The Institute of Epidemiology Disease Control and Research (IEDCR) yesterday confirmed two more cases of swine flu, bringing the number to 18 in the country. A young man and woman, aged between 20 to 22, currently residing in Dhaka, got the infection through their relatives, who had recently returned from Australia and USA, said senior ... Read more
News
Monsoon Book Fair launched in city
A group of publishing houses on Thursday opened a book fair at the Concord Emporium Shopping Complex on Elephant Road in Dhaka, marking the inauguration of a book market at the place. Dhaka University Professor Emeritus Serajul Islam Chowdhury, also the editor of Natun Diganta, inaugurated the book fair as chief guest. Professor Ahmed Kamal, ... Read more
Articulated bus service in city likely to be delayed
The proposed articulated bus service in the capital may be delayed as the Dhaka City Corporation has yet to make any headway with the demarcation of the dedicated lane and resolve many other issues. ‘The DCC has conducted a study and found it very difficult to manage space on the existing city streets for articulated ... Read more
HC brands Huda, Quamruzzaman ‘wrongheaded’, ‘worthless’
The High Court on Thursday censured BNP stalwart Barrister Nazmul Huda and Jamaat-e-Islami leader M Quamruzzaman as wrongheaded and worthless fellows for making “deprecating” statements against its judgment in the dispute over proclaimer of Bangladesh’s independence. Following the June 21 HC judgment, the contemner-respondents made statements published in newspapers on June 30 that the HC ... Read more
Old, live electric wires become death traps
Four die from electrocution in capital in 2 days Four people died from electrocution in a couple of days in Dhaka when they came in contact with live electric wires, which have grown rundown over years for no maintenance, becoming death traps for city residents. Majida Huda Joly 38, wife of lawyer Nasrul Huda Dollar, ... Read more
GP breaks thru’ IPO hurdle
Grameenphone, the leading mobile phone operator of the country, yesterday received a go ahead from the stock market regulator to raise Tk 486.08 crore through an initial public offering (IPO), the largest of its kind in the history of Bangladesh capital market. The value of the approved IPO is Tk 37 crore more than the ... Read more
Chief of JMB’s new offshoot captured
They had a plan to establish control over a zone comprising 3 northern districts Special Branch (SB) of Police in Gazipur arrested Abdur Rahim alias Shahadat, the chief organiser of “Islam and Muslim”, a new offshoot of banned Islamist militant outfit Jama’atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB). During a raid late Tuesday night, the intelligence officials along ... Read more
Ashraf differs with Dipu, says Pinak did not step out of line
LGRD and cooperatives minister Syed Ashraful Islam on Thursday came to the defence of Indian high commissioner Pinak Ranjan Chakravarty contradicting the views of foreign minister Dipu Moni that the envoy might have stepped out of line in his remarks on Bangladeshi water experts. ‘I don’t think so,’ Ashraf said in reply to a media ... Read more
Jalil for trial of those who tried to kill Hasina
Slow poisoning in sub-jail Awami League general secretary Abdul Jalil MP yesterday echoed the growing demand for investigation and trial of those who were involved in the conspiracy to kill Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina by slow poising while she was lodged in a sub-jail when the “evil force” – military-backed caretaker government -was in power. ... Read more
Tk 10000 cr mega power fund likely
GAZIPUR, Jul 2: Prime Minister”s Adviser Dr Taufiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury Birbikram Thursday said the government is considering mobilising a mega-fund of Tk 10,000 crore to finance the power sector to resolve the nagging electricity crisis, reports UNB. “We hope if Tk 2,000 crore comes from government”s public-private partnership (PPP) allocation, then the rest Tk 8,000 crore ... Read more
3-6 new faces to get ministerial job
Govt to expand, reshuffle cabinet soon Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina may bring in a few more ministers and state ministers in her cabinet and redistribute portfolios of those of some important ministries for their unsatisfactory performance. “She [Hasina] will induct three to six ministers and state ministers in her cabinet anytime soon,” a highly placed ... Read more
Flood signs appear as rivers keep swelling
Rain may continue, flash flood hits NE region Signs of flood in the country are becoming visible as rains are feared to remain heavy this month, which is more than usual, to be accompanied by 2 to 3 monsoon depressions. Some parts in the north-eastern region of the country have already been gripped by a ... Read more
Landslide spectre looms over port city once again
Authorities least concerned July 2: More than 5,000 people in the port city are now living in different slum areas that have mushroomed on the slopes and foots of mostly denuded hills. Comfortably oblivious of the past catastrophic mudslides, these slum dwellers are exposing themselves once again to monsoon mishaps that have, in the recent ... Read more
Forgotten JS pledges
BNP, Jamaat remain absent from House for 38 out of 59 working days already; Khaleda attends only 3 sittings; no effective initiative of ruling party to make JS functional The main opposition BNP and its key ally in four-party alliance Jamaat-e-Islami remain absent from joining the House proceedings, paying no attention to their electoral pledges ... Read more
Dhaka to do whatever needed in its interests: FM
TIPAIMUKH DAM PLAN Dhaka to do whatever needed in its interests: FM The foreign minister, Dipu Moni, on Wednesday said Bangladesh will do whatever it needed to protect its own interest. ‘Our ties with India are very significant and we will maintain the relations, upholding our national interest,’ she said in reply to a question ... Read more
New govt pay scales finalised
The secretary committee to scrutinise of the seventh pay commission report has finalised its recommendations for increasing the maximum salary to Tk 35,000 from the existing Tk 25,000 and the lowest basic to Tk 4,000 from the existing Tk 2,300. The committee finalised the recommendations at its seventh meeting held at the cabinet division with ... Read more
Information Commission formed
Commissioners appointed, but no office The government on Wednesday formed the three-member Information Commission, with retired secretary M Azizur Rahman as chief information commissioner, under the Right to Information Act 2009 that came into effect in its entirety on the day. The other commissioners are retired secretary Mohammad Abu Taher and Professor Sadeka Halim, teacher ... Read more
No possibility of withdrawal of cases against Tarique, Arafat: law minister
State minister for law Quamrul Islam on Wednesday brushed aside any possibility of withdrawal of any cases filed against BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia’s two sons, Tarique Rahman and Arafat Rahman, during the military-backed interim government’s tenure. ‘There is no reason to think that the government will recommend withdrawal of cases against Tarique and Coco [Arafat] ... Read more
Political fate of Sircar, Akhter, Delwar hinges on parliament decision
JS probe committee likely to place report on July 6/8 The ‘All-Party Parliamentary Probe Body investigating corruptions during the 8th parliament’ will finalise its recommendations in connection with the graft charges against former Speaker Jamiruddin Sircar, Deputy Speaker Akhter Hamid Siddiqui and former Chief Whip Khandaker Delwar Hossain on July 5 and is likely to ... Read more
Overloaded trucks ruining roads
Country forks out Tk 300cr a year on fixing damaged roads Almost all the 40,000 trucks running throughout the country carry weights more than twice the capacity, causing colossal damage to the roads and bridges. Sources at the Roads and Highways Department (RHD) said the trucks bring about severe traffic congestion, pollution and lead to ... Read more