US president Barack Obama has named Bangladesh’s Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, British physicist Stephen Hawking and South African anti-apartheid veteran Desmond Tutu among the 16 recipients of the 2009 Presidential
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20-yr-old vehicles to be removed from city
Communications Minister Syed Abul Hossain said on Saturday old and junk vehicles plying in the city for more than 20 years would be removed from the roads. “To implement the plan, a tender is
Foothill dwellers being moved to safer places in Bandarban
In the wake of massive landslides that killed 10 people early on Friday in Lama upazila, the local administration Saturday started shifting people from vulnerable foothills and slopes to safer places. The government has asked
EC sues Saifur, 7 others
Sylhet district election officer filed a case against Saifur Rahman, former finance minister and Bangladesh Nationalist Party candidate in the last parliamentary election, and eight others for not submitting their account of
Horror haunts female staff
More than one hundred female employees at Proshika’s head office yesterday passed the day in a state of constant panic as a group of people reportedly led by its recently sacked chief Qazi Faruque Ahmed swooped on them during their
300 RMG workers fall ill after drinking supply water
About 300 workers of a garment factory at Palashbari of Ashulia in Dhaka fell ill after drinking water on Saturday, two days after more than 400 workers of the same factory fell ill taking lunch. The authorities collected a
Saudi rebuffs US appeals for peace gestures toward Israel
Saudi Arabia on Friday rebuffed Obama administration appeals for immediate Arab gestures toward normalising ties with Israel the kingdom urged the Jewish state to show it was serious about peace. Seated next to US Secretary of State
Gas tariff raised by 11.22 pc
Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) on Saturday enhanced the price of gas by 11.22 percent with immediate effect. According to the increased price chart, residential consumers will have to pay Taka 450 for two burners instead of present Taka 400 and Taka 400 for single burner instead of Taka 350 per month. The last increase ... Read more
Bangladesh whitewash Windies in ODI series too after Test series
After a clean sweep in two-match Test series, Bangladesh also whitewashed West Indies in a record breaking three-match ODI series beating them by three wickets in the 3rd and final match at the Warner Park in St Kitts on Friday. Bangladesh, led by stand-in captain Shakib Al Hasan, remained unbeaten in the month-long Caribbean
Ex-Proshika chief’s men attack staff, office: 20 injured
At least 20 employees of Proshika were injured on their way to office yesterday in separate attacks carried out in Mirpur by hired men of the NGO’s expelled chief Qazi Faruque Ahmed. Mohammad Abdur Rob, director of microcredit programme of Proshika’s new management, however claimed that around 50 Proshika employees sustained injuries in the attacks. ... Read more
Ministry awaits core group recipe for greater access to US market
The commerce ministry is waiting for recommendations from the core group on how Bangladesh can gain greater access to the US market through ‘New Partnership for Development Act 2007’ and ‘Trade Relief for Apparel and Textiles bill,’ official sources said. The government recently formed the core group comprising representatives from ministries of foreign affairs, commerce, ... Read more
Dhaka team returns to Delhi after second Tipai landing attempt fails
A Bangladesh parliamentary delegation, now visiting India, on Saturday returned to New Delhi from the Assam state capital of Guwahati as rough weather prevented it from flying to the site of the controversial Tipaimukh dam project on the cross-boundary river Barak, officials said. ‘The members of the delegation returned to New Delhi from Guwahati [Saturday] ... Read more
15,000 illegal dwellings on Cox’s Bazar hilltops
Over 1 lakh people are illegally living on about 600 acres of the forest department’s hilly land worth about Tk 700 crore under serious threats of landslide during heavy rains. These floating people from across the country live in around 15,000 houses in Baidderghona, Pahartali, Ghonapara, Light House Para, Bus Terminal and other areas in ... Read more
Month-long mourning begins
Aug 15 Carnage Month-long mourning begins A month-long mourning programme began yesterday commemorating the assassination of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and most of his family members on August 15, 1975. The ruling Awami League and various political and cultural organisations have chalked out elaborate programmes to observe the month. Bangabandhu Smriti Sangrakkhan Parishad, Joybangla Sangskritik ... Read more
Long march towards Tipaimukh on Aug 8
In protest against India’s plan to construct Tipaimukh dam on common river Barak two organisations will jointly launch a 3-day Long March towards Tipaimukh on August 8 considering its perilous impact on Bangladesh. The two organizations already have approached both the ruling Awami League and the opposition BNP to join the march. Tipaimukh Dam Prevention ... Read more
Judicial Service Assoc to file writ petitions today
Forced retirement of 2 judges The emergency meeting of Bangladesh Judicial Service Association (BJSA) scheduled for yesterday morning was postponed in the greater interest of the country, the organisers said. The emergency meeting was to be held on the Dhaka judge court’s premises yesterday to discuss the next course of action following the forced retirement ... Read more
Corazon Aquino dies
Former Philippines president Corazon Aquino, whose ‘People Power’ revolution toppled dictator Ferdinand Marcos and restored democracy to the nation, died Saturday after a battle with colon cancer. ‘Cory’ Aquino was propelled into the political spotlight in 1986, leading millions of Filipinos in protests against the corrupt regime of Marcos, who jailed thousands of dissidents during ... Read more
Mudslide kills 10 in Lama
Six of a family perished; 50 houses destroyed Incessant rain for the last four days triggered a massive mudslide at Harinmara of Lama in Bandarban early yesterday killing 10 people, including six of a family, and destroying 50 houses. Nine of the deceased were Abul Hashem, his mother Guljar Begum, wife Amena Begum, son Yunus, ... Read more
PM reshuffles cabinet, 6 new faces inducted
Shahjahan Khan made minister, Enamul, Mujibur, Promod, Mahbubur, Shirin state ministers raising total strength to 43 Six new members were inducted in the council of ministers of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in a major expansion since her Awami League-led government assumed office on January 6 after the landmark December 29, 2008 general elections. President Zillur ... Read more
Robberies, accidents on highways on the rise
Travelling on highways across the country became dreadful and unsafe with an alarming rise in robbery and fatal accidents due largely to a lack of adequate policing, reckless driving and poor maintenance of the roads and bridges. In the month of July alone, at least 20 robberies were reported on the highways connecting cities and ... Read more