Tensions erupt in India after 11-year-old raped and murdered

KOLKATA, July 09 (BBC): The Indian state of West Bengal has been on the boil for the past few days over the rape and murder of an 11-year-old girl.The body of the child was fished out from a pond on...

India clinches deal for Australian uranium supply

MELBOURNE, July 09 (AFP): Indian leader Narendra Modi said he clinched a uranium supply agreement while visiting Australia on Thursday, securing a fuel source that will play a crucial role in his nation's nuclear energy ambitions.Faced with an almost-insatiable appetite...

US launches airstrikes on Iran, with Tehran firing back at 3 Gulf states

DUBAI, Jul 09 (Agencies): The United States (US) launched new airstrikes against Iran early Thursday, and Tehran responded by hitting Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar in crossfire that again threatened an interim deal intended to help end the war in the...

A vivid reminiscence of lost horizons

We often look into our past in search of the meaning of the time spent, the bonding and happiness we shared with our loved ones and of our endurance to reach where we stand at present. Our passion to catch...

The trajectory of the war against Iran

The war against Iran had been on the anvil for Benjamin Netanyahu over 40 years which saw him in different political roles in Israel during that period. In his grand geo-political design for the Middle- East the Bibical 'promised land'...

Why a living wage matters?

The debate between minimum wage and living wage is more than just an economic issue; it's a matter of basic human dignity. While the minimum wage sets a legal floor for earnings, it often falls short of covering the real...

Wilful loan defaults

When influential borrowers deliberately refuse to repay loans despite having the financial capacity to do so, they become wilful defaulters. This is not merely a banking problem but a serious economic disease that gradually weakens a nation's financial foundation. A...

Planting trees is not enough, they must be allowed to grow

Awareness about the conservation of environment and the role of tree plantation has improved in Bangladesh in recent years. Now an impressive spectacle of green ambition is evident, particularly during monsoon. Government departments, non-government organisations and corporate entities launch tree...

Dealing with dropouts at higher secondary level

The news that 36 per cent of regular students enrolled for completion of higher secondary education have not even registered for this year's ongoing Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) examinations is alarming. Two years back about 1.5 million students had completed...

Overcoming delay in justice delivery

The staggering backlog of cases pending with courts across Bangladesh is more than a statistical concern -- it is a reflection of a justice system struggling to keep pace with public demand. According to information placed before Parliament by the...

Interim govt was involved in plots to defeat 11 parties in last JS polls

Opposition Leader and Ameer of Jamaat-e-Islami, Dr. Shafiqur Rahman, has alleged that that a conspiracy was carried out to defeat 11 political parties in the 13th Jatiya Sangsad (JS) election, claiming that the interim government was also involved in the...

An autorickshaw carries far more passengers than its capacity, putting lives at risk. The photo was taken

An autorickshaw carries far more passengers than its capacity, putting lives at risk. The photo was taken from the capital's Banglamotor area on Wednesday. — FE Photo by K Asad-Uz-Zaman

Abdur Rahman tipped to be next alternate WB ED

Abdur Rahman Khan, immediate-past chairman of the National Revenue Board (NBR), is likely to become next alternate executive director representing Bangladesh at the World Bank headquarters in Washington, DC, reports UNB.The official process is currently underway, and the official gazette...

New UN envoy Irene gets state minister status

The government has granted state minister status to Bangladesh's newly appointed Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York, Ambassador Irene Khan, reports BSS.The Cabinet Division today issued a gazette notification stating that Irene Khan has been accorded the...

NPL in banks with higher trade finance exposure exceeds 80pc: BIBM study

Non-performing loans (NPLs) in banks with significantly higher trade-finance exposure range between 40 per cent and 50 per cent, according to a study of the Bangladesh Institute of Bank Management (BIBM).And the rate exceeds 80 per cent in banks having...

Country braces for widespread flooding as major rivers swell

Bangladesh's flood outlook has worsened as relentless monsoon rains and heavy downpours in upstream regions of adjoining Indian states continue to swell major rivers, prompting warnings of flash floods in several northern and southeastern districts.The Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre...

July-May figure shrinks to $301m

Bangladesh's current- account deficit (CAD) narrowed sharply in the first 11 months of the fiscal year 2025-26, helped by record remittance inflows and slower import growth, according to the Bangladesh Bank data released Wednesday.The deficit narrowed to $301 million during...

Consumer lending rises for 3rd straight quarter in FY26

Consumer lending in the country's banking sector continued its upward trajectory in the January-March quarter of FY26, with outstanding loans surpassing Tk 1.58 trillion despite elevated lending rates and persistent inflation.The steady increase indicates that households are increasingly relying on...

High-level team leaves for UN next week

A high-level Bangladeshi delegation will travel to the United States next week to lobby 54 member-states of the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) for support to the country's request to defer its graduation from least- developed country (LDC) status...

Tk 860b plan drawn up on military modernisation

The government has adopted a 10-year defence-modernisation plan requiring an estimated Tk 860 billion to bolster capabilities of the armed forces and ensure Bangladesh's sovereignty, territorial integrity and national security, says Prime Minister Tarique Rahman.Responding to a written question from...

Govt steps up campaign on tech-driven agriculture

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Wednesday said the government is implementing a series of initiatives to transform the country's agriculture into a technology-driven, profitable and sustainable sector through research, modern technology and mechanisation.Replying to a question from Kishoreganj-3 lawmaker Md...

Rohingya return is a complex issue

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has described Rohingya repatriation as an extremely complex, sensitive and multidimensional international issue as its progress depends largely on the security situation in Myanmar's Rakhine State, sustained international pressure and, above all, willingness of the Myanmar...

Profitable SOEs, MNCs may offload shares

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has unveiled a multipronged reform agenda to restore stability on the stock market, rebuild investor confidence and bring to justice the share scammers responsible for rendering investors financially ruined.In reply to a written question during PM's...

Ukhiya Rohingya camp landslide claims eight lives

Rescue workers and local residents search through mud after a rain-triggered landslide kills eight madrasah students at a Rohingya camp in Ukhiya, Cox's Bazar, on Wednesday. — Focus Bangla At least eight people have been killed after heavy rain triggered...

Depositors of five troubled banks to get full money with interest: Khosru

Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury on Wednesday assured that depositors of the country's troubled five banks will receive their money back in full, along with interest, and categorically ruled out any "haircut" on deposits, reports UNB.Responding to a notice...

World Shipping Council asks CPA to change rule

The World Shipping Council (WSC) has urged the Chittagong Port Authority (CPA) to abolish its long-standing practice of requiring departing vessels to load unmanifested empty containers at short notice.It also warned that the policy compromises vessel safety, breaches international compliance...

Sweeping austerity reinforced in public spending

Procurement of all types of vehicles is suspended, foreign tours using public funds barred and spending on new building construction restricted during this fiscal year under a fresh government austerity course.Finance Division issued Wednesday a notification to this effect, stating...

Discord between sponsor, regulators holds back bond launch, benefits

Umpteen differences of opinion between the Asian Development Bank and the Bangladeshi financial-sector regulatory agencies delay the launch of ADB-sponsored taka-denominated bonds for both local and global subscriptions, officials say.The Manila-based lender plans to introduce the local-currency bonds first on...

Three die of dengue, three of measles

The Director General of Health Service (DGHS) reported three new dengue deaths and 251 new hospitalisations in the past 24 hours. With the new fatalities, dengue-related deaths rose to 22.Among the 251 newly-hospitalised patients, highest 66 were admitted in Barishal...

Salahuddin meets Pakistan, Vietnam, UN leaders at UNHQ

FE REPORTHome Minister Salahuddin Ahmed had separate bilateral meetings at the UN headquarters with a Pakistani and a Vietnamese minister and a UN dignitary discussing matters that include Rohingya refugee repatriation and international peace-building efforts.He had discussion with Pakistan's Federal...