Staff Correspondent The Dhaka Metropolitan Police commissioner, Naim Ahmed, on Saturday said more teenagers were involved in criminal activities in Dhaka these days and urged the guardians to keep their children from being derailed. The city police chief said the police had so far listed more than 500 teenagers involved in crimes in various parts ... Read more
Month: January 2009
Army troops move out today ahead of upazila polls
United News of Bangladesh . Dhaka Army troops will move out for some areas from today for upazila election duties across the country and start their operation from January 20, two days ahead of the polls. The troops will remain at the field level until January 24, two days after the voting, and work as ... Read more
Law enforcers killed 149 people in 2008: Odhikar
Parliament should not grant blanket indemnity to acts and ordinance of CG Staff Correspondent A total of 149 people were killed by law enforcement personnel across the country in the year of 2008, according to annual report of Odhikar, a coalition for human rights. “Of them, Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) killed 68 people, police killed ... Read more
CNG-run vehicles’ drivers refuse to carry passengers on metered fare
Traffic police continue taking bribes Staff Correspondent Sufferings of the city dwellers have intensified as most of the CNG-run auto-rickshaws and taxicabs do not carry passengers for a short distance on metered fare. ‘Drivers of CNG-run three wheelers and taxicabs always charge a contractual fare for a destination instead of going on the meter,’ alleged ... Read more
Zimbabwe introduces $100 trillion banknote
Zimbabwe’s central bank will introduce a $100 trillion Zimbabwean banknote, worth about US $33 on the black market, to try to ease desperate cash shortages, state-run media said on Friday. Prices are doubling every day and food and fuel are in short supply. A cholera epidemic has killed more than 2,000 people and a deadlock ... Read more
Three million hit by Windows worm
A worm that spreads through low security networks, memory sticks, and PCs without the latest security updates is posing a growing threat to users. The malicious program, known as Conficker, Downadup, or Kido was first discovered in October 2008. Although Microsoft released a patch, it has gone on to infect 3.5m machines. Experts warn this ... Read more
Plane crashes in New York’s Hudson River, all 155 safe
NEW YORK: A US Airways plane carrying 155 people crashed into New York’s Hudson River Thursday, but all aboard had a miraculous escape as the freezing waters rose around them, US officials said. The Airbus carrying 150 passengers and five crew lost power in both engines almost simultaneously, a highly rare event, just minutes after ... Read more
Tracking reveals albatross habits
By Richard Black, BBC environment correspondent Research by UK scientists may prove vital in protecting the albatross. British Antarctic Survey researchers followed more than 40 grey-headed albatrosses as they flew around the world, identifying where they fed. All the birds which made a circumnavigation stopped for food in the same places. Banning harmful fishing methods ... Read more
Photographs of Madonna could sell for $10,000 each
CNN– Two photographs of Madonna set to appear in a Christie’s auction next month will probably sell for at least $10,000 each, according to estimates posted on the company’s Web site. One, a full-frontal nude black-and-white photograph of the singer, was taken in 1979 by celebrated American photographer Lee Friedlander for a series of nudes ... Read more
Nepal proceeding towards a republic
Shamsuddin Ahmed Nepal is undergoing significant changes. Maoists, who came to power through an election last year, have recently adopted a political declaration to turn the country unto a people’s republic in line with China. They have started unification of left parties. Communist (Unity Centre) merged with the Maoist on Tuesday (January 13) and Masal ... Read more
Chaotic traffic making a comeback in Dhanmondi
One-way system not working well for lax monitoring City Correspondet Dhanmondi residents enjoyed a month-long run of virtually empty, traffic-free streets thanks to the back-to-back holidays of Eid-ul-Azha, national elections and year-end as most of the educational institutions were
Grand finale of Lux-Channel i Super Star tonight
Top ten contestants at a glance Cultural Correspondent The grand finale of beauty pageant/talent hunt “Lux-Channel i Super Star”, will be held at Bangladesh-China Friendship Convention Centre today. This is the fourth instalment of the show. The first “Lux-Channel i Super Star” was held in 2005. Since then the contest has been held every year. ... Read more
8 injured as launches collide on Kirtankhola river in thick mist
Agonising wait at ferry terminals as fog triggers traffic snarl-ups Staff Correspondent Thick fog continued to affect life across the country disrupting traffic, particularly on highways and river routes, on Friday. It affected people in many parts of the country. Commuters suffered due to interruption of vehicular movement on long routes as dense fog blanketed ... Read more
Little impact in north dists as most dealers not selling at new rates
Fertilizer at Lower Prices Little impact in north dists as most dealers not selling at new rates Star National Desk The government’s decision to sell non-urea fertiliser at subsidised rates is yet to leave any noticeable impact on the Boro farmers in the northern region as they failed to procure chemical fertiliser during the last ... Read more
‘Punish attackers on RU newsmen’
RU Correspondent Rajshahi University (RU) journalists have demanded an exemplary punishment to the Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) cadres who severely beat up two journalists on the campus on Thursday. They met Rajshahi City Corporation (RCC) Mayor AHM Khairuzzaman Liton at the city office of Awami League and placed the demand before him yesterday. At least ... Read more
BB mulls farm credit target for banks
Sajjadur Rahman Bangladesh Bank (BB) mulls fixing a farm credit target to boost agriculture production, officials said. “BB is considering a target for private local and foreign commercial banks, as those are reluctant to give farm loans,” a senior central bank official told The Daily Star yesterday. In fiscal year 2007-08, 30 private commercial banks ... Read more
Tk 50cr subsidy ended up in wrong hands
Fears BIDS study on direct cash subsidy for diesel Star Business Report The direct cash subsidy programme for diesel in the last Boro season suffered various setbacks with around Tk 50 crore feared to have gone to ineligible farmers due to irregularities in the listing and disbursement process, a study said yesterday. The money that ... Read more
Experts recommend RIA for better regulation
15,000 SROs, many rules, regulations plague business climate Khawaza Main Uddin Bangladesh’s business environment is plagued by serious regulatory uncertainty and non-compliance with rules and regulations despite having 15,000 statutory regulatory orders issued in various times, believe experts on trade and investment. Because, they say, new rules and regulations are often introduced without necessary consultation ... Read more
BGMEA holds first-ever workers’ fair in Chittagong
Staff Correspondent The Chittagong MA Aziz Stadium wore a festive look on Friday afternoon, as more than 20 thousand garment workers thronged there with colourful dresses to attend the first-ever Workers’ Fair. Chittagong city mayor ABM Mohiuddin Chowdhury inaugurated the fair organised by the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters’ Association to give some recreation for ... Read more
Project to boost crop yields in four S Asian states taken up
NATION BUSINESS REPORT A new project aiming to help six million farmers in four South Asian countries, including Bangladesh, has been taken up to boost crop yields and their income over a period of 10 years, said the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI). To be led by the Manila-based IRRI, a good number of international ... Read more