National

MNA National Desk: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has called upon the people to help her face new challenges as she promised to move forward by drawing on past experiences with the her third consecutive government completing its first year. In a televised address to the nation to mark the occasion on Tuesday, the prime minister recalled the lifelong struggle and sacrifices of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman to ensure the people’s welfare. Mentioning that the government always welcomes any peaceful democratic movement, Sheikh Hasina said it will not tolerate any destructive activity aimed at realizing illogical ...

MNA National Desk: Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal on Monday said legal actions will be taken soon against those involved in the rape of Dhaka University (DU) student. The Home Minister said this while talking to reporters at the Annual Sports Competition organized as part of the Police Week at Rajarbagh Police Lines field in the capital, reports UNB. A second-year student of Dhaka University (DU) was allegedly raped in the city’s Kurmitola area on Sunday night. She is now undergoing treatment at the One-Stop Crisis Centre (OSCC) of Dhaka Medical College Hospital. The Home Minister said law enforcement agencies ...

MNA National Desk: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday asked police members to establish themselves as the ‘police of people’, saying it is very easy to eliminate any crime through gaining people’s confidence and trust. “Police will have to establish themselves as the police of people. It’s very easy to contain any type of crime through gaining people’s trust and confidence. I hope you’ll work keeping this in mind,” she said. The Prime Minister was inaugurating the five-day ‘Police Week-2020’ with the theme ‘Mujib Borsher Angikar Police Hobe Jonatar’ at the Rajarbagh Police Lines in the capital. She said the ...

MNA National Desk: The Election Commission has declared all seven candidates who have submitted nomination papers for contesting the mayoral post in Dhaka South City Corporation polls to be valid. Returning officer Md Abdul Baten made the announcement at Dhaka’s Gopibag on Thursday after scrutinising the nomination papers of the aspirants, reports bdnews24.com. The valid candidates are: Awami League’s Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh, BNP’s Ishraque Hossain, Jatiya Party’s Saifuddin Ahmed Milon, Islami Andolon Bangladesh’s Abdur Rahman, National People’s Party’s Bahrane Sultan, Gonofront’s Abdus Samad, and Bangladesh Congress’ Md Aktar Uzzaman. Awami League’s Taposh wished for a competitive and fair election ...

MNA National Desk: The ruling Awami League has announced Atiqul Islam and Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh as its candidates for contesting the city mayoral elections of respectively Dhaka North and Dhaka South. The party’s general secretary Obaidul Quader announced the names at the party president’s Dhanmondi office in the city on Sunday morning, according to local media reports. The announcement means that the Awami League could not continue to put its trust on Sayeed Khokon, the current mayor of Dhaka South City Corporation. Hence, the party chose Taposh over him to contest the upcoming polls. However, it retained its trust ...

MNA National Desk: The 7th national conference of Bangabandhu Shishu Kishore Mela (BSKM) was held at the Shishu Academy auditorium on Saturday. The conference resolved to take various programmes to celebrate the birth centenary of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in the ‘Mujib Year’ 2020. Presided over by BSKM president Mia Mansaf the conference was addressed by Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury, Chief Adviser of BSKM, Lucky Enam, Chairman of Bangladesh Shishu Academy, Mir Mosharref  Hossain, Chief Patron of BSKM, Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra artist Dr. Monoranjan Ghosal and Dr. Abdus Sobhan, a leading expert on climate change. ...

MNA National Desk: BRAC founder Sir Fazle Hasan Abed, who committed his life to alleviating poverty in the country, was laid to rest beside his wife Ayesha Abed at the Banani Graveyard after a namaz-e-janaza at the Army stadium in Dhaka city on Sunday. Before the burial, people from all walks of life, including political leaders, social activists along with BRAC staffers and dignitaries, paid last respects to him at the stadium where his body was taken at 10:30am for the namaz-e-janaza at 12:30pm. Major Ashiqur Rahman, the PA to president Abdul Hamid’s military secretary, placed a wreath on Sir ...

MNA National Desk: The nation on Monday celebrated the 49th Victory Day, marking the most precious moment when the country was liberated from the clutches of Pakistani occupation forces after a nine-month bloodstained war, with a vow to build a non-communal country in keeping with the spirit of the Liberation War. The publication of a list of Razakars just a day before the Victory Day brought a new dimension in the observance of the precious moment this year. Forty-eight years back on December 16 in 1971, Bangladesh was born as an independent state under the leadership of Father of Nation ...

MNA National Desk: The nation celebrates the 49th Victory Day today to pay deep homage to the martyrs who laid down their lives for the country during the Liberation War in 1971. On this day in 1971, Pakistani occupation forces surrendered after a nine-month war, resulting in independent and sovereign Bangladesh. The day is a public holiday. The nation is set to celebrate the Month of Victory with much enthusiasm amid a variety of programmes throughout the month of December. Various socio-political, educational and cultural institutions and organizations chalked out programmes to mark the nation’s victory achieved under the leadership ...

MNA National Desk: Highlighting Bangladesh’s tremendous development in the last one decade, prime minister Sheikh Hasina said Bangladesh has graduated to a developing country and is a role model of development in the world. She said the country’s GDP rate increased to 8.13 per cent and poverty rate was brought down to 21 per cent from 41 per cent, she said. Sheikh Hasina was addressing a reception accorded to her by Bangladesh Embassy in Spain at Hotel Villa Magna in Madrid on Sunday evening local time. Expatriate Bangladeshis, including Awami League leaders and workers living in Spain and other European ...

MNA National Desk: President M Abdul Hamid on Sunday came down heavily on food adulterators and urged all concerned to gear up campaign against the adulteration of foods and the unscrupulous traders. “We have already become champion in food adulteration”, the President said with a note of sarcasm. “I visited 80 to 85 countries till date. I haven’t seen this type of food adulteration and use of formalin in fruits in other countries, even in neighbouring India and Nepal,” he said. The head of the state made the remarks while addressing the fifth convocation of Rajshahi University of Engineering and ...

MNA National Desk: Mentioning that the trend of making money now has become a disease, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Saturday renewed her vow to continue the ongoing drive against corruption and drugs. “[Greed] to accumulate wealth has become a disease. It’s sickening … we want those who lead the life with honest income to get the dignity,” she said. Addressing the triennial council of Dhaka North and South City units of Bangladesh Awami League (AL), the Prime Minister said, “The hard-earned money of people will be spent on ensuring the welfare of people, not for lavish lifestyle of anyone.” ...

MNA National Desk: President of the Marshall Islands Hilda C Heine on Thursday phoned Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and exchanged pleasantries. Hilda Heine made the phone call to the Prime Minister at noon and exchanged greetings, said PM’s Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim, reports UNB. He said Hilda Heine wished continued peace, progress and prosperity of the people of Bangladesh. The Prime Minister also wished peace, progress and prosperity of the people of the Marshall Islands, the press secretary said.

MNA National Desk: Seven men were sentenced to death on Wednesday for their roles in the Holey Artisan café attack, the deadliest terror attack in Bangladesh’s history that claimed the lives of 22 people, including 17 foreigners. Judge Mohammad Mujibur Rahman of Dhaka Anti-terrorism Special Tribunal handed down the verdict. The convicts are – Jahangir Hossain, Aslam Hossain Ryash, Hadisur Rahman, Rakibul Hasan Rigen, Abdus Sabur Khan, Mamunur Rashid Ripon and Shariful Islam Khaled. Each of them was fined Tk 50,000. One of the accused, Mizanur Rahman alias Boro Mizan, was acquitted as charges brought against him could not be ...

MNA National Desk: Bangladesh Road Transport Workers Federation President Shajahan Khan has said drivers should be brought to justice if they commit any crime, but there should be a provision of securing bail in the new road transport act. The former shipping minister also mentioned that there will be a crisis of drivers if they remain in custody for a long time. Shajahan Khan came up with the statement on Sunday after the first meeting of the Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan -led taskforce designated for implementing 111 recommendations. The recommendations were proposed by a committee headed by Shajahan Khan to ...

MNA National Desk: Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader has said the guidelines on the new road transport act are in the final stages. “Once it is done, there won’t be any problem with the enforcement of the law,” he told a news conference at Awami League’s Dhanmondi offices on Thursday, reports bdnews24.com. Transport owners and workers called off their strike after the government promised to address their concerns over the new law on Wednesday. However, bus services on several long routes are yet to fully resume. “There is no reason to interrupt traffic. There will be no unnecessary ...

MNA National Desk: The government today urged all not to get confused with misleading information over salt stock and price being spread by an unscrupulous group saying the current salt reserve is much more than the country needs. “There’s no shortage of salt. At present, the salt stock in the country is much higher than the demand,” said Chairman of Bangladesh Small & Cottage Industries Corporation (BSCIC) Md Mostaque Hassan. He said an unholy syndicate is trying to reap benefits by spreading misleading information through online media. “The people of the country are requested not to get confused.” The BSCIC ...

MNA National Desk: The Biman Bangladesh Airlines is set to buy two 787-9 Dreamliner jets, valued at $585 million. Biman and Boeing announced a deal over the procurement at the 2019 Dubai Airshow on Sunday, reports bdnews24.com quoting a statement. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who had inaugurated the four 787-8 Dreamliner airplanes of Biman in Dhaka, is currently in Dubai to watch the airshow. The new purchase was recorded in October as an unidentified order on Boeing’s website. It complements Biman’s fleet of 787-8 jets with the larger and longer-range 787-9 variant. The national flag carrier of Bangladesh says the ...

MNA National Desk: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Saturday said the government wants to see whether there is any conspiracy behind the sudden surge in onion price in the country. “Onion price is a problem right now…this is right that onion price has surged in different countries, but I don’t know why this price soared abnormally in our country. We want to see if anyone is involved in this conspiracy,” she said. The Prime Minister said this while inaugurating the 3rd national council of Awami Swechchhasebak League, an associate body of Awami League, at historic Suhrawardy Udyan. A total of ...

MNA National Desk: The High Court on Thursday observed that the success of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) will fade if it fails to debunk the mystery behind the murder of journalist couple Sagar and Runi. The bench of Justice M Enayetur Rahim and Justice Md Mostafizur Rahman came up with the observation while delivering an order over an appeal filed by an accused of the case seeking cancellation of the case. “Failure to debunk the mystery behind the murder, identify the offenders or arrest them even after a long time is certainly a matter of sorrow and frustration. The success ...

MNA National Desk: Police have arrested two employees of the Election Commission’s offices in Chattogram in connection with the distribution of counterfeit NIDs to Rohingya refugees. The arrestees are Abul Khair Bhuiyan, 45, a staffer at the EC’s Chattogram district office, and Anwar Hossain, 45, a staffer at the EC’s Mirsarai Upazila office. They were arrested from their workplaces on Tuesday, said Counter-terrorism and Transnational Unit Inspector Rajesh Barua. Law enforcers arrested the two in a case over the NID scam with the Kotwali police and sought 10 days to grill them in custody on Tuesday, said Rajesh. Police have ...

MNA National Desk: The loco master of Turna Nishitha train and two other staff of Bangladesh Railway have been suspended after the fatal train crash at Mandbagh of Brahmanbaria that left 16 people dead and over 100 others injured. Loco master Taser Uddin, assistant loco master Apu Dey and working guard Abdur Rahman were suspended, said Shariful Alam, senior information officer of the railways ministry. Dhaka-bound Turna Nishita from Chattogram collided with Chattogram-bound Udayan Express from Sylhet around 3:00am, said Deputy Commissioner Hayat-Ud-Dowllah Khan, who visited the spot right after the crash, UNB reports. “So far, 16 people have died ...

MNA National Desk: The Cabinet on Monday approved in principle the draft of the ‘Bangladesh Public-Private Partnership (PPP-Amendment) Bill, 2019’ to pave the path for undertaking and implementing the G2G (government-to-government) projects under PPP as well. The approval came from the weekly cabinet meeting held at the Bangladesh Secretariat with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair, according to UNB. “There’s no provision to implement G2G schemes in the existing Bangladesh Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Act, 2015. After the enactment of the PPP Act, 2015, the government took initiatives for the execution of the PPP projects (G2G PPP) with different countries,” ...

MNA National Desk: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Saturday said the government will stop providing funds to public universities if the teachers do not stop provocative activities to take their students to a wrong path in the name of movement. “The government will stop all funding…why should the government provide funds, these are autonomous institutions. Now, you have to think, what you will do,” she said. The Prime Minister said this while addressing the 13th council of Jatiya Sramik League at Suhrawardy Udyan, reports UNB. No one will ever accept taking students to a wrong path through provocation and uttering ...

MNA National Desk: Information minister Dr. Hasan Mahmud praised “Jatir Jonok Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman – Shototomo jonmo Sharok Grontho”- a memorial book published jointly by kishore Bangla and Bangabandhu Shishu Kishore Mela. He congratulated the publication for providing the next generation an opportunity to learn about many aspects of the greatest Bengali of all time Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman from a single publication. He said that, the book will play a great role as a basic document of correct history of the country for the 7 crore children and teenagers of today and also the future generations. He made ...

MNA National Desk: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday said the government will not desert agriculture and farmers on its way to make Bangladesh a developed and industrialized nation. “We’ll be developed, we’ll be [an] industrialized [nation] without abandoning our farmers and agriculture,” she said at the 10th national council of Bangladesh Krishak League at the historic Suhrawardy Udyan. She said the main goal of the government is to protect the rights of the farmers. “Because, agriculture keeps us alive by providing food and nutrition,” she said. In this connection, she said the government takes all its development programmes giving ...

MNA National Desk: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday urged the insurance companies to utilise their industry for humanitarian welfare and said Unified Messaging Platform (UMP) will be introduced to save the customers from insurance-related cheating. “I hope you (insurance companies) will use the insurance industry for humanitarian welfare and play a more effective role in keeping production and economy out of risk,” she said. The prime minister was addressing as the chief guest the inaugural ceremony of the 15th International Conference on Inclusive Insurance at Pan Pacific Sonargaon Hotel in the afternoon, BSS reports. Sheikh Hasina described inadequacy of ...