Other Headlines

Speakers at a budget discussion here yesterday suggested that the government allow whitening of black money in exchange for payment of 15 to 25 percent taxes. The chance of whitening black money should be given to the holders for only one year and if any discrepancy is found in declaring the sum of their black ... Read more

A number of ruling party lawmakers yesterday criticised the propose budget for keeping the provision of money whitening. The ruling party, however, praised the budget by terming it chartered for change, pro-people and investment friendly. During the budget discussion, several lawmakers said the provision went against the electoral manifesto of ruling

Former deputy speaker Akhtar Hamid Siddiki was yesterday released on bail from Naogaon jail in connection with a sedition case. The Court of District and Sessions Judge M Habibur Rahman granted him bail in the sedition case early in the day. A crowd of party-men and relatives at the jail gate greeted BNP bigwig Hamid ... Read more

The government has reduced the price of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) by Tk 150 per cylinder with effect from tomorrow (Friday). Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) yesterday fixed the new price of 12.5 kg cylinders following recommendation from Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC). “We have reduced LPG price of each cylinder from Tk 850 to 700,” ... Read more

Bangladesh Association of International Recruiting Agencies (BAIRA) president Golam Mostafa Wednesday expressed dissatisfaction over the proposed budget saying all its demands to keep the prospective manpower export sector alive have been overlooked. Terming the budget as frustrating, he said the government’s ‘charter of change’ is unlikely to achieve if the sector neglected. The BAIRA president ... Read more

Nat’l Environment Committee No meeting in more than a decade The national environment committee headed by the prime minister to deal with environment issues did not hold a single meeting in more than a decade, a parliamentary sub-committee disclosed yesterday, and urged the national committee to sit immediately. Although environmental disasters occurred repeatedly, the highest ... Read more

Swine flu cases in Arab states in the Gulf, a high-traffic transit zone for millions of air travellers, rose to 34 on Tuesday after Qatar reported its first cases, two of them young boys. Three people arriving in Doha on international flights were diagnosed with A(H1N1) influenza, and Kuwait also reported that one of its ... Read more

Minister tells JS; also reveals measures to check river pollution, encroachment The UK government has pledged to commit around $150 million to the Multi-Donor Trust Fund to be formed by Bangladesh to cope with the climate change. Speaking in parliament, State Minister for Environment and Forest Mostafizur Rahman said formation of the fund is now ... Read more

Lawmakers of the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party on Tuesday demanded trial of the immediate-past army chief, General Moeen U Ahmed, on charges of sedition and violation of the constitution, the Army Act, service rules and for vitiating the discipline of the armed forces. They also demanded trial of the former adviser of the interim government ... Read more

Says Muhith on money-whitening Finance Minister AMA Muhith yesterday said the black money holders will in no way be asked any question about the source of money they would invest under the amnesty proposed in the new budget. “If we ask question about the source of money, the purpose of the amnesty will not be ... Read more

Supplementary budget passed Finance Minister AMA Muhith yesterday said the immediate past caretaker government should be thanked for returning democracy to the country instead of letting the country fall into the grip of a martial law following the expiry of its tenure. He made the comment in parliament during his supplementary budget speech. The parliament ... Read more

The government plans to construct an elevated expressway in the capital to reduce traffic congestion. This is one of the projects, which will be implemented under the initiative of Public Private Partnership (PPP), according to sources in the Cabinet Division. The sources said the project is likely to be placed at the meeting of Cabinet ... Read more

Internationally renowned Bangladeshi photojournalist Dr Shahidul Alam who was detained by the Indian border guards Tuesday afternoon when he was taking photographs in Bangladesh’s Roumari frontiers in Kurigram was released after six hours’ detention. The commanding officer of the 6 Rifles Battalion, Lieutenant Colonel Mizan, told New Age at 11:30pm over telephone that his troops ... Read more

JS body suggests A parliamentary standing committee yesterday recommended offloading 40-49 percent shares of Biman Bangladesh Airlines Ltd onto non-resident Bangladeshis (NRBs) to improve the financial strength of the national flag carrier and make it profitable. The parliamentary body on the civil aviation and tourism ministry also asked the Biman management to lease three Boeing-777s ... Read more

Party to make changes in several district committees The Bangladesh Nationalist Party is considering some changes in the convening committees of several district units after a section of local leaders and activists staged demonstrations, demanding cancellation of the some newly formed committees. Local leaders and activists brought out processions, burnt effigies, held rallies and launched ... Read more

The Election Commission will write to the speaker to ask for cancellation of the parliamentary membership of Bangladesh Nationalist Party lawmaker Salauddin Quader Choudhury for furnishing ‘false’ information in his affidavit to the commission as a candidate in the 2008 general elections. Election commissioner M Sakhawat Hussain told reporters on Monday that the EC would ... Read more

Ajantha Mendis spun out New Zealand as Sri Lanka roared into the World Twenty20 semi-finals with an emphatic 48-run win at Trent Bridge here on Tuesday. The mystery spinner grabbed 3-9 in three overs as the Black Caps failed miserably to chase down a target of 159 in a

Higher costs of consumption, especially spiralling of food inflation in recent years, have offset the real wages of the industrial and informal sector workers in urban areas, indicate the latest official statistics. Even though the national consumption index rose almost 40 per cent over the past five years, labour leaders said there was no substantial ... Read more

He calls accusers liars A whimsical decision by former communications minister Col (retd) Oli Ahmed in choosing the entry\exit points for the proposed Asian Highway (AH) that would go through Bangladesh, has been delaying the country’s inclusion in the network, said experts. The former minister chose a mountainous route, instead of a short and more ... Read more

The government is spending huge amount from the public exchequer for its ongoing drive against river grabbers, although there is a legal option for realising the cost from the demolished property of the encroachers. Director (Port Division) of Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) Mahabubul Alam said they have never received any