Thursday, February 19, 2026

Restrictions on public gatherings, recreation venues to continue after August 10

Restrictions on public gatherings and recreation venues will remain in effect after August 10, said Cabinet Secretary Khandaker Anwarul Islam today. Replying to a question, he said, “Recreation venues or public gatherings are still not permitted.” Asked, he said local administration, police, bus owners and workers will have to ensure that half of the total ... Read more

Deposit interest shouldn’t go below inflation rate: Bangladesh Bank

Bangladesh Bank (BB) yesterday asked banks not to set interest rates on fixed term deposits below the inflation rate as it yields negative returns for savers. The central bank issued a circular in this regard addressing the managing directors and chief executive officers of all banks. Addressing the decreasing interest rates in

Pori Moni, others claim links to influential people: CID

The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has said the names of several influential people, including bank officials, had come up during the interrogation of actor Pori Mori and others who were recently arrested in narcotics cases. CID Dhaka Metro unit Additional Deputy Inspector General

Brac Bank named for UN fund

Brac Bank has been named as one of the 10 recipients of a Women Enterprise Recovery Fund in the Asia-Pacific region recently. The United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) and the United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) with partners

Chayanika Chowdhury released after interrogation

The detective branch (DB) of police released television play director Chayanika Chowdhury last night having earlier picked her up from Dhaka’s Panthapath in the evening for interrogation because of her “well-acquaintance” with arrested actor Pori Moni. Chayanika was released around 10:45pm last night,

Pori Moni placed on 4-day remand

A Dhaka court today placed film actress Pori Moni and three others on a four-day remand in connection with two cases filed under the Narcotics Control Act. The three others are Ashraful Islam alias Dipu, associate of Pori Moni, Md Nazrul Islam alias Raaz, owner of Raaz Multimedia, and one of his associates

Number of internet connections soars by 1.75cr in FY21

Bandwidth consumption doubles to 2,409.08Gbps The number of broadband and mobile phone-based internet connections in the past fiscal year of 2020-2021 increased by 1.75 crore, more than twice the increase seen in the previous fiscal year, amid people’s growing dependence on online services after the Covid outbreak. According to Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission

34pc families faced job loss in pandemic

It also finds higher child marriages during the pandemic Around one member of 34 per cent households lost job during between April and October in 2020 due to the Covid pandemic finds a new study by the Centre on International Cooperation at New York University, BRAC and the UN WOMEN Bangladesh. They conducted the survey ... Read more

Ekushey book fair to begin on March 18

Not virtually, Amar Ekushey Boi Mela-2021 will be held as usual from March 18 after a long delay due to the coronavirus pandemic. Habibullah Sirajee, director general of Bangla Academy, confirmed the date yesterday.  He said, “The book fair will start on March 18. I can’t say more at this moment.” “We will give details on the ... Read more

No promotion without exams for 8th graders

Decide all edn boards Education boards yesterday decided that school authorities should hold assessments to graduate eighth grade students to the next grade and there should be no scope for promotion without examinations. They also said that assessments can be done through physical exams, online tests, online classes, TV education, or through students’ continuous assessment ... Read more

Money floats in Rajshahi drain

A long queue was created in front of the Railway Officers’ Mess building in Shiroil area of Rajshahi city on Saturday as people found some currency notes floating in the water of a drain. Local people said that they collected notes of Tk 1000, Tk 500, Tk 100, Tk 20 and also coin of Tk ... Read more

Govt reduces Covid-19 test fees

The government has reduced Covid-19 test fees. Health Minister Zahid Maleque has signed the official order in this regard this noon, Maidul Islam Prodhan, public relations officer of the ministry, confirmed to The Daily Star. The fees have been reset as follows: Tk 100 for sample collection from government

Victory Day today

The nation is set to celebrate the 49th Victory Day on Monday with elaborate programmes to pay deep homage to the martyrs who sacrificed their lives for the country during the Liberation War in 1971. Bangladesh was born as an independent country on this day after the Pakistani occupation forces surrendered following a bloody nine-month ... Read more

Rise in sea level may reduce 24pc cropland by 2045

A report of fisheries ministry and WB finds Bangladesh’s agriculture sector is under threat from climate change, as the sea level rise may reduce availability of cropland by 24 percent in coastal divisions across growing seasons by 2045, a new report said yesterday. “With two-thirds of the country at an elevation of less than 5 ... Read more

ADB maintains robust growth outlook for Bangladesh

Cuts forecasts for India, China Bangladesh is expected to grow robustly in 2019 and 2020 riding on domestic consumption and strong remittance earnings, said the Asian Development Bank yesterday as it kept the growth outlook for the country unchanged. In a supplement to its Asian Development Outlook 2019 Update, the Manila-based lender, however, trimmed its ... Read more