Archive for November 3rd, 2008
Monday, November 3rd, 2008The Election Commission (EC) finally announced the detailed schedule for the ninth parliamentary election last night, ending all speculations about the fate of the long stalled poll now slated for December 18.The commission also announced the detailed schedule for the third upazila elections declaring that those will be held only on December 28, instead of on two different dates which had been declared earlier.Chief Adviser Fakhruddin Ahmed had announced before, that the upazila parishad elections would be held in two phases on December 24 and 28.Just hours earlier in the day, the High Court had cleared the way for ...
(read more) Monday, November 3rd, 2008The Election Commission (EC) finally announced the detailed schedule for the ninth parliamentary election last night, ending all speculations about the fate of the long stalled poll now slated for December 18.The commission also announced the detailed schedule for the third upazila elections declaring that those will be held only on December 28, instead of on two different dates which had been declared earlier.Chief Adviser Fakhruddin Ahmed had announced before, that the upazila parishad elections would be held in two phases on December 24 and 28.Just hours earlier in the day, the High Court had cleared the way for ...
(read more) Monday, November 3rd, 2008Awami League (AL) President Sheikh Hasina last night welcomed the Election Commission's (EC) announcement of the detailed timetable for the December 18 parliamentary polls.She, however, said the upazila polls should have been deferred.The former prime minister, now abroad on parole for treatment, said she doubts whether the EC would be able to ensure successful conduct of the two major elections with such a little space in between.She reiterated her call for the commission to have a logical time gap, her Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad told The Daily Star.According to the schedules unveiled yesterday, the upazila polls will ...
(read more) Monday, November 3rd, 2008Escorted by two naval warships, Myanmar has arbitrarily deployed four ships for exploring oil and gas in Bangladesh maritime territory Saturday ignoring Bangladesh Navy warnings. Bangladesh Navy has also positioned three ships at the spot.As Myanmar ignored the warnings, Bangladesh Foreign Secretary Towhid Hossain yesterday handed over a protest letter to Myanmar's ambassador in Dhaka Yu Fae Than U demanding withdrawal of the ships from the area until the maritime boundary is clearly demarcated through mutual understanding as per the UN guideline.According to a press note, the Myanmar ambassador was requested to convey the protest note to his ...
(read more) Monday, November 3rd, 2008In an immediate reaction very early this morning following last night's announcement of detailed poll schedules, BNP Secretary General Delwar Hossain told reporters that his party and its four-party alliance partners had discussed the announcement and will make their reaction public 'in due time'.Other meeting sources said a decision on whether the alliance will contest in the upcoming parliamentary poll might come on Wednesday after the chiefs of the components meet for finalising a decision.Delwar also said yesterday's High Court (HC) decision to throw away the writ petitions against Election Commission's (EC) redemarcation of constituencies 'disappointed the people'.He made ...
(read more) Monday, November 3rd, 2008Commerce Adviser Hossain Zillur Rahman yesterday said restrictions on political activities will go immediately after announcement of election schedule, but no official decision came after the schedule was laid out later in the day.A home ministry source however said a draft on lifting the curbs is ready, adding that a gazette notification detailing the government decision will be issued today.Adviser Zillur said political parties in their dialogues with the government had demanded complete freedom and start of political activities along the election process."We understand it's important to fulfil their demands. They will be fulfilled through a gazette notification ...
(read more) Monday, November 3rd, 2008Amid discontent between constable- and inspector-rank cops over their promotions, the police department has decided to deal with their advancement centrally through the police headquarters, not by divisional, metropolitan and district headquarters of police.A recent meeting of the Policy Group of the department made the decision to check irregularities and corruption regarding promotion of the lower-rank police. The meeting of 46 police high officials also decided in principle to directly recruit no more traffic sergeants to avoid complications regarding their promotions.Sources claim the move was taken as large-scale corruption was detected in connection with the promotions of police personnel ...
(read more) Monday, November 3rd, 2008As Republicans and Democrats are expecting record turnout in the November 4 US presidential election, experts fear loopholes in the electoral system may bring into question the fairness of the historic race.The US which claims to have most successful democracy in human history has not yet been able to put in place a common electoral law across the country.Each state regulates the electoral process with its own laws, which on many issues contradict those of other states. Legal experts term it discriminatory.Dilemma over electoral roll database, misdesinged forms and possible malfunctioning of voting machines might cause serious problems in ...
(read more) Monday, November 3rd, 2008Former caretaker government adviser Sultana Kamal has said the government, which came as a caretaker of the nation, has never communicated with the people who supported its passage hoping it would bring qualitative changes in different spheres."After this government came to power there was a clear division: the government was on one side with the army--sometimes the army separated, and the political parties [on the other] as their opponent. People were totally left out," she said in an interview with The Daily Star.The government only sits with businessmen and political parties for talks, the rights activist said, adding, "How many ...
(read more) Monday, November 3rd, 2008The War Crimes Facts Finding Committee (WCFFC) in a letter to the United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon sought UN support for establishing an International Tribunal to try the war criminals of 1971.Meanwhile, the Sector Commanders Forum (SCF) yesterday urged the government to formally seek UN assistance for trying the war criminals.WCFFC Convener Dr MA Hasan yesterday told The Daily Star that the UN secretary general has received the letter sent to him through UN Resident Coordinator Renata Lok Dessallien.Quoting Renata, Dr Hasan said they are following up the issue.Giving information about the war crimes committed ...
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