Hard times: Trump and the next four years

Let there be no mistake. The world braces itself for the hard times which are ahead of it. In a few days Donald Trump will once more be President of the United States. In the perspective of American politics, it...

FIRST SECURITY ISLAMI BANK HOLDS ‘TASK FORCE COMMITTEE MEETING’

First Security Islami Bank on Monday organised its 'Task Force Committee Meeting' at the bank's head office in the capital. Mohammad Abdul Mannan, chairman of the bank, was present as chief guest at the programme. Abu Reza Md. Yeahia, managing...

JAMUNA BANK HOLDS ANNUAL BUSINESS CONFERENCE 2025

Jamuna Bank on Wednesday held its Annual Business Conference 2025 at a hotel in the capital. The event highlighted key plans for the bank's growth and introduced its new product, 'Jamuna Bank Short Notes'. Top-performing branches and divisions received the...

Global stocks diverge on renewed US inflation fears

LONDON, Jan 8 (AFP): Stock markets diverged and the dollar rose Wednesday after data pointed to a robust US economy, further denting hopes of several more cuts to interest rates in the world's biggest economy.The latest readings added to worries...

Stocks continue its plunge, dragged by blue chips

The Dhaka bourse closed Wednesday's session marginally lower, extending its losing streak for the second consecutive session. The DSEX, broad index of the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE), declined in the last four sessions out of five as investors failed to...

T-bond transactions surge on DSE but still negligible in expanded market

Trading in Treasury bonds on the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) surged 55 per cent year-on-year to Tk 1.31 billion last year mainly due to higher interest rates and an easing of the transaction process through brokerage firms.The trade volume is...

UNION BANK SIT-IN PROGRAMME FOR RECOVERY OF DEFAULTED INVESTMENT

Union Bank PLC has launched a new initiative to recover defaulted investments. On Monday, bank officials staged a sit-in in front of The Aristocrat Agro Ltd. office as part of the bank's social movement to recover outstanding dues amounting to...

Eight directors selected to make films on July uprising

The Ministry of Cultural Affairs has selected eight directors to make films on the July uprising under its "Remembering Monsoon Revolution" programme, reports UNB.These directors will lead workshops in eight divisions of the country and produce medium-length films with the...

E-cigarette imports banned

The government has imposed a ban on the imports of e-cigarettes to protect public health.The commerce ministry recently issued a circular in this regard. As per the circular, the order will take effect as early as possible.E-cigarettes are categorised as...

TCB sales drive for smart cardholders begins today

The Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) starts selling key essentials today to the low-income families having the state-run organisation's smart cards, according to a press statement.The previously-issued digital card holders would not be able to buy the items. Only smart...

Businesses for trade-oriented diplomacy to boost investments, exports

Business leaders at a programme on Tuesday stressed the need for more trade-oriented diplomacy and diversification of export baskets to boost investment.They were addressing a discussion jointly organised by the UK Bangladesh Catalyst Chamber Industry and the Bangladesh Textile Mills...

Economic expansion slows in Dec

The economy witnessed expansion in December 2024, though at a slower pace than the previous couple of months, as reflected in Bangladesh's Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI).In December 2024, the PMI stood at 61.7, 0.5-point down from November's 62.2, according to...

Refiners seek to raise edible oil prices again

In just one month after substantially increasing the soybean- oil prices, local refiners have again proposed raising edible-oil prices on the domestic market on excuse of increased rates in the international market, industry insiders said. The Bangladesh Vegetable Oil Refiners'...

Students, police clash at secretariat gate

Clashes broke out between police and a group of students from Prime Asia University at the main gate of Bangladesh's Secretariat on Tuesday.Witnesses reported the students were involved in a standoff with police, though the reason behind their protest remains...

Dhaka's mass transport debacle perilously spawning personalised transports

Dhaka city sees daily commuter trips boom over 38 million amid people's mobility increase by 38 per cent in nine years largely as dislike for outmoded buses spawns personalized rides on smaller, non-motorised transports, a survey shows. The latest household...

Prayer Timings (2025-01-08)

Bleeding in banks halted, but stability to take time

The Bangladesh Bank riding on immediate and proactive policy interventions has managed to stop financial bleeding in the banking sector, but achieving full stability will require more time, its officials say. Spokesperson for the central bank Husne Ara Shikha made...

Passports of Hasina, 74 others cancelled

The Department of Immigration and Passport has cancelled the passports of deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina and 74 others for their alleged involvement in the July killings, a spokesperson for the Chief Adviser's Office (CAO) said on Tuesday.Moreover, passports of...

Court orders seizure of assets of Nafeez, wife, son

A Dhaka Court has ordered the attachment of some plots and lands, 22 flats, and two houses owned by former chairman of Padma Bank (formerly Farmers Bank) Chowdhury Nafeez Sarafat, his wife, and son.Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Judge Md Zakir...

Banks like to leapfrog spot to make forward transaction deals

Forward transactions may increase under the new exchange- management regime allowing banks a free play to fix exchange rates up to Tk 122 each US dollar in spot transactions.Most of the banks are showing interest in forward transactions instead of...

Quake leaves 126 dead in Tibet

A devastating earthquake in China's remote Tibet region killed at least 126 people and damaged thousands of buildings on Tuesday, state media reported, with tremors also felt in neighbouring Nepal's capital Kathmandu, parts of India and parts of Bangladesh, reports...

Khaleda sets out to fly for London

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia started for the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport on Tuesday evening before flying for London for advanced medical treatment by a special air ambulance sent by the Emir of Qatar."Madam (Khaleda) left her Gulshan residence at 8:15...

Time-expired container terminal project now taken for revival

A tenure-expired container-terminal project, conceived by the ousted regime, is set to be placed today for interim government's seal for revival by almost doubling the time and cost, insiders said Tuesday.Although Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) had failed to...

Weather (2025-01-08)

Weather may remain mainly dry with temporary partly cloudy sky over the country in the next 24 hours from 06:00 am today (Wednesday), according to the Met Office. Light to moderate fog may occur at places over the country during...

Home Adviser proposes job for 100 persons injured during uprising

Home Affairs Adviser Lt Gen (retd) Md Jahangir Alam Chowdhury has proposed offering employment opportunities to 100 individuals injured during the July uprising, reports UNB."This initiative aims to help the injured regain financial stability. While we cannot offer help everywhere...

ACC starts inquiry against Hasina's ex-press secy Nayeemul

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has launched an inquiry into the allegations of corruption and illegal wealth accumulation against journalist Nayeemul Islam Khan, who was a press secretary to former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, along with his wife and children.ACC sources...

India sends back 90 BD fishermen

CHATTOGRAM, Jan 07: A total of 90 Bangladeshi sailors and fishermen were sent back by India on Tuesday, nearly one month after their detention in the neighbouring country.They were handed over to their families at Patenga in the port city...

Five killed, as train hits bus in Faridpur

Eight people died in separate road accidents in three districts on Tuesday, report agencies. In Faridpur, five people were killed and four others were injured, as a microbus fell into a pond after being hit by a train on Gerda...

Swechhasebak Dal leader expelled for assaulting Ctg police officer

CHATTOGRAM, Jan 07 (UNB): The BNP has expelled a leader of the Swechhasebak Dal, the party's volunteers wing, for physically assaulting the former Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Kotwali Police Station under Chattogram Metropolitan Police.The expelled leader, Shahidul Islam Shahid, was the...

Charges filed against Hasina, 15 others

The International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) on Tuesday received allegation of crimes against humanity against ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina and 15 others, reports BSS."The then government in 2021 fired indiscriminately at the people who were demonstrating against Indian Prime Minister...