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Invitation for talks still stands: Ashraf Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday blamed Khaleda Zia for resorting to politics of violence by spurning her olive branch. Referring to her recent telephonic conversation with the Opposition leader, the Prime Minister said she endured Khaleda’s “insulting remarks” and did not make any counter-remarks considering the greater interest of the people. ... Read more

Oppn men being killed at govt’s behest : BNP The BNP alleged on Wednesday that opposition leaders and activists were being killed and tortured across the country at the behest of the government, reports UNB. “The government is creating anarchy in the country to cling to power illegally. The leaders and activists of the 18-party ... Read more

Businesses seek urgent remedy The number of incidents involving hijack of goods-laden trucks across the country has increased alarmingly over the last couple of months mainly due to the ongoing turbulent political situation, industry insiders said. According to data compiled by the Federation of Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce and Industries (FBCCI), more than one hundred incidents ... Read more

At least one lakh foreigners have no work permit:?Passport dept The government is planning to prepare a policy to preserve information on foreign nationals, including their entry to and exit from Bangladesh and their stay at hotels and motels here. The move aims to monitor their activities. The home ministry will hold a meeting on ... Read more

The Editors Council on Wednesday expressed grave concern over attacks on newsmen and media-houses by political activists over the last few days amid political turmoil. Movement of newsmen and their vehicles have always been out of the purview of hartals and blockades but at least 19 journalists were injured, four media offices

Says population expert at launching of World Population Report 2013 Eliminating child marriage could reduce 7.5 lakh births in the country every year, said a population expert yesterday. “In Bangladesh, around 17 percent girls get married before becoming 15 while most of them are with two children before reaching 18,” said country director of Population Council ... Read more

Eight people were killed and 25 others injured in a triangular collision involving two buses and a truck at Joypura on Dhaka-Aricha highway in Dhamrai upazila of Dhaka district on Wednesday evening. Six of the deceased were identified as Dilara, 28, and Jalil, 58, of Dhamrai, Majnu, 50, Awlad, 45, and Montaz, 55, of Saturia in ... Read more

Bismillah Group Scam ACC approves 12 cases against 53 people The Anti-Corruption Commission on Wednesday approved 12 cases against 53 people for embezzlement of about Tk 1,200 crore from five banks by Bismillah Group. The cases will be filed by next week, a commission official said. A meeting of the commission, after scrutinising

Foreign Workers Oman to halt recruitment for next 6 months Oman, the largest labour importer for Bangladesh, will halt recruitment of foreign workers for construction and cleaning jobs for the next six months beginning from tomorrow. “In a bid to clamp down on illegal foreign workers, Oman’s manpower ministry has decided not to allow small ... Read more

The National Board of Revenue (NBR) got approval of the Finance Minister AMA Muhith Wednesday on its proposal regarding extension of time for individuals’ income tax returns by another month, until November 30. The deadline for tax returns is scheduled to expire today (Thursday). Earlier, the NBR extended the time until

Finance minister AMA Muhith on Wednesday said a Permanent Pay Commission for public servants will be formed by mid-November. “We have only 15-20 days in hand for taking a decision in principle. So, we will form the Permanent Pay Commission by November 15.

Customs Intelligence and Investigation Directorate in separate drives seized 170 gold bars weighting 20 kilograms and arrested one person at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in the capital within a span of nine hours till Wednesday. The arrested was identified as Sohel Rahman, 38. Sohel is from Sylhet, he returned from United Arab Emirates by a ... Read more

Two robbers, including the kingpin of a gang, were killed in a “gunfight” with Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) in Chandpai range of Sundarbans in Bagerhat yesterday. The dead are Mortuza Hossain Rana, 32, of Joymoni village and his associate Mosaref Sheikh, 30, of Ghol village under Mongla upazila. Maj Anwarul Kabir,

A sessions court in Dhaka on Wednesday set a fresh date on November 5 for delivering the verdict of BDR carnage case. Additional metropolitan sessions court judge-III Md Akhtaruzaman, who was scheduled to deliver the verdict on Wednesday in the case against 846 accused, has fixed the fresh date. On the day, the defence lawyer, Faroque Ahmed, ... Read more

Cricket fans on Wednesday vandalised the branch of United Commercial Bank at Mirpur-10 as many of them failed to collect tickets for second one-day international between Bangladesh and New Zealand. They became angry failing to collect the tickets after waiting for hours in the queue in front of the UCBL branch that sold the tickets. Later,

The BNP-led 18-party alliance will go for a three-day Dhaka seize programme from Monday (Nov 4) to force the ruling Awami League to meet its demand for the next general election under a non-party caretaker (CG) oversight, sources said. As part of the programme, leaders and activists of the 18-party alliance will take a strong ... Read more

A hectic move, initiated by different quarters, is on to bring Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Leader of the Opposition Khaleda Zia to the talks table to resolve the current political impasse. The country has experienced massive political violence in the last couple of days. Over 14 people were killed during the 60-hour non-stop hartal ... Read more

Death toll rises to 14 At least four people were killed and more than 150 injured in violence across the country on Tuesday, taking the death toll in the opposition-sponsored 60-hour hartal to 14. On the concluding day of the shutdown on Tuesday, two people were killed in Cox’s Bazar and one each in Magura ... Read more

Govt’s revenue from land, apartment sales declines The government’s revenue collection from sales of landed property — land and apartments — has been showing a downward trend in recent months. This has been attributed to a host of factors. These include: a substantial fall in land prices, enhanced official value for such property – both ... Read more

Draft in final stages The government has plans to enact the EPZ Labour Act 2013 aimed at fully-fledged labour rights, including right to association and collective bargaining activities, that other workers enjoy outside the export processing zones. The move, with the draft of the law now being in final stages, has been taken as part of ... Read more