MNA Feature Desk: The first death anniversary of dreamer of ‘Clean Dhaka, Green Dhaka’, former mayor of Dhaka North City Corporation Annisul Huq is being observed today. He lost the battle for life in a London hospital on 30 November, 2017, after undergoing treatment for nearly three months’ there. He was only 65 at the time of his demise. He was laid to eternal rest at Banani graveyard on Dec 2, 2017. Suffering from neurological problems (dizziness and a lack of balance) for the last several months, he was first admitted to the National Neuroscience Hospital in central London on ...

MNA National Desk: The High Court on Thursday ordered former Dhaka mayor and BNP leader Sadeque Hossain Khoka’s son and daughter to surrender before lower courts within four weeks in a case filed by the Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) for not submitting wealth statement. An HC bench of Justice Md Nazrul Islam Talukdar and Justice KM Hafizul Alam passed the order rejecting their bail petitions. The ACC’s  assistant director Md Shamsul Alam filed the case with Ramna Police Station on August 29 and 30 in 2010, as Khoka’s son Ishrak Hossain and daughter Sarika Sadeque as they did not submit ...

MNA National Desk: BNP Standing Committee Member Mirza Abbas could not submit his nomination paper for Dhaka-9 constituency, reported news agency. Mirza Abbas alleged that his followers went to the office of returning officer timely on Wednesday with the nomination but they did not accept it. But the officers claimed, his supporters came to the office after 5pm. Abdus Salam, election officer for Dhaka-9, said “Abbas’s supporters came with the nomination paper at about 5:45pm. So, it was not accepted. Because, the submission time has ended at 5pm.” Earlier on Tuesday, the BNP leader has submitted his nomination paper for ...

MNA Business Desk: A two-day ‘Armed Forces Income Tax Fair-2018′ started at Sena Malancha convention hall in Dhaka on Wednesday with an aim to facilitate tax services to the armed forces’ members, reported news agency. Tax Zone-9, Dhaka, of the National Board of Revenue (NBR) and the Armed Forces Division (AFD) jointly organised the tax fair. Adjutant General of Bangladesh Army Major General Mohammad Humayun Kabir inaugurated the fair at a ceremony. NBR member (Tax administration and human resources management) Ziauddin Mahmud attended the inaugural ceremony as special guest. Earlier, the NBR organised a week-long national income tax fair at ...

MNA National Desk: BNP vice chairman Abdul Awal Mintoo, joint secretary general Moazzem Hossain Alal and Dhaka city (south) unit president Habib-un-Nabi Khan Sohel did not submit respective nomination papers on Wednesday, the last for submitting nomination paper. Abdul Awal Minto collected two nomination forms- one for contesting in Feni-3 constituency himself, and another for contesting in Feni-1 seat as an alternative to Khaleda Zia’s nomination, said BNP chairperson’s media wing officer Shayerul Kabir, reported news agency. Moazzem Hossain Alal wanted to contest in the Barishal-2 constituency, while Habib-un-Nabi Sohel was expected to vie in the Dhaka-8 constituency. But none ...

MNA International Desk: India on Wednesday put to rest any speculation over Prime Minister Narendra Modi travelling to Pakistan to attend the SAARC Summit. Addressing the press, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj categorically stated that there was no way PM Modi would travel to Pakistan for the summit of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) regional grouping. The minister said no dialogue can take place between India and Pakistan till the time the latter puts a curb on terrorist activities emanating from its soil. “PM Narendra Modi will not go to Pakistan to attend the SAARC Summit,” she ...

MNA Exclusive Desk: A total of 3056 candidates, including 265 in 20 seats of capital Dhaka, have submitted their nomination papers across the country to contest the upcoming general election billed for December 30. As per the Election Commission tally, 3,056 individuals and contenders of political parties filed their nominations forms for 300 seats by the deadline, reports news agency. Briefing reporters at Nirbachan Bhaban on Wednesday night, Election Commission Secretary Helal Uddin Ahmed said 23 contestants filed nomination papers online. The highest 22 nomination papers were filed for Dhaka-8, while the lowest four nomination forms for Magura-2, said the ...

MNA Science & Tech Desk: Britain and the Netherlands fined ride-hailing giant Uber more than one million euros (dollars) on Tuesday for hiding a huge data breach for more than one year. Hackers compromised customers’ personal data from some 57 million riders and drivers worldwide in October and November 2016, but US-based Uber kept it secret until November 2017. Dutch authorities fined Uber 600,000 euros and Britain imposed a £385,000 (435,000 euros) penalty, the two countries said in coordinated statements, reported news agency. Britain’s Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) said hackers stole the names, email addresses and phone numbers of 2.7 ...

MNA Sports Desk: Hornets Sporting Club emerged as the unbeaten champion in the Unimed Unihealth Pharmaceuticals Premier Division Basketball League, organised by Bangladesh Basketball Federation, after beating Rangers Club by 63-50 points Wednesday at Wooden Floor Basketball Gymnasium in Dhanmondi, Dhaka. The winning side led 33-22 in the first half. Hornets’ Jamil and Raim caged 25 and 13 points respectively while Rangers’ Bappy and Mehedi scored 19 and 13 points accordingly. Hornets received Tk30,000 as prize money while Rangers got Tk20,000, reported news agency.

MNA Education Desk: A total of 107 students from different departments of Dhaka University (DU) have been awarded ‘The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award’ for their success in various extra-curricular activities. Among them, 30 students received Silver Awards while 77 others Bronze Awards, a DU press release said. DU vice-chancellor professor Md Akhtaruzzaman distributed certificates among the students as the chief guest at a function held at the RC Majumder Auditorium of the university on 22 November. Director of Students Counselling and Guidance Office of DU Mahjabeen Haque presided over the function. Chairman of executive committee of the Duke of ...

MNA Entertainment Desk: Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas’ pre-wedding ceremonies began as soon as the couple announced their engagement on August 18 this year, reported news agency. On Wednesday, a puja was arranged at Priyanka’s Mumbai home to kick-start the pre-wedding ceremonies. The couple attended a puja where Nick’s brother Joe Jonas and his actor fiance Sophie Turner dazzled in traditional Indian attire. Priyanka wore an embroidered pastel blue kameez, while Nick complemented her in an equally pale pink kurta. The two families will soon leave for Jodhpur, where the couple will tie the knot on December 2. Priyanka recently ...

MNA National Desk: Neither Jatiya Oikyafront chief Dr Kamal Hossain nor his daughter Barrister Sara Hossain is going to participate in the 11th parliamentary elections. ‘Sir (Kamal) is not going to join the election as his physical condition is not well. Barrister Sara is also not going to take part in the polls on personal grounds,’ Gano Forum executive president Subrata Chowdhury told news agency. He, however, said Dr Kamal Hossain will be involved in electioneering in favour of the Jatiya Oikyafront. ‘Sir said he would work for the alliance and keep necessary contributions to ensuring its victory in the ...

MNA National Desk: The European Parliament will not observe the upcoming general election in Bangladesh on December 30, the EU delegation office in Dhaka has said, reported news agency. The co-chairs of the European Parliament’s Democracy Support and Election Coordination Group made a statement in this regard. “The European Parliament will not observe this electoral process and consequently will neither comment on the process nor on the results that will be announced afterwards. Moreover, there will be no European Union Election Observation Mission.” It said no individual member of the Parliament has been mandated to observe or comment on this ...

MNA National Desk: A Dhaka court on Wednesday has sentenced 10 year’s imprisonment former Dhaka City Corporation mayor Sadeque Hossain Khoka and three others for their involvement in corruption over Banani Super market car parking lease. The other convicts are Abdul Baten, president of DCC supermarket in Banani, Mahmudul Hassan Azad, its general secretary and AHM Tareque, manager of the market’s parking lot. Judge Mizanur Rahman Khan of Dhaka divisional special judge court issued the verdict around 11am in absence of Khoka. The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) filed the case on February 15 in 2012 against the four, accusing them of ...

MNA National Desk: The Bangladesh Nationalist Party has handed over its certificates of nominations to 800 candidates for 240 of the 300 seats for 11th parliamentary elections scheduled for December 30. Party insiders say it is taking time to finalise its list of 300 candidates, in a preemptive move to counter any ruling party offensive to dissuade the opposition candidates or to distabilise their discipline. Until Tuesday, the BNP camp named around 800 candidates, said party secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir. The alliance partners of the BNP including newly floated Jatiya Oikya Front (National Unity Front) and Jamaat-e-Islami, will ...

MNA International Desk: British prime minister Theresa May challenged opposition Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn to a live prime time television debate on Brexit before a crunch parliamentary vote as she struggles to win support for the deal agreed with the European. May said the format of the debate would need to be decided by broadcasters. Corbyn’s team swiftly accepted the offer, prompting demands from other parties and anti-Brexit groups to insist one of their supporters is allowed to take part. This would be the first time May has been willing to go head-to-head with the Labour leader in a live ...

MNA Feature Desk: Today is the 12th death anniversary of Mohammad Hanif, the first elected mayor of undivided Dhaka City Corporation and president of Dhaka city Awami League. On the occasion, Mayor Mohammad Hanif Memorial Foundation, Dhaka city AL and different socio-cultural organisations will hold special prayers. Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) has started fortnightly free treatment facilities for the residents, marking Hanif’s death anniversary. DSCC Mayor Sayeed Khokon inaugurated the free treatment programme yesterday. Hanif suffered splinter injuries while shielding AL President Sheikh Hasina during the August 21 grenade attack on an AL rally on Bangabandhu Avenue in 2004. ...

MNA Sports Desk: Bangladesh Premier League side Comilla Victorians on Tuesday announced the signing of former Australian captain Steve Smith for the upcoming edition of the Twenty20 tournament. Smith would join the team mid-January for the second phase of the BPL as a replacement for Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Malik, reported news agency. Australia’s ex-vice captain David Warner will also play in the BPL — which runs from 5 January to 8 February 2019 — having signed for the Sylhet Sixers. Smith and Warner were handed year-long international bans for their roles in a ball-tampering scandal that rocked Australian cricket in ...

MNA Exclusive Desk: More than 150 retired officers of Army, Navy and Air Force expressed solidarity with the Awami League and pledged to work for the party’s victory in the upcoming national election. The retired officers pledged allegiance to the party in presence of Prime Minister and the party President Sheikh Hasina at a function in Ganabhaban. Top-level Navy officials to stand in solidarity with Awami League Dhaka Tribune PM’s Security Adviser Major General (retd) Tariq Ahmed Siddiq, Ex-Principal Staff Officer of Armed Forces Division Lt Gen (retd) Abdul Wadud, Rear Admiral (retd) Harunur Rashid and Air Commodore (retd) Kazi ...

MNA Tech Desk: NASA’s InSight spacecraft, the first robotic lander designed to study the deep interior of a distant world, touched down safely on the surface of Mars on Monday with instruments to detect planetary seismic rumblings never measured anywhere but Earth. Engineers at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) near Los Angeles burst into cheers, applause and hugs as they received signals confirming InSight’s arrival on Martian soil – a vast, barren plain near the planet’s equator – shortly before 3 p.m. EST (2000 GMT) Minutes later, JPL controllers received a fuzzy “selfie” photograph of the probe’s new surroundings on ...

MNA Business Desk: Executive Chairman of the Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA) Kazi M Aminul Islam has said Bangladesh has made enormous economic and social development strides in the last 30 years and is poised to continue to grow at a world-leading rate over the next 30 years. “We expect Citi to continue to support the country in this journey with its financial innovation and solutions,” he said while addressing a function marking Citibank N.A.’s 30 Years in Bangladesh, reported news agency. Citi celebrated the event, hosted by Managing Director and Citi Country Officer for Bangladesh N Rajashekaran, with clients, ...

MNA Entertainment Desk: Arjun Kapoor and Malaika Arora are busy painting the town red with their romantic outings. The new ‘it’ couple of Bollywood, Arjun and Malaika have grabbed eyeballs with their romance. From dinner dates to airport spottings to vacations, Malaika and Arjun are all over the place. So how could Karan Johar refrain from addressing the elephant in the room. Arjun, who has remained tight-lipped about his personal life, finally opened up on KJo’s chat show about his relationship status and revealed that he is not single, reported news agency. Though, the actor was careful enough to not ...

MNA Life Style Desk: Happiness is a choice; you can choose to be sad when everything is going well for you and you can choose to stay happy even when nothing seems right. To be happy at all times, you need to make happiness a habit and not just an act. Be grateful Gratitude is a sign of appreciation and you ought to show appreciation for life. Always wake up every morning in acknowledgement that someone died the previous night but you didn’t, someone did not wake up but you did. Make someone happy “The best way to cheer yourself ...

MNA National Desk: Jatiya Party Chairman HM Ershad has been hospitalised after he became ill. The Jatiya Party chairman was admitted to the Combined Military Hospital (CMH) on Tuesday morning, said his Press Secretary Sunil Shuvo Roy, reported news agency. He said Ershad has been suffering from serious pain in his knees and some other complications. Roy said their chairman needs to go to Singapore for his regular health checkup but is unable to due to the upcoming 11th general election.

MNA National Desk: The High Court today said a convict sentenced to more than two years in jail cannot contest the election, even if an appeal is pending. The court came up with the observation in line with Article 66 (2)(D) of the constitution. It said, the convict can only run for candidacy after a five-year term after completion of the jail term. The High Court bench of Justice Mohammad Nazrul Islam Talukder and Justice KM Hafizul Alam passed the order while rejecting petitions filed by five BNP leaders seeking suspension of their conviction in graft cases, reported news agency. ...

MNA National Desk: Nine candidates of Nagorik Oikya, led by Mahmudur Rahman Manna, will contest the 11th general elections with BNP’s poll-symbol, “sheaf of paddy.” Manzur Quader, central leader of the party, confirmed this on Monday night. They will contest with BNP as Nagorik Oikya has no registration, reported news agency. It started distributing the nomination papers to the nominated candidates on Tuesday morning. The nominated aspiratnts are: Mahmudur Rahman Manna (Bogura-2), SM Akram (Narayanganj-5), Fazlul Haque Sarkar (Chandpur-3), Ad. Nazrul Islam (Mymensingh-2), Mobarak Hossain (Brahmanbari-2), Rabiul Islam (Satkhira-2), Shah Md Rahmatullah (Rangpur-1), Mofakhkharul Islam (Rangpur-5) and KM Nurur Rahman ...

MNA Exclusive Desk: Authorities in Myanmar have seized a boat carrying 93 people, apparently Rohingya Muslims, fleeing displacement camps in western Myanmar’s Rakhine State and hoping to reach Malaysia, reported news agency. The boat is believed to be the third bound for Malaysia stopped in Myanmar waters since monsoon rains began to subside last month, bringing calmer weather, raising fears of a fresh wave of hazardous voyages after a 2015 crackdown on people smugglers. Moe Zaw Latt, director of the government office in Dawei, a coastal town in southern Myanmar, said fishermen had reported a “suspicious” boat to authorities. The ...