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NATION CRAWLS TOWARD ‘CONSTITUTIONAL CRISIS’
Parliament, not judiciary, is empowered to change Constitution
M. Shahidul Islam
The fundamental principle of parliamentary sovereignty is that it has the exclusive right to make or unmake laws, and, no other person is recognized by the law of the land as having any right to override or set aside the legislation of the parliament.
Yet, our Attorney General (AG) said on January 4 that the Fifth Amendment to the Constitution is no more effective since the Supreme Court (SC) Appellate Division allowed on January 3 the withdrawal by the government (and the Muktijoddha Kalyan Trust) of the two leave to appeal petitions against the HC verdict of August 29, 2005 that had declared illegal the concerned amendment to the Constitution...[ FULL STORY ]
NO OLIVE BRANCH FOR B.N.P.
President’s partisan speech disappoints people
Faisal Rahim
President Zillur Rahman last week addressed the New Year's first session of Parliament with the call to the nation to shun confrontational politics and culture of violence.
It is essential, he said, to bring about a change in the country's political landscape and help realise the people's dream of creating a prosperous nation. But in making the statement the president did not air the expectations of the nation as he could not rise above his party politics.
The president is the head of the state but his address in the floor seemed to be a partisan speech. Analysts say this speech could have opened up the scope of understanding between the ruling Awami League (AL) and the Opposition BNP especially at a time when it is boycotting Parliament blaming the government for this situation...[ FULL STORY ]
Security dimension of Indo-Bangla summit
Sadeq Khan
The Indian establishment has always taken pride and pains to keep its intelligentia briefed and tuned a 'security state'. Over the years, its democratic practices became progressively liberalized by the rise of diverse regional parties and lower caste power in the federated state that challenged the regimentation of national leadership at the union level. Its security practices, on the other hand, progressively shed vestiges of transparency and accountability under the regimentation of an entrenched bureaucracy, interacting with its military and its technocracy. The 'security state' continued to dictate Indian policies as it emerged from Cold War fortifications to tag along with the sole superpower as an Asian watchdog in the global 'war on terror'. As India by its own merit earned a global status as a fast-growing giant economy the 'security state' was also being promoted to earn recognition as a global player...[ FULL STORY ]
2010 to face politics of confrontation
Abdur Rahman Khan
The year 2010 began with no sign of harmony and common political consensus on major national issues.
On the very first day of the new year, the Leader of the Opposition Begum Khaleda Zia announced at the founding anniversary rally of BNP's student front at Paltan Maidan that she was ready to offer roses of cooperation to government provided that the government served the interest of the people and the country.
She, however, proposed the other option to offer thorns of non-cooperation if the government continued to act whimsically andagainst the interest of the nation.. She also accused the government failing to keep its election promises to bring welfare to the people, contain the price hike of essentials commodities, and maintaining the law and order...[ FULL STORY ]
Delhi seems to soft-pedal Maoists’ anti-India hype, sending FM
Shamsuddin Ahmed
New Delhi has decided to send Foreign Minister SM Krishna to troubled Nepal ostensibly to assuage the feeling of and assured support to the Maoist leaders. The Maoists had enjoyed the hospitality of India during their decade long insurgency. Krishna is scheduled to land in Kathmandu, ironically amidst anti-Indian hype launched by the UCPN (Maoist) in its fourth phase of agitation. The ultimate objective of pulling down the UML led coalition government which is branded as pro-India. Indian Army Chief is also scheduled to visit Nepal on January 22 when he will be conferred Honorary General of the Nepal Army...[ FULL STORY ]
India’s concern about difficult neighbours
Special Correspondent
In a year-end review of the foreign policy and India's relations with its neigbours, External Affairs Minister S M Krishna said, "India lives in a difficult neighbourhood" and national security threats and terrorism originating from "across our borders" would remain a major challenge in 2010.
In an exclusive interview with the Press Trust of India (PTI), he touched upon the troubled ties with Pakistan, relations with China and his optimism about "meaningful cooperation" from the US in regard to cases of two terror suspects — David Headley and Tahawwur Rana — arrested there for plotting terror attacks in India.
Taking exception to China's involvement in several projects in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), India Today described it as "illegal" and said it has conveyed its concern over this as well as supply of Chinese weapons to Pakistan...[ FULL STORY ]
INDO-BANGLA CONUNDRUM
Unless Delhi becomes ambitious, both can benefit
James Lamont of the prestigious 'Financial Times' wrote in an article datelined New Delhi on Jan 3, that people in the far eastern Indian states are becoming envious of the fast paced development their compatriots are enjoying across the border in China. He quotes Mani Shankar Ayar, a former minister in India, as saying that in the last six decades the northeast had been "transformed from the second richest part of British India to the laggard region it is today".
The situation in India is fast becoming like that of pre-1971 Pakistan. Concentrating development in the western part of the country has created an economic imbalance that is now making the inhabitants of the northeast wonder if they haven't made a mistake by joining "secular" India. Unfortunately there is nothing that India can do to stem the rapid development and rise in the standard of living of the people across to border in China. This will definitely stoke the fire that has been kindling in the region for decades and India neither has the infrastructure nor the resources to bring about a rapid change in the fortune of the people of that region...[ FULL STORY ]
Sir Frank greets Sir Fazle
Sir, I wish to offer my heartiest and profoundest congratulations to Fazle Hasan Abed of Brac on the announcement by Buckingham Palace that he will be conferred a knighthood (Knight Commander) by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in recognition of his most noble services to the poor, deprived, disadvantaged and disposed, of Bangladesh and elsewhere...[ FULL STORY ]
An open letter to Manmohan Singh
Dr. Habib Siddiqui
Dear Mr. Singh, thanks for the opportunity you have provided to discuss the bilateral relationship between our two neighbouring countries. As you know, this relationship between our two countries is shaped not only by geography, history, culture and economics but also by geopolitics. We, in Bangladesh, are mindful of India’s timely assistance during our nine-month long Liberation War that witnessed genocide of our people and exodus of millions of refugees into India. We also remember the sacrifice of many Indian soldiers, who laid down their lives so that we could be free and independent. On behalf of 150 million Bangladeshis, let me take this opportunity to express my deep gratitude to the Indian government and its people for all that they did, endured and sacrificed so that Bangladesh could become a reality in the global arena. Thank you...[ FULL STORY ]
IMPASSE CAN BE SOLVED AMICABLY
AL appeasing India ignoring national interests
Abdur Rahman Khan
The BNP is willing to join the parliament because it believes in an effective parliament under a participatory democracy and multi-party system. BNP also AL wants that the ruling Awami League must come forward with a friendly attitude and create a congenial atmosphere to get cooperation from the Opposition.
“The present impasse could be resolved by talking directly to the Leader of the Opposition Begum Khaleda Zia”, said BNP’s Senior Joint Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir...[ FULL STORY ]
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