A disappointed US is yet to decide whether it would recognise Bangladesh’s Jan 5 election, but the State Department’s deputy spokesperson said the failure of the parties to reach a consensus the US has been calling for was clearly “not…
Category: Governance
New York Times Pol Editor barred from seeing Khaleda
South Asia Bureau Chief and Political Editor of The New York Times Alan Berry was prevented by police to enter the residence of opposition leader Khaleda Zia on Friday evening. Sources said Allan Berry accompanied by BNP chairperson’s adviser Reaz…
Major Hafiz sent to jail after two-day remand
A Dhaka court on Thursday sent BNP Vice-Chairman Major (retired) M Hafizuddin Ahmed to jail and fixed January 9 to hear remand prayers in two other cases.
Blockade won’t affect polls, says CEC
Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmad thinks the Opposition-enforced nonstop blockade will not affect the Jan 5 parliamentary polls. After apprising the President of elections preparations, he told reporters on Thursday, “No vehicle, except the authorised ones, in any…
Resume SC bench despite blockade, urges pro-govt lawyers
A group of lawyers loyal to ruling Awami League on Thursday called upon the judges of the High Court to resume their functions in the interest of justice during political programmes like hartal or blockade enforced by the main stream…
Indo-Bangla ties may get complex says India daily
Indian daily ‘The Hindu’ in a New Year editorial has suggested that post-election Bangladesh appears headed for “more volatility” and New Delhi’s relations with the new government “will only get more complicated”.
Mozena meets Shamsher Mobin
The US ambassador in Dhaka Dan W Mozena has met BNP Vice Chairman Shamser Mobin Chowdhury on Wednesday. Mozena entered Chowdhury’s Banani home at 11.30 am and left after an hour and half.
Tk 2.10 billion allocated for poll expenses
The Election Commission has been granted Tk 2.10 billion to meet the cost of conducting the Jan 5 polls and maintaining law and order. The expenditure has come down by more than half the projected amount as candidates in 153…
Court rejects complaint against Khaleda
A Dhaka court has refused to admit a complaint lodged against Opposition Leader Khaleda Zia, accusing her of issuing threats during her altercation with police on Sunday (Dec 29).
Two held with gold at Shahjalal airport
Two persons were arrested along with 434 grams of gold and 636 cartoons of contraband cigarette from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport here this morning.
British envoy meets Syed Ashraf
British High Commissioner Robert Gibson had a meeting with ruling Awami League general secretary Syed Ashraful Islam at the latter’s house for about an hour on Tuesday. The UK envoy came out of the house in a SUV at 3:41pm…
Man tortured to death by ‘cops’ in Khulna
A man was tortured to death allegedly by police at Barakpur in Dighalia upazila of the district on Monday night. Denying the allegation, Dighalia police said the man identified as Kesmat Ali, 50, fell ill after seeing them and died…
Gopalganj issue: Case against Khaleda dismissed
A Dhaka court on Tuesday dismissed a defamation case against Opposition Leader Begum Khaleda Zia for her disputed remarks and allegedly threatening police personnel.
8 crude bombs recovered in Rajshahi
Members of Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) in a drive recovered eight crude bombs from rail station area of the city on Monday night.
SCBA demands judicial inquiry on lawyers attack
The Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA), dominated by BNP-Jamaat lawyers, on Monday condemned the inaction of the Chief Justice of Bangladesh over the Sunday’s attack on lawyers loyal to the 18-party opposition alliance.
Major Hafiz implicated in murder, placed on remand
A court of Dhaka on Monday granted a 2-day remand for BNP Vice Chairman Major (retired) M Hafizuddin Ahmed Bir Bikram in connection with killing a police throwing a petrol bomb on a bus at Bangla Motor intersection in the…
BNP never negotiated in good faith: FM tells EU diplomats
Apparently shifting blame to the opposition for not reaching a consensus on participatory polls, Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali on Monday said BNP and its alliance partners never negotiated in ‘good faith’ for taking part in the elections, rather they…
2 held with crude bombs, gunpowder in Rajshahi
Joint forces in a drive arrested two people along with 45 crude bombs and 4.5 kg gunpowder in Binodpur area of the city on Monday morning.
Govt charted unprecedented autocratic path: BNP
Dhaka – Opposition BNP on Sunday accused the government of resorting to unprecedented autocratic path to foil its peaceful programme of ‘March for Democracy’.
4 civil society bodies contradict Ashraful’s statement
Dhaka – Four civil society bodies on Sunday contradicted part of the statement made by Awami League general secretary Syed Ashraful Islam saying no representative of the AL was invited to the dialogue organised by them ‘is not true’.
Over 300 held across country
Dhaka – Over 300 leaders and activists of the BNP-led 18-party alliance were arrested at different places across the country in separate drives of the joint forces from Saturday night to Sunday morning.
ICT clears Economist journalists of contempt charge
Clearing the contempt of court charge facing the two journalists of The Economist, a prestigious UK-based weekly, the International Crimes Tribunal-1 on Sunday disposed of the case with some observations. The two journalists of The Economist given clean chit are…
‘Polls without Opposition won’t be fruitful’
Representatives of the civil society have suggested postponing the 10th parliamentary election set to take place on Jan 5 to give a chance to reconciliation.
Tension soars as Bangladesh gears up for Dhaka rally
Dhaka: Tension has been running high in Bangladesh as the main opposition alliance gears up for a showdown in the national capital, which has been cut off from many districts amid security concerns, media reported Saturday.
6 girls return after languishing in Indian jail
Six Bangladeshi girls returned home through Benapole check post of Jessore district on Friday night after languishing for three years in a Indian jail.
EC dispatches ballot papers to districts
The Election Commission on Friday dispatched ballot papers amid tight security to returning officers in various districts for the January 5 parliamentary elections. The commission started dispatching the ballot papers to various districts in the morning under strong escorts of…
SC Bar secretary Khokon to be quizzed at jail gate
A Dhaka court has sent BNP leader Mahbub Uddin Khokon to jail in a case concerning connection over the death of a policeman in a bomb attack in Bangla Motor.
Chinese Vice Foreign Minister’s Dhaka visit postponed
The visit of Chinese Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Liu Zhenmin who was scheduled to reach here on Saturday has been postponed ‘due to flight cancellation’ following heavy fog in Kunming. “Kunming Airport was closed due to heavy fog and…
Accused in the Padma graft aren’t mine: PM
With just over a week to the general elections, Awami League President Sheikh Hasina has distanced her party from those accused of corruption in the Padma bridge project. “Those accused of being involvement in the Padma bridge graft case are…
AL wants EC steps against BNP
The ruling Awami League has urged the Election Commission (EC) to take legal actions against the BNP, the main opposition party, for allegedly planning to foil the national polls.