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Bhutan News Service

Bhutan News Service

CMC elections on Jan third week ; Three Beldangi camps to elect single Camp Secy

Posted: 08 Jan 2011 02:55 AM PST

Elections of new Camp Management Committees (CMCs) in the camps are slated for January 20 and 21.

According to the Refugee Co-ordination Unit (RCU) at Chandragadi of Jhapa, some 47,597 voters above 18 years are casting their votes during the elections.

Unlike in previous years where only the household head was allowed to cast the vote, the RCU this year has set provisions allowing all exiled Bhutanese above 18 years to cast their votes, Deputy RCU Director Lekh Nath Pokhrel informed.

Of the total voters, 24,214 are males and 23,383 are females, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)’s statistics revealed.

Three Camp Secretaries of Beldangi camps, Narad Mani Sanyashi, TB Gurung and Ganapati Adhikari (from left)/courtesy :titopiromitho.com

Meanwhile, the camp management authorities are preparing to elect a single Camp Secretary for three Beldangi camps along with two Deputy Camp Secretaries.

However, the camp residents have been protesting against such a decision, Beldangi-I Camp Secretary, TB Gurung, informed Bhutan News Service.

On the other hands, asylum seekers and those whose cases have been pending for registration have warned of disturbing the election preparations.

They have demanded their registration first and then only the election where they would also be getting the chance to cast their votes.

Camp Secretaries of three Beldangi camps have expressed their solidarity in their demand, one of the agitating Bhutanese informed.

These elections will fulfill the positions at CMCs which have remained vacant after the resettlement of those who occupied them.

PM Thinley due to arrive Dhaka for four-day long official visit

Posted: 08 Jan 2011 01:58 AM PST

Prime Minister Jigme Y Thinley is due to leave for Dhaka, the capital city of Bangladesh, this Monday on a four-day official visit.

PM Thinely

"The visit is very important and significant for our bilateral relations…Bangladesh is very important to Bhutan," local media reports in Bangladesh quoted Bhutanese Ambassador to Bangladesh, Bap Kesang, as saying.

It is learnt that PM Thinley will lead a 20-member high-powered delegation that will include the health minister, cabinet secretary, foreign secretary and leading businessmen, among others.

While in Bangladesh, the Bhutanese delegation will hold talks with Bangladeshi PM Sheikh Hasina, senior members of the cabinet and others on range of issues including economic and political cooperation between the two neighbours.