Archive for December 27th, 2008
Saturday, December 27th, 2008Awami League (AL) President Sheikh Hasina yesterday said her grand electoral alliance wants to bring a change to the country to establish a rule of honest people and economic freedom for the people, with a popular mandate."We want to restore democracy and establish economic freedom for the people of Bangladesh through the upcoming election, and for that change is needed. We want a rule of honest people, not politics of criminality, extortion and corruption. We want peace, not criminal activities, we want security for the people, not militancy," Hasina said.She was addressing a massive election campaign rally at the ...
(read more) Saturday, December 27th, 2008The two main political parties, BNP and Awami League (AL), have been keeping a cloak of secrecy around their election finances with most of their policymakers left in the dark.Aided by a select few, BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia and AL President Sheikh Hasina have been operating the election funds like they always did in the past.This undermines the Election Commission's (EC) efforts to promote transparency in polls finances of the political parties, say political observers.According to the new electoral laws, the parties can receive donations from institutions and individuals. An individual is allowed to donate up to ...
(read more) Saturday, December 27th, 2008Almost no effort is being seen regarding the big challenge of winning the hearts of a large number of fresh voters in the campaigns for the ninth parliamentary elections.The Awami League (AL) addresses this new generation of about two crore youths who will cast votes for the first time on December 29 in its electoral manifesto but the BNP still sticks to its traditional view of them.However, only a small number of candidates of both the alliances led by the AL and BNP address these fresh voters in their speeches and leaflets.These people who have become eligible as voters since ...
(read more) Saturday, December 27th, 2008Contenders in the upcoming parliamentary election have until 12:00am tomorrow to wrap up their campaigns as the curtain will fall on the last two weeks' hectic electioneering at midnight today.None will be allowed to convene, hold or attend any public meeting, and no person will be allowed to organise or join any procession within the area of any constituency after midnight today.The restrictions will continue till forty eight-hours have elapsed since the completion of vote casting, according to a news release of the Election Commission (EC).According to the Representation of the People Order (RPO), any violation of ...
(read more) Saturday, December 27th, 2008The Government Attorney Department will now appoint lawyers only to the lower courts for dealing with cases on behalf of the state.The department after getting approval from the authorities concerned will recruit 976 attorneys for subordinate courts of the country, sources said.In May this year, during setting up of the department, it was empowered to recruit lawyers for all courts including the Supreme Court and for performing other duties.A new ordinance was recently promulgated and it took away the department's power of recruiting lawyers for the Supreme Court.The president promulgated the Attorney Service Ordinance, 2008 on December ...
(read more) Saturday, December 27th, 2008Judicial magistrates are facing difficulties in discharging their duties of trying electoral offences in the upcoming parliamentary polls due to non-cooperation of local administration.Many of the judicial magistrates yesterday informed the Election Commission (EC) Secretariat about the problems, sources said.They also requested the EC Secretariat to immediately issue instructions to district administration to cooperate with the judicial magistrates in their job. But it did not issue any such instructions until last night, officials said.The establishment ministry, which appoints deputy commissioners and upazila nirbahi officers who are chiefs of the district and upazila administration, had earlier appointed 319 ...
(read more) Saturday, December 27th, 2008The election rally of Awami League turned into a human sea at Paltan Maidan and its surrounding areas yesterday as tens of thousands of people joined the party's final showdown in the capital ahead of the national polls.The gathering gradually wore a festive look when AL supporters from different areas started thronging the venue of the rally with colourful banners, festoons and AL's election symbol 'boat' since morning.AL leaders, workers and supporters in processions joined the rally by chanting slogans, singing songs and dancing to the tune of musical instruments. The huge gathering of the rally spilled over to nearby ...
(read more) Saturday, December 27th, 2008At least 37 bombs were recovered from various places in Rajshahi, Naogaon, Jessore and Meherpur while three suspected JMB members were detained in Panchagarh yesterday.Meanwhile, the eight JMB operatives, arrested in Gaibandha with a big cache of explosives on Thursday, were placed on a five-day police remand.SM Moniruzzaman, superintendent of police in Gaibandha, told The Daily Star that the detained operatives of outlawed Islamist outfit JMB were being interrogated.Col Gulzaruddin Ahmed, additional director general of Rapid Action Battalion (Rab), said they were making preparation to interrogate the eight JMB men under the Taskforce Intelligence (TFI).Gaibandha police arrested the eight JMB ...
(read more) Saturday, December 27th, 2008Former state minister and BNP leader Lutfozzaman Babar has been expelled from the party for contesting the ninth parliamentary election as an independent candidate."Following directives of the chairperson and according to 5 (ga) clause of the party constitution, Lutfozzaman Babar has been stripped of the party's post of publicity secretary and primary membership," said a party press release signed by BNP Office Secretary Rizvi Ahmed yesterday.The controversial ex-state minister for home had been a close aide to Tarique Rahman, the eldest son of Khaleda Zia, during the tenure of the previous BNP-led alliance government.Following the promulgation of the state of ...
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