The farce of fixing LPG prices

For millions of households already grappling with surging inflation, the sharp increase in the price of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) - an essential cooking fuel - could not have come at a worse time. Adjusted monthly in line with international...

Artemis II crew take 'spectacular' images of earth

NEW YORK, Apr 04 (BBC): Nasa has shared the first high-resolution images of the Earth taken by the Artemis II crew as they pass the halfway point between the Earth and the Moon.The mission's commander, Reid Wiseman, took the "spectacular"...

Bangladesh Railway resumes Dhaka-Ctg corridor capacity upgrade move

The Bangladesh Railway (BR) has finally resumed its move to enhance the capacity of Dhaka-Chattogram railway corridor after getting a green signal from the new government with funding assurance from a development partner in the project involving more than Tk330...

No let-up in long queues at petrol pumps despite supply assurances

Long queues persisted at petrol pumps across the capital on Saturday as motorists rushed to stock up on fuel, defying repeated government assurances that supplies remain adequate.Motorcyclists and car drivers were seen waiting for more than two hours under intense...

Ship carrying 34,000 tonnes of diesel from Malaysia arrives

CHATTOGRAM, April 4 (BSS): A ship, "Shan Gang Fa Jian", has docked at Chattogram Port with 34,000 tonnes of diesel from Malaysia.Chattogram Port Authority Secretary Syed Refayet Hamim confirmed the arrival on Saturday morning. The ship arrived at the Kutubdia...

Farmer Service Centre eludes great goal of farming upgrade countrywide

A government pilot project eludes its ideal objective of farming upgrade in Bangladesh as massive anomalies and shoddy works in its execution have officially been detected. The Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) set up farmer service centre under a pilot...

Govt seeks Tk 200b in foreign grants

Bangladesh is preparing to launch a major overhaul of its primary education system, but securing adequate external financing remains a key challenge. With the current programme nearing completion, the government is racing to mobilise funds to avoid disruption to core...

BD's trade surplus with EU widens

The surplus in Bangladesh's trade in goods and services with the European Union rose by nearly 10 per cent in fiscal year 2024-25, underpinned by robust export growth, particularly in goods, despite rising outflows in services.The development highlights both the...

Deposit up to Tk 0.5m may get excise duty relief in next FY

Around 10 million small and middle-income bank depositors may receive tax relief on deposits of up to Tk 0.5 million in the upcoming fiscal year (FY).The budget for FY2026-27 is likely to include full exemption from excise duty up to...

Banks to run 10am-5pm, transactions till 3pm from today

The central bank has announced new office and transaction hours for all scheduled banks and non-bank finance companies (NBFCs), effective from today (Sunday), to help save fuel and electricity across the country.Banks and NBFCs' offices will remain open from 10:00am...

Five die in Keraniganj gas lighter factory fire

Five people burnt to death as a fire wrecked a gas-lighter factory in Kadamtali Gol Chattar area of South Keraniganj in Dhaka on Saturday afternoon, police and witnesses said.Five fire-fighting units rushed in and doused the blaze at the tin-shed...

Govt to procure 0.1m tonnes of diesel, two LNG cargoes

The government has approved the urgent import of 0.1 million tonnes of diesel from Kazakhstan and two LNG cargoes from Singapore to strengthen national energy reserves amid the ongoing Gulf crisis.The decision was finalised at back-to-back virtual meetings of the...

PM launches reform drive to ease business, attract investment

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman kick-starts a much-cherished reform drive to remove key bottlenecks to private sector and enhance ease of doing business with the cardinal goal of attracting fresh investment from home and abroad and accelerating job creation.The crucial move...

Job seekers issue ultimatum to raise govt job age limit to 35

DU CorrespondentJob seekers have issued an ultimatum to the government, setting April 12 as the deadline to raise the maximum age limit for entry into government jobs to 35, citing prolonged academic disruptions that have delayed graduation timelines.The announcement was...

619 killed in 616 road accidents in March: BJKS

FE REPORT A total of 619 people were killed and 1,548 others injured in 616 road accidents last month (March 2026), said Bangladesh Jatri Kalyan Samity (BJKS), a passenger welfare platform, citing a report on Saturday. The deceased include 157...

A delegation of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB),

A delegation of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), led by its President Zou Jiayi, met with Prime Minister Tarique Rahman at the PMO in the capital on Saturday. — Focus Bangla

Special vaccination campaign starts today

The government is going to start a special vaccination campaign today (Sunday) across 30 upazilas in 18 districts, as six more people (confirmed and suspected) died in measles and 787 new were affected with measles-like symptoms in last 24 hours.The...

Saki trashes 'dispute' over July Charter

State Minister for Planning Zonayed Saki has dismissed claims of controversy surrounding the implementation of the July National Charter, reports bdnews24.com.He said no 'fundamental dispute exists' over the Charter itself.Speaking at a press conference at the Ganosanghati Andolon central office...

Four Rohingya people held over human trafficking link

Detectives of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) have arrested four Rohingya, including a teenager, from a room at Hotel New Arambagh in the capital's Motijheel, reports bdnews24.com.According to the Detective Branch (DB), some of the detainees, held on Thursday afternoon, had...

'Gun attack' leaves Jubo Dal activist injured in city

A Jubo Dal activist has been shot and injured in a 'gun attack' by some miscreants in Nayabazar Park area of Old Dhaka, reports UNB. The victim was identified as Russel (31), an activist of Kotwali unit of Jubo Dal...

BNP moving forward step by step to implement July Charter: Dr Zahid

DINAJPUR, April 4 (BSS): Minister for Social Welfare and Women and Children Affairs Prof Dr AZM Zahid Hossain has said the party is moving forward systematically to implement the July National Charter."BNP sees the July National Charter, signed at the...

Masud Uddin Chy placed on 3-day remand again

A Dhaka court has placed former lawmaker and Lieutenant General (retd) Masud Uddin Chowdhury on a three-day remand for the third time in a case involving embezzlement of Tk 240 billion and human trafficking.After completing a six-day remand in the...

Hard-earned democracy must be safeguarded at any cost: Whip Dulu

Whip M Ruhul Quddus Talukder Dulu has said democracy in the country has been restored through 17 years of struggle and sacrifice, urging all to remain vigilant in protecting it."Democracy achieved through blood must be safeguarded at any cost," he...

Fakhrul dismisses claim that BNP doesn't want reform

HABIGANJ, April 4(BSS): BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has termed as completely false the claim that the party does not want reform.He said, "The statement that BNP does not want reforms is completely false and is being used...

Afghan quake kills 12, including 8 members of same family

KABUL, Apr 04 (AFP): An earthquake that struck Afghanistan overnight killed 12 people, including eight members of the same family, a government official and the Afghan Red Crescent Society said on Saturday.The 5.8-magnitude quake struck at 8:42 pm (1612 GMT)...

Pakistan announces free public transport as energy crisis bites

ISLAMABAD, Apr 04 (AFP): State-run public transport in Pakistan's capital and most populous province will be free for the coming month, officials said Friday, after the government drastically raised fuel prices due to the Iran war.The announcement came after street...

Putin, Erdogan for prompt Mideast truce

MOSCOW, Apr 04 (AFP/Reuters): Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan called for an immediate ceasefire in the Middle East war during a phone call on Friday, the Kremlin said.The war started over a month ago with...

The return of school admission tests in Bangladesh

The foundation of a nation's education system is built within the classrooms of quality primary and secondary schools. As we know, education is the backbone of a nation. This preparation starts from these institutions. In Bangladesh, admission tests were once...

NSU puts more than 10,000 aspirants to the test

North South University (NSU) conducted its Undergraduate Admission Test for the Summer 2026 Semester on Saturday, with the examination running from 10:00 am to 12:30 pm on the university campus.More than 10,000 candidates attended the examination, each seeking a place...

Understanding the cheating culture of universities and beyond

Over the past decade, academic dishonesty has evolved significantly, growing not only in frequency but in scale and sophistication. What was once confined to hidden notes or copied answers has expanded into AI-generated essays and outsourced assignments. This shift raises...