Extreme heat taking a toll on Rajshahi litchis; growers worried

RAJSHAHI, Apr 25: Litchi growers in Rajshahi are counting significant losses as extreme heat followed by sudden spike in humidity has caused immature and semi-ripe fruits to crack on the trees before harvest.Farmers say several days of intense heat were...

Why is it not developed here?

Data journalism refers to the comprehensive and analytical presentation of information that provides evaluative insights into particular incidents or objectives.It distinguishes itself from conventional journalism in its methods of representation. Where conventional journalism primarily focuses on narrating or depicting an...

NSU takes on exam anxiety with workshop designed to rebuild student resilience

North South University (NSU) hosted a workshop titled "Beyond Exam Anxiety" on its campus in Dhaka recently. The event was jointly organised by the university's Counselling and Wellbeing Center (CWC) and its Proctor office, and drew students grappling with one...

Bangladesh's finance students to battle for Tk 400,000 in investment championship

Capitalizer 2026, a national-level investment strategy competition, will open its doors on May 06, 2026 bringing together university students from across Bangladesh to compete for a total prize pool of Tk 400,000. The initiative, which closes registrations on May 04,...

How serious businesses can use AI tools that most people have never heard of

Walk into any co-working space in on a given Tuesday morning, and you will overhear roughly the same conversation. Someone is describing a clever prompt they wrote to get ChatGPT to summarise a report or circumvent a limitation for research...

Nuclear proliferation meeting at UN tomorrow amid raging global wars

UNITED NATIONS, United States, April 25 (AFP): Signatories of the landmark nuclear non-proliferation treaty will meet at the UN from Monday as hopes fade they can reach agreement and tensions soar between the atomic powers.In 2022, during the last review...

Hundreds of firefighters battle Japan forest blazes

OTSUCHI, Japan, April 25 (AFP): Hundreds of firefighters were battling wildfires in the forests of northern Japan on Saturday, as authorities urged more than 3,200 people to evacuate from their homes, government officials said.As of Saturday morning, blazes in the...

Palestinians vote in first elections since Gaza war

RAMALLAH, Palestinian Territories, April 25, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Palestinians in the West Bank and a central area of Gaza began voting Saturday in municipal elections in the first vote since the Gaza war, marked by a narrow political field and...

Iran military to respond if US blockade continues

TEHRAN, April 25 (AFP): Iran's military said on Saturday it would respond if the United States maintained its blockade of Iranian ports, calling it "banditry" and "piracy".In a statement carried by state-run media outlet IRIB, the military's central command Khatam...

Prime Bank, OPEC Fund sign deal to support SMEs, agri businesses

Prime Bank recently announced the successful signing of a $30 million term loan agreement with the OPEC Fund for International Development, a prestigious international development finance institution, according to a press release.This strategic collaboration is designed to significantly boost Prime...

BSEC to scrap prior approval rule for DSE inspections

The securities regulator has agreed in principle to empower the Dhaka bourse to conduct instant inspections of issuer companies upon finding prima facie evidence of any wrongdoing.The regulatory move came following a plea from the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE), against...

Dominage Steel sponsors to exit amid sharp stock rally

The board of Dominage Steel Building Systems has decided to sell its ownership stakes to Akij Resources and two individuals, even as the company's stock has rallied over the past eight months.The decision was disclosed on the company's website on...

Shortage of nurses

The shortage of nurses remains a major obstacle to improving the quality of healthcare services in Bangladesh. Government hospitals are severely understaffed, with the number of nurses far below the growing patient load. This imbalance is a key cause of...

E-sports - the next frontier of digital economy

Competitive gaming is no longer confined to entertainment in Bangladesh; it is emerging as a significant economic force. With the global e-sports market valued at $2.1 billion in 2024 and projected to reach $7.5 billion by 2030, Bangladesh finds itself...

Reforming student politics

Water Resources Minister Md Shahiduddin Chowdhury Anee gave vent to national sentiment when he called upon the Jatiya Sangsad on Thursday to initiate a discussion on the issue of student politics, saying that the current generation doesn't like aggressive student...

BD-US trade deal: stability bought, leverage conceded

Bangladesh did not sign the 2026 Reciprocal Trade Agreement with the United States to gain advantage -- it signed to avoid loss. That distinction is critical. This is not a deal that expands Bangladesh's economic power; it is one that...

Welcome bipartisan move in parliament

The National Parliament has recently witnessed something that has no precedent in the country's parliamentary history. Prime Minister Tarique Rahman rose on the floor of the House to propose the formation of a joint committee comprising members from both the...

Bangladesh's post-election economic challenges

When Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina fled to India in the face of a mass uprising on August 5, 2024, the country was not simply between governments, it was in a freefall. An interim government was formed under the leadership...

Movement will continue in parliament, in the streets, says Jamaat chief Shafiqur

Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Shafiqur Rahman on Friday said the opposition will continue its movement in parliament and in the streets to implement the verdict delivered in the July National Charter referendum, reports bdnews24.com.At a rally organised by Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis at...

CPA marks 139 years of operation today

The Chittagong Port Authority (CPA) is celebrating its 139 years of existence today (Saturady). One of the oldest natural ports of the subcontinent and prime sea port of the country, it is handling cargoes and containers under the management of...

ADB approves $250m loan for key reforms

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a $250- million loan for Bangladesh to support critical reforms, aiming to improve the efficiency, coverage, and effectiveness of the country's social protection system.The Sub-programme 2 of the Second Strengthening Social Resilience Programme...

Minister Khosru warns of action

Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury has warned that no one seeking to undermine stability in Bangladesh will be spared, reports bdnews24.comHe made the remarks on Friday morning while speaking to reporters after inaugurating Swaraswati Gyan Mandir at the University...

BD Railway to enter electric era with Tk 42.83b project

The Ministry of Railways has sent a Development Project Proposal (DPP) to bring the Narayanganj-Joydebpur section of Bangladesh Railway (BR) under electric traction, with an estimated cost of Tk 42.83 billion, sources at the Planning Commission say. The project, the...

Trial lingers 13 yrs after tragedy

Victims were remembered and calls for justice renewed on Friday as the nation observed the 13th anniversary of the Rana Plaza collapse in Savar.The eight-storey building, which housed several apparel factories, collapsed due to structural flaws on April 24, 2013,...

Ashuganj in Brahmanbaria is one of the country's biggest rice markets, where farmers from the haor areas of

Ashuganj in Brahmanbaria is one of the country's biggest rice markets, where farmers from the haor areas of Sylhet, Kishoreganj, Habiganj, and Sunamganj bring their produce at this time of the year. The market hums with the presence of buyers...

Garment exporters form committee for review

Bangladesh's readymade garment (RMG) exporters have formed a high-level committee to review provisions of the Bangladesh National Building Code (BNBC), particularly those affecting factory layouts. This comes amid growing calls to align local regulations with international standards, such as the...

Seven die of measles, related symptoms in 24 hrs

The health authorities on Friday reported seven more deaths, including three confirmed fatalities, due to measles and suspected infections.The total number of deaths rose to 240, including 42 confirmed casualties. As many as 1,215 measles-like infections and 172 confirmed cases...

Govt to stick to its guns on tax exemptions

The government is unlikely to withdraw the time-bound tax-exemption facilities as suggested by the International Monetary Fund (IMF).Officials say although the IMF has advised the government to abruptly phase out tax exemptions to raise the country's tax-to-Gross Domestic Product (GDP)...

A surfeit of 'high-powered' money stokes inflation concern

A surfeit of 'high-powered' money in the economy stokes concern about inflation upturn as reserve money more than doubled in terms of year-on-year growth as of February.The central bank of Bangladesh has injected Tk 200 billion in printed money into...

Budget-support funds from foreign financiers look uninspiring

Budget-support funding from foreign financiers seems drying up as only US$750 million has so far been confirmed although the financial year nears end with the economy facing unanticipated shocks amid global crises. The country faces severe fund shortages caused due...