Monday, July 7, 2025

The wizard of woodwind

Bengal Classical Music Fest ’13 The wizard of woodwind  In the build-up to the Bengal Classical Music Festival 2013 in association with ITC-SRA (Kolkata), Star Arts & Entertainment introduces you to the maestros set to perform in Dhaka this month. Today’s featured artiste is one who needs no introduction; he is the greatest living artiste ... Read more

Mahi: a new Dhallywood sensation

Mahiya Mahi has created a buzz within a year after her debut in the film industry through Bappy Chowdhury’s commercially successful venture Bhalobasar Rang released in 2012. All the five films in which Mahi played the ‘heroine’ such as Bhalobasha Aaj Kal, Anya Rakom Bhalobasha and Tabuo Balobashi became commercially successful. Paired up with

Cinematic Ferdous

Three-time National Film Award winner, Ferdous has been acting over a decade. Besides Bangladesh, he maintains a hectic schedule across the border in Kolkata. The Daily Star spoke to the film star about his career and upcoming project. What is your shooting schedule like in Kolkata? Ferdous: It is a very packed

Ender’s Game tops US box office chart

Sci-fi adventure Ender’s Game has zoomed to the top of the US box office chart in its debut weekend, reports BBC online. Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa, about an 86-year-old and his eight-year-old grandson, was shunted into second after hitting the number one spot last week. Ender’s Game, a story about children forced to fight an ... Read more

Eminem wins top honours at first YouTube awards

News bytes Eminem wins top honours at first YouTube awards  The first ever YouTube awards, held in New York saw actor Jason Schwartzman and musician Reggie Watts presiding over a frenetic ceremony. Eminem won Artiste of the Year, while Taylor Swift’s “I Knew You Were Trouble” took the YouTube Phenomenon award. The ceremony was streamed ... Read more

Quiz show “Bangladesh First” starts on Maasranga

Tv Watch Quiz show “Bangladesh First” starts on Maasranga  The competition episodes of “Rin presents Bangladesh First”, an educational venture for Bangladesh’s youth, begins tonight on Maasranga TV. The show is powered by Standard Chartered Bank and brought to you by Champs21.com in association with The Daily Star. The competition began its journey across the ... Read more

Telcos oppose frequency mobility for WiMAX operators

The mobile phone operators have opposed the latest amendment to the broadband wireless access service guideline which allowed frequency mobility for the WiMAX operators. They also said the amendment would create uneven licensing regime in the country. In a letter to posts and telecommunications

State banks cut interest on term deposit

The state-run eight banks on Monday made a decision that from now on they would give rate of interest at the highest 11.50 per cent on their term deposit products instead of 12.50 per cent. The decision came from a meeting of managing directors and chief executive officers of four state-owned commercial banks and four ... Read more

Mobile phone subscribers cross 11cr mark

The number of active mobile phone subscribers of the country crossed the 11-crore mark for the first time in September as the mobile operators added more than 13 lakh new subscribers in the month. Among the six companies Robi and Citycell witnessed decline in subscriber number while four others, Grameenphone, Banglalink, Airtel and Teletalk,

US bank approves $285m for Biman to purchase 2 aircraft

The Export Import Bank of the United States has approved a loan of $285 million to Biman Bangladesh Airlines for purchasing two Boeing-777-300ER aircraft, civil aviation and tourism minister Faruk Khan told New Age on Monday. The board of directors of the bank made the decision at a meeting on October 31, said the minister. The US ... Read more

BSEC moves to probe unapproved commodity exchange

The Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission on Monday initiated an investigation into Bangladesh Jute and Commodity Exchange Limited, a private company which has taken a project to run commodity exchange without taking permission from the stock market regulator, BSEC sources said. A BSEC senior official said Saifur Rahman, an executive

ICB allowed to convert its 8 MFs into open-ended ones

The Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission on Monday allowed the Investment Corporation of Bangladesh to convert its eight close-ended mutual funds into open-ended ones after the expiry of their tenure on December 31. The capital market regulator gave the approval following an application from the ICB, BSEC officials said.

Vegetable prices go up due to hartal

The prices of the vegetables increased in the city’s retail markets on Monday as a result of supply shortage due to the general strike enforced by the opposition alliance, traders said. Prices of most of the vegetables increased by Tk 10-Tk 15 a kg in the different markets in the city. The prices of aubergine, cucumber, ... Read more

Dhaka stocks extend gain to third day

Dhaka stocks advanced for the third trading session on Monday with a higher turnover thanks to soaring prices of banks’ shares and optimism fuelled by media reports that foreign investors’ participation had increased in October. The benchmark general index of Dhaka Stock Exchange, DSEX, increased to 4,085.20 points, gaining 2.30 per cent,

Twitter boosts IPO range, IBM alleges patent infringement

Twitter Inc boosted the price range for its initial public offering to $23 to $25 per share on Monday, as the microblogging network now seeks to raise up to $1.75 billion, reports Reuters. The previous range was $17 to $20 per share. Twitter also said it had received a letter

Proposed landfills yet to be okayed

Officials of the two city corporations in Dhaka have yet to make any decision over establishing two landfills at Dhaka’s two corners for dumping city garbage. At present the city corporations have two landfills at Matuail and Aminbazar while there was a plan to establish two more at two other corners of Dhaka.

US Congressman Steve Chabot due today

US Congressman Steve Chabot will arrive in Dhaka today on a two-day official visit to discuss the current political challenges Bangladesh is facing over the upcoming general elections. Chabot will also discuss the Dhaka-Washington bilateral relation with Bangladesh’s top political leaders, according to a press release of the US embassy.

Acute water crisis hits Rajshahi

The Rajshahi city dwellers are experiencing acute water crisis currently as the water plants are failing to supply sufficient water. The water pumps and tube wells in the city cannot lift enough water from underground to meet the public demand. At present the Rajshahi Water Supply and Sewerage Authorities are supplying water using 70 deep tube wells

ADB okays $250m for Dhaka WASA project

The Asian Development Bank has approved US$ 250 million assistance for a Dhaka WASA project to bring 50 crore litres of water per day from River Meghna to reduce its dependency on groundwater. ADB, which is the lead financier of the project, at its board meeting held recently at its Manila headquarters approved the project assistance, ... Read more

Journalist Welfare Trust Act

Cabinet okays draft The cabinet yesterday approved the final draft of the Bangladesh Journalist Welfare Trust Act, 2013 to financially assist journalists in need. Financial aides will be provided in the case of deaths, accidents or loss of working ability, Cabinet Secretary Musharraf Hossain Bhuiyan told reporters.