Archive for November, 2008
Sunday, November 30th, 2008BNP yesterday announced names of its candidates for over 200 seats, but the tense wait for many parliamentary hopefuls was not over yet as the nomination pendulum kept swinging.To receive selection letters, the candidates had to turn in a declaration promising to follow the party line.They were made to pledge to obey the high command even if it should decide to opt out of the December 29 general election or change nominations, said insiders.The party's parliamentary board changed its decisions quite a few times overnight, said sources close to the board.So far, it has revised nominations in at ...
(read more) Sunday, November 30th, 2008The battle of ballot between the two major electoral alliances formally kicks off today after a lapse of about two years as candidates from the BNP-led four-party combine finally file nominations for December 29 parliamentary polls.Most of the contenders from the Awami League (AL)-led alliance have already filed nominations as they were preparing for the polls earlier scheduled for December 18. Those who are yet to register their names for the polls race will do it today, the last day for submitting nominations.As the four-party coalition decided to join the electoral race, BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia yesterday registered her name ...
(read more) Sunday, November 30th, 2008 Onlookers shake hands with Indian commandos as they depart on a bus following their military operation at the Taj Mahal Hotel in Mumbai yesterday. Photo: AFP Commandos yesterday killed the last remaining gunmen in Mumbai's Taj hotel to end a devastating attack by Islamic militants on India's financial capital that left 195 dead, including 26 foreigners.Shortly after dawn on the third day of the siege, heavy gunfire and loud explosions signalled the final commando offensive against the militants, who had held hundreds of security personnel at bay for 60 hours.A previously unknown Muslim group with a name suggesting origins ...
(read more) Sunday, November 30th, 2008Awami League (AL) and Jatiya Party (JP), two components of the AL-led grand electoral alliance, are close to finalising their seat-sharing deal for the upcoming parliamentary polls.However, they still have differences of opinion on JP's demand to bring better balance of power between the prime minister and the president, if they are voted to power.AL agreed to share around 40 seats with ally JP but JP is trying to get over 50 seats for its candidates, sources said. They have finalised a number of JP candidates, the sources added.AL yesterday changed its nominations for 10 more constituencies as time ...
(read more) Sunday, November 30th, 2008BNP and its key ally Jamaat-e-Islami are still maintaining deep secrecy over sharing of seats for the forthcoming parliamentary polls, party sources said.Avoiding yesterday's formal meeting of the BNP-led four-party alliance, BNP held separate meetings with its allies at different places in an attempt to reach a consensus over the issue of seat sharing.In a late-night development, Islami Oikya Jote (IOJ) Chairman Mufti Fazlul Haque Amini said BNP agreed to give them three seats in Brahmanbaria-2, Jessore-5 and Sunamganj-3 after they demanded 13 seats.He said his party would contest the polls with BNP's electoral symbol, a sheaf of ...
(read more) Sunday, November 30th, 2008Failing to get party nomination, many former BNP lawmakers who had sided with expelled party secretary general Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan will file nomination papers with the Election Commission today as independent candidates.Bhuiyan himself will file his nomination paper today for the Narsingdi-3 constituency where BNP has already nominated district unit General Secretary Tafazzal Hossain Master for the December 29 parliamentary election.Talking to The Daily Star, a few of these "deprived" leaders alleged that they did not get party nomination because of the "nomination trade"."I know the chairperson was in my favour but a few leaders involved in the nomination trade ...
(read more) Sunday, November 30th, 2008Defiant protesters ignored orders to leave Bangkok's besieged airports and faced off with Thai police yesterday, raising fears of clashes as crippling anti-government demonstrations escalated.A grenade attack on protesters occupying the Thai premier's office wounded at least 46 people yesterday, further raising tensions as police tried to end the opposition blockade of Bangkok's airports.Unknown attackers lobbed a grenade near a stage set up for rallies at Government House, the latest in a string of explosions at the site which was stormed by activists in August, a police official told AFP.A Bangkok emergency services spokesman said 46 people were wounded in ...
(read more) Sunday, November 30th, 2008BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia and Awami League President Sheikh Hasina, who had reportedly been pressed to quit politics, are finally going to contest the December 29 parliamentary elections -- from three constituencies each.Khaleda will contest the national polls from Bogra-6, 7 and Feni-1 constituencies while Sheikh Hasina will stand from Gopalganj-3, Bagerhat-1 and Rangpur-6 constituencies.The BNP chairperson got registered as a voter several hours after her party announced the names of its candidates in a few constituencies yesterday, a day before the deadline for the former premier to enrol her name on the voter list expires.Election Commission (EC) ...
(read more) Sunday, November 30th, 2008BNP has nominated a charge-sheeted accused of the August 21 carnage aimed to assassinate former premier and Awami League chief Sheikh Hasina at a rally on Banga-bandhu Avenue in the capital in 2004.Detained former lawmaker and deputy minister Abdus Salam Pintu is one of the 22 charge-sheeted accused in the cases filed in connection with the grenade attack.BNP yesterday nominated him along with his brother Sultan Salauddin Tuku, senior vice-president of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal, for the Tangail-2 constituency as its candidate in the December 29 parliamentary polls.Party insiders say they apprehend Pintu might not contest the polls due to ...
(read more) Sunday, November 30th, 2008The UN election assessment team has said the next parliamentary polls in Bangladesh would be held in a way that is credible and was not possible two years ago.The head of the three-member panel, Francesc Vendrell, opposed the few "prominent" persons and political parties that are advocating the state of emergency during the December 29 polls.Concluding the team's seven-day visit yesterday, Vendrell also strongly said diplomats should not interfere in Bangladesh's internal affairs."I think that the chances of a credible election are much higher today than it was two years ago," he told reporters at a press conference at Hotel ...
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