Archive for January 16th, 2009
Friday, January 16th, 2009BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia yesterday said her party deputies will attend parliament from its inaugural sitting and play a constructive role there. She urged them to lead honest and constructive lives, shunning luxury."We hope the government will take the country forward in cooperation with the opposition. We want to assist the government and we want the government creates that atmosphere and maintain it," Khaleda said after a meeting of the BNP Parliamentary Party.After taking oath in the afternoon, the BNP lawmakers held the meeting at Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban and elected Khaleda unanimously as their leader in parliament and decided to ...
(read more) Friday, January 16th, 2009Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday formed a special cell for the power, energy and mineral resources ministry aiming to scale up country's power and gas production.The cell headed by the premier's adviser HT Imam will monitor the works in the sector and implement the development projects under the ministry in light of the new policy guidelines of the present government."We need more energy for development works. You must work fast and sincerely as we do not have much time in our hands to do so," Hasina, also in-charge of the energy ministry, told a meeting at the ministry.The meeting ...
(read more) Friday, January 16th, 2009The government has decided to withdraw all duties from solar energy equipment to encourage use of solar energy, especially in the remote and economically backward locations.With over three lakh households already using solar energy equivalent to 15 megawatt, mainly in the coastal southwestern region, this withdrawal would reduce around Tk 1,500 per solar panel worth Tk 10,000. People usually go for a two-panel system that costs them Tk 20,000.Currently, there is 15 percent VAT on renewable energy equipment.This decision came at a meeting of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who also holds the energy portfolio, with the energy ministry officials yesterday.This ...
(read more) Friday, January 16th, 2009The price reduction of fertiliser has given rise to new thoughts on how the rice -- a commodity with less price elasticity -- will behave on the market, and how and whether the Tk 2,700 crore subsidy will translate into wealth creation.On both counts, it is difficult to come to a conclusive answer, but generally any high hope of subsidy equivalent impact on rice price can be ruled out. On the other hand, price is not a factor in wealth creation and transfer of the farmers' savings into productivity, which actually creates wealth, will depend on many other policy ...
(read more) Friday, January 16th, 2009The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) yesterday approved the charge sheet to be submitted soon against seven bigwigs, including former BNP ministers Shajahan Siraj and Tariqul Islam, in the case filed for abusing power in leasing 13 acres of forestland at Bhawal National Park in Gazipur.ACC director general (admin) Col Hanif Iqbal said this to the journalists at its routine briefing in ACC headquarters.He said seven persons will be made accuse in the case. They are BNP minister Shajahan Siraj and Tariqul Islam, former BNP state minister Abdus Sattar Bhuiyan and Zafrul Islam Chowdhury, Tarique Rahman's business partner and One ...
(read more) Friday, January 16th, 2009BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia is going to be recognised as the leader of the smallest-ever opposition that has pledged to play a strong role to make parliament effective.The BNP Parliamentary Party yesterday elected Khaleda its leader in parliament and decided to forward a copy of the decision to Speaker Jamiruddin Sircar for recognition.After the meeting of the BNP body yesterday afternoon, Khaleda said, "We will join parliament in the interest of the nation and play a constructive role in parliament."However, regardless of the number of lawmakers in her support, Khaleda's status in parliament is just after Leader of the House ...
(read more) Friday, January 16th, 2009The swearing-in of the lawmakers from BNP and allies yesterday was not aired live on Bangladesh Television.Speaker Jamiruddin Sircar said, "It is discrimination against the opposition in parliament from day one."BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia said, "This shows the public the difference between what they [AL-led grand alliance] pledge and do."The state-run TV broadcast live the oath-taking ceremony of Awami League-led grand alliance lawmakers on January 3.Talking to reporters at the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban yesterday afternoon, the speaker said his office had sent an application to the authorities concerned, asking for measures to televise yesterday's oath-taking ceremony.He ...
(read more) Friday, January 16th, 2009Home Minister Sahara Khatun yesterday asked the law enforcement agencies to smash the hands of extortionists, whoever they may be, to stop overt or covert toll taking.“Whatever it is -- overtly or covertly -- smash the hands of extortionists,” she said responding to a reporter's question about silent extortion across the country.Briefing reporters on law and order and the outcome of the meeting of the national smuggling prevention committee, the minister said the government strategy is to deal with an iron hand with those who want to create law and order situation.She sought cooperation of the people in curbing terrorism, ...
(read more) Friday, January 16th, 2009Israeli strikes set media and UN buildings and a hospital ablaze yesterday as tanks rolled deep into Gaza cities even amid hope that the war on Hamas that has killed nearly 1,100 people may soon end.Hundreds of terrified civilians, many gripping wailing children, fled the advancing Israeli troops inside Gaza City as warplanes pummelled the battered Palestinian enclave where half the population is under the age of 18.While battles raged on the ground, Egypt kept up Western-backed efforts to end the 20-day-old war that was launched on the Islamist Hamas in response to rocket fire and that has killed an ...
(read more) Friday, January 16th, 2009Outgoing Speaker Jamiruddin Sircar yesterday said he would not quit politics; a contrary view from what he told a few days back that he would call it a day from politics after the new speaker was elected."Out of anguish, I told you earlier that I would give up politics. Now I've changed my mind and decided to practise law and carry on with politics," Sircar told reporters at the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban after administering oath to BNP-led four-party alliance lawmakers.Following the oath-taking of AL lawmakers on January 3 the speaker told reporters that he had decided to retire from ...
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