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i dont get this why the AL govt still kissing India's ***!!
have they nothing good to do...!!all the f***** up d*******s.........

Because India is their Mecca( Nauzubillah).
 
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Upazilla election and stonewalling reality

Mahmud ur Rahman Choudhury

In continuation of my last week's commentary, I wanted to write about something else but the Upazilla election came up and I was so caught up in it that I jumped out of bed at 3 AM on 23 January to write this piece. I hope it grabs you as much as it did me.

The Upazilla elections are over, to the dissatisfaction of almost everyone, most of all the electorate who didn't turn up in any considerable numbers to vote. Chaos, violence, rigging, forgery, intimidation and hijacking of ballot boxes were significant enough to make news headlines, elicit protests and condemnation from the BNP and suspend voting in 6 Upazillas. Law-enforcing agencies supported by the Army, deployed for the purpose of ensuring security did not seem to have done much to check the intimidation and violence or to ensure security of voters.

As was expected the AL supported candidates won well over 65 percent of the chairmanship and other seats with the BNP and others trailing well behind. It therefore, comes as no surprise that the AL spokesperson and LGRD Minister Syed Ashraful Islam expressed satisfaction over the course the Upazilla polling has taken. Addressing a press conference, right after the voting closed in the evening of 22 January, he said, "Our government provided all out cooperation to the EC for smooth holding of the election. Normalcy prevailed throughout the country. Law and order situation was very satisfactory" - this inspite of images, of near-empty polling centres and people fighting, splashed all over TV screens and newspapers.
That the AL government, after all the much publicized big talks about "change", would stonewall realities comes as a frustrating surprise, particularly when the so long well-regarded AL spokesperson Syed Ashraful Islam attempts to justify the irregularities and violence by claiming that "…clashes and many untoward incidents were reported in past elections across the country also." Taking issue with the EC's dissatisfaction with the election, Syed Ashraf further added, "The election commission tried to depoliticize Bangladesh earlier. Election to the local government without political identity won't bring any good results…So far I know the EC has
suspended polls of some 6 upazillas but no major untoward incidents have been reported till now."

By invoking the past to stonewall the present Syed Ashraful Islam disregards the fact that people have so massively voted for the AL in the parliamentary election because it is exactly the past which the "people" do not want a repetition of. The point which Syed Ashraf and the AL fail to grasp is that nothing can be made to justify a single incident of violence,
rigging, forgery, intimidation and suspension of voting because it deprives people of their most basic and fundamentally important right of being citizens of Bangladesh - that is, it prevents people from exercising their right to franchise in a free and fair manner. Don't Syed Ashraful Islam and the AL understand that it is not just voting in 6 Upazillas which was suspended; what was suspended was the right, of thousands of people, to be citizens. Stonewalling reality can be as bad as that.

"Take away my right to vote and you deprive me of the right to be a citizen of Bangladesh" - if the AL flouts this and expects us all to believe in their justifications for flouting it, the AL is on a tack which within 2 years will take us again to another 1/11. So, where really is the "change" the AL has promised us to get our votes or was it just a chicanery, a fraud
perpetuated on the Nation.

leading news
 
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Iajuddin violated constitution
Says Khaleda-led opposition after boycotting president's speech

The BNP-led opposition lawmakers yesterday walked out of the inaugural session of parliament and boycotted President Iajuddin Ahmed's address.

They said they were not interested to hear a president who had “violated the constitution”.

BNP, Jamaat-e-Islami and Bangladesh Jatiya Party (BJP) also blasted the treasury for not “making good on its pledge to elect deputy speaker from the opposition”.

After the break for Maghrib prayers, BNP lawmaker Salauddin Quader Chowdhury rose from his seat, seeking the floor. But new Speaker Abdul Hamid declined to let him speak, saying that the president was going to address the legislature.

Without a microphone, Salauddin said they would not attend the president's speech.

In reply, the speaker said, “After all, he is your president. You should hear him speak.”

Moments later, BNP, Jamaat and BJP lawmakers led by Leader of the Opposition Khaleda Zia staged the walkout. They did not return to the House yesterday.

Talking to reporters at the entrance to Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban, Salauddin Quader Chowdhury said, "We have walked out before the president's speech because he breached the oath to defend the constitution.”

He failed to hold national polls within the constitution-stipulated three months after dissolution of parliament, the BNP leader continued.

“Thanks to his role, the caretaker government lasted two long years, denying people the rights to vote and have a constitutional government.”

Salauddin also accused the president of trying to implement the “minus-two formula” during the two-year rule of the caretaker government.

Replying to a query, he said, “We chose him as president does not mean we have to accept all his activities.

On election of the deputy speaker, BNP Vice-president and lawmaker MK Anwar said, “They (ruling party) have elected deputy speaker without any discussions with us, even though they had pledged the post to the opposition.”

Earlier, BNP Parliamentary Party (BNPP) picked Joynal Abedin Faruque as chief whip of the opposition.

It however did not select deputy leader of the opposition.

Iajuddin was elected president after AQM Badruddoza Chowdhury resigned the presidency following a row with the BNP high command.

He assumed the chief adviser's role at the end of October 2006 apparently on dictates from BNP.

But his failure to discharge duties neutrally pitched the nation into political turmoil. On January 11, 2007, he stood down as chief adviser, declared a state of emergency and suspended the ninth parliamentary election then scheduled for January 22 that year.

Fakhruddin Ahmed took over as the caretaker administration chief and had a new council of advisers.

BLACK BADGE

Led by Chairperson Khaleda Zia, the BNP lawmakers entered the House wearing black badges in condemnation of what they referred to as “introduction of one-party rule” on January 25, 1975.

The Daily Star - Details News
 
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It was looking good,seeing all the parties at the parliament and then.......:tsk:
 
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Saifur's son gets 13 years for graft
Star Online Report

A Dhaka court today sentenced Shafiur Rahman Babu, younger son of former finance minister M Saifur Rahman, to 13 years in prison in a corruption case.

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) had filed the case against him for amassing wealth worth Tk 13.85 crore through illegal means and concealing information in his wealth statement submitted to the commission.

Delivering the verdict, Judge Jesmin Anwar of the Special Judge's Court-4 also fined him Tk 15 lakh. If he fails to pay the amount, he will have to spend two and an half years more behind the bars, the judgement adds.

The court asked the government to confiscate the money Babu had earned by illegal means in favour of the state.

The verdict also said Babu's sentence will be counted from the day of his arrest or surrender as he was tried in absentia.

The court earlier recorded statements of 21 prosecution witnesses, including complainant of the case.

The court also issued an arrest warrant against Shafiur and an order to attach his properties, as he has been absconding since the case was filed.

On November 2 last year, ACC Assistant Director Farid Ahmed Patwary, also the investigation officer (IO) of the case, submitted the charge sheet to the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's (CMM) Court in Dhaka.

ACC Deputy Director Sharmin Ferdousy filed the case against Shafiur with Ramna Police Station on April 29 of last year.

The Daily Star - Details News
 
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ZU Ahmed new navy chief

Rear Admiral Z U Ahmed (ND), ndc, psc, BN has been appointed as the new navy chief.

He will assume office on January 29.

Ahmed succeeds Vice Admiral Sarwar Jahan Nizam who goes on retirement on January 28.

Born in a respected Muslim family at Kapashia in Gazipur in 1957, Ahmed joined the Navy in July 1976 and got commission in January 1979.

He received training in USA, China, Pakistan, Korea and Netherlands. He captained Frigate Khalid Bin Walid, BNS Omar Faruk and BNS Abu Bakar, and was commodore commanding BNS Flotilla, Commodore commanding Chittagong, deputy director general of Coastguard and commandant in Marine Academy.

The Daily Star - Details News
 
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Grateful thanks to BNP and its allies

We have always complained about the opposition normally being unhelpful, unreasonable, quarrelsome, combative, quick on their feet to walk out, and generally negative. Seldom have we found anything to thank them for. At last BNP-led opposition has given us something to cheer and be grateful for. On Sunday, they gave us the best joke of the year.

For what else can we call their walkout in protest at President Iajuddin's speech because he 'violated the constitution'? Hear, hear! BNP's sudden love for the constitution would have been extremely heartening, if only (and how sincerely we wish) it were genuine.

The joke is not that the president is accused of violating the most sacred document in a democracy, but that it is coming from the very party that was behind all the mischief committed by him. There is a Bangla saying, whose English rendering would go somewhat like this, 'For whom I steal, now (s)he calls me a thief'.

Yesterday, while enacting the 'joke of the year', BNP explained the precise reason for their walkout. After having taken oath as the chief adviser to protect the constitution, President Iajuddin violated it by failing to hold the election within 90 days as prescribed in it.

Before we examine the question of election within the 90 days, we need to ask what prompted the president to become the chief adviser in the first place. Did not that step by itself constitute a gross violation of the constitution? Was not that the most unethical, immoral, and self-serving step imaginable? If anything, this single action significantly eroded public confidence in the highest legal instrument of our country and made it look like a plaything in the hands of rulers of the day.

Who made Iajuddin take this blundering, in fact suicidal, step? Clearly and unquestionably, it was BNP. If we recall, negotiations were on in Bangabhaban among the president, Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan and Abdul Jalil to find a suitable replacement of KM Hasan when Bhuiyan suddenly suggested that the president becomes the chief adviser, and the willing (or shall we say compliant) Iajuddin readily accepted.

The constitution, under article 58C, provides a six-step process to find a suitable chief adviser. They are : 1) the immediate past chief justice; 2) the retired chief justice before him; 3) the last retired judge of the Appellate Division; 4) the retired judge of the Appellate Division before him; 5) any suitable person, qualified to hold the post of chief adviser and acceptable to all major political parties. Failing to find a suitable candidate after exhausting the aforementioned five steps, then and only then, the president may have recourse to the sixth step, and assume the office of the chief adviser (CA), in addition to being the president.

Only the first step was exhausted. The president did not even try to explore the four other possibilities and opted for the sixth option, and assumed the CA's office. By not exploring the four steps clearly spelled out, President Iajuddin can stand accused of violating the constitution.

The question is, did he do so of his own volition or was he under the guidance of BNP and its leaders, Tarique Rahman and Khaleda Zia. Given Iajuddin's personality, his docile nature, ever subservient character, and his track record of never taking any ethical position over the past four years, it is impossible to imagine, much less to believe, that he could have taken such a major unconventional, not to mention unconstitutional, step without direct instruction from the then prime minister herself, or from someone who spoke on her behalf.

By all accounts and public actions he was a 'remote controlled' president, under the diktats of BNP leadership, especially of Khaleda Zia. So, President Iajuddin's violation of the constitution was dictated by BNP, and if any one should be accused of it, morally it should be the latter. President Iajuddin was, at best, a partner in 'crime', so to speak, albeit a willing one.

Even after the above violation of the constitution, Awami League agreed to some conditions, to accept the caretaker government under President and Chief Adviser Iajuddin, and participated in the formation of the advisory council.

Till then there were clear possibilities of holding the election on time and within the 90 days. Instead of allowing the advisory council to function as per the constitution, President Iajuddin, at the diktats of BNP, created all sorts of obstacles and impediments to moving towards the scheduled polls.

As to the functioning of the caretaker government, there were numerous occasions when the advisory council's decisions, arrived at during meetings, were later overturned by the president through late evening press releases dictated from outside.

BNP's hold and monitoring of the president was, perhaps, epitomised by the emergence of a strange diminutive character who, it is rumoured, kept a mobile phone constantly on during the meetings of the advisory council, so it could be heard from outside and appropriate 'instructions' could be communicated to the president for his prompt compliance. When advisers complained about the character's presence, as he was a junior official, Iajuddin gave him the rank of a state minister, so he could formally sit in the council meetings.

Again on the question of the president failing to hold the election within the prescribed 90 days, let us not forget how four of the most respected advisers moved from pillar to post to bring about a consensus between the two major political parties, so the election could be held as scheduled.

No sooner some hint of an understanding would emerge, it would swiftly be scuttled by the president/chief adviser, dashing any hope of a timely election. The remote controlled president's interference became so intolerable and so obstructionist to the process of holding the election that the said four advisers were compelled to resign. They privately cited total lack of co-operation of the president and doubted his sincerity about holding a free and fair election.

In our eyes, President Iajuddin is guilty, not so much for violating the constitution which he did under pressure from his party (which does not lessen his responsibility), but more so for not rising to the stature of his office and realising that his was a role to set moral and ethical standards, to behave with the highest dignity and fairness, to act with such judiciousness and far sight that generations following would use it as something to compare others with. There he so tragically and disastrously failed himself and us.

There would not have been any interruption in our democracy, had he only allowed his conscience instead of BNP, to guide him.

The Daily Star - Details News
 
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Law enforces to nab criminals irrespective of party affiliations

killing, hijacking, looting, grabbing land and properties and arson attack are on the rise soon after assuming office by Awami League-led alliance government

Despite massive actions by law enforcing agencies, criminal offences like killing, hijacking, looting, grabbing land and properties and arson attack are on the rise at different places of the country including six metropolitan areas.(The Bangladesh Today)

According to sources, soon after assuming office by Awami League-led alliance government, a section of criminals have become very active at the behest of the ruling party leaders under the very nose of law enforcers. Especially, the armed extortionists and professional killers have started entering the cities from neighboring countries to commit big crimes. At least 18 people were killed while hundreds were injured and thousands of establishments were set ablaze in political violence after national election.

Police high-ups at headquarters requesting anonymity said on the basis of recent deterioration of law and order, law enforcement agencies have been asked to remain alert and keep close eyes on every strategic point round-the clock. To make the mission a success, change and reshuffle in the police department might take place immediately.

When asked about the initiatives to improve the deteriorated law and order situation, a high official of the department said "A secret meeting between IGP Noor Mohammad and Police Commissioners of six Metropolitan Cities and DIGs of seven ranges in the country is going on today (Monday) at the police headquarters where possible steps will be discussed."

Additional IGP Naba Bikram Tripura said the criminal activities across the country have increased after parliamentary and local elections. "Normally criminal activities are seen to increase after national and local body elections but the present situation is not worse than that of the past. We have already informed all police stations, community police service centres, district level police officials and local leaders to take steps from their respective capacities to control crimes. On the other hand, patrol teams of police are being strengthened for combating crime throughout the country," he added.

Replying to a query about the recent deterioration of law and order he said criminal activities are taking place at different parts of the country recently but it does not mean deterioration of law and order situation.

Another source said around one lakh 24 thousand police personnel including high-officials have been engaged while around eight thousand members of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) are deployed in a bid to arrest criminals and resist their activities. The vigilance on the movements of suspected criminals under the respective police stations will be intensified and the list of criminals will be updated soon.

RAB sources said currently one RAB member is working at a ratio of 37 thousand people. So it is impossible to resist the ongoing criminal activities with the existing RAB forces and logistic support. "At all stages we are obeying the government's directives and launching drive against criminal. We have directed to arrest criminals ignoring their party affiliation," RAB sources said.


The Bangladesh Today

http://www.bangladesh-web.com/view.php?hidRecord=243507
 
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Autocracy inside Parliament?


If morning really shows the day, the entire nation, which had longed for a ‘change for the better’ in terms of good governance and sustainable democracy, will have to be ready for the worst times to come. The proceedings of the very first sitting of the ninth parliament on Sunday are indicative of things to come. While we appreciate the open and loud endorsement by opposition BNP of election of Awami League’s Abdul Hamid as Speaker, we still do not know why the post of Deputy Speaker could not be filled by a BNP nominee as Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina had promised as one of her ‘agenda for change’. She herself unmasked her so-called agenda by refusing to redeem her pledge.
Then came the President’s address to the new parliament. The address of Prof Iajuddin Ahmed, ably edited by Hasina and her cabinet colleagues as per traditional parliamentary norms, made no mention of the unique contribution of President Ziaur Rahman, the man who had lifted Bangladesh out of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s draconian one-party rule to the road of parliamentary democracy. Iajuddin conveniently forgot to mention Zia’s role in freeing the country’s media from the clutches of autocracy. And what’s about his glorious role in giving a sense of direction to a nation in peril in March of 1971 when Mujib himself remained closeted within the four walls of his Dhanmondi residence at a time when Frankenstein’s bullets pierced the hearts of millions across this part of erstwhile Pakistan? Possibly Iajuddin had mentioned this but sadly this was edited out of his original speech by the new Awami League government. History hardly sees rise of a supreme leader like Mujib in 1,000 years as he had led the nation to independence but sadly four years of his misrule later have made him still controversial. But then the nation’s respect to him has not yet waned.
Are we really heading towards parliamentary autocracy? This question now reigns uppermost in everybody’s mind after one saw the parliamentary proceedings live on TV screen on the very first day. As outgoing Speaker Jamiruddin Sircar had warned in his speech, absolute power corrupts absolutely, we perhaps will see an invisible one-party rule restored in the polity under the guise of ‘change’. We certainly censure Iajuddin’s abject failure to live up to the expectations of the nation on January 11, 2007 when he was under pressure to impose emergency. This is because we have seen how Justice Shahabuddin Ahmed had successfully set at naught tricks of the then Prime Minister to prolong her stay in power beyond constitutional mandate and even set her right on the tracks on several occasions. And we have seen how President Abdur Rahman Biswas had frustrated General Nasim’s move to stage a coup when elections were at a stone’s throw. But now we are alarmed at the prospect of Hasina’s party ‘guru’ octogenarian Zillur Rahman assuming the post of President. This is because, due to his old age and its consequent effects on his physical and mental health, Hasina will be serving the nation both as elected PM and an invisible President.

The News Today
 
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It didn't take even a month for my prediction to become true. As I said that UN or special tribunal would be created to try JI leaders by providing phony evidences just to manipulate trial to get pre-arranged verdict against them, criminal RAWAMY LEAGUERS just wished to do that. There was no rule for Muslim sympathizers besides might was right and once again it hinted to become true.


Bangladesh moves to try war criminals
Updated at: 1525 PST, Tuesday, January 27, 2009
DHAKA: Bangladesh's government said Tuesday it was pressing ahead with plans to put on trial people accused of war crimes during the country's bloody liberation struggle in 1971.

Law Minister Shafiq Ahmed told reporters the United Nations had agreed to provide the government with assistance for the trial of hundreds of alleged war criminals.

"The government will try the war criminals as soon as possible as it was a key pledge in our election manifesto. We have to do it," he said.

"We could set up a special war crime tribunal according to the International Crimes Tribunals Act 1973."

Bangladesh's newly elected Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who led her party to a landslide parliamentary election victory last month, has already said her government is "pledge-bound" to put war criminals on trial.

A private War Crimes Fact Finding Committee has recently unveiled a list of 1,597 people it alleges to be war criminals, including the top leaders of the country's largest Islamic party, Jamaat-e-Islami.

Law Minister Ahmed said he hoped the trials would be finished by the end of the government's tenure.


Bangladesh moves to try war criminals
 
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Jamaat is always known as a traitor party in Bangladesh and it will remain in the same way...because what they did in '71 will never be forgotten...
my father was a freedom fighter and he told me many things about it...
Many present leaders of Jamaat including Nizami are known as traitors in Bangladesh...they slaughtered many Bengalis including Freedom Fighters and raped many innocent woman......So, I dont wanna call them Muslims...
If you ever come to Bangladesh and visit the "Liberation War Museum" you'll get many solid proves against it...
My above mentioned statement is not the expression of hate against Pakistan, but, telling the truth...

Now my **** friends understand why India had to get involved in 71.

Now as two mature independent nation you can have the type of relations that you want. I wish the people of Bangladesh for completing a democratic process sucessfully....wish you peace and harmony.
 
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It didn't take even a month for my prediction to become true. As I said that UN or special tribunal would be created to try JI leaders by providing phony evidences just to manipulate trial to get pre-arranged verdict against them, criminal RAWAMY LEAGUERS just wished to do that. There was no rule for Muslim sympathizers besides might was right and once again it hinted to become true.

I dont find any reason for your concern... If they committed crimes they will be found guilty.. if not they dont have anything to worry about.. God bless everybody...
:cheers:
Thanks
 
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^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

AL must make sure that "Rajakar"s within Awami League should not go unpunished.There's one MP from Patuakhali,correct me if I am wrong,who was a Rajakar.
Let's hope we will get rid of these war criminals this time.
 
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get it done with it quick and fast and bring an end to this issue.tired and sick of it.
anyways textbooks in some schools show Zillur Rahman as the President of the country.
hmm.....student clashes this and that, significant rise in corruption we will definitely take back the crown of corruption this time.
 
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