Headlines

Politicians’ phones are also not free from intelligence network The government is going to set up modern bugging devices to stop telephonic and cyber crimes as part of strengthening the activities of the intelligence and the law enforcement agencies. An intelligence agency of police has initiated import of a mobile tracking machine named ‘mobile tracker ... Read more

Prof. Muzaffar asserts while inaugurating Tipaimukh long march Former TIB chairman Muzaffer Ahmed has said India’s proposed Tipaimukh Dam project is a public issue, not a political one, and the government must make its decision on the matter taking account of public opinion. “A decision should be made based on the opinions of the people ... Read more

People in rural areas are far away from getting the minimum health care although the country has one of the world’s best public health infrastructure spread down to villages. All successive governments thought afresh of public health and built some structures spending public money only for them to become redundant during the tenure of the ... Read more

All criticism against me mere propaganda: Corrupt politicians released from jail thru’ loopholes of law The former chief of army staff Gen (Retd) Moeen U Ahmed, who is now in the United States of America (USA), claimed that he was the only general who stood beside the people during the crisis moment and kept his ... Read more

Defy water authorities’ suspension on work order Sand lifters in the river Buriganga near Basila returned for sand extraction on Friday amidst protests of locals and suspension of the work orders by the authorities three weeks ago. Meanwhile, authorities of the third Buriganga Bridge have expressed their concern over the fact, as it may cause ... Read more

Tension was running high along Shreepur border point in Jointapur upazila as border guards of neighbouring India repeatedly walked into Bangladesh territories removing BDR’s red flag. Sources said BDR have been put on high alert along the border and their presence reinforced to tackle any emergency situation. They said BSF troops frequently walked into Bangladesh ... Read more

Factory owners see danger Labour leaders and workers’ rights campaigners believe that registered trade unions, if allowed in apparel sector, could help narrow the gap between owners and workers and prevent disputes from snowballing into violent outbursts. Such arrangements, acknowledged by constitution and industrial relations law, could ensure a favourable production atmosphere and be beneficial ... Read more

British-Bangladesh Initiative Groups to study climate change Enquiry report to be submitted at Copenhagen summit to ensure equity The all-party parliamentary groups on climate change and environment of Bangladesh and the UK have teamed up to launch a joint enquiry into climate change. The enquiry report will be presented at the Copenhagen climate change summit ... Read more

The Bangladesh Indigenous People’s Forum has called for “constitutional recognition” of the region’s 45 indigenous communities, restoration of lands, and withdrawal of “army rule” from the area for full implementation of the Chittagong Hill Tracts Peace Accord. “We must be united to establish our rights, implement the peace accord and secure our lands,” Santu Larma ... Read more

Prime Minister Shiekh Hasina Thursday said experts will scrutinize the data and information provided by India about Tipaimukh Dam to assess its environmental and socioeconomic impacts on Bangladesh, and assured that her government would not support anything that might harm the country’s interests. She made the remarks when the parliamentary delegation that went recently to ... Read more

Rid Pharma brand still available on market One more child died in Rangpur on Friday reportedly after being administered the toxic paracetamol syrup produced by Rid Pharmaceuticals as the brand is still available on the market because of inaction of the government. Ten-month-old Rani died at home Friday morning from renal failure that had persisted ... Read more

2 camps withdrawn; one brigade, 33 more camps to go The government yesterday formally started pulling out temporary army camps from Chittagong Hill Tracts with two camps in Khagrachhari and Rangamati as per its recent decision to implement the CHT Peace Accord 1997. The camps were located at Manikchhari of Mahalchhari upazila in Khagrachhari and ... Read more

Rapid commercialisation to take service costs out of people’s rich, say experts Private health care business is booming in the country on the back of people’s growing confidence in the services of private hospitals though they charge much higher than public hospitals. A New Age investigation shows that treatment costs for heart related diseases are ... Read more

He calls for making public the data, info Former Water Resources Minister and BNP vice President Major Hafiz Uddin Ahmed (Retd) on Friday said the government should disclose all sorts of data and information about Tipaimukh Dam before the nation immediately if the Indian government has given those to Bangladesh parliamentary delegation during their recent ... Read more

Bangladesh Bank (BB) has approved a Tk 500 crore fund for the country’s cash-strapped sharecroppers. The central bank’s board approved the fund at a meeting on Thursday, said a BB source. The board also decided to disburse the fund through a leading non-government organization (NGO), having enough experiences in small lending in the country. “The ... Read more

Passengers and small traders at the city’s long-route bus terminals are subject to untold harassment and become victims of different kinds of extortions due to lax enforcement of law by the authorities concerned. Terminal labourers having a nexus with local influential ruling party men and associations of transport owners and workers charge the passengers high ... Read more

Khalashpir Coal Mine Project Hosaf’s sketchy study raises questions Govt spends $95,000 for review of study by ex-consultant of Hosaf The techno-economic feasibility study for Khalashpir coal mine project by Hosaf Consortium has finally been trashed by a foreign consultant questioning the study’s scientific basis, methodology and raising a host of other questions, sources said. ... Read more

Decision yet to get govt approval The Dhaka Medical College Hospital authorities have introduced ticket system against money for the visitors’ entry from August 1, much to the sufferings of the poor patients and those attending to them. Tk 20 has been fixed for visiting a free-bed patient, Tk 30 for a paying-bed patient and ... Read more

There is a strong likelihood that Pakistani Taliban chief Baitullah Mehsud was killed along with his wife and bodyguards in a missile attack two days ago, Pakistan’s Interior Minister Rehman Malik told Reuters. “We suspect he was killed in the missile strike,” Malik said on Friday. “We have some information, but we don’t have material ... Read more

Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) on Saturday enhanced the price of gas by 11.22 percent with immediate effect. According to the increased price chart, residential consumers will have to pay Taka 450 for two burners instead of present Taka 400 and Taka 400 for single burner instead of Taka 350 per month. The last increase ... Read more