Headlines

The CNG pump owners are determined to enforce non-stop strike across the country from August 1 to realise their six-point demands. To resolve the crisis, the Ministry of Energy, Power and Mineral Resources yesterday met with the leaders of CNG pump owners, which ended without any decision. The leaders in the meeting expressed their dissatisfaction ... Read more

The private universities that have sprung up in the city and elsewhere in the country in recent years are cashing in on seat crisis in public universities although there is a question about the standard of education they offer. “Many brilliant students from low and middle-income families are unlikely to be able to get admitted ... Read more

Assistance to be sought at JEC meeting in China Bangladesh will seek around US$4.68 billion in assistance from the Chinese government to implement 28 projects in telecommunication, infrastructure, energy, and health sectors at the Bangladesh-China Joint Economic Commission (JEC) meeting scheduled to begin in Beijing tomorrow. During the three-day bilateral talk that will take place ... Read more

Drought-hit farmers in the northern region say they need uninterrupted electricity supply, not free electricity, to irrigate their paddy fields as Aus crop has already been affected and Aman cultivation runs out of time. As officials are gearing up for implementing the government’s offer to distribute electricity to irrigation pumps free of cost, farmers expect ... Read more

Everest Marandi joins the prayers with about 50 other people of the Christian community here every afternoon for the past one week. ‘What will we eat if there is no rain?’ asks the man, explaining the objective of the special prayer session. In Jugisho village, some 30 kilometres from Rajshahi city, three-fourths of the croplands ... Read more

Stability in Bangladesh a matter of int’l concern, says German Ambassador Meyke The European Union had welcomed the ‘1/11 changeover’ in Bangladesh to avert possible bloodshed in the then “dangerous” political confrontation, outgoing German envoy Frank Meyke said yesterday. He, however, rejected allegations of any diplomatic role in the declaration of a state of emergency ... Read more

It will be guided tour, says Abdur Razzak The parliamentary delegation scheduled to visit the Tipaimukh dam site in India on Friday, said that the extent of its access to the site will depend on how much its counterpart is willing to allow. The team, that is scheduled to leave Dhaka on Wednesday for a ... Read more

General Secretary Ashraf says Awami League General Secretary Syed Ashraful Islam yesterday said his party wants to change the country’s political nature by bringing an end to corruption, extortion, murder and anarchy in the name of politics. “We do not want to go back to confrontational politics. We want to change the country and its ... Read more

Low monsoon rain and India’s food export ban could put Bangladesh’s food security at stake and require the government to give more incentives to farmers and watch global food price trend cautiously, warn local and global forecasters. The government, however, sees no immediate danger from the New Delhi’s move, claiming that it has sufficient food ... Read more

A parliamentary committee on Sunday strongly recommended realizing compensation by legal means from the foreign company concerned for the crack on the Jamuna multipurpose bridge that is so vital in integrating the country’s eastern and north-northwestern parts. The Parliamentary Stan-ding Committee on Com-munications Ministry in its meeting identified the reasons for not realizing compensation by ... Read more

City-dwellers witnessed severe traffic congestions on Sunday. Traffic movement on different busy roads and thoroughfares virtually collapsed triggering untold suffering to the commuters. Many commuters opined that travelling in Dhaka city has now become a nightmare. Thousands of motor vehicles, mostly passenger-buses, got stranded on busy city streets for hours causing severe traffic congestions. A ... Read more

A parliamentary sub-committee yesterday said it will recommend legal actions against former shipping adviser Maj Gen (retd) MA Matin, as it has ‘clear evidence of corruption’ against him. The sub-committee formed to investigate alleged corruption by MA Matin during the immediate past caretaker emergency regime, also changed its earlier position for summoning the former adviser ... Read more

Earth from hills used to fill up beach side motel plots; govt ban goes ignored Open spaces in the hotel motel zone of Cox’s Bazar beach are being filled with earth from hills, violating the government’s order. Sources said workers are carrying earth by digging into hills in broad daylight to fill in the open ... Read more

He is on leave, says HT Imam  Tanjim Ahmed Sohel Taj, absentee minister of state for home affairs yesterday set at rest all speculations about his political career by claiming that he personally handed over his resignation letter to the prime minister on May 31 and therefore was no longer a minister of the government. ... Read more

There has been a draught-like-situation across much of the country because of lower than usual rainfall in this peak rainy season, posing a serious threat to Aman cultivation, according to a government report. The country might face a full-fledged draught first time in eight years if the prevailing hot spell without sufficient rain continues in ... Read more

The Bangladesh Bank yesterday announced a “pro-active accommodative” monetary policy for next six months to spur investment, sustain growth, emphasising lending rate cut and keeping provision to supply fund from foreign currency reserve. “The prime goal of this monetary policy is to assist a sustainable and productive growth by keeping inflation at a tolerable level,” ... Read more

Submission of constitution With the deadline for submission of final party Constitution to the Election Commission only six days away, the BNP yesterday submitted an application to the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) seeking time until January 31 next year for submitting its constitution following approval by the national council. While the ruling party the Awami ... Read more

If 6-point demand not met by July 31 CNG Filling Station Owners to enforce non-stop strike from August 1 Bangladesh CNG Filling Station and Conversion Workshop Owners Association is “determined” on their stand to enforce countrywide nonstop strike from August 1 if their 6-point demands were not met by the government by July 31 deadline. ... Read more

Climate Change Battle $1,149m sought from donors The government yesterday sought $1,149 million global assistance for mitigating the impact of natural disasters on a long-term basis, especially in the coastal districts which are most vulnerable to the effects of climate change. “We appealed for assistance from the international community mainly for construction of embankments, cyclone ... Read more

Former Indian President APJ Abdul Kalam on Sunday said the co-riparian countries in the region should develop an efficient water management for their mutual benefit. “Better management of water can ensure regional benefit of this resource,” Kalam said during talks with Nobel Laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus at the Grameen Bank headquarters after his arrival here ... Read more