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Floating new political parties
Corruption, patronising godfathers
will haunt future leadership
Shamsuddin Ahmed
Two distinct moves are on to float new political parties. One by Gano Forum President Dr Kamal Hossain and the other by BNP breakaway group leader Ferdous Ahmed Qureshi... [ FULL STORY ]
Jumbo budget biased to neo-liberal policy
Asjadul Kibria
Over the years, budget-making in Bangladesh has been significantly influenced by the neo-liberal economic policy-a set of agendas that promotes free trade and open market with drastic reduction of the state's role in economic activities... [ FULL STORY ]
Nuke issue impedes Indo-US ties
WSJ derides custodial deaths, jailing of 2 lakh people, polls delay in Bangladesh
Fazle Rashid in New York
The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) in a front page story on Bangladesh that covered almost a whole page under the heading "Army Takeover in Bangladesh Stalls Key Muslim Democracy" with sub-heading "US, UN-backed move to prevent flawed vote; mass jailing in Dhaka", said that the army-backed Caretaker Government is back-pedalling on its pledge to organise a quick and clean vote. The WSJ was critical of jailing an estimated 200,000 people. It also said Human Rights groups alleged that people arrested in the middle of the night have been tortured to death... [ FULL STORY ]
'No representation, no taxation'
Hasina's desperate battle
cry stems from vulnerability
Sadeq Khan
Sheikh Hasina has thrown a veritable challenge to the caretaker government. She has coined the battle-cry, no representation no taxation, and challenged the legality of promulgation of a full-scale budget by decree. She said the caretaker government was entitled to work out and enact only a provisional finance bill and budget, as was done in 1996 to cover up the gap of two months after expiry of the budget year and the ensuing of successor parliament. She said the Constitution requires every budget to be passed by people's representatives... [ FULL STORY ]
Lawsuits galore to demolish
politicians' public image
Special Correspondent
Many eyebrows continue to be raised as scores of criminal and extortion cases have been filed against the country's prominent leaders from both sides of the political divide --- Awami League and BNP. It is apparent that most of the complainants are now taking the chance of revenge against certain politicians to demolish their public image... [ FULL STORY ]
Elusive budgetary expectations
Economic afflictions warrant unconventional remedies
M Shahidul Islam
The nation is witnessing the first-ever full-year budget declaration by an interim government. A budget being the tentative roadmap (or blueprint) of the real and predicted earnings and expenditures of the government, the upheavals spurred by the imposition of emergency and the vagaries relating to global geopolitics have made the task of making a balanced and realistic budget for 2007-2008 much more difficult...[ FULL STORY ]
Colombo's ex-army, air chiefs
decry Indian advice
Sunil Jayasiri
Former commanders of Sri Lankan Army and Air Force came down hard on India last Friday over comments made by the Indian National Security Adviser that Sri Lanka should not seek weapons from Pakistan or China... [ FULL STORY ]
Charade, masquerade and parade
Mumtaz Iqbal
Perform or perish is the iron logic of survival for state and non-state actors. This means understanding one's operating environment and adapting appropriately when it changes... [ FULL STORY ]
Glimpses of the Great
President Rodham?
K Z Islam
Throughout the Clinton's White House years, Hillary drew ridicule for her constantly changing hairstyle. One day she sported a flip, next day a French twist, then a ponytail, followed by a pouf or perhaps a bob. Short hair, long hair, blonde hair, brown hair; natural or highlighted, straight or curly - Hillary's ever-changing styles made her look a little fickle, but the eccentricity did the Clintons no great harm - until she faced the challenge of selling herself, not her husband, to the voters. She didn't look professional, didn't look like a serious candidate. She needed to look like a senator - and a senator from New York, not Arkansas. She needed a consistent image. Her handlers understood the urgency of stabilising her looks. So, they came up with an acceptable new hairdo that would be seen every day. Since 1999, Hillary has always worn an attractive, stable, short, blonde bob. No more bad hair days, ever... [ FULL STORY ]
Road to democracy: Tough and uneven
A. K. Faezul Huq
Barrister Mainul Hosein, the learned adviser for law, perhaps became too emotional [and somewhat absent-minded too] the other day when he told the waiting media people that "the present interim government had the mandate of the people." That was something which really did not make any sense to me and, certainly, to many others like me. Let us face the facts boldly and sincerely. We have a non-party, interim government in place now, which is also a non-elected outfit without any mandate from the people whatsoever. No problem as such... [ FULL STORY ]
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