News

Agence France-Presse . Baghdad The Iraqi journalist who became an instant media star for hurling his shoes at the US president, George W Bush, appeared on Wednesday before a judge investigating the incident, his brother said. Muntazer al-Zaidi, 29, a television reporter who relatives and colleagues said acted because he ‘detested’ Bush and America, was ... Read more

Unb, Dhaka Commonwealth Secretary General Kamalesh Sharma and US Ambassador in Dhaka James Moriarty have welcomed the lifting of the state of emergency. In a statement in UK yesterday, Sharma said parliamentary elections are extremely important for Bangladesh, offering an opportunity for the resumption of normal democratic life in the country and re-constitution of the ... Read more

Staff Correspondent   The Rajuk authorities on Wednesday extended to January 15 the December 18 deadline for submission of the applications for the plots of Rajuk’s Uttara and Purbachal projects in Dhaka. ‘We have decided to extend the deadline following requests from various quarters for filing the applications for the plots,’ housing and public works secretary, ... Read more

Normal life disrupted due to fog and cold Chilly wind sweeping country Staff Correspondent The intensity of the cold now sweeping across the country and the capital has led to a sharp fall in temperature with the mercury level dipping low everywhere in 24 hours till Wednesday evening. The density of fog will continue in ... Read more

Staff Correspondent An ambience of relief and festivity is now prevailing across country as the two year long emergency is no more in place and election is getting momentum all around. The state of emergency imposed on January 11, in 2007 had snatched away the freedom of movement and speech, assembly, association, thought and conscience ... Read more

Anwar Ali, Rajshahi Around 200 birds of various species were killed in the last 20 days after getting tangled up in illegal fine nets while flying aro Around 200 birds of various species were killed in the last 20 days after getting tangled up in illegal fine nets while flying around a fruit orchard at ... Read more

Star Report ETV reporter Rashed Ahmed and two crewmen of the private TV channel were injured in a road accident in Sirajganj as a bus hit their microbus following BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia’s motorcade yesterday. Two other injured are cameraman Asaduzzaman Asad and microbus driver Rabiul Islam. Immediately after the accident, they were taken to ... Read more

Staff Correspondent The High Court on Wednesday asked Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha to explain in four weeks why its notification inviting fresh applications for plots at Uttara in the third phase cancelling in 2007 the previous plot allotment would not be declared illegal. The High Court bench of Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain and Justice Quamrul Islam ... Read more

Staff Reporter Despite world economic recession there is no possibility of an adverse affect on Bangladeshi labour markets abroad, a senior government official said yesterday. The assurance came at a press conference held at National Press Club jointly by the Expatriate Welfare and Oversees Employment Ministry, Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training (BMET) and Manuser ... Read more

Shakhawat Liton The nation has its fundamental rights reinstated today after around two years as an ordinance promulgated by the president Monday ends the state of emergency. Another ordinance decreed the same day repeals the Emergency Powers Ordinance 2007 and Emergency Powers Rules 2007. The laws were proclaimed to enforce the state of emergency declared ... Read more

Says Gen Moeen before emergency lifted Staff Correspondent The army has proved it wants nothing but the development of Bangladesh as it is happily returning to barracks, said Chief of Army Staff General Moeen U Ahmed yesterday, a day before the withdrawal of around a two-year-long emergency. Appearing on a number of television channels in ... Read more

Staff Correspondent  Tens of thousands of people thronged the National Martyrs Memorial to pay homage to the liberation war heroes on Tuesday, while veterans called for the war criminals of 1971 to be brought to justice. Celebrating the nation‘s 38th Victory Day, they also urged the electorate to refrain from voting for war criminals, some ... Read more

Staff correspondent The Bangladesh Nationalist Party chairperson, Khaleda Zia, on Tuesday pledged to fight against corruption and violence if her party voted to power in the general elections slated for December 29. Khaleda also called on the people to cast their vote for the party candidates in the ensuing national elections for what she said ... Read more

Faulty Saving Clause All steps at stake Shakhawat Liton Flawed saving clauses in the newly promulgated ordinance that repeals the emergency power ordinance and rules, make uncertain the fate of ongoing anti-graft activities initiated under the state of emergency, according to legal experts. A saving clause is a provision in a statute or contract which ... Read more

Hasina tells rallies en route to Tungipara Hasan Jahid Tusher, from Gopalganj Awami League (AL) President Sheikh Hasina yesterday said she faced “foreign” pressure to sell country’s natural gas to other countries during her rule between 1996 and 2001 but did not give in. “I as the daughter of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman neither yielded ... Read more