Bangladesh

Rejecting the proposal of dialogue with main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) outright, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has asked, “Who is the opposition? Those who kill people? Question doesn’t arise at all to hold dialogue with killers.” She made the remarks while addressing a press conference on the outcome of her October 24-26 visit to Belgium at her official residence ...

US Ambassador to Bangladesh Peter Haas has expressed the hope that all sides will sit for ‘dialogue’ without preconditions to de-escalate tensions and find a path toward free, fair and peaceful elections. “Political violence by any side has no place in democratic elections,” he said after meeting with Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Kazi Habibul Awal at the Election Commission in ...

The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) has approved 37 projects worth Tk 52,612 crore, including a Tk 8556.17 crore one, to improve Chattagram-Cox’s Bazar Highway. The approval came from the ECNEC meeting with its Chairperson and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair. Ministers, state ministers, planning commission members, and secretaries concerned were also present at the ...

Police’s detective branch (DB) today arrested former lieutenant general Chowdhury Hasan Suhrawardi, who allegedly prompted Bangladeshi US national Mian Zahidul Islam Arefy to address a BNP press briefing identifying himself as a so-called “adviser” to US President Joe Biden. “We have arrested him from Savar and brought him to our DB office for initial interrogation and subsequent legal procedures,” DB ...

A court in Dhaka on Tuesday issued an arrest warrant against BNP standing committee member Mirza Abbas in a graft case filed for amassing wealth illegally. Manzurul Imam, Judge of Dhaka’s Special Judge Court-6, passed the order, said Mahmud Hossain Jahangir, public prosecutor of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC). The hearing on the case was scheduled to be held today. But ...

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Kazi Habibul Awal said on Tuesday that there is no option to hold polls on time as per of the constitutional obligation. “I want to make it clear that the election must be held within the mentioned time. The countrymen should not be in such confusion that the polls will not be held, if the environment ...

Two people were killed after police fired gunshots on a BNP procession in Kishoreganj’s Kuliarchar upazila on Tuesday morning, claimed the party. The deceased were Rifat, 20, Chhoyshuti Union Chhatra Dal president; and Billal Miah, 30, Krishak Dal president, the BNP claimed, according a Bangla news portal. More that 50 people were injured, some by bullets, during the clash that ...

A three-day blockade of road, rail and waterways, enforced by main opposition BNP and like-minded opposition parties, began on Tuesday morning with some sporadic incidents across the country. They are observing the programme to mount pressure on the Awami League government to quit and hold the next election under a non-party, neutral administration. A thin number of vehicles were found ...

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday called upon the Imams (Islamic scholars) to work for maintaining peace at the grassroots so everyone can perform their own religions freely, describing Islam as religion of peace, amity and humanity. “We want cooperation from you (Alem, Olama and Imams). You have to work for maintaining peace at the grassroots so we can develop ...

Awami League General Secretary (AL) Obaidul Quader on Monday said BNP has taken the path of conflict in the name of movement as it wants to foil the upcoming general elections. “We don’t want to hold the elections without BNP. The polls will be held as per the rules and it will not wait for any one. BNP wants to ...