Archive for April 6th, 2008
Sunday, April 6th, 2008The public food distribution target for the current fiscal is very likely to be left unmet while the possibility is also very slim of building a 10 lakh tonne government food bank in the coming boro season.A food ministry report says the government had a target of distributing 21.90 lakh tonnes of rice and wheat in the current fiscal through its various safety net programmes and open market sales amid high prices of food items on the market.Till March it distributed 9.55 lakh tonnes of food grains while setting a target to distribute another 3.64 lakh tonnes in the remaining ...
(read more) Sunday, April 6th, 2008The government is now working out the modalities of its much-awaited dialogue with political parties to hold a focussed discussion with them."The modalities [for the dialogue] are being worked out," Syed Fahim Munaim, press secretary to the chief adviser, said yesterday.Although a schedule for the dialogue has not yet been fixed, he hoped that the discussions would start this month.Asked if detained BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia and Awami League President Sheikh Hasina would be allowed to join in the proposed dialogue, the press secretary said the modalities would determine every detail as to who would participate and whether the talks ...
(read more) Sunday, April 6th, 2008The Awami League (AL) yesterday launched a mass signature campaign demanding release of party chief Sheikh Hasina and warned of tougher agitation programmes if the caretaker government does not free her immediately.“If the government thinks that it won't release Sheikh Hasina, it will then surely commit a mistake,” acting AL President Zillur Rahman said inaugurating the campaign at the Diploma Engineers' Institute in the capital.The city unit of AL organised the programme that also demands putting a check on skyrocketing prices of essentials, lifting of state of emergency and holding of the national elections before others.Several hundred ...
(read more) Sunday, April 6th, 2008Chief Adviser Fakhruddin Ahmed yesterday told the district administrators to focus on laying the groundwork for the general elections to be held by the end of this year.Fakhruddin also told the deputy commissioners (DCs) not to leave a "foot of arable land" uncultivated to boost agricultural production, as there is no other alternative to rein in rising food prices."The main focus of the caretaker government is to hold free, fair, credible and acceptable polls by December," said Fakhruddin at the inauguration of the three-day seminar for DCs at the international conference centre of the Chief Adviser's Office.The chief adviser told ...
(read more) Sunday, April 6th, 2008The pro-Khaleda faction of BNP may not take part in the proposed dialogue with the government unless its chairperson Khaleda Zia is released.A decision in this regard would come at a meeting planned for this week, said sources close to the group led by Khandaker Delwar Hossain, secretary general appointed by Chairperson Khaleda Zia.Those loyal to the now detained former prime minister however are not sure whether the government will invite them to the talks or follow the lead of the Election Commission (EC) that chose Saifur Rahman's group for the electoral talks.Some mid-level leaders and former lawmakers belonging ...
(read more) Sunday, April 6th, 2008Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) is going to open 25 more fair price outlets in Dhaka to sell rice as the number of buyers is increasing every day in the wake of shortage and price hike of coarse rice.The number of such outlets would be 75 after the increase.The queues became so long at different BDR shops yesterday that the BDR men had to arrange two more queues for easy management. But buyers still had to wait for four to five hours to get 5kg rice.Supply of coarse rice was found scarce at different wholesale markets in the capital including Karwan Bazar, ...
(read more) Sunday, April 6th, 2008Chief of Army Staff General Moeen U Ahmed yesterday dismissed the notion of any rice crisis in the country, saying "a crisis has been created"."Where's the crisis? There's no crisis. Crisis has been created. Price has increased, but there's no crisis," he told reporters after visiting the Karwan Bazar wholesale market in the city.General Moeen observed that people went on panic buying of rice from market. If one consumer buys four sacks of rice, it will affect the market, he said."Inshallah, there'll be no problem if we can tackle the situation for next 20 days," he said.Seeking positive role ...
(read more) Sunday, April 6th, 2008Deputy commissioners (DCs) from across the country yesterday suggested reintroduction of rationing system and increasing salaries for government employees to enable them cope with the spiralling prices of essentials.On the first day of the annual conference of DCs in Dhaka, cut short by a day to three day due to "unavoidable circumstances", the field-level administrators also suggested introducing medical cards for government employees, sources said.Cabinet Secretary Ali Imam Majumder said, "Mentioning that the price hike of construction materials is obstructing implementation of development works, the DCs suggested revising schedules of different development projects in the wake of price hike of ...
(read more) Sunday, April 6th, 2008Government offices are not handing over public records, which have crossed 25 years, to the National Archives although there is a law that specifically says the archives will preserve those and ensure people's access to them.Officials decline to send the documents to the National Archives saying the practice is yet to develop. They do not care about complying with the relevant law -- the National Archives Ordinance 1983 -- as it does not provide for any punishment for violating it, said a number of senior officials.Even the ministries and divisions do not regularly send documents to the establishment ministry, ...
(read more) Sunday, April 6th, 2008Election Commissioner Brig Gen (retd) M Sakhawat Hussain yesterday said Upazila Parishad elections would not be held after national polls anyway.“The upazila elections won't be held after national elections. When time comes, you'll see whether the elections will be held before the national elections or simultaneously,” Sakhawat told a view-exchange meeting at Titas Upazial Parishad in Comilla.He said they want to remain as hero in the history of Bangladesh through completion of their electoral task by holding the elections timely.The meeting, chaired by Upazila Nirbahi Officer AHM Abdul Karim, was arranged to discuss the activities regarding the voter list with ...
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