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MNA Feature Desk: The holy Christmas, the biggest religious festival of the Christian community, was celebrated on Tuesday in Bangladesh as elsewhere in the world with festivity and enthusiasm commemorating the birthday of Jesus Christ. According to Christian’s faith, the Xmas is the celebration of rebirth, new beginning, forgiveness and peace, and renewing relationship with God and human beings. Virgin Mary gave birth to Jesus Christ on the day, which is a public holiday in Bangladesh and most other countries across the world. On the occasion, President M Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina issued separate messages by greeting ...

MNA Editorial Desk: As human being, we should act responsible at every steps of our life. This responsibility does not reflect only in our acts or works rather in our speech also. We cannot be irresponsible with our words as that can easily hurt any person or a group. For leaders, it is more important as usually a large audience is keen to receive their words. Leaders speak to influence and inspire their audiences, to change the way people think, feel and act. Irresponsible words can just do the opposite and in the current political context of Bangladesh, irresponsible words ...

MNA National Desk: Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) KM Nurul Huda has said deploying the army will increase the confidence of voters and political parties in the election, reported news agency. The CEC said this to reporters after visiting a mock voting session—which used electronic voting machines— at Residential Model School and College, in Dhaka, on Monday. Huda also said: “The main purpose of deploying the army is to instil confidence among voters. I am requesting all political parties to avoid: debate, chaos, violence, and misunderstandings, among each other; only through electioneering should you get yourselves involved in the election.”

MNA National Desk: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has inaugurated the distribution of free textbooks for primary and secondary students for 2019, reported news agency. Hasina launched the distribution effort by handing new textbooks for 2019 to a few students at the Ganabhaban on Monday morning. She congratulated everyone for meeting the deadline for the textbook distribution. The Awami League government is distributing free textbooks to the students for the 10th consecutive time. At least 352 million free books will be distributed to 42.6 million students in educational institutions across the country on the first day of 2019 among festivities. Education ...

MNA Education Desk: The results of Junior School Certificate (JSC), Junior Dakhil Certificate (JDC) and Primary Education Completion (PEC) and its equivalent Ebtedayee examinations have been published on Monday. The pass rate of JSC is 85.28 per cent and JDC is 89.04 per cent while PEC pass rate is 97.59 per cent and Ebtedayee is 97.69 per cent. Around 68,095 students secured GPA-5 this year. Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid handed over the copy of results of JSC and JDC examinations and Primary and Mass Education Minister Mostafizur Rahman handed over the copy of results of PEC examination to Prime ...

MNA Exclusive Desk: Army personnel have started election duties today, Monday, to help ensure the law and order before, during and after the general election billed for 30 December. Except 18 coastal and 87 bordering upazilas, members of Bangladesh Army will perform duties in all the remaining 389 upazilas, said an ISPR release on Sunday. Bangladesh Navy members will remain in the coastal upazilas while Border Guard Bangladesh personnel in the bordering upazilas alongside other designated areas. Besides, Bangladesh Air Force will keep adequate helicopters and transport aircraft ready in case of any emergency strikes, the release, said, adding that ...

MNA International Desk: The death toll from an Indonesian tsunami has risen past 280 with more than 1,000 people injured. The tsunami struck Sunda Strait coastal areas along western Java and southern Sumatra islands without warning in the darkness Saturday night. A disaster agency spokesperson, Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, said 281 people were killed and 1,016 others injured. Fifty-seven people were missing but that number was expected to rise. The waves that swept terrified people into the sea followed an eruption and possible landslide on Anak Krakatau, one of the world’s most infamous volcanic islands. Dramatic video posted on social media ...

MNA Sports Desk: Rangpur Division emerged champions in the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman National Gold Cup Football tournament (U- 17) beating Rajshahi Division by 2-1 goals in the grand final on Sunday at country’s premier venue Bangabandhu National Stadium. President Abdul Hamid graced the final and distributed trophies and medals as the chief guest, reported news agency. Earlier, the prestigious Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman National Gold Cup Football tournament (U-17) was formally inaugurated through a fabulous ceremony with a match between Baushi Union of Barhatta team and Barhatta Sadar Union team at Sheikh Russel Mini Stadium at Barhatta Upazila of ...

MNA National Desk: The Election Commission (EC) on Sunday said the 25 reported Jamaat-e-Islami leaders can be there in the election race as the Commission has no authority to revoke their candidatures since they are contesting the polls as BNP and independent candidates. “The High Court directed the Election Commission to dispose of the application filed for cancelling the candidacies of 25 aspirants, but the Commission has no legal jurisdiction to annul their candidacies,” said (EC) Secretary Helal Uddin Ahmed. He came up with the announcement at a press briefing at Nirbachan Bhaban. Of the 25 candidates, Helal Uddin said ...

MNA Business Desk: The country’s inward remittance is expected to increase by 15.59 per cent in 2018 compared to that of the previous year, reported news agency. Remittance showed such an upward trend as an increasing number of workers went abroad last year, said Tasneem Siddiqui, founding chair of Refugee and Migratory Movements Research Unit (RMMRU). While presenting the report on Sunday, she said workers sent remittances worth US$ 14.34 billion during the January-November period of the current year. “If the trend continues, the amount of total inward remittances may stand at about US$ 15.64 billion in 2018,” she said, ...

MNA Entertainment Desk: New Warner Bros. release “Aquaman” made the biggest waves in North American theaters over the weekend with $67.4 million in ticket sales, industry tracker Exhibitor Relations estimated Sunday. That put it well ahead of two other new holiday-timed releases, as Disney’s “Mary Poppins Returns” took in $22.2 million for the three-day weekend, flying slightly higher than Paramount’s “Bumblebee” at $21 million. Together, the three helped boost the year’s domestic box-office revenue toward a record $11.8 billion, Hollywood Reporter said. “Aquaman” stars Jason Momoa in a title role infused with new swagger by director James Wan, with Variety ...

MNA National Desk: Awami League President and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has urged the people of Rangpur region to cast their votes for “boat” to complete the unfinished projects undertaken for the development of the northern region. “For the overall development of this region, we have undertaken so many projects… we have taken steps so that every road of this area is developed….we have to complete them, and for that we need your votes,” she said on Sunday. Sheikh Hasina said this while addressing an election rally at Taraganj Government Degree College ground in Taraganj upazila of Rangpur district, reports ...

MNA National Desk: Tangail-4 independent candidate Abdul Latif Siddique on Sunday stepped aside from the election race protesting attacks on his election campaigns by his rivals. Latif Siddique went to the Election Commission in the city and informed it about his decision, reported news agency. Earlier in the morning, he made an announcement in this regard at his residence in the capital, according to his family sources. Before leaving the EC office, he distributed the copies of his statement among journalists to inform them about his decision. Latif Siddique was admitted to Tangail General Hospital after he fell sick on ...

MNA National Desk: Thousands of Awami League supporters have gathered on a college field in Taraganj upazila of Rangpur where Awami League President Sheikh Hasina will hold an election rally to seek vote. Sheikh Hasina, also the country’s prime minister, is expected to address the rally on the premises of Taraganj Degree College in the afternoon, according to our staff correspondent. Apart from this rally, she will attend another in Pirganj upazila of Rangpur, reported news agency.

MNA International Desk: A tsunami killed at least 168 people and injured hundreds on the Indonesian islands of Java and Sumatra following an underwater landslide believed caused by the erupting Anak Krakatau volcano, officials and media said on Sunday, reported news agency. Hundreds of homes and other buildings were “heavily damaged” in the tsunami which struck along the rim of the Sunda Strait. Authorities warned residents and tourists in coastal areas around the Sunda Strait to stay away from beaches and a high-tide warning remained in place through till Dec. 25. On Dec. 26 in 2004, an Indian Ocean tsunami ...

MNA Exclusive Desk: The Myanmar military announced a more than four-month cessation of its activities in northern areas where it is fighting ethnic minority insurgents, in what appeared to be a rare conciliatory move aimed at kick-starting peace talks. The army would “stop military operations in respective military regions” in the north and east of the country until April 30, 2019, the office of the military’s commander in chief said in a statement. The cessation would allow military negotiators to conduct talks with insurgent groups that have refused to sign up to a nationwide ceasefire agreement, with the aim of ...

MNA Business Desk: Osama Taseer has been elected president of Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) for the year 2019, reports news agency. He is going to replace Abdul Kashem Khan, who served two consecutive terms of DCCI president. Waqar Ahmad Choudhury and Imran Ahmed have been elected new senior vice president and vice president of the DCCI respectively. The new board of directors took over charge at the 57th annual general meeting (AGM) of DCCI held in its auditorium on Saturday. The newly elected directors are Ashraf Ahmed, Deen Mohammad, Enamul Haque Patwary, Md Rashedul Karim Munna and ...

MNA Tech Desk: In the training workshop titled “Digital Election Campaign” hosted by the Sub-Committee of Science and Technology of Awami League, a mobile app titled ‘Joy Bangla’ was displayed. This app can be used by all the leaders and activists of all the units of Bangladesh Awami League’s affiliate organization via registration. This app can be used to prevent the spreading of rumors as well as spread knowledge regarding the development activities of Awami League. All information about the app users will be protected under high security. Initially, onecrore people have been estimated to join the app. In the ...

MNA Entertainment Desk: People from all walks of life including artists, filmmakers and crews flocked to Central Shaheed Minar and Bangladesh Film Development Corporation (BFDC) on Saturday to pay last respects to celebrated filmmaker Amjad Hossain. The ‘Golapi Ekhon Train-e’ famed director breathed his last at Bumrungrad International Hospital in Bangkok on the evening of Dec 14. His body was flown to Dhaka on Friday (Dec 21) evening. The body was taken to Shaheed Minar premise, around 11:30am Saturday. The body was then moved to the premise of ATN Bangla in Karwan Bazar and later to the BFDC around 1pm. ...

MNA Education Desk: Islamic University (IU) authorities will introduce the Fine Arts department at the university from 2019-20 academic session, reports news agency. IU acting registrar SM Abdul Latif on Saturday said they received a letter from the University Grants Commission, signed by its Public University Management Department director M Kamal Hossain, allowing the university to introduce the department. The activities of the department will be conducted under the Arts faculty, he said, adding that a total of 30 students can enroll at the department.

MNA Sports Desk: The West Indies clinched the T20I series after defeating host Bangladesh by 50 runs in the third and final match of the series at Mirpur Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Dhaka Saturday, reported news agency. Chasing 191, Bangladesh were bundled out for 140 with three overs to spare. Liton top-scored with 43 off 25 balls, featuring three fours and as many sixes. Earlier, Shakib won the toss and elected to bowl first. Bangladesh named an unchanged playing XI, while the Windies made one change to their side, bringing in debutant Sherfane Rutherford in place of batsman Darren ...

MNA Life Style Desk: When you have excess belly fat, you are at risk for type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, breast and prostate cancer, and even kidney failure. This makes it all the more important to rid your body of this adiposity and keep it gone forever. To do this, you need short-term and long-term discipline. Get more active. Even if you spend 1 hour a day in the gym on all days of the week, it is still just 7 hours of a total of 168 hours in the week. Try to make the best of the remaining ...

MNA Sports Desk: West Indies are all out for 190 as Oshane Thomas is run out in the last over bowled by Mahmudullah Riyad in the series-deciding third T20I at Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium today. West Indies showed a lot of firepower as Evin Lewis and Shai Hope started proceeding brightly for West Indies as the duo combined in a 76-run opening stand. Bangladesh came back into the game with a few breakthoroughs but Lewis continued wrecking havoc at the other end. Mahmudullah Riyad then tilted things in favour of Bangladesh with double strikes to remove Lewis and Hetmyer off back-to-back ...

MNA National Desk: Prime Minister and Awami League President Sheikh Hasina reached in Sylhet on Saturday to join an election rally. She reached Sylhet Osmani International Airport around 10:55am, reported news agency. The prime minister will offer ziarat at the shrines of Hazrat Shahjalal (RA), Hazrat Shah Paran (RA) and Hazrat Gazi Borhanuddin (RA). Sheikh Hasina will address an election rally at Sylhet Government Alia Madrasa Ground at 2:30 pm

MNA International Desk: Twenty three people were killed and 14 other injured in a road accident in western Nepal when a bus carrying school students and teachers back from a botanical field trip plunged into a gorge. The students were aged mostly between 16 and 20. Two teachers and the driver also died in the accident early evening on Friday in a remote area. The vehicle was carrying 37 people, with 22 killed at the scene and another in a nearby hospital. Fourteen people were treated for injuries, reported news agency. Road accidents are relatively common in Nepal because of ...

MNA Business Desk: Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution (BSTI) will test samples of Baby Powder by Johnson and Johnson amid worries over the product allegedly containing cancer-causing asbestos. “We have taken this matter extremely seriously. We’ll start the process of collecting samples from shops when our offices resume on Sunday,” said BSTI director SM Ishaq Ali, reports news agency. However, Bangladesh will not ban Baby Powder sales before learning of the result of the sample tests, the BSTI director said. Whether asbestos in the talc supply in J&J Baby Powder caused cancer has been the subject of litigation for years.

MNA Tech Desk: Facebook has removed nine Facebook pages and six Facebook accounts for ‘engaging in coordinated inauthentic behaviour’ ahead of the national elections slated for 30 December this year. Facebook says, “Through our investigation, we discovered that these Pages were designed to look like independent news outlets and posted pro-government and anti-opposition content.” “Our investigation indicates that this activity is linked to individuals associated with the Bangladesh government,” Facebook added. The Facebook authorities warned that this kind of behaviour is not allowed on Facebook under their misrepresentation policy. “Because we don’t want people or organisations creating networks of accounts ...