Archive for June 5th, 2009
Friday, June 5th, 2009Commitment of the government, tough enforcement of environmental laws and formation of an effective river authority are the key to save the rivers physically and biologically.The government must step forward to save the rivers and acquire land, if necessary, in addition to recovering the grabbed riverbanks. Otherwise, the Dhaka city will be unlivable in near future, said experts while talking to The Daily Star.They also said steps should be taken so that the grabbers may not mislead the courts by showing fake documents and obtain stay orders or status quo on eviction drives.Only setting up of effluent treatment plants will ...
(read more) Friday, June 5th, 2009Government drives against encroachment largely fail because encroachers often obtain stay orders and injunctions from the court against eviction drives, high officials of BIWTA, Environment Directorate, and Land Survey Directorate told a High Court bench yesterday.But the HC said non-implementation of a 2001 verdict on saving rivers has caused the present pitiable situation. It feels the situation is so critical that now it has to play a vital role in recovering the rivers from encroachers.The anti-encroachment drives have also suffered from other administrative problems and resistance from influential people, officials of the three organisations told the HC bench comprised of ...
(read more) Friday, June 5th, 2009Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday directed her party lawmakers not to stick their nose in transfers and postings of government officials at any level.She said the intervening has a negative impact on the mechanism of the government.Hasina, president of Awami League (AL), gave this directive at a meeting of the AL Parliamentary Party (ALPP) at the ruling party's conference room in the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban."If you interfere in one position, it has an impact on five other posts," a lawmaker told The Daily Star quoting Hasina as saying.She ruled out the demand of a number of lawmakers to ...
(read more) Friday, June 5th, 2009The second session of the ninth parliament, which will pass the budget for the next fiscal year, began yesterday, but the BNP-led opposition leaders boycotted it over disagreement about seating arrangement in the House.In his inaugural address, Speaker Abdul Hamid expressed hope that constructive opinions from both treasury and opposition lawmakers would play an important role in making the next budget realistic, development-friendly and a document for improving fortunes of the country's people."The budget is an important medium to implement the ruling party's electoral pledges since the government implements all of its programmes through the budget," he said, mentioning the ...
(read more) Friday, June 5th, 2009Quoting from the Quran for emphasis, President Barack Obama called for a "new beginning between the United States and Muslims" yesterday and said together, they could confront violent extremism across the globe and advance the timeless search for peace in the Middle East."This cycle of suspicion and discord must end," Obama said in a widely anticipated speech in one of the world's largest Muslim countries, an address designed to reframe relations after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, and the US-led war in Iraq.The White House said Obama's speech contained no new policy proposals on the Middle East. He ...
(read more) Friday, June 5th, 2009Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) yesterday, the second day of the three-day eviction drive, knocked down five concrete structures, scores of tin sheds and walls built illegally on the river Turag in Tongi.The BIWTA along with the district administrations of Dhaka and Gazipur began the drive at 9:00am but it gained momentum after 12:00 noon when two tugboats Khanika and Asha --started pulling down illegal structures.Around 200 workers splitting into several groups got engaged in the demolition works that continued till evening.BIWTA Director Emdadul Haque, Executive Engineer Rabindra Ranjan Saha, senior Deputy Director Golam Kabir, Deputy Director Saiful ...
(read more) Friday, June 5th, 2009Principal Staff Officer (PSO) of the Armed Forces Division Lt Gen Abdul Mubin has been appointed as the Chief of Army Staff, sources in the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) said.He will replace the current army chief General Moeen U Ahmed, who took a leading role in backing the last caretaker government that lasted for two years and culminated with the general elections on December 29, 2008.Appointed as the chief of staff on June 15, 2005, Moeen had his service extended by a year on April 6 last year after his three-year eventful tenure. He was elevated to a ...
(read more) Friday, June 5th, 2009Repair works of small breaches in the dams in Satkhira are almost complete while repair of the large ones will begin today under supervision of the army, said Food and Disaster Management Minister Abdur Razzaque yesterday.The minister disclosed it while distributing relief materials and Tk 5,000 each for rebuilding houses to Aila-affected families in the cyclone-hit areas in Shyamnagar and Assasuni upazilas in the district.Many survivors requested the minister to take immediate steps to repair the large breaches in the dams as soon as possible."We don't want any relief. Just repair the embankment, otherwise we shall not be able to ...
(read more) Friday, June 5th, 2009Dandy Dyeing Ltd owned by ex-premier Khaleda Zia's elder son Tarique Rahman got a waiver of interest worth Tk 12 crore on bank loans within a week after the BNP-Jamaat coalition assumed power in 2001.Finance Minister AMA Muhith disclosed it in parliament yesterday in a written answer to a query of Awami League (AL) lawmaker Muhibur Rahman Manik of Sunamganj-4.The Bangladesh Bank waived Tk 12.16 crore in bank interests to Dandy Dyeing Ltd on October 16 after the BNP-led alliance assumed power on October 10, 2001.Tarique, former senior joint secretary general of BNP and also a director of ...
(read more) Friday, June 5th, 2009BNP's plan to reorganise the party in the district level in two months is likely to prove futile, as grassroots level leaders think such a massive task cannot be done within this short time.The party high command decided to give two months to district convening committees, which are to be announced soon, to reorganise the party from ward to district level.Grassroots level leaders, however, termed the decision 'illogical', and said it would be impossible to hold council at all units in a district in such a short span of time.While talking to The Daily Star a number of ...
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