The Taliban government in Afghanistan has imposed a nationwide shutdown of telecommunications, weeks after it began severing fibre-optic internet connections. The country is currently experiencing a “total internet blackout”, internet watchdog Netblocks reports. International news agencies say they have lost contact with offices in the capital Kabul. Mobile internet and satellite TV have also been severely disrupted across Afghanistan. The ...

Barcelona winger Lamine Yamal, who nearly became the youngest ever Ballon d’Or winner last week at just 18, has a prime opportunity to strengthen his claim for next year’s award in Wednesday’s Champions League match against Paris Saint-Germain. PSG’s star Ousmane Dembele, the current Ballon d’Or winner, is sidelined through injury and will miss the game at the Olympic Stadium, ...

Like the government, three packages for next year’s hajj have been announced under private management. Hajj Agencies Association of Bangladesh (HAAB) Secretary General Farid Ahmed Majumder announced the packages at a press conference at a hotel in the capital’s Nayapaltan area on Tuesday. Under the private management, Tk 7,50,000 has been set for special package, Tk 5,50,000 for general package ...

Chief Adviser’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam has said they are witnessing a ‘very well-orchestrated move’ by the fallen autocrat, their associates and allied international forces to destabilise the country and foil the upcoming national election, scheduled for early February. “We remain vigilant, as we see such moves unfolding,” Alam told reporters at a hotel in New York on Monday evening ...

Bangladesh’s economy is projected to grow by 4.0% in fiscal year (FY) 2025, rising to 5.0% in FY2026, according to the Asian Development Outlook (ADO) September 2025 released today by the Asian Development Bank (ADB). While garment exports remain a key strength, the subdued growth outlook reflects muted domestic demand amid political transitions, recurrent flooding, industrial labor disputes, and persistently ...

Bangladesh and Turkey have agreed to co-host a global conference early next year on Women in Islam, bringing together leading Muslim scholars and researchers and highlighting countries that showcase best practices in advancing women’s rights. The decision was made during a meeting between Bangladesh’s Women and Children Affairs Adviser Sharmeen Murshid and Turkish Minister for Social Services Mahinur Ozdemir Gokta ...

BNP Standing Committee member Hafizuddin Ahmed on Monday accused Jamaat-e-Islami of pushing for a proportional representation (PR) system as part of a strategy to obstruct Bangladesh’s parliamentary elections. Speaking at a discussion titled “There is no alternative to the National Parliament Election” at the Jatiya Press Club, Hafiz said Jamaat has historically feared the people’s verdict and has never won ...

Nearly four years have passed since train services were suspended on the 34-kilometre Chhatak-Sylhet railway line and hopes of a quick return to normalcy remain dim. Locals, commuters and traders say their frustration is mounting as renovation work drags on at what they call a ‘snail’s pace’. The railway line, which was first closed during the Covid-19 pandemic in 2021, ...

Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) has seized smuggled goods worth Taka 1.43 crore during separate drives from different areas in Sylhet border, said a press release of Sylhet BGB-48 Battalion this morning. A man was also arrested in this connection. The BGB conducted the drives on Friday and Saturday at Sonarhat, Utma, Sreepur, Sangram, Bichnakandi, Banglabazar, Sonalichela borders areas, the release ...

Andy Burnham has warned against “underestimating the peril the party is in” at a fringe meeting at the Labour party conference. The mayor of Greater Manchester continued his criticism of Sir Keir Starmer’s leadership at events at the Liverpool conference, telling audiences he would not shy away from debate on Labour’s future. Despite a backlash from MPs, Burnham said Labour ...