Government

ULFA leaders, detained in Dhaka’, produced in Indian court

Sun November 8, 2009 - 12:22am BdST

The police in India’s north-eastern state of Assam produced two top leaders of the banned separatist outfit ULFA in a Guwahati court on Saturday. The chief judicial magistrate in Guwahati sent the duo to police custody for 10 days after they were produced in his court on Saturday. ULFA has alleged that its ‘finance secretary’ Chitrabon Hazarika and ‘foreign secretary’ Shashadhar Choudhury had been picked up by ‘unidentified armed men’ from a house in Dhaka, sometime between November 1 night and November 2 morning.

Prepare list of war criminals by Dec 16

Sat November 7, 2009 - 11:49pm BdST

Former army chief Lieutenant General (Retd) Harun-Ar Rashid, Bir Pratik, has said that the government should prepare the list of the war criminals -- Rajakar, Al-Badar, Al-Sams and the Shanti (peace) Committee members instead of drawing a fresh list of freedom fighters. He also urged the government to institute an investigation commission within December 16 to start the process of trial of the war criminals.

Hasina eyes power from Bhutan

Sat November 7, 2009 - 9:11pm BdST

Prime minister Sheikh Hasina, on a visit to Bhutan, has expressed interest in importing electricity from the Himalayan nation. Hasina saw Bhutan's King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck Saturday at Tashichodzong in Thimpu. Hasina was also scheduled to meet Bhutanese prime minister Jigmi Y Thinley Saturday. "Will Bhutan be able to export electricity to Bangladesh in the future?" Bhutan's English-language daily Kuensel asked on its online site. "If Bhutan can export electricity we will be very happy to get it," Kuensel quoted Hasina as saying to the Bhutanese press.

President, PM absent from country at a time

Sat November 7, 2009 - 8:49pm BdST

In a strange coincidence within less than two months, the Head of state and the Head of government remains away from the country together, as both president Zillur Rahman and prime minister Sheikh Hasina left the capital yesterday on official visits abroad.

Govt mulls commuter railway service to ease traffic jam

Sat November 7, 2009 - 1:12pm BdST

Communications Minister Syed Abul Hossain on Saturday said the government plans to connect Dhaka city with the adjacent districts through introducing commuter railway service to reduce the irritating traffic jam in the capital. “We’ve a plan to introduce commuter railway service for connecting Dhaka with its adjacent districts to reduce the pressure of transports in the capital city,” he told reporters after signing of a railway rehabilitation agreement at Rail Bhaban in the city.

Daylight saving time for whom?

Sat November 7, 2009 - 1:04pm BdST

Government's reluctance to revert to standard time from the ongoing day-light saving (DST) time introduced in July this year, has triggered an unending debate as to its usefulness as winter is setting in. About 70 countries around the world having daylight saving time have switched back to standard time with the advent of winter, particularly in Europe and America.

PM meets Bhutan's king, calls for tackling climate challenges together

Sat November 7, 2009 - 12:48pm BdST

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Saturday said Bangladesh and Bhutan could work together in tackling the climate change challenges, expanding bilateral trade and enhancing regional cooperation in the greater interest of the two peoples. "We can take joint efforts in tackling the consequences of global warming as both the countries are exposed to worst impacts of the phenomenon," she said while Bhutanese King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuk hosted a reception in her honour at his palace.

Remittance boom on as NRBs discard informal channel

Sat November 7, 2009 - 12:24pm BdST

A falling trend in remitting money by expatriate Bangladeshis through the informal channels, coupled with a sense of insecurity among them in putting their savings in the recession-hit western countries have recently pushed remittance inflow through the formal channels.

Bangla-Bhutan trade deal renewed for 5 years: Tamabil opened as transit point

Sat November 7, 2009 - 12:04am BdST

Prime Minister of Bhutan Jigme Y Thinley welcomed Bangladesh premier Sheikh Hasina's suggestion for introducing bilateral road communications between the two neighboring countries as Dhaka and Thimphu moved to enhance the two-way trade under a renewed deal. "We will be happy if we can set up land communications with Bangladesh," the host Prime Minister said when Sheikh Hasina met him at his office Gyalong Tshokhang in the Bhutanese capital on Saturday afternoon and the two sides held extensive talks on cooperation.

Power crisis will end in 2 years: Tawfiq

Fri November 6, 2009 - 10:56pm BdST

The nagging power crisis in the country would be solved by increasing generation within two years, said the Power and Energy Adviser to the prime minister, Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury.