Saudi Ministry of Education to showcase innovations at 2025 Geneva International Exhibition    7,523 violators of residency, labor, and border security laws deported in a week    Video contradicts Israeli army account of deadly March 23 strike on Gaza paramedics    Saudi Arabia spends over $241 million to implement de-mining projects in 3 countries    Italy's Meloni government approves controversial security decree expanding police protections and penalties    Egypt submits new Gaza ceasefire and prisoner exchange proposal: Report    'Everything is possible' — Ronaldo focused on titles, not 1,000-goal milestone after Riyadh Derby win    Saudi, US military leaders discuss enhanced defense cooperation in Riyadh    King Salman Global Academy for Arabic Language launches program with Indiana University    Ronaldo brace powers Al Nassr past Al Hilal in Riyadh derby thriller    Ed Sheeran weaves Persian music into new song, Azizam    Al-Jadaan: Crown Prince's directives confirm government's ability to bring back balance to real estate market    Veteran Bollywood actor Manoj Kumar dies at 87    Foreign investors are allowed to engage in real estate business outside Makkah and Madinah Commercial speculation should not be the purpose of real estate transaction    Aubameyang fires Al Qadsiah into King's Cup final with stoppage-time winner over Al Raed    Musk's X is suing India, as Tesla and Starlink plan entry    Tesla sales plunge after backlash against Elon Musk    Danilo Pereira fires Al Ittihad into King's Cup final with dramatic stoppage-time double    Screen time in bed linked to insomnia, study finds    Mexico bans junk food in schools to fight childhood obesity epidemic    Sweet sales surge ahead of Eid as Saudi chocolate imports top 123 million kg in 2024    Bollywood actress vindicated over boyfriend's death after media hounding    Grand Mufti rules against posting prayers and preaching in mosques on social media    King Salman prays for peace and stability for Palestinians in Ramadan message King reaffirms Saudi Arabia's commitment to serving the Two Holy Mosques and pilgrims    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Bangla parties invited for poll talks
Published in The Saudi Gazette on 15 - 05 - 2008

Bangladesh's interim government invited political parties for talks on elections planned for December, while pressing on with the prosecution of two detained former prime ministers.
Supporters of ex-prime ministers Begum Khaleda Zia and Sheikh Hasina have been demanding their release ahead of the polls, but the army-backed interim administration has said the law will take its own course and that the conduct of elections was not linked with the trials of the leaders.
“We have started inviting party leaders,” Fahim Munaim, chief spokesman for leader of the interim administration Fakhruddin Ahmad said.
The talks will cover election details, preparations and security concerns, officials said.
Hasina's Awami League and Khaleda's Bangladesh Nationalist Party – the nation's two main parties – say talks with the government and the election commission on the elections were pointless without the participation of their leaders.
But leaders of smaller groups said they will attend the talks so that elections could be held on time. “Otherwise the country is likely to plunge into a worse crisis than it faced before,” said Ferdous Ahmed Koraishy of the Progressive Democratic Party.
Both Hasina and Khaleda, who have been under detention since last year, face a range of corruption cases and abuse of power.
On Wednesday, a court ordered Hasina to appear next week over corruption charges involving a Canadian oil exploration company.
Khaleda has also been charged with underhand dealings with the same Canadian firm.
Both leaders deny the charges Khaleda's BNP held consultations on Tuesday night following interim leader Fakhruddin's announcement on Monday that a new parliament would be elected in the third week of December.
The party has been riven with factional infighting between Khaleda loyalists and a group led by former finance minister Saifur Rahman.
One party leader said the two groups were trying to end their differences and forge a united front.
“The ball is now in the politicians' court. The election timeline has been given and it's their (politicians) responsibility to avail of it,” said professor Ataur Rahman, president of Bangladesh Political Science Association.
Meanwhile, senior editors and journalists from more than a dozen leading Bangladesh newspapers and television stations have demanded an end to the country's state of emergency and called for greater press freedom.
The journalists met in Dhaka on Tuesday to discuss threats to the media, said Ataus Samad, a former BBC Bengali service reporter who chaired the meeting.
In a statement, they called for government agencies to stop interfering in the media's work.
A state of emergency was declared in Bangladesh on Jan. 11, 2007, after weeks of street violence over electoral reforms. An interim government backed by the influential military currently runs the country.
“The media have been working with limited rights and under pressure of the emergency rules that curtail many rights,? the journalists said. “Different agencies – military and civilian – have been interfering with media activities,” they said. “Regular interference in day-to-day work of the media is not acceptable.” Shyamol Dutta, the editor of the Bhorer Kagoj newspaper, who attended Tuesday's meeting, said emergency rule was disrupting normal media activities.
“We want emergency rule to go as it has curtailed media rights,” Dutta said Wednesday.
Bangladesh has a history of intimidation of the media, but there has been growing discontent among journalists about alleged interference by security officials. Many publications have resorted to self-censorship, according to the journalists.


Clic here to read the story from its source.