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Nothing done to strengthen EC

The ruling Awami League appears to have done nothing to strengthen the Election Commission in its four years in government although it promised to reform electoral laws for the commission’s strengthening. Full story

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BSF again kills 2 Bangladeshis

Indian Border Security Force shot dead two more Bangladeshi youths at Bibhishon frontier in Gomastapur upazila of Chapainawabganj early on Wednesday. Masud Rana Babu, 23, and Shahidul Islam, 28, were... Full story

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Girl still severely traumatised

The 14-year-old gang-rape victim in Tangail, now being treated in Dhaka Medical College Hospital, still remains severely traumatised, physicians said. It is ‘very difficult to cure her,’ Bilkis Begu, the coordinator... Full story

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HC halts Ashiyan City project activities

The High Court on Wednesday asked the government to stop immediately all activities, including selling plots, earth-filing and advertisement, of housing project Ashiyan City. The bench of Justice Mirza Hussain Haider and... Full story

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Indian envoy regrets killings

Acting Indian high commissioner to Bangladesh Sandeep Chakravarty on Wednesday regretted over the recent killings of Bangladeshis by Border Security Force in frontier areas. Full story

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Hatirjheel New Year gift from govt: PM

The prime minister, Sheikh Hasina, on Wednesday said opening of the Hatirjheel development project area was a new-year present from her government to the public. ‘It’s a new-year gift from our... Full story

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Fakhrul gets six months’ interim bail

The High Court on Wednesday granted six months’ interim bail to Bangladesh Nationalist Party acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir in two cases of torching vehicles during December 9 road blockade... Full story

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AL names new committee

The ruling Awami League announced the new central working committee, for a three-year term, dropping three controversial figures, including two ministers. The party high command did not induct into the presidium some old... Full story

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50 hurt as Jamaat clashes with police

At least 15 people were injured, some with rubber bullets, after activists of Jamaat-e-Islami and its student wing Chhatra Shibir had clashed with the police at Malibagh Choudhurypara in the capital on Wednesday afternoon. Witnesses said that several hundred Jamaat and Shibir activists had brought out a procession from a lane near Abul Hotel at Malibagh... Full story

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Tarique’s legal notice demands apology from Hasina

BNP leader Tarique Rahman on Wednesday sent a legal notice to prime minister Sheikh Hasina demanding unqualified apology and ‘withdrawal’ of her false and defamatory statement in which she alleged... Full story

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US arms sales to Asia set to boom on Pacific ‘pivot’

US sales of warplanes, anti-missile systems and other costly weapons to China’s and North Korea’s neighbours appear set for significant growth amid regional security jitters. Strengthening treaty allies and other security... Full story

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Bangladeshi diaspora evade Tk 350cr duty

A number of foreign nationals of Bangladeshi origin have evaded payment of about Tk 350 crore by bringing 121 costly cars in the country under the duty-free carnet passage facility and selling them on the local market in the past three years. The cars are now plying the roads of the country... Full story

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Lawyers refuse to defend accused

Lawyers at an Indian court hearing the case of a fatal gang-rape which has shocked the nation said Wednesday they would refuse to defend the men accused of taking part in the assault and murder. Full story

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MKA asks police to raid talk-show puritans’ houses

The home minister, Muhiuddin Khan Alamgir, on Wednesday asked law enforcers to raid houses of the ‘puritans’ who talk on television talk-shows smilingly but keep illegal drugs and liquor in their houses. Full story

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Myanmar army targeting Kachin rebels

Myanmar’s army has used air strikes against northern ethnic rebels, sources from both sides said Wednesday, in an escalation of a conflict that has raised doubts over the country’s reform drive. Full story

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Suranjit asked to explain remarks by January 14

The International Crimes Tribunal-2 on Wednesday allowed time till January 14 to minister without portfolio Suranjit Sengupta to explain his ‘derogatory’ remarks about the date for pronouncing verdicts in war crimes cases. Full story

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Dhaka wants further talks on TICFA

Dhaka prefers more talks with Washington to sort of the differences regarding the critical issues for signing Trade and Investment Cooperation Framework Agreement between the two sides, officials said. Full story

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Trial of Siraj Sikder killing demanded

Politicians and academics on Wednesday said the best respect can be shown to revolutionary leader Siraj Sikder by completing his unfinished works. At a discussion, they also demanded trials in the killings of Siraj Sikder and... Full story

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ACC sues custom official’s wife

The Anti Corruption Commission on Wednesday filed a case against the wife of a custom official on charge of concealing information of wealth. The accused was Masuma Akhter, wife of Abul Kalam... Full story

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