News 24 Hours

San Francisco, Sep 1 (bdnews24.com/Reuters) – Facebook Inc is weeding out fake "Likes" on its social network that are being caused by spammers, malware and black marketeers as it strives to maintain credibility as an advertising platform. Facebook said the number of Likes, or endorsements by users, on corporate pages is likely to drop by less than 1 percent, on average, after the crackdown. "Newly improved automated efforts will remove those Likes gained by malware, compromised accounts, deceived users, or purchased bulk Likes," Facebook said in a post on its official blog on Friday. "While we have always had dedicated protections against each of these threats on Facebook, these improved systems have been specifically configured to identify and take action against suspicious Likes," the post continued. Thanks to a growing black market, companies can instantly raise their profile on Facebook by purchasing thousands of Likes at a time - a practice th

Saturday, September 1, 2012 The United States will buttress security partnerships across the Pacific as it strengthens ties with island nations, but also hopes to work more closely with China as Beijing expands its own influence in the region, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said on Friday. Clinton arrived in the tiny Pacific outpost of the Cook Islands for this year's Pacific Islands Forum, part of Washington's effort to woo nations across the Asia-Pacific which are increasingly coming under China's shadow. Clinton told the gathering, which represents 16 independent and self-governing states ranging from Australia and New Zealand to smaller islands such as Tuvalu and Nauru, that the United States was in the region for the long haul. But she also played down growing perceptions of a US-China rivalry in the region, declaring "the Pacific is big enough for all of us" and dismissing the notion that expanded US activity was "a hedge against particula

Saturday, September 1, 2012 Fund crisis has made uncertain the government project to upgrade the busy Jatrabari-Kanchpur stretch of the Dhaka-Chittagong highway to eight lanes. Aimed at easing traffic congestion on the eight-kilometre stretch, the project is estimated to cost Tk 120 crore and scheduled for completion in June next year. However, little work has been done since floating of tenders in three packages in January, nine months after approval of the project for the now four-lane road. The Roads and Highways Department (RHD), the executing agency, struck a Tk 37 crore contract with Rana Builders in March for widening the three-kilometre stretch from Rayerbagh to Shanarpar under the first package. Tenders for the two other packages, however, were cancelled in April following allegations of irregularities in the bidding process. Fresh tenders are yet to be floated. The project was planned to be funded from the public exchequer. But like many othe

Saturday, September 1, 2012 Tens of thousands of people on a central Philippine island returned home on Saturday after a tsunami alert was lifted following a 7.6 magnitude undersea quake, as local authorities began work to repair damages to public infrastructure. The earthquake 91 miles (146 km) off the town of Guiuan on Samar island on Friday killed one person and caused only minor damage, but prompted the US Pacific Tsunami Warning Center to issued a tsunami warning. Philippine authorities ordered thousands of people living in coastal villages to evacuate, but on Saturday those that had fled to higher grounds were returning home, said Conrado Nicart, governor of Eastern Samar province. "We've sent out our engineers and repair teams to inspect roads, bridges and public buildings," Nicart told radio, adding the earthquake caused minor infrastructure damage. "Our people were reporting cracks on roads and municipal gymnasiums, and approaches on a bridge near Me

Bangalore, Sep 1 (Reuters) - Honda Motor Co plans to form a joint venture in Bangladesh as early as this year to produce motorcycles, the Nikkei reported. Honda used to sell motorcycles in Bangladesh through Indian motorcycle maker Hero MotoCorp Ltd. The Japanese company canceled its tie-up with Hero in 2011, the daily reported. The venture, with a local business, will set up a low-cost assembly facility with an annual sales target of 10,000 to 20,000 units, the business daily said. The motorcycles will be built for the local market from components shipped from India and Pakistan, the Nikkei reported. Annual motorcycle sales in Bangladesh are about 100,000 units, the daily said.

Friday, August 31, 2012 A 7.6-magnitude undersea quake struck off the eastern coast of the Philippines late Friday, triggering tsunami warnings across the region. At least one house collapsed and power was knocked out in several Philippine cities, local radio reported. A tsunami alert originally was issued for several countries including Japan and for Pacific islands as far away as the Northern Marianas, but most of them were soon lifted, leaving warnings only for the Philippines, Indonesia and Palau, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said. "My neighbors and I have evacuated. We are now on our way to the mountains," fisherman Marlon Lagramado told The Associated Press in a telephone interview from the coastal town of Guiwan in the Philippine province of Eastern Samar. The quake, with preliminary magnitude 7.6, hit at a depth of 34.9 kilometers (21.7 miles) and was centered 106 kilometers (66 miles) east of Samar Island, the US Geological Surv

Ahmedabad, Aug 31 (Reuters) – Former Gujarat minister Maya Kodnani was sentenced to 28 years in jail on Friday for murder and conspiracy during one of the country's worst religious riots, when up to 2,500 people, most of them Muslim, were hunted down and hacked, beaten or burnt to death in 2002. Hundreds of friends and relatives of the 32 people found guilty gathered outside a court in Ahmedabad to hear the sentences, the final step in a years-long case that cast a spotlight on still simmering communal tension in the world's biggest democracy. Most relatives of the victims of the riots in Gujarat stayed away from the court, a sign that 10 years on, memories of the bloodletting by Hindu mobs still cast a pall of fear over the state's Muslim community. There were unconfirmed reports that some Muslim shopkeepers had shut their establishments and families had fled the city, fearing retaliatory attacks over the se

Madaripur, Aug 31  Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's Special Assistant Abdus Sobhan Golap, who is hoping to run from the Madaripur-3 constituency in the next elections, faced a rude obstruction in the district's Kalkini upazila on Friday during his campaign in the area. Police said a group of unidentified people obstructed Golap and his supporters around 11am in front of the Alinagar Union Parishad office at Kalkini when he was on his way to Enayetnagar union. Locals claimed that at least five crude bombs were exploded as both groups clashed. Golap has been running campaigns for the last six months with the hope to run in the next general elections from that seat, which is also the electoral constituency of former minister Syed Abul Hossain MP. Former Information and Communications Technology Minister Hossain, who was the Communication Minister before the allegations of corruption in the Padma bridge project were

Friday, August 31, 2012 A mother and her minor daughter were killed following previous enmity over land at Kumerpara in Chapainawabganj district town early Friday. The criminals slaughtered Nasima Begum and strangled her four years old daughter Nila to death. sometime at night. Family sources said Nasima’s father Taimur went to his daughter’s house in the morning as he failed to contact her over phone for a long time and found the two bodies lying on the floor. On information, police recovered the bodies. AKM Ariful Haq, additional police super of Chapainawabganj said there was a longstanding enmity between Nasima’s expatriate husband Nasiruddin and his elder brother Mujibur over a piece of land. That might be the reason behind the murder, he added. Police detained two people-Tohara Begum and Humayun- for interrogation.

Benapole, Aug 31  Fifty Bangladeshi nationals have returned to their homeland after spending five years in different jails of India for entering the neighbouring country illegally. They had sneaked into the country through the Benapole land port. They were caught in India's Kashmir, near the border, while on their way to Pakistan. Benapole Immigration police OC Mohammad Kamruzzaman told bdnews24.com of the returnees, 41 are males, four females and five are children. "They were caught at the Kashmir border on their way to Pakistan. They were heading there without proper documents hoping to get some good job," he said. Most of these people are from Sunamganj, Dhaka, Cox's Bazar, Bandarban, Chandpur, Chittagong, Habiganj, Narayanganj and Feni districts. They served four to five years in various prisons of Kashmir. One of the fifty, Badsha Mia Kalu of Feni, told reporters, "We went to India four years ago hoping for better jobs."

Dhaka, Aug 31  Chances of regular flight schedule of Biman Bangladesh Airlines plunging into chaos during the Hajj time this year have become near-certain as the country's premier carrier has failed to hire more aircraft to ferry pilgrims. Biman has decided to ferry at least 50,000 pilgrims itself, which could cause severe disruptions in the regular schedule. According to the Civil Aviation and Tourism Ministry-published flight schedule, Hajj flights from Bangladesh will begin on Sept 17 and end on Nov 29. Biman authorities also admit that the regular flights would have to be slashed during the Hajj season. Confirming the inability to hire carriers, Biman's Acting Managing Director Mosaddek Ahmed told bdnews24.com: "The regular flight schedule will be pruned a bit for this.

Khaleda Zia Star Online Report BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia on Thursday threatened the Awami League of replying in a befitting manner. “We want to go to power through a peaceful and acceptable election. Awami league will have to realise our demand. Otherwise, they will be answered in the same way," she said. The opposition leader hoped that the BNP will come to power again through a peaceful election under a caretaker government. The former prime minister was addressing a discussion at Mahanagar Natya Mancha in the capital. Jatiyatabadi Swechhasebok Dal, a front organisation of BNP, organised the meeting to mark its founding anniversary.

Star Online Report The government will challenge a High Court verdict over the Speaker’s ruling about an HC judge aiming at resolving the ongoing face-off between the parliament and the judiciary, attorney general’s office sources said. The government has already instructed the attorney general’s office to file an appeal with the Supreme Court against the verdict by Monday. The AG office will first seek stay on the HC verdict from the Appellate Division, and then will move for getting a guideline from the apex court on the issue of Speaker’s ruling, according to the sources. The divergence between parliament and judiciary came to the front anew after the HC in a verdict on August 27 said the Speaker's observations that an HC judge has violated the constitution have no legal effect and are baseless in the eye of law. A law ministry official wishing anonymity told The Daily Star on Thursday that the ministry is now doing homework to move an appeal against the H

Dhaka, Aug 30  Director General of South Asia Department of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) Juan Miranda has reasserted the bank's stance as a co-financer in the Padma bridge project and assured of continued support. "Let me repeat that words that I want in your headline – this bridge will be built," he told journalists following a meeting with Finance Minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhith at the Secretariat on Thursday. When asked whether the Manila-based bank would remain on-board for the project, Miranda reassured: "ADB is as of today and as of tomorrow, ADB is a co-financier in this project." To another query whether the ADB would extend the loan effectuation date, he again said, "This bridge will be built." The Director General came to Dhaka on Tuesday night on a two-day official trip. The genesis and further The Padma bridge project has been in the throes of uncertainty ever since the lead financier, Worl

Thursday, August 30, 2012 Law Minister Shafique Ahmed said on Thursday that his ministry will take initiative to resolve misunderstanding or conflict, if there is any, between parliament and judiciary. During a hearing on June 5, a High Court, Justice AHM Shamsuddin Choudhury Manik, observed that the Speaker had committed an offence tantamount to sedition by commenting in parliament on an HC order. In a ruling on June 18, Speaker Abdul Hamid said an HC judge (Justice Manik) has violated the constitution by making "derogatory remark" about the Jatiya Sangsad and the Speaker. The High Court later said the Speaker's observations that an HC judge has violated the constitution have "no legal effect" and are baseless in the eye of law. "Of course, we will take initiative if there is any misunderstanding or conflict between the parliament and judiciary in line with the country's constitution," the minister told reporters em

Thursday, August 30, 2012 Henoara Begum, mother of Limon Hossain who was maimed by Rab last year, submitted a no-confidence petition before a Jhalakathi court on Thursday challenging the police final report that found no evidence against the elite force. On August 14, police quietly submitted a report to a Jhalakathi court, saying they had found no evidence and witnesses in favour of the attempt-to-murder case filed by Limon's mother. Limon's mother filed the case against six Rab men with Rajapur Police Station on April 10 last year saying that the accused persons, without caring to verify Limon's identity, shot him in the leg on March 23 while he was bringing cattle back home at Chhaturia village under Rajapur upazila of Jhalakathi. The Rab team later arrested him. The six accused are Deputy Assistant Director of Crime Prevention Company-1 Lutfor Rahman, Corporal Majaharul Islam, Nayek Moktadir Hossain, Nayek Prahalad Chandra, soldier Kartik

Naogaon, Aug 30  Communication and Acting Railways Minister Obaidul Quader has temporarily suspended and ordered arrest of official of Santahar Railway Junction for alleged irregularities in leasing out railways' land. The order of arrest of the Estate Department's Kanunja, Ziaul Haque, came on Thursday during the minister's visit to the junction He also ordered transfer of one Booking Assistant, Abdul Aziz, while visiting Santahar. Quader alleged that railway officials were stalling the sector's development through their corruption. "…Land owned by the railways is being acquired illegally and those left are being leased out at nominal prices." The minister said the government was taking initiatives to drive out those irregularities by forming a high-level committee. "The way I'm running things, it will be possible to turn the railways into a profitable organisation within next two years," Quader told newsmen. During hi

Dhaka, Aug 30 The first war crimes tribunal of Bangladesh has adjourned a case against BNP MP Salauddin Quader Chowdhury until Sunday responding to a defence plea. With the new judge, Justice Jahangir Hossain, attending the court for the first time on Thursday, Salauddin Quader's counsel Ahsanul Huq appealed for time. The second war crimes tribunal saw cross-examination of the first witness against Jamaat-e-Islami leader Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mujaheed. It remains incomplete and war crimes activist Shahriar Kabir, a former journalist, is set to take the stand again on Sunday when he will face Mizanul Islam. Mizanul Islam, who has been leading the trial of other Jamaat leaders — former chief Ghulam Azam, current chief Motiur Rahman Nizami and executive council member Delwar Hossain Sayedee — at the first tribunal appeared before the second tribunal for the first time on Thursday. The three-judge International Crimes Tribunal – 2 was set up in March thi

Dhaka, Aug 29 An Indian newspaper has said intelligence reports point to possible return of the BNP and its allies to power in the next parliamentary elections, raising alarms about anti-India forces getting a free run to use Bangladesh to carry terrorism and other subversive activities. The Times of Indian ran a report titled "India's worries could mount with Khaleda Zia's expected return to power in Bangladesh" based on the Indian intelligence. "Revolving-door politics being much the norm in Bangladesh, it is likely to be the turn of Begum Khaleda Zia, Hasina's arch rival who is not known to be friendly towards India. In fact, as she rises in the charts capitalizing on Hasina's incumbency, Khaleda has also been busy painting the prime minister an Indian stooge," said the largest-selling Indian daily in the report. The next parliamentary election is scheduled for early 2014. According

Dhaka, Aug 29  Home Minister Shahara Khatun has said that another man has been identified in connection with Saudi embassy official Khalaf Al Ali's murder case and that chargesheet will be submitted after the accused is arrested. The minister made the disclosure when an eight-member security team of Saudi Arabia led by its Ambassador to Bangladesh Dr Abdullah Bin Naser Al-Busairi called on her at her Secretariat office on Wednesday. The Saudi envoy expressed his satisfaction on the investigation into the murder case and arrest of the accused. Shahara told reporters that of the four accused arrested for their alleged involvement in the killing, two had already given their confessional statements in the court. "The two accused in their statements mentioned the involvement of another person who is absconding. Police and others concerned are trying to apprehend him. The chargesheet in the murder case will be submitted after completing t

Dhaka, Aug 29  The opposition BNP has expressed solidarity with the protesting medical admission seekers as its leaders believe only GPAs cannot be the benchmark for higher education enrolments, and they smell a rat in the process. "We express our solidarity with them (protesting students). It's an autocratic decision. We are sensing corruption in the admission process," party's National Standing Committee member Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain said on Wednesday. "It's a politically motivated decision," he said while speaking at a discussion organised by pro-BNP Doctors' Association of Bangladesh (DAB) in Dhaka. Health Minister A F M Rufal Haque announced on Aug 12 that GPAs in the SSC and HSC examinations would be the sole yardstick to ensure, what he said, 'quality admissions' in medical and dental colleges. The decision triggered a wave of protests from students ready to sit the MBBS and BDS admission tests.

Dhaka, Aug 29  Senior Awami League leader Suranjit Sengupta on Wednesday observed the High Court order, declaring the parliament Speaker's ruling 'ineffective and legally baseless', will push the country towards conflict. A member of the committee that formulated the constitution, Sengupta made the statement at a discussion organised at the Dhaka Reporters Unity. "The matter which was shut once and for all has been reopened to roll the country into conflict," he said. "I could not understand why the matter was raised before the court once again." On July 24, the High Court ruled Speaker's ruling 'ineffective and legally baseless' after hearing a petition challenging the ruling. The full verdict was released on Aug 20. "MPs enjoy privileges (impunity) under the Article 78 of the Constitution. Any matter can be discussed (in parliament) for the sake of public interest, but it should not be taken to the court

Dhaka, Aug 29 A Dhaka court on Wednesday allowed police to remand in their custody for three days for questioning the driver of the bus that allegedly killed a Dhaka University student in an accident on Tuesday. Judge Rezaul Karim of the Metropolitan Magistrate's Court passed the order after a hearing after Officer-in-charge of Shahbagh Police Station Rupesh Chandra Baidya, who is Investigating the homicide case, produced bus driver Anwar Hossain, 40, before the court with a seven-day remand petition, General Recording Officer of the court Sub-Inspector Arshad Ali told bdnews24.com. The court also rejected the bail petition of Anwar Hossain. Towhid Uz Zaman, 23, a second-year undergraduate student of international relations, was critically injured when the speeding bus of Rajdhani Express hit him at Shahbagh intersection on Tuesday af

  Dhaka, Aug 28  The Finance Minister's scheduled Wednesday's media briefing on the government's attempts to get the World Bank back to finance the Padma bridge project and some other related issues has been postponed. Ministry officials informed journalists on Wednesday morning about the adjournment. While entering the ministry, Finance Minister AMA Muhith told newsmen in response to a query, "I still have two days in hand. I'll talk after that." He was expected to talk about rumours that the Prime Minister's Advisor Mashiur Rahman is the next person to resign to facilitate the government's successful negotiations with the World Bank. Though AMA Muhith on Saturday said obstacles to get fund from the World Bank were being removed, several newspapers reported that the global lender would not agree to release funds unless Mashiur, adviser to Sheikh Hasina on economic affairs and also the project's Integrity Advisor, was removed. O

Dhaka, Aug 29  The US Ambassador to Dhaka, Dan W Mozena, has said that Washington and other allies of Dhaka are working to ensure World Bank's return to finance the Padma bridge project. "We and other friends of Bangladesh, like Indian Executive Director of the WB, and his Japanese and American counterparts, are all working together," he told journalists after meeting Finance Minister AMA Muhith at the ministry on Wednesday. Mozena said he and the Finance Minister, who is still hopeful of the key lender's return, had 'good discussions' about the funding prospects of the bridge project. The US diplomat said his country 'actively' supported Bangladesh's largest infrastructure project. "He (Muhith) knows that and he has appreciated that," the Ambassador said. Mozena said the US was 'disappointed' when the Washington-based lender had cancelled its pledged loan. He said discussions were going on regarding the fina

Dhaka University, Aug 29  Police on Wednesday halted traffic at Dhaka's key Shahbagh intersection following protests and vandalism by Dhaka University students after a fellow student who was injured in a raod accident died on Tuesday night. The security officials were diverting traffic to avert any further vandalism. Touhid Uz Zaman, a second-year undergraduate student of international relations and a resident of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Hall, fell under the wheels of a Rajdhani Express bus around 4:30pm on Tuesday as he was getting across the street near BIRDEM Hospital. He succumbed to his injuries around 7pm. Infuriated by his death, fellow DU students took to the streets and smashed around 40 vehicles and also set fire to several of them in Shahbagh and New Market areas. Police had shut down traffic at the key intersection after students descended on the street around 8pm to midnight. Deputy Commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Pol

Dhaka, Aug 28 The Supreme Court Justice Jahangir Hossain is set to replace AKM Zaheer Ahmed, one of the three judges of the first war crimes tribunal who resigned on Tuesday on health grounds. Supreme Court Registrar Shamsul Islam told bdnews24.com that Chief Justice Muzammel Hossain has given his consent to the Law Ministry's proposal for appointing Hossain to the International Crimes Tribunal-1, formed to try crimes against humanity committed during the 1971 Independence war. The Law Ministry sent the proposal hours after Ahmed submitted his letter of resignation at the ministry in the afternoon. Law Minister Shafique Ahmed, immediately after the judge's resignation, had told bdnews24.com that a new judge would be appointed in a day or two. Hossain, 53, was appointed at the Supreme Court in 2010. Hossain began his career as a lawyer in 1986. He worked at High Court as a lawyer since 1991 until he was appointed at the Supreme Court . Former

Kushtia, Aug 28 – Unidentified criminals shot dead three people, including Ambaria Union Parishad Chairman Nurul Islam, at Khoksa in Kushtia on Tuesday. Assistant Sub-Inspector at the Khoksa Police Station Atiq confirmed the incident to bdnews24.com. The shooting took place on the bank of the Padma River along Kushtia-Pabna border around 1:30pm, leaving two others injured, said police. According to Azmal, one of the bullet-hit admitted at the Kushtia general hospital, said criminals fired at them indiscriminately before beheading the Chairman and throwing three of them in the river. Identity of the other two deceased could not be known immediately.

Dhaka, Aug 28  A member of the first war crimes tribunal of Bangladesh has resigned citing illness. Judge A K M Zaheer Ahmed, who was present in the first session until 1pm, remained absent during the second-half when the court convened after lunch. He has been visiting the hospital for traction on a daily basis. Throughout Ramadan, when court hours were advanced by half an hour, the judge would join around 11pm after visiting the hospital. Judge Zaheer Ahmed had been appointed to the tribunal on Mar 25, 2010 along with Chairman Justice Mohammad Nizamul Huq and Justice A T M Fazle Kabir. Almost two years later, Justice Kabir was appointed Chairman of the second tribunal on Mar 22, 2010 which was set up to expedite war crimes trials.

Tuesday, August 28, 2012 Destiny official Abul Kalam Azad was arrested early Tuesday in connection with a corruption case. Azad was taken to Paltan Police Station at first after his arrest and later taken to the Segunbagicha office of Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) on Tuesday morning. ACC officials with the help of Paltan police made the arrest at Scout market in the capital at around 2:30am. Golam Sarwar, officer-in-charge (OC) of Paltan Police Station, confirmed the arrest. Earlier a corruption case was filed against Azad in Kalabagan Police Station. Police arrested Azad in connection with the case, the OC told the Daily Star. He may be produced before the court today, the OC added.

Dhaka, Aug 28  The BNP-led 18-Party Alliance will hold rallies and demonstrations for two months all over the country to garner support for their demand to restore the caretaker government provision. BNP's Acting Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir told journalists of the protest programmes at a press conference at the BNP's Naya Paltan headquarters on Tuesday. He said the BNP-led alliance would stage rallies and mass processions across Bangladesh from Sep 7 to 30. Leader of the Opposition in parliament Khaleda Zia would address rallies to be held in districts from Sep 20 to Oct 30, Alamgir added. Khaleda had sat with the leaders of her party and the alliance in past few days to discuss the programmes.

Tuesday, August 28, 2012 A special court on Tuesday sentenced 665 jawans of 44 Rifles Battalions of erstwhile Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) to rigorous imprisonment ranging from four months to seven years in a mutiny case. The Special Court-9 headed by Col Ehia Azam Khan of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) fined each of the convicts Tk 100. It also acquitted eight jawans of the case as allegations brought against them were not proved. Of the convicts, 113 jawans were jailed for seven years, one for six years and six months, 32 for six years, 26 for five and six months, 131 for five years, 124 for four years and six months, 73 for four years, 16 for three years and six months, 16 for three years, two for two years and six months, 38 for two years, eight for one year and six months, 52 for one year, 15 for six months and 18 for four months each. Sepoy Selim Reza is among the jawans who was jailed for highest seven years. He led the 44 Rifles Battalion during the 2009 mu

A mother allegedly committed suicide after poisoning her two daughters to death in the city's Kafrul area on Monday. Police identified the deceased as Jahanara Begum, 35, wife of Nur Islam, and their daughters Haowa, 12, and Sharmin, 8. Jahanara killed her daughters and took her own life by taking poison following a feud over the extramarital affair of her husband, Hafizur Rahman, assistant sub-inspector of Kafrul Police Station, said quoting locals. The incident took place at the tin-shed house of Jahanara in North Ibrahimpur area at noon. Locals broke open the door of the house and found Haowa dead, the ASI said. They rushed Jahanara and Sharmin to Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) where doctors declared them dead, he added. Nur Islam, a laundry owner, went into hiding soon after the incident.

Monday, August 27, 2012 Malaysia has submitted the final proposal on financing the construction of the Padma Multipurpose Bridge. Dato Seri S Samy Velu, the Malaysian prime minister's special envoy to India and South Asia, on Monday handed over the proposal to Communications Minister Obaidul Quader. "This is the final proposal of Malaysia about the Padma bridge project," Quader told newsmen after receiving the proposal at the Setu Bhaban in the capital. The proposal now will go to the technical committee for discussions on every detail and then the government's high-ups will take the decision about the proposal, he added. Malaysia had earlier submitted four proposals which were incomplete and full of inconsistencies. The World Bank in September last year suspended its promised $1.2 billion loan for the country's biggest infrastructure scheme, bringing graft allegations centring on the project. The construction

Monday, August 27, 2012 A police enquiry has found Rab 'source' Ibrahim Hawlader guilty of attacking Limon Hossain and his family members last week. Badal Fakir, a sub-inspector of Rajapur Police Station, submitted the probe report to Assistant Superintendent of Police Anwar Hossain Monday morning, reports our Barisal correspondent. Earlier on the Eid day, Limon, the college student maimed by Rab shooting last year, his mother and brother were attacked by an informant of the Rapid Action Battalion and his aides in Jhalakathi. Limon's mother later filed a general diary with the police station accusing Ibrahim of attacking them. Limon is now being treated at Mokhlesur Rahman Clinic in Barisal. Rab informant Ibrahim Hawlader and his associates attacked Limon and his family members when they were taking pictures on Saturia-Idurbari road in Rajapur on the Eid day, said Tofazzal Hossain, officer-in-charge of the police station.

Caption: Lutfur Rahman Tarafdar Belal, right in the striped shirt, was shot and killed at the Circle H Food Mart in East Hartford Saturday night. Photo: NBC Connecticut Star Online Report Unknown assailants have gunned down a Bangladeshi national at the Circle H Food Mart on Burnside Avenue in Connecticut's East Hartford in the United States. Victim Lutfur Rahman Tarafdar Belal, 45, was shot dead in the chest during a robbery at the Food Mart on August 25 night (NY time), Connecticut's East Hartford police confirmed this to The Daily Star over phone. None was arrested in connection with the killing. Belal was pronounced dead at the scene. Belal who was working as a clerk at the Food Mart hailed from Ekatuna union of Moulvibazar Sadar upazila, reports Bangla daily Prothom Alo. “We lost our friend. Three kids lost their parent,” said Nahid Wahed, a friend of the victim. Wahed said the husband and father of three was loved by the community, reports NBC Connecticut. “He was

Star Online Report A two-judge High Court bench on Monday passed dissenting orders on a petition filed seeking its direction on the authorities to start admission at medical and dental colleges on test. Senior judge of the bench Justice Qamrul Islam Siddiqui directed the authorities to start the admission process through holding test immediately. On the other hand, Junior Judge of the bench Justice Md Ashraful Kamal rejected the petition. Deputy Attorney General Ekramul Haque Tutul told The Daily Star that the HC bench will now sent the petition along with the dissenting orders to the chief justice for a decision. The chief justice will refer the matter to a third bench of the HC for its disposal, he said. Supreme Court lawyer Advocate Eunus Ali Akond on August 23 filed the petition with the HC seeking its direction upon the government to immediately start the admission process at medical and dental colleges through holding test.

Khaleda Zia Star Online Report BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia will appear before a Dhaka court on Tuesday in connection with the Zia Charitable Trust graft case, her counsel confirms. Earlier on five consecutive dates, Khaleda did not appear before the court on different reasons. Advocate Masud Ahmed Talukder, one of her counsels, told The Daily Star that the BNP chairperson will appear before the Dhaka Metropolitan Session Judge’s Court at 1:00pm Tuesday, where the Zia Charitable Trust graft case is now pending. The court on Tuesday is scheduled to deliver an order on whether it would accept charges against Khaleda and three others in the case. The Anti-Corruption Commission, on August 8 last year, filed the case with Tejgaon Police Station, accusing the four for abusing power in raising funds for the trust from unknown sources. The other accused were Harris Chowdhury, Khaleda's former political secretary; Ziaul Islam Munna, assistant private secretary (APS) of Harris; and Mon

Star Online Report The High Court has observed that Parliament Speaker's ruling about an HC judge is ineffective and baseless in the eye of law. In a ruling Speaker Abdul Hamid on June 18 said an HC judge (Judge AHM Shamsuddin Choudhury Manik) had violated the Constitution by making 'derogatory remark' about the Parliament and its Speaker. The Speaker on that day also commented that the chief justice can take any step in this regard. The HC on July 24 disposed of a writ petition challenging the legality of Speaker Abdul Hamid's June 18 ruling and said it would make some observations on the issue later. The HC on Monday released the written copy of the observations. In the observations, the HC said the Speaker's ruling is inconsistent with the Constitution and the rules of procedure of Parliament. The Supreme Court possesses the oversee authority that no organ of the state could cross its limit of power given by the Constitution, the HC observations added. O

Dhaka, Aug 27 ( The Cabinet on Monday endorsed in principle the draft for an amendment to the tobacco control law, which doubles the fine to Tk 100 if caught smoking at public places. Cabinet Secretary Muhammad Musharraf Hossain Bhuiyan told journalists after the meeting that the draft of the Smoking and Tobacco Products Usage (Control) Act (Amended) 2012 would now be sent to the Law Ministry for vetting. He said it would be placed before the Cabinet for final approval after the draft was cleared by the ministry.

Laxmipur/Chandpur, Aug 26 At least nine people were killed as a micro-bus skidded off the road and plunged into a ditch in Ramganj upazila of Laxmipur Sunday afternoon. Police and locals said the accident occurred around 3.30pm at the Ramganj-Hazjiganj highway. The deceased were identified as one 'Joynal', 40, from Ramganj's Noahgaon area, his wife Nasima, 35, daughter, 10, niece Rabia, 20, Amina Begum, 40 and Monowara Begum 50, Harun-or Rashid,65, Zakia Sultana, 12 and 'Tamanna' 13. Ramganj Upazila Chairman Munir Chowdhury told bdnews24.com that police have recovered nine bodies so far from the micro-bus. He added they met the accident on their way to join a family marriage programme in Chandpur's Faridganj Upazila When approached, the officer-in-charge of Ramganj Police Station could not give the exact number of causa

Sunday, August 26 , 2012 Al Badr led by Jamaat leader Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojaheed had killed hundreds of intellectuals, journalists, teachers and other professionals between November 15 and December 15 in 1971. Writer and journalist Shahriar Kabir told this to the International Crimes Tribunal-2 on Sunday while giving deposition against detained Jamaat Secretary General Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojaheed. A leading researcher on war crimes, also the first prosecution witness against the Jamaat leader, gave his deposition from 10:51am to 1:30pm in presence of war crimes suspect Mojaheed. Al Badr was formed with the leaders of Jamaat's student wing Islami Chhatra Sangha (ICS), he said. Mojaheed, 64, was indicted with seven charges, including murder, torture, and imprisonment of people, genocide, and hatching a conspiracy to kill intellectuals during the Liberation War. The writer said Mojaheed and Jamaat chief Motiur Rahman Nizami were the leaders of Al Badr

Sunday, August 26, 2012 A Dhaka court on Sunday took into cognisance the charges against BNP acting Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and 28 others in connection with a blast case. The court fixed September 18 for hearing on charge framing against the accused. Judge Mohammad Zahurul Haque of the Metropolitan Sessions Judge's Court passed the order after an hour-long hearing from the prosecution and the defence on the issue. Before passing the order, the court also granted permanent bail to Fakhrul and 13 other accused in the case. Shahbagh police filed the case against the accused in connection with the bomb explosions inside the Secretariat during hartal hours on April 29. Detectives on May 31 charged the 29 accused with blasting the bombs.

Dhaka, Aug 26  The first prosecution witness against Jamaat-e-Islami chief Motiur Rahman Nizami on Sunday said he had led the Al Badr vigilante militia during the 1971 Liberation War. Himself a former member of Jamaat's student wing Islami Chhatra Sangha, Misbahur Rahman Chowdhury, currently heading a faction of Islami Oikkya Jote, told the first war crimes tribunal of Bangladesh that Al Badr was set up with Jamaat student cadres. The vigilante groups like Al Badr, Razakar and Al Shams are said to have been widely responsible for war crimes during the Liberation War. The 57-year old witness said Al Badr was not like other anti-liberation militia groups. "The members were trained by the Pakistani Army and they were, in a way, above the other groups." The International Crimes Tribunal-1, set up to try crimes against humanity during the nine-month War of Independence, indicted Nizami on May 28 for 16 war crimes. The witness said the Jamaat chief's current number tw

  Southern California, Aug 25 (bdnews24.com/Reuters): Former U.S. astronaut, Neil Armstrong, the first man to set foot on the moon, has died at the age of 82, his family said on Saturday. Armstrong underwent a heart-bypass surgery earlier this month, just two days after his birthday on August 5, to relieve blocked coronary arteries. As commander of the Apollo 11 mission, Armstrong became the first human to set foot on the moon on July 20, 1969. As he stepped on the dusty surface, Armstrong said: "That's one small step for (a) man, one giant leap for mankind." Those words endure as one of the best kn

Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir Star Online Report The High Court (HC) on Sunday directed the government not to obstruct BNP acting Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir from going abroad. The HC also issued a rule upon the government to explain in four weeks why its decision to bar the petitioner from going abroad should not be declared illegal. An HC vacation bench came up with the order and rule following a writ petition filed by Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir. Fakhrul filed the petition in the morning saying that the government has reportedly restricted 78 opposition leaders including him from going abroad. In the petition, he prayed to the court to direct the government not to create any obstacle on his going abroad and returning to the country. The BNP leader said he is due to start for the USA on August 29 to join a conference there. The vacation bench comprising Justice Quamrul Islam Siddiqui and Justice Md Ashraful Kamal passed the order and rule. The home secretary, i

In the August 22 photo, police arrest Jamaat acting Secretary General ATM Azharul Islam at his Moghbazar residence in the capital hours after ICT-1 issued an arrest warrant against him. Star Online Report International Crimes Tribunal-1 on Sunday rejected the bail petition of war crimes suspect Jamaat-e-Islami acting Secretary General ATM Azharul Islam. The tribunal also asked the prosecution to submit progress report by October 14 of the investigation into Azharul's war crimes allegation committed during the country's Liberation War in 1971. The Jamaat leader was sent to Dhaka Central Jail on Thursday, a day after his arrest. The three-member tribunal headed by Justice Md Nizamul Huq fixed Sunday for taking decision whether it would grant bail to the detained Jamaat leader. Azharul on Thursday filed the bail petition before the court. Azhar, who hails from Badarganj of Rangpur, was arrested at his Moghbazar home just over two hours after the tribunal issued an arrest warr

Saturday, August 25, 2012 Expressing concern over the statement of Dr Muhammad Yunus, eminent citizens of the country said after losing in the legal battle, Dr Muhammad Yunus has been creating pressure on the country through 'super power' and donor agencies exploiting his personal relations with them. "Such an unexpected pressure is tantamount to interference in the country's internal affairs which is not acceptable to the citizens of an independent state," they said in a joint statement on Saturday. In their reaction, the distinguished personalities said there is a difference of opinion between the government and Dr Muhammad Yunus over the appointment process of managing director of Grameen Bank (GB). Bangladesh Bank removed Dr Yunus from the post of managing director of the GB because of expiry of his service age as per the government's service rule, they said and added he (Yunus) lodged a case and the highest court of the country