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4 vehicles torched, 10 vandalised; 13 cocktails blasted; 15 detained   Pickets vandalise a passenger bus at Farmgate in the capital during hartal hours Thursday.The photo was taken when the bus was passing through Purana Paltan in the morning. Photo: SK Enamul Haq Vandalism, cocktail explosion and detention marked the Jamaat-called half-day hartal in Dhaka and Chittagong on Thursday while the daylong shutdown is continuing elsewhere in the country amid the incidents of violence.

  Three teenage boys were buried under a tunnel that they had dug in Mahiganj Balatali area of Rangpur city Thursday morning, to safely take drugs. They are: Limon, 17, Shakil, 16, and Bappi, 15, reports our Rangpur correspondent. Shamim, a local resident said gamblers and drug addicts often used the earthen tunnel to hide themselves from views while gambling and taking drugs.

'We've zero tolerance for graft'   World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim has said the lending agency cannot consider financing the Padma bridge project until certain conditions are met to heighten oversight in the project and give assurance that a complete and fair criminal investigation is under way. "I say this knowing how much this bridge means to the people and economy in the southwest of Bangladesh. It is a steel lifeline linking them to opportunity," he said.

  Police stand beside the road where pro-hartal activists bring out a procession in Motihar area of Rajshahi during hartal hours on Thursday morning. A countrywide dawn-to-dusk hartal enforced by Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami is continuing amid arson and vandalism across the country on Thursday. Jamaat however curtailed the hartal in the capital and Chittagong where they observed a six-hour hartal till noon.

  Law enforcers taking Constable Zohurul Haque of Monirumpur Police Station to Jessore General Hospital as he fell sick after a clash with Jamaat-Shibir men during hartal hours Thursday. He died on his way to the hospital.  A policeman died just after a clash with Jamaat-Shibir men who unleashed terror in Monirampur upazila of Jessore during the countrywide early hartal hours on Thursday. The victim is identified as Zohurul Haque, 50, a constable attached to Monirumpur Police Station. Zohurul, hailing from Narail district, was the father of two sons and a daughter.

  BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia Will 2013 be a watershed in US-Bangladesh relations? BNP Chairpersons Khaleda Zia wrote an article in the US-based newspaper The Washington Times with a headline "The thankless role in saving democracy in Bangladesh". Washington Times published the article of the former premier on January 30. The article is as follows:

  Jamaat-e-Islami will enforce a hartal for six hours in Dhaka and Chittagong cities while daylong elsewhere in the country on Thursday demanding release of opposition leaders including war crimes suspects. According to a press release sent on Wednesday, Jamaat has reduced the strike by six hours for the capital following a request by the president of Supreme Court Bar Association to hold an annual programme of the SCBA.

  Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami called a countrywide dawn-to-dusk hartal for Thursday demanding immediate release of opposition leaders including war crimes suspects and restoration of the caretaker government system.Mohammad Alam, a staff of Jamaat's IT section, confirmed the party decision to The Daily Star on Wednesday quoting a press release. According to the press release, Jamaat called the hartal for immediate release of its war crimes accused high-ups Motiur Rahman Nizami and Ghulam Azam and all opposition leaders.

  Islami Chhatra Shibir activists block Rajshahi-Chapainawabganj highway after setting fire to a tyre during hartal hours on Wednesday.  The half-day hartal separately enforced by Jamaat-e-Islami, Shibir and BCL ended with some stray incidents in Rajshahi, Natore, Chapainawabganj, Tangail and Laxmipur on Wednesday. The pro-hartal activists vandalised at least 11 vehicles in Natore and Chapainawabganj. The pickets blasted several cocktails during a clash with policemen in Laxmipur during the six-hour hartal till noon. Five people were injured during the clash.

  In this January 27 photo, a firefighter searching the inside of Smart Export Garments Ltd in the capital's Dhanmondi where seven workers died in a blaze. Detectives have arrested the chairman and the managing director of Smart Export Garments Ltd at Dhanmondi in the capital. The arrestees are: Zakir Ahmed, the chairmen of the garment factory, and Sharif Ahmed, the MD. A team of Detective Branch (DB) of police arrested the duo at a house around 11:00pm Tuesday, Gazi Rabiul Islam, assistant commissioner (Media and Community Service) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police, told The Daily Star on Wednesday.

  Labourer trying to fix a main supply water pipe that burst open Tuesday spilling millions of gallons of water into the adjacent lake at Russell Square in Dhanmondi, disrupting water supply in many areas. Photo: SK Enamul Haq Dhaka Wasa officials are frantically trying to repair a main supply water pipe which burst open on Tuesday afternoon spilling millions of gallons of water into the adjacent lake at Russell Square in Dhanmondi and disrupting water supply in Kalabagan and other areas.

Argument in war crimes case against him ends   Delawar Hossain Sayedee The International Crimes Tribunal-1 will deliver verdict on the war crimes case against Jamaat-e-Islami Nayeb-e-Ameer Delawar Hossain Sayedee any day, the tribunal said after ending closing argument again on Tuesday.

  Finance Minister AMA Muhith on Tuesday expressed doubt about starting Padma bridge construction with alternative arrangement during the tenure of the present government. If the World Bank-led financiers did not re-engage in the project, the construction of the bridge with Chinese funding will take much longer time, the minister said.

  Unidentified criminals torch two buses in Victoria Park area in the capital on Tuesday. Photo: Focus Bangla Unidentified criminals torched two buses and vandalised five more in Old Dhaka on Tuesday morning. However, there was no report of casualty in the sudden attacks. The buses of Skyline Paribahan of Sadarghat-Mirpur route were gutted completely before the fire fighters reached the spot, near Bahadur Shah Park.

  People are running across the streets in panic in Dhaka University campus area during a chase and counter chase between Bangladesh Chhatra League and Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal men on Tuesday. Photo: Focus Bangla Tension runs high on the Dhaka University campus and its adjacent areas as BCL activists took position at different key points to prevent JCD men from entering the campus Tuesday morning.

  Information Minister Hasanul Haq Inu  Information Minister Hasanul Haq Inu on Tuesday said the government will investigate whether there was any intelligence failure circling the Jamaat-Shibir violence across the country. “Administrative action would be taken if any lapses are detected after the investigation,” the minister said at a press conference at the conference room of the Press Institute of Bangladesh.

CNG driver bullet-hit in Ctg, 56 including Motijheel OC injured; 110 vehicles vandalised, 3 including a police van torched; 70 cocktails blasted; 57 detained   A police vehicle and a taxicab are seen burning in the capital's Motijheel area during a clash between Jamaat-Shibir men and law enforcers on Monday. Photo: Amran Hossain Jamaat-Shibir activists once again swooped on law enforcers in the capital, Chittagong, Rajshahi and Dinajpur on Monday. At least 56 people including 37 policemen were injured in the clashes. A CNG driver who received bullet wounds in the head is undergoing treatment at Chittagong Medical College Hospital.

  Fire brigade officials searching Tajnin Fashion where a fire breaks out in Ashulia on November 24, last year. Photo: SK Enamul Haq Three organisations of garment workers on Monday issued a 48-hour ultimatum to the government to arrest the owners of Tazreen Fashion Ltd and Smart Export Garments Ltd. The organisations threatened to besiege the Labour Directors' Office on February 3 if their demands were not met by the deadline.

  Bangladesh and India on Monday inked two crucial deals including an extradition treaty during a home ministerial meeting in Dhaka. Home Minister Muhiuddin Khan Alamgir and his Indian counterpart Sushilkumar Shinde signed the agreements on behalf of their respective counties around 4:05pm. After the meeting, the deals were announced at a joint press conference at Ruposhi Bangla Hotel in the capital.

  To realise their 5-point demand, dental students block Shahbagh intersection in the capital Monday, halting transport movement for three hours. Photo: Amran Hossain Dental students on Monday gave an ultimatum until February 2 to the government to fulfill their five-point demand including changing their programme name into BSc in Dentistry.

  BNP Chief Whip Zainul Abdin Farroque Opposition Chief Whip Zainul Abdin Farroque on Sunday said the party would join the New Year session of the Jatiya Sangsad if a bill reinstating the caretaker government system is placed in the Parliament after the president’s speech. He also demanded withdrawal of ‘fake cases’ filed against BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia and party Senior Vice Chairman Tarique Rahman before joining the parliament.

  The High Court on Sunday directed the government 'not to harass or arrest' BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir "without the due process of law" for the next two months. In response to a writ petition, the court also issued a rule upon the government to explain in two weeks why it should not be directed not to implicate Fakhrul, now in jail, in any more case "without the due process of law".

  At least 90 people have died after a fire swept through a nightclub in southern Brazil, local media say. They say the fire began when a performing band started a fireworks display at the Kiss nightclub in the town of Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul. Thick smoke engulfed the venue after acoustic insulation caught fire, officials say. Many victims reportedly died after inhaling toxic fumes.

  Criticising BNP for not attending parliament, President Zillur Rahman on Sunday said the party should come to the House if it considers itself as people’s representative. “If the main opposition BNP considers itself as a people’s representative and servant, then it was its obligation to discharge its responsibilities by coming to parliament and exchanging views through participation in all constructive dialogues inside and outside the Jatiya Sangsad including the issue of constitutional amendment,” the president said.

  This file photo shows workers make clothes at a garment factory in Dhaka.  The visiting US Congressional delegation believes that Bangladesh should get duty free and quota free access to the US market, said Foreign Minister Dipu Moni on Sunday. Dipu Moni told this to reporters at her office after attending a luncheon meeting with the four-member US Congressional delegation led by Jack Kingston at the state guesthouse Padma.

  The High Court on Sunday declared the amendment to the constitution of Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) as 'illegal'. The National Sports Council (NSC) on November 29 last year amended the constitution of the BCB, saying that the board executive committee will be nominated through selection instead of holding election. Delivering the verdict, the HC said the NSC has no authority to amend the constitution of the BCB. The HC bench of Justice Sarah Mahbub and Justice Abdur Rab delivered the verdict after hearing the writ petition jointly filed by Yousuf Jamil Babu, president of the Bangladesh District and Divisional Sports Organisers' Association, and Mobasher Hossain, a former BCB director.

Another injured   Online Report An employee of Partex furniture was killed and another injured when the pavilion of the company caved-in at Dhaka International Trade Fair on Saturday afternoon. The deceased was identified as Rony Das Gupta, 22, an accountant of the furniture company, while the injured is Mohammad Shaheen, 25.

  Last February's clashes the worst-ever in Egypt's football history An Egyptian court has sentenced to death 21 defendants over clashes between rival football fans in which 74 people were killed last February. The riots began after a league game at Port Said stadium between local side al-Masry and Cairo club al-Ahly.

  The fire that raged through a readymade garment factory in the capital's Mohammadpur area on Saturday afternoon was brought under control. No casualty was reported while the fire fighters were taking preparations to enter inside the garment factory around 4:00pm, Mahbubur Rahman, director general (operations) of Fire Service and Civil Defence headquarters told The Daily Star.

  Detectives in an overnight drive on Friday arrest eight fake Rab men and (inset) seize Tk 40.54 lakh and a private car.  Detective Branch of police in an overnight drive on Friday arrested eight people on charge of looting Tk 1.08 crore of a garment factory, identifying themselves as members of Rapid Action Battalion. Police recovered Tk 40.54 lakh of the looted money and seized a private car during the drive conducted in Dhaka, Gazipur and Tangail.

  A four-member US congressional delegation, led by Jack Kingston, arrives in Dhaka on Saturday on a two-day visit to discuss bilateral issues, including GSP facility. The other members of the delegation are Scott Tipton, Adam Schiff and Ed Whitfield. During their stay in Bangladesh, the delegation members will meet Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Foreign Minister Dipu Moni, and visit a number of garment factories in the city, officials said.

  Noted Bangladeshi social worker Jharna Dhara Chowdhury was selected for one of India's prestigious civilian awards ‘Padma Shri’ on Friday night. Jharna was chosen for the honour in the category of foreigners for her social work on the eve of the Republic Day, reports our New Delhi correspondent Pallab Bhattacharya quoting an official announcement. She is one of the six foreigners to get the Padma awards in different fields. ‘Padma Shri’ title is given for distinguished service in any field.

Dhaka to sign extradition treaty with Delhi Tuesday: MKA   Dipu Moni Foreign Minister Dipu Moni on Friday said efforts are on to bring back condemned convict Abul Kalam Azad alias Bachchu Razakar for execution. “You know he (Bachchu Razakar) has been awarded death penalty…he’ll be brought back home as soon as possible through diplomatic efforts after being sure of his hideouts,” the foreign minister told reporters in Chandpur after attending a programme.

  BBC's Sarah Granger: "We often have prison riots here but more than 50 people are an extreme situation".  At least 50 people have been killed in a prison riot in western Venezuela, hospital staff say. The riot was triggered when local media broadcast news that soldiers had been sent to Uribana prison in Barquisimeto to search for weapons, Prisons Minister Iris Varela said. Hospital director Ruy Medina told AFP news agency that some 90 people were injured, mostly from gunshot wounds.

  Photo: Courtesy (Prothom Alo) A Dhaka court on Friday placed Monir Uddin on a nine-day remand for his alleged involvement with throwing acid on an Eden College student. Earlier in the morning, Monir admitted that he threw acid on Sharmin Akter Ankhi, a student of Eden College, as she had turned down his marriage proposal. Victim's brother filed a case with Bangshal Police Station accusing Monir and his friend Masum for the acid attack on January 15.

  L-R: AMA Muhith and Ellen Goldstein Finance Minister AMA Muhith on Thursday suggested that Ellen Goldstein better joins politics in Bangladesh after quitting her job.Muhith suddenly became critical of Goldstein, the outgoing country director of World Bank, and sarcastically commented this in reply to a query.

  Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) men set fire to Gaibandha district office of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami on Thursday. The activists of BCL, the student wing of ruling Awami League, also vandalised two Shibir-controlled student's mess around 12noon, reports our Gaibandha correspondent quoting witnesses. Earlier around 11:30am, Islami Chhatra Shibir men clashed with police personnel when the law enforcers intercepted them from holding a procession on Station Bazar Road in the town, said Mosharraf Hossain, assistant superintendent of police in Gaibandha.

  Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday said Bangladesh Navy would be equipped with 'submarine with base facilities' to make it a 'deterrent force'. Two maritime patrol aircrafts will also be added to navy by this April, she said while commissioning the first locally built patrol craft ‘BNS Padma’ at Naval Base at Khalishpur in Khulna. The prime minister said her government has bought several ships and among those some were upgraded to modern missile boats in last fiscal year.

Bail, remand pleas rejected   In this January 8 photo, police take BNP Acting Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir to a Dhaka court. A Dhaka court on Thursday sent BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir back to jail for the third time after rejecting his remand and bail petitions in a case. The case was filed with Kalabagan Police Station for assaulting police and preventing them from discharging their duties in front of Padma General Hospital on Sonargaon Road in the city during the opposition's December 9 road blockade.

  MK Anwar   International Crimes Tribunal-2 on Thursday asked BNP standing committee member MK Anwar to explain in seven days his 'derogatory' comments over the tribunal proceedings. Following a prosecution petition, the two-member tribunal led by Justice Obaidul Hassan issued a notice, asking Anwar to give his explanation through his lawyer.

  BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia A Dhaka court on Thursday deferred until March 3 the hearing on charge framing against BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia and five others in connection with Zia Orphanage Trust graft case. Anti-Corruption Commission filed the case with Ramna Police Station on July 3 in 2009 for embezzling over Tk 2.10 crore by forming the ‘fake’ trust.

  In this November 13 photo, people seeking jobs in Malaysia throng to register themselves with a government website. The photo is taken at Panchasar union information centre in Munshiganj.  A total of 11,758 candidates out of 36,038 were selected primarily for jobs in Malaysia through a lottery. The candidates will be called for medical tests through mobile text messages (SMS), said Labour, Employment and Expatriates' Welfare Minister Engineer Khondoker Mosharraf on Wednesday. Ten thousand workers will be finally selected following the medical check-up, he added.

  File photo The High Court on Wednesday extended for more 48 hours to arrest Monir Uddin and Masum for their alleged involvement in throwing acid on Sharmin Akter Ankhi, a student of Eden College. The court also directed director general of Rapid Action Battalion and joint commissioner of Detective Branch of police to provide assistance to arrest the two accused.

  Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid on Wednesday said there is a political motive behind the demonstration of non-government school, college and madrasa teachers for nationalisation of their jobs. "I am compelled to say that the demonstration were nothing but to fulfill a political motive," the minister told this to newsmen emerging from a meeting at his ministry in the afternoon. He said the demand for nationalisation of their (teachers) jobs is impractical.

    The Supreme Court on Wednesday adjourned until January 29 the hearing on the appeal filed against a High court verdict that acquitted former six army personnel in the jail killing case. The six member bench of the appealed division of the Supreme Court headed by Chief Justice Md Muzammel Hossain passed the adjournment order after concluding third day's hearing on the appeal. During the day's hearing Anisul Haque, principle state counsel in the case, told the court that the then home secretary, the then inspector general of police and DIG EA Chowdhury went to Bangabhaban to inform about the killing of the national leaders to the then president Khandaker Mostaque Ahmed on November 3 in 1975.

  Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina  Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said on Wednesday her government would start the construction work of Padma bridge project with alternative arrangements if the World Bank fails to clarify its stance on financing the project within this month. The premier made the comment during a press briefing at the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) in the capital to update on her recent visit to Russia. The prime minister went to Russia on January 14 on a three-day official visit.

  The United States supports the ongoing trial of the people who committed crimes against humanity during the Liberation War of Bangladesh. The US however also stressed the need for holding the trial in a free and fair way, Victoria Nuland, the spokesperson of the US Department of State, said at a press briefing in Washington DC on January 22, the press statement of which was posted on its website.

  Food Minister Dr Abdur Razzak The government will form food safety authority to prevent widespread food adulteration and to ensure food safety in the country, Food Minister Dr Abdur Razzak said on Wednesday. The body will be comprised of a chairman, a chief executive officer and five members. Food Minister Dr Abdur Razzak disclosed the information after attending an inter-ministerial meeting at Cabinet Secretariat on Wednesday

  Armed ruling party cadres attack a procession of the opposition BNP at Muradnagar of Comilla Tuesday. Photo Courtesy Focus Bangla The authorities of Patuakhali Science and Technology University (PSTU) on Wednesday banned all kinds of activities of Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) on the campus until further order. "We took the decision to ensure a peaceful atmosphere on the campus," PSTU Registrar Md Nawab Ali told our Patuakhali correspondent in the afternoon.

  The dawn-to-dusk hartal in Dumki upazila of Patuakhali and Khoksa upazila of Kushtia is going on peacefully on Wednesday. Local business owners of Pirtala bazar in Dumki upazila of Patuakhali called the hartal in the bazar area protesting BCL men's attack on their establishments and for injuring 20 businessmen on Tuesday. On the other hand, Khoksa upazila BNP enforced the hartal to protest a lower court decision that rejected the bail petitions of 13 party leaders of Kushtia district unit.