Headlines

Staff Correspondent The cabinet committee on purchase on Monday approved a proposal for import of 13 lakh tonnes of crude oil from Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates for the current year. The committee, headed by finance minister, Abul Mal Abdul Muhith, at a meeting at the cabinet division gave the approval. The energy division ... Read more

President draws govt attention to food prices, anti-graft fight, trial of war criminals Staff Correspondent President Iajuddin Ahmed yesterday termed the new Jatiya Sangsad a “parliament for change” and said poverty alleviation, elimination of corruption and terrorism, trial of war criminals and establishment of good governance would be

UPAZILA POLLS EC’s final tally betrays reality Khadimul Islam The upazila elections, held on January 22 amidst violence, intimidation, assaults and harassment of election officials, capture of polling centres and stuffing and snatching of ballot boxes, saw more than 71 per cent voter turnout, according to the Election Commission’s final tally. Academics, election observers, election ... Read more

Defeated candidates lodge complaints against ruling party men EC takes hard-line against irregularities in UZ polls Staff Correspondent The EC has taken a hard line against the irregularities that took place during third upazilla polls on January 22 and commission would take action against the candidates for allegedly violating the code of conduct during elections. ... Read more

Staff Reporter The ninth parliament had a formal start yesterday unanimously electing Advocate Abdul Hamid Speaker and Col (retd) Shawkat Ali Deputy Speaker to preside over the House. The Parliament elected Adv Hamid for the top office on a formal proposal from Chief Whip Abdus Shahid, seconded by Whip Shagufta Yasmin Emily. The deputy speaker’s ... Read more

Staff correspondent The lawmakers of the BNP-led main opposition in the ninth parliament in the opening session on Sunday staged a walkout before the speech of the president, Iajuddin Ahmed, accusing him of breaching his oath of office. ‘The president breached his oath of office by not arranging elections within 90 days of the assumption ... Read more

Staff correspondent The 122 ordinances promulgated in two years of the interim government of Fakhruddin Ahmed were placed for discussion in the parliament in its opening session on Sunday. The law minister, Shafique Ahmed, placed the ordinances in a single motion and the speaker, Abdul Hamid, read out the list of ordinances. According to the ... Read more

Railway Break-ins 3 investigations find 3 different reasons Staff Correspondent Three probe committees that investigated the recent break-ins at Rail Bhaban in Dhaka and a railway office in Chittagong came up with three different conclusions. However, all the reports said no important files went missing. The probe committee formed by Bangladesh Railway yesterday filed its ... Read more

7 promoted to secretary rank Staff Correspondent The government yesterday brought major changes in the civil administration, promoting seven officers to the rank of secretary and making one secretary and two additional secretaries the officer-on-special-duty (OSD). The government also gave postings to a number of officers who were made OSD by the BNP-led four-party government ... Read more

Chttagong Correspondent Experts on the apparel product quality and industrial productivity here at a seminar yesterday speculated further growth of the country’s readymade garment (RMG) industry when the biggest economies of the world were hard hit by ongoing economic slowdown. They said that the local apparel exporters would benefit from the consumer’s delight in the ... Read more

Staff Reporter BNP Vice Chairman MK Anwar said yesterday the ruling Awami Legue did not give them any offer for the post of Deputy Speaker of the 9 th Jatiya Sangsad. “They promised to give us deputy speaker. But the post has been allocated to the ruling party’s nominee without the consultation with our party,” ... Read more

Taib Ahmed Dense fog with cold continued to disrupt normal life widely across the country on Sunday as the sun has remained shrouded since Thursday affecting the river, road and air transports. At least 28 people were injured in accidents involving launches in the River Shitalakhya in Narayanganj Saturday night and trucks in

UNB, Dhaka Chevron will conduct a reevaluation of the Bibiyana gas field to delineate its latest reserve position. According to state-owned hydrocarbon corporation Petrobangla, an approval will be given in this regard to the US-based international oil company (IOC) within this week. The move for reevaluation came amid a debate over the level of gas ... Read more

Staff Correspondent Unlocking of 298 frozen bank accounts becomes uncertain as the government has retracted its decision of opening those accounts immediately. Yesterday Finance Minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhit said “The decision of opening the frozen accounts is likely to be delayed due to legal complications.” Merit of each case needs to be examined to ... Read more

United News of Bangladesh . Dhaka The intending Hajj pilgrims will have to collect international passport to perform Hajj from this year. Hajj ministry of Saudi Arabia informed that as the system of pilgrim pass has been abolished the pilgrims will require

* Election of speaker, deputy speaker * President’s address * Decision on 122 ordinances * Election to presidency * Defining MPs’ role in upazilas Shakhawat Liton The long awaited ninth parliament begins its journey this afternoon with the responsibility to deliver on people’s high expectations that it will put the country on the right track ... Read more

Hasnat Abdul Hye President Reagan was a great admirer and believer of the market place. Not any market in particular but market in general. He had profound trust in the operation of the market which using its ‘invisible hand,’ solved all problems of demand and supply. He further believed that if emphasis was given on ... Read more

Lobby for promotion, ‘good posting’ on Mustafizur Rahman A recent spate of transfers and postings in civil bureaucracy has caused fears and anxiety among many officials, affecting their concentration on office work. The officials, beginning from upazila nirbahi officers in field administration up to secretaries, the highest rank in bureaucracy, are in fear either of ... Read more

Staff Correspondent The prime minister, Sheikh Hasina, on Saturday inducted six more junior ministers into her cabinet, taking to 38 the number of the members on the council of ministers, officials said. The president, Iajuddin Ahmed, administered oath to the new state ministers at, Bangabhaban, in the evening. The state ministers are ruling Awami League ... Read more

DU Correspondent The Dhaka University (DU) yesterday witnessed an ignoble rat race among teachers to get to the newly appointed university officials to pay their admiration and adulation depriving students of their precious classes. Over 200 teachers rushed in a hustle and bustle towards the Registrar Building to congratulate pro-Vice Chancellor Professor Harun-or Rashid and ... Read more