Category: Lead News

The BNP has extended the 72-hour strike by a day to protest the arrest of its senior leaders.

Deploring the arrest of its senior leaders, opposition BNP on Saturday alleged that the government did it to implement its hidden agenda of holding a unilateral election.

Bikalpadhara Bangladesh president Prof Dr AQM Badruddoza Chowdhury and secretary general Maj (Retd) Abdul Mannan on Saturday called upon the Prime Minister to release the senior BNP leaders and initiate talks with opposition leaders to dissolve the political impasse.

The “BNP was established by a military dictator. They come to power only to loot from the people. They don’t understand the language of democracy,” she said on Saturday at a rally in Moulvibazar.

As two members of prominent human rights NGO Odhikar will face trial tomorrow in Dhaka in relation to their human rights activities, the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, an FIDH-OMCT joint programme, publishes today an international mission…

The country is likely to get 300 million cubic feet of new gas per day (mmcfd) from Chevron’s ongoing expansion project at Bibiyana field.

Blockade and vandalism by BNP supporters on the Dhaka-Chittagong highway have caused a gridlock stretching for over 40 kms from Chittagong to Sitakunda until mid-Saturday.

The formation of a third political force outside the two major political alliances in the country is yet to get much progress.

The BNP-led 18-party alliance on Friday called a fresh 72-hour spell of nationwide hartal from 6 am on Sunday to push the government for arranging the next election under a non-party caretaker government.

The US President Barack Obama has instructed his officials to “ramp up consultations” with India on the political crisis in Bangladesh, the Indian state news agency, PTI reports.

Hours after the BNP and its allies called a 72-hour countrywide strike, a large police force was deployed and members of the force surrounded opposition leader Khaleda Zia’s Gulshan office and residence.

Garment workers’ leaders on Friday threatened to announce tougher programmes if the minimum wage board does not review its recommendation to re-fix the minimum wage at 5,300.

Police have detained BNP Standing Committee members Moudud Ahmed, MK Anwar and Rafiqul Islam Mia, hours after the 18-Party alliance declared a 72-hour nationwide shutdown starting from Sunday.

Opposition BNP on Friday threatened to pursue tougher programmes like blockade after the countrywide shutdown to force the government to reach an understanding over the polls-time administration.

European Union Ambassador to Bangladesh William Hanna on Thursday urged opposition BNP not to boycott the upcoming general election and engage in dialogue to break the political deadlock.

Election Commissioner Shah Nawaz on Thursday said Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami cannot contest elections as it is no longer a registered political party as the High Court (HC) declared illegal its registration.

BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia on Thursday said the opposition’s door for dialogue is still open although the government has closed its door by tagging conditions.

Execution of convicted war criminals alone can ensure the victory the Awami-League-led Grand Alliance in the next parliamentary election, Sector Commander KM Safiullah has said.

Saudi authorities have released 13 Bangladeshis out of 17 initially detained during a nationwide raid on illegal workers beginning on Monday.

Opposition Chief Whip Zainul Abdin Farroque has urged the government to take steps to end the ‘political impasse’ in the ongoing 19th Parliament session.

The United States would like to see a free and fair election in Bangladesh with all parties taking part, visiting Congressman Steve Chabot has said.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday told Parliament that the forthcoming general elections would be held in accordance with the constitution.

BNP will not give up on efforts to find a solution to the ongoing political impasse alive until the last moment, the party’s spokesperson has said.

The Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) has said conducting elections in 300 constituencies in a single day with the regular law-enforcing agencies is not possible.

The 60-hour nationwide hartal, enforced by the BNP-led 18-party alliance, ended at 6pm on Wednesday amid clashes, vandalism, arson and crude bomb blasts across the country, leaving two people dead.

Former Grameen Bank Managing Director Muhammad Yunus has blasted the government for amending laws governing the micro-finance institution.

Court Correspondent A special court in Dhaka Tuesday sentenced 152 convicted accused to death, 161 others including BNP leader Nasiruddin Ahmad Pintu and ward Awami League leader Torab Ali Akand to life term imprisonment while acquitted 271 others in the…

Parliament on Tuesday passed the much-talked-about ‘Grameen Bank Bill 2013’ paving the path for bringing the leading microcredit institution under the strong watch of the Bangladesh Bank.