Voicebox

"We have been forced to take the decision of boycotting the January polls, as there is no other way to protect the people's right to universal franchise."
SHEIKH HASINA
Awami League President

"We urge all to take part in the January 22 election, as it would strengthen the democratic process if all the parties joined the election."
KHALEDA ZIA
thinly veiled request to the Grand Alliance.

"The blueprint of Iajuddin as prescribed by Khaleda-Nizami clique will not be allowed to be implemented through the January 22 election. People will resist the election."
Major (Retd) ABDUL MANNAN
LDP Secretary General

"We did not discuss the political situation."
ELECTION COMMISSION (EC)
secretary Abdur Rashid Sarkar told the press after a two hour meeting of the EC. What he did fail to mention was the fact that EC started printing ballot papers for the upcoming election without knowing the correct number of voters and ballot papers.

"I wish, obviously, that the proceedings had… gone in a more dignified way. But nevertheless, he was given justice."
US PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH
comments on Saddam Hussein's unruly hanging, where Shia officials were seen to be taunting him, while he was at the gallows.

"The single thing that we have done wrong and we are striving extremely hard to improve on (in 2007) is killing innocent civilians."
BRIG RICHARD E NUGEE,
chief spokesperson for Nato's International Security Assistance Force. A chilling confession, that fell on deal ears.

"Without engaging these big non-member consuming countries the relevance of the IEA could be undermined."
NOBUO TANAKA
the International Energy Agency's next Executive Director talking about heavyweight oil consumers India and China.

"The urn will return to Lord's after the exhibition tour finishes at the end of January."
one sentence from the MCC ends suggestions that the Ashes urn should stay in the country which holds it. After billionaire Richard Branson tried in a last ditch effort to keep the Ashes urn back in Australia.

Quotations Are Taken From Different Local And International Newspapers.
Compiled by: Nader Rahman

Copyright (R) thedailystar.net 2007