Cabinet approves special lifelong protection for Hasina, family

July 31st, 2009 DHAKA - Bangladesh Prime Minister and Awami League chief Sheikh Hasina Friday removed four "reformists" from the party's presidium and inducted six new ministers in the government as part of sweeping changes. 'Reformists' are those who attempted intra-party reforms while Hasina was in jail on graft charges during 2007-08 and whose loyalty to her was doubtful, media reports said.

July 28th, 2009 DHAKA - Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, her sister Rehana and their children will get Special Security Force (SSF) protection in view of threats to their lives, as per an executive order. Hasina Monday chaired a cabinet meeting that approved the Father of the Nation's Family Members' Security Bill 2009 with immediate effect "to ensure lifelong and foolproof security", New Age newspaper reported Tuesday.

July 22nd, 2009 DHAKA - Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has expressed her government's interest in reopening a rail link between Bangladesh and India to establish stronger connectivity between the two neighbouring countries in the fields of trade, investment and people-to-people contacts. The railway link was severed following 1965 India-Pakistan war and has been non-operational since then.he conveyed this at a meeting with a Federation of Indian Chamber and Commerce of Industries (FICCI) delegation at her office on Tuesday.

May 11th, 2009 DHAKA - While Bangladesh's courts hear the government recommendation that 11 cases against Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina be dropped, a senior law officer Monday began scrutiny of documents relating to 20 graft cases against opposition leader Khaleda Zia and her family. The cases were instituted by the military-backed caretaker government that ruled the country 2007-08.

May 8th, 2009 DHAKA - Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina may expand her cabinet that has a majority of first-termers to add some old hands and political allies, a media report said. She also plans to activate the Awami League that has been beset with infighting since its massive poll victory in December.

April 2nd, 2009 DHAKA - Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has asked former premier Khaleda Zia to quit the residence that was allotted to her in violation of rules. The move could trigger opposition protests.

March 9th, 2009 DHAKA - The number of seats reserved for women in Bangladesh parliament would be raised to 100 from 45 at present, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has said here. She said the government will repeal all the laws that discriminate against women, the Daily Star reported Monday.

February 21st, 2009 DHAKA - A voter in Bangladesh can cast a 'no vote' in an election if he or she is dissatisfied with all the candidates. This right was exercised during the ninth general election Dec 29 last year, but the total number of such votes was small, a media report said Friday.

February 19th, 2009 DHAKA - A voter in Bangladesh can cast a 'no vote' in an election if he or she is dissatisfied with all the candidates. This right was exercised during the ninth general election Dec 29 last year, but the total number of such votes was small, a media report said Friday.

February 4th, 2009 DHAKA - Bangladesh's cabinet Thursday unanimously approved two trade deals that are expected to be signed during the visit of Indian External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee. At a special cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the agreements on development and protection of capital investment under bilateral arrangement were passed.

January 23rd, 2009 DHAKA - Bangladesh's Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wazed Saturday inducted six more junior ministers into her cabinet, raising the cabinet's strength to 38, officials said. President Iajuddin Ahmed administered the oath to the new state ministers at the presidential palace, Bangabhaban.

January 11th, 2009 DHAKA - Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has told her team of ministers, 25 of whom are newcomers, that she would remove them if they fail to perform. She told them to take charge of their ministries within seven days after which she 'will not accept excuses', New Age newspaper quoted her as saying Monday.

January 6th, 2009 DHAKA - Bangladesh's first democratically elected government in over two years got to work Wednesday, as Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina attended office after a landslide victory in the Dec 29 poll. She was sworn in as the prime minister Tuesday evening, ending the tenure of a military-backed caretaker government that held office for a week short of two years.

January 1st, 2009 DHAKA - Awami League chief Sheikh Hasina may choose younger and more educated leaders for her cabinet to fulfil her vision of a prosperous Bangladesh, in the process sidelining veterans who were part of the freedom movement that her father Sheikh Mujibur Rahman led in 1971. Hasina may opt for a small cabinet comprising 25-30 members, including a few renowned professionals as technocrat ministers for finance and law among others, said The Daily Star Friday.

December 22nd, 2008 DHAKA - Bangladesh's business community Tuesday urged former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, leading a nine-party coalition into the parliamentary poll next Monday, to ensure political activities without violence and industrial strikes. They also sought uninterrupted power and gas supply, and improved communication infrastructure for the country's speedy economic development, should she be voted to power, Star Online reported.