Archive for November 8th, 2008
Saturday, November 8th, 2008With a contagious festivity the motorcade of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia started towards the port city of Chittagong from the capital around 7:15am.Escorted by Special Security Forces (SSF) and other law enforcing agencies the motorcade of the former premier included about a hundred vehicles carrying euphoric party supporters, leaders, and activists.Blocking traffic, swarms of supporters were waiting at different points on Dhaka-Chittagong Highway to welcome the BNP chief. Her security personnel were seen struggling to manage the welcomers.The massive gathering of people on the road to Chittagong was a part of the party's strategy to exhibit its ...
(read more) Saturday, November 8th, 2008Schoolteachers under MPO (Monthly Pay Order) system can contest the parliamentary elections retaining their posts, but they must resign if they want to contest the upazila polls, the Election Commission secretary said yesterday.M Humayun Kabir made the remark to the reporters in reply to a question after attending a workshop on electoral laws and rules held at the EC conference room.Divisional commissioners of Dhaka and Chittagong, additional deputy commissioners (revenue and general) of Dhaka, Rajshahi, Barisal, Khulna, Chittagong and Sylhet, zonal executive officers of Dhaka City Corporation and cantonment executive officers (CEO) of Dhaka and Chittagong took part in the ...
(read more) Saturday, November 8th, 2008Demanding immediate hand over of power to an elected government through a free and fair election, BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia yesterday said her party will contest in the December 18 poll if the government meets their already announced seven-point demand.Addressing an immense mass rally in Laldighi Maidan in Chittagong, she blasted the military backed caretaker government saying, "The caretaker government did not create a level playing field. The field has been made quite bumpy for us, while for some other parties it has been levelled … so there can be no game of election on that field."The government is ...
(read more) Saturday, November 8th, 2008Awami League (AL) yesterday reiterated its demand for withdrawal of the state of emergency to allow party leaders convicted by lower courts under the Emergency Power Rules (EPR) to contest elections if higher courts accept their appeals against conviction.The demand came at a meeting of the AL Central Working Committee (ALCWC) with party chief Sheikh Hasina in the chair.According to the EPR, anybody convicted under these rules would not be allowed to take part in any election.The ALCWC observed that it is not possible to hold free and fair elections under the state of emergency. The meeting ...
(read more) Saturday, November 8th, 2008BNP is still undecided whether to participate in the December 18 national election while only six days are left to go before the deadline for filing nominations ends.The issue of polls participation has already created a distance between BNP and its key ally Jamaat-e-Islami, which appears quite keen to contest the election.BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia yesterday reiterated that her party would take part in the polls if the government meets their demands.She however did not say what would be the response if the caretaker administration declines to fulfil the demands before November 13, the closing date for ...
(read more) Saturday, November 8th, 2008Ignoring threats to public health, the shipping ministry is likely to permit scrapping of another toxic ship-- SA Helderberg-- one of the 50 blacklisted by environmental watch group Greenpeace.Kabir Steel of Chittangong, a shipyard in Sitakunda, imported the ship now known as Asian Express. Built in 1977, the ship is believed to be riddled with asbestos, heavy and toxic metals like lead, mercury, cadmium, copper and zinc.The ministry is now forming an investigation committee to check toxicity of the ship, now waiting at the outer anchorage of Chittagong port. It issued letters to different organisations on Thursday inviting ...
(read more) Saturday, November 8th, 2008Bikalpo Dhara Bangladesh (BDB) President Prof AQM Badruddoza Chowdhury thinks there is still public confusion about the upcoming parliamentary election as BNP has yet to disclose whether it will contest in the December 18 poll.Making the electoral administration neutral, and ensuring security of voters, candidates, campaigners, and polling agents are also key issues yet to be resolved, the former BNP leader said in an interview with The Daily Star.Badruddoza does not think political parties will indulge in blame games and reject election results if defeated, like before."Previous elections were held on the basis of flawed voter lists, benefiting both major ...
(read more) Saturday, November 8th, 2008US Ambassador to Dhaka James F Moriarty yesterday expressed his worries over the idea of deferring the national polls, scheduled for December 18.He said he expects BNP to produce some sort of a solution and hopes to see a good election with all major political parties participating and everybody accepting the results.Awami League (AL) acting General Secretary Syed Ashraful Islam called upon all political parties to take part in the polls and ensure that the elections are held in a free and fair manner.The remarks came after a meeting between James F Moriarty and AL chief Sheikh Hasina and other ...
(read more) Saturday, November 8th, 2008Bangladesh and Myanmar failed to reach any decision in a high level meeting yesterday on the situation arising out of Myanmar's mobilisation of naval ships in Bangladesh maritime territory for exploration and will sit again on November 16.Navy ships of the two countries are staying near the exploration site.Foreign Secretary Touhid Hossain yesterday told BBC radio from Yangon that Bangladesh would withdraw its navy ships after Myanmar removes its rig from the site."We have asked officials of Myanmar to remove the rig from there. It will remove the tension. Then we will sit for discussion again," he said. "We will ...
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