Jakarta office fire kills at least 20

JAKARTA, Dec 09 (Reuters): A fire at an office building in Jakarta has killed at least 20 people as authorities continue to search for casualties.The blaze at the seven-storey site in the Indonesian capital started on Tuesday afternoon, according to...

Fight over fossil fuels nixes key text of UN environment report

PARIS, Dec 09 (AFP): The UN on Tuesday unveiled its largest-ever scientific assessment on the dire state of the environment, but a crucial summary of its findings was torpedoed as nations feuded over fossil fuels. The dispute over the Global...

Japan lifts tsunami warning given after 7.5-earthquake

TOKYO, Dec 09 (Reuters): Japanese authorities lifted tsunami warnings on Tuesday hours after a powerful 7.5-magnitude earthquake shook northeastern regions, injuring at least 30 people and forcing about 90,000 residents to evacuate their homes. The earthquake struck off the coast...

Zelensky rules out giving up land

KYIV, Dec 09 (BBC): Ukraine is preparing to present a revised peace plan to the White House, as it seeks to avoid making territorial concessions to Russia.Kyiv is set to propose alternatives after President Volodymyr Zelensky again ruled out surrendering...

Is Arka Fashion Week setting the stage for a Bangladeshi fashion renaissance?

We can sense a shift in the atmosphere, whether it's a weather effect or a social transformation. Arka Fashion Week, reviving the city with its style and breath of fresh air, is the latest addition to the chain. The fashion...

Nobanno Utshob brings Dhanmondi to life

ZAHID HASANThe winter felt softer and warmer on a December afternoon as people walked toward the Rabindra Sarobar premises beside Dhanmondi Lake. The circular, stair-stage-like platform, which feels like a play about to begin, witnesses a white moon rising, followed...

Teknaf road crash kills two

Cox's Bazar, Dec 09 (UNB): Two people, including a CNG-run autorickshaw driver, were killed after a truck hit their vehicle in Teknaf, Cox's Bazar on Tuesday.The accident occurred at around 03:00 pm in the Alikhali Rashta Matha area of Hnila...

Youth stabbed to death in C'ganj

CHAPAINAWABGANJ, Dec. 09 (UNB): A youth on Monday was stabbed to death by assailants in Shibganj upazila of Chapainawabganj.The deceased, Noyon Ali (25), was the son of Abdul Karim of Moroltola area in Noyalabhanga Union. Rajshahi Medical College Hospital spokesperson...

BGB seizes smuggled goods worth over Tk 1.68b in Nov

Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) have seized various types of smuggled goods and contraband drugs worth over Tk 1.68 billion (168.38 crore) from different parts of the country including border areas in November, reports UNB.Besides, 403 Myanmar nationals were pushed back...

Pabna-Dhaka direct train to be launched next March

PABNA, Dec 09 (BSS): Chief Adviser's Special Assistant on Ministry of Road Transport and Bridges Sheik Moinuddin on Tuesday said direct train service from Pabna to Dhaka will begin in March 2026.He revealed it while talking to journalists at the...

Bumper Aman harvest brings smiles to Manikganj farmers

MANIKGANJ, Dec 09: The arrival of autumn has brought smiles to farmers' faces as paddy harvesting is now in full swing across the fields of Manikganj district.According to the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), the Aman season is expected to...

Tangail saree industry now UNESCO cultural heritage

UNESCO has recognised the Tangail saree weaving industry as an Intangible Cultural Heritage, reports bdnews24.com.The decision was made unanimously at the ongoing 20th session of the Intergovernmental Committee of the UNESCO 2003 Convention in Delhi, India, on Tuesday.A statement from...

Youth stabbed to death in city-

A youth was stabbed to death on Tuesday following previous enmity near Shaheed Nagar gate no.2 under Lalbagh area in the capital. The deceased was identified as Mohammad Hossain (27). He had worked at a wristband factory in the area.The...

Rokeya Day observed in Rangpur

RANGPUR, Dec 9: Rangpur district administration, BRUR and different socio-cultural organisations observed Rokeya Day 2025 on Tuesday.A tribute was paid at the memorial plaque of Begum Rokeya at her birthplace in Pairaband, Mithapukur in the morning. A discussion meeting was...

Buyers visit a stall at the National SME Product Fair 2025 at the Bangladesh-China

Buyers visit a stall at the National SME Product Fair 2025 at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Centre in Agargaon, Dhaka, on Tuesday.— FE Photo

BTRC says 'no' to used mobile imports, traders stand firm

After protests, building sieges, and arson attacks, the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) has remained adamant on its decision to ban unauthorised mobile phones, reports bdnews24.com.Following a meeting with officials on Tuesday, grey market mobile phone traders said a compromise...

Employees won't get incentive bonuses: BB

FE REPORT Bangladesh Bank on Tuesday directed that commercial banks having capital shortfall or provision shortfall would not be able to pay incentives to their employees. Banks previously used to disburse such type of bonuses even if they had deficits.The...

Jet fuel price hiked by up to 4.36pc for December

The energy regulator has raised the prices of jet A-1 fuel, known as aviation fuel, by 4.10 per cent to 4.36 per cent for international and domestic flights respectively for this month (December).With the upward adjustments, the price of jet...

Govt activities to continue despite poll schedule: Salehuddin

Finance Adviser Dr Salehuddin Ahmed on Tuesday said that government operations will continue as usual despite the announcement of the national election schedule."All government activities will continue as long as they do not directly influence the election," he said, adding...

ACC to get full independence if BNP returns to power: Tarique

BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman on Tuesday pledged that his party will fully ensure the independence of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) to effectively control corruption in the country if its returns to power. "Today is International Anti-Corruption Day. We must...

Finance adviser calls for social movement against corruption

Economic Adviser Salehuddin Ahmed has said if the politicians have good intentions, society will not decay and corruption will decrease.Mr. Salehuddin also laid emphasis on ensuring transparency and accountability in the financial sectors.He made the observations on Tuesday at a...

Railway to slash fund demand by 34.7pc in RADP

The Bangladesh Railway (BR) is set to place a 34.70-percent lower demand in the revised FY26 annual development programme (RADP) to implement 32 projects as it is unable to complete some schemes on schedule. It says Tk 49.24 billion will...

Bogura-Sirajganj rail project returns anew

After being dropped from India's line of credit (LoC), the Bangladesh Railway (BR) has revived the Bogura-Shaheed M Mansur Ali Station railway project with a substantially revised cost, nearly double the original estimate.The state-owned rail operator is now seeking alternative...

5-yr bond yield rises

The yield on five-year treasury bonds edged up on Tuesday, signalling higher government borrowing from the banking system in the coming months to help finance the budget deficit, officials said.The cut-off yield, commonly referred to as interest rate, on Bangladesh...

No street protest after poll schedule announced

Bangladesh's interim government urges political groups, activists and the public to desist from staging unauthorised protests and street gatherings once the timetable for national elections is announced, or else illegal assemblies will invite legal action.Schedule is expected within days for...

Judiciary functions set to gain new momentum

The judiciary of Bangladesh is set to enter a new phase of efficiency and institutional independence with the promulgation of the Supreme Court Secretariat Ordinance 2025, a long-awaited reform that grants full financial and administrative autonomy to the apex court.The...

BB buys $202m at Tk 122.29 per dollar

The central bank purchased over US$2.50 billion from banks in nearly last five months aiming to encourage both exporters and remitters through keeping the dollar-taka rate stable.As part of the ongoing intervention, the Bangladesh Bank (BB) bought $202 million more...

NBR to bring 4m entities under VAT net in two years

The National Board of Revenue (NBR) has set an ambitious goal to bring four million businesses under VAT registration within the next two years.This is part of its efforts to expand the VAT net and ensure greater compliance across the...

ILO defers action about Bangladesh amid political transition

Bangladesh gets a breathing space as the International Labour Organization (ILO) defers until March its decision about further action for nonobservance of three labour rights-related core conventions, sources say.However, the UN labour agency presses for timely implementation in all priority...

Build 'new Bangladesh' with women at forefront

Place women at the centre of political and social transformation, the Chief Adviser urges, asserting that a "new Bangladesh must rise with the womenfolk leading the way". Speaking at the 2025 Begum Rokeya Day ceremony in Dhaka on Tuesday, Prof...