Archive for July 5th, 2009
Sunday, July 5th, 2009Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) yesterday came up with a set of recommendations including the ones for formulating a code of conduct for lawmakers and measures to strengthen committee system to make parliament effective.A number of lawmakers and legal experts agreed with the TIB recommendations, saying there is no alternative to empowering the committees to ensure parliamentary supervision on the executive and make the Jatiya Sangsad functional.In the report titled 'Parliament Watch 2009,' the TIB made recommendations for introducing mid-term polls and re-call system, appointment of ombudsman and amendment of article 70 of the constitution for allowing lawmakers to ...
(read more) Sunday, July 5th, 2009The amended article 70 of the constitution has kept MPs "prisoners" of their own party since restoration of parliamentary democracy in 1991, preventing them from playing due role in parliament freely.According to the amended provisions, parliament membership will be vacated if a lawmaker present in the House abstains from voting for their party that nominated them in the election, or does not attend any particular sitting of parliament ignoring party direction.Demands for abolishing the provisions have never got momentum, which has allowed Awami League and BNP--the parties that have ruled the country since 1991--to successfully rein in their MPs. The ...
(read more) Sunday, July 5th, 2009While the world struggles against swine flu our ruling party, the Awami League, is being debilitated by the 'mouth flu'. What is seen as the strongest mandate to any political party to govern since independence is being corroded by a daily dose of unthinking, unnecessary and self-contradictory comments which are making the government look confused, ill-coordinated and desperate with no evidence of team work.What the opposition is failing to do, some ruling party leaders, ministers and advisers are achieving for them, namely making the government controversial. Such controversies are distracting the public from appreciating some major initiatives the government ...
(read more) Sunday, July 5th, 2009Dangerous joyrides and reckless as well as happy-go-lucky driving have become the most common features of the city traffic, exposing innocent pedestrians and commuters to serious accidents every day.The tragic death of Anima Rani Saha on Dhaka University campus under the wheels of a private car illegally driven by a learner driver on Monday raises serious questions about city traffic and the role of police.In posh residential areas like Dhanmondi, Lalmatia, Gulshan, Banani, Baridhara, DOHS, Uttara and other places, joyrides in expensive vehicles by rich kids are so common that residents, schoolchildren and law-abiding road users are in constant fear ...
(read more) Sunday, July 5th, 2009A gang of thirty criminals launched the gun attack in broad daylight at Karwan Bazar on June 26 that left three persons killed for taking a revenge for the killing of their cohort Mamun and establishing supremacy over toll collection in the kitchen market.Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner AKM Shahidul Haque said this based on the primary investigation at a press briefing at DB Office yesterday.The arrestees confessed at the DB office that extortion and establishing supremacy over Karwan Bazar were the main reasons behind the shooting.The DMP commissioner said a gang of 30 criminals was involved in ...
(read more) Sunday, July 5th, 2009Two former caretaker government advisers yesterday dismissed allegations that they had been involved in attempt to poison Sheikh Hasina in her detention during the last caretaker government rule.They also demanded a probe into the matter.Earlier on Friday, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's Health and Family Welfare Adviser Prof Sayed Modasser Ali alleged that Barrister Mainul Hosein and Major Gen (retd) MA Matin--two former advisers to Fakhruddin Ahmed-led interim administration--had been involved in a scheme to kill Hasina by poisoning.The then inspector general (prisons) Brig Gen Zakir Hasan and deputy inspector general Major Shamsul Haider Siddiqui too had been part of the ...
(read more) Sunday, July 5th, 2009Maj Gen (retd) MA Matin termed the allegation of slow poisoning Sheikh Hasina a nasty slander and a deliberate attempt of some political leaders and their associates to gain political ground."It is very shocking to be accused of attempting on someone's life," said Matin on allegations of slow poisoning Sheikh Hasina when she was detained.Matin, former adviser to the last caretaker government, said, "Those spreading the nasty slander are showing their meanness and lowliness. It would have been better to be thrown into confinement instead of being at the receiving end of such false allegations."He called upon Prime Minister ...
(read more) Sunday, July 5th, 2009Former law adviser to the caretaker government Mainul Hosein yesterday rejected the allegation brought against him by prime minister's health adviser of his involvement in serving poisoned food to Sheikh Hasina during her detention in sub-jail.Protesting the allegation, he said, "I hope the prime minister would investigate the matter and ensure justice."It will also have to be looked into whether the health adviser is trying to cover up his failure as personal physician of prime minister during her detention period through bringing the allegation."In a statement, Mainul said he [Modasser] has brought the allegation several times but he could ...
(read more) Sunday, July 5th, 2009A section of the local administration and police were involved with the rioters who made arson attacks and vandalised Ha-Meem Group factories at Ashulia last week, the group's Managing Director AK Azad suspects.He called for a probe to dig out the truth."There are still some wicked people in the police, and they are active to destabilise the government of Sheikh Hasina. They were involved in the incidents," said Azad while addressing a gathering of workers of Ha-Meem factories yesterday.The allegations were made when Commerce Minister Faruk Khan, Industries Minister Dilip Barua and Prime Minister's Adviser Prof Sayed ...
(read more) Sunday, July 5th, 2009Six members of a family were killed as their mud-house collapsed during torrential rain in Nabiganj upazila of Habiganj early yesterday.The deceased were Mubarak Miah, 42, a vendor, his wife Asma Begum, 35, and their four children Sumon Miah, 10, Amina Begum, 7, Ripon Miah, 5, and Nayon Miah, 2.Police and locals said the mud-house of the poor family collapsed during heavy rainfall when they were sleeping in their house at the foot of Pathan Tila hill at Paniumda village.They said a woman from a neighbouring hillock first saw the collapsed house around 10:00am yesterday when she went to ...
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