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

Japan declassifies diplomatic documents

Here are the highlights

• Japan asked US to prepare for nuclear strike on China
  
• Report: Sato sought US assurance
  
• No-nuke policy ruled out years before declaration
  
• Sukarno asked Japan to monitor '64 ceasefire
  
• Japan refused to promise NPT passage in '73 statement with U.S.
  

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

NZ - 10% drop in tourism could cost $1 billion

Bloomberg reports New Zealand is bracing for a 10% drop in tourist arrivals over thes summer due to the Global Financial Crisis.  Tourism New Zealand is predicting the global recession could cost NZ's tourism industry $1 billion next year.

Solomon Islands - Gvt establishes land dealings enquiry

The Solomon Islands Government has finally established a commission of enquiry into land dealings in Guadalcanal province during and after last year's ethnic crisis

2008: Rudd's highs and lows - Canberra Times

The Canberra Times takes a look at Australia's foreign policy highs and lows during the Labor Government's first year in office.

Washington: Pakistan not doing enough on terrorism

The United States has delivered a strong warning to Pakistan that it is not doing enough to combat terrorism in the wake of the recent attacks in Mumbai.  Pakistani National Security Adviser, Mahmud Ali Durrani, was told during an official visit to the US the recent attacks in Mumbai are a significant event and cannot be "swept under the carpet."

A Pakistan News quotes a source familiar with the discussions saying:

The curt message that Mr Durrani and the Pakistani team received from the Americans was: this is not 2002 and you cannot do what President (Pervez) Musharraf did after 9/11…In the past, you swept everything under the carpet while the problems were allowed to fester. No more.

For background and analysis, visit this APB Reader on India and Pakistan