News Watch (17-02-2018)

PM returns home today

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who reached Abu Dhabi on Thursday morning from Rome concluding her four-day official visit to Italy and Vatican City, returns home this evening (Saturday) after a stopover in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) capital. "An Etihad Airways flight carrying the premier and her entourage members is scheduled to leave the Abu Dhabi International Airport for Dhaka at 1.35 pm (Abu Dhabi time)," a spokesman of the Prime Minister's Office said on Friday. He said the flight is expected to reach the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka at 8:00 pm. —BSS

EC plans to enroll NRBs as voters

The Election Commission (EC) has taken an initiative to introduce a voter registration system for non-resident Bangladeshis (NRBs) as over 10 million (one crore) Bangladesh nationals are now staying in various countries of the world. The Commission plans to start the voter enrollment process initially in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Malaysia - the three largest destinations of Bangladeshi expatriates. The EC is going to arrange a workshop on February 27 next at the Bangabandhu International Conference Centre (BICC) to receive suggestions and opinions from stakeholders, particularly the diplomats deployed at Bangladesh missions stationed in the countries that house a larger number of Bangladeshis. —UNB

Rouhani in India

Hyderabad, Feb 16: Iranian President Hassan Rouhani visited the famous Qutub Shahi tombs on Friday on the second day of his Hyderabad visit. Rouhani visited the tombs of Qutub Shahi rulers in Golconda area in the city. These monuments are popularly known as seven tombs and built in Iranian architecture style. "The Iranian president reached the tombs around 9 am.He was briefed about the historic site by officials," DCP (West Zone) Venkateshwar Rao said. — NDTV