Three ministers on Thursday turned down the assessment of the Amnesty International on Bangladesh’s human rights situation in its annual report, terming it error-ridden and lopsided one. Home minister MK Alamgir said, the figure given by the Amnesty International on the number of the incidents of extra-judicial killings, disappearances and killing
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EU urged to act to prevent factory accidents
Following the recent fires and building collapse at factories in Bangladesh, Members of European Parliament on Thursday called for justice for victims and EU action to prevent similar events in future. The Parliament recalls in the resolution adopted on Thursday that Bangladesh benefits from duty and quota-free access to the EU market and that these
Why will govt listen to failed persons, asks PM
Trashing the past caretaker government for its failure to run the country smoothly, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today said that Bangladesh won’t advance and democracy won’t be well-established if the government listens to the ‘prescription’ of the advisers of the past caretaker government. “Why we would listen to the prescription of those who could not
BNP pushes for dialogue on poll-time govt
Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has again urged the government to arrange a dialogue with opposition for reaching a consensus to form a non-party and neutral poll-time government to ensure a participatory election for transferring power through democratic process. In a statement following a standing committee meeting of the party held in Dhaka on Wednesday
Pre-monsoon rain triggers waterlogging
Incessant rain since the early hours of Thursday threw life out of gear in different parts of the capital and elsewhere in the country. The downpour in two hours totalled 64 mm. Two persons were electrocuted when they came in contact with a snapped electric wire while crossing a water-logged road at about 10:30 am ... Read more
Machines make big inroads into rural farms
A majority of farmers in Bangladesh use modern equipment, such as two-wheeler power tillers and four-wheeler tractors, for farming, according to a recent study. The USAID-funded study revealed that the use of mechanical power for farmland preparation in Bangladesh was quite high as 72 per cent of farmers at the national
12 RMG factories closed amid labour unrest in Ashulia
The authorities suspended production in 12 readymade garment (RMG) factories in Ashulia industrial belt for today (Thursday) as labour unrest flared up over wage hike. Sources said about 50,000 workers of 12 garment factories in Berun, Narasinghapur and Nischintapur areas staged demonstration sporadically in front of their factories
New Act to draw private investors to PPP projects
The government has finally decided to enact a legislation, named Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Act 2013, to draw private investors to its public-private initiatives to accelerate development. And this after losing a substantial amount of money, time and projects during the last four years, sources in the PPP office said. The draft bill is likely to ... Read more
US transfers Cutter Jarvis to Bangladesh Navy
The United States Coast Guard is due to handover a ship named ‘Cutter Jarvis’ to Bangladesh Navy on Thursday night. The 378-feet long ship will be the largest ship in Bangladesh Navy, US Ambassador to Dhaka Dan W Mozena told journalists on January 15. “At 10:00am
WB lines up $500m budget aid for Bangladesh
The World Bank (WB) is going to provide USD 500 million budgetary support to Bangladesh for the next fiscal year, sources at the Economic Relations Division (ERD) told The Independent on Thursday. The government has to utilise the money in three
Buddha Purnima celebrated
Buddha Purnima, the biggest religious festival of the Buddhist community, was celebrated across the country on Thursday. As per the belief of the Buddhists, the emergence of Lord Buddha took place on this day 2,556 years ago. The celebrations started with lighting
Owners to blame for Rana Plaza killings
The inquiry committee formed by the home ministry has termed the collapse of the nine-storied Rana Plaza, in Savar, “a killing caused by sheer negligence”, and recommended trial under Section 304 which carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment, and section 34 of the penal code, for those responsible for the tragedy of April 24 ... Read more
Dialogue process ‘very slow’: Mozena
The initiative of a dialogue between the government and opposition to resolve the political impasse is progressing very slowly, as there is a lack of confidence in each other, United States Ambassador to Bangladesh Dan W Mozena said on Wednesday. The dialogue is difficult under the current circumstance and that it will not be easy ... Read more
CG issue to be settled thru movement: BNP
The main opposition BNP has said that it would resolve the caretaker government (CG) issue by taking their movement to the streets. “Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has put obstacles on the path of holding fresh talks over the CG issue. The preparation to hold such talks will not be successful. The issue would only be ... Read more
Bangladesh worker deaths may change US buying habit: Harris Poll
About 70 per cent of Americans have heard of the Rana Plaza collapse in Savar that killed over a 1,000 people, and for some it means they will probably buy fewer goods made in Bangladesh, according to a US poll report. Among those who learned of the deaths, 39 per cent said they would probably ... Read more
JL leader shot dead in Rajshahi
An activist of Juba League has been shot dead at Chandipur under Rajpara Police Station in the city this afternoon. The deceased was identified as Sarwar Hossain Babu, 40, son of Abdur Razzaque, was reportedly shot dead by some of his rivals. ABM Rezaul Karim, Officer-in-Charge of Rajpara Police Station, told BSS that previous enmity ... Read more
Dipu Moni backs proposed trade pact with US
The proposed Trade and Investment Cooperation Framework Agreement (TICFA) will help in expansion of trade between Bangladesh and the US, foreign minister Dr Dipu Moni said on Wednesday. “TICFA is an official platform that can resolve problems in trade and commerce. Of course, the agreement will be mutually beneficial for Bangladesh and US and
Sporadic violence marks BNP hartal
The dawn-to-dusk hartal, called by the district unit of the BNP in Dhaka, passed off with stray incidents of violence on Wednesday. The Dhaka Metropolitan area was not under the purview of the general strike. At least 15 vehicles were vandalised and four torched. Fourteen BNP activists were arrested in Keraniganj, Dohar, Dhamrai, Savar and ... Read more
‘Soldier’ killed in ‘shocking’ London street attack
British police shot and wounded two men after a man thought to be a serving soldier was killed outside a London barracks, in an attack Prime Minister David Cameron called “truly shocking”. In a dramatic move, the government’s emergency response committee was being summoned following the killing which some eyewitness reports suggested was an attempted ... Read more
BNP may call hartal soon
A meeting of the national standing committee of main opposition BNP was held on Wednesday night to discuss latest political situation of the country and to chalk out the next programmes of the party. The meeting of the party’s highest policy-making body began around 8.30 pm at the party chiefs Gulshan office with BNP Chairperson ... Read more