News 24 Hours

DHAKA: Two snatchers were killed in a gunfight between their cohorts and Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) personnel near to Jhilmil project area on Dhaka-Mawa highway early Tuesday. The identity of the deceased couldn’t be known immediately. Commanding Officer of RAB-10 senior ASP Fazle Rabbi told banglanews, “A team of RAB was patrolling on Dhaka-Mawa highway at night. Sensing the presence of RAB, a gang of muggers took a U-turn with their hijacked private car (Dhaka Metro Ga-11-1623).

DHAKA: Supreme Court Appellate Division fixed September 17 for hearing on the appeal of Jamaat-e-Islami leader Delwar Hossain Sayedee against the verdict of International Crimes Tribunal (ICT). Chief Justice Md Muzammel Hossain-led Appellate Division bench comprising of five judges passed the order Tuesday. On February 28, Delwar Hossain Sayedee was sentenced to death for his involvement in crimes against humanity during liberation war in 1971.

DHAKA: In a report, submitted before the court Tuesday, police found no evidence against vice-chairman of BEXIMCO Group Salman F Rahman on claiming extortion from lawmaker Golam Maula Rony. Shahbagh Thana Sub-Inspector (Investigation) Abu Zafar submitted the final report saying the accusation was not proved true. Court fixed August 21 for the hearing on the case.

DHAKA: ‘EU Accord,’ a European Union based garment buyers group would form ‘Unified Code of Conduct (UCC)’ for Bangladeshi garment workers for their better working environment in this sector. The decision came from a meeting between Bangladesh Garment Manufactures and Exporters Association (BGMEA) and ‘EU Accord’ on Tuesday.

DHAKA: The authorities of Dhaka University (DU) have expelled four students in various terms for their involvement in a clash. The university authorities also issued show-cause notice to six students in same incident. Proctor of the university Amzad Ali confirmed the matter to banglanews on Tuesday.

DHAKA: The International Cricket Council on Tuesday announced the fixtures of the 2015 World Cup, to be jointly hosted by Australia and New Zealand, simultaneously in Melbourne and Wellington to be started from February 14-March 29, 2015.           Match Fixture below:

Out to book 'advance bus tickets' with Hanif Enterprise on Friday, Imran Hossain's eyes brightened at the thought of spending Eid with his relatives back home in Dinajpur.

Foreign Minister Dipu Moni has said Bangladesh is keen to settle the outstanding land boundary issues with India and looks forward to the passage of a bill that India's ruling UPA coalition is going to place in Parliament's monsoon session beginning Aug 5. The bill is needed to be pushed through to operationalise the agreement already signed between India and Bangladesh. "I am sure all parties in India will see the merit in solving the outstanding boundary issues which have lingered long enough," Moni told journalists in New Delhi o

FARIDPUR: Awami League Lawmaker of Barguna-2 Golam Sabur Tulu was killed in a road accident in Vanga of Faridpur on Friday noon. He was 50. Sources said Golam Sabur was returning Dhaka from Patharghata around 10:00am by his own car. When the car reached at Chumurdi area of Dhaka-Barishal highway around 5:00pm, it plunged into roadside ditch as the driver lost control over the steering, leaving Golam Sabur and four others injured.

DHAKA: US ambassador to Dhaka Dan W Mozena is going to Washington for few days. Before that Mozena is passing busy time in meeting, sitting, entertaining the ever feuding belligerent Bangladeshi politicians to bring them under one umbrella of reaching an understanding on the upcoming general election. Mozena wants to go to Washington with a clear message on some important issues. Various sources indicated that Mozena at present seriously dealing with the issues of signing of Trade and Investment Cooperation Framework Agreement (TICFA), restoration of GSP and his exercise for stabilizing the internal politics of this country.

DHAKA: A Dhaka court sent ruling Awami League MP Golam Mawla Rony to jail after rejecting bail plea on Thursday afternoon. Dhaka Metropolitan magistrate M Ashikur Rahman passed the order after bail hearing. Earlier, Detective Branch (DB) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police took him to the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court at around 12:15pm by a white-colored car.

File Photo (banglanews24.com) DHAKA: The International Crimes Tribunal (ICT)-1 Thursday took the formal charges against Jamaat Assistant Secretary General ATM Azharul Islam into cognizance for his alleged involvement in crimes against humanity in 1971. ICT-1 led by Justice ATM Fazle Kabir fixed August 18 for indictment hearing against the Jamaat leader. The tribunal also ordered the defense counsel to submit their document by Thursday.

RIYADH: Opposition BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia will fly to Saudi Arabia on a 10-day visit on Saturday evening at invitation of Saudi King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz. Sources said party’s Senior Vice Chairman Tarique Rahman along with his wife and daughter will join Khaleda Zia to perform Umrah here. Khaleda will also join in an Iftar party organized by King Abdullah, sources added.

LONDON: Senior vice-chairman of BNP Tarrique Rahaman asserted that the next national elections of Bangladesh must be held under caretaker government (CG). He made this comment on last Wednesday in an Iftar Mahfil organized by UK BNP held at Goumen hotel de towers. In the pre-Iftar speech Tarrique Rahman placed the possible manifesto of BNP in the veil of his own thinking to the workers and to the journalists. Tarrique Rahman said election is not the main issue in Bangladesh now rather the reintroduction of care taker system is the main issue. For future prosperous Bangladesh this system must be brought back. The fate of the party which is people oriented, a party which has respect for democracy and development and which believes in the politics of production is depending on care taker issue leading to whether they will go to power or not.

DHAKA: The Islamic Foundation Thursday fixed this year’s minimum fitra at Tk 66 per head and maximum at Tk 1,980 for Dhaka and its adjoining areas. Islamic Foundation authorities in a meeting with Maulana Mohammad Salahuddin, Khatib of Baitul Mukarram National Mosque, in the chair fixed the amount. Public Relations officer of Islamic Foundation Billal Bin Kashem confirmed the matter to banglanews. The minimum Fitra of Tk 66 has been fixed taking into consideration the price of wheat or flour. “The amounts would be minimum Tk 66 to maximum Tk 1320 in proportion to the prices of burley, dates and raisin or cheese,” he added.

DHAKA: A meeting between Russian Ambassador to Dhaka Alexander Nikolov and Jatiya Party Chairman HM Ershad was held on Wednesday afternoon. The meeting was held at Ershad’s resident in capital’s Baridhara in the city. Jatiya Party sources said various bilateral issues were discussed in the meeting.

Some activists of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal have torched the BNP office at Chittagong, infuriated after being left out of new committee of the student front.

Awami League MP Golam Maula Rony has been arrested after a Dhaka Court scrapped his bail in a case involving assault on two TV journalists, a police spokesperson said.

DHAKA: The Queen has paid a half-hour visit to Kensington Palace to meet her new great-grandson, the son of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. The new parents left St Mary’s Hospital in west London on Tuesday evening where the duke said they were yet to name the third in line to the throne. They spent the night at the palace and it is understood they have now gone to Catherine’s family in Berkshire.

Photo: banglanews24.com DHAKA: A total of 124-kg gold was seized gold from a flight of Biman Bangladesh Airlines at Shahjalal International Airport in the city on Wednesday afternoon. Customs authorities of the airport seized the huge amount gold worth Tk 54 crore from the flight of Biman Bangladesh Airlines from Katmandu around 2:30pm. Airport Customs Commissioner Zakia Sultana confirmed the matter to banglanews.

  The duchess's due date has not been officially announced The Duchess of Cambridge is in labour, as the world's media gathers outside the hospital awaiting news of the latest addition to the Royal family. Catherine and the Duke of Cambridge arrived by car at St Mary's Hospital in Paddington, west London, at 06:00 BST. Kensington Palace said she was in the early stages of labour, which was progressing as normal. The couple do not know the sex of their first child, who will be third in line to the throne. The world's press have been camped outside St Mary's for days in anticipation of the birth. The due date had never been officially announced but had widely been expected to be mid-July. Royal vehicles were seen at a back entrance to the hospital at about 06:00 BST, with the announcement coming from Kensington Palace 90 minutes later. Police presence

DHAKA: The Duchess of Cambridge is in the early stages of labour and has been admitted to hospital as she prepares to give birth to the future king or queen. Prince William is also at the private Lindo Wing of St Mary’s Hospital in Paddington, west London, where he himself was born in 1982. Palace officials chose to make the announcement that Kate has gone into labour public in an attempt to balance her ‘dignity’ with the fact that social media makes it almost impossible to keep her baby`s imminent arrival a secret. `The Duchess of Cambridge has been admitted this morning to St. Mary’s Hospital, Paddington, London in the early stages of labour,` a royal spokesman said.

DHAKA: Dhaka Reporters Unity President Kazi Shahed Chowdhury on Monday said Golam Maola Rony MP is “enemy of the media” as he assaulted two journalists physically. He came up with the observation while addressing a human chain demanding arrest of Awami League lawmaker Rony in front of National Press Club on Monday noon. Kazi Shahed also mentioned about the incident of Saturday and physical assault of Independent TV reporter Imtiaz Momin Sony and cameraman Mukul.

Police are yet to get any witness in the cases lodged by ruling MP Golam Maula Rony and private Independent TV co-owner Salman F Rahman.

DHAKA: The cabinet on Monday decided to increase the monthly allowance of the gallantry award recipient war heroes of 1971 and special allowances for the Freedom Fighters (FFs). The disclosure came from a regular meeting with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair. In the meeting, the government gave approval to a draft policy put up by the ministry of liberation war affairs in this regard.

DHAKA: The Cabinet approved the draft of the Vested Property Return (Amendment) Act, 2013, with an extended deadline for appeal December 31. The approval came from a regular meeting of the cabinet held at Secretariat in the city with the Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair. After the meeting, Cabinet Secretary M Mosharraf Hossain Bhuiyan made the disclosure before journalists.

DHAKA: The government has given promotion 345 high officials to joint secretary post in the latest reshuffle in the bureaucracy. The disclosure came from an order issued by the Public Administration Ministry on Thursday afternoon. Sources said discussion was going on regarding the promotion for last one month. The list was about to finalize before Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina visited foreign.

FROM NAYAPALTAN: Opposition joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi on Thursday categorically said BNP would move against the Election Commission (EC) if it is involved in the state conspiracy to destroy the party. In a press conference, th Rizvi came up with the forewarning at BNP’s Nayapaltan office in the city. Indicating the Election Commission (EC) in a written statement Rizvi said: “We hope you will back off from any intention of approving any baseless organization with symbols or official logo, 19-point programme or with pictures of Ziaur Rahman.”

DHAKA: Law Minister Barrister Shafique Ahmed said the verdict of International Crimes Tribunal (ICT)-2 against Jamaat Secretary General Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mujaheed fulfills the expectation of the nation. Immediately after the verdict, the minister came up with the observation in his secretariat office while talking to journalists on Wednesday.

DHAKA: The countrywide dawn-to-dusk hartal, called by Jamaat-e-Islami, was observed Wednesday amid stray incidents of violence. Hartal supporters exploded seven cocktails in capital’s Kalyanpur, Chittagong and Bogra district town in the morning. Witnesses said hartal supporters brought out a brisk procession supporting hartal in Kolyanpur and they exploded the cocktails when police chased them. Police detained one of them from the spot.

DHAKA: Counsels of Jamaat leader Ali Ahsan Mujaheed on Wednesday said they would challenge the verdict of the tribunal that awarded death penalty to him for his involvement in crimes against humanity. Terming the verdict “inappropriate”, they expressed their discontent over the verdict in a reaction soon after the verdict passed. Mujaheed’s counsel Barrister Abdur Razzak came up with the assertion at his residence at capital’s Dhanmondi in the afternoon. Abdur Razzak said, “The verdict was wrong as the tribunal failed to understand and give clear definition about international law, and we will appeal to the Supreme Court against the verdict.”

DHAKA: Jamaat-e-Islami has called countrywide dawn-to-dusk hartal for Wednesday protesting the verdict of the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT)-2 that sentenced Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mujaheed to death for committing crimes against humanity in 1971 Liberation War. Party’s acting secretary general Rafiqul Islam, in a press release, made the announcement of hartal for the fourth consecutive day.

DHAKA: Jamaat Secretary General Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mujaheed was sentenced to death for his involvement in crimes against humanity during liberation war in 1971. The International Crimes Tribunal (ICT)-2 led-by Obaidul Hasan passed the verdict on Wednesday. The tribunal started reading out summary of the 209-page verdict at 11:02am in presence of Mujaheed. Justice Shahinur Islam read out first part of the 658-paragraph verdict while Justice Mujibur Rahman Mia read out the second part and Justice Obaidul Hasan the third part. While reading out the verdict, tribunal chairman Obaidul Hasan informed the court that five out of all seven allegations brought against Mujaheed were proved beyond doubt. Two and four numbers of allegations were not proved.

DHAKA: The prosecution and defense counsel will appeal against the verdict pronounced by International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) in war crimes case against Ghulam Azam for committing crimes against humanity in 1971 liberation war. Deputy Attorney General MK Rahman made the disclosure while talking to journalists on Monday afternoon in his reaction immediately after the verdict pronounced.

DHAKA: Jamaat-e-Islami has called again countrywide dawn-to-dusk hartal for Tuesday protesting International Crimes Tribunal (ICT)-1 verdict that jailed party’s former Ameer Ghulam Azam for 90-year. A press release signed by party’s acting secretary general Rafiqul Islam made the disclosure on Monday afternoon.

DHAKA: Former Jamaat Ameer Ghulam Azam has been jailed for 90 years for his involvement in crimes against humanity during liberation war in 1971. The International Crimes Tribunal (ICT)-1 led by ATM Fazle Kabir issued the verdict on Monday. As per the verdict, all five war crime charges against Ghulam Azam have been proved; but he was not awarded death sentence considering old age.

DHAKA: Former Jamaat Ameer Ghulam Azam has been jailed for 90 years for his involvement in crimes against humanity during liberation war in 1971. The International Crimes Tribunal (ICT)-1 led by ATM Fazle Kabir issued the verdict on Monday. As per the verdict, all five war crime charges against Ghulam Azam have been proved; but he was not awarded death sentence considering old age.

DHAKA: At least four people, including Awami League and Jamaat-Shibir men, were killed and dozens others injured during countrywide dawn-to-dusk hartal called by Jamaat-e-Islam Monday. Jamaat observed the hartal amid scattered vandalism, arson and cocktails blasts across the country. In Kushtia, few Chhatra Shibir activists were beaten severely suspecting as robbers while they were cutting trees to barricade road ahead of hartal, leaving three injured critically. Two of the injured succumbed to their injuries on the way to hospital and one other was admitted to Kushtia Medical College Hospital.

Rumana Monzur, who lost both her eyes to a brutal assault by her husband, has spent the past two years on a remarkable recovery that saw her finish a master's degree at the University of British Columbia.

In the wake of defeat in Awami League’s candidates in five city corporation elections, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has urged supporters of her Awami League and its associate organisations to forget their ‘internal squabbling’ and unite.

RUPGANJ (NARAYANGANJ): At least 30 students of were injured as a bus of Jagannath University collided head-on with a truck at Rupganj upazila in the district on Thursday afternoon. The injured students were rushed to local Ruposhi Medilab Hospital, Madhabdi General Hospital, Narshingdi General Hospital and various hospitals of Dhaka. Sources said some of the students were injured critically in the incident.

DHAKA: Noted senior lawyer of Supreme Court Dr M Jahir breathed his last at Bangkok General Hospital at 10:30am Thursday. He was 74. His son Shams Munri confirmed the matter to banglanews. Lawyer of Dr M Jahir Associates Tamjida Mila told banglanews that Dr M Jahir was suffering from bone marrow cancer and he was admitted in the Bangkok Hospital on June 27.

DHAKA : Capital’s Shahbagh intersection turned into a battlefield following sporadic clashes between BCS candidates and law enforcers on Thursday. Police charged baton and fired tear shells to disperse the protesting students, leaving some people including journalists injured. Agitated students vandalized a vehicle of private TV channel.

Bloomberg Editorial DHAKA: The U.S. is about to reimpose tariffs on Bangladesh in response to the country’s failure to improve safety in its factories. The European Union has threatened to follow the U.S.’s lead -- a move that would hit Bangladesh much harder. This punitive strategy is understandable, but there’s a better way to advance a worthy cause. More than 1,000 people died when a garment factory near Dhaka collapsed in April; a few months before, a factory fire killed more than 100. Safety standards in Bangladeshi factories are dire, and government efforts to effect improvements have been paltry.

DHAKA: State-owned Exim Bank of China and the Poly Technologies, a subsidiary of China Poly Group Corporation, jointly placed a $2.4 billion proposal in the much-talked-abput multipurpose Padma Bridge project. Communications Minister Obaidul Quader came up with the disclosure while talking to journalists at his secretariat office on Tuesday.

DHAKA: Two cases filed by Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) personnel against Limon, a college student, on charges of carrying arms and obstructing them from discharging duties were withdrawn on Tuesday. Limon himself confirmed the matter to banglanews. On March 23 in 2011, Limon Hossain, a student of Kathalia PGS Multipurpose Vocational School and College, was shot and injured reportedly by the members of Rapid Action Battalion led by DAD Lutfar Rahman of Barisal-8 unit of the elite force.

DHAKA: The holy Ramadan, the lunar month of self-purification through fasting and abstinence, would begin Thursday as the new moon was not sighted anywhere in sky of Bangladesh sky on Tuesday. The decision came from a meeting of the National Moon Sighting Committee at the Islamic Foundation in the evening after reviewing reports on moon sighting for the holy month of Ramadan.

GOPALGANJ: At least nine people were killed and 40 others injured in a road accident on Dhaka-Khulna highway in Gerakhola area under Muksudpur Upazila of the district on Tuesday morning. Confirming the matter to banglanews, Sub-Inspector of Muksudpur Thana Jafar Hossain said, “The identity of the deceased could not be known immediately and death toll may rise in the accident.” Witnesses said that two passenger buses collided head on in the area at around 11:15am, leaving nine dead on the spot and 40 injured.

Five sailors of the ill-fated MV Hope, which tilted and partially sank off the coast of Thailand's resort city of Phuket last week, will reach home on Sunday night.

The defeated Awami League-backed mayoral candidate for Gazipur City Azmat Ullah Khan has said his biggest consolation would now be the unity of the party.