President off to Singapore for checkup
Monday, 16 July 2007
President Iajuddin Ahmed left here for Singapore Saturday night for medical checkup, reports UNB.
Deputy Press Secretary to the President Abul Kalam Azad said a regular flight of Singapore Airlines, carrying the President and his entourage, took off from the Zia International Airport at 00:19 am.
Finance Adviser AB Mirza Azizul Islam, Foreign Adviser Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury, Information Adviser Mainul Husein, chiefs of the three services and high civil and military officials saw the President off at the airport.
"He will undergo medical checkup at Mount Elizabeth Hospital in Singapore as previously scheduled and as advised by his Singaporean physicians," said a Bangabhaban communique.
During his five-day stay over there, the President will also make a courtesy call on Singaporean President Sellapan Ramanathan.
The President will return home on July 19.
bdnews24.com adds: Speaker Jamiruddin Sircar Sunday said he was not 'officially' aware that President Iajuddin Ahmed was away from Bangladesh.
In an exclusive interview with bdnews24.com, the Speaker said, "I have read the news in the newspapers. As newspapers are not legal documents, I assume that he is present (in the country)."
Meanwhile, Iajuddin arrived in Singapore early Sunday for a routine medical check-up.
In case of President's absence, Sircar said, the government should publish a gazette to perpetuate Article 54 of the Constitution.
He referred to the constitutional provision that says the Speaker will act as President during his absence.
He said, "Publishing a gazette is an act of practice to perpetuate the Article 54."
"The gazette is not a necessity if there is a will by the government to follow the Article 54," Sircar further said.
Earlier on May 24, 2006, Iajuddin was taken to Singapore and he underwent a successful bypass heart operation at Mount Elizabeth Hospital there. He had stayed in the city state for 44 days until July 6, 2006.
Sircar said that he had acted as President during Iajuddin's absence at the time. "A gazette had been published as well," he said.
Deputy Press Secretary to the President Abul Kalam Azad said a regular flight of Singapore Airlines, carrying the President and his entourage, took off from the Zia International Airport at 00:19 am.
Finance Adviser AB Mirza Azizul Islam, Foreign Adviser Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury, Information Adviser Mainul Husein, chiefs of the three services and high civil and military officials saw the President off at the airport.
"He will undergo medical checkup at Mount Elizabeth Hospital in Singapore as previously scheduled and as advised by his Singaporean physicians," said a Bangabhaban communique.
During his five-day stay over there, the President will also make a courtesy call on Singaporean President Sellapan Ramanathan.
The President will return home on July 19.
bdnews24.com adds: Speaker Jamiruddin Sircar Sunday said he was not 'officially' aware that President Iajuddin Ahmed was away from Bangladesh.
In an exclusive interview with bdnews24.com, the Speaker said, "I have read the news in the newspapers. As newspapers are not legal documents, I assume that he is present (in the country)."
Meanwhile, Iajuddin arrived in Singapore early Sunday for a routine medical check-up.
In case of President's absence, Sircar said, the government should publish a gazette to perpetuate Article 54 of the Constitution.
He referred to the constitutional provision that says the Speaker will act as President during his absence.
He said, "Publishing a gazette is an act of practice to perpetuate the Article 54."
"The gazette is not a necessity if there is a will by the government to follow the Article 54," Sircar further said.
Earlier on May 24, 2006, Iajuddin was taken to Singapore and he underwent a successful bypass heart operation at Mount Elizabeth Hospital there. He had stayed in the city state for 44 days until July 6, 2006.
Sircar said that he had acted as President during Iajuddin's absence at the time. "A gazette had been published as well," he said.