MNA Entertainment Desk: Jaya Ahsan won the third edition of Jio Filmfare Awards (East) 2018 in the best actress category for the first time for IndoBangla joint venture movie ‘Bishorjan’ after two times nomination for the award. ‘Bishorjan’ was selected as the best film while its director Kaushik Ganguly won the Best Director award. ‘Cinemawala’ director Kaushik Ganguly got the award for the best director and also the best original story last year. Jaya was nominated in 2013 in the Filmfare Awards for the best debutant female for Aborto film while she nominated in the last year in the award ...

MNA National Desk: The United Nations has expressed the hope that a favourable climate will be created in Bangladesh to hold a free and fair election. “…like in any country, this is our principal position that a climate could be created where free and fair elections could take place,” Spokesman for the Secretary-General Stephane Dujarric told reporters in a regular briefing at the UN headquarters on Friday, reported news agency. He said they are following the situation in Bangladesh very closely. “We’ve expressed our concern.” On Wednesday, a European Parliamentary delegation hoped that the political environment in Bangladesh will become ...

MNA National Desk: The BNP has started mass signature campaign demanding release of its chairperson Khaleda Zia. BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir inaugurated its pre-scheduled programme around 11am on Saturday at party’s Nayapaltan office in the capital. On Thursday, BNP announced fresh agitation programmes which included conducting mass signature campaigns across the country today, submitting memorandums to all deputy commissioners on Sunday and staging demonstrations in all district towns and metropolitan cities, except for Dhaka, on Tuesday. The BNP chief was sent to jail on February 8 after a special court in Dhaka had sentenced her to five ...

MNA Exclusive Desk: Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal has handed a list 8,032 Rohingya refugees to his Myanmar counterpart Kyaw Swe for repatriation. After a meeting between delegations of the two countries in Dhaka on Friday, Kamal said Bangladesh has listed around 1.1 million Myanmar nationals who have crossed the border. He said the people on the list handed to Swe were from 1,673 families. Around 700,000 refugees crossed the border after the Myanmar Army launched an ethnic cleansing of the Rohingyas on Aug 25 last year following insurgent attacks on security forces in Rakhine State. The Home Minister said ...

MNA Feature Desk: Today marks the 10th death anniversary of actor Manna. To mark the day in a befitting manner, different socio-cultural organizations have chalked out elaborate programmes. Satellite television channels and radio stations will air an array of quality programmes to pay tribute to the actor. SM Aslam Talukder, better known by stage name Manna, was a Bangladeshi film actor and producer. He performed in more than two hundreds films and achieved National Film Award as the “Best Actor” in 2006. Manna was born in the village of Elenga in Tangail District on December 6 in 1964. Manna’s acting ...

MNA Sports Desk: Virat Kohli was in dazzling form as he hit 129 not out off 96 balls to take India to an eight-wicket win with 17.5 overs to spare in the sixth one-day international. It completed a crushing 5-1 series victory for India, who started the series second behind South Africa in the one-day rankings but finished as the undisputed number one side. The series was a personal triumph for Virat, who hit three centuries and became the first player to score more than 500 runs in a bilateral series. He finished with 558 runs at an average of ...

MNA Entertainment Desk: Jennifer Aniston and Justin Theroux are separating after two years of marriage, they said in a statement on Thursday. The pair, who shared a mansion in the upscale Bel Air neighborhood of Los Angeles, met on the set of the 2008 film “Tropic Thunder” in Hawaii, and started dating in 2011. “In an effort to reduce any further speculation, we have decided to announce our separation,” the former couple said in the statement released by Aniston’s publicist Stephen Huvane. “This decision was mutual and lovingly made at the end of last year. We are two best friends ...

MNA National Desk: The BNP has chalked out fresh programmes to press for the release of its chairperson Khaleda Zia. The protests will be held on Saturday, Sunday and Tuesday, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said at a press conference on Thursday. Khaleda, a three-time prime minister, is serving a five-year jail term after a Dhaka court convicted her on Feb 8 in a graft case involving the Zia Orphanage Trust. BNP will launch a mass signature campaign on February 17. The party will submit a memorandum to the deputy commissioner on February 18 and hold protest programmes ...

MNA Sports Desk: Bangladesh have won the toss and elected to bat first against Sri Lanka in first T20 international match in Mirpur on Thursday. Bangladesh are going to play the match with four debut players. Bangladesh Team: 1 Zakir Hassan, 2 Soumya Sarkar, 3 Afif Hossain, 4 Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), 5 Sabbir Rahman, 6 Mahmudullah, 7 Ariful Haque, 8 Mohammad Saifuddin, 9 Nazmul Islam, 10 Mustafizur Rahman, 11 Rubel Hossain. Sri Lanka Team: 1 Upul Tharanga, 2 Niroshan Dickwella (wk), 3 Kusal Mendis, 4 Danushka Gunathilaka, 5 Dinesh Chandimal (capt), 6 Thisara Perera, 7 Dasun Shanaka, 8 Akila Dananjaya, ...

MNA National Desk: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina reached Abu Dhabi on Thursday morning from Rome concluding her four-day official visit to Italy and Vatican City. An Ethihad flight carrying the premier and her entourage landed at Abu Dhabi International Airport, PM’s Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim said. Bangladesh Ambassador to UAE Mohammad Imran and senior officials received her at the airport. Earlier, Bangladesh Ambassador to Italy Abdus Sobhan Sikder saw the prime minister off at Fiumicino Airport in Rome last night. In Italy, the premier attended the annual governing council meeting of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) at the ...

MNA Education Desk: A writ petition has been filed with the High Court seeking cancellation of the ongoing SSC and equivalent examinations. The writ also pleaded for instructions to hold fresh exams for those subjects, conducting an investigation into question paper leakage and introducing a law regarding this. Three Supreme Court lawyers including Ainunnahar Siddiqa filed the writ Wednesday. However, there are allegations that the questions of all the subjects of SSC till date this year have been leaked.  Arrests were made in separate incidents regarding this too. This year’s SSC examination has seen an ongoing spate of question leak ...

MNA International Desk: 17 people were killed in the United States after a gun man opened fire at a high school campus in Parkland, Florida on Wednesday. The suspect has been named as Nikolas Cruz, 19, and is a former student at the school who had been expelled, reported news agency. As the attack unfolded students were forced to hide as police swooped in on the building. It is one of the deadliest school shootings since 26 people were killed at a Connecticut school in 2012. Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel told reporters Cruz killed three people outside the school, ...

MNA Exclusive Desk: Myanmar’s Home Minister Lt Gen Kyaw Swe arrived in Dhaka on Thursday afternoon on a three-day visit when Bangladesh is expected to press for restoration of peace and stability in Rakhine State for sustainable return of Rohingyas. He landed at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport by a Thai Airlines flight around 12:48pm. The Myanmar Minister will meet President Abdul Hamid on Thursday evening. Swe will hold a meeting with his Bangladesh counterpart Asaduzzaman Khan on Friday. Apart from the Rohingya crisis, the two sides will discuss halting smuggling of arms and drugs and full implementation of border agreement, ...

MNA International Desk: Jacob Zuma resigned as President of South Africa on Wednesday, reluctantly heeding orders by the ruling African National Congress (ANC) to bring an end to his nine scandal-plagued years in power. In a 30-minute farewell address to the nation, 75-year-old Zuma said he disagreed with the way the ANC had shoved him towards an early exit after the election of Cyril Ramaphosa as party president in December, but would accept its orders. ‘I have therefore come to the decision to resign as president of the republic with immediate effect,’ Zuma said. ‘Even though I disagree with the ...

MNA Feature Desk: Politics is like a tree that bears fruits seasonally or through the year bringing the creator’s best gifts for us who are often not that much grateful though. Coming back to earth where real life plays its tricks and gimmicks, we are more driven by benefits and promises of a bright future. And, that promise has to come from political parties or leaders for whom we dedicate our efforts. So, the bonding between politics and public is quite strong and lasts long unless one betrays the other. Also, display of over-allegiance is sometimes harmful too, showing the ...

MNA Business Desk: The Japanese Honda Motor Company is going to manufacture motorbikes in Bangladesh this year as the company’s concern ‘Bangladesh Honda Private Limited’ is setting up a motorcycle assembling and manufacturing plant in the country. This was disclosed at a meeting between Industries Minister Amir Hossain Amu and a delegation from Bangladesh Honda Private Limited at the Industries Ministry in the city, said a press release. Among others, Industries Secretary Muhammad Abdullah, Chief Operating Officer of the Honda Motor Company Limited Noriaki Abe, director of the Asia and Oceania Region of Honda Motor Akira Murayama and Managing Director ...

MNA Exclusive Desk: Myanmar has failed to put in place conditions for the safe return of 688,000 Rohingya refugees who fled an army crackdown six months ago, the UN refugee chief said Monday. The refugees are sheltering in makeshift camps in Bangladesh despite an agreement reached between Myanmar and Bangladesh allowing for their safe return to their homes in Rakhine state. “Let me be clear: conditions are not yet conducive to the voluntary repatriation of Rohingya refugees,” UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi told a Security Council meeting, speaking by videoconference from Geneva. “The causes of their flight have ...

MNA Life Style Desk: In a small medieval Slovak town, couples are getting ready on Valentine’s Day to make a “deposit” about their romance in a place dedicated to love stories. The “Love Bank” is the main attraction of an exhibition commemorating the world’s longest love poem, “Marina” by Slovak poet Andrej Sladkovic. Written in 1844, the 2,900-line long poem tells the tale of the doomed love between the poet and Maria Pischlova. They were star-crossed lovers but unlike Romeo and Juliet their tragic romance is a true story. Marina’s parents shunned the poor poet and forced her to marry ...

MNA Business Desk: The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) to give USD 92.30-million for sustainable improve of incomes and promoting resilience to extreme weather conditions for 3.30 lakh rural households in six flood-prone districts in northern Bangladesh. Economic Relations Division secretary Kazi Shofiqul Azam and IFAD president Gilbert Foussoun Houngbo signed the agreement on behalf of their respective sides. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina witnessed the signing ceremony that took place at the IFAD Headquarters in Rome on Tuesday, reported news agency. The PM has said that Bangladesh has made progress in all development indicators – from poverty alleviation, fish ...

MNA Science & Tech Desk: Google’s Snow Games Doodle on Day six came up with a Valentine’s Day twist on Wednesday. Google is supporting Winter Olympics by displaying a doodle every day until February 25 (total 17 doodles). The event is currently happening in South Korea and is scheduled from February 9 to February 25. But, to celebrate the day of love and romance deserves to be celebrated and Google agreed. The doodle for today displays two lovebirds skating on an ice rink but with an adorable twist. “On this brrr-eezy day in PyeongChang, we’re joined by athletes from all ...

MNA Feature Desk: The  Valentine’s Day is being celebrated today in Bangladesh and elsewhere in the world with presenting beloved ones with candy, flowers, chocolates and other gifts to show the feelings of love and affection. Every year, the 14th February is celebrated for Valentine’s Day. In many countries, restaurants and eateries are chock-full of couples who celebrate their relationship and the joys of togetherness through delicious cuisines. Various cultural events are organized for their unvarnished entertainment. The reason behind all of this is a kindly cleric named Valentine who died more than a thousand years ago. The origins of ...

MNA Science & Tech Desk: Two leading mobile operators –Grameenphone and Banglalink — acquired 15.6 Megahertz of 4G spectrum with a price of $463.6 million in auction today. Banglalink took 10.6 MHz spectrum from different two bands – 2100 and 1800, with a price of $308.6 million while Grameenphone took 5MHz from only 1800 band with a price of $155 million. With the spectrum fees, operators will have to pay 10 percent extra as VAT, if the finance ministry accepts the proposal recently sent by National Board of Revenue. Otherwise, they will have to pay 15 percent VAT on two ...

MNA Feature Desk: Pahela Falgun, the first day of spring of Bengali month Falgun, is being celebrated with flowers, poems, songs and dances. It brings joys and colours both in nature and life. The winter season has come to a close with rising of temperature as the people is set to welcome Pahela Falgun embracing fragrant of nature and exchanging love with their beloved ones. After the dryness of winter, new leaves start to come out again and the nature adorns the branches with new colorful flowers like Shimul, Polash and Marigold bringing the news of spring. Falgun is the ...

MNA Editorial Desk: Children are the creator’s most precious gift to mankind and most precious as future of a nation depends on them. We need to protect them from all adverse situations to the best of our ability. Children cannot fight alone for their rights. They are dependent on the adults for that. Hence, children’s rights are one of the most discussed areas of human rights as well all around the world. Children have several rights including that to special protection. Food, healthcare, education etc but they remain vulnerable to adversities through a good part of their lives. Therefore, it’s ...

MNA Business Desk: The White House on Monday will unveil its long-awaited $1.5 trillion infrastructure package aimed at overhauling US public works. The plan is structured around four goals: generate $1.5 trillion for an infrastructure proposal, streamline the permitting process down to two years, invest in rural infrastructure projects and advance workforce training, reports The Hill magazine. The Trump administration confirmed a $200 billion direct federal investment for the package, which will be included in the White House’s Monday spending blueprint for fiscal 2019. Half of the federal seed money would go toward an incentive programme to match financing from ...

MNA Sports Desk: South African leg-spinner Imran Tahir was allegedly subjected to racial abuse during the fourth one-day international against India at the Wanderers Stadium last Saturday. In a brief statement, Cricket South Africa said it was aware of video footage of Imran being circulated on social media. According to the statement, “Imran Tahir was verbally and racially abused by an unknown man. Tahir reported the incident to the stadium security, and was subsequently accompanied by two security personnel to identify and to have the man ejected from the stadium. “Tahir made no physical contact with the offender or any ...

MNA International Desk: Australia’s Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce said on Tuesday that he did not break any parliamentary rules while conducting an extramarital affair with a former staffer as he faced down calls for his resignation. Joyce, a practicing Catholic who has campaigned on “family values” and has been married for 24 years, is expecting a child with his former press secretary Vikki Campion. Joyce is under immense pressure for failing to declare his relationship with his former staffer when she was given two highly paid positions working for the ruling coalition government. Australia’s ministerial code of conduct requires ...