The Supreme Court (SC) yesterday stayed for six weeks a High Court verdict that directed the government to appoint 197 candidates, who qualified the first viva voce for 27th Bangladesh Civil Service (BCS) examination, to the services. Chamber Judge of the Appellate Division Justice SK Sinha passed the order upon a petition filed
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Native fish species face extinction in Netrakona water bodies
Many native species of fish are facing extinction in the natural water bodies of Netrakona day by day due to various reasons including adverse impact of climate change. People of the district, which was once popularly known as ‘grain vowel and fish resourceful area’ of the country, are now facing an acute shortage of the
Low-priced Chinese mobiles take on known brands
Sales of low-priced Chinese origin mobiles marked a high growth in recent times in Bangladesh challenging the domination of leading global mobile brands, experts and traders said, reports NewAge. Brand giants such as Nokia, Samsumg, LG, Siemens, Sagem and Sony Eriksson which dominated the market even
Photo exhibition on ‘crossfire’ closed down
Lawyers condemn Drik closure unlawful Police yesterday closed down a photo exhibition at the Drik Gallery in Dhaka just half an hour before the inauguration of the show, relating to deaths by RAB ‘crossfire’ or extra-judicial killings. The exhibition was due to open at 4:00pm, but a contingent of police took up position in front
Arsenic found in rice: Food security at risk
A paper released yesterday has revealed that the country’s food security is at risk due to threats of arsenic contamination in groundwater and food chains posing severe health hazards to millions of people. This was revealed at the launching ceremony of a publication titled “Towards an arsenic safe
BTRC to open lines of 0.5m phone users, cut off in illegal VoIP drive
The Bangladesh Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (BTRC) has decided to restore lines of about half a million subscribers of four private PSTN operators whose operations were shut down for alleged links to VoIP trade. The telecom regulator formed a committee, headed by its commissioner, Aliwardy Khandakar, to
RU syndicate, dean, academic council elections on April 12
The elections to the syndicate, dean, academic council, finance committee and planning & development committee of Rajshahi University (RU) would be held on April 12. In a syndicate meeting, the university authorities took the decision on Saturday night with RU Vice-Chancellor Prof Abdus Sobhan
World Meteorological Day today
World Meteorological Day will be observed today in the country with due enthusiasm like the other member countries of the world. The theme of this year is “60 years of Services for Your Safety and Well-being,” said an ISPR release. It said, to facilitate international collaboration in meteorology, including coordination in
Cabinet cancels Daylight Saving Time
The cabinet on Monday cancelled its earlier decision to introduce Daylight Saving Time System on a permanent basis in Bangladesh considering sufferings and difficulties of different sections of professionals and people. A meeting of the cabinet with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair took the decision in
DCC asked to start removing illegal hoardings
The High Court on Monday asked the Dhaka City Corporation (DCC) to immediately start demolition of unauthorised billboards in the capital. The court also directed the inspector general of police (IGP) and Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) commissioner to provide police forces during removal of
Safe water remains elusive
Poor doubly deceived by WASA Most of the people in both rural and urban areas still have little or no access to safe drinking water as the policymakers, industries and research workers are yet to come up with a comprehensive and pragmatic plan to address the problem, reports NewAgebd. Even most of the ‘improved’ sources ... Read more
Anxiety grips Aila victims before rains
The hapless victims of cyclone Aila, with the monsoon setting in shortly, say that they want to return their homesteads in Dacope and Koyra upazilas, and are badly in need of assistance for reconstruction of their houses along with employment, reports NewAgebd. ‘We don’t know how we will fare in the coming days, especially during ... Read more
VoIP watch to go on
4 lakh subscribers of three companies left in the lurch The BTRC will continue its investigation of illegal VoIP activities by any telephone operator or Internet service provider and shut them down, if found guilty, as it did in cases of three private landline companies and 18 ISPs recently, reports The Daily Star. Bangladesh Telecommunication ... Read more
Genetically modified food ‘unfit for consumption’
Genetically modified foods or crops should not be classified as food at all, as they are liable to cause various health problems affecting the liver and kidney, and hence unfit for human consumption, said a noted agriculturist, reports UNB. Dr Mohammed Ataur Rahman of International University of Business Agriculture and
RCC plans to sell bottled water as treatment plants lie idle
The Rajshahi City Corporation has planned to sell bottled water by using all of its four idle water treatment plants when the city’s one-third population, mostly poor, are out of its water supply network. The RCC circulated a notice on March 2 in this regard, seeking proposals from interested
Additional 4.8 lakh tonnes of hilsa produced in 6 yrs
Jatka Preservation Week Begins Today Additional 4.8 lakh tonnes of hilsa produced in 6 yrs An additional 4.83 lakh tonnes of hilsa worth Tk 12,075 crore has been produced in the last six years since the government started implementing jatka (hilsa fry) preservation programme. Around five lakh fishermen are directly involved in catching hilsa in ... Read more
2.5 lakh children die from preventable causes a year
Around 2.5 lakh children die from easily preventable causes in Bangladesh a year before they reach the fifth birthday, speakers at a national consultation on newborn and child survival said yesterday. Save the Children organised the consultation to launch a five-year worldwide campaign titled
Motor show ends on high note
Most of the participants in the three-day Dhaka Motor Show that ended yesterday were happy as they witnessed a huge turnout and many of them bagged satisfactory spot orders. Rangs Ltd, the sole distributor of Mitsubishi brand cars, sold eight new cars at the show — the highest number followed
Laptop to be made in the country soon
Telephone Shilpa Sangstha (TSS) will sign an agreement with Malaysian company Think F Transistor (TFT) to produce laptop in the country for Taka 12,000 only. TSS Managing Director Ismail Hossain told the news agency that all paper works in this connection have been
Singer launches summer sales campaign
Singer Plus, the retail chain from Singer Bangladesh, launched its special summer campaign on March 16, the company said in a statement. The campaign — “Discount Bahu Gune, Summer Tour London-e” — will award two lucky buyers of the company’s fridge, television, airconditioner, IPS and Singtech Pc, with a