Archive for April 18th, 2008
Friday, April 18th, 2008In an unprecedented move, the Election Commission (EC) yesterday asked the rival BNP factions to unite in the next 72 hours to participate in its dialogue on the electoral reforms proposals.In response, the ones loyal to Khaleda Zia demanded that the EC first send a formal invitation to their Secretary General Khandaker Delwar Hossain. They said within 72 hours after the receipt of an invite they would patch up their differences with the pro-reform leaders and take part in the talks together.“We have asked them to reunite for the electoral reform talks. And for that we gave them ...
(read more) Friday, April 18th, 2008Awami League (AL) presidium member Tofail Ahmed yesterday warned that there would be no alternative to waging movement if former prime minister Sheikh Hasina is not released from jail immediately.Speaking at a discussion on the historic Mujibnagar Day, he urged the AL leaders, workers and supporters to prepare themselves for the movement which might be called for any time to free Hasina.The Awami Jubo League, youth front of the party, organised the discussion at the AL's central office on Bangabandhu Avenue. Jubo League presidium member Prof Mujibur Rahman presided over the discussion.Tofail said the country is now going through a ...
(read more) Friday, April 18th, 2008A special court yesterday sentenced former Public Service Commission (PSC) member Prof Mahfuzur Rahman to 13 years' imprisonment for amassing wealth illegally and concealing information in wealth statement submitted to the Anti-corruption Commission (ACC).Mahfuzur was also fined Tk 50 lakh, in default of which he will have to serve two more years in jail. The court also ordered confiscation of his ill-gotten property worth Tk 5.02 crore by the state.Judge AKM Arifur Rahman of the Special Court-10, set up on the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban premises for dealing with corruption cases, delivered the judgment.Mahfuzur is absconding and was tried in ...
(read more) Friday, April 18th, 2008The pro-Khaleda faction of BNP yesterday decided to join the pre-dialogue talks, to be held any time today, with advisers of the government.A text message from Education and Commerce Adviser Hossain Zillur Rahman was sent yesterday to Khandaker Delwar Hossain, BNP secretary general appointed by Chairperson Khaleda Zia, inviting the faction to join the discussions at 5:00pm the same day, but the schedule was deferred till today by request of the faction.Following the invitation, leaders of the faction called an emergency meeting at Delwar's Nam flat to discuss the matter.Emerging from the meeting at around 8:30pm, Delwar told ...
(read more) Friday, April 18th, 2008The ulema committee formed to review the National Women Development Policy has strongly opposed equal rights to women, recommending deletion of six sections of the policy and amending 15 others as they said these sections "clash" with the provisions of the Quran and Sunnah.There are several sections in the policy which are "very objectionable", said Mufti Mohammad Nuruddin, acting khatib of Baitul Mukarram National Mosque who headed the review committee."A woman cannot enjoy rights equal to a man's because a woman is not equal to a man by birth. Can there be two prime ministers--one male and one female--in a ...
(read more) Friday, April 18th, 2008The number of people living with HIV/AIDS is increasing in the country but they are not getting proper treatment as the lone Infectious Diseases Hospital (IDH) is yet to provide antiretroviral (ARV) therapy for these patients since it is very expensive.The IDH is providing treatment guidelines for HIV/AIDS patients since 1989. But the government-owned Essential Drugs Company does not produce ARV, and it is not supplied to the IDH due to its high price, hospital sources said.“A person living with HIV/AIDS needs antiretroviral worth Tk 6,000 to Tk 10,000 every month. But the hospital does not have any special funds ...
(read more) Friday, April 18th, 2008The government would take a tough stance against any further violence regarding the Women Development Policy issue.Home Adviser Maj Gen (retd) MA Matin during a press briefing last night said, "We have shown enough tolerance since religious sentiment is linked with it. But, it will be wrong if anyone considered it a weakness of the government… We will become tough if needed.""We will face it the next time… we will try to prevent it. After all the emergency is there," Matin said revealing the government's stance on the issue following last week's violent demonstrations against the policy in Dhaka and ...
(read more) Friday, April 18th, 2008The villages of Rampur and Mominnagar are resonant with the wailing of grieving families.The train-bus collision at the Elenga Razarbari rail crossing on the Tangail-Mymensingh highway on Wednesday morning, allegedly caused by a negligent gateman, brought an end to the lives of 14 weavers, leaving their families to a seemingly bleak future.Janu Begum, 36, wife of handloom trader Dulal who died in the accident, has been crying non-stop since she heard the tragic news. Added to the grief of her own widowhood is the worry about the future of her three daughters -- Dulon, 12, Sampa, 9, and Shahanoor, ...
(read more) Friday, April 18th, 2008A Rajshahi divisional court yesterday awarded life terms to all 11 militants of Jama'aul Mujahidin, Bangladesh (JMB) in a sedition case filed for taking combat training to fight against the state in 2005.Judge M Sajedul Karim of the first court of Rajshahi divisional special judge also fined the accused Tk 20,000 each, in default of which they are to spend two more years in jail.The convicts include Enamul Haque and Golamur Rahman alias Golam Mostafa, both regional JMB commanders and followers of executed militant leader Siddikul Islam Bangla Bhai and arrested militant kingpin Asadullah Al Galib respectively.The others sentenced ...
(read more) Friday, April 18th, 2008Proceedings of the barge-mounted power plant graft case against detained Awami League chief Sheikh Hasina remained adjourned for the first two hours yesterday as the lawyers protested against rude behaviour by a police officer to journalists.As the journalists continued their courtroom boycott for the second day yesterday, the former premier expressed suspicion that she might be put on a "camera trial" in absence of the press.The journalists, however, called off their programme at 1:30pm after DC (prosecution) Akkas Uddin Bhuiyan and Additional Commissioner (prosecution) Makbul Hossain made apology for the incident.Earlier, Hasina in white saree reached the court at 9:45am. ...
(read more) 
