MNA National Desk: Jatiya Party candidate Mostafizur Rahman won the Rangpur City Corporation polls defeating his nearest rival Awami League contender Sarfuddin Ahmed Jhantu. According to the unofficial result, Mostafiz bagged 1,60,489 votes while Jhantu polled 62,400 votes and BNP candidate Kawsar Jahan Babla got only 35,136 votes. Returning officer of the election Suvash Chandra Sarkar announced Mostafizur Rahman unofficially elected around 12:10 am. The voting was held from 8am to 4pm without any break at 193 polling stations in the city corporation in a peaceful atmosphere with the good turnout of voters. A total of 3,93,994 voters — 1,96,356 ...

MNA Exclusive Desk: The United States on Thursday imposed sanctions on 13 “serious human rights abusers and corrupt actors” including Myanmar general Maung Maung Soe, who oversaw this year’s brutal crackdown against the Rohingya Muslim minority. The US government, applying penalties for the first time under a law passed last year, also targeted 39 other individuals and entities with sanctions that block their assets under US jurisdiction, bar most Americans from dealing with them and largely cut them off from the global financial system. The Treasury Department said those sanctioned included Benjamin Bol Mel, who has served as an adviser ...

MNA Business Desk: The Economist named France as its country of the year on Thursday, saying new President Emmanuel Macron had upset the odds to strike a victory for open societies and reform. The London-based weekly news magazine said the battle between open and closed visions of society was the most important in the world in 2017 and Macron had defeated the “drawbridge-raisers”. “In 2017, France defied all expectations,” The Economist said in an editorial in its December 23-January 5 edition. The centrist Macron’s successful presidential election campaign, without the backing of a traditional party, followed by his start-up Republic ...

MNA Entertainment Desk: Salman Khan has once again maintained the top spot in Forbes India Celebrity 100 list for the second consecutive year. Shah Rukh Khan and India’s cricket captain Virat Kohli took the second and third spot respectively with actress Priyanka Chopra named as only female celebrity in top 10 list. The 2017 Forbes India Celebrity 100 List rankings are based on estimates of entertainment-related earnings of celebrities. The period under consideration is October 1, 2016 to September 30, 2017. The methodology for calculating the ranking may have changed this year (to exclude the ‘fame’ quotient), but the list’s ...

MNA National Desk: Accusing the ruling party men of driving out their mayoral candidate’s polling agents from different centres, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) on Thursday voiced strong doubt about neutral election in Rangpur City Corporation. At a press briefing at the party’s Naya Paltan central office, BNP senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi also alleged that its mayoral candidate Kausar Zaman Babla is being obstructed from visiting polling stations as the Election Commission is playing an ‘inactive’ role. The BNP leader said, “We’re in serious doubt whether the Rangpur City Corporation polls will be held in an impartial ...

MNA National Desk: Voting began in Rangpur City Corporation (RpCC) election on Thursday morning amid a four-tier security measure. The voting began at about 8:00am and will continue till 4:00pm without any break. Of the 193 polling stations, 128 are said to be vulnerable, or at risk of seeing violence. A security team, numbering 22-25, will guard every polling station. Seven candidates are there in the election race for the mayoral post, while 211 candidates for ward councillors and 65 women candidates for reserved councillors. In the mayoral race, there is a triangular fight among Sarfuddin Ahmed of Awami League, ...

MNA International Desk: British Prime Minister Theresa May’s most senior minister, Damian Green, has resigned at her request after an internal investigation found that he had made misleading comments about pornography found on computers in his parliamentary office. The resignation of one of her most trusted allies, who helped pacify her deeply divided party, is a serious blow for May as she navigates the final year of tortuous Brexit negotiations before Britain’s exit in March 2019. Green was appointed in the wake of her disastrous bet on a June snap election which lost her party its majority in parliament. Green, ...

MNA Culture & Entertainment Desk: ‘Golmaal Again’ won the Best Film award and Varun Dhawan took home the Best Actor award for ‘Badrinath Ki Dulhania’. The winners’ list, with one shocker after another and a few categories that seem to be really scratching barrel’s end, goes something like this: Extraordinary Impact Award: Toilet -Ek Prem Katha Extraordinary Legend Award: Amitabh Bachchan Best Actor in a Negative Role: Raj Rajun for Secret Superstar Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Female): Meher Vij for Secret Superstar Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Male): Anil Kapoor for Mubarakan Best Debut Director: Advait Chandan ...

MNA Education Desk: A total of 77 students of Islamic University (IU) in Kushtia will get ‘President Gold Medal’ awards for their excellent results in Masters’ examinations. IU acting registrar SM Abdul Latif said that they selected 15 students from Theology and Islamic Studies faculty, 15 from Humanities and Social Sciences faculty, 16 from Law and Shariah faculty, 16 from Business Administration faculty and 15 students from Applied Science and Technology faculty for their outstanding academic performances. President Abdul Hamid, who is the IU Chancellor, will hand over the awards to the students during the 4th convocation of the university ...

MNA Life Style Desk: Today’s smokers have an entire arsenal of smoking cessation aids to help them quit – more than ever before. But many people are either turned off by many of the aids available, or just simply cannot afford the high prices of patches, prescriptions, or hours of hypnosis sessions. Stop smoking, eat right at the right time, balance your diet and meditate, suggest experts. A balanced diet should be a healthy mix of carbohydrates, proteins and fats. It should include fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, low fat dairy, nuts to take care of minerals, vitamins, antioxidants, fibre ...

MNA Business Desk: Disasters in 2017 caused losses of $306bn (£229bn), according to estimates from insurance giant Swiss Re. The figure represents a 63% jump from last year, and is well above the average of the past decade. The Americas was hardest hit, with hurricanes in the Caribbean and southern US, earthquakes in Mexico and wildfires in California. Despite the rise in the financial cost of disasters, there was no significant increase in the loss of lives. Swiss Re said more than 11,000 people died or went missing in disaster events in 2017, which is similar to 2016’s figure. A ...

MNA National Desk: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday hoped that the members of Bangladesh Border Guard (BGB) will work for the country maintaining discipline strictly. ‘I always want this force (BGB) to maintain its discipline strictly and work for the development of the country,’ the PM said. The Prime Minister said this while addressing the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) Day 2017 at its Peelkhana headquarters in the city. ‘I believe that the mutual confidence, respect, discipline, humanity and above all mutual sympathy among the officers and members will strengthen the bonding of this force,’ she added. The PM also ...

MNA National Desk: Khaleda Zia has sent a legal notice to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, asking her to apologise for making ‘baseless and defamatory’ remarks about her assets abroad. BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia’s counsel and BNP joint secretary general Barrister Mahbubuddin Khokon sent the notice by post on Tuesday. BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir disclosed this at a press conference at the party’s Nayapaltan central office. In the notice, Khaleda demanded that the Prime Minister apologise unconditionally and publish it in the media by 30 days. Otherwise, Khaleda will take legal steps to sue the Prime Minister for ...

MNA International Desk: The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) will hold a rare emergency special session on Thursday at the request of Arab and Muslim states on US President Donald Trump’s decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, sparking a warning from Washington that it will “take names.” Palestinian UN envoy Riyad Mansour said the General Assembly would vote on a draft resolution calling for Trump’s declaration to be withdrawn, which was vetoed by the United States in the 15-member UN Security Council on Monday. The remaining 14 Security Council members voted in favor of the Egyptian-drafted resolution, which did ...

MNA Business Desk: The US Senate has approved the most sweeping overhaul of the US tax system in more than three decades. The House of Representatives earlier approved the bill comfortably. Republicans have majorities in both houses of Congress. The Senate approved the $1.5 trillion tax bill, which includes permanent tax breaks for corporations and temporary tax cuts for individuals, by a final vote of 51-48. Once enacted, the legislation will represent the most drastic changes to the US tax code since 1986. For final approval the legislation must go back to the House on Wednesday for a procedural issue. ...

MNA Exclusive Desk: Sheikh Hasina and Turkish premier Binali Yildirm on Tuesday agreed to continue to work together for socio-economic development and issues of mutual concerns like Rohingya crisis. The two PMs iterated their commitment to work closely and support each other on bilateral and international matters and issues of mutual concern including the Rohingya crisis. The two premiers made the commitments issuing separate statements after their official talks at Prime Minister’s Office (PMO). Sheikh Hasina was aided by foreign minister AH Mahmood Ali, industries minister Amir Hossain Amu, commerce minister Tofail Ahmed, education minister Nurul Islam Nahid, home minister ...

MNA Sports Desk: Manchester City held off a spirited challenge from Leicester on Tuesday to reach the League Cup semi-finals following a dramatic penalty shootout, as Arsenal also progressed. Pep Guardiola showcased the riches at his disposal by making nine changes as his runaway Premier League leaders held their nerve to edge through 4-3 on spot-kicks after the two sides were locked at 1-1 following extra time. Arsenal beat West Ham 1-0 to keep alive the prospect of two mouthwatering semi-finals featuring four of English football’s “Big Six”. In an ironic twist at the King Power Stadium Jamie Vardy-who had ...

MNA Feature Desk: The Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) will celebrate its seventh founding anniversary on Wednesday amid different programmes at Pilkhana headquarters. The programmes include hoisting of BGB’s regimental flags at 8:00am atop BGB headquarters and battalions, parade at the Pilkhana headquarters. President Md Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today issued separate statement on the occasion greeting the BGB members. They hope that the BGB would discharge their duties with honesty and sincerity to keep the border areas safe and uphold the country‘s image. ‘We already have started to reform the force as a time be-fitting border guard ...

MNA Culture & Entertainment Desk: Joya Ahsan was judged Best Actress at the Zee Cine Awards on Tuesday for her work in the Indian-Bangla film, ‘Bishorjan’. Indian filmmaker Ashwini Iyer Tiwari gave away the award to Joya on the awards night at the BK Grounds of Mumbai, reported news agency. Earlier, on 8 April, ‘Bishorjan’ grabbed the Best Bengali Film award in the 64th edition of India’s National Film Awards. The film tells a tale of love beyond the borders, where Joya portrays the character of a Hindu widow who lives in Bangladesh and Abir Chatterjee plays the role of ...

MNA National Desk: Bangladesh and Myanmar have formed a Joint Working Group to handle the repatriation of Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh. Foreign Secretary Md Shahidul Haque and his counterpart Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Myanmar U Myint Thu signed an agreement on behalf of the respective governments in the presence of the Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali at Dhaka’s State Guest House Padma on Tuesday. A six-member delegation led by Myanmar Foreign affairs secretary Myint Thu attended the meeting. The working group will be led jointly by the both countries. It will handle all the facts ...

MNA National Desk: Lawmaker of Gaibandha-1 (Sundarganj) Golam Mostofa Ahmed died undergoing treatment on Tuesday morning after being injured in a road accident. He breathed his last at Dhaka’s Combined Military Hospital around 8:30pm. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Speaker of the House Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury and Deputy Speaker Fazle Rabbi Miah have expressed their condolences on Mostofa’s death. Mostofa was injured in a road accident as he was traveling to Dhaka from his constituency by microbus on Nov 18. Four, including the MP and the driver, were injured when the microbus collided head-on with a bus headed for Rangpur in ...

MNA International Desk: An Amtrak passenger train traveling on a new route for the first time derailed Monday in Washington state, killing at least three people as cars plunged off a bridge onto a busy highway at the height of morning rush hour, officials said. The train, which was carrying 77 passengers and seven crew, derailed in DuPont about halfway between Tacoma and the state capital Olympia on a curve that passes over busy Interstate 5 at about 7:40 am (1540 GMT). Several other carriages of the 14-car train also ended up on the highway, shutting down a key section ...

MNA Exclusive Desk: Sixty-five journalists and media workers were killed worldwide in 2017, according to annual figures published by Reporters Without Borders (RSF) on Tuesday. Among them were 50 professional reporters, the lowest toll in 14 years. However, the downward trend is due at least in part to journalists giving up working in the world’s deadliest spots. War-torn Syria remains the most dangerous country in the world for journalists, RSF said, with 12 reporters killed, followed by Mexico where 11 were assassinated. They included Javier Valdez, one of the most prominent chroniclers of Mexico’s deadly drug war, whose murder in ...

MNA Editorial Desk: Politics is the noblest profession in the world though many might argue on that and a political leader devotes his life for the welfare of the people of his constituency as well as for the country. He works to ensure the basic rights — food, clothing, shelter, education, treatment of his people. But to keep this profession a noble one, there is no alternative of having good political leaders. Bangladesh being a democratic country practices people’s participation in choosing their leaders or representatives through elections. Different parties place their candidates at different constituencies and people elect their ...

MNA Sports Desk: Australia thrashed England by an innings and 41 runs in the third test in Perth on Monday to reclaim the Ashes. Seamer Josh Hazlewood finished with a five-wicket haul as England were bowled out for 218 before tea on a rain-hit final day at the WACA. Four years after Alastair Cook’s side meekly surrendered the Ashes at the same venue, Root’s England were condemned to hand back the urn with the same humiliating 3-0 scoreline. Captain Steve Smith was named Man-of-the-Match for a second time in the series, his brilliant 239 having left England with an improbable ...

MNA National Desk: A 5-month-old infant has died after falling from a moving rickshaw as muggers attempted to snatch his mother’s purse in Dhaka’s Doyaganj. The incident occurred around 6am on Monday on the eastern side of the Doyaganj rail tracks, said police. The muggers attempted to snatch Aklima Begum’s purse and caused the infant to fall to the ground. Arafat was rushed to Dhaka Medical College Hospital or DMCH in critical condition, where doctors declared him dead. Shah Alam and his ailing son hired a rickshaw from Shadarghat area for Shishu Hospital, while Aklima Begum rode on another rickshaw ...

MNA National Desk: Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim will visit Dhaka early on Tuesday on a two-day official visit to discuss the Rohingya and other bilateral and regional issues. He will be in Dhaka at the invitation of his Bangladeshi counterpart Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, said a diplomatic source. Yildirim will visit Cox’s Bazar to see the Rohingya situation on the ground after his official meetings in Dhaka, including a bilateral meeting with Sheikh Hasina. During the visit, the relations between Bangladesh and Turkey, which is based on friendship and brotherhood, is expected to be discussed comprehensively, according to Turkish ...