The captain of a South Korean ferry that sank this week said he delayed giving evacuation orders because he feared passengers would “drift away”. Lee Joon-seok, 69, was arrested with two crew members on Friday. He has been criticised for…
Category: Int’l relations
South Korea seeks arrest of Sewol ferry captain
Prosecutors in South Korea have asked a court to issue an arrest warrant for the captain of the ferry that sank on Wednesday, officials say.
Dispatches: Can OSCE defuse Ukraine crisis?
Hugh Williamson On a recent visit to the headquarters of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe in Vienna, I met diplomats and officials racing to keep up with the worsening events in Ukraine. The OSCE is the only…
PM suffers from sinus pain
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has been suffering from a nagging sinus pain which is forcing her to cut short her schedule programmes. She did not attend any programme on the occasion of Mujibnagar Day on Thursday. She left early from…
Asian Rights body’s grave concern at Siddique’s abduction
The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA), a regional human rights body, on Thursday expressed grave concern over the abduction of Abu Bakar Siddique. The human rights group urged the Bangladesh government to expedite efforts to ensure the…
US presses for greater political inclusion
Appreciating Bangladesh’s achievements in various areas, the United States has said it has kept pressing Bangladesh for a greater political inclusion to ensure a more stable and prosperous future. “In Bangladesh, we continue to press for greater political inclusion, without…
Students trapped in sinking ferry send heartbreaking text messages
Heartbreaking text message exchanges between students trapped in thesinking ferry off the coast of South Korea and their anxious parents are offering a glimpse into the desperate situation in the crippled vessel. “Dad, don’t worry. I’ve got a life vest…
Desperate search for South Korea survivors continues
Emergency services are continuing to search for nearly 300 people missing after a ferry carrying more than 470 people sank off South Korea. Officials say 179 people have been rescued. Most of the passengers were students from the same high…
Voting starts on India’s biggest polling day
Indians are voting in the biggest day of the general election pitting the ruling Congress party against the main opposition BJP. Polling takes place in 121 seats in 12 states, including the key states of Karnataka, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar,…
ASP Masud withdrawn amid Birdem physicians’ demand
Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) ABM Masud Hossain of Dhaka was withdrawn on Wednesday for his alleged involvement in Sunday night’s Birdem incident. Masud has been attached to the Police Headquarters amid a strong demand of the Birdem physicians, said…
How RAW held ISI agent in BD – BNP: Knew from newspapers – Minister
BNP on Wednesday sought an explanation from the government over the report of an Indian daily that India’s external intelligence agency Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) has arrested a Pakistan’s intelligence agency ISI agent from a Bangladesh airport. “A report…
2 dead, hundreds missing as ferry sinks off South Korea coast
Two people have died and more than 100 remain unaccounted for after a ferry carrying 476 people capsized and sank off South Korea. So far, 368 people have been rescued, local reports say. A major rescue operation is under way,…
Putin warns of Ukraine civil war as Kiev moves on rebels
Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned that Ukraine is “on the verge of civil war” after Kiev sent in troops against pro-Russia separatists. Mr Putin, in a phone call to German Chancellor Angela Merkel, described the move as a “sharp…
‘B’desh supports Palestine’s full UN membership bid’
Bangladesh has backed to the hilt Palestine’s demand for “full membership” of the UN and condemns Israeli occupation of all Palestinian and Arab territories, including West Bank, East Jerusalem, and Gaza strip. Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali reiterated Bangladesh’s position…
CEC joins office after 43-day vacation
Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmad joined office on Tuesday after 43 days of stay in the United States. He returned home on Monday. Rakibuddin along with his wife went to the USA on March 3 amid the countrywide staggered…
Ukraine says Donetsk ‘anti-terror operation’ under way
The acting President of Ukraine, Olexander Turchynov, has announced the start of an “anti-terrorist operation” against pro-Russian separatists.
EU and US mull further Russia sanctions over Ukraine
The EU and the US say they will impose “further costs” on Russia over its actions in Ukraine, as unrest continues in the east of the country. EU foreign ministers said on Monday they would expand a list of names targeted…
Pro-Russian attack in Ukraine’s Horlivka
Pro-Russian activists have attacked another official building in east Ukraine, ignoring a deadline to leave or face eviction by Ukrainian forces.
Nigeria violence: More than 70 killed in Abuja bus blast
More than 70 people have been killed in a bomb blast at a crowded bus station on the outskirts of Nigeria’s capital, Abuja, officials say.
City traffic arrngement for New Year festival
The Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) have imposed traffic restrictions from 5am to 9pm in some parts of the capital on Monday in view of the Bengali New Year — Pahela Baishakh – celebrations. Vehicles will not be allowed on the…
Abdullah slightly ahead as count continues in Afghan poll
Partial results from the Afghan presidential vote show former Foreign Minister Abdullah Abdullah slightly ahead of Ashraf Ghani.
One officer killed, casualties on both sides, in Ukraine gun battles
A Ukrainian officer has been killed in a gun battle with pro-Russian armed men in the eastern city of Sloviansk, the interior minister says. Both sides suffered a number of casualties, Arsen Avakov said. Pro-Russian forces took over Sloviansk on Saturday…
A touch of green in BJP manifesto
From S. Gopikrishna Warrier There is a kind of e-mail that does its rounds of mailboxes frequently. It is a rather long one, extolling the virtues of ancient Indian science and technology, and talking about the glory of Aryabhata, Charaka…
‘Massive shift’ to renewable energy neeed: UN
A UN report on climate change is expected to call for a trebling of the planet’s use of renewable energy sources such as solar and wind power. The report is also expected to argue that the trend of increased carbon…
‘135 civilians killed’ in attacks, says Nigerian senator
Gunmen have killed 135 civilians in north east Nigeria since Wednesday, a senior official from the region has told the BBC. Borno state senator Ahmed Zannah said the killings took place in at least three separate attacks in the state.…
Ukraine military action would undermine talks: Russia warns
Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has said armed action by Ukrainian authorities in the east of Ukraine could undermine forthcoming talks. Kiev earlier warned pro-Russian militants who stormed police stations in eastern towns on Saturday that they would be harshly…
Khaleda-Hasina’s New Year by cards
Bangladesh’s leading ladies just seem to wish each other well by cards on occasions such as the Bangla New Year. That provides some relief to the otherwise tense confrontation that divides the country sharply and often leads to much madness…
CPD to join debate on South-South cooperation
Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD), a civil society think tank, will debate on South-South Cooperation at the first high-level meeting of the Global Partnership for Effective Development Cooperation (GPEDC) to be held in Mexico on Tuesday. The Southern Voice on…
Missing plane MH370: Abbott says signal ‘rapidly fading’
Signals in remote seas thought to be from the missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 are “rapidly fading” and finding the jet will be a “massive, massive task”, Australia’s PM says.
Indian election: Bomb blasts kill 12 in Chhattisgarh
Two bombs planted by suspected Maoist rebels have killed at least 12 people in the eastern Indian state of Chhattisgarh as voting continues in the general election.