Death traps all around

Death traps are everywhere in Bangladesh. They lurk in accident-prone roads where vehicles race each other recklessly, in waterways where vessels capsize without warning, in sudden outbreaks of violence over trifling matters, and in bomb hurling in public spaces. Another...

Bureaucratic inertia, inefficiency foil good initiatives

Many complain that there were so many reform commissions but no commission on education. It now seems it was better that the sector was left alone. Nowadays, the focus is on the scheduled election and reform agendas hardly figure in...

Reducing inequality through higher taxes on the wealthy

In a strategic shift, the government is preparing to raise the tax incidence on wealthy or 'high-net-worth individuals' (HNWIs) as part of its efforts to address widening income inequality. This proposed approach is outlined in the Medium- and Long-term Revenue...

Israel's approval of 19 new settlements dangerous step, Palestine says

RAMALLAH, Dec 24 (Xinhua/AFP): Israel's decision to establish 19 new settlements in the occupied West Bank is a "dangerous step" aimed at tightening control over Palestinian territory, the Palestinian Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday.The move extends "the policies of apartheid,"...

Between giants: Bangladesh's strategy in the Indo-Pacific

Bangladesh is presently at a crucial juncture-it is in a transition period and undergoing a visionary shift in its foreign policy. It is a fact that the pragmatic doctrine of "friendship to all, and malice towards none" has enabled Bangladesh...

Weather (2025-12-25)

Weather may remain dry with partly cloudy sky in the next 24 hours from 06:00 am today (Thursday).Night temperature may fall slightly and day temperature remain unchanged. The highest temperature in the country on Wednesday was 30.8 degrees Celsius in...

Woman, granddaughter die, as Ctg house catches fire

CHATTOGRAM, Dec 24 (UNB): A woman and her granddaughter were killed after a fire broke out at their house at Kaderia Para village in Rangunia upazila of Chattogram on Wednesday.The deceased were identified as Rumi Akhtar, 55, wife of Ruhul...

Two dredgers fined Tk 0.6m, six held

CHATTOGRAM Dec 24: The Department of Fisheries (DoF) fined two illegal dredgers Tk 0.6 million to protect biodiversity in the Halda River, a nationally recognised fisheries heritage site in Chattogram. Six people were detained during the drive on Wednesday, officials...

Attackers to be brought to book: CA’s press secy

Chief Adviser's (CA) Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam on Wednesday said all those involved in the recent attacks on Prothom Alo and The Daily Star offices would be brought to book, reports UNB.Thirty-one people have so far been arrested in connection...

DRU gives 72-hour ultimatum to detain all culprits

The Dhaka Reporters Unity (DRU) on Wednesday protested the arson attacks on Prothom Alo and The Daily Star as well as harassment of New Age Editor Nurul Kabir, giving 72 hours' ultimatum to detain all those linked to the incidents.From...

FE planning editor Kibria among 30 awarded Golden Silk Road BD Media Award

Some 30 journalists from different print and electronic media outlets received the Golden Silk Road Bangladesh Media Award.The award-giving ceremony took place at Shilpakala Academy in Dhaka on Wednesday evening. Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Yao Wen delivered the ceremonial address...

Journo Reazuddin Ahmed's fourth death anniv today

Today (Thursday) marks the fourth death anniversary of eminent journalist Reazuddin Ahmed. He passed away on December 25, 2021 at the age of 77.Late Reazuddin Ahmed was the founding chief editor and managing director of The Financial Express and was...

Hadi murder: Suspect's 'associate' held with firearm

Police have arrested an alleged associate of the rider of the motorcycle used in the drive-by of Sharif Osman bin Hadi, seizing a foreign firearm and ammunition, reports bdnews24.com.Himon Rahman Shikdar, 32, was arrested on Wednesday morning at a motel.Acting...

Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus exchanged greetings with the Christian community representatives and cut a cake with them

Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus exchanged greetings with the Christian community representatives and cut a cake with them at the State Guest House Jamuna in the capital on Wednesday on the occasion of the Holy Christmas. — PID

35pc drivers have high blood pressure, diabetes

Road safety continues to be a pressing issue in the country due to the poor state of drivers' health, with recent health camp data revealing that the majority of them have visual impairment, diabetes, and hypertension.Dhaka Transport Coordination Authority (DTCA)...

LDP Sec Gen Dr Redwan joins BNP

Secretary General of Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) Dr Redwan Ahmed on Wednesday formally joined BNP and will contest the upcoming national election from the Cumilla-7 constituency with the party's electoral symbol, the Sheaf of Paddy, reports UNB. Redwan arrived at...

Barrister Rumeen Farhana collects nomination form

BRAHMANBARIA, Dec 24 (UNB): Barrister Rumeen Farhana, International Affairs Assistant Secretary of BNP, has collected a nomination form to contest as an independent candidate from the Brahmanbaria-2 constituency in the upcoming 13th national election.Ali Hossain, former Organising Secretary of Sarail...

ICT-1 sets Jan 20 for delivering judgment

The International Crimes Tribunal-1 on Wednesday fixed January 20 for delivering its judgment in the case filed over the killing of six students during July-August movement in Dhaka's Chankharpul area, reports UNB.A three-member ICT bench led by its chairman Justice...

Ataur Rahman Bikrampuri arrested

The Detective Branch (DB) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) arrested Maulana Ataur Rahman Bikrampuri from Narsingdi district on Tuesday night.Muhammad Talebur Rahman, Deputy Commissioner (Media and Public Relations) of DMP, confirmed the arrest on Wednesday afternoon. According to Rahman, Ataur...

Unequal VVIP facilities violate polls code

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami on Wednesday told the Election Commission (EC) that providing VVIP facilities to someone while denying theses to others is the violation of a level playing field in the election, reports UNB."If someone gets many facilities, even VVIP facilities,...

Police personnel searching motorbikers

Police personnel searching motorbikers at Banglamotor on Wednesday as part of the beefed up security measures, taken across the capital to avoid any untoward situation ahead of the national election. — FE Photo

Feb polls must not be postponed

The National Citizen Party (NCP) has demanded the parliamentary elections and the referendum be held on the scheduled date without any postponement, reports bdnews24.com.NCP Chief Coordinator Nasiruddin Patwary spoke about it on Wednesday after meeting with Chief Election Commissioner AMM...

Amended tobacco control ordinance approved

The Council of Advisers on Wednesday approved the proposed Smoking and Tobacco Products Usage (Control) (Amendment) Ordinance, 2025 at its meeting, aiming to effectively control the use of tobacco products and smoking in the country.The Legislative and Parliamentary Affairs Division...

VAT exemption extended until Jun 2026

The government has extended the Value-Added Tax (VAT) exemption on metro-rail passenger tickets until June 30 next year, aiming to promote public interest and encourage greater use of the environmentally friendly mass rapid-transit system.Earlier, the VAT exemption on metro rail...

Import duty on dates cut by 40pc

The government has reduced the existing import duty on dates by 40 per cent to ensure its adequate supply and help stabilise market prices during the upcoming holy month of Ramadan.The government issued a notification on Tuesday reducing the customs...

BTMA seeks longer material import credit

Textile millers have urged the Bangladesh Bank to further extend the import credit period for cotton and other industrial raw materials to 360 days.They warned that a return to the earlier 180-day limit would severely disrupt export-oriented textile production and...

Bomb explosion kills youth in Moghbazar

A young man was killed in a crude bomb explosion in Moghbazar area of the capital on Wednesday evening. The victim, identified as Siam, 24, died instantly when miscreants hurled the bomb from Moghbazar flyover, which exploded on the ground...

Low growth, high inflation may prolong

Economists and experts on Wednesday said Bangladesh risked slipping into a prolonged phase of low growth and high inflation unless deep structural reforms were carried out alongside ensuring political and macroeconomic stability.Without decisive action on long-pending institutional and structural weaknesses,...

Study finds Tk 29.27b irregularities in six IPP solar projects

Irregularities amounting to over Tk 29.27 billion were committed in six government and independent power producer (IPP) solar projects undertaken by the Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) between 2012 and 2025, according to a study conducted by Transparency International Bangladesh...

Prayer Timings (2025-12-25)