Monday, November 27th, 2006Besides their street agitations over the issues of chief adviser's appointment and authority and the Election Commission (EC), a number of political parties yesterday joined the Awami League (AL) led 14-party alliance in a legal battle against the caretaker government chief and the EC.Eleven leaders of the 14-party alliance, Jatiya Party (JP), Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), Zacar Party--a faction of Islami Oikya Jote (IOJ), and Islamic Front jointly filed three writ petitions in the High Court against the president's assumption of the post of chief adviser, his manner of exercising executive power, and the EC move to declare election schedule ...
(read more) Tuesday, November 21st, 2006A writ petition was filed in the High Court (HC) yesterday to issue a rule to the President and Chief Adviser (CA) of the caretaker government Iajuddin Ahmed to show cause under what authority he is holding the office of the CA.Adnan Anwar, a businessman and nephew of late president Ziaur Rahman, filed the writ stating that President Iajuddin did not comply with all the provisions of the constitution before assuming the office of the CA.The respondents are the chief adviser, the president, and secretaries of Law and Establishment ministries."President Iajuddin without exhausting the mandatory provisions of the article 58 ...
(read more) Monday, November 13th, 2006In a sudden unilateral move, keeping his advisers in the dark, President and Chief Adviser to the caretaker government Iajuddin Ahmed yesterday decided to deploy army across the country in aid of the civil administration to maintain law and order.The home secretary had sent the decision to the local administration in the afternoon.But a late night handout by a joint secretary of the home ministry said: "In fact, regarding the army deployment the government has decided that the troops might be deployed after taking into consideration the situation. Since no such situation has arisen, the decision to deploy the army ...
(read more) Monday, November 13th, 2006US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia Richard Boucher yesterday said the caretaker government and the Election Commission must respect their neutral roles under the constitution in holding free and fair polls, without any outside influence."They must respect their constitutional role and act neutrally without being biased so people's voice is heard," he told reporters at the gate of Bangabhaban after his nearly an hour-long meeting with President and Chief Adviser Prof Iajuddin Ahmed.Boucher, who came to Dhaka Saturday to assess the pre-election ground situation, said the Election Commission must be aware of its important job to ...
(read more) Sunday, November 12th, 2006We are heartened by Bangabhaban's clarification that, unnoticed to the people of Bangladesh, there has not been any change in the form of our government. We express our satisfaction that the President/Chief Advisor is fully committed to upholding the Constitution as it exists now, which provides for a parliamentary form with all executive power vested in the Prime Minister (also chief advisor during the caretaker government) and not the President. However, we cannot accept the blame that has been put on the media. The Bangabhaban press release (why was it signed by the assistant press secretary? Was it not important ...
(read more) Saturday, November 11th, 2006The Awami League (AL)-led 14-party alliance leaders yesterday said President Iajuddin Ahmed opened up scopes for impeachment for 'violation' of his oath and making 'unconstitutional' remark that the present government has become a presidential form of government. "Through his speech, the president has violated the constitution as well as his oath and shown ignorance about the constitution. For this actions could be taken against him for contempt of constitution," 14-party coordinator Abdul Jalil said at a news briefing at his Gulshan residence in the capital.Demanding implementation of the 11-point task put forward by the 14-party within 24 hours to ...
(read more) Saturday, November 11th, 2006Caretaker government Adviser Akbar Ali Khan in his reaction to President and Chief Adviser Iajuddin Ahmed's remarks yesterday said it may not be correct to say now there is a presidential form of government.He told newsmen that according to the Rules of Business, the advisers of the caretaker government should be at the helm of the ministries, not the secretaries.They (advisers) are the heads of the ministries also if the matter is seen from the constitutional perspective. And if so, then likening the present system of government to the presidential type may not be correct, he noted.He said probably ...
(read more) Saturday, November 11th, 2006Awami League (AL) President Sheikh Hasina last night said the president-cum-chief adviser (CA) to the caretaker government (CG) can still take measurers to prove his neutrality since there is 24-hour time yet to meet the 11-point demand of the 14-party combine led by her party."If you [president and CA Iajuddin Ahmed ] do not take any measurers within 24 hours, then a peaceful and all out blockade will be enforced from November 12 to press home our demands to create a congenial atmosphere for a free and fair election," Hasina said.The AL chief was speaking at a meeting with leaders ...
(read more) Friday, November 10th, 2006The Awami League (AL)-led 14-party combine yesterday accused President and Chief Adviser (CA) to the caretaker government (CG) Iajuddin Ahmed of abusing the two top posts in a move to establish 'dictatorship' in the country and implement BNP's political agenda."The president-cum-chief adviser has kept the administration and all ministries concerned with elections mainly under him only to establish dictatorship and hold absolute power. Thus he is creating obstructions to holding free and fair polls," 14-party Coordinator and AL General Secretary Abdul Jalil told at a press conference at AL's Dhanmondi office.On the president's speech Wednesday concerning the armed forces' ...
(read more) Friday, November 10th, 2006Bangladesh Traders Council yesterday urged the President and Chief Adviser of the Caretaker Government Prof Iajuddin Ahmed to reconstitute the Election Commission (EC) by removing the chief election commissioner, other election commissioners and its secretary.In a memorandum to the president that was handed over to the Bangabhaban officials at its gate, the traders' council also urged him to replace all the persons of the EC earlier appointed under political considerations with the neutral officials for holding a free and fair election.Convener of the council Aftab-Ul Islam, also former president of American Chamber of Commerce in Bangladesh (AmCham), read out the ...
(read more) 
