Save Kumar River from encroachment

The Kumar River, which flows beside West Abdalpur village under IB Thana in Kushtia, is currently facing a serious threat due to ongoing illegal encroachment. Over time, sections of both riverbanks have been occupied by individuals who have built houses,...

Impact of war on apparel industry

Iran, the United States and Israel are not getting along. This is creating a lot of uncertainty for the whole global economy. Even though Bangladesh does not have a stake in these conflicts the apparel industry in Bangladesh is very...

Emerging tech powerhouses and the message they send globally

As the global technology landscape evolves, innovation is no longer confined to traditional strongholds such as Silicon Valley, London, or Berlin. A wave of decentralisation is reshaping the map of technological progress. Cities once considered peripheral are now building dynamic...

Another edible oil price hike may be the last straw

The prices of edible oils, which are among the major essential commodities, hardly need any cogent reason to rise in the kitchen market. Their prices have already been edging up ahead of Eid-ul-Fitr. The per litre prices of especially unbottled...

Seminar on HC original jurisdiction held at JU

A career guidance seminar titled "Original Jurisdiction of the High Court Division: Company, Writ and Admiralty Frameworks" was held at Jahangirnagar University on Sunday.The seminar was organised by the Department of Law and Justice in association with the Career Club...

HC grants bail to Baul artiste Abul Sarkar

The High Court (HC) has granted bail to Baul artiste Abul Sarkar in a case over hurting religious sentiments, reports bdnews24.com.The bench of Justice Md Atoar Rahman and Justice Md Sagir Hossain gave the order on Monday.However, Sarkar still has...

Constitution amendment a must to put democratic journey on right track: Chief whip

Chief Whip Nurul Islam Moni on Monday said there is no alternative to amending the Constitution to put Bangladesh's democratic journey on the right track, reports UNB."The previous fascist government changed the Constitution for its own benefits. This Constitution must...

Jamaat Ameer calls for mass movement, vows to uphold referendum verdict

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer and leader of the opposition in parliament Dr. Shafiqur Rahman has warned of a resurgence of "neo-fascism" in the country and pledged to implement the referendum verdict.He called upon the people to join a movement to resist...

'Voice for Reform' flags concern over stalling of key reforms

Speakers at a dialogue expressed deep concern over the stalling of key reforms, warning that the repeal of ordinances related to judicial independence and preventing enforced disappearances poses a grave threat to human rights and good governance.They also urged the...

World Health Day today-

The World Health Day will be observed today (Tuesday) in a befitting manner across the country, reports BSS.On this occasion , the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Directorate General of Health Services, and non-governmental development organisations working in the...

DU begins in-person admission for 2025-26

Dhaka University has started its in-person admission process for undergraduate programmes for the 2025-26 academic session on Monday.The admission activities will continue until April 9, according to an official notice published on the university's admission website.As per the instructions, students...

BD to discuss manpower export with Malaysia

Bangladesh is set to discuss resuming manpower export to Malaysia, as Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment Minister Ariful Haque Chowdhury will visit Kuala Lumpur on 8 April (tomorrow)."I have received an invitation from the Malaysian ministry concerned. Discussions will take...

Inclusive dialogue key to effective migration policy

Speakers at a national consultation emphasised the importance of inclusive dialogue in shaping effective migration policies, stressing the need for continued collaboration and innovation to address evolving migration challenges.They made the observation at a national preparatory consultation at a city...

JS to sit twice daily to clear 133 ordinances

Parliament will hold two sittings a day - morning and afternoon - from Tuesday to expedite the passage of 133 ordinances by the April 9 deadline, Chief Whip Nurul Islam Moni said on Monday, reports UNB.The decision was taken at...

Billboard lights, fairs, to shut by 7pm: Govt

The government has ordered that fairs, trade fairs, cultural programmes and billboard lights be shut by 7:00 pm to save electricity and energy, reports UNB.The Cabinet Division on Monday sent a letter to all divisional commissioners and deputy commissioners (DCs),...

DMP clears footpaths, walkways

The Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Traffic Division on Monday carried out an eviction drive against illegal structures at Sayedabad Bus Terminal in the capital. DMP Traffic Division (Wary circle) DC Md Azad Rahman told the FE that they had demolished...

TIB warns of govt retreat from key reform commitments

Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) on Monday voiced concern that the government may be retreating from key reforms on judicial independence, human rights, anti-corruption, and the prevention of enforced disappearances, raising doubts about its commitment to institutional strengthening.Speaking at a press...

FM's Delhi trip seen as prelude to high-stake summit with India

Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman is set to visit New Delhi on Tuesday in a move widely viewed by diplomats as crucial for paving the way for a possible summit between Bangladesh's Prime Minister Tarique Rahman and his Indian counterpart Narendra...

FBCCI opposes weakening of taka

Business leaders on Monday urged the central bank to maintain exchange-rate stability and ease financing conditions, arguing that current macroeconomic pressures are already weighing heavily on investment and production. With remittance inflows strengthening foreign-exchange reserves, they see little justification for...

Metro ticket VAT exemption extended for another year

The government has decided to extend the tax exemption on metro-rail tickets for another year in the upcoming fiscal budget, aiming to keep fares affordable for commuters.Currently, metro rail tickets are exempt from the 15 per cent Value Added Tax...

Parliament passes seven bills

Parliament on Monday passed seven bills, including Representation of the People (Amendment) Bill 2026 and Electoral Rolls (Amendment) Bill 2026 as part of the move to endorse the relevant ordinances promulgated during the interim government period, reports UNB.Minister Md Asaduzzaman...

High-powered body formed to cut wasteful dev spending

The government has formed a high-powered committee to review the ongoing projects under the development budget, aiming to cut wasteful expenditures and ensure proper utilisation of public funds.The committee was formed at the meeting of the Executive Committee of the...

Finance bosses meet tomorrow to finalise outline

Finance high-ups will sit tomorrow to finalise the outline of the first national budget of the new government amid severe Middle East war-linked stresses that are shaking up the country's economic base.Finance and Planning Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury will...

Prayer Timings _2026-04-07

Motorcyclists block the Dewanganj-Jamalpur regional road

Motorcyclists block the Dewanganj-Jamalpur regional road in front of a filling station in Jamalpur's Islampur upazila for nearly two hours on Monday morning after waiting in vain for fuel following a social media rumour. —Focus Bangla

Long queues at city petrol pumps persist amid supply crunch

Like previous days, most of the petrol pumps across the capital, Dhaka, witnessed long queues on Monday as motorists were seen waiting for hours to get fuel.Despite repeated government assurances that there is no supply scarcity of fuel oil in...

Trillion-dollar economy by 2034, BD per-capita income now $2,769

Bangladesh's per-capita income has risen to $2,769, Finance Minister Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury told parliament Monday, outlining their new government's broader ambition to transform the economy into a trillion-dollar powerhouse by 2034.The disclosure came during the ninth sitting of the...

Iran rejects ceasefire proposal as Trump's deadline looms

TEHRAN, April 6 (AP): Iran on Monday rejected the latest ceasefire proposal and instead said it wants a permanent end to the war, as US President Donald Trump's ultimatum loomed within hours.Iran's state-run IRNA news agency said Tehran had conveyed...

Measles outbreak has taken an epidemic form: Experts

Public health experts have described the country's worsening measles situation as an epidemic, as seven more children died of confirmed and suspected cases in the past 24 hours, signalling a deepening health crisis.Hospitals are overwhelmed as new patients, mostly children,...

Indian envoy meets PM, energy security discussed

Indian High Commissioner in Dhaka Pranay Verma Monday paid a courtesy call on Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman at the Cabinet Division office in the Bangladesh Secretariat, discussing bilateral affairs with focus on energy cooperation.Speaking to reporters after the meeting...