01 Aug 2008

• HC scraps EC rule restricting electioneering by political parties : Declared valid Aug 4 poll schedule for 4 cities, nine municipalities
• Iftekhar urges Mukherjee to keep border peaceful : Both the sides stressed the need for energising SAARC to address current issues such as food security, energy, trade and climate change
• Tata pulls out : Indian giant finally gives up $3b investment plan over gas guarantee
• Kuwait won't renew residency visas : 160 more Bangladeshi workers deported
• CG may consider lifting emergency before poll - Matin : "Inshallah, (the country) will not go back to pre-1/11 situation."
• Dhaka proposes inter-military cooperation in South Asia

31 Jul 2008

• Mannan Bhuiyan released on bail : Demands unconditional release of Khaleda and also of ailing politicians
• Truth Commission gets chief, members : Ready to roll in 10 days
• S Arabia, Kuwait deport 134 Bangladeshi workers : Torture, harassment alleged
• Govt process on to release Khaleda, bring BNP to dialogue - CA : He says govt wants all parties including BNP and AL in election
• Bangladesh's landmass is increasing, not losing!

30 Jul 2008

• Govt moves to prepare maps of quake-prone areas : Every year earth quakes of around 4-6 magnitudes in Richter scale jolts the country's different areas
• HC divided into two - Barrister Amir : SC stays HC verdict directing govt to reappointment 10 unconfirmed judges with seniority
• Bangladesh Workers Agitate Over Poor Pay : 15 hurt, 60 arrested in Kuwaiti police action

29 Jul 2008

• Contempt of Court Ordinance : SC refuses to hear govt plea for stay on HC verdict
• Proceedings of GATCO case stayed for two months : HC grants bail to M Bhuiyan, S Islam, M Hossain and others
• High Court verdict Making wife, children co-accused in graft case declared illegal
• Tk 186 crore gobbled up from 2 toll centres : ACC to sue 37 Roads & Highways staff
• Quake damage in city : Evacuation from vulnerable DU halls, DMCH buildings underway

28 Jul 2008

• HC validates August 15 as National Mourning Day, public holiday : The flag rules 1972 also needs to be changed
• Bangladesh in Earthquake Zone : A moderate earthquake rocks country’s north-east and central districts
• 19 sitting judges oppose HC rule : Appeal with SC against reappointment of 10 judges, claim it will affect seniority of 46 others
• SAARC leaders likely to sign counter-terror deal : Four agreements to be signed in Colombo summit
• Primary education lacks quality due to rampant corruption : Without giving bribe, it is very difficult for teacher to get pension
• Businesses assure govt of keeping prices stable during Ramadan

27 Jul 2008

• Separation of judiciary was CG's routine work : All ordinances enacted by CG beyond its routine work may be revoked
• Any detraction from December election not acceptable to Washington, says Boucher
• City, Municipality Elections : 500 observers to monitor polls
• Around 1.50 lakh (150,000) females are drug addicts : College and ’varsity female students being addicted
• Flood situation worsens as rivers swell : Low-lying areas inundated, crops damaged

26 Jul 2008

• Top Corruption Suspects - Proceedings stayed against 50, bigwigs granted bail
• Indian BSF pushes in 25 Indian citizens to Bangladesh : ... before pushing them in, Indian police tore down their cards and tortured them physically.
• Local influential, hoodlums running business on railway land : Major parts of railway lands still under occupation
• Khaleda’s release made conditional : Refraining from doing politics and going abroad for treatment
• Hasina’s London rendezvous: UK-back Ershad says, he is with 'Mahajote’

01 Aug 2008

HC scraps EC rule restricting electioneering by political parties : Declared valid Aug 4 poll schedule for 4 cities, nine municipalities

The Bangladesh Today

In a landmark judgment, the High Court on Thursday scrapped an Election Commission rule restricting election campaign by political parties in the local-body polls, which are held on nonparty basis.
The court, however, declared valid the August 4 schedule for holding election to four city corporations and nine municipalities.
Earlier on July 15, a High Court division bench, responding to the PIL writ petition, had issued rule upon the government and the Election Commission to explain why the EC-declared August 4 schedule for the local elections without the final voter list 'should not be declared illegal'.
Meanwhile, talking to the reporters at the EC secretariat yesterday, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) ATM Shamsul Huda said the EC will follow the High Court order.

Iftekhar urges Mukherjee to keep border peaceful : Both the sides stressed the need for energising SAARC to address current issues such as food security, energy, trade and climate change

Raheed Ejaz, The New Age BD

COLOMBO - Dhaka on Thursday stressed the need for keeping the Indo-Bangla border peaceful as the India’s border guards killed about 120 Bangladeshis in the first seven months of 2007.
The foreign affairs adviser, Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury, made the request to his Indian counterpart Pranab Mukherjee at the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall on the sidelines of the SAARC ministerial meeting.
Iftekhar said Mukherjee had agreed to keep peace along the border. He observed such incidents damaged the perception of relationships. He said he was told that such incidents would be looked into so that no such things could repeat.
They expressed their satisfaction at the successful conclusion of the recent foreign office consultation and emphasised regular meetings to address issues of bilateral interest.
They also agreed to cooperate with each other on counter-terrorism. Both the sides stressed the need for energising SAARC to address current issues such as food security, energy, trade and climate change.

Tata pulls out : Indian giant finally gives up $3b investment plan over gas guarantee

The Daily Star

Indian industrial conglomerate Tata Group yesterday scrapped its plan for $3 billion investment in Bangladesh as it sees "no prospect" of taking the projects any further. "It is clear...that the government will not be in a position, in the foreseeable future, to grant the projects the natural gas commitment they would require," Tata said in a statement yesterday.
"Consequently there is no prospect of taking these projects further," it said, abandoning its plan after four years of endeavour to persuade Bangladesh government into ensuring a guaranteed supply of gas to its plants.
Tata Group, which made overseas acquisitions of $18 billion in the last eight years, in 2004 first proposed establishing four large steel, power and fertiliser projects in Bangladesh in the biggest foreign direct investment in the country to date and continued intensive negotiations with the government until 2006.
Tata's move to abandon the investment plan has, meanwhile, created concerns among economists who observed that it would discourage entry of large foreign investment in the country.

Kuwait won't renew residency visas : 160 more Bangladeshi workers deported

The Daily Star

Kuwait has decided not to renew residency visas of Bangladeshis doing menial jobs, saying these workers are a threat to state security and bring unnecessary international focus on the country, reports the Kuwait Times.
The Gulf state that faced strong demonstrations by Asians, mainly Bangladeshi cleaning workers, demanding better wages, is also considering raising minimum wage to Kuwaiti dinar 40.
Meanwhile, at least 160 Bangladeshi workers who allegedly instigated and took part in strikes in Kuwait in the last few days arrived in Dhaka yesterday, immigration police said. With the latest arrival, the number of deportees in two days now stands at 217, said an official of the Bureau of Manpower Employment and Training.
Presently, around 2 lakh Bangladeshis are estimated to live in Kuwait, which stopped hiring workers in late 2006. The nation now hires workers only for selective companies.

CG may consider lifting emergency before poll - Matin : "Inshallah, (the country) will not go back to pre-1/11 situation."

The News Today BD

Home Adviser Maj Gen (retd) MA Matin on Thursday said that if needed, the caretaker government could consider lifting the state of emergency completely before the general election slated for December.
"It is the government to consider that. If necessity is felt (the government) may consider," he said when a correspondent asked if there is no possibility of lifting the emergency completely.
Responding to a query, Matin said the government has already relaxed enough restrictions in the city corporations and pourasavas where elections would be held on August 4. "If needed, there will be further relaxations."
To a questioner, he said, "Inshallah, (the country) will not go back (to pre-1/11 situation." Asked even then, why the state of emergency is in place, Matin said, "Let''s see. It will depend on the situation."

Dhaka proposes inter-military cooperation in South Asia

The New Age BD

The Colombo Declaration, likely to be adopted by the top leaders of SAARC on Sunday, focusses specially on counter-terrorism and food security as the region is being severely affected by terrorism and food shortage in recent times.
Bangladesh on Thursday proposed intra-regional cooperation among the SAARC militaries for enhancing defence cooperation as the South Asian nations have played a significant role in stabilizing the war-ravaged countries across the globe.
The proposal by Bangladesh for establishing a cooperative defence mechanism was discussed on the first day of the SAARC ministerial meeting at Colombo and later referred to the SAARC secretariat for further study before the making of the final decision.

31 Jul 2008

Mannan Bhuiyan released on bail : Demands unconditional release of Khaleda and also of ailing politicians

The New Age BD

The government on Wednesday released the expelled secretary-general of BNP, Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan, from the Dhaka Central Jail. While talking to reporters when he reached his Gulshan residence after being freed he demanded unconditional release of BNP’s chairperson Khaleda Zia.
He also demanded release of Khaleda’s ailing eldest son Tarique Rahman and other ailing prisoners, including BNP’s vice-chairman Tariqul Islam and Awami League leaders Mohammad Nasim and Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim, for medical treatment abroad.
He said the government should release the prisoners who may not run away, and the persons detained in minor cases.
Earlier, several hundred followers welcomed Mannan Bhuiyan as he came out of the jail at about 5:35pm amidst tight police security.

Truth Commission gets chief, members : Ready to roll in 10 days

The Daily Star

The government yesterday appointed chairman and members of the Truth and Accountability Commission, completing formation of the much-anticipated body to allow people exemption from prosecution in exchange for confession and surrender of ill-gotten wealth.
Justice Habibur Rahman Khan, a retired judge of the High Court, has been picked as the chairman while former comptroller and accounting general Asif Ali and Major Gen (retd) Manzur Rashid Chowdhury as members of the commission.
President Iajuddin Ahmed gave the appointments.
Meantime, the government has set up its office over three houses--Totinee, Tonmoy and Uttarayan--and appointed necessary staff.

S Arabia, Kuwait deport 134 Bangladeshi workers : Torture, harassment alleged

The News Today BD

Ignoring Bangladesh request, Kuwait and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia have started deportation of Bangladeshi workers whom they considered as undesirable elements. A total of 134 Bangladeshi workers of them 118 from Saudi Arabia and 16 from Kuwait landed at Zia International Airport on Wednesday.
These unfortunate workers were deported and their passports and other travel documents were confiscated. They landed at the airport having outpass from Bangladesh missions both from Suadi Arabia and Kuwait.
The Saudi and Kuwaiti security forces seriously manhandled the deported workers. They sustained different types of injuries. The workers landed here almost empty handed. It was alleged that security forces picked them up from different places and put them in the detention centers. Later they were forced to board the aircraft. They were not allowed to collect their belongings.

Govt process on to release Khaleda, bring BNP to dialogue - CA : He says govt wants all parties including BNP and AL in election

The Bangladesh Today

Chief Adviser Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed on Wednesday said government process is on for the release of detained former Prime Minister and BNP chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia and bringing her and her party to the pre-election dialogue.
He categorically said his government wholeheartedly wants all political parities, particularly the two major parties-BNP and Awami League-to participate in the next general election.
Saying that the government is ready to advance, he hoped that they (BNP) would also come forward in this regard.
The chief adviser urged people to use their "vote weapons applying conscience, wisdom and judgment to elect most honest and competent candidates in the polls so the desire of the whole nation is fulfilled and real democracy and good governance are established".
He said the government launched the dialogue with an open mind in Dhaka and outside the capital to listen to and know from people what will help and encourage the government in its efforts to achieve the goals.

Bangladesh's landmass is increasing, not losing!

AFP/The Financial Express

New data shows that Bangladesh's landmass is increasing, contradicting forecasts that the South Asian nation will be under the waves by the end of the century, experts say.
Scientists from the Dhaka-based Center for Environment and Geographic Information Services (CEGIS) have studied 32 years of satellite images and say Bangladesh's landmass has increased by 20 square kilometres (eight square miles) annually.
Maminul Haque Sarker, head of the department at the government-owned centre that looks at boundary changes, told AFP sediment which travelled down the big Himalayan rivers -- the Ganges and the Brahmaputra -- had caused the landmass to increase.
Earlier, the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has predicted that impoverished Bangladesh, criss-crossed by a network of more than 200 rivers, will lose 17 percent of its land by 2050 because of rising sea levels due to global warming.

30 Jul 2008

Govt moves to prepare maps of quake-prone areas : Every year earth quakes of around 4-6 magnitudes in Richter scale jolts the country's different areas

The Financial Express

The government in collaboration with the country's development partners has launched a project to prepare geological maps of Dhaka, Chittagong and Sylhet for identifying the most earthquake vulnerable areas in the cities, a senior official said Tuesday.
By August 2009, he added, people in the capital would be able to know which of the Dhaka's 90 wards are vulnerable. The vulnerability will be determined on the basis of soil pattern.
Studies will be carried out under the project, he said, on ways of minimising casualties if any Tsunami occurs in the country's coastal areas as a result of earthquake.
In the last 150 years, two massive earthquakes of over 7.5 magnitude in Richter scale hit the country, one of which was in 1885 and the other in 1918.

HC divided into two - Barrister Amir : SC stays HC verdict directing govt to reappointment 10 unconfirmed judges with seniority

The Bangladesh Today

The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court Tuesday stayed for three weeks the High Court order directing the government to reappoint with seniority within one month the 10 judges who were appointed by the AL government and terminated by the BNP-led alliance government.
On July 17 last a three-member Special Bench of HC declared illegal the non-confirmation of services of 10 additional HC judges by the BNP-led government flouting the recommendations of the then Chief Justice. The Court also directed the CG to reappoint them within 30 days.

Bangladesh Workers Agitate Over Poor Pay : 15 hurt, 60 arrested in Kuwaiti police action

The Daily Star

At least 15 Bangladeshi workers were injured while 60 others were arrested as Kuwait police dispersed the workers protesting against low wages, bad working conditions and other exploitations by cleaning companies in Kuwait on Monday.
Kuwait's Cabinet Minister Faisal Al-Hajji, meanwhile, said the workers had agreed to return to work after the government said it would ensure their rights and warned that "anyone participating in riots would be deported", the Kuwait Times reported yesterday.
The Arab Times reported that several Kuwaiti MPs slammed a lack of government's control over cleaning service companies that have been defaulting on payment of workers' salaries.
More than 500 Asian cleaners and workers staged street demonstrations on Monday until police dispersed them in the evening by using tear gas and batons and arrested several workers in Mabhoula and Jleeb Al-Shuyoukh areas.
Criticising the government's lack of control over the cleaning companies, several Kuwaiti MPs said instead of looking for solutions to end the strikes, the government has started looking at possibilities of recruiting labourers from other Asian countries, except Bangladeshis or Pakistanis as they are known to have records of resorting to violence.

29 Jul 2008

Contempt of Court Ordinance : SC refuses to hear govt plea for stay on HC verdict

The News Today BD

The Supreme Court Monday refused to hear a government plea for stay on operation of the High Court judgment declaring void the Contempt of Court Ordinance 2008 framed by the caretaker regime. Chamber Court of Justice M A Matin asked the government to file a regular leave-to-appeal plea against the High Court judgment, keeping it in operation.
The government moved the application for stay as it prefers leave to appeal against the July 24 HC ruling that also declared the Ordinance illegal and ultra vires to the Constitution.

Proceedings of GATCO case stayed for two months : HC grants bail to M Bhuiyan, S Islam, M Hossain and others

The Bangladesh Today

A number of top politicians including Mannan Bhuiyan, Shamsul Islam, Engineer Mosharraf Hossain, Nasiruddin Pintu and late Col Akbar's son Simon have been granted ad-interim bail by the High Court in different graft cases.
Bails have been granted to Mannan Bhuiyan, Shamsul Islam and Simon in GATCO corruption cases, Mosharraf Hossain in graft cases for irregularities in distributing plots and amassing illegal wealth beyond his known sources of income and Nasiruddin Pintu in corruption cases for stealing CI sheets meant for relief.

High Court verdict Making wife, children co-accused in graft case declared illegal

UNB/ The New Nation

The High Court Monday quashed a graft case against former minister Tariqul Islam's wife Nargis Islam, his two sons Shantanu Islam and Aninda Islam and Shantanu's wife Lamia Sharmin.
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) filed the case against ex-minister Tariqul Islam, accusing him of amassing wealth illegally and concealing information about it. Tariqul is now behind bars, pending trial.

Tk 186 crore gobbled up from 2 toll centres : ACC to sue 37 Roads & Highways staff

The Daily Star

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) yesterday approved filing of two cases against 37 staff of the Roads and Highways (R&S) Department for causing a loss of Tk 185.91 crore to the state exchequer.
An ACC probe carried out as part of the measures against institutional corruption found that a section of R&S staff at the toll points for Tongi-Ashulia road and Meghna and Meghna-Gomuti bridge had skimmed the sums after collecting those through fake money receipts or without any receipt.
Of the amount embezzled, Tk 174.35 crore was collected in toll for Meghna and Meghna-Gomati bridge in between 2002 and 2006 while Tk 11.56 crore for Tongi-Ashulia road in between 2005 and 2006.
The ACC probe also gathered that staff of the private firm in charge of computerised toll operation and maintenance of Meghna and Meghna-Gomati bridge used to delete toll data from the computers and sometimes keep the systems shut to help the R&H staff in the misappropriation.
The cases will be filed under sections 409, 109, and 34 of penal code and 5 (2) of corruption prevention act 1947.

Quake damage in city : Evacuation from vulnerable DU halls, DMCH buildings underway

The New Nation BD

The midnight earthquake on Saturday caused cracks in walls and led to the collapse of roofs of many buildings in the capital. The ceilings of two buildings of fourth-class employees of Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) at Elephant Road collapsed and walls developed cracks at many residential halls of Dhaka University after being jolted by the moderate earthquake.
Meanwhile, authorities have identified some vulnerable city buildings and asked the dwellers of those to vacate the dilapidated structures immediately.
A moderate tremor shook the capital and a large part of the country Saturday midnight. In the city following the tremor, the top floor of a four-storied building of fourth-class employees of DMCH at Elephant road collapsed at about 9:00pm on Sunday night. Earlier, during the tremor, the top floor of several other buildings in the area also collapsed.
Meanwhile, our Dhaka University correspondent reports, the DU authorities have started to shift students of two vulnerable dormitories to safer places from yesterday.

28 Jul 2008

HC validates August 15 as National Mourning Day, public holiday : The flag rules 1972 also needs to be changed

The Bangladesh Today

The High Court has validated observance of August 15 as "National Mourning Day as well as public holiday" in a bid to pay respect to the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman as - he along with most of his family members - was assassinated on the day in 1975.
At the same time the Court also allowed hoisting of national flag half-mast on August 15 at government and private houses and Bangladesh missions abroad to pay respect to the memory of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman cancelling amendment to the Flag Rules of 1972 which was done by BNP-led alliance government to stop this practice.
A Division Bench comprising Justice MA Rashid and Justice M Ashfaqul Islam declared illegal the cancellation of national mourning day and national holiday on August 15 by the BNP-led alliance government.
A writ petition was filed by Advocate Md Mozammel Haque, Mollah Mohammad Abu Kawser and MA Malek challenging the July 22, 2002 decision of the BNP-led alliance government cancelling observance of the national mourning day on August 15 and hoisting of flag half-mast.

Bangladesh in Earthquake Zone : A moderate earthquake rocks country’s north-east and central districts

The Bangladesh Today

A moderate earthquake measuring 5.6 on the Richter scale rocked country's north-east and central districts including the capital Dhaka in the early hours of Sunday. According to the Met Office the moderate earthquake that jolted different districts of the Dhaka and Sylhet Division measured 5.6 on the Richter scale.
The earthquake jolted Dhaka, Sylhet, Narsignidi, Tangail, Myemrnsigh districts at about 12.52 am. The earthquake lasted for 10 seconds.
The epicentre of the tremor, felt at about 12:52 am was about 234 kms north-east from BMD seismic centre at Agargaon in Dhaka, said an earth quack occurrence message issued by Met office yesterday.

19 sitting judges oppose HC rule : Appeal with SC against reappointment of 10 judges, claim it will affect seniority of 46 others

The Daily Star

Nineteen judges of the High Court (HC) yesterday filed an application with the Supreme Court (SC) against the HC judgment that directed the government to reappoint with seniority 10 additional judges not confirmed during the BNP-Jamaat coalition government's rule.
Petitioners' counsel advocate TH Khan told reporters that reappointment of the then 10 additional judges with seniority would affect the seniority of 46 sitting HC judges.
A few SC lawyers said this is an unprecedented incident that some judges have appealed against a judgment that favours other judges in the higher judiciary.
Terming the appointments a "serious storm" over the higher judiciary, the then chief justice Md Ruhul Amin told a function in Noakhali last year that its effect would remain in the judiciary for more than 20 years.

SAARC leaders likely to sign counter-terror deal : Four agreements to be signed in Colombo summit

The New Age BD

The South Asian leaders are likely to sign a new deal for combating terrorism as they feel that the menace seems to be the major obstacle to the development of the region and because the member countries of the SAARC have suffered a lot of terrorist attacks in recent times.
The deal, styled ‘SAARC Convention on Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters’, was discussed at the official meeting of the SAARC members when they began their two-day meeting in the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall on Sunday.
A Bangladeshi official told that once the deal is signed, it will allow location and identification of persons and objects concerned, assessing information regarding the investigation as well as taking measures of locating, confiscating and freezing the terrorists’ sources of finance.
The deal, however, does not allow arrest or detention of any person in view of extradition and transfer of proceedings of the criminal matters.

Primary education lacks quality due to rampant corruption : Without giving bribe, it is very difficult for teacher to get pension

The Bangladesh Today

Country's primary education sector has failed to reach the expected level of quality education due to widespread corruption and irregularities, said a Transparency International, Ban-gladesh (TIB) report on Sunday.
According to the report, corruption is rampant everywhere in the primary education sector as officials from top to bottom are involved in irregularities and corruption. The corruption and irregularities begin from upazila education offices and these continue in teacher's training programme, appointment of teachers, transfer of teachers, establishment and registration of non-government schools and inclusion of teachers in MPO. Besides, teachers who retire, face various problems in getting pension. Without giving bribe, it is very difficult for them to get pension.
It added that at the school level the appointed teachers do not take classes regularly. The school authority is taking fee illegally from the students though the primary education system is free. Government sends selected books for free distribution among students but some school teachers realise money from the students for the books.

Businesses assure govt of keeping prices stable during Ramadan

The Financial Express

Importers, wholesalers and traders have assured the government of their cooperation in keeping prices of essentials at a tolerable level during the month of Ramadan.
Their assurance of cooperation came at a meeting with the commerce adviser Sunday in the city.
Commerce adviser Hossain Zillur Rahman, emerging from the meeting, said they have discussed demand and supply situation of essential commodities and monitoring of the market. The business community assured the government of its effort to keep prices of essentials at reasonable level.
He did not explain about the way of market monitoring by the law-enforcers in details but said this will be in a systematic manner.
The commerce adviser held the meeting with the businessmen after the government decided to deploy law enforcers to watch the market and the price movement.
He said the government will take measures to run fair price shops to help the low income group buy consumer goods at reasonable prices during Ramadan month.

27 Jul 2008

Separation of judiciary was CG's routine work : All ordinances enacted by CG beyond its routine work may be revoked

The Bangladesh Today

Legality of all ordinances enacted by the Caretaker Government beyond its routine work has become questionable and those can be cancelled anytime as the High Court in its recent judgment observed that-"this government has no authority to enact any law which is not related to election and emergency issues."
Among these, there are some important laws providing for implementation of separation of the judiciary, independence of the Election Commission, creation of separate EC secretariat, establishment of a permanent attorney service, right to information and establishment of truth commission.
Prominent lawyer Barrister Amir-ul Islam said although all other laws enacted by the CG may be cancelled but Cr.P.C amendment providing for the separation of the judiciary will not be revoked because "by separating the judiciary the CG performed its routine work and implemented the Supreme Court's order, execution of which was pending for several years."
The question of legality has risen after two HC verdicts which cancelled Contempt of Court Ordinance 2008 and Muslim Marriage and Divorce Law saying that the Caretaker Government has no authority to make any law other than electoral rules and emergency issues.

Any detraction from December election not acceptable to Washington, says Boucher

The Bangladesh Today

US Assistant Secretary of State for South Asia Richard Boucher reiterated that any detraction from general election slated for December in Bangladesh would not be acceptable to Washington, as ex-premier Sheikh Hasina had a discussion with him in Washington.
Boucher viewed that the transition to democracy-now underway in the interim period-would help ensure development in Bangladesh.
During the hour-long meeting from 11 am (Washington time), US Ambassador to Bangladesh James Moriarty, State Department officials, Hasina's son Sajib Wajed Joy and Hasina's special aide Dr Hassan Mahmud were present. Hasina apprised Boucher of the current political situation in Bangladesh.
The Awami League president said that people have already doubts about the December general election. "If the Upazila Parishad elections are held first, people's doubt will further deepen about the parliamentary elections," she observed during the talks. Hasina said the prime responsibility of the caretaker government is to hold free, fair and transparent parliamentary elections and transfer power to an elected government.

City, Municipality Elections : 500 observers to monitor polls

The Daily Star

Over 5,500 local and international election observers will monitor the August 4 polls, the first ones to be held under the state of emergency. What many consider a litmus test for the Election Commission's (EC) preparations for the all-important ninth parliamentary polls, the forthcoming local elections have generated a huge interest among the foreign missions in Dhaka and non-government organisations.
Political analysts say the next month's polls to four city corporations and nine municipalities are crucial also in that they would determine whether a free and fair election is possible under the state of emergency.
So far 16 foreign missions have announced plans to employ 119 observers in the polls while local organisations have sought the EC's permission to deploy around 5,500 observers, sources in the EC Secretariat said.

Around 1.50 lakh (150,000) females are drug addicts : College and ’varsity female students being addicted

The Bangladesh Today

A large number of college and university female students are being addicted to various drugs and the situation is deteriorating day by day due to moral degradation. According to government and non-government sources.
around 1.50 lakh female mostly teenagers across the country are taking different types of narcotic items daily. Most of them are student of different colleges, public and private universities in the capital as well as other metropolitan cities and towns.
According to the expert, the rate of female drug addicts is increasing due to family feud, frustration caused by failure in love and jobs and bad company. Besides, being curious female students are taking drug.

Flood situation worsens as rivers swell : Low-lying areas inundated, crops damaged

The Daily Star

The flood situation in Netrakona, Pabna, Rangpur, Faridpur and Khulna deteriorated as the rise of water level of the Padma, the Jamuna, the Teesta and the Ubdakhali inundated more low-lying areas.
The Padma in spate flooded many low-lying areas of Faridpur affecting around 10,000 people. Two shelters have been opened for the destitute and 2,500 people have already taken shelter there. No relief drive has been launched so far, BBC Bangla service reports.
Hundreds of acres of cropland went under water and around 150 homes in Netrakona and Pabna were washed away.
According to Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre (FFWC), flooding of low-lying areas in Munshiganj, Manikganj, Faridpur, Madaripur, Shariatpur, Dohar and Nawabganj of Dhaka district is likely to continue.

26 Jul 2008

Top Corruption Suspects - Proceedings stayed against 50, bigwigs granted bail

The Daily Star

The High Court (HC) in the last few weeks stayed graft proceedings against more than 50 high profile corruption suspects including former prime ministers Khaleda Zia and Sheikh Hasina.
It has also granted bail to a number of political bigwigs including Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Motiur Rahman Nizami, Awami League (AL) presidium members Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury and Tofail Ahmed, BNP leaders Salauddin Quader Chowdhury, MK Anwar, Redwan Ahmed, Dhaka City Corporation (DCC) Mayor Sadeque Hossain Khoka, MA Hashem, Nasiruddin Ahmed Pintu, Barisal City Corporation (BCC) Mayor Mujibur Rahman Sarwar, adviser to AL president and industrialist Salman F Rahman and former AL lawmaker Lotus Kamal.
Besides, the court quashed charges against 12 people, mostly family members of the prime accused, on grounds that the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) did not issue to them notices asking for wealth statements.
Sources said lack of coordination between the government and the anti-graft body, and incompetence of the prosecution lawyers were the main reasons for the ACC's poor performance at the HC.

Indian BSF pushes in 25 Indian citizens to Bangladesh : ... before pushing them in, Indian police tore down their cards and tortured them physically

The Daily Star

Dinajpur-Indian Border Security Forces (BSF) pushed in 25 Bangla-speaking Indian citizens including women and children to Bangladesh territory yesterday. Of them 15 were pushed in at Tentulia in Panchagar in the early hours.
Members of Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) detained them when they were pushed in through the Vutipuri border under Buraburi union and handed over them to police. The victims said they are the residents of Andar Koat area adjacent to Aajmeer Sharif.
Local police picked them up and later handed over to BSF who pushed them into Bangladesh in the dark of night. They said their names are enrolled in the Indian voter list and they are ration card and BBL card holders. But before pushing them in, Indian police tore down their cards and tortured them physically.
BDR has beefed up its patrolling along the border to ward-off further push-in as the BSF had gathered 200 more Bangla-speaking Muslims in different places at the border.

Local influential, hoodlums running business on railway land : Major parts of railway lands still under occupation

The Bangladesh Today

Major parts of the railway lands are still being occupied by the different influential people across the country but no initiative is yet taken to recover these by the concerned authority.
"Around 2500 acres of land out of 62192.71 acres of railway across the country have been grabbed by local influentials. As a result the state-run railway sector has to incur a huge loss amounting to taka 400 crores yearly," Shamsul Alam, Chief Estate Officer of West of Railway Department told The Bangladesh Today on yesterday.
But while talking to this correspondent another source in the railway department said most of the railway lands have been grabbed illegally since long. Local influential, armed hoodlums, terrorists and leader of local bodies of the respective areas grabbing the lands are serving their own purposes.
During of different governments, railway authority with the help of law enforcers tried to recover their lands from the illegal occupants but they failed to recover these land.

Khaleda’s release made conditional : Refraining from doing politics and going abroad for treatment

The New Nation BD

Some quarters of the government are learnt to have set a number of preconditions, including going abroad for treatment and refraining from politics, for the release of former prime minister and BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia from jail.
The reliable sources said similar preconditions were also imposed for the release of Khaleda Zia's elder son Tarique Rahman.
The release of Begum Zia and her elder son Tarique Rahman now depends on agreeing with the preconditions, sources said.
It is learnt that the BNP Chairperson still remains strict on her earlier decision not to go abroad for treatment.
Meanwhile, Adviser for Communications Maj Gen (Retd) Ghulam Quader on Thursday told reporters that it was difficult to specify the exact date for the release of Begum Zia.

Hasina’s London rendezvous: UK-back Ershad says, he is with 'Mahajote’

The New Nation BD

The backstage effort to revive the AL-led 'grand alliance' may result in a break up of the 14-party alliance itself, as most of its centre-left components have strong objections to the inclusion of Jatiya Party and some other anti-secular forces in the platform.
Awami League is learnt to have been discussing with Jatiya Party, Bikalpa Dhara and some Islamist parties, which support the Liberation War, to forge a greater electoral alliance.
The 14-party alliance, which became feeble after the one-eleven change, has now become fragile over dispute among components on selection of mayoral candidate for Rajshahi City Corporation polls.
Some small parties may also drift away further due to strong feud among leaders and activists over staying or leaving the alliance, which is turning into an electoral alliance instead of the issue-based alliance forged earlier on the basis of 23-point declaration.
Strong debate raged within the alliance over reports of Jatiya Party chief HM Ershad's meeting with Awami League president Sheikh Hasina in London, which both the parties denied.

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