Bangladesh Votes - 23 December 2008

The latest from the campaign trail in Bangladesh

• Khaleda has no illegal wealth
  
• Pabna DC changed
  
• BNP lambasts ACC
  
• Foreigner spilled the beans
  
• Vote for BNP to save Islam
  
• SC directive ignored
  
• It’s legally verified
  
• BNP lambasts ACC
  
• Rebel, rookie, veteran face woman factor
  
• Rebel relief in BNP    
  
• Polls fever too intense
  
• EC to blacklist observers if found biased
  
• No waving at crowds
  
• Media can use info from result sheets hung at polling centres
  
• Fuel made a little cheaper
  
• Know who you vote for
  
• Child, 2 others bullet-hit in shooting at election camp
  
• Hatirjheel gets Tk 420cr more
  
• Pintu gets bail in last case
  
• Falu freed on bail
  
• Vow to vote down war criminals

Bangladesh Votes - 22 December 2008

• 5 in the EC dock
  
• Two leaders, poles apart
  
• Trouble for AL allies in the North
  
• A wakeup call for politics
  
• Slum dwellers to decide fate of 3 generals
  
• SC rejects EC bid
  
• Hasina ready to sacrifice life for country
  
• Khaleda pledges Padma Bridge at Mawa
  
• AL asks for foolproof security
  
• Ershad begs pardon for mistakes
  
• EC ends BNP's symbol allocation drama in Comilla
  
• No rigging, no forgery to be allowed
  
• Delwar earns less, but to spend more than Jalil for polls
  
• ADP revision likely to fund Hatirjheel
  
• Evans for safe campaign, security for top leaders
  
• 4 JCD, Shibir men held for malicious campaign
  
• Grand alliance candidate attacked

APB Reader - Bangladesh Votes

APB Reader - Bangledesh

Bangladesh is one of the most densely populated countries in the world.  Historically, it is also one of the worlds most (relatively) stable Islamic democracies.  As Bangladesh heads to the poles this month we will be bringing you a special Bangladesh Votes wrap up each day.  To help put the campaign in perspective we are kicking off our Bangladesh Votes series with this background reader on the political situation in Bangladesh.

Country Profiles and Political Backgrounders

• Country Brief, Australian Government - Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade 
  
• CIA World Factbook 
  
• Political Conditions - US State Department Background Note
  
• Map - Bangladesh 

• Bangladesh: Elections and Beyond, International Crisis Group
  
• Restoring Democracy in Bangladesh, International Crisis Group
  
• Bangladesh Today, International Crisis Group
• South Asian Free Trade Agreement (SAFTA)
  

Bangladesh in the News

• Allegations of polls manipulation bid should be factual: EU team - 20 December 2008 - The Daily Star
  
• Khaleda alleges AL deal with CG to grab power - 20 December 2008 - The Daily Star
  
• CG to return power to elected govt in New Year: CA - The Daily Star 
  
• Khaleda warns of 'polls engineering' - 20 December 2008 - The Daily Star
  
• Bangladesh Deploys 50,000 Troops Before Elections - Bloomberg - 20 December 2008
  
• Australia to help observe Bangladesh elections - ABC - 19 December 2008
  
• Candidates in Jamalpur, Bangladesh Campaign for Election - 19 December 2008 - VOA 
  
• Ten days before Bangladesh elections, 21 join in poll fray 
• Safeguard vote of women, minorities: CEC to law enforcers - 18 December 2008 - bdnews24.com
  
• Bangladesh National Party Threatens to Pull Out of Elections - 24 October 2008 - VOA 
  

Security and Human Rights

• Get a grip on Dhaka, LA Times 
  
• Stemming the Rise of Islamic Extremism in Bangladesh, Harvard International Review, Harvard International Review
• Amnesty International - Bangladesh

Daily Round Up - 22 December 2008

Australia
• Haneef 'eager' for inquiry findings
  
• AFP waits as Hicks controls end
  
• Overseas students exploited
  
• Colleges of neglect closed as regulator moves on rogue operators
  
• $6.1b to give homeless a helping hand
  
• Rudd's $6 billion homeless plan
  
• Government launches 12 year plan to reduce homelessness in Australia
  
• Homeless plan 'to create 10,000 jobs'
  
• Jobs 'best defence against homelessness'
  
• Razor gang to fund rescue
  
• Fears for Alice as crime escalates
  
• Former RBA governor missing
  
• Holden in new small car roll-out
  
• Less scrutiny of MPs' spending
  
• Baillieu urged to purge party of old MPs
  
 
Bangladesh
• Hasina at terror risk
  
• ‘Unsubstantiated’ charges vex EU
  
• Be graceful losers to begin new culture
  
• Certain party out to form puppet govt
  
• Choose from ‘deliverers’, looters
  
• ‘Hide and seek’ Sarwar
  
• Polls symbol allocation gets more chaotic
  
• Shakhawat laments lack of neutral polling staff
  


China
• China says two 'terrorists' will be executed for pre-Olympic attack
  
• Ex-NSC chief released on bail
  
• Angola president signs agreements with China
  
• China to deploy ships off Somalia
  
• Chinese warships to join anti-pirate force
  
• China offers Taiwan economic aid
  
• Hong Kong democrats barred from Macau ahead of rally
  
• China pledges 'strong backup' for Hong Kong in global crisis
  
• Hu calls for stability in the face of adversity
  
• Olympic Pollution Controls In Beijing China Had Big Impact On Air Pollution Levels
  
• EU assembly awards prize in absentia to Chinese dissident
  
 
Fiji
• No apology
  
• Charter's good, we have roads, say villagers
  
• Chamber hails seal of approval
  
• Beddoes queries Gates as CJ
  
• FTA opposes name change
  
• Illegal migrants caught
  
 
India
• Don't speculate on Mumbai attacks: Pakistan
  
• India capable of giving befitting reply to terror sponsors: Sonia
  
• Mere talk not enough, Pak must act: Pranab
  
• Islamabad must act against terror: Pranab Mukherjee
  
• FBI interrogates Kasab for nine hours
  
• Taj, Trident reopen three weeks after terror siege
  
• Over 22,000 poultry culled in Malda
  
• Anti-poll protests in Srinagar turn violent
  
• NCP Maharashtra unit chief resigns
  
• ISRO-EADS Astrium built communication satellite launched
  
• Chouhan's cabinet has maximum number of law graduates
  
• India's inflation falls sharply to 6.8 percent
  


Indonesia
• Indonesia's massive anti-terror drill
  


Japan
• Japan backs further aid package
  
• Japan stumps up more cash; Belgium falls
  
• Japan to extend cash handouts to 2 mil. registered foreign residents
  
• Strong quake off Japan, no damage
  
• Japan admits POW labor used in PM's family mine
  
• Japanese group asks Google to stop map service
  
• Japan launches first solar cargo ship
  
 
Nepal
• Terror-funding Pak kingpin held
  
 
New Zealand
• Bill Ralston: No spying line a cop-out
  
• Matt McCarten: Spying on lawful organisations should set alarm bells ringing
  
 

Malaysia
• Malaysian minister praises Iraqi shoe-thrower
  
• Malaysia PM defends his judicial reforms
  
• Malaysia denies any plan to close Catholic paper
  
• KT BY-ELECTION: Pas to name candidate on New Year's day
  
• Fairus denies 'behead' comment
  
• Anwar: Privatisation will be after by-election
  
• Govt mulls HIV tests for non-Muslim couples
  
• 1,000 evacuees from Malaysian landslide still not allowed home: report
  
• Domestic abuse cases rise 15 percent in Malaysia: report
  


Pakistan
• Pakistan Not Afraid Of India’s War Preparations
  
• Zardari Regrets Indian Threats
  
• Pak may block hockey, squash teams’ India tour
  
• Pakistan's Zardari to visit Kabul in early January
  
 
Philippines
• Come together, Arroyo urges Filipinos
  
• Military: We’re not behind terror
  
• NPA ceasefire just PR–Teodoro
  
• Striking farmers claim victory
  
 
Thailand
• Thailand’s new government endorsed by king