Voicing her hope that she would be able to play an effective role, newly elected Speaker of the parliament Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury on Wednesday urged the opposition to join the House and play their role there. “It’s a milestone in empowering women in the country,” the country’s first female and youngest Speaker said expressing ... Read more
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Buyers commit to help prevent Savar-like incidents
The Retail Council of Canada (RCC), a Canadian association representing more than 40,000 stores of all retail formats, has expressed its commitment to working with its members and the international community to drive change in Bangladesh to help prevent incidents like the Savar tragedy. Offering sincere condolences to the victims of the Savar tragedy and ... Read more
May Day today
Today is the historic May Day. It will be observed in Bangladesh along with the rest of the world with the pledge to establish the rights of workers. The day is a public holiday. President Md Abdul Hamid Advocate, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and leader of the opposition and BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia have extended ... Read more
SC upholds death for 2 fugitive army men
The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court on Tuesday awarded capital punishment to two absconding army personnel in connection with the much talked about jail killing case. The two fugitives are dafadar Marfat Ali Shah and dafadar Abdul Hashem Mridha. The HC had acquitted them of the charge. With this, three army personnel have been given
Two more bodies found, death toll reaches 389
Two more bodies were recovered from the debris of the collapsed eight-storey Rana Plaza building in Savar on Tuesday morning. With this, the death toll rose to 389, Dhaka district deputy commissioner Md Yusuf Harun said. Nearly 111 hours after the Rana Plaza had collapsed, the second phase of the rescue operation using heavy equipment ... Read more
HC orders seizure of Rana’s property
The High Court (HC) on Tuesday directed the government to confiscate all the movable and immovable properties of the owners of Rana Plaza and proprietors of five readymade garment factories housed in the ill-fated Rana Plaza at Savar. Sohel Rana is the owner of Rana Plaza, while the other four garment factory owners are Aminul ... Read more
BNP calls off May 2 hartal
The BNP-led 18-party Opposition alliance on Tuesday withdrew its nationwide dawn-to-dusk hartal slated for May 2, as it did not want to hamper rescue operations at the collapsed Rana Plaza at Savar. This was stated in a press statement, signed by Maruf Kamal Khan Sohel, press secretary of BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia.
Ban Ki Moon ‘to send team to help break political crisis’
UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon will send a UN delegation in May to help the bickering political parties reach an understanding and thus resolve the ongoing political crisis in Bangladesh. “The delegation is scheduled to arrive in Dhaka in the second week of May as per the personal desire of the UN Secretary General,” ... Read more
Garment workers clash with police: 100 injured
At least 100 workers of readymade garments (RMG) factories were injured when police charged batons on them on the compound of Rana Plaza, the building which collapsed on Tuesday morning. Of those injured, 22 were admitted to different local hospitals and private clinics in a critical condition. Witnesses said thousands of RMG workers of different
Savar official likely to lose job for negligence of duties
Kabir Hossain Sarder, upazila nirbahi officer (UNO) of Savar upazila under Dhaka district, is likely to lose his job on charges of gross negligence of his duties as he failed to prevent the collapse of Rana Plaza, which claimed the lives of over 390 workers and injured at least 2,500 others on April 24. The ... Read more
US keen to help Savar victims
Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Barrister Shafique Ahmed on Tuesday said, the US government has expressed their interest to help rehabilitate the victims of Savar building collapse. “We are yet to discuss about the foreign assistance regarding the Savar tragedy. We will receive foreign aid after the government’s decision,” he told reporters after a ... Read more
Suranjit wants speedy trial for Sohel Rana
Ruling Awami League leader and minister without portfolio Suranjit Sengupta on Tuesday urged the government to complete the trial of Sohel Rana, owner of collapsed Rana Plaza, under the Speedy Trial Tribunal Act instead of taking him on remand. “The government stance has been clear with the prompt arrest of Rana. Now it should complete ... Read more
JS passes bill on vested property
Land Minister Md. Rezaul Karim Hira on Tuesday placed a bill titled ‘Vested Property Return (Amendment) Act, 2013’ before the parliament that was passed through voice votes to ensure speedy disposal of cases and petitions on return of vested property. The Cabinet on April 1 approved the amended ‘Vested Property Return Act, 2001’.
Cranes used in 2nd phase Savar rescue operations
The second phase of the rescue operations in Savar began on Sunday morning. This phase involves the use of heavy equipment to dislodge the rubble of Rana Plaza, the eight-storey building which collapsed on Wednesday. The deployment of heavy equipment created a furore among the relatives of missing workers as they felt this would crush ... Read more
Rajshahi, Khulna civic polls date announced
The Election Commission on Monday announced that the polls for Rajshahi, Khulna, Barisal and Sylhet City Corporations will be held on June 15. Chief election commissioner (CEC) Rakibuddin Ahmed announced the poll dates at a press briefing at the EC office. Commissioners Mohammad Abu Hafiz; Brig. Gen. (retd) Md Zabed Ali, Md Shahnewaz,
Who owns the Rana Plaza land?
The inquiry committee, set up in the aftermath of the Savar building collapse, is trying to determine the actual ownership of the land where Rana Plaza stood. Rabindra Nath Sarker, a resident of the area, said the land belonged to him, but was forcibly taken away by Sohel Rana who built Rana Plaza. Local people ... Read more
US concerned on factory tragedies, political unrest
The United States has expressed concern over recent tragedies in factories in Bangladesh as well as political violence and reported rights abuse by members of the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB). The concern was expressed by US Ambassador to the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) Eileen C Donahoe during the hearing on human rights issues ... Read more
Tigers level Test series with Zimbabwe
Ziaur Rahman led the Bangladesh attack with four wickets as they completed a 143-run win over Zimbabwe on Monday to draw the two-match series 1-1 and gain revenge for their mauling in the first Test. Set a target of 401 runs to win in their second innings at the Harare Sports Club, Zimbabwe were bowled ... Read more
All efforts for Shahina go in vain
Despite the rescuers’ zeal and tireless efforts and prayers of millions of people, Shahina Akter could not be rescued from the collapsed Rana Plaza building in Savar. The lifeless body of the garment worker, who was a widow from Pakhimara Village of Khepupara upazila under Patuakhali district, was finally retrieved from a burnt tunnel at ... Read more
Garment workers agitate, clash with police
Hundreds of irate garment workers on Monday went berserk in different areas of Gazipur district, including the capital, demanding capital punishment for Sohel Rana, the owner of Rana Plaza, as well as for the owners of the five factories housed inside the ill-fated building. Fire service sources said the agitated workers vandalised the windowpanes of ... Read more