Policy Summit of the Govt.
Government Mulling Policy Summit of Politicians
The caretaker government will organize a policy summit with the top political leaders of the country on three cardinal issues:
1. Investment Growth
2. Administrative Reforms
3. Education
In the run-up to the December polls, the proposed summit will take place in the later part of November.
On September 17 Commerce Advisor Hossain Zillur Rahman unveiled the plan of the caretaker government. Following the 1/11 changeover amid a political crisis over election issue, the present caretaker government has done massive reforms that will need ratification.
He, however, said the government will not provide any guideline on the issues. Rather, the government will expect political parties to share their views on the issues in the summit meet so that the next elected government could easily deal with the matters.
“Actually our plan is to engage the top political leaders in the summit so that they could give the guidelines for the next government. Next elected government will have to face a lot of challenges, particularly in dealing with investment, administrative reforms and education. We want to leave the things forward for the next government,” Zillur Rahman told reporters after a meeting on Chittagong regional development at the commerce ministry.
Criticism
Leaders of major political parties including BNP, Jatiya Party (JP), Jamaat-e-Islami, Workers Party of Bangladesh and Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB) rejected the government proposed policy summit.
Awami League (AL) welcomed the move but cast doubt on the success of the summit likrly to be held only a month before the December national polls. AL acting president Zillur Rahman said his party might boycott the summit if Jamaat attends it. The AL leader said those in a meeting with former AL lawmaker Ali Reza Raju at his Gulshan home in the capital.
AL presidium member Tofail Ahmed, however, termed the idea of policy summit impractical. The government should not do any more experiment as the national election is scheduled for December, he said. An elected government should decide how the country would be run after the election, he added.
MK Anwar, BNP vice president, said that the government should not go for any further ‘adventure’. “It is the elected party or the alliance, who will determine how the country will run,” he said, adding that every party has their own policies on how they will run the country once they assume power.
JP acting Chairman Anisul Islam Mahmud said, “Of course there could be a discussion among political parties but there is no environment to hold such summit ahead of the parliamentary polls. The parliament should decide on the matter in parliament through discussion, not the caretaker government.”
Workers Party President Rashed Khan Menon said the caretaker government is not supposed to organize this kind of summit. “Every day they are talking about new ideas and plans which are beyond their jurisdiction and the policy summit is their latest idea,” he said.
CPB President manjurul Ahsan Khan termed the government’s plan a new conspiracy to stay in power for longer.
JP (Manju) Secretary General Sheikh Shahidul Islam in a statement termed the government plan irrational and asked the government to concentrate on holding a free, fare and credible national election.
Jamaat Senior Assistant Secretary General Muhammad Qamaruzzaman said, “The caretaker government is not a position to carry the load of organizing this kind of summit. Even the agenda of the policy summit is not clear.” He, however, said they are not against the holding this kind of summit.
Meanwhile, AL acting President Zillur Rahman welcomed the initiatives of barrister Rafique-ul-Haque, who defended former premiers Sheikh Hasina and Khaleda Zia in court, to persuade the two leaders to sit together.
The final decision on the matter would be made after Hasina’s return from the US, he said.
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Sheikh Hasina
Sheikh Hasina, (b.1947-) was the Prime Minister of Bangladesh (1996-2001). Sheikh Hasina was born on 28 September 1947 at her parental home at Tungipara in Gopalganj district. She is the eldest among the five children of Bangabandhu sheikh mujibur rahman.
After her schooling at Azimpur Girls' High School (1965), she completed her higher secondary education at Government Intermediate College (currently Badrunnesa Government College for Women) in 1967 and graduated from the University of Dhaka in 1973. While at Government Intermediate College, she was elected vice president of the College Students Union for the term 1966-67. Hasina got married to Dr MA Wazed Miah, a nuclear scientist, in 1968.
Sheikh Hasina
Sheikh Hasina was a member of the Dhaka University unit of Chhatra League and secretary of the Rokeya Hall unit. Though she took active interest in politics and political movements throughout her student life, Hashina joined politics formally as a leader of the awami league after the assassination of her father, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
While living in self-exile with her husband in New Delhi, Sheikh Hasina was elected the president of Bangladesh Awami League in 1981, and since then she has been the president of the party. In 1983, Hasina formed the 15-party alliance to launch a movement to oust the military dictator, hussain muhammad ershad from power. In the parliamentary elections of 1986, she was elected from 3 constituencies and became the leader of the opposition in the jatiya sangsad.
In 1990, Sheikh Hasina's 8-party alliance participated with other opposition alliances in organising the mass movement that dislodged Ershad from power. Ershad was forced to hand over power to a neutral caretaker government according to the formula imposed on him by the alliances. In the election that followed in February 1991, Awami League emerged as the second largest party in Sangsad and Sheikh Hasina was duly elected leader of the opposition. She played a significant role in forging a parliamentary consensus for the 12th Amendment to the constitution in August 1991 introducing parliamentary system of government in the country.
In 1994, Sheikh Hasina organised her party to launch a movement with a view to persuading the government to introduce a constitutionally non-party caretaker government so as to ensure free and fair elections. It was a unique political concept not only for Bangladesh but for all countries having parliamentary democracies. She could impress upon other opposition parties, including the jatiya party and the jamaat-e-islami bangladesh to join the movement. In the long run, the bangladesh nationalist party government was persuaded to accept the concept and bring the 13th amendment to the constitution in the sixth Jatiya Sangsad (March 1996) providing for a non-party caretaker government.
The parliamentary elections of 12 June 1996 were held under the caretaker government headed by Mr. Justice Muhammad Habibur Rahman. In the elections, the Awami League emerged as the single majority party, and Sheikh Hasina became the Prime Minister of Bangladesh on 23 June 1996. Her government was formed with the support from some other parties.
Sheikh Hasina's administration (1996-2001) was marked by the 30-year ganges water sharing Treaty with India in November 1996, signing of the chittagong hill tracts peace accord in December 1997, achieving considerable success in increasing foodgrain production, improving bilateral relations with many countries, completing the Jamuna Bridge which her government named bangabandhu jamuna multipurpose bridge, and so on.
While prime minister, she had received several honoris causas from various institutions and universities of the world as a mark of her esteem as a public leader.
In the eighth parliamentary elections held on 1 October 2001, Sheikh Hasina's Awami League won only 62 seats as against the two-third majority of the BNP-led 4-party alliance. Sheikh Hasina was duly elected the leader of the opposition.
Sheikh Hasina has authored many books, which include: Ora Tokai Keno (1988), Bangladeshey Svairatantrer Janma (1993), Samarik-tantra Banam Ganatantra (1994), People and Democracy (1997), Amar Swapna Amar Sangram (1997), Bangladesh Jatiya Sangsadey Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman (1998), Bipanna Ganatantra Lanchhita Manabata (2002).
After her schooling at Azimpur Girls' High School (1965), she completed her higher secondary education at Government Intermediate College (currently Badrunnesa Government College for Women) in 1967 and graduated from the University of Dhaka in 1973. While at Government Intermediate College, she was elected vice president of the College Students Union for the term 1966-67. Hasina got married to Dr MA Wazed Miah, a nuclear scientist, in 1968.
Sheikh Hasina
Sheikh Hasina was a member of the Dhaka University unit of Chhatra League and secretary of the Rokeya Hall unit. Though she took active interest in politics and political movements throughout her student life, Hashina joined politics formally as a leader of the awami league after the assassination of her father, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
While living in self-exile with her husband in New Delhi, Sheikh Hasina was elected the president of Bangladesh Awami League in 1981, and since then she has been the president of the party. In 1983, Hasina formed the 15-party alliance to launch a movement to oust the military dictator, hussain muhammad ershad from power. In the parliamentary elections of 1986, she was elected from 3 constituencies and became the leader of the opposition in the jatiya sangsad.
In 1990, Sheikh Hasina's 8-party alliance participated with other opposition alliances in organising the mass movement that dislodged Ershad from power. Ershad was forced to hand over power to a neutral caretaker government according to the formula imposed on him by the alliances. In the election that followed in February 1991, Awami League emerged as the second largest party in Sangsad and Sheikh Hasina was duly elected leader of the opposition. She played a significant role in forging a parliamentary consensus for the 12th Amendment to the constitution in August 1991 introducing parliamentary system of government in the country.
In 1994, Sheikh Hasina organised her party to launch a movement with a view to persuading the government to introduce a constitutionally non-party caretaker government so as to ensure free and fair elections. It was a unique political concept not only for Bangladesh but for all countries having parliamentary democracies. She could impress upon other opposition parties, including the jatiya party and the jamaat-e-islami bangladesh to join the movement. In the long run, the bangladesh nationalist party government was persuaded to accept the concept and bring the 13th amendment to the constitution in the sixth Jatiya Sangsad (March 1996) providing for a non-party caretaker government.
The parliamentary elections of 12 June 1996 were held under the caretaker government headed by Mr. Justice Muhammad Habibur Rahman. In the elections, the Awami League emerged as the single majority party, and Sheikh Hasina became the Prime Minister of Bangladesh on 23 June 1996. Her government was formed with the support from some other parties.
Sheikh Hasina's administration (1996-2001) was marked by the 30-year ganges water sharing Treaty with India in November 1996, signing of the chittagong hill tracts peace accord in December 1997, achieving considerable success in increasing foodgrain production, improving bilateral relations with many countries, completing the Jamuna Bridge which her government named bangabandhu jamuna multipurpose bridge, and so on.
While prime minister, she had received several honoris causas from various institutions and universities of the world as a mark of her esteem as a public leader.
In the eighth parliamentary elections held on 1 October 2001, Sheikh Hasina's Awami League won only 62 seats as against the two-third majority of the BNP-led 4-party alliance. Sheikh Hasina was duly elected the leader of the opposition.
Sheikh Hasina has authored many books, which include: Ora Tokai Keno (1988), Bangladeshey Svairatantrer Janma (1993), Samarik-tantra Banam Ganatantra (1994), People and Democracy (1997), Amar Swapna Amar Sangram (1997), Bangladesh Jatiya Sangsadey Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman (1998), Bipanna Ganatantra Lanchhita Manabata (2002).
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, (born March 17, 1920, Tungipara, Gopalgonj, died August 15, 1975, Dacca, Bangladesh) also called Sheikh Mujib Bengali leader and first prime minister (1972–75) and later president (1975) of Bangladesh.
Mujib, the son of a middle-class landowner, studied law and political science at the Universities of Calcutta and Dacca. Although jailed briefly as a teenager for agitating for Indian independence, he began his formal political career as a cofounder of the Awami League in 1949. The league advocated political autonomy for East Pakistan, the detached eastern part of the nation of Pakistan. Mujib's arrest in the late 1960s incited mob violence that eroded the Pakistani president's authority in East Pakistan. In the elections of December 1970, Mujib's Awami League secured a majority of the seats in the National Assembly, and Mujib demanded independence for East Pakistan. Troops from West Pakistan were sent to regain control of the eastern province but were defeated with the help of India. East Pakistan, renamed Bangladesh, was proclaimed an independent republic in 1971, and in January 1972 Mujib, recently released from prison, became the country's first prime minister. With increasing problems, Mujib took tighter control and assumed the presidency in January 1975. He, along with most of his family, was killed in a coup d'état just seven months later. His daughter, Sheikh Hasina Wazed, who was out of the country at the time of the overthrow, served as prime minister of Bangladesh from 1996 to 2001.
Mujib, the son of a middle-class landowner, studied law and political science at the Universities of Calcutta and Dacca. Although jailed briefly as a teenager for agitating for Indian independence, he began his formal political career as a cofounder of the Awami League in 1949. The league advocated political autonomy for East Pakistan, the detached eastern part of the nation of Pakistan. Mujib's arrest in the late 1960s incited mob violence that eroded the Pakistani president's authority in East Pakistan. In the elections of December 1970, Mujib's Awami League secured a majority of the seats in the National Assembly, and Mujib demanded independence for East Pakistan. Troops from West Pakistan were sent to regain control of the eastern province but were defeated with the help of India. East Pakistan, renamed Bangladesh, was proclaimed an independent republic in 1971, and in January 1972 Mujib, recently released from prison, became the country's first prime minister. With increasing problems, Mujib took tighter control and assumed the presidency in January 1975. He, along with most of his family, was killed in a coup d'état just seven months later. His daughter, Sheikh Hasina Wazed, who was out of the country at the time of the overthrow, served as prime minister of Bangladesh from 1996 to 2001.
Syed Ashraful Islam
Syed Ashraful Islam is the Acting General Secretary of Awami League, one of the oldest and biggest political party of Bangladesh.
01 Sept 2008: after the meeting of the Awami League Working Committee he said to the press “the long-awaited parliamentary polls must be arranged in November, as the Election Commission’s preparation is going to be completed by this time. Awami League Working Committee (ALWC) has taken a decision that the party will take part in the parliamentary polls only under the leadership of Sheikh Hasina.” [Courtesy: the daily star]
01 Sept 2008: after the meeting of the Awami League Working Committee he said to the press “the long-awaited parliamentary polls must be arranged in November, as the Election Commission’s preparation is going to be completed by this time. Awami League Working Committee (ALWC) has taken a decision that the party will take part in the parliamentary polls only under the leadership of Sheikh Hasina.” [Courtesy: the daily star]
Tarique Rahman
Tarique Rahman is the Joint Senior Secretary General of Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP). He is the eldest son of former President Ziaur Rahman and former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia.
01 Sept 2008: the Supreme Court declined to stay the High Court orders granting bail to him in six cases. [Courtesy: the daily star]
01 Sept 2008: the Supreme Court declined to stay the High Court orders granting bail to him in six cases. [Courtesy: the daily star]
Begum Khaleda Zia
Begum Khaleda Zia
Begum Khaleda Zia, (1945- ) was the Prime Minister of Bangladesh (1991-1996, 2001- 2007) and the chairperson of bangladesh nationalist party. Begum Khaleda Zia was born on 15 August 1945 at Dinajpur town, where her father Iskandar Majumdar, who hailed from Fulghazi thana of Feni district, was a resident businessman. After the partition of India in 1947, Majumdar left his tea-business at Jalpaiguri of India and settled at Dinajpur. Khaleda Zia attended Dinajpur Missionary School and did her matriculation from Dinajpur Girls' School in 1960.
In the same year, she was married to the then Captain ziaur rahman, who later became the country's president. Khaleda Zia continued her education at Surendranath College of Dinajpur until 1965, when she went to West Pakistan to join her husband.
At the start of the war of liberation in March 1971, Ziaur Rahman proclaimed independence from the local radio station. Later, the government of Bangladesh in exile made him commander of the 'Z'-force.
The Pakistan occupation army arrested Begum Zia and she was freed after Bangladesh achieved victory on 16 December 1971. After the brutal assassination of President Ziaur Rahman on 30 May 1981, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) faced great crisis. Justice Abdus Sattar, the new chairman of BNP and also the new President of Bangladesh was ousted from the presidency by a military coup staged by the then army chief General hussain muhammad ershad who proclaimed Martial Law on 24 March 1982.
At that time, many BNP leaders left the party and joined the military government. At this critical juncture, Khaleda Zia became the vice-president of BNP and on 10 May 1984, she was elected its chairperson.
Under the leadership of Begum Zia, BNP formed a 7-party alliance in 1983 and launched a relentless struggle against the autocratic regime of General Ershad. During the 9-year-long struggle against Ershad, Begum Zia did not compromise with his autocratic and illegitimate government. For her strict adherence to the principles, the government restricted her movements by using prohibitive laws. She was detained seven times in eight years. But undaunted, Begum Zia continued to provide leadership in the movement for ousting Ershad.
In the face of a mass upsurge spearheaded by alliances led by Begum Zia and Sheikh Hasina, Ershad at last handed over power to a neutral caretaker government on 6 December 1990. In the parliamentary elections held under this government on 27 February 1991, Bangladesh Nationalist Party emerged victorious as a single majority party. Begum Zia contested from five constituencies in three consecutive parliamentary elections and won in all seats. This of course, is a unique feat in the history of elections in the country.
On 20 March 1991, Begum Zia was sworn-in as the first woman prime minister of the country. She piloted the historic 12th constitutional amendment bill that was passed in the Jatiya Sangsad (parliament) on 6 August 1991 to reintroduce the parliamentary form of government in place of the presidential. Begum Khaleda Zia took oath as the prime minister under the new system on 19 September 1991.
While in power, Begum Zia's government made considerable progress in the education sector, including introduction of free and compulsory primary education, tuition-free education for girls up to class ten, stipend for female students and the Food for Education programme. It also goes to the credit of her government that during this period, the tree plantation had become a nationwide social movement. Further, it was in this period. That the construction of the Jamuna Bridge was begun. Khaleda Zia played a commendable role in revitalising the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation.
Begum Zia became the prime minister for a second consecutive term after BNP emerged victorious in the general elections for the 6th Jatiya Sangsad on 15 February 1996. All major political parties, however, had boycotted the elections. Their demand was to make amendment to the Constitution for making the provision for a neutral caretaker government for conducting national elections. To meet the demands, the 6th Jatiya Sangsad made the 13th amendment to the constitution, after which the parliament was dissolved and Begum Zia handed over power to a caretaker administration on 30 March 1996. In the polls that followed on 12 June 1996, BNP was narrowly defeated by the awami league.
During the period of Awami League government in 1996-2001, Begum Khaleda Zia worked hard as a strong Leader of the Opposition in parliament. In the national elections held under a neutral caretaker government on 1 October 2001, the BNP-led four-party alliance won more than two-thirds of the seats in Parliament. On 10 October 2001, Begum Khaleda Zia was sworn-in as the country's prime minister for the third time.
Begum Khaleda Zia, (1945- ) was the Prime Minister of Bangladesh (1991-1996, 2001- 2007) and the chairperson of bangladesh nationalist party. Begum Khaleda Zia was born on 15 August 1945 at Dinajpur town, where her father Iskandar Majumdar, who hailed from Fulghazi thana of Feni district, was a resident businessman. After the partition of India in 1947, Majumdar left his tea-business at Jalpaiguri of India and settled at Dinajpur. Khaleda Zia attended Dinajpur Missionary School and did her matriculation from Dinajpur Girls' School in 1960.
In the same year, she was married to the then Captain ziaur rahman, who later became the country's president. Khaleda Zia continued her education at Surendranath College of Dinajpur until 1965, when she went to West Pakistan to join her husband.
At the start of the war of liberation in March 1971, Ziaur Rahman proclaimed independence from the local radio station. Later, the government of Bangladesh in exile made him commander of the 'Z'-force.
The Pakistan occupation army arrested Begum Zia and she was freed after Bangladesh achieved victory on 16 December 1971. After the brutal assassination of President Ziaur Rahman on 30 May 1981, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) faced great crisis. Justice Abdus Sattar, the new chairman of BNP and also the new President of Bangladesh was ousted from the presidency by a military coup staged by the then army chief General hussain muhammad ershad who proclaimed Martial Law on 24 March 1982.
At that time, many BNP leaders left the party and joined the military government. At this critical juncture, Khaleda Zia became the vice-president of BNP and on 10 May 1984, she was elected its chairperson.
Under the leadership of Begum Zia, BNP formed a 7-party alliance in 1983 and launched a relentless struggle against the autocratic regime of General Ershad. During the 9-year-long struggle against Ershad, Begum Zia did not compromise with his autocratic and illegitimate government. For her strict adherence to the principles, the government restricted her movements by using prohibitive laws. She was detained seven times in eight years. But undaunted, Begum Zia continued to provide leadership in the movement for ousting Ershad.
In the face of a mass upsurge spearheaded by alliances led by Begum Zia and Sheikh Hasina, Ershad at last handed over power to a neutral caretaker government on 6 December 1990. In the parliamentary elections held under this government on 27 February 1991, Bangladesh Nationalist Party emerged victorious as a single majority party. Begum Zia contested from five constituencies in three consecutive parliamentary elections and won in all seats. This of course, is a unique feat in the history of elections in the country.
On 20 March 1991, Begum Zia was sworn-in as the first woman prime minister of the country. She piloted the historic 12th constitutional amendment bill that was passed in the Jatiya Sangsad (parliament) on 6 August 1991 to reintroduce the parliamentary form of government in place of the presidential. Begum Khaleda Zia took oath as the prime minister under the new system on 19 September 1991.
While in power, Begum Zia's government made considerable progress in the education sector, including introduction of free and compulsory primary education, tuition-free education for girls up to class ten, stipend for female students and the Food for Education programme. It also goes to the credit of her government that during this period, the tree plantation had become a nationwide social movement. Further, it was in this period. That the construction of the Jamuna Bridge was begun. Khaleda Zia played a commendable role in revitalising the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation.
Begum Zia became the prime minister for a second consecutive term after BNP emerged victorious in the general elections for the 6th Jatiya Sangsad on 15 February 1996. All major political parties, however, had boycotted the elections. Their demand was to make amendment to the Constitution for making the provision for a neutral caretaker government for conducting national elections. To meet the demands, the 6th Jatiya Sangsad made the 13th amendment to the constitution, after which the parliament was dissolved and Begum Zia handed over power to a caretaker administration on 30 March 1996. In the polls that followed on 12 June 1996, BNP was narrowly defeated by the awami league.
During the period of Awami League government in 1996-2001, Begum Khaleda Zia worked hard as a strong Leader of the Opposition in parliament. In the national elections held under a neutral caretaker government on 1 October 2001, the BNP-led four-party alliance won more than two-thirds of the seats in Parliament. On 10 October 2001, Begum Khaleda Zia was sworn-in as the country's prime minister for the third time.
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