Tuesday, March 19, 2024

No final decision on Syria strike yet: Obama

US President Barack Obama said Friday he had taken no “final decision” on striking Syria but that the world could not accept the gassing of women and children. Calling Syria’s alleged use of chemical weapons a threat to US national security, Obama said the response would be “narrow” and “limited.” Meanwhile, US Secretary of State John ... Read more

PM seeks 2nd term

Prime Minister and president of the ruling Awami League (AL) Sheikh Hasina on Friday urged the people of her country to vote the AL to power again “to continue the ongoing pace of development”. “I am grateful to you as you have voted us to power. Now I want your votes once again to complete ... Read more

Bloated bureaucracy eats into govt funds

A total of 443 officers on special duty (OSD) in the civil administration are virtually without work and the government has to spend Tk. 2.90 crore per month as part of their salaries and emoluments. Sources said over 7 per cent of bureaucrats out of a total of 5,739 have been approaching the public administration ... Read more

BNP will repeal 15th amendment: Moudud

BNP standing committee member, Moudud Ahmed, has said that the 15th amendment to the Constitution will be repealed if his party is voted to power in the next general election. “The Awami League has destroyed the Constitution’s purity and dignity, by bringing the 15th amendment. We will annul this amendment if voted to power,” he ... Read more

EIB to take up its first projects in Bangladesh

The European Investment Bank (EIB) is set to become a development partner of Bangladesh for the first time, providing financing in the power sector and for a water treatment plant, sources in the Economic Relations Division (ERD) said. The EIB will provide a loan of EUR 82 million, which will be equivalent to a Tk. ... Read more

BNP does not believe in extremism, says Alamgir

The opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP’s) acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has said the election deposits of candidates nominated by the Awami League (AL) in the upcoming general elections would be forfeited if they are held under the oversight of a non-party caretaker government (CG). “The Awami League

No case, no headway in ex-cop murder

Police could not arrest anybody in connection with the murder of Fazlul Karim Khan, a retired additional superintendent of police who was also the investigation officer in the August 21, 2004 grenade attack case, till Friday evening. The victim’s family has not filed any case even 36 hours after the gruesome murder. Fazlul Karim, 65, ... Read more

‘Poorest of the poor’ denied safety net programmes

Although the government is conducting the Social Safety Net Programmes (SSNPs) in the country aiming to reduce poverty, most of the ‘poorest of the poor’ are not receiving the benefit for lack of proper selection of beneficiaries, according to a recent study. On average, 14.2 percent of non-eligible households are receiving SSNP benefit

Aggyan party dopes army man to death

An Army man died on early Friday after being drugged by suspected members of a city gang known as ‘Oggyan Party’, who offer food or drink laced with drugs to victims before robbing their valuables. The deceased was identified as Tajul Islam, 35, a corporal, based in Comilla Cantonment. Police said Tajul was found lying ... Read more

AL leader held

Police arrested a local Awami League leader in Saltha upazila on Friday on charge of embazzling over Tk 30 lakh from people in the name trade and giving them various facilities. The arrested was identified as M Sirajul Islam alias Siraj, former general secretary of Ramkantapur union unit of the ruling party and son of ... Read more

Prosecution expects verdict on SQ Chy next month

Prosecutors are expecting the verdict on BNP lawmaker Salauddin Quader Chowdhury (SQC) next month for his participation in crimes against humanity during the Liberation War. The proceedings ended on August 14 and hopefully it will not take more than a month to get the judgment after the tribunal’s announcement of a court adjourned verdict (CAV),

Garment workers oppose newly amended Labour Law

Leaders of Bangladesh Garments Sramik Oikkyo Parishad (BGSOP), on Friday, claimed that the newly amended Labour Law has failed to ensure the interest of the workers. “This newly amended Labour Law is unable to protect workers’ interests as it is more concerned with ensuring the rights of garments factory owners. Therefore, it must be amended ... Read more

Nat’l Rabindra Sangeet convention begins

The three-day 32nd National Rabindrasangeet Convention began at the Chhayanaut auditorium on Thursday evening. Jatiyo Rabindra Sangeet Sammilan Parishad has organised the convention comprising an array of events like presentation of Tagore songs, discussion session, Tagore song competition and honouring a Tagore exponent with an award The programme opened with

Untold stories of biranganas depicted

Birangana: Brave Women touched the audiences with the heart-wrenching story of the suffering of the biranganas in theatre. Staged by London-based troupe Komola Collective at the Liberation War Museum on Thursday, the play revealed the story of a birangana (war heroine), women who were tortured by Pakistani invading army during the war of independence in ... Read more

Book launch and film screening at IGCC

Indira Gandhi Cultural Centre in association with Shadhona – A Center for Advancement of South Asian Culture and the State Bank of India in Bangladesh organised a launch ceremony of ‘A Directory of Bengali Cinema’ and screening of Pundit Uday Shankar’s film Kalpana on Thursday at the centre’s auditorium. A Directory of Bengali Cinema is a ... Read more

Solar powered city traffic signals to be delayed

The installation of solar panels to power Dhaka city’s traffic signals along with new count down timers, intended to show commuters how many seconds remain before the signals change, will be delayed until at least the end of the year. Under the Clean Air and Sustainable Environment project, which started in June 2009 with funding ... Read more

Barisal rallies against disappearances

Human rights activists in Barisal city on Friday urged the government to stop enforced disappearances. They made the call from a human chain and rally organised by the Human Rights Defenders Network, Barisal unit to observe annual commemoration of International Day of the Disappeared that falls on 30 August. It was addressed, among others, by Mozammel ... Read more

Notice issued to include 3 unions in NCC

The district administration has issued a public notice in regard to incorporating three more municipalities in the Narayanganj City Corporation. There will be a 30 days’ probation for the inhabitants to submit any objection against this public notice issued on Thursday. After 30 days from the day of public notice announcement,

Dhaka-Barisal bus trips suspended

Bus trips from Gabtali terminal to and from Barisal have remained suspended since Thursday night after a bus was vandalised by local people at the terminal in Dhaka. The Barisal Bus Owners’ Association vice-president, Dipak Chandra Das, said the bus owners cancelled the trips from and to the Gabtali terminal because a bus of