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Gazipur, Sep 30 The supporters of ruling Awami League candidate Simeen Hussain Rimi have started celebrations as she is leading by about 33,000 votes in the primary results in 90 of the 102 polling centres in the Gazipur-4 by-polls. Assistant Returning Officer Muhammad Hasanuzzaman began to announce the primary results just after 6pm from the control room at the Kapasia Upazila Parishad Office. According to him, Rimi has polled 55,181 votes while her nearest rival renegade Awami League candidate Afsar Uddin Ahmed Khan secured 22,355 votes. Mohammad Asadullah Badal of the Communist Party of Bangladesh got 1261 votes. Hasanuzzaman hoped the complete result would be published by 10pm. Supporters of Rimi started gathering in front of the local Awami League office at Kapasia Bazar from 7:30pm to celebrate her victory. Awami League MP Tanjim Ahmed, better known as Sohel Taj, son of Bangladesh's first Prime Minister Tajuddin Ahmad, vacated the parliamentary seat after

Dhaka, Sep 30 The International Crimes Tribunal-1 convened a little after 3pm on Sunday due to, what the court said, 'an engagement with the Supreme Court' and ordered that cross-examination of the first prosecution witness against Jamaat-e-Islami chief Motiur Rahman Nizami would be held on Oct 10. The court then began deposing the 13th prosecution witness against Jamaat guru Ghulam Azam in camera as the prosecution had appealed. Although the court generally allows two counsels for the defence and prosecution each, tribunal Chairman Justice Mohammad Nizamul Huq readily agreed to Jamaat defence counsel Mizanul Islam's plea that the defence be allowed to have three counsels present. Although he had not applied beforehand, Prosecutor Zead-Al-Malum requested that his witness' deposition be held in camera. Justice Huq said, "It does not look nice that I ask the people to leave." "But the sensitivity of the case transcends niceties," said the

  Afsaruddin Ahmad, an independent candidate for Gazipur-4 constituency, talks to reporters after casting vote at Dardaria Government Primary School in Kapasia around 8:30am on Sunday. Photo: Anisur Rahman Star Online Report Terming the Gazipur-4 by-polls farcical, independent candidate Afsaruddin Ahmad said on Sunday he will reject the election result whatever it comes. "This is a stage-managed election so it cannot be accepted," he said in a written statement to Returning Officer Mihir Sarwar minutes after the voting ended at 4:00pm. In the complaint, Afsaruddin, uncle of his main contestant Simeen Hussain Rimi, blamed the Election Commission for its failure to conduct a free and fair poll. He also alleged that accused terrorists and murderers intimidated and assaulted his polling agents. Earlier in the day, the independent candidate alleged that the poll atmosphere since the night before was becoming farcical.

Chittagong, Sep 30  Hours after rampaging through a Buddhist village in Cox's Bazaar's Ramu Upazila in the early hours, religious fanatics on Sunday launched attacks on Hindu temples and Buddhist monasteries in Patia at noon. "The attacks took place between noon and 1:30pm," Acting Officer-in-Charge of the Patia Police Station Aminur Rashid told bdnews24.com. The police officer said the fanatics had carried out the attacks alleging defamation of Prophet Mohammad. He said two Hindu temples and two Buddhist viharas were damaged in the attacks. According to the accounts of local journalists, several hundred fanatics took out a procession and launched attacks on the Lakhara Abhoy Buddhist Viahar at around noon and set it on fire. They also attacked the Kolagaon Rotnangkur Buddhist Vihara, Kolagaon Nobarun Sangha Durga Mandir (temple) and the Matri Mandir at Jele Para, they said. The attackers reportedly smashed an ancient Buddhist statue at the Rotnangkur Bu

  If the caretaker government system is restored, BNP will have no objection to accept veteran lawyer Rafique-ul Huq as its head, BNP standing committee member Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain said on Sunday. Welcoming his efforts for holding a dialogue between the heads of the Awami League and the BNP over the caretaker government issue, the BNP leader urged the government to listen to Rafique. Mosharraf was addressing a discussion on banking sector at Jatiya Press Club, Prothom Alo reports. Rafique on Saturday said he was ready to take on any responsibility for the sake of the country. Asked if there was any possibility of a dialogue between Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and the opposition leader Khaleda Zia, he said, "I am scheduled to talk to one of them and may speak to the other. I will try my best to do this for the sake of the country." About the Gazipur by-poll, Mosharraf claimed that empty polling centres

Dhaka, Sep 30 The BNP on Sunday said it will have no objection if Barrister Rafique-Ul Haq heads the election-time non-party government, a day after the senior lawyer met opposition leader Khaleda Zia. "If the demand for a non-partisan government is met, then the two parties will sit and decide on the Chief Advisor," Standing Committee Member Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain said at a discussion. "In that case, if veteran lawyer Barrister Rafique-Ul Haq wishes to be the head of that government, we [BNP] have no objection." Barrister Rafique on Saturday said he would initiate steps to have the Prime Minister and the chief of the ruling Awami League, Sheikh Hasina, and the BNP Chairperson Khaleda, to sit across the table over the caretaker government issue "for the sake of people". The Attorney General during the regime of military-ruler Hussein Muhammad Ershad, he said he was willing to head the caretaker government, if asked to do so. The Const

Mohiuddin Khan Alamgir Star Online Report Home Minister Mohiuddin Khan Alamgir on Sunday said that the violence in Ramu of Cox's Bazar centring an anti-Islam photo on facebook is 'premeditated and deliberate act of communal violence against a minority'. “We found evidences of gunpowder and petrol in Saturday’s arson of the Buddhist monasteries and houses,” the minister said while addressing an impromptu rally at Choumuhani intersection in Ramu around 2:00pm. Alamgir and Industries Minister Dilip Barua, accompanied by local Awami League leaders, visited the spots of violence shortly after their arrival in Ramu around 10:00am. “We have been informed that police and fire services were inactive during the arson,” said the minister adding that a committee, chaired by the additional divisional commissioner in Chittagong, is soon to be formed to investigate whether the law enforcers remained inactive. Alamgir, in his speech, also promised to rebuild the Budd

New York, Sep 30  The Prime Minister, now in New York, has warned against acts that damage "social harmony" in Bangladesh in the wake of overnight mayhem in the southeastern hilly town of Ramu. In a statement communicated to bdnews24.com by Bangladesh's Permanent Representative to the UN, she said she was shocked at the developments, being updated and would do anything at her disposal to stop acts of violence against religious minorities. At least seven Buddhist temples and nearly 30 homes and shops were looted, ransacked and burned during the night-long mayhem by religious fanatics. Ambassador Dr Abdul Momen said she had been talking to relevant senior officials and instructed all steps necessary to bring the culprits to book. Additional Deputy Commissioner of Cox's Bazar Jasim Uddin said Section 144 was imposed at Ramu banning all sort of gatherings in the area for an indefinite period from Sunday morning to control the situation. A large number

Dhaka, Sep 29 Eminent jurist Rafique-ul Haq on Saturday said he will initiate steps to have Prime Minister and ruling Awami League chief Sheikh Hasina and BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia sit across the table over the caretaker government issue 'for the sake of people'. He also made it clear that he was willing to head the poll-time government, if asked for. "Let me speak to them. I do not believe that the two leaders do not love the country or do not believe in democracy. I am supposed to meet one of them today. Talk with the other is also possible." "I will try my best to do this for the sake of the people," Barrister Rafique told journalists at a meet-the-press programme organised by the Muktachinta Forum at the Dhaka Reporters Unity. When asked if he was taking the initiative, Haq said, "You can say that I have taken the initiative to take the initiative (sic)." Evaluating the current stance of the two parties on the issue, the vetera

  Chittagong University At least five activists of Bangladesh Chhatra League were injured as its two factions clashed at Chittagong University (CU) over a trivial matter Saturday afternoon. The clash ensued around 2:30pm when BCL activist Rakib threw water toward Shuvo, a supporter of his rival faction, onboard the university train just before its departure, resulting in a 45-minute brawl among the factions. The injured students are Zahidul Islam of physics, Md Hossain of sociology, Robi of anthropology, Roni Sen of mathematics and Rubel Dey of English, reports our CU correspondent. Zahidul and Hossain were admitted to Chittagong Medical College Hospital with stab injuries.

  Law Minister Shafique Ahmed Star Online Report Law Minister Shafique Ahmed on Saturday said there is no scope for any question about the fairness, neutrality and standard of the ongoing trial against crimes against humanity committed during the Liberation War in 1971. The minister termed the International Crimes (Tribunal) Act, 1973 under which the trial is running as the best law in the world. The government has set up two tribunals for holding the trials and the numbers of the tribunals can be increased if necessary, Shafique further said. He made the remark while addressing the inauguration of Womens' Committee of Sector Commander Forum at Bangladesh Shilpakola Academy as a chief guest. The law minister said those who are facing the war crimes trial have been getting facilities to engage lawyers to defend themselves. The minister further added that there is also a rule of moving appeal against the conviction in

Hina (L) and Bilawal (R) Star Online Report Senior Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) figures on Thursday said they believed the claims --their Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar and Bilawal Bhutto Zardari have an affair-- were part of a plot by the country’s feared Inter-Service Intelligence [ISI] agency to damage Hina's reputation, reports London-based The Daily Telegraph. The PPP figures said it blames their minister for her part in facilitating a UN investigation into thousands of missing people detained by the security forces, the newspaper said. One PPP official told The Daily Telegraph that the ISI expects the United Nations’ Working Group on Enforced and Involuntary Disappearances to recommend senior army and intelligence officials be charged for their role and blame Hina for allowing the delegation into the country. “They are not happy with her,” the official said. “The UN mission received a cold reception but Hina was called in by the president to mee

Dhaka, Sep 29 The opposition BNP has protested the government's bid to enact a news portal guideline. Acting Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, speaking at a press conference on Saturday, said the government wanted to control the online news portals through the guideline. The government has drafted the Online Media Guideline 2012 . Information Secretary Hedayetullah Al Mamoon had said on Sep 12 that the guideline would be finalised by October. He had said 200 online newspapers were currently operating in the country, according to government records. "However, there is no law, guidelines or ordinance on running online news outlets." Hedayetullah had added that the 'decision' on the online versions of the dailies would be taken through separate discussions.

  Border Guard Bangladesh DG Maj Gen Anwar Hussain (L) and Border Security Force DG UK Bansal shake hands at a director general-level conference at BGB headquarters in Dhaka on Saturday. Photo: Kailash Sarkar UNB, Dhaka Director General of Indian Border Security Force (BSF) UK Bansal on Saturday assured Bangladesh of bringing down casualties along the border between Bangladesh and India to a zero level. The BSF chief was talking to reporters following a director general-level conference between Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and BSF in the capital. The meeting began at BGB Pilkhana headquarters on Wednesday, which ended on Friday. About the sensational Felani murder, Bansal said those involved in the killing have been suspended and a court of inquiry is going on into the incident, which will be completed soon. Felani, a 15-year-old girl, was shot dead by BSF men on January 7, 2012 at Fulbari in Kurigram while she was ret

Mir Kashem Ali International Crimes Tribunal-1 on Thursday ordered the prosecution to submit the investigation report against war crimes suspect Jamaat-e-Islami leader Mir Kashem Ali on November 27. If the prosecution fails, it will have to submit a process report on the investigation on that day, the tribunal said. The two-member panel led by its Chairman Justice Nizamul Huq also asked the authorities concerned to produce Kashem before it on November 27. The tribunal fixed the date after prosecutor Hrishikesh Saha submitted a progress report on the investigation against Kashem, saying that they would need more time to complete the probe. Earlier in the morning, Kashem was brought to the ICT-1 from Dhaka Central Jail and produced him before the court. Kashem was arrested at a newspaper office in Dhaka on June 17 two hours within the tribunal had issued arrest warrant against him for his alleged involvement with crimes against humanity. The tribunal la

United Nations, Sept 27 (Reuters) - WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, speaking via a choppy video feed from his virtual house arrest in London, lashed out at US President Barack Obama on Wednesday for supporting freedom of speech in the Middle East while simultaneously "persecuting" his organization for leaking diplomatic cables. Assange, who has been holed up in the Ecuadorean Embassy since June to avoid extradition, made the comments at a packed event on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly. Assange mocked Obama for defending free speech in the Arab world in an address to the United Nations on Tuesday, pointing to his own experience as evidence that Obama has "done more to criminalize free speech than any other US president." "It must have come as a surprise to the Egyptian teenagers who washed American teargas out of their eyes (during the Arab Spring) to hear that the US supported change in the Middle East," Assange said. "It&#

GENEVA, Sep 27 Reuters) - A younger vision of Leonardo da Vinci's "Mona Lisa" will be presented in Geneva on Thursday with the suggestion that it is the original version of what has been called the world's most famous painting. The Swiss-based Mona Lisa Foundation organizing the event said on Wednesday that detailed research over three decades strongly indicates that it is an earlier portrayal by the Italian genius of "the lady with the mystic smile." "We have investigated this painting from every relevant angle and the accumulated information all points to it being an earlier version of the Giaconda in the Louvre," foundation member and art historian Stanley Feldman, told Reuters. In Italy and France, the one currently recognized Leonardo "Mona Lisa" is known as "La Giaconda" or "La Joconde" after Lisa Gherardini, wife of early 16th century Italian nobleman Francesco del Giacondo who commissioned a portrait of her

Dhaka, Sep 27 Police rescued in the wee hours of Thursday Eden Girls' College Principal Rawshan Ara who was besieged by her students after she allegedly ordered male employees to attack them. The rescue was pulled off around 1:30am after the Principal pledged to convey to the higher authorities the students' demand for uninterrupted accommodation in the dormitory, Dhaka Metropolitan Police's Lalbagh Zone Deputy Commissioner Harun-or-Rashid told bdnews24.com. Rawshan Ara, however, told reporters after the rescue that the college was in no position to do so. "I've told them that we'll discuss their demand with the National University," she said. Earlier at around 12:15am, the law enforcers entered the college compound at Azimpur to get things under control. Three platoons of police were despatched to the college, according to Assistant Commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police's Lalbagh Zone Rezaul Haque. The law enforcers gathered in front of the co

Dhaka, Sep 26 Journalist Ataus Samad of BBC Bengali fame died at Apollo Hospitals in Dhaka on Wednesday at the age of 74. He had been suffering from high blood pressure, diabetes and kidney problems for a long time. He will be buried in the Azimpur Graveyard beside his father's grave on Thursday after consecutive namaz-e-janaza at Gulshan's Azad Mosque after Zohr prayers and at the National Press Club, his family said. Samad's body will be kept at the Club for a cross section of people to pay their last respects. He had stepped into journalism by with Sachitra Sandhani in the 1950s and went on to work with several newspapers, radio and TV stations. In 1993, the government conferred on him the 'Ekushey Padak'. Before his death, he was involved with Bengali daily Amar Desh as its Advisory Editor. His co-workers said his stint with the BBC during the anti-Ershad movement in the 80s were most significant when his voice would be eagerly awaited. He had to face the wr

File photo New York, Sep 26 Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has urged the United Nations member states to reaffirm their political and financial commitments to the process for sustainable international peace and security. She made the call while addressing a high-level meeting titled "Peace Building – A Way Forward towards Sustainable Peace and Security" at the North Lawn Building of the UN headquarters in New York as the chair on Tuesday. The Prime Minister called for strengthening financial and political commitments to resource mobilisation, national capacity and institution building, and efforts in a coordinated manner for delivering most efficient and cost-effective support to post-conflict societies. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard, Croatian Prime Minister Zoran Milanovic, East Timorese Prime Minister Xanana Gussmao and Zambian President Michael Chilufya, among others, also addressed the meeting. Hasina said in the post-Cold

Dhaka, Sept 26  The World Bank has alleged that the Bangladesh government officials have been misrepresenting its position in media statements and said only after "satisfactory implementation" of certain measures it will fund the Padma project. "The Bank remains concerned about corruption in Bangladesh in general and in the Padma bridge project in particular. It is for this reason that we have also made it clear that to engage anew in the project will require new implementation arrangements that give much greater oversight of project procurement processes to the Bank and co-financiers," the Bank said in its latest media statement. "It is only after satisfactory implementation of all these measures as well as a positive report from the external panel of internationally recognized experts that the World Bank will go ahead with the financing of the project." Says the statement issued in Washington: "Media reports have quoted

SUST, Sep 26 The English Department students of the Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (SUST) on Wednesday put their administrative building under lock and key and confined the Vice Chancellor to demand removal of the department's Chairman. After locking the Acting VC Ilias Uddin Bishwash at 11am, around 100 students started demonstrating outside carrying banners and chanting slogans against the department Chairman Dr Atiullah for his failure to publish results in time, holding regular classes, and nepotism. University Proctor Himadri Shekhor Roy, along with other administrative officials, was waiting trapped inside the building. Students who sat for their Honours final examinations in February last year are yet to have their results. The classes are also yet to resume in the department since the university reopened after the Eid-ul Fitr vacation on Aug 28. A Masters student of the department, Reaz Md Khan, said they would continue their agitation until t

Dhaka, Sep 26 (A former member of the Sonali Bank's Board of Directors on Wednesday alleged that the bank's management was responsible for the Hallmark scam. "The Board of Directors on Jan 2, 2011 had issued an order banning issue of Inland Bill Purchase (IBP)," Shubhash Shingha Rai told journalists after facing Anti Corruption Commission grilling from 10am. "Hallmark group was given the loan violating that order". The Board of Directors decided on its course of action based on information given by the management, he said. "We have no control over this matter. Our policies are formulated on their information." The former Sonali Bank Director also alleged that the bank's management had 'misguided' the Board. According to him, the bank classifies loans into three categories – low-risk, medium-risk and high-risk. "I have no idea how the management classified Hallmark Group into the low-risk category." "It is bein

Dhaka, Sep 26  Opposition chief Khaleda Zia on Wednesday broke into tears as she stood beside the coffin to see her late younger brother Sayeed Eskander for the last time. The body of the BNP Advisor and also a former MP was taken to his Baridhara residence on Park Road around 10am after it arrived in Dhaka at 8:50am on Wednesday by a Biman flight. Khaleda Zia went there right away with other family members, including Sayeed's wife Nasrin Eskander, their sons Shams Eskander and Safin Eskander, and daughter Sumaiya Eskander. A sobbing BNP Chairperson was also seen consoling her brother's family. Among the party leaders, BNP Acting Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, Advisor Abdul Aual Mintu, Mosaddek Ali Falu, Prof MA Mannan, MP Zainal Abedin, Rehana Akhter Ranu and Syeda Ashrafu Papia were also present with the party chief. Sayeed Eskander died in a New York hospital on Sep 23 suffering from lung cancer. He was also President of the BNP's Fen

  Dhaka, Sep 26 The defence dialogue between Bangladesh and the United States will establish future training plan for the next four-five years, says Deputy Commander of Army National Guard of US Army Pacific (USARPAC) Major General Joseph J Chaves. "The purpose of the meeting is to establish future training plan so that we can continue to work together on disaster response and humanitarian assistance," he said in an exclusive interview with bdnews24.com. The two-day dialogue will begin in Hawaii on Sep 26. Major General Chaves, also stationed in Hawaii, came to Bangladesh to attend the Disaster Response Exercise & Exchange (DREE) programme, which was conducted in Dhaka by the USARPAC and the Armed Forces Division, in association with the US embassy. "Right now we are looking at continuing the resiliency programme in Bangladesh for the next couple of years," he said. Last year there were only table talks about DREE, but this year, there was real ex

Washington, Sept 25  The World Bank has alleged that the Bangladesh government officials have been misrepresenting its position in media statements and said only after "satisfactory implementation" of certain measures will it fund the Padma project, "The Bank remains concerned about corruption in Bangladesh in general and in the Padma bridge project in particular. It is for this reason that we have also made it clear that to engage anew in the project will require new implementation arrangements that give much greater oversight of project procurement processes to the Bank and co-financiers," the Bank said in its latest media statement. "It is only after satisfactory implementation of all these measures as well as a positive report from the external panel of internationally recognized experts that the World Bank will go ahead with the financing of the project." Says the statement issued in Washington: "

Comilla, Sep 26  India's Border Security Force on Tuesday night caught hold of an on-duty Assistant Sub Inspector along Burichang border in Comilla and took him away with them. The Border Guard Bangladesh is trying to get the Bangladeshi law-enforcer back. According to Burichang Police Station Officer-in Charge Golam Shahnewaz, ASI Nurunnabi was armed, in his uniform and carrying out a court warrant when he was held by the BSF personnel at Zero Point in Ghilatoli along the border around 9:30pm. BGB 33 Battalion's Lt Col Md Akhtaruzzaman said they were contacting their counterpart for rescuing the police officer. "A flag meeting is expected to take place at Shankuchail along the border for reaching a settlement," he said.

This June 21 TV grab shows Rab's media and legal wing director Commander M Sohail enquires Mahfuzur Rahman at the ATN Bangla head office in the capital. Star Online Report Rapid Action Battalion interrogated ATN Bangla Chairman Mahfuzur Rahman at the force's headquarters in connection with the murder of journalist couple Sagar Sarowar and Meherun Runi on Tuesday, said Rab Director General Mukhlesur Rahman. The investigation officer of the case told The Daily Star that they quizzed the ATN chief for around two hours from 11:00am about the statement he made at London press conference and many issues related to the journalists. Meanwhile, Home Minister MK Alamgir on Tuesday expressed his hope that the motive behind the killings would be unearthed by October 10. "By October 10, hopefully, we will be able to comment on the exact progress in this regard, or on those who we are going to identify as the criminals,&q

Tuesday, September 25, 2012 Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has said Bangladesh, as a disaster- prone country, considers natural disasters as a severe threat to sustainable development and attaches high priority to capacity building for disaster risk reduction and resilience. The PM said this when Special Representative to the UN Secretary General for Disaster Risk Reduction Margareta Walhstrom called on her at her hotel suite in New York on Monday morning. Press Secretary to Prime Minister Abul Kalam Azad briefed newsmen about the outcome of the meeting. Hasina said Bangladesh has undertaken its development program taking the sustainability and disaster risk reduction issues into consideration following the recommendations of the UN ISDR resolution. She commended the role of Global facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery to support disaster risk reduction in vulnerable countries like Bangladesh for poverty reduction and sustainabl

Tuesday, September 25, 2012 A housewife was found stabbed to death at her Dakkhinkhan residence in the capital early Tuesday. The victim was identified as Liza, 18, wife of Emon Hossain. Lokman Hekim, officer in-charge of Dakkhinkhan Police Station, said Liza's neighbours found the door of her house locked from outside since Saturday. After getting bad smell coming out of the house, locals broke open the door and found the body, the OC said. On information, police rushed to the spot around 1:00am and sent the body to Dhaka Medical College Hospital morgue for autopsy. Introducing him as an employee of a buying house, Emon rented the house at Faedabad two months back and started living there with Liza, OC Lokman said. Emon might have stabbed Liza to death as he went missing since Saturday, he said.

Pabna, Sep 25  The police have arrested six leaders of Pabna district unit of the BNP, including its President and General Secretary, in the wee hours of Tuesday, a day after factional clashes in the district town left a BNP activist dead and 30 others injured. Pabna Sadar Police Station Inspector Nurul Alam confirmed their arrest over violence following the killing of Milon Hossain, 30, who was shot dead during the clashes around 1pm. The arrest comes after filing of two cases by the police on charges of attacking the law enforcers and obstructing their regular duty, accusing 56 people. The arrestees are local BNP President Maj (Retd.) KS Mahmud, its General Secretary Khandaker Habibur Rahman Tota, who stand accused in both the cases, and activists 'Mahbub', Saddam Hossain, Abdul Motaleb and Abdul Momin. The police raid on lat

Tuesday, September 25, 2012 Acting editor of the daily Amar Desh on Tuesday submitted an application to the chief justice for investigating into some allegations against Justice AHM Shamsuddin Choudhury Manik. Mahmudur Rahman brought a total of 29 allegations against the High Court judge on charge of violating money laundering law, foreign currency exchange law and for concealing information on his wealth, the applicant told reporters. The Amar Desh editor submitted the application to the registrar office of Supreme Court for forwarding it to Chief Justice Md Muzammel Hossain. Supreme Court Registrar AKM Shamsul Islam told The Daily Star that his office has received a packet from Mahmudur Rahman but he did not know about the content as he is yet to open it. Mahmudur, in the application, alleged that Justice Manik has three residences in London and he provided wrong address of one of the residences to the London authorities in his income tax docu

Star Online Report BNP will observe mourning day across the country on Tuesday to mourn the death of party chairperson's younger brother and former lawmaker Maj (retd) Sayeed Iskander. Besides arranging recitation from the holy Quran, black flags will be hoisted and party flag will be kept half-mast at BNP offices across the country, said a party press release signed by its joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi. The main opposition party has asked all of its units and front and associate bodies to observe the day with due solemnity. The party high-ups suspended a demonstration which was scheduled for Monday. Tuesday's two programmes -- chairperson's views-exchange meeting with cultural activists and party training workshop -- have also been suspended, the press release added. Sayeed Iskander, president of party's Feni district unit and member of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia's advisory council, who w

Police fire tear gas shells to disperse the angry students of Stamford University who went on a rampage as a bus hit one of their fellow students at Satmasjid road on Monday. Inset (the injured student). Photo: Palash Khan Star Online Report Agitating students of Stamford University's Dhanmondi branch went on a rampage during the busy school hour as a bus hit one of their fellow students Monday morning. The students vandalised at least 20 vehicles blocking Satmasjid Road in the capital's Dhanmondi area, said Syed Nurul Islam, deputy commissioner of Ramna Division. At one stage, the angry students also engaged in chase and counter-chase with law enforcers when they tried to disperse them from the road, Nurul Islam said. Police had to lob nearly 50 teargas shells to bring the situation under control, he said. Traffic movements on the road remained halted for nearly two and half hours from around 10:00am following the incident, the DC added. The incident e

Dhaka, Sep 24  Over a hundred protesters, mostly youth, on Monday demonstrated outside the United States embassy against release of the anti-Islam film, 'Innocence of Muslims', which talks low of the religion and its Prophet Mohammad. The demonstration came two days after security was beefed up in the diplomatic area in the wake of protests marked by violent clashes between police and activists of a dozen like-minded Islamist parties on Saturday. The demonstrators suddenly appeared outside the embassy at Baridhara around noon, carrying banners and festoons denouncing the insult to Islam, said Bhatara Police Station Office in Charge Ziauzzaman. The banners did not bear names of any organisation. The police charged baton to disperse the demonstrators, he added. Gulshan Police Station Officer in Charge Rafiqul Islam confirmed arrest of a protester. "Most of the demonstrators were youth. It is being looked into whether they were members of banned Islamist organis

The government has planned to begin the construction work of Padma bridge project in April-May next year, Finance Minister AMA Muhith said on Monday. A tender will be floated for the project in the next month, the minister told this to journalists at his ministry in the afternoon. Muhith said the government will start fund mobilisation for the project from February next year. All the issues will be finalised after consultation with the all lenders — the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank and Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica).

Home Minister Mohiuddin Khan Alamgir Star Online Report Home Minister Mohiuddin Khan Alamgir on Monday claimed that the incidents of extra-judicial killings are less during the present government tenure than that of the previous regime. "We directed Rab cautiously and that is why the indents of so-called extra-judicial killings reduced to a great extent," said the newly-appointed home minister. He was talking to newsmen emerging from a closed-door meeting with the high officials of Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) at its headquarters in the capital. The minister claimed that the present government does not support the so-called extra-judicial killings. If any incidents of such killings happen ever in the country, then we will find out who orders or authorises it, the minister added. This was the first visit of the minister to the Rab headquarters since he took office of the home minister on September 15. In support of his comment, the minister said the use of

Dhaka, Sep 24 Bangladeshis are sharing ideas on how to tackle development problems using technology and social media in a locally organised meet-up at the Prime Minister's Office as part of the UN's three-day Social Good Summit. UNDP Bangladesh and Access to Information Programme are co-hosting the event that began at 4pm at the Karabi Hall to engage the community to spur innovative thinking on toughest issues. Billed as one of the largest and most global conversations in history, the third annual Social Good Summit is taking place since Sept 22 in New York City during the UN Week. It came to Bangladesh on Monday, the last day of the global event that aims to empower people everywhere to have their voices be heard, both during and after the event. People in Bangladesh and elsewhere are connecting through local Meet-ups to answer the same question: "How can new technology and new media create solutions for the biggest problems facing your communi

Dhaka, Sep 24 Wife of Syed Golam Maula, Senior Advisor of the banned Hizb ut-Tahrir and Dhaka University Management Studies teacher, on Monday alleged that her husband has become a victim of 'forced disappearance'. At a press meet organised in Maula's lawyer Monsur Habib's chamber, Shahida Ahmed claimed that they had no idea about her husband's whereabouts. On Sep 19, Maula's custodian Latif Ahmed submitted required documents of the Hizb ut-Tahrir advisor's bail release to Kashimpur Prison's Jailer Abul Bashar. However, the jailer, instead of handing him over to the custodians, gave his custody to a group of people identifying themselves as members of the Police's Detective Branch. Shahida Ahmed said that they were in dark about the whereabouts of Maula since his 'illegal arrest' from the jail gate. "He has not been shown arrested in any case for the last four days. His family or the DU Vice-Chancellor has also not be