1 [January 2009] [Vol. 2 Issue 1] New Year's Greetings from The
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[January 2009] [Vol. 2 Issue 1] In this issue 2008. The huge turnout of voters, enthusiastic • Bangladesh Parliamentary Elections participation of young and women voters, and 2008: Landslide mandate the new vision and agenda of the political • Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina formed parties made the outcome of elections truly the new Cabinet in Bangladesh historic. The new government has integrated the • Prime Minister announces priorities of vision for change into their policy with a view her government, vows to work with all • New Parliament began its session to building a democratic, dignified and digital • Bangladesh. Bangladesh shows democratically organized and empowered people can During the year 2008, we have tried to keep our fight poverty, extremism and militancy: readers informed about developments in Ambassador Humayun Kabir Bangladesh and many other creative initiatives • Bangladesh Embassy hosts Seminar on that were undertaken by the Embassy to project Investment opportunities in Bangladesh • and promote Bangladesh in the outside world as Indian investors for separate EPZ at a moderate, democratic, peace loving and Ishwardi friendly nation. We intend to continue our • Bangladesh received $9 billion of remittance in 2008 efforts in the same direction with renewed vigour. We would welcome comments, observations and suggestions of our readers for New Year’s greetings from the Ambassador improving this newsletter in the coming days. On behalf of the Embassy Developments in Bangladesh and the United family in Washington, DC, States have entered into a transformational I would like to offer our phase, and there is a huge possibility that both warm greetings to the these countries could lift their bilateral readers, friends and well relationship to a new level, and at the same time wishers of ‘Vibrant work together to address burning global Bangladesh’. We do hope challenges, such as poverty, illiteracy, that 2009 will bring more extremism and climate change, among others. joy, happiness and success for all of you. Let me take this opportunity to thank once again We began the year in Bangladesh with the our valued friends and readers for their formation of a new democratic government by continued support and cooperation in this Hon’ble Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina after the endeavour. Grand alliance under her leadership handsomely won the general elections on 29 December -M. Humayun Kabir 1 Bangladesh Parliamentary Elections 2008: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina formed the Landslide mandate new Cabinet in Bangladesh The Awami League-led grand alliance has secured a landslide victory in the parliamentary elections held in Bangladesh on 29 December 2008. The grand alliance has clinched two- Sheikh Hasina was sworn in as the new Prime thirds majority with Minister of Bangladesh on 6 January 2009 after 262 seats compared to 30 seats won by the her party-led grand alliance won the general BNP-led four-party alliance. Their alliance elections held on 29 December 2008. partner Jamaat-e-Islami secured only 2 seats. The results clearly indicate that the voters, Hon’ble President Professor Dr. Iajuddin especially the young and first-time voters, were Ahmed administered the oath of office and hungry for the change. There is much conjecture secrecy at Bangabhaban in Dhaka. About 1,000 that the victory of the grand alliance was the distinguished guests, including the Hon’ble outcome of participation of the first-time voters, Chief Adviser of the past interim government, who turned out in record numbers, and women Dr. Fakhruddin Ahmed, Chief Justice, Chief voters, who outnumbered the men. Election Commissioner, Chiefs of Armed Forces, diplomats, politicians and senior civil This election represented an experience never servants and intellectuals were present on the seen before in independent Bangladesh: A occasion. record number of voters – more than 87 percent turned up to cast their votes in an atmosphere of Among the 31 members of the cabinet peace and tranquility. Young voters came out in (excluding the Hon’ble Prime Minister) 23 were droves, clearly eager to cast their vote for the made full Ministers and 8 others were Ministers first time. With a record number of first-time of State. 6 more Ministers of State were sworn voters who represent 33 percent of the 81 in on 25 January 2009 increasing the number of million voting population, the mood on Election cabinet members to 37. Day was upbeat from early morning. Women made an overwhelming presence at the polling The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) centres. The number of women voters stood at delegation headed by party vice-president M. K. 41.2 million, which is more than half of the total Anwar, MP joined the ceremony. voters. Reports of violence were few and far between and fake voting was almost absent in Name of the Portfolio the context of updating of electoral roll with Members of photograph of each voter. Cabinet Sheikh Hasina Armed Forces Division Unlike the past elections, the 2008 polls included the provision of "No Vote" allowing Honorable Cabinet Division voters to express their no-confidence in Prime Minister M/O. Power, Energy & candidates on ballot papers. The percentage of Mineral Resources : no-vote casters appeared low. a) Power Division 2 b) Power and Mineral Rezaul Karim M/O. Land Resources Division Hira M/O. Establishment Abul Kalam M/O. Information M/O. Housing and Public Azad M/O. Cultural Affairs Works Enamul Huq M/O. Social Welfare M/O. Defence Mostafa M/O. Religious Affairs Shaheed M/O. Women & Children Dilip Barua M/O. Industries Affairs Ramesh Chandra M/O. Water Resources Minister Sen Abul Maal M/O. Finance GM Quader M/O. Civil Aviation and Abdul Muhit a) Finance Division Tourism b) Economic Lt. Col. (rtd) M/O. Commerce Relations Division Faruq Khan c) External Resources Syed Abul M/O. Communications Division Hossain a) Roads & Railway Begum Motia M/O. Agriculture Division Chowdhury b) Bridge Division Abdul Latif M/O. Textile and Jute Dr. Abdur M/O. Food and Disaster Siddiqui Razzak Management Barrister Shafiq M/O. Law, Justice and Dr. Afsarul M/O. Shipping Ahmed Parliamentary Affairs Amin a) National Parliament Dr. A.F.M M/O. Health and Family Secretariat Ruhul Huq Welfare Air Vice M/O. Planning Dr. Dipu Moni M/O. Foreign Affairs Marshal (rtd) a) Planning Division Nurul Islam M/O. Education AK Khandoker b) Implementation Nahid M/O. Primary and Mass Monitoring & Education Evaluation Division Abdul Latif M/O. Fisheries and Razi Uddin M/O. Posts and Biswash Livestock Ahmed Razu Telecommunications State Minister Advocate Sahara M/O. Home Affairs Advocate M/O. Forest and Khatun Mostafizur Environment Syed Ashraful M/O. Local Government and Rahman Islam Rural Development & Co- Captain (rtd) M/O. Liberation War Affairs operatives ABM Tazul a) Local Govt. Islam Division Tanzim Ahmed M/O. Home Affairs b) Rural Development Sohel Taz & Co-operatives Architect Yafes M/O. Science and Division Osman Information & Engineer M/O. Labour and Communication Technology Khandaker Employment Dr. Hasan M/O. Foreign Affairs Mosharraf M/O. Expatriates' Welfare Mahmud Hossain and Overseas Employment 3 Begum M/O. Labour and Hon’ble Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said that Munnuzan Employment the first task of her government would be to Sufian bring down the prices of essentials within the Dipankar M/O. Chittagong Hill Tracts purchasing power of the common people and Talukdar Affairs alleviate poverty. In this mission, she sought cooperation of BNP Chairperson Begum Ahad Ali Sarker M/O. Youth and Sports Khaleda Zia. Advocate Md. M/O. Power, Energy & "Poverty is our lone enemy and we will have to Shamsul Haque Mineral Resources eradicate it, reduce price hike and improve Tuku people's living standard," Sheikh Hasina said at her first news conference after winning a Advocate Abdul M/O. Housing and Public landslide victory in the ninth parliamentary Mannan Khan Works election on December 29. She also sought cooperation of all, including the opposition and other political parties, in establishing a new M/O. Primary and Mass political culture with a view to building a Md. Motahar Education developed, modern and poverty-free Hossain Bangladesh. Advocate M/O. Local Govt., Rural "This victory is the result of your relentless hard Jahangir Kabir Development & Co- work and sacrifice. But we have to show due Nanok operatives respect to the faith and belief the people of Bangladesh have in us," Hon’ble Prime Minister said at the conference held at Bangladesh-China Advocate Md. M/O. Law, Justice and Friendship Conference Centre on 31 December Quamrul Islam Parliamentary Affairs 2008. Asking party men to stay calm and show tolerance, she urged all to work for the nation. Advocate Md. M/O. Religious Affairs Hon’ble Prime Minister described her party's Shahjahan Miah victory as "a victory of good governance against misrule and corruption, peace against terrorism and criminal activities, and secularism against Source : PID fundamentalism". She urged all political parties to shun the past tradition of politics of Prime Minister announces priorities of her vengeance and conflicts and work together for government, vows to work with all the betterment of the country. Proposing formation of joint task forces among the South Asian countries for combined action against terrorism, the Prime Minister said that she wanted to establish Bangladesh as the most peaceful nation in the region. New Parliament began its session The first session of the new Jatiya Sanghad (National Parliament) of Bangladesh convened on 25 January 2009. 4 The ninth parliament of the country’s history the beginning of the new parliament from the began its journey over two years later after gallery. being elected through a free and fair election held on December 29, 2008. New speaker and deputy speaker of the parliament elected On the inaugural day Hon’ble President Professor Dr.