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The country braces for a further 72-hour opposition hartal from Sunday, the third of a series of such shutdown in less than three weeks to force the ruling Awami League form a non-party caretaker government (CG) to oversee next general election. BNP spokesperson Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir

Junior School Certificate (JSC) and Junior Dakhil Certificate (JDC) examinations, scheduled to be held on November 10-12, have been postponed after BNP-led 18-party Alliance on Friday called a 72-hour countrywide hartal beginning on Sunday. “We will announce a fresh date for the

Is this the last nail in the coffin of the much-hyped dialogue? This question has come up inevitably after the 72-hour hartal announcement by the BNP-led 18-party opposition alliance and subsequent government’s drive against opposition leaders on Friday. The tough stance by the both sides have definitely complicated the ongoing political dynamics raising serious doubts

Protesting against the killing of the general secretary of the Sayedabad Bus Owners’ Association, bus owners suspended services in the capital on Friday. However, the strike, initially planned for an indefinite period, was called off after six hours, considering the inconvenience caused to commuters and Junior School Certificate (JSC) examinees in particular.

Malaysian PM praises Yunus’ concept Malaysian Prime Minister Mohammad Najib Razak has showered Bangladeshi Nobel Laureate Prof Muhammad Yunus with praises for developing the concept of social business that, Razak believes, can change the world for the better. “You have launched a very powerful idea — an idea that can change the world,” he said at ... Read more

Bangladesh-origin Briton in the team of scientists makinguniversal vaccine for all types of influenzas Scientists in the United Kingdom who have made a recent breakthrough in developing a universal vaccine to fight all forms of influenzas have a Bangladesh-origin Briton, Shaima Begom, in their team. Shaima works at the Respiratory Infections Section of the National Heart ... Read more

Three piracy suspects, including alleged ringleader Kalu, were killed and six policemen were injured in a ‘gunfight between the police and pirates’ at Subarnachar upazila in Noakhali on early Friday. The deceased were identified as Kalu, 35, Ripon, 28, and Kalu’s body guard Rubel, 27. The police said that they also recovered two guns,

Calling upon the opposition to return to the parliamentary, Awami League presidium member Kazi Zafarullah on Friday said the tenure of the 12th parliament session period had been extended for the opposition so that they can place their proposals before it. “The tenure of the current parliament session has been extended only for the opposition ... Read more

College student, Kaniz Fatima Akhter Tasnim, a candidate for the next Higher Secondary Certificate exams, was returning home after taking test at Motijheel Ideal School and College on Friday afternoon. The 17-year old Tasnim, returning home with her aunt in a rickshaw, was happy that her exam was good. But who would know her life would ... Read more

An epic 15,000-kilometre journey across two continents, two bikes, one puncture and not a single argument. Old friends Luke Barton and Tom Smith decided earlier this year to cycle from Brick Lane in the East End of London to Bangladesh to raise money for a children’s orphanage in Comilla. Taking leave from their jobs, they left London ... Read more

If the main opposition boycotts the next general election, the election can be delayed, observes The Economist, a London-based weekly. In an article posted on its online edition on Friday, it also said the Peelkhana carnage verdict could give Sheikh Hasina a much-needed boost, because the conviction of the mutineers will bolster her position with ... Read more

Notorious criminals have been using Chittagong and its adjoining areas as a major transit point for smuggling illegal arms. They are using the sea-route as well as land borders for this purpose. Of late, explosive and bomb manufacturers have also become active in the port city. According to sources, the country’s law and order situation ... Read more

Water, sanitation and hygiene in primary school are in a deplorable condition as two out of three schoolchildren are out of functional latrine coverage, exposing to health hazards, according to UNICEF statistics. Learning, hygiene and health are inter-linked as children miss school or perform poorly when they suffer from WASH-related illnesses, campaigners say. Such

Give govt ultimatum to revise minimum wage Leaders of 45 garment workers’ rights bodies at a protest rally on Friday issued an ultimatum to the Awami League government to revise the minimum wage for the garment workers by November 20. The garment labour leaders at the protest rally organised in front of the National Press ... Read more

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has said that she will not make any fresh phone call to the Leader of the Opposition, Khaleda Zia, to initiate a dialogue to end the political impasse. She, however, said that her invitation to the Opposition Leader still remains valid. “There is no need for setting any fresh date.

BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia on Thursday said that the opposition is still waiting for the secretary general-level dialogue between the ruling party and the opposition to resolve the current political impasse over the poll-time government. She also alleged that the government has hindered the scope of dialogue by setting conditions, adding that the Prime Minister’s

The Election Commission (EC) on Thursday declared that the Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami cannot take part in the parliamentary poll.  his is the first time that the EC has broken its silence over the much-debated issue of Jamaat’s participation in the coming election. On January 27, 2009, the High Court

Jamaat-e-Islami on Thursday protested the statement of Election Commissioner Md Shahnewaz that the registration of the party has become illegal following the High Court verdict. Acting secretary general of Jamaat-e-Islami Maulana Rafiqul Islam Khan termed the statement of the Election Commissioner totally unconstitutional,

The envoys of the European Union have called upon the main opposition BNP not to boycott the upcoming elections and urged to engage in a dialogue with the ruling party to resolve the impasse centring the interim period government. In reply, BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia said that there is no point in participating in the ... Read more

Burnt during hartal, he succumbs at dmch Monir Hossain, a 16-year-old boy, who received serious burn injuries in an attack by pro-hartal activists in Gazipur sadar upazila on the first day of the opposition-sponsored 60-hour hartal, died at the Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) early on Thursday. He died at 4.45 am in the ICU ... Read more