Ganajagaran Mancha leaders on Thursday expressed happiness over the capital punishment meted out to Jamaat leader Mohammad Kamaruzzaman for his involvement in crimes against humanity during the 1971 Liberation War. Hundreds of people, including Mancha leaders, cheered as the International Crimes Tribunal-2 delivered the verdict in a packed courtroom at 2 pm
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Row over UK firm’s contract for passport booklets
The Department of Immigration and Passports (DIP) is set to procure a large number of machine readable passport (MRP) booklets from a UK-based firm, despite knowing that it is a “risky venture” that costs around Tk. 350 crore of the public exchequer’s money. It is learnt that even though DIP knew about the bidder’s non-compliance ... Read more
‘Export not at the expense of safe working conditions’
Both the United States and Bangladesh have a shared interest in ensuring that the growth of Bangladesh’s export sector does not come at the expense of safe and healthy working conditions or fundamental labour rights, senior State Department officials said on Wednesday. Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Robert O Blake ... Read more
Savar death toll rises to 938
Rescue team recovered at least 61 more bodies from the debris of collapsed Rana Plaza building in Savar on Thursday, raising the death toll in the disaster to 938 on the 16th day of the incident. Of the recovered corpses, 665 were handed over to the families while 98 have been kept on Savar Adhar ... Read more
Shahbag erupts in celebration
Shahbagh’s Ganajagaran Mancha brought out a jubilant procession in the capital on Thursday following the verdict of capital punishment to Jamaat-e-Islami’s front ranking leader M Kamaruzzaman for his crimes against humanity in 1971. Earlier in the day International Crimes Tribunal-2 (ICT-2) condemned M Kamaruzzaman, assistant secretary general of Jamaat-e-Islami, to death
Death toll reaches 819
The death toll from the Rana Plaza collapse reached 819 on Wednesday as rescuers were still recovering bodies in the second phase of rescue operation that began on April 29 with heavy equipment. Seventy-five bodies were recovered between midnight past Tuesday and 9:00pm on Wednesday, according to the district administration control room.
EU for politically agreed formula for fair polls
The European Union (EU) has expressed hope that the political parties in Bangladesh will soon reach a consensus about the form of government that will be in place during the election. The 27-member bloc has also urged the parties to engage in constructive dialogue to agree on a politically acceptable and constitutionally viable mechanism for ... Read more
DMP rejects casualty claims
‘Hefajat planned to loot bank, attack secretariat’ Dhaka Metropolitan Police commissioner Benazir Ahmed on Wednesday said that none was killed during the early Monday operation that flushed out Hefajat-e-Islam men from Shapla Sqaure in the capital. At a briefing at the DMP Media Centre, he said that no lethal weapons were used in the operation ... Read more
BNP claims 15 leaders, activists killed since May 6
The Bangladesh Nationalist Party on Wednesday said that 15 leaders and activists of the party were killed by law enforcers and ruling Awami League goons in different parts of the country since May 6. The BNP chairperson’s advisory council member Shamsuzzman Dudu at a news briefing at the party’s central office said that 15 BNP
Hefazat mayhem funded by ISI: Quamrul
State minister for law, advocate Quamrul Islam, on Wednesday alleged that Sunday’s mayhem in Paltan area, carried out by the Hefazat-e-Islam, was funded by the Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) of Pakistan. He also said that the main opposition BNP and Jamaat had led the attacks. The minister said this at a human chain held at ... Read more
Stray violence marks first day of opposition hartal
The first day of the two-day nationwide hartal, called by the BNP-led 18-party Opposition alliance, passed off with stray incidents of violence on Wednesday. The police charged baton and fired teargas shells to disperse Opposition activists in different parts of the capital and elsewhere in the country. Pro-hartal activists vandalised and torched more than 30 ... Read more
Nasim blasts BNP for spreading ‘lies’
Awami League presidium member Mohammad Nasim on Wednesday termed the greatest lie of the century the BNP’s allegation of concealing dead bodies from Shapla Chattar after a drive by joint force early Monday. “At this age how is it possible to conceal bodies? This is not possible at this age of information technology, but BNP ... Read more
ICT verdict on Kamaruzzaman today
International Crimes Tribunal-2 (ICT-2) is likely to pass the verdict against Jamaat-e-Islami leader Muhammad Kamaruzzaman today. The three-member tribunal, headed by its chairman Justice Obaidul Hassan, set the date for the verdict delivery on Wednesday. Kamaruzzaman, assistant
PM for translation of Bengali literatures
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday emphasized on worldwide translation of creative Bengali literatures for the readers of other languages and cultures across the globe. She gave the emphasis while inaugurating a function at Osmani Memorial Auditorium in the city, marking the 152nd birth anniversary of Bishwa Kabi Rabindranath Tagore and the Centenary
From West, long road seen on Bangladesh safety
Bangladesh’s massive building collapse has horrified Western nations that buy its garments, but industry players expect incremental progress at best in encouraging better factory conditions. Initiatives by governments, corporations and unions to impose more stringent safety rules in Bangladesh have made little headway for years, although activists are hoping
Imran fractures spine as Pakistan campaign halts
Doctors said Wednesday they expect Pakistani politician Imran Khan to make a full recovery despite fracturing his spine at a campaign rally, as his party sought to capitalise on a sympathy vote. The retired cricket star and head of the Pakistan Movement for Justice (PTI) suffered several fractured vertebrae and a broken rib on Tuesday ... Read more
Jamaat behind Sunday’s violence: HIB
Junaid Babu Nagari, secretary general of the Hefazat-e-Islami Bangladesh (HIB), on Wednesday said the violence that took place during its Sunday “Dhaka Siege Programme” was carried out by Jamaat-Shibir activists. Several police officials told The Independent that Nagri, now in police remand, during interrogation said that HIB leaders had no control over the situation at ... Read more
Tagore’s 152nd birth anniversary celebrated
The 152nd birth anniversary of Bishwakobi Rabindranath Tagore was observed in the country on Wednesday with a call for resisting militancy, religious fanaticism and rooting out superstition from the society. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the 152nd birth anniversary of Tagore and 100 years’ celebration of his receiving the Nobel for ‘Gitanajoli’ at Shawkat
Panel to monitor new gas links
The energy ministry has formed a nine-member committee to monitor issuing of fresh gas connections. The ministry’s additional secretary has been made the convener of the monitoring panel, comprising members from all six managers (admin) of the gas distributing agencies, and the director (admin) of Petrobangla. “This committee will work specifically on some issues,
HSC exams rescheduled
The Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) and its equivalent examinations scheduled for Thursday (May 9) and Sunday (May 12) have been rescheduled. The examinations scheduled for May 9 will now be held on May 31 (Friday) and that of May 12 on June 1 (Saturday). May 31the morning shift examinations will be held from 9:00am