul Islam Sarker Aslam submitted the petition on behalf of the appellants who sought bail until the disposal of the appeal and prayed for a stay order on the ...
(read more) Monday, December 10th, 2007The remains of Birshreshtha Hamidur Rahman will finally reach his beloved homeland today, 36 years into his martyrdom during a battle with Pakistani occupation forces.The remains will be brought from the Indian state of Tripura by road through Bibirbazar land port in Comilla at 3:00pm and will be received with a guard of honour.Youngest among the seven Birshreshthas, the liberation war hero will be laid to rest tomorrow at Martyred Intellectuals' Graveyard at Mirpur in the capital with full state honour.According to reports from India, the Tripura government yesterday formally handed over the remains of Hamidur to the Joint Secretary ...
(read more) Monday, December 10th, 2007The council of advisers yesterday approved the National Human Rights Commission Ordinance 2007, a day before World Human Rights Day today.The cabinet, at its weekly meeting, approved the ordinance to set up the long-awaited National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), which can investigate human rights violations but is empowered to only settle issues or refer them to the court.The NHRC will comprise a chairman and two members, handpicked by a six-member selection committee. The list of names will then be passed on to the President for final approval, the Chief Adviser's Press Secretary Syed Fahim Munaim told a press briefing ...
(read more) Monday, December 10th, 2007All they do is kill flies. The task might sound a bit odd even outright ridiculous, but that is what many convicts in the prisons of the country do as part of their rigorous imprisonment!That does not mean that they get off with light punishments instead of their real sentences. The jail authorities have the discretion to appoint the comparatively lighter task of killing flies to those prisoners who were sentenced to rigorous imprisonment but are unable to carry out heavier tasks for reasons of ill health or old age.Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG-Prisons) Major Shamsul Haider Siddique told The ...
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