Phyllis Omido Nairobi – The announcement of the winners of this year’s Goldman Environmental Prize is an opportunity to celebrate activist leaders. But it is also a moment to recognize just how much courage their efforts (and those of a…
Month: June 2017
Russia-India accord on Kudankulam nuke plant phase III
Dhaka – ASE Group of Companies, a sister concern of Russia’s state nuclear power corporation -Rosatom and Nuclear Power Corporation of India signed a general framework agreement on the construction of the third phase of the Kudankulam nuclear power plant…
BAU female students stage demonstration for water
Mymensingh – Female students of a residential hall of Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU) demonstrate for water in front of Vice-Chancellor residence on Friday at noon.
Mattis finds N Korea posing threat to all
North Korea and its nuclear weapons programme pose a “threat to us all,” US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis said Saturday, calling on the international community to work together on the issue. “It is therefore imperative that we do our part…
Duty on bank deposits to encourage capital flight: Business
The budget proposal to hike excise duty on bank account balance may encourage capital flight, the country’s apex trade body has said in a statement. The FY2018 budget proposes to increase excise duty to Tk 800 from Tk 500 on…
Eid entertainment
Two films of Jaaz Multimedia will be released in the upcoming Eid. The two films are ‘Nabab’ starred by superstar of Bangladesh Shakib Khan and Kolkata’s popular film actor Jeet starred ‘Boss 2: Back to Rule’. The production house is…
It’s a cruel budget to suck people’s blood: Khaleda
BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia on Saturday described the proposed national budget for FY 2017-18 as a ‘cruel one’, saying the government has formulated it to suck people’s last drop of blood. “A cruel budget is a final attempt by the…
Technology is making the world more unequal
Here’s the bad news: technology – specifically, surveillance technology – makes it easier to police disaffected populations, and that gives badly run, corrupt states enough stability to get themselves into real trouble. Here’s the good news: technology – specifically, networked…
Dhaka welcomes US Senate move to probe Hillary-Yunus link
Dhaka – The government has welcomed the move of the United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary to look into then Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s alleged hands in the interference in an ‘independent investigation’ against Muhammad Yunus in Bangladesh.…
Khaleda asks EC to take proper steps for fair polls
Dhaka – BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia on Saturday called upon the Election Commission (EC) to take proper steps for holding a credible general election in consultation with political parties and people. UNB news reported
US body on judiciary seeks info over Hillary’s link to Yunus
Dhaka – United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary has asked the US State Department for information on whether then Secretary of State Hillary Clinton used her position to intervene in an ‘independent investigation’ against Muhammad Yunus by a ‘sovereign…
US Navy recovers cannon to identify 200-year-old shipwreck
Providence – Now that a cannon that rested in waters off Rhode Island’s shore for two centuries has been raised, U.S. Navy archaeologists are hoping to confirm that the ship that sank at the site was a schooner commanded by…
India to introduce land port entry visa: Shringla
Brahmanbaria – India will introduce land port entry visas to Bangladeshis, said Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Harsh Vardhan Shringla on Saturday. He said this while talking to reporters on his way to Indian city of Agartala through Akhaura land…
UNHCR calls for urgent shelter for cyclone victims
Dhaka – United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has said urgent shelter is needed for those affected in Bangladesh and Myanmar by the cyclone Mora that swept across the Bay of Bengal earlier this week damaging thousands of homes…
Police file case against 400 over Rangamati arson attacks
Rangamati – Police have filed a case against more than 400 people on charge of arson attacks on some 100 houses in Langadu upazila following the killing of a Jubo League leader. Dulal, a sub-inspector at Langadu Police Station, filed…
Blasts at protest victim’s funeral in Kabul
Explosions have been heard in Kabul at the funeral of man killed in Friday’s protests over the deteriorating security situation in Afghanistan. Local media report multiple casualties after at least three blasts. The funeral was for a senator’s son –…
Ariana Grande visits fans injured in Manchester attack
US singer Ariana Grande has visited fans injured in last month’s terror attack at her Manchester concert. The star spent time with youngsters at the Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital in a surprise appearance ahead of a benefit concert on Sunday.
House torched after killing woman, daughter in Bhola
Dhaka, June 3 – A woman was slaughtered while her nine-month-old daughter was burnt to death at ward no 2 in Pashchim Joynagar union of Daulatkhan upazila of Bhola on Saturday morning.
Teenage worker killed in Comilla shop fire
Dhaka, June 3 – A teenage shop worker was burned to death as a fire broke out at Kongso Bazar of Burichang upazila in Comilla district early Friday.
Peter’s tribute to Mahbubul Alam, former editor of The Independent
Tribute by Sir Frank Peters It is difficult for me to get around the fact that it’s now been three years since the passing of Mahbubul Alam. It seems like only yesterday his sparkling eyes peered over his gold-framed glasses…
Fakhrul for national unity to ensure fair polls
Dhaka, Jun 2 – BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Friday urged the political parties to forge a national unity for forcing the government to hold a fair and impartial election.
Justice Lady: ISCA threatens to besiege SC
Dhaka, June 2 – Islami Shasantantra Chhatra Andolan (ISCA) has threatened to besiege the Supreme Court (SC) if the statue of Greek goddess Themis which was reinstalled in front of the SC annex building is not moved within June 13.
Rocket launchers, SMGs found in N’ganj canal
Dhaka – Police have recovered a huge arms from a canal in Narayanganj following information gleaned from a detained drug peddler.
100 houses torched in Rangamati over biker killing
Dhaka, Jun 2 – An angry mob torched over 100 houses in Langadu upazila of Rangamati on Friday over the killing of a Jubo League leader, leaving four people injured.
Foreign investors chamber for changes budget
Dhaka, Jun 2 – The Foreign Investors’ Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) on Friday expressed its concern over a number of proposals made in the new budget and demanded addressing their concerns with necessary amendments.
Budget to fuel production cost, inflation: CPD
Dhaka, Jun 2 – Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) on Friday feared a hike in production cost and consumer expenditure, and a rise in inflation in the coming fiscal year due to the proposed overall tax structure hurting the overall…
Budget ambitious but won’t hike prices: Muhith
Dhaka, Jun 2 – Claiming that the whole of the proposed budget is ‘bright’ and there is no weakness, Finance Minister AMA Muhith on Friday ruled out the possibility of cancelling the decision of imposing excise duty on bank accounts.
How to produce more food with less damage to soil, water, forests
By IPS World Desk Rome/Brussels, (IPS) – Massive agriculture intensification is contributing to increased deforestation, water scarcity, soil depletion and the level of greenhouse gas emission, the United Nations warns.
Why we need to save our oceans now—not later
By José Vicente Troya UN, Jun 1 (IPS) – What if the blue fades way as seawaters become brown andcoral reefs become white as marine grasslands wither and life below water vanishes? This is already happening at a staggering rate.…
AIDS pandemic far from over: 37 million living with HIV
By Amina J. Mohammed UN, Jun 2 (IPS) – During the process of developing the Sustainable Development Goals it was clear to me how relevant and innovative the approach to ending AIDS had been and how important it would continue…