Pope Francis on Friday used the word “Rohingya” for the first time during his current trip to Asia to refer to refugees who have fled in large numbers from violence in Myanmar. “The presence of God today is also called…
Category: Feature
Pope leads mass with 80,000 Catholics in Dhaka
Pope Francis led an open-air Holy Mass at Suhawardy Udyan joined by around 80,000 Bangladeshi Catholic from across the country and prayed for the peace and harmony in Bangladesh and elsewhere of the world. With a chorus rendition of a…
World must assist BD to face refugee crisis: Pope Francis
Pope Francis has called on the international community to take “decisive measures” to resolve not only the political issue surrounding the refugee crisis in Bangladesh, but also to provide “immediate material assistance” to respond to the humanitarian needs. In his…
For Rohingyas every day is a nightmare
Parul Akhtar, a Rohingya woman in her mid-twenties, may never wish to remember the homeland she and her children left about three weeks ago. Too scared to speak out, Parul, the mother of two young children, rests inside the makeshift…
Pope Francis arrives in Dhaka
A red carpet was rolled out as Pope Francis, the spiritual leader of the world’s 1.2 billion Roman Catholics, arrived here on Thursday afternoon on a three-day state visit, aiming to promote peace and reconciliation. President Abdul Hamid received the…
Barbaric attack on Egypt mosque and combating terrorism
By Chandra Muzaffar The barbaric attack that killed 305 worshippers including 27 children during Friday prayers ( 24 November 2017) at the Rawda mosque in North Sinai, Egypt is a tragic reminder to the entire human family that the threat…
Pope calls for forgiveness – healing old wounds
Pope Francis urged Myanmar’s long-suffering ethnic minorities to resist the temptation to exact revenge for the hurt they have endured, preaching a message of forgiveness Wednesday to a huge crowd in his first public Mass in the predominantly Buddhist nation.…
As Burma grapples with Rohingya crisis Pope calls for unity in diversity
Pope Francis on Tuesday urged the leaders of majority-Buddhist Myanmar, mired in a crisis over the fate of Muslim Rohingya people, to commit themselves to justice, human rights and respect for “each ethnic group and its identity”. The pope avoided…
Prince Harry and actress Meghan Markle to wed next year
London, Nov 27 (AP/UNB) – Britain’s royal palace says Prince Harry and actress Meghan Markle are engaged and will marry in the spring of 2018.
Advancing women’s leadership in elections roundtable Tuesday
Dhaka: Democracy International will organize a round-table discussion on Tuesday at Lakeshore Hotel in capital styled `Advancing Women’s Leadership in Elections’ to highlight opportunities to strengthen and advance women’s leadership and participation in the upcoming national elections. This program will…
A real riddle: Whether Pope Francis speaks ‘Rohingya’
In August, responding to the first reports of Rohingya Muslims fleeing an army-led crackdown in Myanmar, Pope Francis called on his flock to pray for “our Rohingya brethren.” “Let all of us ask the Lord to save them, and to…
Islamic counter-terrorism summit
Riyadh, Nov 26 (BSS/AFP) – Saudi Arabia gathered officials from 40 Muslim countries on Sunday in the first meeting of an Islamic counter-terrorism alliance, a move Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman declared a “clear signal” to extremism.
IFAD looks at impact of dev projects on life in rural BD
Rome, 26 Nov – A delegation of member state representatives from the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) begins a five-day working trip to Bangladesh today, with planned visits to IFAD-funded projects designed to increase incomes and improve living conditions…
Pope visit may help but Rohingyas have to go back: Cardinal
The top Catholic official in Bangladesh hopes Pope Francis’s visit there and to Myanmar will bolster moves to alleviate the Rohingya refugee crisis that has put the neighbouring nations in the global spotlight.
Will DNA data base deter sexual abuse at UN?
By Thalif Deen UN, Nov 25 (IPS) – The United Nations is fighting a losing battle against the widespread – and continued – sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA) by UN peacekeepers and civilian staff resulting in relatively few convictions amidst…
’80pc BD married women face violence from partners’
Dhaka, Nov 25 – Over 80 percent of the currently married women in Bangladesh have experienced violent behaviour from their partners at least once and such violence include, among others, physical, sexual, economic, and controlling, says a report.
Nation celebrates March 7 speech recognition
The nation today celebrated the UNESCO recognition of the historic March 7 speech of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman peacefully with much enthusiasm and festivity across the country. As part of the celebration, jubilant processions, essay and…
IBBL Shariah Supervisory Committee meeting held
Dhaka – A meeting of the Shariah Supervisory Committee of Islami Bank Bangladesh Limited was held on 23 November 2017, Thursday at Islami Bank Tower. Mufti Sayeed Ahmad, Vice Chairman of the Committee presided over the meeting.
Sexual attacks against Rohingyas may be war crimes: UN envoy
Widespread atrocities against Rohingya Muslim women and girls have been orchestrated and perpetrated by Myanmar’s military and may amount to war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide, the U.N. envoy on sexual violence in conflict said Wednesday. Pramila Patten, who…
Wife testifies against Cricketer Sunny
Dhaka – Cricket Arafat Sunny’s wife Nasrin Sultana yesterday testified in a case filed with the Bangladesh Cyber Tribunal supporting the cricketer.
Cash transfers in Benin: A response to child trafficking
Za-Kpota, November ‒ The commune of Za-Kpota, in central Benin, has long had the unfortunate reputation of serving as the support base for child trafficking to Nigeria, where the children are exploited for cheap labour in the Abeokuta stone quarries…
The tyranny of toilets – reflections on World Toilet Day
Maitreyi Bordia Das In the lead-in to World Toilet Day, we hear a great deal about the role of toilets in sanitation and in better health and human development outcomes. Toilets are good development. We hear less about the fact…
HC rule for declaring March 7 National Day
Dhaka – The High Court on Monday issued a rule asking the government to explain in three weeks why March 7 should not be declared as ‘National Historic Day.
Armed forces Day Tuesday
The Armed Forces Day will be celebrated tomorrow marking the founding of army, navy and air force during the 1971 Liberation War. The day’s programme will begin with the offering of special prayers after Fazr prayers at all mosques in…
Ex-husband, accomplices gangrape woman in Laxmipur
Laxmipur, Nov 19 – A woman was reportedly gang-raped by her former husband and his two cohorts at Torabganj in Kamalnagar upazila.
Bangabandhu’s speech recognition revenge of History: PM
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Saturday said the recognition of the historic 7th March speech of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman by Unesco is the revenge of history against those who had tried to erase his name…
Abducted RU female student found in Dhaka
Rajshahi – After 30 hours of abduction the female student of Rajshahi University (RU) has been rescued from Dhaka, Rajshahi Metropolitan Police (RMP) informed. Besides rescuing the missing student Shuva, her abductor and former husband Sohel Rana has also been…
RU VC’s residence gheraoed as female student kidnapped
Rajshahi – Demanding urgent steps to find out a female student of the university who has been kidnapped and protesting the lack of security on campus the female students of Rajshahi University burst into protest and gheraoed the university VC…
Serena Williams weds Alexis
First come 23 Grand Slam titles, then comes baby and then comes a fairytale wedding for Serena Williams. The tennis champion and Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian tied the knot on Thursday in New Orleans at the Contemporary Arts Center surrounded…
Darkness: Investigating mass rape in Burma: HRW
Interview: November 16, 2017 12:00AM EST The Burmese military is carrying out a campaign of ethnic cleansing against Rohingya Muslims in northern Rakhine State. Scores of people have been murdered and hundreds of villages destroyed, and more than 600,000 Rohingya…