Voters, polling agents and ‘other persons’ will not be allowed to carry mobile phones  inside polling centres in the upcoming Zila Parishad polls, Election Commission (EC) sources said yesterday. The EC sources said the presiding officers have been instructed to comply with the directive…

The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court yesterday directed a lower court to consider issuing bail to veteran journalist Shafik Rehman on his surrender in connection with a case filed for his alleged attempt to abduct and kill Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s son Sajeeb Wazed Joy. The apex court…

A Cyclonic storm  touted as ‘Vardah’ has formed over the south east Bay of Bengal yesterday afternoon prompting the Met Office to issue distant warning signal no. 2 for the maritime ports of Chittagong, Cox’s Bazar, Mongla and Payra. The Met Office sources said that the storm…

The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court (SC) yesterday upheld the High Court (HC) order that imposed a ban on gambling in the country’s 13 renowned clubs, including Dhaka Club and Uttara Club, UNB reports. A four-member bench of the Appellate Division led by Chief Justice SK Sinha passed the…

The Rohingyas who escaped to Bangladesh after being raped and tortured by Myanmarese troops and local Rakhines are suffering from tremendous physical and psychological trauma. Sources in hospitals and NGOs in Teknaf and Ukhiya in Cox’s Bazar said the women who were sexually assaulted are traumatised…

Begum Rokeya Day will be observed countrywide today to pay tribute to Begum Rokeya Sakhawat, a  social reformer and pioneer of women's education. The momentous day marks the 136th birth and 84th death anniversary of Begum Rokeya, reports BSS. Women and Children Affairs Ministry and various…

Awami League presidium member Mohammad Nasim yesterday urged BNP to join discussion with the president over the issue of Election Commission formation after severing relations with Jamaat, reports BSS. “You (BNP) should not give different proposals over Election Commission formation, rather you…

The government has planned to procure eight Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MRCA) fighter aircraft for the Air Force in the current fiscal year (2016-‘17), Law Minister Anisul Huq told Parliament yesterday, reports UNB. The minister, who is in charge of the Defence Ministry in the House, said this…

Agriculture Minister Matia Chowdhury yesterday told parliament that the government has taken up a plan to supply some 1.36 lakh metric tonnes of high quality seeds to farmers in the current fiscal, reports UNB. “A plan has been undertaken to produce 1,36,069 metric tonnes of high quality seeds…

Environment and Forests Secretary Kamal Uddin Ahmed has been made Home Secretary, UNB reports. The Public Administration Ministry issued a notification in this regard yesterday. The appointment came as Senior Secretary of the Home Ministry Mozammel Haque Khan was made Public Administration Secretary…

At least 15 students were injured in clashes between two groups of Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL), the student front of the ruling Awami League at Chittagong University yesterday. The injured were being treated at the university medical centre while students with serious injuries were shifted to the…

Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid yesterday said Islamic University of Technology (IUT) is making a significant contribution to expansion of technological education, reports BSS "We are sincerely working to achieve the target of 20 per cent students in the technical education. I hope IUT will…