ADP implementation in a shambles

For years, poor implementation of Bangladesh's Annual Development Programme (ADP) has remained a recurring concern, despite ever-expanding budgets and ambitious targets. The Ministry of Planning has candidly acknowledged that flawed project design and absence of competent project directors lie at...

A fresh shot in the Karnaphuli Tunnel's arm!

The 3.32 km Karnaphuli Tunnel, South Asia's first underwater river tunnel connecting the port city of Chattogram with Anwara upazila, aimed at increasing connectivity and boost trade, has turned out to be a white elephant. The reason is that the...

When politics & journalism become dangerous

The country has plunged into another upheaval again– suspected by many as an ominous sign of conspiratorial machinations. The countrywide unified protests did not begin with attacks on newspaper offices or assaults on journalists. It began with the shooting and...

Govt to cut savings certificate profit rates from Jan

The government is set to slash profit rates on national savings certificates (Sanchaypatra) from January 1, 2026, marking the second reduction in six months, following calls from the banking sector. The Finance Division of the Ministry of Finance has drafted...

Regulatory and institutional gaps key challenges for eco-industrial parks

Regulatory and institutional gaps as well as technical-capacity constraints of the stakeholders are the key challenges for implementing environmentally-friendly Eco-Industrial Parks (EIPs) in Bangladesh, speakers observed at a workshop.The workshop titled 'Eco-Industrial Parks (EIP) Light Touch Activities in Bangladesh' was...

Gold price hits new record at Tk 222,082 per bhori

Gold prices jumped to an all-time high at Tk 222,082 per bhori in the local market as the Bangladesh Jewellers Association (BAJUS) revised the price of the 22-carat gold anew on Monday night.The new rate will come into effect from...

NCP leader 'out of danger' after being shot in Khulna

Motaleb Shikdar, the Khulna divisional chief of the NCP-affiliated Jatiya Sramik Shakti, has been declared out of danger after being shot in the head in Khulna city, reports bdnews24.com.Khulna Medical College Hospital Superintendent Mohammad Akhtaruzzaman told reporters on Monday that...

NBFC lending drops 4.62pc in Q3'25

Loan and advance disbursements by non-bank financial companies (NBFCs) continued to decline in the July-September period of 2025, extending a downward trend that began after peaking in the first quarter of the year, despite remaining well above last year's levels.Total...

Court orders sending Benazir's household items to CA's Relief Fund

A Dhaka court has directed that household items seized from the Gulshan flats of former Inspector General of Police (IGP) Benazir Ahmed, including used and unused clothes, kitchen appliances, crockery and other consumables, be handed over to the Chief Adviser's...

Tarique Rahman to become voter on Dec 27, says Salahuddin

BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman will complete the formalities to become a registered voter on December 27 after returning home from London on December 25, BNP Standing Committee member Salahuddin Ahmed said on Monday."December 25 is Thursday, December 26 is...

ADB, GoB sign loan deals worth $688m to support project

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Government of Bangladesh (GoB) on Monday signed loan agreements worth $688 million to upgrade the 35-kilometre Chattogram-Dohazari railway line.The South Asia Sub-regional Economic Cooperation (SASEC)-Chattogram-Dohazari Railway Project will also construct a 2.5-kilometre bypass,...

Prof Muhammad Yunus presides over a high-level meeting on economic progress and budget expenditure

Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus presides over a high-level meeting on economic progress and budget expenditure at the State Guest House Jamuna on Monday. — PID

Excelerate Energy to start LNG supply from early January

US-based Excelerate Energy is set to begin supplying liquefied natural gas (LNG) to Bangladesh from early January under a long-term contract, providing a fresh boost to the country's strained natural gas-supply system."We will start purchasing LNG from the US company...

Prayer Timings (2025-12-23)

17 arrested, 31 identified over attacks on Prothom Alo, Daily Star

The law enforcement agencies have arrested 17 individuals and identified 31 others in connection with recent vandalism and arson attacks on the offices of Prothom Alo and The Daily Star. The arrests were made following a thorough analysis of video...

Inflation to cool below 7pc by June for policy panaceas

People's income-sapping inflation is expected to steadily fall below 7 per cent by June 2026, healed by contractionary monetary policy, fiscal restraint and improving balance across key economic indicators.Such a feel-good ambiance of economic rebound from previous slowdown comes clear...

Ensure law and order at any cost

Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus has directed security agencies to ensure that law and order are maintained "at any cost" in the lead-up to the upcoming national election, amid growing concerns over political tensions, targeted violence, and attacks on media...

Nat'l grid to get Rooppur nuclear electricity soon

Bangladesh could begin receiving electricity from its maiden nuclear power plant early next year, says Russia's ambassador, setting a milestone in one of the country's most ambitious infrastructure projects.The upcoming commencement of nuclear power feeding into the national grid also...

Direct assault on press freedom, democratic values, right to dissent

A joint call comes for a united resistance against mob violence like arson attacks and threats targeting media houses which are termed "deliberate attempts to silence critical voices through fear and intimidation".Journalists, politicians, writers, business leaders and civil-society representatives at...

Bangladesh, Japan close to landmark EPA signing

Bangladesh is poised to sign its first-ever Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) with Japan by the end of January 2026, as the two countries finalised the draft text proposing immediate duty-free access for a wide range of products, including readymade garments,...

12 on remand over lynching of Hindu youth in M'singh

A Mymensingh court has placed 12 persons on a three-day remand in connection with the killing of Dipu Chandra Das in Bhaluka upazila of Mymensingh district on December 18, report agencies. Senior Chief Judicial Magistrate Shahdat Hossain passed the order...

Asif Mahmud collects nomination form for Dhaka-10

Former adviser of the interim government and a frontline leader of July Uprising Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuyain on Monday collected the nomination form to contest the upcoming Jatiya Sangsad election from the Dhaka-10 constituency, reports BSS.He collected the nomination paper...

Ex-MP Sukumar Ranjan dies

MUNSHIGANJ, Dec 22 (UNB): Sukumar Ranjan Ghosh, former MP of Munshiganj-1 constituency, passed away at a hospital in the capital on Monday. He was 70. After being diagnosed with pneumonia a few days ago, Sukumar was put on life support...

Special trains to operate on 10 routes, three services cancelled

Bangladesh Railway will operate special trains on 10 routes to mark the homecoming of Tarique Rahman in response to an application by the BNP, reports bdnews24.com.To facilitate this, three short-distance train services have been cancelled.The railway said in a media...

Govt assigns gunmen to 20, including editors of Prothom Alo, Daily Star

Home Adviser Jahangir Alam Chowdhury has said gunmen have been assigned to 20 people, including the editors of Prothom Alo and The Daily Star, following the attacks on the newspapers' offices, report agencies He made the remarks while talking to...

Inqilab Moncho presses for Hadi killing trial, backed by FBI, Scotland Yard

Inqilab Moncho staged a protest rally on Monday demanding justice for the killing of its spokesperson Sharif Osman Hadi and the trial of all those involved in the murder. The platform also called for conducting investigation of the killing through...

Security concerns grip entire nation: Mirza Abbas

BNP Standing Committee Member Mirza Abbas has said a sense of insecurity has gripped the nation even as the party prepares to welcome its Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman upon his return home this week, reports UNB."The entire nation is under...

Weather (2025-12-23)

Weather may remain dry with temporary cloudy sky over the country until 6:00 pm today (Tuesday). Moderate to thick fog may occur at places during midnight to morning. Night temperature may remain nearly unchanged and day temperature may fall slightly....

ACC to prosecute Menon over teacher recruitment, promotion irregularities

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) is set to file cases against Rashed Khan Menon, former president of the governing body of Willes Little Flower School and College, over alleged irregularities in teacher recruitment and promotions, reports bdnews24.com.Currently imprisoned, the former Dhaka-8...

Two-day int'l conf'ce on Bhashani begins at DU today

An international conference titled 'Decolonization and Maulana Bhashani' is set to begin at Dhaka University (DU) today (December 23). The two-day conference is organised by the Center for Advanced Research in Arts and Social Sciences (CARASS) to discuss the life,...