Archive for September 2nd, 2008
Tuesday, September 2nd, 2008The Supreme Court (SC) yesterday declined to stay the High Court (HC) orders granting bail to former prime minister Khaleda Zia's son Tarique Rahman in six cases.Chamber Judge of the Appellate Division Justice Md Joynul Abedin however asked the government and Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) to file regular appeals against the bail orders after the apex court returns from 42-day annual vacation on October 12.Defence counsels said the judge's decision means the HC orders allowing Tarique bail on health grounds stand, and there remains no legal bar to his release.Tarique, detained at the prison cell of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical ...
(read more) Tuesday, September 2nd, 2008As many as 30 political parties, most of which only exist in names and have very little activities, collected application forms for registration with the Election Commission (EC) as of yesterday. The major political parties, with the exception of Jatiya Party, are yet to respond in this regard.Only four out of the 16 political parties invited to political party registration talks with the EC, which begins on Saturday, have collected registration forms, according to a list prepared by the EC Secretariat.The EC started the distribution of forms Thursday.HM Ershad-led Jatiya Party (JP), Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), Jatiya Samajtantrik ...
(read more) Tuesday, September 2nd, 2008Prices of vegetables, fruits, meats and other essentials used for preparing iftar items shot up further in kitchen markets of the capital yesterday on the eve of Ramadan.Taking the opportunity of weak market monitoring, traders in kitchen markets are charging high prices at will, alleged many shoppers.The state-run Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) is going to sell some essential commodities for fair prices during the month of Ramadan that starts today.TCB will sell sugar, soybean oil, chickpea and onion through its mobile outlets on trucks, and in its retail sales centres everyday through the month except Fridays.Visiting different city ...
(read more) Tuesday, September 2nd, 2008The flood situation is continuing to deteriorate in northern and central parts of the country compelling thousands of people to take refuge in places like educational institutions and high roads.The Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre (FFWC) said low-lying areas in 14 northern and central districts of the country could be inundated further in the next 48-72 hours as water levels of all rivers are increasing.Of the 73 places where river water level is monitored, 39 marked a rise while 29 marked a fall. The others remained unchanged.Crops especially vegetables and transplanted Aman have been damaged in many ...
(read more) Tuesday, September 2nd, 2008The authorities yesterday introduced 40 bus routes in the capital and its outskirts after rearranging previous 138 routes to bring discipline in the traffic system and ease vehicular movement.The rearrangement does not close any existing routes as there would be 149 sub-routes within the 40 routes -- 20 for buses and minibuses in the city and 20 for the vehicles running between the capital and neighbouring districts."Rearranging the routes and fixing specific stoppages for buses of different routes will contribute to a cut in traffic congestion," DMP Commissioner Naim Ahmed, also chairman of Dhaka Metro RTC (regional transport ...
(read more) Tuesday, September 2nd, 2008The irregular Bangladeshis without proof of identification in Kuwait will not be able to take advantage of the 45-day amnesty announced Sunday for illegals there.Shahriar Kader Siddiky, labour counsellor of the Bangladesh embassy in Kuwait, yesterday said, "We can provide temporary travel documents for an illegal against copy of his passport, civil ID or bank card. But it's not possible to do anything without those."The unscrupulous visa traders taking away passports or civil IDs from the migrant workers has become commonplace in many Middle Eastern countries.They do it in collusion with employers to force the workers to toil ...
(read more) Tuesday, September 2nd, 2008Apprehending violence among workers, three garments factories owned by foreign investors at Dhaka Export Processing Zone (DEPZ) in Savar have been closed for indefinite periods in the last 15 days.Sources noted that as Ramadan has begun, labour unrest might increase on eve of the Eid-ul-Fitr in demand for wages, bonus and other facilities.Of the three factories, Indian-owned GB Garments was closed on Sunday.Around 400 workers of the factory were carrying out agitations demanding eight-day Eid vacation instead of six-day now.Earlier, Korean factory Softex Garments with 2,200 workers and Taiwan-owned A-One Garments having 3,500 workers were closed in the third week ...
(read more) Tuesday, September 2nd, 2008A Khulna court yesterday acquitted all four charge-sheeted accused in the Awami League (AL) leader Advocate Manjurul Imam murder case.The acquitted persons are outlawed Purba Banglar Communist Party (PBCP) members Ganesh Banerjee, Shahadat Hossain Raju, Shukur Gazi and Sheikh Abdul Rabbi alias Ripon.Khulna Divisional Speedy Trial Tribunal Judge Abdus Salam Sikder pronounced the verdict in presence of the accused at 1:30pm.In the judgment, the judge observed that there was not enough evidence to convict any of the accused of murder charges. Besides, the case's merit was spoiled due to frequent change of investigation officers, the judge added.Special Public Prosecutor S.M. ...
(read more) Tuesday, September 2nd, 2008The government yesterday set up the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) which would investigate human rights violations and advise the government on the enforcement of international human rights covenants.The law ministry yesterday issued a gazette notification bringing the NHRC into effect. The NHRC will have a chairman and two members. One of the three will be a serving or retired Supreme Court judge.The President, based on recommendations by a six-member selection committee, would choose the members and the chairman who has to be between 50 and 72 years old. They will serve three-year terms with a maximum of ...
(read more) Tuesday, September 2nd, 2008Transfer order of the judge of a fast-track special graft court has stimulated curiosity among different quarters dealing with trial and investigation.The special court-4, one of 10 such courts set up at the Sher-e-Bangla Nagar MP Hostel of the National Parliament complex, has so far delivered verdicts in 23 graft cases since its inception in May last year.Fourteen more cases against high-profile corruption suspects are now pending with the court. But the law ministry has suddenly decided to transfer Judge Shamsunnahar Begum to the Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal, Tangail.Questions have been raised regarding the transfer order ...
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