Lowest nomination filing since 1991 The 10th parliamentary polls is witnessing the least amount of interest among politicians with less than four aspirants filing nomination forms for a constituency amid opposition’s decision to boycott, what it calls, a lopsided election. Only 1,107 candidates have field nomination forms for the elections scheduled for January 5, which ... Read more
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2 more killed in violence
Blockade extended to 5:00pm Thursday At least two people were killed and dozens injured on Monday as sporadic clashes and acts of arson and sabotage marked the third day of the fresh spell of the opposition-enforced rail-road-waterway blockade which has been extended by 59 hours ending at 5:00pm Thursday. Buses were burnt and railway lines ... Read more
RMG exporters want political consensus
Meet Hasina, Khaleda Country’s apparel associations on Monday met with prime minister Sheikh Hasina and submitted a memorandum to opposition leader Khaleda Zia asking them to reach a consensus and resolve the political crisis over the next general elections. Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association, Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters
Khaleda asks EC to postpone election schedules
Bangladesh Nationalist Party chairperson Khaleda Zia on Monday asked the government to come to the path of consensus shunning ‘conspiracies’ and stop ‘repression’ on the opposition for the sake of peace in the country. In a press statement, Khaleda, also leader of the opposition, urged the Election Commission to postpone the election schedule for the 10th
WTO Ministerial begins today in Bali
Dhaka along with other 48 least developed countries who are the members of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) will push forward their five-point agenda including getting duty-free and quota free market access for their products at the 9th WTO ministerial conference in Indonesian resort island Bali. The three-day conference will begin today as the trade
Polls reschedule possible: CEC
Urging the two bickering political camps — Awami League-led ruling alliance and BNP-led opposition alliance — to reach a consensus, Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Rakiuddin Ahmad on Monday said they could reschedule the election if there is an understanding. “The Election Commission will make arrangements for everything if they (govt and opposition) reach
Security stepped up for foreign diplomats
The home ministry has asked the law enforcement and intelligence agencies to beef up security for all diplomats and at the diplomatic zone located in the city’s Gulshan area to preclude any untoward incident against the backdrop of the ongoing political impasse. For ensuring the security of diplomats and the diplomatic zone, the Prime Minister’s ... Read more
Uncertainties over election challenges Bangladesh, IMF
Bangladesh is facing a serious challenge because of general strikes and uncertainties associated with the upcoming election, International Monetary Fund said Sunday. The IMF said that the political uncertainties would slow down the growth. The lender was approving disbursement
Japan echoes UNHC’s concern over violence
Japan ambassador to Bangladesh Shiro Sadoshima on Monday echoed the concern expressed by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay on the political confrontation and recent violence in the country. Shiro in a statement said, ‘We are also deeply grieved at ever increasing violence in Bangladesh.’ He said Japan, as a long-time friend
ATMs strapped for cash
A lot of ATM booths in the city were out of service due to insufficient funds and various technical problems recently. Banking sources said that during the nationwide strikes, bank managements were bound to stop cash deposit into ATM machines to minimise risk management factors. Talking to The Independent, Md Saiful Islam, manager of Pubali ... Read more
Rajuk to scrap deal with failed firm
Uttara Apartment Project Rajuk to scrap deal with failed firm Rajuk is set to cancel this week a contract with a company of a former Awami League lawmaker, as the firm has failed to complete its share of work in the Uttara apartment project. In February, 2012, the Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk) and the Public ... Read more
Woman, her daughter killed in city road accident
The eight-year old Jamila asked her mother Mahinur Akhter to take her to her working place. As per her wish, Mahinur, 30, a domestic help, took Jamila to the place at Merul Badda where she worked as maid. Finishing her job, Mahinur was returning home in the evening along with her daughter, but a reckless bus put ... Read more
Patients suffer, unable to reach hospitals due to blockade
The ongoing nationwide blockade has been causing immense sufferings to the patients. The transport disruptions are causing extra sufferings to thousands of patients needing treatment in hospitals. Besides the opposition, the patients and their relatives also blamed the election commission and the government for taking no initiative for an inclusive election
51 lakh tonnes of fuel oil to be imported next year
Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC) has decided to purchase 51 lakh tons of refined and crude oil for 2014, senior corporation officials said. They said that as per the decisions, the BPC will spend Tk 40,000 crore on the overall import. ‘Last week we have finalized the premium
Thai PM rejects resignation demand
Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra on Monday rejected the demands of anti-government protesters who are attempting to topple her, indicating she would not resign. In a defiant address to the nation, her first since peaceful protests turned violent late Saturday, she said demands to dissolve parliament and
Rly sabotage marks blockade
250 injured as train derails in Comilla after fishplates removed Buses were burnt and railway lines sabotaged as clashes between demonstrators and the police were reported from different places across the country on Sunday, the second day of the fresh spell of rail-road-waterway blockade enforced by the opposition parties. The blockade virtually snapped communications
UN rights chief slams political leaders for death in violence
The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay has warned politicians in Bangladesh that they risk facing prosecution at the International Criminal Court based in the Hague for election time violence. In a statement issued on Sunday, Pillary pointed out that Bangladesh is a State Party to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court.
EU to support only credible and inclusive elections
The European Union’s ambassador to Bangladesh William Hanna on Sunday said that the EU had not yet decided whether it would deploy observers to monitor the forthcoming 10th parliamentary polls scheduled for January 5. After meeting the chief election commissioner, Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmad, at the EC secretariat, the ambassador said that the
No change in nomination filing deadline:EC
The possibility of the opposition’s joining the polls under the existing schedule has become almost nil with the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmed announcing on Sunday that the deadline for filing nomination forms for the next general elections would not be extended. “The December 2 deadline for submission of nomination forms
Economy bearing the brunt of political turmoil: Businesses
Trade bodies urge political parties to shun violence The business community on Sunday urged both the Awami League and the BNP to refrain from acts of violence in the greater interest of the country. “No one has the right to destroy the industry,” said FBCCI president Kazi Akram Uddin Ahmed said at a press conference ... Read more