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Renews call on BNP to join polls The prime minister, Sheikh Hasina, on Sunday strongly defended the 15th amendment to the constitution saying that it had closed all the doors for unconstitutional seizure of the state power and introduced a permanent system of holding polls under elected governments. ‘We wanted to introduce a system which

A day after Election Commissioner Mohammad Shah Newaz’s disclosure that the Election Commission (EC) would announce the schedule for the next general elections by Monday, Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Rakib Uddin Ahmed on Sunday said the EC is yet to finalise the date. However, the sources said sensing the possibility of a negotiation between the

The survivers of the Tazreen Fashions fire in Ashulia are facing an uncertain future, a number of them with disabilities inflicted by the incident, and many remaining jobless one year after the tragedy. Many of the survivors are passing days in extreme hardship nursing their wounds or struggling to recover from the trauma they suffered,

The BNP-led 18-party alliance is planning to lay a siege on the Election Commission (EC) offices across the country immediately after announcement of election schedule for the 10th parliamentary poll, party insiders said. “Programmes like enforcement of non-stop hartal, non-cooperation movement and siege of EC offices have already been devised. Our party

Dhaka set to vote for Russian city as World Expo venue Bangladesh appears to have missed an opportunity to improve its relations with the United Arab Emirates regarding manpower export due to its decision to support Russia instead of UAE as the venue for World Expo 2020. In October, 2012, the UAE government stopped issuing ... Read more

The government is likely to sign the much-hyped Trade and Investment Cooperation Forum Agreement (TICFA) with the US on Monday to facilitate trade and business among the two countries. Commerce secretary Mahbub Ahmed will sign the agreement in Washington on behalf of Bangladesh, while the US will be represented by acting deputy of US

The copy of the Supreme Court verdict, that awarded capital punishment to Jamaat leader Abdul Quader Mollah in connection with a war crimes case, is likely to be released within a day or two. “The draft copy of the verdict has been finalised. After completion of necessary formalities, it will be made public within a ... Read more

Acceptability of election to depend on voters’ turnout : Menon, Amu Newly-appointed ministers including Amir Hossain Amu, Tofail Ahmed and Rashed Khan Menon on Sunday said that the main responsibility of the polls-time interim cabinet was to assist the Election Commission in holding a free, fair and participatory election. They said the 10th parliamentary elections

Tazreen Fire Govt asked to pay compensations to identified deceased families in 15 days The High Court on Sunday directed the government authorities to pay compensations in 15 days to 18 out of 25 Tazreen fire victims whose list had been supplied to the court as an addition to the total dead figure of 111 ... Read more

At least 70 people were injured in clashes with law enforcement personnel during the countrywide procession and rallies of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP)-led 18-Party Alliance on Sunday. Leaders and activists of the BNP-led alliance organised the nationwide processions and rallies demanding that the detained leaders be released immediately

At least 50 people, including 10 policemen and three fire-fighters, were injured on Sunday morning when a group of readymade garments (RMG) workers attacked a fire service office, vandalised vehicles, looted valuables and clashed with law enforcers in Savar’s Ulail Bus Stand area. Traffic on the Dhaka-Aricha highway remained suspended till 9 am during the ... Read more

The government on Sunday formed the Pay and Services Commission (PSC) with former Bangladesh Bank governor Mohammad Farashuddin as its chairman to review salaries of public servants. The Finance Ministry issued a circular on Sunday night announcing the formation of the 17- member commission with three permanent and 12 temporary members. The

Anwar Hossain Manju, the chairman of a faction of the Jatiya Party, has been appointed an adviser to the prime minister with the status of a minister. The cabinet division issued a circular in this regard on Sunday, signed by Cabinet Division Additional Secretary Iftekhar Haider. With the inclusion

‘No’ Vote in JS Polls HC issues rule for change in RPO Govt, EC given 2 weeks to reply The High Court has asked the government and the Election Commission to explain in two weeks why they shouldn’t be directed to amend the Representation of the People Order to restore a provision of “no” vote ... Read more

Bikalpa Dhara Bangladesh will not contest in the next general election as a component of the BNP-led 18-party alliance, but it will carry out anti-government movement alongside the grouping, Mahi B Chowdhury, joint secretary general of the party said on Sunday. Terming the polls under the all-party government as ‘mockery,’ he said his party will ... Read more

AL firm on holding polls, BNP determined to resist With both sides poised for a showdown, the nation appears to be heading towards a major crisis. The ruling party is set to hold the general election under its own supervision and the Opposition is determined to launch a massive agitation to foil any attempt to ... Read more

Violence At Sitakunda Businesses bear brunt Business leaders on Saturday expressed grave concern over frequent vandalism and arson attacks on transports at Sitakunda on Dhaka-Chittagong highway that was causing serious disruption of the supply chain across the country and affecting the economy. Businesses feared that trade and economic activities

A sharp rise in smuggling and illegal sales of small-arms, ahead of the national polls, has sent alarm bells ringing in the law enforcement and intelligence community in the country. Arms trafficking syndicates, taking help fromlocal crime syndicates and advantage of administrative loopholes, are carrying on small arms trading,

Awami League General Secretary Syed Ashraful Islam and BNP Acting Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir reportedly held a meeting on Saturday night to discuss ongoing political impasse. Fakhrul, however, denied having any

Bangladesh’s garment sector may not be able to withstand another tragedy on the scale of Tazreen and Rana Plaza, a US Senate report said. Only way to guarantee the success of the apparel industry is to avoid another disaster by promoting and protecting labor rights now, according to