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Ashulia returns to life   This file photo shows garment workers swarming to their factories at Ashulia.  Four days into the deadly fire at a garment factory, Ashulia has returned to life as workers of apparel factories rejoined work Thursday morning. At least 111 people were killed and more than 100 injured in the devastating fire that raged through Tazreen Fashion Ltd at Nishchintapur in Ashulia on Saturday night. The workers staged protest and resorted to vandalism in Ashulia following the fire incident that halted production at most of the garment units in the area since Sunday. But, all the factories suspended their production on Wednesday fearing violent protests. Thousands of workers returned to their workplace on Thursday morning and no untoward incident took place, a commercial officer of a garment factory told The Daily Star seeking anonymity. Workers have been demanding punishment to owners of Tazreen Fashions Ltd and its officials holding them respon

Dhaka, Nov 29  Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday urged scientists and researchers to make sure that the ordinary people get the benefits of science and technology. "People want new inventions from you, so that it can help them move forward," she told a gathering of scientist and researchers at Osmani Memorial auditorium in the morning. The PM was handing over cheques for fellowship, NTC fellowship and special grants to students and researchers for research in science and technology. Hasina alerted researchers to keep an eye on demands of the people and the international market. "Our government will always be with you. We are ready to provide all the assistance." The PM said she expected the scientists and researchers would dedicate their labour and intelligence to fulfil the aspirations of the people.

Ameer Hossain, the ringleader of Parag Mondol abduction case, was placed on a 10-day remand by a Dhaka court on Thursday. Senior Judicial Magistrate Md Tajul Islam passed the order when Monirul Islam, officer-in-charge (Investigation) of South Keraniganj Police Station and also the investigation officer of the case, produced him before the court and sought a 12-day remand for him. Ameer was arrested on November 24 at Tongi in Gazipur after a 'shootout' with Detective Branch of police when he sustained severe injuries. He was rushed to Dhaka Medical College Hospital. Parag Mondol, a six-year-old student of KG-1 of Heed International School, was abducted by criminals at Shuvadda Paschim Para in Keraniganj on November 11. Parag was found after three days of his abduction on November 13 at Atibazar in the locality.

  (L-R) Former speaker Jamir Uddin Sircar and former deputy speaker Akhtar Hamid Siddiqui A Dhaka court on Thursday granted bail to former speaker Jamir Uddin Sircar and former deputy speaker Akhtar Hamid Siddiqui in four graft cases filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission. Judge Mohammad Zahirul Haque of the Senior Special Judges' Court in Dhaka granted them bail after they surrendered before the court in the morning and sought bail in the cases. The court fixed January 10 for passing an order on whether it would take the charges into cognisance. The ACC on December 28, 2010 filed the cases with Sher-e-Bangla Nagar Police Station. The anti-graft watchdog pressed charges against Jamir Uddin and Akhtar Hamid on November 7 and 8 this year respectively. According to one case statement, Jamir Uddin drew around Tk 27.86 lakh in the name of treatment abroad. He approved the amount for himself abusing his power as the speaker. He was aided and abetted by Ashraful I

Four suspected outlaws were beaten to death in Faridpur upazila of Pabna early Thursday. One of the deceased was identified as Mohammad Khalil, a leader of Janajuddha faction of outlawed Purbo Banglar Communist Party (PBCP-ML). Quoting Jahangir Hossain Matabbar, superintendent of police of Pabna, our Pabna correspondent reports that locals of Demra area learnt about the presence of the outlaws in the area and sensing danger organised themselves and encircled the outlaws around 8:00am. Sensing danger, the outlaws started running and the villagers also chased them. At one stage, the mob managed to capture the Janajuddha activists, locally known as Tola Party, and beat them. Khalil died in Kaliani village while two were killed in Harodanga village and one succumbed to his injuries in Bikaliani village.

  Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting has announced he will retire from international cricket at the end of the third Test against South Africa. The 37-year-old, who is the second highest run scorer in Test history after Sachin Tendulkar, will play his 168th Test in Perth on Friday. "I haven't been performing consistently over the last 12 to 18 months," he said. "I believe now is the right time. "This is a decision not made by the selectors, it was made by me." Ponting has scored 13,366 runs at an average of 52.21 in his career, but he has struggled for form in the current series with South Africa. He scored just 20 runs in the two drawn Test matches and, despite receiving the support of Coach Mickey Arthur, he decided to make way. The Tasmanian admitted that his recent poor form had prompted the decision to call time on an international career that began in 1995. "It's a decision I thought long and hard about. It was b

  BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, inset, addresses a rally at Nayapaltan in the capital Wednesday afternoon.  The BNP-led 18-party alliance will observe a road blockade programme on December 9 across the country demanding restoration of the caretaker government system, Khaleda Zia said on Wednesday. BNP Chairperson Khaleda announced the programme at a grand rally in front of the party central office at Nayapaltan in the capital. She also vowed to call non-stop hartal and strike for holding the next national election under a caretaker government. "Don't try to stop our democratic programmes, we will go for tougher movement if needed," the opposition leader in parliament said urging the people to join the ongoing anti-government movement to uphold the independence and sovereignty of the country. Khaleda alleged that the government failed to construct the Padma bridge due to its corruption. "What is the necessity of that government which does not imp

A Rajshahi court on Wednesday handed down 10 years rigorous imprisonment to seven activists of banned militant outfit Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) in connection with a serial bomb blasts case in 2005. The court also fined them Tk 10,000 each, in default, to suffer further six months in jail. Among the convicts, Tariqul Islam, Shafiullah, Abu Isa and Johurul Islam were present at the court when Ekramul Haque Chowdhury, judge of the Speedy Trial Tribunal, delivered the verdict in a crowded court, reports our Rajshahi correspondent. The other convicts Korban Ali, Enamul Hoque and Amanullah are on the run. On August 17, 2005, a series of bomb blasts took place across the country including different spots in Rajshahi city. The accused were convicted in the case filed with Rajpara Police Station in 2005. They were found guilty of exploding bombs on Rajshahi Judges Court premises, in front of advocate bar and Deputy

WB external panel due on Dec 1   In this October 14 photo, the World Bank country director along with a three-member external panel of the global lender leaves the Anti-Corruption Commission office. The external panel of internationally-recognised experts which is scheduled to come on December 1 will advise the global financer and co-financiers of Padma bridge project on the adequacy of the Anti-Corruption Commission's investigation. “The external panel of internationally-recognised experts will advise the World Bank and co-financiers on the adequacy of the government’s investigation,” said Ellen Goldstein, World Bank Country Director for Bangladesh. In anticipation of the panel’s second visit to Dhaka, the Padma bridge co-financiers gathered in Manila for preliminary discussions on revising project implementation arrangements, the press statement added. Adequate progress in investigating corruption evidence is necessary to allow project implementation to

Production at most units suspended for today; workers vandalise several RMG units; Ashulia-Baipail road blocked   Angry garment workers resist a CNG-run three-wheeler from plying in Ashulia on Wednesday during their protest demanding punishment of those responsible for Saturday's fire that claimed the lives of 111 people. Production at most of the readymade garments factories in Ashulia zone was suspended for Wednesday as workers ran amok and clashed with police demanding justice and safety at workplace. At least 20 people were injured during the clash that started around 9:30am, four days after a fire tragedy at the Tazreen Fashions Ltd at Nischintapur in Ashulia had claimed the lives of 111 workers. The marauding workers also vandalised a number of factories including a unit of Azmat Group in Amtola and torched two motor cycles there. Transport movement on the Dhaka-Tangail highway and Ashulia-Baipail road remain suspended following the vandalism and clas

  Police produce three Tazreen Fashion Ltd officials -- Md Al-Amin (L), Md Hamidul Islam Lavlu and Md Dulal Uddin (R) -- of during a press briefing at Dhaka Metropolitan Police Media Centre in the city Wednesday. A Dhaka court on Wednesday placed three officials of fire-devastated Tazreen Fashion Ltd on a five-day remand in a case filed for the deaths of 111 workers in a devastating fire at the factory. Ashulia police Wednesday night arrested the officials -- Md Dulal Uddin, 37, administrative officer; Md Hamidul Islam Lavlu, 32, store in-charge; and Al-Amin, 27, security supervisor; of Tazreen Fashion Ltd -- in the capital and Ashulia. Senior Judicial Magistrate Wasim Sheikh passed the order after Mostafa Kamal, officer-in-charge (investigation) of Ashulia Police Station and also investigation officer in the case, produced them before the court seeking seven days' remand for each. In the forwarding report, the investigation officer said three officials, w

Kolkata, Nov 27  Kolkata Police on Tuesday arrested one of top criminals of Bangladesh, Subrata Bayen, alias Fateh Ali. Kolkata Police Commissioner Ranjit Kumar Panchnanda briefed journalists about the arrest at a news conference. According to him, Bayen was picked up from a house in central Kolkata's Bowbazar just after midday. "He was arrested with some weapons and there was a lot of foreign currency in his possession," Panchnanda said. He said Bayen would be interrogated over his recent visits to China . Earlier this month, Bayen is said to have tunnelled his way out of a Nepali jail. Bayen's name figured in the list of top 23 crime lords that Bangladesh had handed over to India for action in view of reports that they were operating from India.

Anti-Corruption Commission Chairman Ghulam Rahman on Tuesday said they have found evidence of corruption conspiracy in the Padma bridge project. "Attempts of bribery were made regarding the appointment of a consultant for the project," he told journalists while leaving his office at the city's Segunbagicha in the afternoon. An investigation team of the ACC will submit a report in this regard on December 3, said the chairman adding that they will take legal actions after that. He also said an external panel of the World Bank, which visited Bangladesh in October, will again arrive in Dhaka on December 2 or 3 for reviewing the progress in the investigation into the alleged corruption in the project. The WB cancelled its $1.2 billion funding of the $2.9 billion project in June this year over corruption allegations. The lender, however, decided to revive its loan on September 21 after the Bangladesh government agreed to its terms and conditions. A three-

Police on Tuesday gave the BNP-led 18-party opposition alliance 'verbal permission' to hold Wednesday's grand rally in front of BNP's central office at Nayapaltan in the capital. Talking to The Daily Star Tuesday afternoon, Abdus Salam, member secretary of city unit BNP, said they got verbal permission from Dhaka Metropolitan Police but yet to get permission in written. Earlier at noon, BNP Vice-Chairman Sadeque Hossain Khoka at a press conference at the BNP head office claimed they were yet to get permission from the DMP authorities to hold the rally. The former Dhaka City Corporation mayor also vowed to hold their scheduled rally at any cost. “We must hold the rally—no matter we get permission or not.”

A Dhaka Court on Tuesday ordered the Anti-Corruption Commission to confiscate all the movable and immovable properties of Destiny Group. Destiny Group Chairman Mohammad Rafiqul Amin, his wife Farah Diba, Destiny 2000 Limited Chairman Mohammad Hossain and all the associate organisation of group including its Tree Plantation Project will come under the order. Judge Mohammad Zahirul Haque of the Senior Special Judges' Court of Dhaka passed the order after the anti-graft body filed two separate petitions before the court seeking its permission in this regard. ACC Deputy Director Mozahar Ali Sarder and its Assistant Director Toufiqul Islam filed the petitions. Top Destiny Group officials are currently facing charges that include money laundering and transferring company funds to personal accounts. The anomalies first came to light after a Bangladesh Bank probe in March found Destiny's cooperative arm engaged in illega

  Omar Faruque Talukdar A Dhaka court on Tuesday granted bail to Omar Faruque Talukdar, the sacked assistant private secretary (APS) of former railways minister Suranjit Sengupta till the first day of a vacation court. The court will go on annual vacation from November 29 till December 31. Judge Mohammad Zahirul Haque of the Senior Special Judge's Court of Dhaka passed the order after Faruque surrendered before the court seeking bail in the case filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC). On April 15, Faruque was sacked and Railway General Manager (East) Yusuf Ali Mridha and Dhaka Division Security Commandant Enamul Huq were suspended in connection with the railwaygate scandal. Former railways minister Suranjit Sengupta announced this at a press conference five days after the seizure of Tk 70 lakh from the microbus of his APS by BGB members on April 9. The vehicle was on its way to Suranjit's Jigatola residence in the capital with Faruque, Mridha a

  Sheikh Hasina Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday urged the businessmen to ensure the safety of workers while setting up industries and factories. "When you set up buildings, do not block any waterbody," the PM said adding "The fire that raged though the Ashulia garment factory Saturday evening could not be doused immediately due to absence of any water source near the factory." She was inaugurating the fifth textile fair 'Texbangla 2012' at Ruposhi Bangla Hotel in the capital. Bangladesh Textile Mills Association organised the three-day fair. A number of committees have been formed to investigate the Ashulia garment fire incident that killed 111 workers and the committees were asked to submit their reports immediately, the prime minister said. "Action will be taken on the basis of those reports," she said. In her speech, the prime minister said special economic zones will be launched at the seven divisions gradually

  Muhiuddin Khan Alamgir Home Minister Muhiuddin Khan Alamgir on Tuesday said those responsible for Ashulia garment fire incident will be brought to book. All the previous major accidents in the garment factories of the area will also be probed, the home minister told reporters during a visit to the fire-devastated factory at Nischintapur in Ashulia. The fire killed 111 at Tazreen Fashion Ltd as Saturday evening. During his visit around 10:30am, the home minister went round different sections of the eight-storied factory building. Talking to the press, MK Alamgir said stern action will be taken against those responsible for the incident. The government will take all-out measures including giving compensation to the families of the deceased, he added. The home minister also talked to the owners of some garments in the locality. Home Secretary CQK Mustaq Ahmed, senior police officials and leaders of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association and Awami

  Several thousand garment workers are staging a protest in Ashulia demanding punishment of those responsible for Saturday's fire that claimed the lives of 111 people. The readymade garment workers who lost 111 colleagues and relatives during Saturday's fire, blocked the Dhaka-Tangail highway for half an hour since Tuesday morning. The workers have been demanding the punishment of the owners of Tazreen Fashion Ltd, the garment factory, where the tragedy occurred Saturday evening. Over 1,000 workers carrying black flags under the banner of 'Ghoshbag Garment Workers' sat on the highway around 11:00am when police barred them from going towards the fire-devastated building. Police resisted the agitating workers at Nishchintapur as Home Minister Muhiuddin Khan Alamgir was visiting Tazreen Fashion Ltd, the scene of the occurrence, where 111 workers died during Saturday's fire. A heavy traffic jam was instantly created as the demonstration halted t

Dhaka-Tangail highway blocked for 2 hrs; most garment units closed for Monday; police suspect fire incident as preplanned, filed case against anonymous miscreants   Fire brigade officials on Monday searching the factory where a fire breaks out in Ashulia Saturday evening. The death toll from Ashulia readymade garment factory fire rose to 111 on Monday, two days after the incident. Meanwhile, several thousand garment workers staged a rowdy protest in Ashulia on Monday morning demanding punishment of the people responsible for Saturday's fire. Vehicular movements on the Dhaka-Tangail highway remained suspended for two hours since the morning following their demonstration, witnesses said. In the meantime, police suspected that the fire incident was a premeditated one. Some unidentified criminals might set fire to the factory in a pre-planned way and that's why police filed a case against several unknown persons, said Badrul Alam Sheikh, officer-in-charge of

Dhaka, Nov 26 Standard Bank Ltd Chairman Kazi Akramuddin Ahmed was elected uncontested President of the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) on Monday. Ending hours of drama that continued since morning, the newly elected and nominated directors of the top industry lobby extended their support to Ahmed, the lone candidate for the top post. Ahmed is also a Member of the ruling Awami League Advisory Council. For the two Vice-President posts, Monowara Hakim Ali and Helal Uddin are contesting from Akramuddin Ahmed-led panel while Abdul Haque and Golam Mostafa Talukder from former FBCCI President Annisul Huq-led panel. As Haque and Talukder demanded that the election to the two posts be held in secret ballots, the Election Board is discussing the issue with the voters. The election to the two Vice-President posts will be held after the issue is resolved. Akramuddin-led panel swept the biennial election of the apex trade body on Sunday, securing

Dhaka, Nov 26 The fire in the multi-storied Tazreen Fashions has dealt a big blow to the image of Bangladesh as the readymade garment industry is under scrutiny of global buyers, economist Debapriya Bhattacharya believes. "The incident is not good for Bangladesh's image," he said at the launch of UNCTAD's LDCs (Least Developed Countries) Report 2012 at the Centre For Policy Dialogue (CPD) office on Monday. A devastating fire that swept through Tazreen Fashions in the Ashulia industrial belt near capital Dhaka on Saturday has left at least 110 people dead. "We have to carefully watch if there is any downward change in the buying orders and attitude of consumers towards Bangladeshi products," he added. The CPD Distinguished Fellow said such incidents would happen again unless full-fledged trade union was not introduced in the factories. "The readymade garment sector is passing through a transformation of high wages for better productivity

  The bodies of Ashulia factory fire keep at the ground of nearby Nischintapur Primary School on Sunday. Forensic officials on Monday collected sample for DNA test of 59 workers who were charred beyond recognition in Ashulia garment factory fire on Saturday. Hospital sources said officials of forensic laboratory of Criminal Investigation Department; and Forensic and DNA departments of Dhaka Medical College collected the samples from the remains of the bodies. The bodies are now kept at Dhaka Medical Hospital Morgue. The bodies will be buried at Jurain Graveyard after completion of sample collection, the morgue sources said. The forensic officials will later collect samples from the relatives, who will come to the hospital to identification of the bodies. The death toll from Ashulia readymade garment factory fire rose to 111 on Monday, two days after the incident. Of the deceased, the relatives and family members identified and took away the bodies of 52 workers.

All RMG units across the country will also be closed for the day; Cabinet okays bill to double the fine for smoking in public places.   L-R: Photo shows a fire that breaks out at a RMG factory in Ashulia Saturday, leaving 111 people dead and the portion of damaged flyover that collapses on same day in Ctg, claiming the lives of at least 12 people.  The government has announced national mourning day for Tuesday in memory of the people killed in garment factory fire in Ashulia and flyover collapse in Chittagong. It also announced a one-day vacation at all ready-made garment factories across the country for Tuesday. The decision came at the weekly cabinet meeting with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair. At least 111 people were killed and 100 injured in a devastating fire at Tazreen Fashion Ltd at Nischintapur on the capital's suburb Ashulia on Saturday. On the other hand, 12 people were killed and 15 injured when the concrete girders of an under-con

Dhaka, Nov 26 The Dhaka district administration on Monday decided to wait one more day to bury the 58 unclaimed bodies of garment workers burned alive in the worst-ever factory fire at Ashulia. The bodies were set to be buried at Jurain graveyard once their DNA samples were preserved at Dhaka Medical College and Hospital on Monday. But Dhaka district's Executive Magistrate Abdullah Al Mamun said they would wait another day for relatives to identify the bodies. "The bodies will be kept at the morgue (DMHC) until 10am on Tuesday on humanitarian grounds following a government order. Bodies will be shown to those coming in search of their loved ones," said Mamun. He said a man named Abdus Sattar identified his wife's body after DNA sample was taken around 4pm. Sattar was then handed the body of 'Morzina'. Of the 60 bodies kept at DMCH on being retrieved from Tazreen Fashions on Sunday, relatives took the body of another worker named 'Munni'

He admitted to DMCH with severe injuries; 3 cops also hurt in 'shootout'; Ameer's wife, house maid also held; his son under police custody; wife admits his hand in the abduction   Injured Ameer Hossain, who was arrested after a shootout, is seen lying on a hospital trolley at Dhaka Medical College Hospital Saturday morning. He is the principal accused of Parag Mondol abduction case Muktar Hossain Ameer, the ringleader of Parag Mondol abduction case, was held Saturday morning at Tongi in Gazipur after a 'shootout' with DB police where he sustained severe injuries. Ameer was admitted to Dhaka Medical College Hospital following the 'gunfight'. Detectives also arrested Ameer’s wife Beauty and their housemaid Rumi, 13, from the spot. Beauty admitted that her husband was involved in the abduction of Parag, DB high officials said during a press briefing at its head office in the capital. Police also kept Ameer's two-and-a-half-year-old

  The protesters set fire to a tyre at Dhaka intersection on Dhaka-Dinajpur highway in Phulbari upazila of Dinajpur during a daylong hartal Saturday morning Several thousand of people blocked the Dinajpur-Dhaka highway at different points in Phulbari upazila of Dinajpur since Saturday morning as part of a daylong hartal enforced by oil, gas protection committee. Transport movement on the highway remained suspended since 6:00am following the blockade, reports our Dinajpur correspondent. The agitated people also torched tyres at different points on the highway. Train movement also remained suspended for half an hour from 10:00am as the pro-hartal activists blocked railway tracks felling trees near Phulbari Railway Station, which links a number of districts of northern and southern regions with Dhaka and other parts of the country. The train movement resumed when the agitators removed the trees from the tracks on request of local police. National Committee for Oil,

WI declare at 648   Shakib Al Hasan and Nasir Hossain are trying to uphold the Tigers after their five wickets lose in the early innings on the fourth day of the final Test against West Indies in Khulna on Saturday. Bangladesh put 152 on the scoreboard in the final session of the day at Sheikh Abu Naser Stadium when the report was filed around 3:45pm. Tigers are still 109 runs behind West Indies first innings score. Shakib Al Hasan scored his eleventh Test fifty in the final session of the day. He is on 56 off 74 balls with six boundaries. Nasir Hossain is batting on 33 off 67 balls with five boundaries. Shakib-Nasir pair added 72 runs to the innings total. Nazimuddin, Tamim Iqbal, Naeem Islam, Shahriar Nafees and Mushfiqur Rahim are the batsmen went back to the pavilion. Tamim scored 28 off 33 balls with four boundaries before Tino Best bowled him out. Naeem Islam was also bowled out by Best at 2. Shahriar Nafees was caught at slip in Best's delivery afte

  Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Saturday asked the youths to take appropriate preparations to be able to assume the leadership of the country. “Take appropriate preparations, you’ve to take the positions where we are now. I want you to be here soon,” she said while inaugurating the two-day 24th Asia-Pacific Regional Scout Conference at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre (BICC) in the city. Chairman of World Scouts Committee Simon Hang-Boch Rhee, President of Bangladesh Scouts Md Abdul Karim, Chief National Commissioner of Bangladesh Scouts Md Abul Kalam Azad and Chairman of the Conference Organising Committee Habibul Alam, Bir Pratik, also spoke on the occasion. A statement of Filipino Vice President and Chairman of the Asia-Pacific Scouts Jejomar C Binay was read out at the function. Sheikh Hasina also urged the Scouts to play an important role in turning Bangladesh into a middle income country by 2021. She said:

 supporter of Ganatantrik Parishad panel came under attack when he was going to cast vote in the biennial election of the country's apex trade body FBCCI in Motijheel Saturday afternoon. Meanwhile, election board of Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) has extended the voting time by half an hour till 5:00pm due to heavy rush of voters. Witnesses said a gang of 15 to 20 unidentified people swooped on Md Amiruddin Bipu, director of Bangladesh Paper Merchant Association, around 12:40pm and beat him indiscriminately when he was entering FBCCI building. They also tore down his panjabi during the attack, the witnesses said. On duty law enforcers rescued Bipu but did not detain anyone in this connection. Bipu was entering the polling centre along with former FBCCI president Annisul Huq, who is supporting Ganatantrik Parishad panel. Annisul, however, is not contesting the election. After the attack, Annisul told reporters that they we

  Arafat Rahman Koko The ACC has recovered 20.41 lakh Singapore dollars siphoned off by Arafat Rahman Koko, youngest son of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, from Singapore. Ghulam Rahman, chairman of the Anti-Corruption Commission, made the disclosure at a regular press briefing at its Segunbagicha headquarters Thursday afternoon. The ACC boss said the money, sent back by the Singapore authorities, was deposited on Thursday to the stolen recovery account of the anti-graft watchdog at Ramna Corporate Branch of the Sonali Bank. Talking to The Daily Star, Barrister Mahbub Uddin Khokon, a counsel for Koko, termed the money recovery as a politically-motivated incident. In 2008, the ACC revealed that Koko has foreign currencies worth around Tk 11.43 crore deposited in a Singapore bank but he concealed its information in his wealth statement submitted to the anti-graft watchdog. With the help of Singapore government the ACC had come to know that Koko has 20.61 lakh Si

  Policemen block political activists on NS Road in Kushtia town on Thursday. At least 20 activists of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) were injured when Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) attacked their rally in Kushtia Thursday. The BCL men also attacked BNP district office and ransacked it. According to police, JCD Kushtia district unit led by its district convener Kamal Uddin, brought out a procession around 4:00pm while BCL also brought out another rally on NS Road in the town. The BCL men chased and attacked the JCD procession when their procession came face to face at Thana crossing around 4:30pm. The unruly BCL activists used brick bats, bamboo sticks and iron rod injuring at least 20 JCD activists. When the JCD leaders and activists took shelter at district BNP office, the BCL men attacked the BNP office and ransacked three motorcycles and furniture of the office. Police from Kushtia Model Police station rushed to the spot and brought the situation und

Dhaka, Nov 22 A former Deputy-Director of Sonali Bank on Thursday confessed to a Magistrate in Dhaka that he had helped Hall-Mark Group take Tk 2.08 billion in loan using false documents. Azizur Rahman admitted his involvement in a confessional statement at the court of Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Keshab Roy Chowdhury. Rahman was a former Deputy Director of the largest state-owned bank, which came under spotlight after an Anti-Corruption Commission report unearthed a huge scam involving the bank and the rogue group. ACC's lawyer Mahmud Hossain Jahangir told bdnews24.com that the former bank official made the confessional statement under section 164. Rahman gave the three-hour statement from 2pm. The ACC filed the case with Ramna Police Station. He was later sent to jail, pending further proceedings. According to case details, the group had embezzled around Tk 2.08 billion from the state-owned bank's Ruposhi Bangla branch showing false papers of Anowara Spinning

  This November 21 photo shows Jagannath University students torching cars and motorbikes during a clash with Kabi Nazrul Government College in Old Dhaka. Three cases were filed against at least 500 people late on Wednesday in connection with Wednesday's clashes between the students of Jagannath University and Kabi Nazrul Govt College at Old Dhaka. A teacher of Kabi Nazrul Govt College, whose name could not be known immediately, filed two cases against at least 500 unknown persons with Sutrapur Police Station for torching vehicles and vandalism at the campus. Shah Alam, a sub-inspector of the police station filed the third case accusing 500 to 600 unidentified people on charge of preventing policemen from discharging their duties. At least 30 people, including students, teachers and policemen, were injured, five cars and seven motorbikes torched during the clashes at Kabi Nazrul Govt College campus over a trifling matter. The authorities of Kabi Nazrul Isl

The High Court on Thursday asked the government to explain in a week why it should not be directed to arrest Ameer Hossain and Jewel, the two key accused in the Parag Mondol abduction case. Parag Mondol, the six-year-old boy kidnapped on November 11 in Keraniganj on the capital's outskirts, while he was attempting to go to his school with his mother and sister. He was found at Atibazar in Keraniganj three days after his kidnapping. The HC came up with the rule on Thursday following a petition filed by Nazim Ahmed, editor of the weekly Shoptoporno. Referring the writ, Deputy Attorney General Amit Talukder told the court that the members of the law enforcement agencies arrested Al-Amin, a close aid of Ameer, along with a motorcycle on Tuesday night but they did not disclose it. Rather, they claimed that they were trying their best to arrest Ameer and Jewel, the deputy attorney general said. Members of law enforcing agencies are hopeful that they would be able t

Rawalpindi, Nov 22 (Reuters) - A suicide bomber killed 13 people at Shi'ite processions in the city where Pakistan's army is headquartered on Wednesday night, highlighting the country's security challenges a day before it hosts leaders from Egypt, Iran and other developing nations. Local television stations said 13 people were killed but police put the death toll at eight. Twenty-five people were wounded, including children. The blast ripped a hole in the walls of a Shi'ite mosque in the city of Rawalpindi, near the capital Islamabad. Body parts were scattered at the scene. Hundreds of worshippers, beating their heads and chests, kept marching, even though other explosive devices were found at the site. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack which occurred hours after two bomb blasts killed at least three people near a gathering of Shi'ites in Pakistan's commercial hub and biggest city Karachi. Hardline Sunni mili

The fire that broke out at a cotton depot in the capital's Jatrabari area Thursday morning has been brought under control. No casualty was reported in the fire. On information, five fire fighting units rushed to Rayerbagh, the scene of the fire, and managed to bring the blaze under control after a hectic effort of nearly one hour, duty officer of the fire service control room said. Reason behind the fire that originated around 11:20am could not be known immediately.

Dhaka, Nov 20 Information Minister Hasanul Haq Inu on Tuesday said the government will not take against action Transparency International, Bangladesh for publishing the report which he said has 'slighted' Members of Parliament. Inu made the comment while answering a question in Parliament, a day after MPs berated the Berlin-based anti-graft watchdog's Bangladesh chapter. He, however, said TI's head office will be notified about the government decision to reject the report. A TIB study published on Oct 14 said that 97 percent MPs were involved in 'negative activities', evaluating works of 149 MPs – 136 from ruling Awami League and 13 from the opposition, including 27 ministers and state ministers. Opinions of the people from half the Parliament seats were taken for the study. On Monday, MPs asked the Speaker to call TIB's high officials including Executive Director for an explanation. They also demanded that activities of the organisation be ba

  BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia on Tuesday visits a painting exhibition on the occasion of Tarique Rahman's birth day in the capital. BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia on Tuesday said her elder son Tarique Rahman leads a very honest life and is not involved in any sort of corruption. "All allegations of corruption against him were nothing but propaganda," said the leader of the opposition in parliament. She was addressing a discussion on the occasion of Tarique's birth day at the Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh auditorium in the capital. "Tarique has no wealth of his own," the former premier added. Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal, a student body supported by the main opposition party, organised the programme.

  Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina addresses a seminar at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre in the capital on Tuesday. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday assured the scientists engaged in jute research of giving all necessary support from her government and hoped that they would be able to invent drought, saline and cold tolerant variety for sustainable harvesting of the cash crop round the year. "As our scientists have showed their talent in unveiling the genome sequence of jute, I firmly believe that they will be able to invent high yielding jute variety able to cultivate round the year and mitigate diseases and pests," she said. The prime minister was inaugurating a two-day international seminar on 'High Yielding Jute and Jute Seeds Production and Modern Jute Retting Procedure' at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre in the capital. Hasina said her government is encouraging divers

Gazipur, Nov 20 Home Minister Mohiuddin Khan Alamgir on Tuesday said at least 2,500 leaders and activists of Jamaat-e-Islami and its student wing Islami Chhatra Shibir were arrested across the country until now on charges of attacking and clashing with the police. He gave the figure to the media after visiting the Safipur Ansar VDP Academy in Gazipur's Kaliakoir. "The state has initiated all sorts of measures to stop Jamaat and Shibir. At least 2,500 miscreants have been arrested," Alamgir said. Jamaat and Shibir leaders and activists have been demonstrating, vandalising and attacking police personnel in the capital Dhaka and elsewhere since the beginning of this month demanding release of the party's top-brass put on trial on charges of committing war crimes in 1971. Law Minister Shafique Ahmed's convoy was also attacked by Shibir activists at Dhaka's Karwan Bazar last week. Shibir activists also reportedly set a police official on fire in Joyp

  Finance Minister AMA Muhith Finance Minister AMA Muhith on Tuesday claimed that Bangladesh is one of the fastest growing countries in the world since 2008. "The GDP growth in Bangladesh is the highest after China, Brazil, Singapore and Turkey," the minister told journalists at his secretariat office in the capital in the morning. Bangladesh has achieved 25.5 percent growth in the last three and a half years, he added. But this achievement does not get proper publicity in the media, he claimed. "Whatever I say, only the negative and the weak parts of my speech are published in the media," he alleged.

Dhaka, Nov 20  Foreign Minister Dipu Moni is not attending the council of ministers' meeting of Developing 8 (D-8) due to be held in Islamabad on Nov 21. "The minister is not going to Pakistan to attend the D-8 Foreign Ministers' meeting. She will leave for Russia on Nov 22 and will come back on 26," Foreign Ministry's Public Relations Officer Mohammad Manirul Islam Kabir told bdnews24.com. However, he did not say the reason for the Foreign Minister to skip the D-8 foreign ministers' meet in Islamabad. The D-8 summit meeting will be held on Nov 22 while council of ministers meeting on Nov 21, according to schedule. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is also not attending the summit due to schedule conflict and she is sending her International Affairs adviser Gowher Rizvi to attend the meeting. "I will be leaving for Pakistan today and will attend the summit meeting on behalf of the Prime Minister," Gowher Rizvi told the bdnews24.com.

2 cases filed for Monday's vandalism   This November 19 photo shows activists of Islami Chhatra Shibir hurling brick chips targeting policemen in Rail Gate Police in an overnight drive on Monday arrested 48 leaders and activists of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami and its student wing Islami Chhatra Shibir for the vandalism in Narayanganj city. Meanwhile, police filed two cases with Narayanganj Sadar Model Police Station Monday night on charges of attacking law enforcers, vandalizing police van and setting it on fire, reports our Narayanganj correspondent. Jamaat district Ameer Maulana Mainuddin, its finance secretary Jubaid and Shibir president of Rupganj upazila unit Mohammad Ali are among the arrestees. On Monday, Shibir activists attacked police, vandalised at least five vehicles and set fire to a police van in Rail Gate-2 area in the city, leaving 10 people including three policemen injured. Later, Atiar Rahman, a sub-inspector of Narayanganj Sadar Model

  BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia addressES a rally at Bell's Park in BarisaL on Monday. BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia on Monday again reiterated her party’s demand for restoring caretaker government system for holding the next general election and said no other formula would work. “Give me one more chance, I promise I will change the picture of Bangladesh by massive development activities. If I fail to do so, I am ready to accept any punishment, you (people) grant," she said. The leader of the opposition in parliament was addressing a rally at Bell's Park in Barisal. “People are with us, we will create such a situation that the government will have nowhere to escape. No election will be allowed under the present government and incumbent prime minister," she said. Calling the Awami League-led grand alliance "grand thief", the former prime minister said the Awami League was a party of fascists and thieves. Referring to Monday's incident