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With the ruling party and the opposition set for a massive showdown on the streets from this week, apprehension about escalation of political violence across the country is growing. Political observers believe that prospects of a dialogue between the two sides are becoming bleaker with each passing day, as both the ruling party and the ... Read more

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday urged the opposition leader not to enforce any agitation programme that harms the academic life of students. “I’ll request her not to enforce such agitation programmes that harm the academic life of innocent students,” she said referring to the opposition’s next

The Wage Board that was formed to fix the minimum wages for workers of the readymade garments (RMG) industry once again failed to finalise the wage structure at Thursday’s meeting. It set November 4 as the fresh date for finalising the wage structure, which has been at the epicentre of much debate. The Wage Board was ... Read more

At least two people were killed and 40 others injured when a coach of Chittagong Mail train got derailed near Akhaura Rail Junction Colony on Thursday, disrupting communications for five hours. The dead were identified as Mostakin, 25, of Netrokona and Nurul Amin, 45, of Kishoreganj’s Ishwarganj. The injured passengers were admitted to Akhaura

Against the backdrop of fresh violence in Bangladesh, United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has expressed his concern and called upon political parties to respect the rule of law. He also urged all parties to ensure a favourable environment for credible and peaceful elections. “The Secretary-General has been following with

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party led-opposition alliance on Thursday warned that the people would not forgive the incumbent Election Commission if it held the next polls under the present government. Addressing a protest rally, BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir asked the EC to work for holding the elections under a ‘non-party’

Nearly 30,000 jewellery shop-owners in the country, including 1500 in the city, are forced to depend on smuggled gold due to cumbersome import procedure and high taxes. “Our jewellery industry needs 16 to 30 tonnes of gold annually to meet the domestic demand,” said a leader of the Bangladesh Jewellery Samity (BJS).

1971 Killing Of Intellectuals Verdict in Ashraf, Mueen case on Sunday The judges will on Sunday deliver the verdict in the war crimes case against absconding Al-Badr bosses Md Ashrafuzzaman Khan alias Nayeb Ali and Chowdhury Mueenuddin on 11 charges of killing 18 intellectuals in 1971. ‘We will deliver the verdict on Sunday,’ the presiding judge ... Read more

TIB survey reveals involvement of owners, buyers, govt All the stakeholders in the garment sector, including owners, buyers, labour leaders and government agencies, are more or less involved in corruption and irregularities, a TIB study has found. Owners are involved in irregularities related to technical and social compliance issues while buyers help make fake audit ... Read more

Replacing Vehicles’ Number Plates BRTA falls far short of target The authorities have fallen far short of the target to affix retro-reflective number plates to radiofrequency identification (RFID) tags on motor vehicles in one year. The project was undertaken to improve services in the transport sector. Officials of Bangladesh Road Transport Authority

9 directors protest govt move to take control Nine elected borrower-directors of Grameen Bank yesterday condemned the Grameen Bank Act 2013, urging the government to keep from going ahead with the law. The female directors vehemently protested the Act, which is now waiting to be passed in parliament, saying that the new law would snatch ... Read more

Illegal Bangladeshis in Saudi Arabia Several thousands to be deported after Nov 3  Several thousand Bangladeshi workers, who migrated illegally to Saudi Arabia without valid documents and therefore were denied the chance to legalise their status, must return home after an ongoing amnesty expires on November 3, according to officials. The number of such Bangladeshis ... Read more

A Dhaka court yesterday sentenced 14 people to 32 years’ rigorous imprisonment for killing businessman Kamrul Hassan in Joydevpur upazila of Gazipur in October 2001. The convicts are Jalal alias Shah Jalal, Nazrul Islam, Moniruzzaman, Babul, Hamid Member, Golam, Shahjahan, Alam, Jamal, Sabur, Biplob, Helal,

Total eclipse of the sun will occur on Sunday. It will start at 16 hours 04 minutes 24 seconds Bangladesh time and end at 21 hours 28 minutes 30 seconds, reports UNB. Central eclipse will start at 17 hours 05 minutes 18 seconds local time and end at 20 hours 27 minutes 42 seconds, said ... Read more

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