Tower Hamlets councillors rejected calls to publicly discuss increasing concerns from ministers over the way it is being run after the Government stepped up its interventions in the borough. At a meeting on Wednesday night, councillors for the town hall’s ruling Aspire party voted down a motion from Labour to debate minister claims that the town hall’s “financial management and ...

Former Labour minister Andrew Gwynne has announced he is standing down as an MP, paving the way for Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham to potentially run in a by-election in his Gorton and Denton constituency. In a statement, Gwynne said he had suffered “significant ill health” and had been advised by his GP that it wasn’t safe for him to ...

The minister responsible for council elections has confirmed that 29 English councils planning elections for May will now have these postponed. Local Government Secretary Steve Reed told the House of Commons he had approved delays until 2027, with a final application still under consideration due to it being submitted on Thursday morning. Opposition MPs have criticised the decision, saying delays ...

Foreign Affairs Adviser Touhid Hossain has said that India should take responsibility for safeguarding the rights of its minority communities, just as Bangladesh protects its own minorities, amid heightened tensions between the two neighbouring countries. In an interview with BBC Hindi in Dhaka, Touhid Hossain said Bangladesh does not comment on actions against minorities in India and expects Indian authorities ...

The German Football Association (DFB) is to decide whether the German national team will boycott the 2026 World Cup, which will be held in 11 US cities, Mexico and Canada. DFB mulls 2026 FIFA World Cup boycott The German government has said that the country’s football association can decide on whether Germany’s national team will boycott the FIFA World Cup, ...

‘Past elections were a mockery, protect your vote’ BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman on Thursday addressed a massive election rally in Shayestaganj upazila of Habiganj district, criticizing past elections as a mockery of democracy and urging citizens to safeguard their voting rights. He pledged that a BNP-led government would prioritize employment, social welfare and support for farmers and religious leaders while ...

BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman has promised that if his party comes to power, every district in Bangladesh will have guaranteed access to proper healthcare. He said, “If BNP comes to power, we will ensure healthcare rights for people of every district. Neglected and underdeveloped areas will be prioritised and modern healthcare facilities, including medical colleges, will be established.” The BNP ...

Saudi Arabia and eight Muslim-majority countries including Gaza mediators Qatar and Turkey have agreed to join US President Donald Trump’s “Board of Peace”, the Saudi foreign ministry said on Wednesday. In a joint statement, Riyadh announced the “shared decision” of the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Turkey, Egypt, Jordan, Indonesia, Pakistan, and the United Arab Emirates to join the ...

The government on Thursday started selling rice at subsidised prices under an additional Open Market Sale (OMS) programme in 419 upazilas across the country to help stabilise the rice market and provide price support to local people. Under the programme, one metric tonne of rice per upazila is being sold daily at Tk 30 per kilogram from today, said a ...

InterContinental Dhaka, the iconic luxury hotel by IHG, has strengthened its commitment to environmental stewardship by becoming the first hotel in Bangladesh to introduce an AI-powered Glass Bottle Water Plant producing Zero Mile Artisanal Water-setting a significant new benchmark in sustainable hospitality. The facility was recently inaugurated in the presence of Nasreen Jahan, Chairman of Bangladesh Services Ltd and Secretary ...