Three people have died and three are ill after a Netherlands-based cruise ship was hit by a suspected outbreak of hantavirus, a rodent-borne virus that can cause fatal respiratory illness, authorities and media reports said on Sunday. Netherlands-based Oceanwide Expeditions said in a news release it was “managing a serious medical situation” on a polar expedition ship, the MV Hondius, ...

Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB-48) seized a large quantity of smuggled goods worth around Tk 1.90 crore in separate drives along the Sylhet border on Sunday. Acting on a tip-off, members of Sylhet Battalion conducted drives in several border areas, including Banglabazar, Kalairag, Minatila, Sangram, Bichnakandi, Pratappur and Sripur. These drives resulted in seizing a large sum of smuggled goods worth ...

Iran hit several ships in the Strait of Hormuz on Monday and set a UAE oil port ablaze, as President Donald Trump’s attempt to use the US Navy to free up shipping provoked the war’s biggest escalation since a ceasefire was declared four weeks ago. Trump’s new mission “Project Freedom”, which he announced on social media overnight to release ships ...

Egypt on Monday reaffirmed its commitment to expanding cooperation with Bangladesh across all sectors, particularly in skilled manpower recruitment, energy, agriculture and cultural exchanges. The assurance came when Egypt’s Ambassador to Bangladesh, Omar Mohie Eldin Ahmed Fahmy, paid a courtesy call on State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, a press release said. ...

The High Court has issued a rule asking the authorities to explain why 208 expatriates, who returned to Bangladesh after allegedly facing detention and punishment abroad for their involvement in the July movement, should not be awarded Tk25 lakh each as compensation. A High Court bench comprising Justice Fatema Najib issued the rule on Monday. The Secretary of the Ministry ...

Vote counting in key Indian state elections was underway Monday under tight security, with the focus on West Bengal, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s party appeared set for victory. And in the southern state of Tamil Nadu, veteran politician MK Stalin was trailing, challenged by a political debutante — film star C. Joseph Vijay. Elections in five states and territories ...

Michael Carrick deflected fresh questions about becoming Manchester United’s permanent manager, but conceded that Sunday’s dramatic 3-2 victory over Liverpool that secured a return to the Champions League after two years away was ​one to enjoy. Kobbie Mainoo struck late to seal the victory after Liverpool fought back to erase ‌United’s early goals from Matheus Cunha and Benjamin Sesko. Mainoo, ...

A bilateral Reciprocal Trade Agreement (RTA) between Bangladesh and the United States was signed on 9 February, just three days before Bangladesh’s national parliamentary election. The agreement has drawn widespread debate and criticism for what appears to be a highly asymmetrical set of obligations. Critics argue that the deal imposes extensive and binding commitments on Bangladesh, while placing comparatively minimal ...

A writ petition has been filed challenging the legality of the overall actions taken during the tenure of the interim government led by former Chief Adviser Dr Muhammad Yunus. The petition questions the validity of various decisions made by the government, including the enactment of laws, formation of reform commissions and the signing of domestic and international agreements. It also ...

What should have been a vibrant harvest season in the country’s haor belt across seven districts has instead turned into widespread devastation. Excessive rainfall and hill torrents have submerged and washed away a large portion of this year’s only Boro rice crop. As a result, life in the haor areas and among farming communities has come to a standstill. The ...