Weak democratic institutions, deeply polarised political parties, corruption and ambiguous government behaviour to the civil society are the major challenges of Bangladesh, says US ambassador-designate to Bangladesh Dan W Mozena. In a hearing at the US Senate Wednesday, he in his written testimony said, “The nation is threatened by natural disasters and rising seas [...]

  “No sudden change is going to happen in Bangladesh,” former President Hussain Muhammad Ershad told Abdul Gaffar Choudhury on July 12 in London. Talking with the eminent writer and columnist Ershad also told him, “Sheikh Hasina is well protected now, not only by God, but by the present political situation, both national and international. [...]

  Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday said that the government would not interfere in any election of the country. “Election Commission will arrange and operate the elections. Election Commission is independent. The commission would be further strengthened,” she said. The premier made the remarks when outgoing British High Commissioner Stephen Evans paid a farewell [...]

  Reiterating that BNP will not participate in any general election under a partisan government, the party’s Chairperson Khaleda Zia yesterday said an election without her party’s participation will not be acceptable, and will not be allowed without a caretaker government. “Participation of just Hasina and Ershad will not make any election acceptable,” she said [...]

  Parliament yesterday abolished the caretaker government system allowing general elections under elected partisan governments, with the main opposition BNP terming it “throwing the country into a political confrontation”. Islam’s status as the state religion was retained and the Arabic phrase “Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim” with its translation “In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the [...]

  The constitutional amendment proposals had to ‘overlook’ certain issues for the ‘greater good’. Co-chair of the erstwhile special parliamentary body to review the charter, Suranjit Sengupta said that issues like Bismillah, state religion and religion-based politics had to be ignored. Also chairman of the parliamentary standing committee on law ministry, Suranjit said he had [...]

  The Awami League-led government placed the much-talked-about constitution amendment bill in parliament yesterday proposing some major changes, including scrapping of the provisions for caretaker government system. The bill was yesterday sent to the parliamentary standing committee on the law, justice and parliamentary affairs ministry for scrutiny. The committee will place a report in parliament [...]