Archive for December 13th, 2008
Saturday, December 13th, 2008Awami League (AL) President Sheikh Hasina yesterday unveiled her party's election manifesto titled 'Charter for Change' highlighting five promises: lowering of commodity prices and avoiding an economic depression, curbing of corruption, raising production of power and energy, eradication of poverty and inequity, and establishment of good governance.The AL chief declared that the party formed a vision for the country's development by the year 2021, which is titled Vision-2021 in the manifesto and is dedicated to the young generation of voters who got registered for the first time this year.The year 2021 will the golden jubilee of the country's ...
(read more) Saturday, December 13th, 2008BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia yesterday inaugurated her party's campaign for the ninth parliamentary elections from Sylhet, urging voters to give the BNP-led four-party alliance another chance to complete the unfinished development tasks of its rule."Independence and sovereignty of the country is safe in BNP's hand and only the BNP-led alliance can solve the present crises of the country," Khaleda told a public meeting at Lalabazar ground of Dakkhin Surma in Sylhet.The BNP chairperson offered special prayers at three shrines in Sylhet before formally starting her electioneering.Hundreds of party supporters standing by the city streets leading to the shrines held colourful ...
(read more) Saturday, December 13th, 2008A lack of appropriate guidelines and coordination between the Election Commission (EC) and returning officers (RO) yesterday created confusions over allocating election symbols to the candidates of the ensuing parliamentary polls.ROs of a few constituencies refused to allocate the symbols agreed by the components of the two major electoral alliances to their candidates even after the candidates showed letters from the alliance chiefs that allowed them to use those symbols.The problem was detected when ROs found it difficult to identify alliance candidates as neither the Awami League (AL) nor the BNP did provide the EC with lists of their candidates ...
(read more) Saturday, December 13th, 2008The authorities of Aftabnagar housing project have once again started narrowing Rampura Canal in the name of levelling its bank for building a walkway behind the studio of Bangladesh Television opposite Banasree Housing Project.The housing development company is also claiming new lands by filling up new areas of the canal.But, AKM Rezaul Karim, general manager of Eastern Housing, the developer of Aftabnagar, said, "The bank of the canal eroded, so we are repairing it."The same housing company had filled up entire Badda Canal nearby and built a road over it for their housing project there.The government ...
(read more) Saturday, December 13th, 2008Pakistan yesterday tightened the screw on an Islamic charity linked to militants behind the Mumbai massacre, arresting dozens of members and placing a local leader under house arrest.Amid intense international pressure to crack down on militant organisations on its soil in the wake of last month's deadly attacks, Islamabad has stepped up its actions against Jamaat-ud-Dawa.Pakistan Thursday ordered the assets of the charity frozen after it was listed by the United Nations as a terror group in the wake of the attacks, which left 172 people dead, including nine gunmen.Police in Pakistani Kashmir, where the charity is particularly active, said ...
(read more) Saturday, December 13th, 2008The deadline for filing applications for candidacy in the long overdue Upazila Parishad elections slated for January 22 expires today.A large number of aspirants have sought candidacy since the announcement of the election schedule on November 2. However, uncertainty over the polls still remains as it is supposed to be held under the next political government.Election Commission (EC) Secretariat officials said a record number of aspirants would file applications for candidacy in three posts -- one of chairman and two of vice chairman -- in 481 Upazila Parishads.They said field-level election officials have informed them that a ...
(read more) Saturday, December 13th, 2008BNP Chairperson and former prime minister Khaleda Zia is to unveil her party's election manifesto in the capital today.Sources said the manifesto unveiling programme could be held around 4:00pm at Dhaka Sheraton Hotel.Leaders of the party and its allies, diplomats, representatives of donor agencies, business leaders, professionals, member of civil society and journalists are likely to attend the programme, party insiders said.The BNP standing committee already approved the manifesto which was prepared by close aides to the chairperson.Party leaders said BNP manifesto will emphasis on ways to rescue the country from the existing economic crisis.Khaleda ...
(read more) Saturday, December 13th, 2008The BNP-led four-party alliance has no candidates in at least three constituencies while its rival the Awami League (AL)-led grand alliance lost its candidate in one constituency.The Election Commission (EC) cancelled the candidature of BNP lawmaker aspirant Eng Abdus Sobhan in Barisal-1 constituency after one of his rival candidates filed an appeal against the returning officer's decision to declare him fit for polls.BNP sources said the party may back Zahiruddin Swapan, former BNP lawmaker, who is contesting the polls as an independent.The returning officer for Sirajganj-5 declared BNP leader Maj (retd) Manjur Quader unfit for polls as he ...
(read more) Saturday, December 13th, 2008World stock markets plunged yesterday as the US Senate's rejection of a $14 billion deal to rescue Detroit's ailing automakers stoked concerns that the recession in the world's largest economy will be even longer and deeper than projected.The FTSE 100 of leading British shares was down 127.87 points, or 2.9 percent, at 4,260.82, while Germany's DAX fell 185.22 points, or 3.9 percent, to 4,581.98. The CAC-40 in France fell 130.48 points, or 4.0 percent, to 3,175.65.Earlier, Asian markets tumbled, with Japan's Nikkei 225 stock average down 484.68 points, or 5.6 percent, to 8,235.87. Hong Kong's Hang Seng index slid 5.5 ...
(read more) Saturday, December 13th, 2008The higher segment of Conference of Parties (COP-14) of UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) concluded yesterday in Poznan, Poland, with global leaders' commitment to keep on negotiating to reach a consensus on a Green deal in the next UN climate change summit in Copenhagen.Prior to the Copenhagen summit (COP-15) in December 2009, at least three negotiations are going to take place in March, July and August.The parties have already agreed on an action plan to curb greenhouse gas emissions and channel help to vulnerable countries beyond 2012, when current provisions under the UNFCCC's Kyoto Protocol expire.The ...
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