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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

Labour organisations and social workers will observe today the first anniversary of fire at Tazreen Fashions at Nichintapur in Ashulia, the outskirt of the capital Dhaka, with the victims still crying for justice. Different organisations have chalked

The minimum monthly wage of the readymade made garment workers in Bangladesh will continue to be the world’s lowest despite a 74 per cent hike proposed from the next month. A government appointed wage board recently fixed the minimum monthly wage at Tk 5,300 equivalent to US $68.12, up from Tk 3,000 or

Parliament Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chowdhury on Saturday said there is still possibility of a dialogue between the two major parties to resolve the political impasse over the poll-time government. “I hope that the two parties will soon reach an agreement on the issue and the next election

ULFA?leader Anup Chetia likely to be deported first under the pact The Bangladeshi and Indian governments are planning to execute the agreement on “Transfer of Sentenced Persons”, by December, by exchanging some prisoners lodged in each other’s prisons, home ministry sources said. The agreement was signed during Indian prime minister Dr Manmohan Singh’s

Addicts contribute to rise of crimes, speakers tell Star-American Alumni Association seminar About half of the five million drug addicts in the country are involved in crimes, said leading anti drug-abuse campaigner Prof Arup Ratan Choudhury yesterday. Bangladesh stands eighth among the world’s top 10 countries of drug abuse, he said at a discussion, adding ... Read more

Foreign agents involved Airports major routes for smuggling gold  Bangladesh has now become a major transit point for international smuggling because of its strategic geographical position. Seizure of a huge number of gold bars at airports in the recent months gives indication that the smugglers have chosen the country as their prime route, sources said ... Read more