Immediately after the Prime Minister’s call to postpone its Dhaka siege programme scheduled for May 5, Ameer of Hefazat-e-Islam Bangladesh (HIB) Maulana Ahmad Shafi on Friday said they would go ahead with their programme. “There was no assurance and directive about implementation of Hefazat’s 13-point demands in prime minister’s speech during her press
Month: May 2013
FBCCI urges Hefazat to withdraw siege
Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) at a press conference on Friday urged Hefazat-e-Islam to withdraw its Dhaka siege programme considering the rescue operations of the tragic Savar building collapse incident. “The programme will create a new crisis in the country’s political arena,”
Eminent citizens welcome dilaogue move
Dhaka, May 3: Eminent citizens welcomed the government call to the opposition for dialogue to resolve the ongoing political impasse and emphasized that dialogue was the only solution to groom the democratic process in the country. Eminent jurist Barrister Rafique-ul Huq welcomed and thanked the prime minister Sheikh Hasina to invite the opposition leader Khaleda ... Read more
Offers of adoption for Shahina’s son pour in
Even as the story of Shahina in the aftermath of the Savar tragedy evoked nationwide anguish, more such tragic tales are unfolding in the wake of the Rana Plaza building collapse. Twenty-five-year-old Rehena Akter, and her husband Monsur Ali, 30, both perished in the Savar disaster. Rehena was the daughter of Ibrahim Ali, a footpath ... Read more
Panel to identify unsafe RMG factories
At least 1,500 out of 5,000 garment factories across the country are vulnerable to disasters because of structural problems. Most of these 1,500 buildings housing the garment factories have been built on improper structures, making them vulnerable. Some buildings have factories with shopping malls at their bases, others were raised on abandoned buildings after
Rights watchdog urges police restraint
The Human Rights Watch (HRW), a New York-based global rights watchdog, on Friday urged the Bangladesh government to immediately end the use of excessive force by security forces against protesters. The Rights watchdog also asked the government to appoint an independent commission to investigate the deaths of dozens of protesters, including children, since
Middle class population to touch 5b
The global middle class population is set to touch five billion by 2030, leading to one of the biggest challenges in the 21st century, a UK expert has said. “The growth of the middle class population in the world will mainly emanate from the Asia-Pacific region. Presently, the number is around two billion which will ... Read more
Ershad demands compensation for Savar victim families
Jatiya Party (JP) Chairman Hussain Muhammad Ershad on Friday demanded due compensation to the affected families of those killed in the Savar building collapse as well as treatment and rehabilitation of the injured. “We have to take highest state of alert to prevent recurrence of such heart-rending incident. The government has to make arrangement for ... Read more
More war crimes suspects to be tried by the ICT
Investigation agency of the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) is preparing to file formal charges against a few more suspects to start legal proceedings after the judgements against professor Ghulam Azam and Muhammad Kamaruzzaman. In reply to a query, the chief investigator Mohammad Abdul Hannan Khan on Friday said more cases were likely
B’desh-Iran JEC meet in Dhaka on May 15-16
The two-day fifth Bangladesh-Iran Joint Economic Commission (JEC) meeting will be held in Dhaka on May 15 and 16. Dhaka will seek duty-free access for its export items at the meeting, said sources in the Economic Relations Division (ERD). Finance minister AMA Muhith will lead the Bangladesh side at the meeting while Iranian industry, mines ... Read more
Hasan urges Hefajat to call off Dhaka blockade
Forest and Environment Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud today called upon Hefajat-e-Islam to call off their planned Dhaka blockade on May 5 to show respect to the victims of the Savar building collapse. “Hefajat’s Dhaka blockade should be withdrawn to help completion of the salvage campaign in the Savar building collapse as well as to show ... Read more
BCC forms body to detect vulnerable buildings
The Barisal City Corporation authorities have formed a five-member team to detect vulnerable buildings in the city. Abu al-Masud Mamun, chief assessor of the city corporation, said slack enforcement of the existing laws and lack of public awareness have made a big number of multi-storey buildings in the city vulnerable to accidents like fires or ... Read more
Locals block highway in Sylhet for power supply
Local people blocked the Sylhet-Tamabil Highway for more than four hours in the Sylhet city Thursday night in demand of resumption of power supply. The people said power supply to the Shah Paran Gate, Khadimpara, Shantibag, Nipaban, Bahubal, Kallagram and Majortila of the city was suspended
DEMU train service yet to be in full swing
The Diesel Electrical Multiple Unit railcar commuter service between Dhaka and Narayanganj has not yet started in full swing. Although the Bangladesh Railway had planned to run the new train for 16 trips, up and down, at present it runs only six trips.
Seven drug peddlers held in Ctg
Seven drug peddlers, including two women of a smugglers’ gang, were arrested in separate drives in port city of Chittagong Thursday night. The police also recovered a car, a microbus, one air-gun, a pistol, 12kg hemp, number palates of car and Tk 1,94,700 from their possession.
World Press Freedom Day observed in Barisal
World Press Freedom Day 2013 was observed in Barisal on Friday with the theme ‘Safe to Speak: Securing Freedom of Expression in All Media’. Participants in a rally, after a procession brought out on the occasion, highlighted issues of safety of journalists, combating impunity for crimes
Suspected mugger beaten to death
A suspected mugger was beaten to death at Masterpool under Bakalia police station in the Chittagong city Thursday night. The deceased was identified as Iftekhar Imon, 18, son of the late Abul Kashem, a resident of Dewan Bazar under Bakalia police station. The Chitagong Medical College and Hospital police
Seminar on vibrant media held
Media and communications experts on Friday stressed the need for developing expertise by carrying out research works and imparting training programmes for media professionals aim to build vibrant media. Media lacks expertise and professionalisms to perform its due role in different crucial issues, they told a seminar titled ‘Mass media of Bangladesh and contemporary’
Banks, NBFIs must set up desk for each branch: BB
Bangladesh Bank will take punitive action against scheduled banks and non-bank financial institutions if any of them failed to set up a dedicated desk for woman entrepreneurs in SME sector separately in each of their branches within May 16, said officials of the central bank. The BB will issue a letter tomorrow to this end ... Read more
Muhith proposes common currency for South Asia
Bangladesh has proposed a common currency with other South Asian nations willing to join such a currency union. ‘I’ve proposed a common currency for those South Asian nations which are willing to join in … it is doable even without other economic parameters such as fiscal deficit being regulated as all our currencies are pegged ... Read more