Former PM reiterates demand for caretaker government Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) chairperson and leader of the opposition Khaleda Zia has demanded that the government restore the caretaker government system by passing a Bill in Parliament in the upcoming session. “There is still time. Parliament will go into its session. You have the majority in the ... Read more
Month: August 2013
Cabinet clears ICT, MLM drafts
The Cabinet on Monday cleared the Information and Technology (Amendment) Ordinance draft with a provision to enhance the maximum punishment for any violation of the law to 14 years of jail from the current 10 years. “The minimum punishment for violating the law has been proposed to be seven years in prison,” Cabinet Secretary Mosharraf ... Read more
Death penalty provision in food safety act demanded
Consumer rights activists have strongly resented the government’s decision to relax punishment for food adulterers, saying death penalty for use of chemicals and harmful substances in food must be reincorporated in the proposed law to check widespread food adulteration. The activists expressed deep concern over the decision to drop the provision of capital punishment from
Introduction of LBA Bill in Indian parliament aborted again
Indian govt to initiate discussion with TMC which opposed it The Trinamool Congress (TMC) put a spanner in the works with its sudden opposition to the controversial Land Boundary Agreement(LBA) between India and Bangladesh. The Bill will now come up after discussions between TMC and the Government. The Bill was listed for introduction today in ... Read more
Jute decoding to usher in new horizon: Scientists
The successful decoding of local jute varieties along with that of Tosha jute three years back will usher in a new horizon for jute quality improvement and diversification of jute goods, observed the scientists working behind the gigantic achievement for the country. They were speaking at a press conference at the Bangladesh Jute Research Institute ... Read more
Falling further and further behind
Both public and private universities of the country have failed to find a satisfactory place in the international university rankings which experts say is an ominous pointer to falling educational excellence of the institutions in recent years. Not a single university of Bangladesh found a place
Plaintiff doubts cops’ version
Even as investigators claim that Oishee, the only daughter of special branch police inspector Mahfuzur Rahman and his wife Swapna Rahman, was involved in the murder of her parents, her uncle suspects that others were also involved in the murder. Moshiur Rahman Rubel, younger brother of the slain police officer and the plaintiff of the ... Read more
Khaleda to address 8 rallies on CG
Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) chairperson and leader of the opposition Khaleda Zia will address eight public rallies across the country, including the capital Dhaka, from September 8 onwards to garner the people’s support in favour of her party’s demand to hold the next general polls under the oversight of a non-party caretaker government (CG). A ... Read more
Rise in dowry violence cause for worry
Leaders of rights groups and academics have expressed concern over the sharp rise in dowry-related violence. They have called for women-friendly laws, such as uniform family code and equal rights to property for women, to eliminate the curse of dowry that is looming large over the country. According to a report by the Bangladesh Mohila ... Read more
Dialogue still possible, Dipu Moni tells diplomats
Foreign Minister Dr Dipu Moni on Monday briefed foreign diplomats reiterating the Prime Minister’s stance that the next general election will be held as per the Constitution. Talking to reporters after the briefing at the Foreign Ministry, the Foreign Minister also said time has not run out for talks for holding a peaceful election. “In ... Read more
Abdur Rahman Boyati dies
The Ekushey Padak winning folk singer Abdur Rahman Boyati died at 7.30 AM on Monday at a city hospital after suffering from old age complications. He was 74. He was under treatment at the intensive care unit of Japan Bangladesh Friendship Hospital when the end came. The iconic mystic singer
Yaba menace shows its face again
After the launch of a massive clampdown on Yaba pills by the Rapid Action Battalion in October 2007, Yaba has yet again become the vogue among young people at posh neighbourhoods in the city. It began to spread at an alarming rate after most arrested Yaba dealers were released from jail about two years back. ... Read more
Police take steps to curb extortion on highways
The police have submitted an affidavit before the High Court (HC) stating that the Dhaka range police as well as police of the Rajshahi, Khulna, Chittagong and Sylhet ranges have taken initiatives to stop extortion by the police themselves as well as by criminals from transporters on the highways across the country. On July 28, ... Read more
Father, uncle make deposition
Felani killing trial M Nurul Islam, father of Felani killed by BSF, and her maternal uncle M Abdul Hanif testified on Monday before a special court constituted by Border Security Force (BSF) in Cooch Behar of India at the trial of the killing of the Bangladesh girl. Kurigram public prosecutor Abraham Lincoln who is also ... Read more
ICT act to be made tougher
The cabinet on Monday approved the draft bill seeking amendment to the Information and Communication Technology Act raising the maximum punishment for offences to imprisonment for 14 years. According to the bill, the serious offences would be cognisable and non-bailable, said officials. The information and communication
Cultural arena mourns the death of Abdur Rahman Boyati
Cultural arena mourns the death of Ekushey Padak winning iconic folk singer Abdur Rahman Boyati who died of old-age complications at the Japan Bangladesh Friendship Hospital on Monday morning at the age of 74. Cultural activists termed the death of the internationally acclaimed baul singer as a great loss in a difficult time when the ... Read more
Bhawaiya fest ends in Rangpur
The three-day divisional level Bhawaiya music competition in Rangpur ended on Sunday with participation of around 400 artistes from all eight districts of Rangpur division, said a press release. The festival titled Banglalink Rangpur Bibhagio Bhawaia Utsab featured traditional performing art forms like pala gaan, bhawaia dance and bhawaia music competition, among other festivities.
Al Deen was a leading bard in theatre
Fellow playwrights observe Young playwrights in the country evaluated the trendsetter playwright Selim Al Deen as a leading bard in the contemporary theatre arena in Bangladesh in a discussion session organised by Swapnodal on Sunday at the seminar room of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy. The programme titled Natyacharya Selim Al Deen: Nabin Natyakarer Dristite was held ... Read more
Tareque-Mishuk Smrity Parishad recalls the duo
Tareque-Mishuk Smrity parishad organised a daylong programme marking the second anniversary of death of the internationally acclaimed filmmaker Tareque Masud and cinematographer Mishuk Minier on Sunday at the Sawkat Osman Auditorium of Central Public Library. The programme featured film screening and discussion session. Tareque Masud and Mishuk Munier
Solid wastes pollute Hatirjheel lake
Solid wastes with rainwater are entering the Hatirjheel-Bagunbari Lake, polluting its water as the authorities stopped screening wastes before letting them into the lake. The Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology experts worried that the pollution would worsen if the present situation continued.