Month: November 2013

Bangladeshi housemaids are facing multiple challenges in Hong Kong due to obvious cultural, communication and language gaps, a government fact finding team identified during a recent visit. The perspectives on food are different, officials said on Sunday. The programmes to prepare the expats

Meeting someone new isn’t always the easiest of tasks, so spare a thought for China’s young women who face intense parental pressure to find the right man. As a result, women terrified of returning home without a handsome other half resort to hiring ‘boyfriends’ for the duration of their visit.

Cabinet to be reconstituted, not dissolved, says cabinet secretary All the 52 ministers of the Awami League-led grand alliance government on Monday handed over their resignation letters to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to pave the way for holding polls under “an all-party” administration. After receiving the resignation letters at a cabinet meeting, Hasina told the ... Read more

Work at the secretariat, the hub of the administration, has slowed down as bureaucrats are unable to take decisions, fearing consequences if there is a change of guard. Files which could be cleared at deputy or joint secretary levels are being forwarded to secretaries due to lack of confidence among the junior officers

BNP Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi said the ruling Awami League leaders should now think of protecting themselves from public wrath as all cabinet ministers resigned on Monday. “As you (ministers) have submitted your resignation letters to the PM, now think about how you will escape the public wrath,” he said while talking to

Law minister Shafique Ahmed and Bar Council vice-president Khandkar Mahbub Hossain differed in their opinions about how and when the resignations of ministers would become effective. Khandkar Mahbub Hossain told The Independent that the Constitution makes it clear that the post of a minister becomes vacant after he/she submits

Stray incidents of violence marked the second day of the nationwide 84-hour hartal, enforced by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP)-led 18-party alliance, on Monday. As many as 30 vehicles were vandalised and more than 50 people were injured while police detained more than 50 hartal supporters, mainly Jamaat-Shibir activists, from different parts in

It contradicts constitutional provision: ACC chief  The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has expressed its frustration over the passage of an amended law saying that the act has contradicted the constitution and further weakened the anti-graft body in dealing with corruption independently. “Taking government approval before submitting charge sheet against government officials contradicts the Article

The calculations of Sagar, a 20-year old goldsmith, proved wrong that it would be better to return home early to avoid possible violence during the hartal hours. On Sunday night, following his instincts, he left his shop at Shankharibazaar at 9 PM, an hour before his normal schedule, and set out for home at

Jatiya Party (JP-Manju) chairman Anwar Hossain Manju said on Monday that there was no alternative to holding election for continuation of the democratic and constitutional process. “Holding a general election is a must for transferring power peacefully and for continuation of the constitutional process,” Manju told reporters after

The capital once again is getting ready to bathe in the radiance of brilliant minds who will gather on Bangla Academy premises from around the world on the occasion of Hay Festival Dhaka 2013. This is the third time the three-day literary festival is kicking off in the capital from November 14. World class thinkers and writers, ... Read more

At least 50 people, including 10 policemen, were injured as readymade garments (RMG) workers staged demonstrations and clashed with the police in Jamgarah, Zirabo, Ghosbagh Narasinghapur, Nishchintapur, Pukurpar, Jamgarah and Shimultala areas of Ashulia on Monday. The workers were demanding that the new minimum

India on Monday assured Bangladesh of its intention to introduce a bill in coming session of parliament in December to ratify the Land Boundary Agreement. This was conveyed by External Affairs minister Salman Khurshid to his Bangladeshi counterpart Dipu Moni with whom he had a bilateral meeting on

Hasina takes one for Rangpur-6 constituency The ruling Awami League (AL) on Monday continued distribution of nomination forms for the second day to aspirants seeking AL tickets for the10th parliamentary polls scheduled to be held in January. On Monday, the day began with the collection of nomination form for Rangpur-6 constituency by AL Treasurer HN ... Read more

A fire broke out at the Taj Casilna building in the capital’s Gulshan area on Monday night. The five-storey building houses offices of Qatar Airways, Bangkok Airways and some other corporate offices. Seven units of the fire service were trying to put out the flames till 12:00am and the situation was almost under control, said fire ... Read more

Kazi Akram Uddin Ahmed, chief of the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI), on Monday urged top leaders of both ruling party and opposition BNP to reach a consensus on polls-time government structure to resolve the ongoing political impasse. He also called upon political parties to refrain from activities, subversive to

India has voiced its support for holding free and fair elections, laying emphasis on dialogue and peaceful means to resolve the differences between the parties about the system of governance during the interim period. “It is for the people of Bangladesh to decide their own future. India supports holding of free and fair elections in ... Read more