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Three political parties – Bikalpa Dhara Bangladesh (BDB), Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD) and Bangladesh Krishak Sramik Janata League (BKSJL) – yesterday joined forces to launch the National Democratic Front (NDF). “The immediate cause of formation of the alliance was to prevent the government’s move to hold lopsided polls with a view to establishing a one-party

At least half of the international organisations and countries which sent observers to monitor the 2008 general elections will not observe the national election scheduled for January 5 because of concerns about its credibility. In addition, only a handful of the local organisations which deployed about 1.6 lakh observers in the 2008 general elections have informed

At least 2,250 members of the armed forces are all set to fly off for UN peacekeeping missions in Africa. Of them, 850 personnel will go to South Sudan and the rest will be deployed in Mali, an officer in the Overseas Director of Army Headquarters said on condition of anonymity. The UN has sought ... Read more

The home ministry has postponed until further notice its earlier order asking all to deposit their licenced firearms and ammunition to the nearest police station or the legal dealers by December 27. An official announcement yesterday said there will be a ban on the movement of licenced firearm holders with their arms as well as brandishing ... Read more

The prevailing political uncertainty has hit country’s overseas job sector hard as fresh recruitments from some prospective countries have virtually come to a halt, said officials. They said although some more countries had shown interest earlier to recruit manpower from Bangladesh, they are now reluctant about this.

The country has suffered a loss of over Tk 100 billion due to the ongoing rampant felling of trees by political activists during blockade, shutdown and other agitation programmes, according to green activists in Dhaka on Thursday, reports UNB. “Trees are being felled indiscriminately across

The Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) on Thursday filed two cases against six people, including a deputy secretary and a deputy commissioner, on charge of defying prescribed rules in the mutation of government land against fake documents, reports UNB. ACC assistant director Jatan Kumar Roy filed the two cases with Kotwali and Wari police stations in ... Read more

Russia joined the United States, the Commonwealth and the European Union in their decision not to deploy observers for the 10th parliamentary elections scheduled for January 5. ‘We invited Russia to observe the elections. But the Russian ambassador in Dhaka told me that the country was unable to observe the elections as

A mild cold wave has started sweeping across the north and south western regions of the country and it may continue for a few days with temperatures falling by two to three degree Celsius on Friday, the Meteorological Department said. The mild cold wave, the second this season, lingering over Madaripur, Pabna, kustia and Jessore, ... Read more

Political tension in the country has peaked ahead of Sunday’s ‘March for democracy’ programme announced by BNP chief Khaleda Zia as the ruling Awami League has vowed to resist the opposition move. BNP insiders told The Independent on Wednesday that their ultimate plan was to lay siege to the capital through this programme in a ... Read more

Veteran photo-journalist Aftab Ahmed was allegedly strangled to death on Tuesday night at his residence at West Rampura area in the capital. Police suspect that Aftab might have been killed by some miscreants. Kripa Bala Sindhu, officer-in-charge of Rampura Police Station, said, “A family member of Aftab informed the police about the matter and we rushed ... Read more

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday directed the law-enforcing agencies to hunt down the criminals involved in Tuesday’s arson attack on a bus at city’s Bangla Motor that left a traffic police dead, reports UNB. PM’s press secretary Abul Kalam Azad said that the Prime Minister also expressed deep shock at the death of constable Ferdous and

Troops are set to be deployed across the country today ahead of the January 5 general elections to help police and RAB maintain law and order. Nearly 50,000 members of Army, Navy and Air Force will be on duty until January 9, a senior official of the Armed Forces Division (AFD) said.

The BNP chairperson, Khaleda Zia, on Wednesday warned the government of dangerous consequences if it would stop her joining the ‘march for democracy’ towards Dhaka on December 29. “If the government has the courage, it will not obstruct the programme and stop me from joining the programme. Any such obstructions will

Contrary to the Election Commission’s claim, the wealth statement of poll candidates could not be accessed on its website. This correspondent tried to open the particular page on the EC’s website, www.ecs.gov.bd, for three hours on Wednesday, but in vain.  owever, all other information about the candidates, along with their photographs, was available. On Tuesday

As part of the growing Chinese involvement in Bangladesh’s domestic affairs, Beijing is dispatching one of its senior officials to Dhaka to discuss political issues as well as other bilateral matters with the country’s leaders. According to sources, Chinese vice-foreign minister Liu Zhenmin will arrive in the capital on a two-day visit to Bangladesh on Saturday ... Read more

Ruling Awami League plans to use forces to scuttle Sunday’s ‘March for Democracy towards Dhaka’ programme of the opposition parties led by BNP, which is calling for a boycott of January 5 general election. AL leaders said on Wednesday that the government would not allow the opposition to create anarchy in the country in the name ... Read more

The Christian community across the country and elsewhere in the world on Wednesday celebrated Christmas, commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ, with zeal and fervour. Christians believe that God appeared on earth through His son, Jesus Christ, on this day. Christian devotees on the eve of the day offered special prayers

The growers feel disenchanted with blockades as they are not getting sufficient fertilizers supplies for their standing wheat crop and the just begun boro rice planting. The fertilizer supply shortage is acute particularly in the northern districts, said growers. Dealers and officials said that the nationwide blockade

The state-run Rural Electrification Board is set to start the implementation of a Tk 5,011 crore five-year project to upgrade and enhance its rural distribution network In january, officials said. The mega project was taken to boost the power distribution capacity of REB’s 37 Palli Bidyut Samitis in the wake of overloading of nearly 1.18 ... Read more