Month: July 2013

Local govt elections should be held like national polls Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has expressed her dissatisfaction over city corporations’ election results and said all local government polls in future should be held like the national elections directly participated by political parties. Inaugurating 88 new AC buses for Dhaka metropolitan city at Ganobhaban on Saturday, ... Read more

Irked by ‘unnecessary’ criticism, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Saturday said she will go for a tit-for-tat policy against those criticising the government relentlessly over the quick rental power plant issue. “Let the holy Ramadan be over, let the holy Eid passes by,

The Bangladesh Public Service Commission (BPSC) will publish the new results of the 34th Bangladesh Civil Service (BCS) preliminary examination, after review, on Sunday. BPSC chairman Ahmedul Haque Chowdhury said this on Saturday, while talking to reporters. He also said the previous results announced on July 8 were cancelled. The BPSC decided to review the ... Read more

Officials are divided over a proposal to convert rental and quick-rental power projects into IPPs and extend their tenure, to stave off a possible power crisis in the country. At present, rental and quick-rental power projects jointly generate 1,561MW of electricity. This is about a third of the country’s total generation capacity.

Despite taking the decision to attend the iftar party hosted by BNP chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia for political leaders, the ruling Awami League backed out at the last moment. About the last minute cancellation, party presidium member Nooh Alam Lenin said that the AL delegation had decided not to attend the iftar as Jamaat e ... Read more

France, an influential member of the European Union, believes the trade benefits enjoyed by Bangladesh in EU market under GSP (Generalised System of Preferences) should not be suspended or withdrawn. “We are convinced that the GSP facility that Bangladesh benefits in its economic relations with the European Union is an incentive to undertake the

With the advent of the Holy Ramadan, prices of almost all essential commodities, including rice and vegetables, have increased substantially in recent days. Despite government efforts to fight rising inflation, the price hike is putting pressure on the lower and middle income groups, leaving them in dire straits. According to sources,

The flood situation in the country’s north has slightly improved, with water levels in several rivers declining in the past 24 hours, officials said on Saturday. The water level of Dharala River has decreased by 35 cm, Brahmaputra by 11 cm, and Teesta by 37 cm, said Abu Taher, executive engineer of Kurigram Water

BNP would reevaluate the Rampal thermal power plant, if it came to power, a senior party leader said on Saturday. “A power plant at Rampal not only endangers the Sundarbans, but is also harmful to the people of this country. The devastation of the Sundarbans will cause slow death to us,” Dr Abdul Moin Khan ... Read more

The Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) has failed to implement the much talked-about Buriganga River Restoration Project (New Dhaleswari-Pungli-Bangshi-Turag- Buriganga River system), within the stipulated time. The BWDB undertook the Tk. 944.09-crore project in 2010, to infuse new life into the four rivers—the Buriganga, the Turag, the Balu

Seven Bangladeshi crew members, who are being held hostages in Somalia by pirates, are alive and have now been shifted to another hijacked fishing vessel, the Foreign Ministry informed on Saturday. “It has been primarily confirmed through Maritime Piracy and Humanitarian Response Programme (MPHRP) based in London, quoting sources in the UN Office for

M. Saber is a homeless destitute, a vagrant, a beggar- we have many names for people like him. He sits on different spots of the city with a sign board hanging from his neck that says “I am orphaned and disabled, don’t have mother & father. I want a vehicle!”. He explains that he wants ... Read more

Although the relation between the World Bank (WB) and Bangladesh has strained slightly due to Padma bridge scam, the government received US$ 222 million higher foreign assistance from the WB during July to May of FY 2012-13 compared to FY 2011-12. According to Economic Relations Division (ERD), the WB is the largest development partner, in ... Read more

Myanmar border security force Nasaka abducted 21 Bangladeshi fishermen along with 6 fishing boats, from Naf river adjoining Bangladeshi border of Teknaf upazila of Cox’s Bazar district on Friday evening. All the abducted men were residents of Teknaf upazila. Nasaka abducted them while they were returning home after fishing from Bay of Bengal around 6: ... Read more