Inside
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Month in review: Bangladesh
Jamaat denies history Speaking to reporters following a meeting with the EC, Jamaat-e-Islami secretary general Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mujahid claims that Jamaat did not work against the Liberation War in 1971 and states that there are no war criminals in the country. "In fact anti-liberation forces never even existed," he adds, flatly denying the well-documented history of Jamaat collaboration and atrocities. The statements set off a firestorm of controversy, leading to calls for anti-liberation forces to be banned from politics and for war criminals to be tried at long last. No to presidency
In an October 16 press conference at the Bangladesh high commission in London, army chief General Moeen U. Ahmed dismisses speculations about his becoming president, saying that he has no such intentions. General Moeen, who was in London en route to the US, also reiterates that the priority of the incumbent government, of which the army is only a part, is to restore democracy through free and fair elections and transfer of power.
Drug bust Truth commission
The government announces on October 3 that it is going to set up a "truth commission" to handle confessions from businessmen accused of corruption, with an aim to settling the charges against them without putting them to trial. The announcement comes as the government is pondering over giving corrupt businessmen a chance to surrender their ill-gotten wealth or pay financial penalty and thus avoid arrest or trial. Admin officials row
About 600 administration cadre officials from across the country gather in the capital on October 21 at a seminar strongly opposed to the stripping of their magistracy power and the process of absorbing BCS cadres in the judicial service, and demand deferment and review of implementation of separation of the judiciary from the executive. The action prompts popular condemnation of those involved for their lack of professionalism. In a compromise, the government on October 23 decides to permit executive magistrates to retain temporary judicial powers in certain cases. DCC under fire
As part of the caretaker government's drive against institutionalised corruption, a task force begins looking into the activities of DCC on October 22, amid allegations of massive corruption and irregularities. The task force is already looking into the activities of Rajuk. The task force will investigate whether there were corruptions or irregularities in tender processes, purchases, setting up of flyovers, management of graveyards and terminals, and implementation of other DCC projects. Rain-fed calamities
Gatco case goes ahead
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