NASA confirms flight next week to ISS since medical evacuation

WASHINGTON, Feb 07 (AFP): Four astronauts will blast off to re-staff the International Space Station (ISS) next week, NASA said Friday, after an emergency medical evacuation of the previous crew.Crew-12 will lift off on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket early...

Canada, France open consulates in Greenland

NUUK, Feb 07 (AFP): Canada and France, which both oppose US President Donald Trump's claim to Greenland, opened consulates in the Danish autonomous territory's capital on Friday, in a show of support for the local government.Since returning to the White...

Nuclear enrichment: Iran ready for US deal

TEHRAN, Feb 07 (AFP): Iran's foreign minister (FM) insisted Saturday that nuclear enrichment was an "inalienable right" for Tehran, but he was ready to reach a "reassuring" deal with the United States over the issue."(Nuclear) Enrichment is our inalienable right...

Chief of Naval Staff of Bangladesh Navy Admiral M Nazmul Hasan hands over the winner's trophy to Ganzorig T

Chief of Naval Staff of Bangladesh Navy Admiral M Nazmul Hasan hands over the winner's trophy to Ganzorig TuVshintugs at 24th Square Golf Tournament 2026 at Kurmitola Golf Course in Dhaka Cantonment on Friday- ISPR

Bangladesh lose 4-0 to India in SAFF U-19 Women's Championship

Bangladesh suffered a 4-0 defeat to India in the final of the SAFF U-19 Women's Championship at the Pokhara Rangasala Stadium in Pokhara, Nepal on Saturday, reports BSS.Although Bangladesh dominated the group stage, the final proved to be a different...

T20 World Cup hit by Bangladesh boycott, Pakistan protests

The cricketing world finds itself in the grip of an unprecedented political and sporting standoff as the 2026 ICC T20 World Cup lurches from one crisis to another. Bangladesh's dramatic decision to withdraw its men's cricket team from the tournament,...

Faheem steps up to avert Dutch scare

COLOMBO, Feb 07 (AFP): Faheem Ashraf smashed an unbeaten 29 off 11 balls as Pakistan scrambled past the Netherlands by three wickets to avoid a massive shock in the curtain-raiser of the T20 World Cup in Colombo on Saturday.Pakistan were...

Research must have clear goals, says RUET VC

RAJSHAHI, Feb 07 (BSS): Vice-Chancellor of Rajshahi University of Engineering and Technology (RUET) Professor S M Abdur Razzak has said that research should be conducted with clearly defined goals."We need to set targets for our research. Where do we want...

Fund shortage slows embankment work, threatening Boro crops

SUNAMGANJ, Feb 07 (UNB): A shortage of funds has slowed embankment construction across Jagannathpur upazila in Sunamganj, raising fears among farmers that unfinished flood defences could expose early Boro crops to flash floods in the coming weeks.The government allocated Tk...

Gopalganj growers get good price selling tomatoes

OUR CORRESPONDENTGOPALGANJ Feb 07: Tomato farmers of Gopalganj Sadar Upazila got a good price for their produce throughout winter and DAE estimates that this year growers of Gopalganj's five upazilas will earn over two billion taka selling the vegetable.A total...

Matlab's Khir: A sweet delicacy for foodies in Chandpur, beyond

CHANDPUR, Feb 07: The Khir, a dish of sweet rice pudding, of Matlab Dakhshin upazila of the district has long been treated as a delicious sweet item of unique taste by the food-lovers across the district since Pakistan regime. Not...

How a single project can reshape a region

As a development analyst, I have spent much of my career studying how large infrastructure projects alter regional economies. Too often, such projects promise transformation but leave behind only partial gains. Rooppur, however, tells a different story. What is unfolding...

Monetary policy decisions under political constraints

Bangladesh Bank is scheduled to announce its monetary policy stance for the second half of FY26 on Monday (February 9, 2026), amid persistent inflationary pressures and weakening momentum in the real sector. Advisers to the interim government have been pressing...

Exchange rates, international finance and the global economy

Exchange rates, the price of one currency in terms another currency, are crucial in international finance for influencing trade balance, investment flows and inflation. Factors influencing exchange rates include interest rates, economic activity, inflation and market confidence. For economies like...

AI shaping the future of learning

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is rapidly changing the way of imparting education, offering exciting opportunities for both students and teachers. One of the most important changes AI brings is personalised learning. AI can adapt to each student's needs, helping them learn...

Tea workers' life of hardship

The tea workers continue to be among the least paid groups in Bangladesh. Despite their contributions to a vital sector of economy and day-to-day activities, their standards of living reflect a life of deprivation. A worker in a tea garden...

Keeping market stable in Ramadan

The holy month of Ramadan will begin in less than two weeks. It is a time when people are expected not only to deepen their spiritual devotion but also to refrain from practices that are morally indefensible and harmful to...

Will FDI surge after election?

Notwithstanding various efforts and policy supports, inflow of foreign direct investment (FDI) in Bangladesh is still nominal. The annual average net inflow of FDI stood at $1.60 billion in the last 10 years which is less than one per cent...

Ctg port deal: Haste makes waste

The temporary break in the Chattogram port strike that came after six full days of disruption did little to ease tensions. Port workers have flat-out warned that operations may be shut down again as early as tomorrow unless the government...

BD, Japan sign full-fledged deal on economic partnership

Bangladesh and Japan Friday signed a landmark Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) that ushers in a new era of bilateral trade and investment cooperation and marks Dhaka's first such comprehensive pact with any country.Under the agreement, Japan will grant 100-percent duty-free...

Asian markets extend global retreat as tech worries build

HONG KONG, Feb 6 (AFP): Asian equities sank again on Friday as a tech rout that battered Wall Street for the third day in a row showed no sign of letting up amid growing unease about the hundreds of billions...

Stocks extend rally amid optimistic outlook

The benchmark index of the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) extended its winning streak for the third week in a row, buoyed by sustained investor interest in banking stocks amid expectation of favourable post-election momentum.Analysts attributed the ongoing recovery to broad-based...

Ishraq pledges to resolve gas crisis, waterlogging in Old Dhaka

Engineer Ishraq Hossain, the BNP-nominated candidate for Dhaka-6, has promised to revitalise old Dhaka by addressing waterlogging, the acute gas crisis, and drug abuse, reports BSS.In an interview with the agencies at Baldha Garden, the candidate outlined his development plans...

Effigies of adviser Sakhawat, BIDA's Ashik burnt at DU

Effigies of several individuals were burned at Dhaka University (DU) on Thursday in protest against the government's move to lease the New Mooring Container Terminal (NCT) of Chittagong Port to foreign entities, branding them as ‘economic hitmen.’The demonstration was held...

Ctg election fever peaks before Feb 12

CHATTOGRAM, Feb 06: has gripped Chattogram ahead of the 13th Jatiya Sangsad (JS) election slated for 12 February. Campaigning by candidates and discussions among voters are at their peak, with supporters of candidates in the city's 16 constituencies holding processions...

Over 0.15m postal ballots reach returning officers

A total of 1,55,452 (over 0.15 million) postal ballots have already reached the returning officers across the country ahead of the 13th parliamentary election, scheduled for February 12. Of them, 1,24,746 ballots have been received from expatriate voters staying abroad...

Bobby Hajjaj, the BNP candidate for Dhaka-13

Bobby Hajjaj, the BNP candidate for Dhaka-13, carrying out mass contact with voters in the capital's Adabar area on Friday as part of his campaign for the 13th Jatiya Sangsad election. — Focus Bangla

JUCSU VP Jitu joins BNP

Abdur Rashid Zitu, vice-president (VP) of the Jahangirnagar University Central Students' Union (JUCSU), has formally joined the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP).Alongside him, several representatives from different hall unions of the university joined the Jatiyatabadi Chatra Dal (JCD), the student wing...

Vote manipulators to meet same fate as fascists: Nahid

SAVAR, Feb 6 (UNB): National Citizen Party (NCP) Convener Nahid Islam warned that those involved in vote rigging or electoral malpractice would face the same fate as fascists.Speaking at an election rally in Savar for Dilshana Parul, the 11-party alliance...

EU chief observer talks to media on Sylhet polls

SYLHET, Feb.6: The European Union's Election Observation Mission (EOM) has emphasised the importance of conducting secure and safe elections in Bangladesh on 12 February, highlighting the need for a congenial atmosphere and maintenance of law and order.Addressing a view-exchange meeting...