Archive for July 8th, 2008
Tuesday, July 8th, 2008A Dhaka court yesterday sentenced Bashundhara Group Chairman Ahmed Akbar Sobhan alias Shah Alam, his wife and three sons to two years' rigorous imprisonment for illegally keeping local and foreign currencies amounting to Tk 23 lakh at their residence.The other convicted are Shah Alam's wife Afroza Begum, sons Sadad Sobhan Tanvir, Sayem Sobhan Anvir and Sapoyan Sobhan Tachhvir.Judge Mohammad Abul Bashar of the First Additional Metropolitan Sessions Judge's Court also fined them Tk 10,000 each, defaulting on which will earn them three months more in jail.The sentences will be effective from the day of their arrest or surrender. The court ...
(read more) Tuesday, July 8th, 2008While prices of essential commodities are spinning out of reach of the people since prices of fuel oils were hiked a week ago, government efforts to monitor the market or curb the prices are yet to be discernible.The government does not even have a short-term plan to contain the prices, let alone a long-term strategy, while the prices have already gone beyond the low and fixed income group people's affordability.Meanwhile, both the people and government officials fear further rise in prices of essentials ahead of the month of Ramadan beginning in early September."The prices have been worrisome for us. We ...
(read more) Tuesday, July 8th, 2008The sweeping electoral reforms brought by the Election Commission (EC) in an effort to have honest and competent candidates in elections, seem to have hit a major stumbling block as many 'qualified candidates' for the August 4 city corporation and municipality polls are accused in criminal cases.Being aware of the situation, the EC yesterday at a meeting expressed its unhappiness about the situation, meeting sources said.The current EC, which was reconstituted by the military backed caretaker government on February 4, 2007, brought sweeping electoral reforms to encourage honest and competent candidates in local government elections.The EC also ...
(read more) Tuesday, July 8th, 2008Female workers seeking jobs as domestic help in Middle Eastern countries are losing out on valuable job opportunities as the stringent rules set by the government make it very difficult for them to secure a work visa.A good number of work visas acquired, but not approved by the government for non-adherence to procedures under new rules, have expired or are on the verge of expiry, businessmen and researchers say.An official of the expatriates' welfare and overseas employment ministry has said that the government has already taken initiatives to review the rules, which it also apprehends might be creating difficulties. ...
(read more) Tuesday, July 8th, 2008Repeating her demand for the parliamentary election first, detained BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia yesterday proposed that the caretaker administration set a timeline for the next government to hold local body polls.“If they are concerned about local government polls under an elected government they can set a month's time for it to hold the elections,” she observed.The former prime minister was speaking to reporters after hearing proceedings in the Niko graft case against her at a special court.She said the national election is more urgent than local polls and so the government should hold it first in compliance with the constitution. ...
(read more) Tuesday, July 8th, 2008At least 21 people were killed and 24 injured as two passenger buses collided head-on on Dhaka-Chittagong Highway in Daudkandi, Comilla yesterday morning.Witnesses said a Dhaka-bound bus of Starline Express from Feni collided head-on with a Comilla-bound bus from Homna in Daulatpur around 9:15am, reports a correspondent from Comilla.Eighteen passengers including three women of Starline died on the spot as the bus fell into a roadside ditch due to the impact. The driver and helper of the other bus were also killed, but their identity could not be known immediately.Firefighters and police from Comilla and forces from highway police rushed ...
(read more) Tuesday, July 8th, 2008The High Court (HC) yesterday stayed for two months all proceedings of the Niko and barge-mounted power plant cases filed against former premier Sheikh Hasina by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).The HC bench of Justice Khademul Islam Chowdhury and Justice Mashuque Hosain Ahmed also issued separate rules asking the government and ACC to explain within four weeks why the cases should not be quashed.The orders came upon two petitions filed by Awami League chief Sheikh Hasina, who is now abroad for treatment following release on eight-week parole.Her lawyers barrister Rafique-ul Huq and barrister Shafique Ahmed told newspersons the HC stayed the ...
(read more) Tuesday, July 8th, 2008A Dhaka court yesterday issued an arrest warrant against Dhaka City Corporation (DCC) Mayor Sadeque Hossain Khoka in a case filed against him for amassing wealth worth Tk 9.76 crore illegally and giving false information to the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).However, the High Court (HC) at 5:00pm granted him anticipatory bail in the case and stayed the proceedings until July 16 following a writ petition for quashing the case.LOWER COURT PROCEEDINGS After scrutinising the case docket and other relevant documents, Senior Special Judge Mohammad Azizul Haque of the Metropolitan Sessions Judge's Court accepted the charge sheet and passed the order at ...
(read more) Tuesday, July 8th, 2008The government has decided to set up a board of trustee to operate a Tk 300-crore climate change fund allocated in the current budget for use mainly in adaptation programmes."Two-thirds of this fund will be spent every year and one-third will be deposited in the bank to create a self-sustaining fund," said Finance Adviser Mirza Azizul Islam after an inter-ministerial meeting at the ministry.Aziz chaired the first meeting on use of the fund. Food Adviser AMM Shawkat Ali, special assistant to the chief adviser on forest and environment Raja Debashish Roy, and officials concerned were present at the meeting.Aziz ...
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