Dhaka Mirror

PM asks MPs to step up relief The budget session of the ninth Parliament began on Thursday with the opposition boycotting the House proceedings centering the rearrangement of seats for the opposition lawmakers in the front row. The second session started yesterday at 3.22 PM with the Parliament Speaker Advocate Abdul Hamid in the Chair. ... Read more

Strict enforcement of laws, blocking grabbers’ way to court’s stay order, effective river commission must to save rivers Commitment of the government, tough enforcement of environmental laws and formation of an effective river authority are the key to save the rivers physically and biologically. The government must step forward to save the rivers and acquire ... Read more

President Barack Obama has said the “cycle of suspicion and discord” between the United States and the Muslim world must end. In a keynote speech in Cairo, Mr Obama called for a “new beginning” in ties. He admitted there had been “years of distrust” and said both sides needed to make a “sustained effort… to ... Read more

* Court injunction * Ducking of 2001 verdict * Missing demarcation * Clouts of grabbers * Lack of govt coordination Government drives against encroachment largely fail because encroachers often obtain stay orders and injunctions from the court against eviction drives, high officials of BIWTA, Environment Directorate, and Land Survey Directorate told a High Court bench ... Read more

State minister for home Tanjim Ahmed, returning to work on Thursday after a rumour-filled four-day absence, has denied having tendered his resignation during that time. “I never resigned,” Tanjim said when asked about the reports that he had quit his office, submitting his resignation to the prime minister on Monday. He also said he would ... Read more

Lieutenant General Muhammed Abdul Mubin, Principal Staff Officer (PSO) of the Armed Forces Division, has been made the new army chief. He will replace the incumbent army chief General Moeen U Ahmed whose extended time will end on June 15. He was given one year’s extension during the caretaker government on April 6 last year. ... Read more

Criminal Investigation Department (CID) is likely to submit charge sheet within two months in the case relating to BDR mutiny and killing of army officers. At a press briefing Thursday, commerce minister Lt Col Farukh Khan (Retd) said that after completing investigation in BDR mutiny case CID is expected to submit charge sheet by two ... Read more

State Minister for Housing and Public Works Advocate Abdul Mannan Khan on Thursday called for setting up public-private join ventures for resolving housing problems. Referring to the election manifesto of Awami League, he said the present government wants to ensure housing facilities for all by 2015 with the concerted efforts by all. The state minister ... Read more

The ICC World Twenty20 starts today at the Lord’s in London, the capital city of England. Host England will take on Netherlands in the inaugural match of the sensational cricket meet, today at 10.30 PM BST (Bangladesh Standard Time). A total of 12 teams splitting into four groups are taking part in the 17-day long ... Read more

Today is the World Environment Day (WED)- 2009. The day will be observed across the country along with the world with taking vows to protect the environment for saving human being. The theme of the day- 2009 is “Your Planet Needs You- Unite to Combat Climate Change” On this day, individuals and various industrial, non-governmental, ... Read more

Major river-grabbers flash court’s stay orders to fend off eviction; BIWTA knocks down 4 big structures in Tongi as 3-day drive begins Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) yesterday began a three-day eviction drive against encroachment on the river Turag. The government embarked on the drive following a vigorous campaign launched by The Daily Star ... Read more

Row over seat-planning remains still unresolved The second session of the 9th Jatiya Sangsad begins at 3 pm today (Thursday). It is the first budget session of the current parliament as well as the first budget of the present Mohajote government led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Finance Minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhith, who has ... Read more

Jatiya Sangsad panel chiefs to get flag cars, gunmen The parliament commission on Wednesday approved a proposal for purchasing cars for all members of the parliament doing away with their privilege to import duty-free vehicles, the speaker of Jatiya Sangsad said Wednesday. ‘All lawmakers will be provided with vehicles to be maintained by the government ... Read more

Govt to set up expatriates’ welfare bank soon Foreign Minister Dipu Moni on Wednesday said groupings and conflicts ‘in the name of politics’ of different overseas political wings have tarnished country’s image abroad in some cases. She also called on all concerned for ending such hostile politicking to uphold the positive image of the nation ... Read more