Bangladesh

Corruption in large-scale public projects has caused an average cost escalation of 70 per cent and delays of over five years, according to the white paper on the state of the economy. Of the $60 billion invested in ADP and development projects over the past 15 years, $14-24 billion (1.61-2.80 lakh crore BDT) has been lost to political extortion, bribery, ...

The White Paper on Bangladesh’s economy reveals extensive corruption across public and private sectors, stifling growth, with annual illicit outflows averaging USD 16 billion-over double the combined foreign aid and FDI inflows. The findings, presented by a committee led by economist Dr Debapriya Bhattacharya, at a press conference at the NEC conference room in the capital on Sunday, exposed a ...

The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court on Monday stayed the High Court’s earlier order declaring August 15 as National Mourning Day’. The Appellate Division bench headed by Chief Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed passed this order. Earlier, the interim government on August 13 cancelled the general holiday on August 15 at a meeting of the advisory council. The Awami League ...

The committee formed to prepare a “White Paper” on the state of economy submitted its report to Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus on Sunday. Eminent economist Dr Debapriya Bhattacharya, the chair of the committee, led the delegation while submitting the report at a ceremony held at the Chief Adviser’s Tejgaon offiec. On August 21, the interim government decided to publish ...

Former lawmaker (reserved seat) from Cox’s Bazar’s Chakaria-Pekua upazila Safia Khatun was arrested from Pallabi in Dhaka city on Saturday night in a case over the murder of a youth during the recent mass uprising. Talebur Rahman, Deputy Commissioner (Media) of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP), said that police arrested the former vice-president of Mahila Awami League Safia from Balughat ...

Ulama-Mashayekh Bangladesh held a press conference at the National Press Club on Sunday, calling for justice for the victims of the 2018 attack on Tablighi Jamaat followers, students, and teachers during Bishwa Ijtema in Tongi. Mufti Amanul Haq described the incident near the Turag River as a “barbaric act,” lamenting that six years have passed without justice. Recounting the events, ...

BNP standing committee member Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain has been acquitted in a corruption case filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC). Judge Md Manzurul Hossain of the Dhaka Special Judge Court-8 pronounced the judgement on Sunday in presence of Khandaker Mosharraf. The BNP leader’s lawyer Borhan Uddin confirmed the news. On January 10, 2008, the ACC lodged the case with Ramna ...

The High Court has acquitted all the accused, including BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman and former state minister Lutfozzaman Babar, in August 21 grenade attack cases. An HC bench of Justice AKM Asaduzzaman and Justice Syed Enayet Hossain delivered the judgement on Sunday after holding hearing on the death references and appeals. The court started reading the verdict after 11AM. ...

Journalist Munni Saha was released from the custody of the Detective Branch of police early Sunday, hours after being taken to DB office on Saturday night. Rezaul Karim Mallick, additional commissioner (DB) of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police, confirmed this around 1:15AM. She was released under the obscure Section 497 of the Criminal Procedure Code, he added. “Police did not detained ...

Abu Saleh Akon of the Daily Nayadiganta and Mynul Hasan Sohel of the Daily Inqilab have been elected President and General Secretary of the Dhaka Reporters Unity (DRU). Saleh bagged 801 votes, while his nearest rival candidate Morsalin Nomani 496 and Shariful Islam (Biliu) obtained 102 votes respectively in the election held on Saturday. Mynul Hasan Sohel secured 548 votes ...