MNA Education Desk: Students of Government Science College blocked Farmgate road on Tuesday morning demanding safe roads following death of two students on Airport Road in Dhaka, reported news agency. As part of their pre-scheduled programme, the students took to the street and staged sit-in under the foot-over bridge around 10:15am, disrupting vehicular movement of the road. The nine-point demands include resignation of Shipping Minister Shahjahan Khan, safe road, capital punishment of the killer driver. Diya Khanam Mim and Abdul Karim Rajib, first year students of Shaheed Ramiz Uddin Cantonment College, were killed and nine others wounded as a bus ...

MNA International Desk: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday congratulated Imran Khan, who is set to become Pakistan’s next prime minister. He spoke to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader and also congratulated him for his party emerging as the largest political party in the National Assembly there in the recent elections. The PM expressed hope that democracy will take deeper roots in Pakistan, a statement from his office said. He also reiterated his vision of peace and development in the entire neighbourhood, the statement said, report news agency. Mr Khan had said that he will take oath as the ...

MNA Exclusive Desk: Myanmar has established a commission of inquiry to probe allegations of human rights abuses in conflict-torn Rakhine state, authorities said on Monday, reported news agency. The four-person commission will be comprised of two local and two international members – Filipino diplomat Rosario Manalo and Kenzo Oshima, Japan’s former ambassador to the U.N – the Myanmar President’s Office said in a statement. Manalo, 82, a former undersecretary of foreign affairs, will chair the commission. The two local members are lawyer Mya Thein and Aung Tun Thet, an economist and former UN official. Aung Tun Thet was last year ...

MNA Business Desk: The Asian Development Bank’s (ADB) Board of Directors has approved an assistance package totalling more than $357 million for a project to develop two power lines in support of Bangladesh’s national target of electricity for all by 2021. The investments comprise a $350 million ADB loan, a $7 million grant from the Japan Fund for the Joint Crediting Mechanism (JFJCM) to partially finance new high-technology energy efficient conductors, and a $500,000 grant from the Republic of Korea e-Asia and Knowledge Partnership Fund (EAKPF) to promote socially inclusive growth with gender equality said an ADB press release on ...

MNA Feature Desk: The month of mourning begins tomorrow with the nation once again recalling the most brutal killing in its history and renewing the pledge to safeguard perpetually the country’s independence and sovereignty. The killing of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and most of his family members on the fateful night of August 15, 1975 is the ugliest chapter of the nation’s history. The self-confessed killers of August 15 did not assassinate Bangabandhu alone, but also killed 16 other members of his family, friends and relatives. They include his wife Begum Fazilanunnessa Mujib, sons Sheikh Kamal, ...

MNA Editorial Desk: Tomorrow we are entering the month of August – a month which has several significances for us as a nation. This month contains the ‘National Mourning Day’.  On 15th August, 1975, Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman along with most of his family members was killed brutally by the anti-liberation war force. But, over such an important incidence of our national history, this month found a prolific significance last year. During August 2017, thousands of Rohingyas started to flee into Bangladesh from neighboring Myanmar as they were tortured and oppressed severely by the Myanmar Army. ...

MNA Sports Desk: Ridiculed the world over for faking and diving during a disappointing World Cup campaign in Russia, Brazilian forward Neymar has admitted to “exaggerated” reactions saying he is still learning to deal with frustration. In a 90-second video made for his sponsor Gillette and published on social media accounts and Brazilian television, Neymar sought to win back fans who criticised his behaviour. “Studs on my calf, knee in my back, stamp on my foot,” he said. “You might think I exaggerate and sometimes I really do exaggerate. But the fact is that I suffer on the field. “There’s ...

MNA Entertainment Desk: Salman Khan welcomed Katrina Kaif to the cast of “Bharat” in style, by calling her “sundar” (beautiful) and “susheel” (virtuous). “Ek sundar aur susheel ladki jiska naam hai Katrina Kaif… Swagat hai aapka ‘Bharat’ ki zindagi mein (A beautiful and virtuous girl named Katrina… We welcome you the world of ‘Bharat’),” Salman tweeted on Monday. Katrina, who has given several hits with Salman at the box office, will play his love interest in “Bharat”, directed by Ali Abbas Zafar. Katrina has stepped into a role which was originally being played by Priyanka Chopra, who according to Zafar, ...

MNA Tech Desk: ‘Joy’, a mobile app on receiving emergency support to combat violence against women and children, was launched, reports news agency. The mobile-based Joy application software has been developed by Multi-Sectoral Program on Violence Against Women (MSPVAW) of the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs with funding and technical support from the a2i Programme in an attempt to provide immediate assistance to women and children who are already and/or are about to be victims of torture or violence. During an emergency, the app user can instantaneously send distress SMS to the Police Super, Deputy Police Commissioner of the ...

MNA Exclusive Desk: India’s registrar general said on Monday that 4,007,707 people had been excluded from a draft national register of citizens in the border state of Assam, in a move that has raised fears for the future of people in the region, reported news agency. Sailesh, the registrar general and census commissioner of India, said those excluded from the list would not be deported from the country and would have a chance to file an appeal. More than 30 million had provided documents to prove their citizenship. The National Register of Citizens (NRC) is being updated after nearly seven ...

MNA National Desk: Voting in the elections to Rajshahi, Barishal and Sylhet city corporations began on Monday morning, reported news agency. The balloting that started at 8:00am will continue till 4:00 pm without any break. The city elections are the last major polls before the next general election expected to be held in December this year. Five mayoral candidates are contesting the polls in Rajshahi, while seven mayoral contenders are running in Barishal and Sylhet each. On 29 May last, the Election Commission announced the election schedules for the three city corporations. The embassies of the US and the Netherlands ...

MNA International Desk: Greek fire services on Sunday said three more people were confirmed killed by the wildfires that have devastated seaside resorts near Athens, bringing the death toll in the disaster to 91, reported news agency. Several children — the total is not yet known — have become the face of the tragedy, including nine-year-old twin girls, a six-month-old infant, a brother and sister aged 11 and 13, and another 13-year-old. Four foreign victims have so far been identified including a young Irishman on his honeymoon, a Polish woman and her son, and a Belgian man whose daughter was ...

MNA Sports Desk: Rubel Hossain received an official warning for breaching ICC Code of Conduct during the deciding ODI against the West Indies on Saturday, reported news agency. He was found to have breached Article 2.1.4 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which relates to “using language or a gesture that is obscene, offensive or insulting during an International Match”. In addition to the reprimand, one demerit point has been added to the fast bowler’s disciplinary record. Rubel now has two demerit points after he had received one demerit point for showing dissent during ...

MNA National Desk: Two students of Dhaka’s Shaheed Ramiz Uddin Cantonment College have been killed and several others injured after they were struck by a bus on Airport Road, reported news agency. The accident occurred around 12:30am on Sunday, following which students from the educational institution took to the streets and blocked the road in protest. The accident took place when a Uttara-bound bus of ‘Jabal-e-Noor Paribahan’ ran over a group of students while they were standing beside the road, leaving the duo dead on the spot. After the accident students took to the streets in protest and vandalised several ...

MNA International Desk: At least 10 people were killed as a powerful 6.4 magnitude earthquake hit the popular tourist destination of Lombok in Indonesia on Sunday, reported news agency. It also damaged many buildings, authorities said. The quake hit Lombok island early hours when many people were still sleeping. Twelve people were injured and many fled into open fields away from collapsed buildings. The quake was centred 50 km (31 miles) northeast of the city of Mataram on the northern part of Lombok island, the US Geological Survey (USGS) said. Around 43 quakes were recorded after the initial 6.4 magnitude ...

MNA Sports Desk: Tamim Iqbal scored another century and Bangladesh successfully defended 301 runs to beat the West Indies by 18 runs and win their one-day international series 2-1 on Saturday, reported news agency. Tamim made 103 from 124 balls and Mahmudullah a lusty 67 off 49 balls as Bangladesh finished on an imposing 301-6. After a good start by openers Chris Gayle and Evin Lewis, the West Indies run rate slowed in the middle overs. Despite a fillip by Rovman Powell of 74 off 41 balls, the home side still fell short on 283-6. After being crushed in the ...

MNA Business Desk: Agriculture ministers from the G20 countries criticized protectionism in a joint statement on Saturday, and vowed to reform World Trade Organization (WTO) rules, but did not detail what steps they would take to improve the food trade system. In the statement, they said they were “concerned about the increasing use of protectionist non-tariff trade measures, inconsistently with WTO rules.” The ministers from countries including the United States and China, in Buenos Aires for the G20 meeting of agriculture ministers, said in the statement they had affirmed their commitment not to adopt “unnecessary obstacles” to trade, and affirmed ...

MNA Education Desk: University of Asia Pacific (UAP) accorded a grand reception to the three newly-appointed National Professors for their valuable achievements and contribution in many areas of human activities. They are Professor Emeritus Dr. Rafiqul Islam, Professor Emeritus Dr. Anisuzzaman and Professor Dr. Jamilur Reza Choudhury. UAP organized the programme at its auditorium on 25 July 2018 to honour the National Professors. Monzoor Ahmed Chowdhury, Chairman, BoT handed over the crests to the distinguished guests. The program was attended by the Vice Chancellors from different universities, members of BoT, UAP, faculty and students. Prof Dr MR Kabir, Pro-Vice-Chancellor, UAP ...

MNA Feature Desk: On 29 July 1891 popular social reformer, writer, philosopher, educator and translator, Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar passed away in Calcutta (now Kolkata) at the age of 70. Born on 26 September 1820 in the Paschim Midnapore District of West Bengal to impoverished Brahmin parents, Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar was six years old when he moved to Kolkata to live with the family of Bhagabat Charan, where his father had already been staying for some time. While staying there, Vidyasagar was deeply moved by Bhagabat’s daughter Raimoni’s maternal affection for him, which eventually had a great influence on his work ...

MNA Life Style Desk: If you thought that only less hours of sleep would affect your health, then you are wrong, sleeping more than 10 hours per day is also associated with metabolic syndrome, raising the risk for heart diseases, according to a new study. Those who slept for over 10 hours daily were at risk of elevated waist circumference, high triglyceride levels — a type of fat, low levels of “good” cholesterol, hypertension as well as high fasting blood sugar — referred to as metabolic syndrome and associated with increased risk of cardiovascular diseases. While sleeping more raised triglycerides ...

MNA Entertainment Desk: Indian actress Priyanka Chopra and pop singer Nick Jonas are engaged after two months of dating, the US media has reported. People.com has quoted a source as saying the couple got engaged a week ago on Priyanka’s 36th birthday on 18 July while the two were in London. Jonas closed down a Tiffany store in New York City to buy an engagement ring, according to the insider. “They are so happy,” the source told people.com. A source close to Jonas said the singer is “very, very happy.” “His friends and family have never seen him like this, ...

MNA National Desk: A total 19 platoons of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) members have been deployed in the Rajshahi city ahead of the city corporation elections. The border guards were deployed at different parts of the city in the morning to avert any untoward incident, said lieutenant colonel Shamim Masud Al Iftekhar, commanding officer of BGB-1 battalion. Loud publicity through megaphones by canvassers of mayor and councilor candidates is irritating the residents of the city. Although some people are disturbed, they are not preventing miking because the election campaign will end at 12 midnight after Saturday. The city corporation polls ...

MNA Feature Desk: The World Health Organisation (WHO) and the World Hepatitis Alliance (WHA) are observing World Hepatitis Day on Saturday, reported news agency. All member states, including Bangladesh, are conducting different hepatitis awareness events on the occasion, the National Liver Foundation of Bangladesh said in a statement. The campaign hopes to eliminate hepatitis or bring viral hepatitis under control by 2030. Currently 325 million men, women and children across the world are living with viral hepatitis. According to the statement, approximately 300 million are unaware that they have the disease. This huge undiagnosed population are at high risk of ...

MNA Tech Desk: Search engine giant Google has created a new Doodle on its homepage, marking Bangladeshi iconic singer Feroza Begum’s 88th birth anniversary, reported news agency. Feroza’s voice and ability to convey deep emotion played an important role in popularising Nazrul Sangeet throughout the country. She (28 July 1930 – 9 September 2014) was a Nazrul Sangeet singer. She was honoured with the Independence Day Award in 1979 by the government of Bangladesh. Feroza Begum first sang in All India Radio while studying in the sixth grade. She met National Poet Kazi Nazrul Islam at the age of 10 ...

MNA International Desk: Pakistan’s former ruling party conceded defeat to cricket star-turned-politician Imran Khan ahead of final results from the country’s disputed election, which European Union monitors said on Friday had not been fought on a level playing field. Khan, during a speech declaring victory on Thursday, offered to investigate opposition allegations of vote-rigging and said he wanted to “unite” the country under his leadership. The party of jailed ex-prime minister Nawaz Sharif initially rejected the so far incomplete results, but by Friday its leaders appeared to accept that Khan would be the next prime minister. The allegations of rigging ...

MNA Sports Desk: Thousands of people in Germany with migrant backgrounds are sharing stories of everyday discrimination under the hashtag #MeTwo, inspired by football star Mesut Ozil’s resignation from Germany’s national team over racism. The campaign was launched earlier this week by Turkish-origin author and rights activist Ali Can, who dubbed it #MeTwo — a play on the #MeToo movement that highlights women’s experiences of sexual harassment, and a comment by Ozil about having “two hearts”. Ozil dropped a bombshell on Sunday when he announced in a stinging letter that he would no longer play for Germany after he faced ...

MNA Entertainment Desk: Charlie’s Angels” are returning to the big screen next year for a third outing, this time with a female director and a multi-racial trio of women led by Kristen Stewart. “Twilight” star Stewart, along with rising British actresses Naomi Scott and Ella Balinska, will play the lead roles in the latest movie reboot of the 1970s crime caper, to be directed by Elizabeth Banks, Sony Pictures said on Thursday. The new “Charlie’s Angels” marks a trend in Hollywood to entrust more women with directing big budget fare, and towards ethnic diversity. Scott is of Indian descent, while ...