Archive for May 9th, 2008
Friday, May 9th, 2008The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) yesterday finally approved the charge sheet against detained former premier Khaleda Zia, her younger son Arafat Rahman Koko and 22 others for illegally awarding container-handling job at two container depots in Dhaka and Chittagong to Gatco.The approved charge sheet dropped the names of seven of the 18 persons, including former bureaucrats and ministry high officials, proposed by the investigating officer of the case in his probe report submitted on November 1 last year.The first information report (FIR) of the case had earlier accused 13 persons of illegally awarding the container-handling job at Dhaka Inland Container Depot ...
(read more) Friday, May 9th, 2008The Supreme Court yesterday paved the way for the government to proceed with the extortion case against former premier Sheikh Hasina that was brought under EPR, though the alleged offence was committed before declaring the state of emergency.The apex court yesterday pronounced its judgment allowing the government appeal against a High Court verdict and clearing the government apprehension of getting embargo on proceedings of several graft cases brought under EPR after emergency was declared on January 11 last year.However, counsels for Hasina who were aggrieved by the SC judgment told journalists now the government can bring even 50-year-old offences under ...
(read more) Friday, May 9th, 2008Chief Adviser (CA) Fakhruddin Ahmed yesterday reaffirmed his government's commitment to holding a free, fair, neutral and credible election following the roadmap announced by the Election Commission (EC).The head of the caretaker government stated it again when the visiting US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia Affairs Richard Boucher and Coordinator for Counterterrorism of US State Department Dell L Dailey made a courtesy call on him at his office.The CA said the EC is doing mainly two tasks -- preparing voter list with photographs of about 80 million voters of which major portion has been completed, and ...
(read more) Friday, May 9th, 2008The Anti-corruption Commission (ACC) yesterday said it has formed a special team to investigate institutional corruption in Dhaka City Corporation (DCC).Besides, the ACC yesterday approved three separate charge sheets against former BNP lawmaker Shahidul Islam, former BRTC Chairman Taimur Alam Khandaker, and deputy forest conservator Laskar Maksudur Rahman.Shahid will be charged for misappropriation of corrugated iron (CI) sheets meant for relief, Taimur for gaining personal benefits through abuse of power, and Laskar for amassing wealth beyond his known sources of income.Meanwhile, ACC yesterday approved that it will issue notices to three individuals including former state minister for education ANM ...
(read more) Friday, May 9th, 2008The pro-reform BNP faction finds itself in a leadership crisis after the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) yesterday approved charge sheet in the Gatco graft case including names of Saifur Rahman and Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan.It was already in much trouble following Saifur's statement on Wednesday that his position as acting chairperson has become somewhat invalid with four of the standing committee members withdrawing their support.The former finance minister was appointed to the post at a standing committee meeting on October 29 last year.The latest developments have cast uncertainty over the fate of the two top leaders, leaving their fellows with no ...
(read more) Friday, May 9th, 2008A Dhaka court yesterday sentenced detained former state minister for labour and employment Amanullah Aman to seven years' rigorous imprisonment (RI) for extorting Tk 10 lakh from a businessman in June of 2004.Aman was earlier sentenced to 13 years' imprisonment for amassing huge wealth through illegal means.The court also sentenced one to five years' RI and ten others to six months imprisonment in the same case.Mojibur Rahman Dipu was given five years' in jail while Mohammad Mastan, Shaikat Hossain alias Sona Miah, Mojibur-2, Latif Bepari, Mohammad Hossain, Zillur, Kalam Member, Raja, SM Firoz and Abdul Hamid Khan were given ...
(read more) Friday, May 9th, 2008The Election Commission (EC) has strongly opposed the caretaker government's move to introduce direct elections to the post of zilla parishad chairman.Citing a number of difficulties in introducing the new system, the commission suggested that the zilla parishad chairman should be selected by the government.Regarding creation of two posts of vice-chairman in zilla and upazila parishads, the EC has only agreed with the government move to create a post of vice-chairman exclusively for women in each of the two local government bodies, sources in the EC said.The EC on Wednesday sent its opinion on draft ordinance on formation ...
(read more) Friday, May 9th, 2008At least 64 Tamil Tiger rebels and two Sri Lankan soldiers have been killed in the latest battles in the island's north, according to the defence ministry yesterday.It said the two days of fighting on Tuesday and Wednesday occurred in the Vavuniya, Mannar and Weli Oya areas, from where government forces are trying to push into the guerrillas' northern mini-state.There was no immediate comment from the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).The latest casualties raise to 3,471 the number of LTTE cadres the defence ministry says have been killed since the start of the year. It has admitted losing 261 ...
(read more) Friday, May 9th, 2008Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) will not give traditional farewell to the incumbent Chief Justice Mohammad Ruhul Amin when he retires next month.As a mark of 'silent protest' against the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court, the SCBA will also refrain from organising a programme to welcome the new chief justice who will be appointed after retirement of Ruhul Amin.Newly elected SCBA President Barrister Shafique Ahmed told the press about their decisions after yesterday's judgment given by the seven-member full bench of the Appellate Division, headed by Chief Justice Mohammad Ruhul Amin, against HC verdict that quashed an extortion case ...
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