Parliament on Thursday passed the much-talked-about Human Rights Commission Bill 2009 giving legal coverage to the existing commission to help it safeguard the people’s constitutional rights to live with dignity. The House passed the bill by voice vote as law, justice and parliamentary affairs minister Shafique Ahmed placed it for endorsement. The bill was earlier ... Read more
Dhaka Mirror
Roads made on 10 Dhaka canals
The suicidal decision created scope for water logging Around 10 canals of the city have either been filled up entirely or turned into box culverts to construct roads, aggravating the water logging problems. Roads were constructed in Rayerbazar, Rajabazar, Gopibagh and Shyampur Kadamtala filling up canals and constructing storm water and sewerage lines. Segunbagicha canal, ... Read more
Garment zone intelligence vigil raised to highest level
Intelligence vigilance has been beefed up to the highest level in industrial belts after the recent garment unrest at Ashuliya, as part of the government decision to ensure security to the over 12 billion dollar export-processing zone industries that employ over 3.1 million workers, mostly women. Ashuliya-Savar and Mirpur-Tejgaon belt in Dhaka district, Gazipur-Tongi-Joydebpur-Sreepur and ... Read more
Shahadat, Selim call each other chief
New JMB Offshoot Shahadat, Selim call each other chief The top leaders of banned JMB’s splinter Islam O Muslim Abdur Rahim alias Shahadat and Selim alias Saifullah designated each other as the chief of the offshoot organisation during remand, police said yesterday. Police said Shahadat, Selim and two others–Sajedur Rahman alias Hanif and Jalal Uddin–had ... Read more
Groundwater levels depleting 2/3 metres annually: JS told
The underground water levels in the city are falling by 2/3 metres every year, said Minister for LGRD and Cooperatives Syed Ashraful Islam in the House on Thursday. Replying to a question from Begum Nazma Akhter (Female seat- 13), he said 87 percent of the drinking water in the capital is being procured from the ... Read more
3 Bangladeshis found in Greece-bound container in Cyprus
Three Bangladeshis, who were among the 17 South Asians caught in a Greece-bound container in Limassol port of Cyprus on Tuesday, were remanded by the Cypriot police. The Cyprus Mail on Thursday reported that 19 people, including two alleged Pakistani human traffickers, appeared in the
KCC levels 19 dams on four canals
DRIVE AGAINST ILLEGAL STRUCTURES KCC levels 19 dams on four canals The Khulna City Corporation authorities have so far levelled 19 dams on four canals in and around the city during the demolition drive that was launched on July 3 aiming to ease water-logging problem. KCC sources said the authorities launched the demolition drive with ... Read more
Govt to restore past glory of jute
Textiles and Jute Minister Abdul Latif Siddiqui yesterday described jute, the golden fibre of Bangladesh-as one of the perspective sectors for the country’s economic development and said the government is taking various steps for its promotion. “The past glory of jute should be restored through an expanded and diversified use of jute products for the ... Read more
RU students protest at restriction on internet use
Students of Mother Bux Hall at Rajshahi University submitted a memorandum to the vice-chancellor on Wednesday in protest at imposition of restriction on internet use inside their hall. The students alleged that hall provost Belayet Hossain on Tuesday urged the residential students not to use internet inside the hall. As per the directives of the ... Read more
Bangladesh yet to win any gold in SA Shooting
Bangladesh remained goldless after the fourth day’s play of the Fifth South Asian Shooting Championship at the BKSP Shooting Range on Wednesday. India and Pakistan with six and two respectively shared the eight golds that were decided on the day. Women 10 M Air Pistol, Men 50 M Rifle Three Position, Men 25 M Standard ... Read more
U-19 team toiling to avoid innings defeat
Visiting Bangladesh Under-19 side are on knife-edge to face a humiliating defeat at the hands of England Under-19 team in the first four-dayer match of the tour at North Marine Road Ground in Scarborough on Wednesday. After facing follow-on, they scored 143 for three on the third day till filing of this report. The Bangladeshi ... Read more
National Youth (Under-19) Handball begins today
The Konka National Youth (Under-19) Handball Competition begins today at the Chittagong MA Aziz Stadium. Chittagong Divisional Sports Association will arrange the handball meet under auspices of Electra Mart Limited (Konka). A total of 19 teams will take part in the handball competition. They are : Joypurhat District team, Sunamganj District team, Jhalokathi District team, ... Read more
Zia, Reefat key tie today
Grand Master Ziaur Rahman of Biman was going great guns as he maintained his solo lead in the Mercantile Bank 35th National Chess Championship. Zia collected nine points after end of the 9th round games at the Bangladesh Chess Federation hall room on Wednesday. Zia had a rest day in the 9th round. He will ... Read more
Teletalk cricket
Mohalchhara Aparazita Club registered a 41-run victory over Munigramme Ujjal Smrity Club in the first Teletalk cricket tournament at the Khagrachari Government High School ground yesterday. Mohalchhara were all out for 106 runs in 20.1 over with Biplob making the team highest 49. Rupantor Chakma claimed five wickets for 12 runs while Dabit Chakma picked ... Read more
Over 50 canals near death
Govt’s bid to recover 26 canals from grabbers shows little success Although over 50 affluent canals once used to flow through the capital and added to its lifeline, most of the water channels have been fully or partially choked, while the rest are under serious threat thanks to unabated encroachment. The Dhaka Water Supply and ... Read more
Preserve places tinged with War of Liberation history: HC
The High Court yesterday directed the government to preserve and maintain all-important historical places including killing grounds, relating to the Liberation War of the country. The court also asked the government to build monuments of international standard at Suhrawardy Udyan where Bangabandhu Shiekh Mujibur Rahman delivered his historic addresses on March 7, 1971 calling upon ... Read more
HR commission won’t ensure rights protection, experts fear
The National Human Rights Commission Bill, likely to be passed by the parliament today, will not ensure the protection of human rights as it will not empower the commission to take any action against perpetrators of right violations, said experts and rights activists. The bill will rather ensure the establishment of a commission subservient to ... Read more
JMB suspect storms BTCL office: Hostages set free
A dare devil young man, suspected to be an operative of the outlawed militant outfit of Jamiatul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB), stormed into the local office of the Bangldesh Telecommunications Company Ltd (BTCL) in the district headquarters yesterday afternoon and threatened to blow up the building. The young man in his thirties sneaked into the switch ... Read more
ACC under pressure to drop some cases
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) is under pressure to withdraw the corruption cases it filed against the leaders and activists of the ruling party, according to sources. The sources said the high ups of the ACC were told verbally to withdraw corruption cases filed during the last 4-party alliance government and the caretaker regime against the ... Read more
Illegal dredging, sand filling cause environment threat to rivers, low-lands
A number of real estate companies are involved in illegal dredging of rivers to extract sand and silt from Turag and other rivers in Ashulia through dredgers to fill in the low-lying areas on both sides of the river for their big housing projects. Local people and experts allege that such mass extraction of river ... Read more