MNA National Desk: BNP’s secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Thursday visited ailing Hefajat-e Islam Ameer Shah Ahmed Shafi at a city hospital. Fakhrul along with party leader Mir Mohammad Nasir went to Asgar Ali Hospital in old Dhaka around 1:30pm. On Tuesday, the 95-year-old Hefajat ameer was airlifted to the hospital at Gendaria in the capital by a helicopter as he has been suffering from various old-age complications, including high-blood pressure, diabetes and respiratory problem. Earlier, yesterday Jatiya Party chairman Hussain Muhammad Ershad went to the hospital to know about the physical condition of Ahmed Shafi. He entered ...

MNA International Desk: Polls opened in Britain on Thursday in general election Prime Minister Theresa May had expected to win easily but one that has proved increasingly hard to predict after a campaign shadowed by terrorism. Polling stations across the country opened at 7.00am (0600GMT) and will close at 10.00pm, with voters set to choose between May and Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, who has seen his huge polling deficit close dramatically in recent weeks. A total of 650 Westminster MPs will be elected, with about 46.9 million people registered to vote. Some votes have already been cast, through postal voting. ...

MNA Sports Desk: Pakistan beat South Africa by 19 runs on the DLS method to cause a Champions Trophy upset in the Edgbaston rain. Pakistan, hammered by India on Sunday, reduced the world number ones to 90-4 and 118-6 before David Miller’s 75 not out helped them to 219-8. Although Morne Morkel took 3-18, Pakistan were 119-3 when the forecast bad weather arrived after 27 overs. The win reignites Pakistan’s semi-final hopes, while South Africa may have to beat India to stay in the tournament. Earlier, winning the toss, South African skipper AB de Villiers opted to bat first. Champions ...

MNA International Desk: Attackers raided Iran parliament and opened fire at the Mausoleum of Ayatollah Khomeini a few kilometres south of the capital on Wednesday morning, in near simultaneous assaults that killed up to seven people. Tasmin news agency said there were unconfirmed reports that the attackers had taken four hostages inside the parliament building. Three assailants, one with a pistol and two with AK-47 assault rifles, carried out the attack in central Tehran, lawmaker Elias Hazrati told state television. Another lawmaker said one of the assailants was surrounded by security forces and all the doors to the building had ...

MNA National Desk: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina placed a wreath at the memorial of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman to commemorate the historic 6-point demands. After placing the wreath, she observed a moment of silence to pay her respects. Later, associate bodies of Bangladesh Awami League including Dhaka city AL, Chhatra League, Jubo League, Sramik League, Krishak League, Mohila Awami League and Swechchhasebak League placed wreaths at the portrait of Bangabandhu marking the historic occasion. On this day in 1966, Bangabandhu launched a nationwide movement seeking autonomy for the then East Pakistan from the misrule of West Pakistan. The Six-Point Demand ...

MNA International Desk: Five farmers were shot dead on Tuesday at a protest in Madhya Pradesh, according to news reports, marking an escalation of violence as a rural strike demanding debt relief spread. The outburst of discontent in India’s heartland farming states of Madhya Pradesh and neighbouring Maharashtra poses a challenge for Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has promised to double farmers’ incomes over the next five years. The farmers were shot during a protest in the central city of Mandsaur. The spokesman of one farming union said police had fired on the protesters. The state’s home minister, Bhupendra Singh, ...

MNA Business Desk: Bangladesh Bank has issued cotton-paper new bank notes of Tk 100 and Tk 500 which will be available in the market from June 11. The new bank notes will be cent percent coated cotton-paper printed instead of existing paper notes, said a BB press release on Tuesday. The central bank said Tk 100 note will be 140mm by 62mm in size with 4mm width and Tk 500 will be 152mm by 65mm in size with same the width having Kinetic StarChrome Thread and containing the signature of Bangladesh Bank Governor Fazle Kabir. The new bank notes, however, ...

MNA Sports Desk: England captain Eoin Morgan praised his ‘outstanding’ bowling attack after the tournament hosts booked their place in the semi-finals of the Champions Trophy with an 87-run win over New Zealand in Cardiff. Tuesday’s success means England will return to the Welsh capital as Group A winners for a last four clash against the as yet unknown Group B runners-up on June 14, in an event featuring the world’s leading eight one-day international teams. England looked to have fallen short of a par score despite making 310 all out after Joe Root (64), Alex Hales (56) and Ben ...

MNA Science & Tech Desk: A free-speech institute on Tuesday sent a letter to President Donald Trump demanding the prolific tweeter unblock certain Twitter (TWTR.N) users on grounds the practice violates the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. Trump’s @realDonaldTrump account recently blocked a number of accounts that replied to his tweets with commentary that criticized, mocked or disagreed with his actions. Twitter users are unable to see or respond to tweets from accounts that block them. The Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University in New York said in its letter that the blocking suppressed speech in a public ...

MNA Culture & Entertainment Desk: An adaptation of Sanjaya Baru’s controversial book ‘The Accidental Prime Minister: The Making and Unmaking of Manmohan Singh’ will hit the silver screen with Bollywood actor Anupam Kher playing the role of the former Indian PM. A report in the Economic Times said the movie is expected to be released in December 2018, months before the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. The book by the Baru, Singh’s former media adviser, was released ahead of the 2014 general elections. In the book, Baru had said that Manmohan Singh had been “defanged” by the Congress party with party ...

MNA National Desk: A total of 1,27,798 people are allowed to perform hajj this year under public and private management, Religious Affairs Minister Principal Matiur Rahman said on Tuesday. “As per the bi-lateral hajj agreement 2017, around 10,000 persons in public and 1,17,198 persons are allowed to perform hajj in private arrangement during the current hajj season,” the minister said. In addition to this, 1162 private agencies are also received approval for administering the hajj programme during this year. Meanwhile, the bilateral hajj agreement already has been completed between the government of Bangladesh and the Royal Saudi government. However, the ...

MNA Editorial Desk: A Canadian fugitive wanted for incitement to commit genocide against Jews is currently living in Dhaka, according to Canada’s National Post. Salman Hossain, who is wanted by Canadian authorities and Interpol, was photographed in Dhaka’s Gulshan on Sunday. Hossain first drew the attention of Canadian authorities a decade ago over Internet posts urging ‘Muslim militants’ to attack Canada and for the ‘extermination’ of Jews. In 2009 Canada declined to press charges against Hossain after he stopped posting online and underwent rehabilitation. But Hossain resumed his activities soon afterwards, calling for the ‘extermination’ of Jewish peoples in North ...

MNA National Desk: Former chief justice Latifur Rahman, who served as the chief adviser to the 2001 caretaker government, has passed away at 6:30am on Tuesday. Supreme Court registrar general Syed Aminul Islam said the 81-year-old breathed his last at Samarita Hospital. He was admitted to the hospital with pneumonia and other complications, he added. Rahman served as the chief justice of the Supreme Court for 14 months, starting on Jan 1, 2000. Then he was appointed chief advisor to the caretaker government because he was the final chief justice to retire during the Awami League’s 1996-2001 term. BNP Chairperson ...

MNA International Desk: A man who had been fired in April from his job at a Florida company opened fire Monday at the Orlando business, killing five people before taking his own life, authorities said. Four people were killed at the scene, while a fifth died at the hospital, Orange County Sheriff Jerry Demings told reporters. Seven people survived the ordeal. The business, Fiamma, makes awnings for recreational vehicles. Demings said the incident was being treated as a “workplace violence incident” and did not appear to have any links to terror. The 45-year-old shooter, who was not yet identified by ...

MNA Sports Desk: Rain spoiled another Champions Trophy match on Monday as the game between Bangladesh and Australia was washed out, much to the dismay of the Aussie fans. Australia looked set to clinch an easy win, making 83 for 1 at the end of 16 overs in their chase of 183, but rain did not let that happen. It meant both of Australia’s games in the tournament so far have been abandoned due to rain, they getting a point against New Zealand from a disadvantageous position and then this share of spoils with Bangladesh. If they win the game ...

MNA Business Desk: Bangladesh’s GDP growth rate in the outgoing fiscal year will reach 6.8 per cent while it will further come down to 6.4 per cent in the next fiscal year (FY18), according to a World Bank report. The Washington-based lending agency in its report ‘Global Economic Prospect’ released Sunday, attributed the decline in the growth to sliding remittance and fall in internal demand and industrial production. The report also says the GDP growth rate for Bangladesh in the FY19 will reach 6.7 per cent while it will rise further to 7 per cent in FY20. It also says ...

MNA Business Desk: The Supreme Court on Monday extended its stay on a High Court order that stayed for six months a government decision to raise gas prices for all consumers in the 2nd phase that came into effect from June 1. A four-member Appellate Division bench of the Supreme Court, led by Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha, passed the order. The apex court bench also asked the High Court bench that had stayed the second hike to dispose the latter’s rule by July 31. After the top court bench rule, Attorney General Mahbubey Alam said, with this fresh order, ...

MNA Education Desk: Inter-Education Board Coordination Sub-Committee on Monday published the first merit list of students for admission in Class-XI in the academic session of 2017-18. The merit list was uploaded on the website www.xiclassadmission.gov.bd. at 12:01am, said Secondary and Higher Secondary Education Board Secretary Shahedul Kabir Chowdhury. Some 1,249,848 students have been selected in the first merit list, reported news agency. The selected students have to confirm their admission submitting TK 185 through Teletalk, Sure Cash or Rocket by 11:59pm of June 8. Otherwise their admission and selection will be cancelled, said a message published on the website. The ...

MNA National Desk: The High Court (HC) on Monday commuted the death sentence of Oishee Rahman to life term imprisonment in the case filed over the killing of her parents in 2013. An HC bench comprising Justice Jahangir Hossain Selim and Justice Mohammad Jahangir Hossain announced the verdict at about 11:00am. The court also fined her Tk 5,000. Oishee was sentenced to death by a Dhaka speedy trial tribunal in November 2015 for murdering police inspector Mahfuzur Rahman and his wife Swapna Rahman. Later, Oishee surrendered to police confessing to her involvement in the killing. In November 2015, the trial ...

MNA International Desk: Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates announced on Monday they were severing diplomatic ties with Qatar, as they accused the Gulf state of supporting terrorism. Saudi news agency SPA said Riyadh cut diplomatic ties and closed borders with its neighbour to ‘protect its national security from the dangers of terrorism and extremism’. A Saudi official cited by SPA said the country decided to ‘sever diplomatic and consular ties with Qatar, and to close all land, sea and aviation ports’. The ‘decisive’ measure was due to the ‘gross violations committed by authorities in Qatar over ...

MNA Feature Desk: The World Environment Day is being observed in the country as elsewhere around the world on Monday with a view to creating awareness of the importance of environment and nature. The theme of this year’s day is “Connecting People to Nature”. The Environment and Forests Ministry, and various non-government and green organizations have taken elaborate programmes to mark the day. President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina have issued separate messages, calling upon all to come forward to protect the environment and biodiversity. The day occurs on 5 June every year, and is the United Nation’s ...

MNA Sports Desk: Bangladesh will face Australia in their 2nd match of the 8th ICC Champions Trophy at Kennington Oval in London today. The day-night Group A match will begin at 6:30 pm (Bangladesh time). The game is a must-win battle for Bangladesh to escape the early elimination from the race while Australia will also find itself into danger if it loses the match. In their previous 19 ODI encounters, Bangladesh could manage only one win against Australia which was by 5 wickets at Sophia Gardens in Cardiff in June 6, 2005. Bangladesh: Tamim Iqbal, Soumya Sarkar, Imrul Kayes, Mushfiqur ...

MNA Culture & Entertainment Desk: Kolkata’s popular film actor Jeet will arrive in Dhaka on June 13 instead of June 5 with a view to promoting his Indo-Bangla film “Boss 2”. The film “Boss-2” jointly directed by Baba Yadab and Abdul Aziz is expected to hit Dhaka cinema halls during the upcoming Eid-ul-Fitr. Production house Jazz Multimedia is producing the film from Bangladesh side while Jeet’s new production company Jeetz Filmworks and Walzen Media Works are involved in the production from Indian side. Boss 2: Back to Rule’ is a sequel to his 2013 film of ‘Boss: Born to Rule’ ...

MNA National Desk: The Supreme Court has ordered Moudud Ahmed to vacate his Gulshan home of 30 years, scrapping his petition to review the verdict given by the Appellate Division. A five-member Appellate Division panel headed by Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha dismissed the plea with observations, paving way for the BNP leader and former law minister to leave house number 159, in Gulshan-2 for sure. The apex court today also dismissed a review plea of Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) challenging Appellate Division judgment quashing a graft case filed in this regard against Moudud and his brother Manjur. The BNP leader ...

MNA National Desk: Customs Intelligence Investigation Directorate (CIID) has confiscated gold and diamonds at Apan Jewellers showrooms that have no legal documents. The showrooms are at Gulshan DCC Market, Gulshan Avenue, Uttara, Simanto Square and Mouchak. The confiscated gold and diamonds will be deposited at Bangladesh Bank’s vault in the presence of the authorities concerned, the CIID DG added. The 13.5 maunds [approximately 503.88kg] gold and 427 grams diamonds were initially rounded up on May 14 and May 15 though they were not confiscated. The CIID had previously handed over 2.3kg gold seized from the Apan Jewellers showrooms to 85 ...

MNA International Desk: At least six people were killed by attackers near London Bridge on Saturday. Police said three attackers drove a vehicle into pedestrians on London Bridge and then stabbed people in Borough Market. Forty-eight people have also been taken to hospital. “Armed response officers then responded very quickly and bravely and confronted the three male suspects who were shot and killed on Borough Market,” Mark Rowley, Britain’s top anti-terrorism officer, said. “Sadly, six people have died in addition to the three attackers shot by police,” he said. “The suspects had been confronted and shot by police within eight ...

MNA Editorial Desk: It would not be wrong if we say that, England is now a prime target for terrorists as recently the country has witnessed several bloody terrorist attacks. Though we are concerned about the recent terrorist attacks in London, we will focus more on comparing the statement of Australian Cricket Board about security concerns in London while it was again rocked by terror on Saturday with fatal attacks on London Bridge and nearby Borough Market. This latest attack on London is the third terrorist incident in England since March. On March 22, 2017 a police officer was fatally ...