Metropolitan

United Nations Day was marked on Thursday in Dhaka with the urge for creating opportunities for the country’s young generation to assert themselves in development sector. The UN resident coordinator Thushara Fernando stressed the need for role of youth for economic growth. Inaugurating UN Day 2013 at the Bangabandhu

A three-member team of Sarus Beyond Borders, an international organisation based on Cambodia and Vietnam, called on vice-chancellor of Dhaka University AAMS Arefin Siddique at the latter’s office of the university on Thursday. Founder director of the organisation Wesley Hedden is leading the team. Other members of the team are William M Orr and Sylvia Murray.

Department of Environment (DoE) on Thursday fined a private hospital and a diagnostic centre Tk 4.5 lakh for violation of environment laws, reports UNB. After a hearing at its headquarters, DoE director (monitoring and enforcement) M Alamgir fined Salahudding Specialised Hospital Ltd in Tikatuli area Tk 4 lakh

On Friday afternoon the traditional 8th annual boat race in Khulna, popularly known as ‘Nouka Baich’ competition-2013 will be held in the Rupsha River which flows by the east side of divisional city. The competition has been going on for the last eight years. Khulna Nagar Samajik o Sangskritic Kendra (NSSK) will arrange the competition ... Read more

The International Finance Corporation (IFC) has expressed its willingness to provide US$ 1 billion for the development of the country’s power sector. A high-powered IFC team, on Wednesday, gave the assurance to Bangladesh, at a meeting with energy adviser Dr Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury,

Parliamentary Elections 85pc people think more women should run for general seats  Reveals nationwide survey Around 85 percent of the country’s people think that the political parties should nominate women to run in parliamentary elections for general seats for their empowerment. In a five-month survey conducted over 3,565 people across 40 districts of the seven ... Read more

Fighting Climate Change Bangladesh should clarify position before global alliances  Say environmentalists Environmentalists at a press conference yesterday urged the government to take sustainable long-term action plans to deal with impacts of climate change. They said Bangladesh should make its position and demand clear before the global alliances as an “innocent victim” of climate change. Oxfam ... Read more

Plan International report launch told In the event of disasters, cyclone and flood shelters are usually where adolescent girls get sexually harassed the most, speakers said at a report launch yesterday. The report, “Double Jeopardy: Adolescent Girls in Disasters”, commissioned by Plan International, was unveiled marking the occasion of International Day

Administrative activities of Rajshahi University (RU) resume today after a 13-day vacation on the occasion of Eid-ul-Azha and Durga Puja. The regular classes and examinations will resume on October 30 while all the dormitories will open on October 29, said an RU press release yesterday.

Customs authorities yesterday recovered gold weighing over 1kg from inside a laptop at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in the capital. On a tip-off, the officials intercepted Zakir Hossain, 35, on his arrival from Thailand and found about eight gold bars hidden inside the battery chamber

At least three people, including two of a family, were killed and four others injured critically in a road accident on Dhaka-Tangail Highway at Charpara under Mirzapur upazila of Tangail district Wednesday morning. The deceased were identified as Maynul Haque, 65, secretary of ward 42 of Dhaka city Awami League, his wife Shamsun Nahar, 55, and ... Read more

Hilsa netting resumes today as an 11-day restriction on catching of the fish ended yesterday. The ban was enforced by the fisheries directorate on October 13 to ensure safe spawning as well as proper breeding environment and also to keep the mother fish free from any disturbance. Dr. AKM Aminul Huq, divisional officer

More than 6,000 children will receive cooked meals every day in schools in Islampur upazila of Jamalpur by January 2014. The initiative was launched by the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) and Bangladesh government in South Chinadoli Government Primary School yesterday, said a WFP press release. Australian Government

Construction Workers in Capital 80pc face workplace hazards: Study  Around 80 percent of the capital’s construction workers are exposed and prone to workplace hazards and accidents for, among others, a lack of safety equipment and exposure to heights, unstable structures, noisy environments and having to carry heavy loads. This was stated in a study, “Impact ... Read more

A cell opened in the capital’s Srama Bhaban yesterday with an aim to provide legal assistance to impoverished workers for free. Besides providing legal advice, the cell will lodge cases on behalf of workers at the labour courts. National Legal Aid Services Organisation with technical support from an UNDP project, Justice Sector Facility, will administer the cell ... Read more

Space constraint has put up a hurdle to rehabilitation of hawkers evicted from the footpaths in the Sylhet city. Meanwhile, leaders of the Hawkers’ Sangram Parishad, a platform of the street vendors in the city, have threatened to launch a movement, if the city corporation authorities do not take immediate step for their rehabilitation. Sources in Nagar Bhaban

Three people, including two members of a family, were killed and three others injured as a bus rammed a human hauler on Dhaka-Chittagong highway at Gobindapur in Chandina upazila on Tuesday, reports UNB. The deceased were identified as Mazeda Begum, 45, wife of Abdul Wahab, her grand daughter Jannat, 3, daughter of Ziaur Rahman and Masud, ... Read more

Economists, bureaucrats, researchers and representatives from different non-government organisations on Tuesday emphasised enhancing skills development of the outbound workers to receive increased remittances. They stressed the need to increase manpower export through diplomatic channel by giving proper training at the vocational institutions.

Seminar told Speakers at a seminar yesterday emphasised a uniform education system in the country to achieve an international standard in the sector. They said such a system would be helpful for students hopeful for enrolment in higher studies at home and abroad. Due to the country’s different

Umme Ahmed Shishir, wife of cricketer Shakib Al Hasan, filed a complaint with Airport Armed Police Battalion last night seeking legal steps against a security official of Civil Aviation Authority, Bangladesh (CAAB) for allegedly misbehaving with Shakib. Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport sources said Shakib, taking permission from a security official, entered