Maoists quit govt to force handover of power

KATHMANDU, June 13 (Agencies): Nepal's ex-rebels quit the interim government to pressure the prime minister to step down and allow them to form an administration after they won most seats in parliamentary elections two months ago, according to Internet..Five Communist...

Phoenix Insurance approves 20pc stock dividend

Phoenix Insurance Company Limited (PICL) approved 20 per cent stock dividend for its shareholders for the year 2007.This was approved at the 22nd annual general meeting (AGM) of the company at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Centre in the city recently.PICL...

Privatisation will benefit the national economy

A large number of state-owned enterprises (SoEs) have been operating in our country. Globalisation has been influencing the domestic markets of all countries around the world which have followed the path of socio-economic policy changes by their the governments for...

Lawyers head for Pakistan capital

ISLAMABAD, June 13 (Agencies): Thousands of Pakistani lawyers and supporters are heading to Islamabad to demand the government reinstate judges fired by President Musharraf last year, according to Internet.Crowds along the route cheered the motorcade of several hundred vehicles. Security...

Chastened Germany determined to correct mistakes

TENERO, Switzerland, June 13 (Reuters): Germany's 2-1 defeat by Croatia was a chastening experience but coach Joachim Loew said he was confident his team could correct their mistakes in time for a decisive Euro 2008 Group B finale against Austria."In...

Mahathir's Malaysia: Example of using power with a vision

Mahathir Mohammed is now a former Prime Minister of Malaysia. But he was no ordinary Prime Minister and the sort of acclaim he continues to receive for his exceptional steering of his country's affairs proves his unique identity among the...

India fails to deliver major part of rice within agreed time

India is yet to fulfil the pledge it had made to support Bangladesh following the devastating cyclonic storm, Sidr, in November last.The giant neighbour has only partially made available the rice it was supposed to export to Bangladesh by June...

Greece, Russia both fighting to avoid early Euro 2008 exit

SALZBURG, June 13 (AP): Greece is only one match into the European Championship and already close to surrendering the title it won four years ago. After losing to Sweden 2-0 in its Group D opener, the Greeks need a positive...

Teacher commits suicide

MADARIPUR, June 13 (UNB): A teacher of a non-government primary school allegedly committed suicide inside classroom here Wednesday midnight.Police said Swapan Mukherjee (30), son of Atul Mukherjee of Nobogram village in Kalkini Upazila and teacher of Purbo Nobogram Non-government Primary...

President, CA greet their UK counterparts on occasion of Queen's birthday

President Iajuddin Ahmed and Chief Adviser Fakhruddin Ahmed have greeted their counterparts of the United Kingdom (UK) on the occasion of the birthday of Queen Elizabeth-II that falls today (Saturday), reports UNB.In a message to Queen Elizabeth-II, Dr Iajuddin said,...

Rumours keep prices bearish

The Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) witnessed a bearish trend in the week that ended Thursday, due to panic wave triggered by rumours that the securities regulator might impose some sort of restrictions on trading.Against the backdrop of recent abnormal rise...

Prices of essentials rise at retail level

Prices of a number of essentials including potato, rice, non-brand edible oil, garlic and poultry birds marked rise in the city markets at retail shops during the past one week, traders said Friday.During the past one week, prices of potato...

Bush at Vatican meeting with Pope

ROME, June 13 (Agencies): Pope Benedict XVI gave President Bush a rare peak Friday of the Vatican Gardens, a spot where popes pray privately and only special guests are allowed to stroll. "Your eminence, you're looking good," Bush told the...

Extract: Checking male in today's India

SOME years ago I was struck by the contrast between the beauty of Hindi film heroines and the ugliness of Hindi film heroes. After researching the matter, I concluded that the explanation was straight forward: leading men in Hindi films...

Pak shaky politics fuels Afghan instability

It has always been clear that the ability of NATO forces to bring the necessary level of security to Afghanistan to allow for reconstruction depends in large part on the willingness of neighbouring Pakistan to close down the Taliban and...

Emu's second 10 years may be tougher than its first

"A full decade after Europe's leaders took the decision to launch the euro, we have good reason to be proud of our single currency. The Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) and the euro are a major success." Self-congratulation is in...

India face old rival Pakistan in final today

High-flying India meet Pakistan in the final of the Kitply Cup today (Saturday) at the Mirpur Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium (SBNS) in the city with both teams hoping to clinch the title, reports UNB.The day/night match will begin at 3:00 pm...

Mugabe brandishes spectre of war in vote build-up

HARARE, June 13 (AFP): Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe raised the spectre of war Friday by warning that his staunchest supporters are ready to take up arms rather than let the opposition triumph in a June 27 election. In comments carried...

Bollywood starlet Vidya Balan made Toshiba brand ambassador

Bollywood starlet Vidya Balan, one of the most acclaimed actresses of the Indian film industry is now the new face for consumer electronics giant Toshiba for the South Asian region.This was announced at a 'Press Meet' organised on the occasion...

Training course for BCS cadre officials ends

COMILLA, June 13 (UNB): A five-day attachment programme on rural development and poverty reduction concluded at Bangladesh Academy for Rural Development (BARD) here Thursday.Some 100 participants of 41st Foundation Training Course of Bangladesh Public Administration Training Centre (BPATC), Dhaka from...

Schweinsteiger banned for Euro game

TENERO, June 13 (AFP): Germany midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger has been banned for one-match by UEFA and will miss Monday's clash with Austria in Vienna with a Euro 2008 quarter-final place at stake.Schweinsteiger, a key play-maker for Germany, was a second-half...

One burnt alive, 4 shops gutted in Trishal fire

MYMENSINGH, June 13 (UNB): A shop owner was burnt alive and four shops were gutted in a devastating fire at Trishal Upazila Bazar here early Friday.The deceased was identified as Mahbub (20), owner of a cotton shop.Local people said the...

Hockey team leave for S'pore eyeing for title

Bangladesh Hockey team, led by Maksud Alam Habul, left Dhaka for Singapore Friday morning to take part in the 3rd Men's AHF Cup Hockey on June 14 to June 22 eyeing for the title of the nine-team meet, reports UNB.Bangladesh...

Boro procurement drive lagging behind target

Chief Adviser (CA) Dr. Fakhruddin Ahmed has directed the authorities concerned to gear up the internal foodgrain procurement drive as the current rate of procurement of 'Boro' crop is lagging behind the target, official sources said.At a recent meeting with...

MHMP: A prospective project that needs protection

FOLLOWING completion and handing over of Bangladesh's first hard rock mining project, vested interest groups are active to make the project a failure thereby thwarting Bangladesh's immense prospect for saving a huge amount of foreign currency as well opening up...

weekly currency roundup

Commercial Bank of CeylonUS dollar maintained its bullish tone against Bangladesh taka last week, which would continue until the later part of June 2008.Market might have gone further dry in the absence of Bangladesh Bank's active support to banks on...

Asian commodities, loan funds, property strong performers

INVESTORS in Asia who have been punting on the region's growth story are likely to continue to benefit going forward, as the demand for commodities abundantly available in the region should persist, while agriculture and property are likely to be...

AL's countrywide tour starts June 20

Central leaders of Bangladesh Awami League (AL) will begin their week-long organisational tour to different districts on June 20, reports BSS.A total of eighteen teams comprising the presidium members, secretaries and other sub-committee members will meet the district leaders to...

Total quality management--a gateway to twenty-first century education

EDUCATION is not only about how to read, write and gather knowledge and speak knowledgeably about a particular subject. If we subscribe to the narrow view as to what the true benefits of education are, we would be ignoring the...

Export earning to achieve target

The country's export in outgoing fiscal will surpass the $14.50 billion target, first time in its history, as garments showed an extraordinary comeback after a negative growth in the first quarter, a senior official said Friday.Bangladesh's export in the second...