MATS students vow to intensify protests if demands aren't met
Students of the Medical Assistant Training School, or MATS, have warned about escalating their protests if their demands, which include job opportunities, are not met. The event was jointly organised by the Diploma Medical Association, the General MATS Students' Unity Council, and the Bangladesh Diploma Medical Private Practitioners Association. Any attempts to influence the verdict through strikes, meetings or demonstrations by medical students threaten judicial independence and constitute contempt of court. "The long-standing discrimination against MATS students remains unresolved. As part of their protests, students have organised various demonstrations, including class boycotts.
Source:bd News24
March 02, 2025 11:50 UTC
Trump layoffs hit key 'air traffic control for space' unit
REUTERSThe Trump administration this week fired employees who were building a system to manage satellite traffic in space, weakening a badly needed effort championed by the US space industry and the president's first administration, according to people familiar with the move. The layoffs were among hundreds of employees fired Thursday at NOAA, which also provides the US government's weather forecasts and hurricane warnings. The chief of the Traffic Coordination System for Space, Dmitry Poisik, was among the employees fired, according to one of the sources. Donald Trump, as president in 2018, released a space policy directive calling on the Office of Space Commerce to create its own traffic management system, acknowledging an increasingly congested orbital environment. "These are like air traffic controllers for space, they handle space traffic coordination to prevent collisions," one of the sources said, adding the layoffs come at a bad time given the number of collision notices sent out.
Source:bd News24
March 02, 2025 03:32 UTC
Govt has no role in bus requisition for NCP event, says press secretary
Chief Adviser's Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam has claimed that the interim government has no interference in the matter of providing bus “requisition” by the Pirojpur deputy commissioner for the launch of the National Citizen Party, or NCP, in Dhaka. At the same time, the press secretary asked officials to investigate whether such an incident took place anywhere else. It is ‘our’ duty to ensure that all political parties participate in free, fair, and inclusive elections. The press secretary then said, "The election roadmap, however, has been given. "The government has repeatedly said that the elections are likely in December if the political parties want fewer reforms.
Source:bd News24
March 01, 2025 17:30 UTC
What’s driving the push to halve Lamakazi Bridge toll lease?
They say that while the current toll collection reaches up to Tk 130,000 per day, the RHD’s proposal suggests a daily toll collection of only Tk 71,000. Although officially named MA Khan Bridge, it is locally known as the Lamakazi Bridge. Recently, a visit to the Lamakazi Toll Bridge area revealed various vehicles, including buses, trucks, and autorickshaws, using the bridge. Thousands of vehicles cross the bridge daily, so why should the toll lease be reduced?”Kabir Hossain, chairman of Lamakazi union council, said: “Traffic on the Lamakazi Bridge is increasing daily. In their written application, they said: "The 14th call for the Lamakazi Bridge lease quotation was on Nov 27, 2024.
Source:bd News24
January 21, 2025 19:43 UTC
Dhaka, Dar and dementia of history
Mr Dar, who represents a nation marked by a chequered history and a continuation of missteps and insensitivities, is known for his expertise in finance. Betrayed by both the remnants of (West) Pakistan and Bangladesh, they are the unrecognised victims of history, foreign office negligence and media biases. In preparation, the Pakistani High Commission, with the assistance of Rabita Bangladesh, began issuing identity cards to thousands of Biharis in Bangladesh. In 1993, about 1,500 Biharis, primarily women, marched in Dhaka, pleading with then Pakistan's prime minister Benazir Bhutto to fulfil the promise of bringing them home. If this deceptive dementia persists, it could instigate other liberators active in present-day Pakistan.
Source:bd News24
January 21, 2025 19:40 UTC
EC registers the injured in July uprising as voters
The Election Commission (EC) has gone to hospitals to register those injured during the July uprising to vote. A four-member team from the EC came to Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Medical University Hospital (BSMMU) to conduct registrations at 9:00 am. Today (Tuesday), work is going on for the third day at BSMMU, also known as PG Hospital. He said, "After the July uprising, this work has already been carried out at the Agargaon Eye Hospital and the Pongu Hospital [National Institute of Traumatology and Orthopaedic Rehabilitation]. Today, I am working at PG Hospital and tomorrow (Wednesday) I am assigned to Dhaka Medical College Hospital."
Source:bd News24
January 21, 2025 18:54 UTC
India's failure to return Hasina will be breach of extradition treaty, says law advisor
The foreign ministry will decide what steps Bangladesh will take regarding the violation, he saysIndia's failure to return Hasina will be breach of extradition treaty, says law advisorLaw Advisor Asif Nazrul has said that if India fails to return the deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina it will be a "clear violation" of the country's extradition treaty with Bangladesh. The foreign ministry will decide what steps Bangladesh will take regarding the breach of the agreement, he said. Awami League President Hasina fled to India resigning from her premiership on Aug 5 in the wake of a civil uprising. If India does not extradite Sheikh Hasina after the letter, it will be a clear breach of India's extradition treaty with Bangladesh. “What action we will take in this regard on the global stage will be decided through the foreign ministry."
Source:bd News24
January 21, 2025 16:13 UTC
Indian state contests life sentence of murder, rape convict, seeks death: source
He sentenced Roy on Monday to life in jail on counts of rape and murder. Mamata Banerjee, chief minister of West Bengal, of which Kolkata is the capital, said late on Monday that she was "shocked" by the judgement. "I am convinced that it is indeed a rarest of rare case which demands capital punishment. How could the judgement come to the conclusion that it is not a rarest of rare case?!" The parents of the junior doctor have said they are not satisfied with the investigation and suspected more people were involved in the crime.Indian state, death penalty, life sentence, murder, rape, West Bengal, Calcutta High Court, national outrag
Source:bd News24
January 21, 2025 15:28 UTC
Reshuffle coming in deputy commissioner posts
The first wave of reshuffling will hit the local administration level before March, according to several senior officials in the Ministry of Public Administration. After the interim government took office in August last year, it hastily appointed deputy commissioners in 64 districts. At the time, those officials who did not get appointments under the Awami League expressed anger over these appointments. Currently, 26 people from the 24th batch, 26 from the 25th batch, and 12 from the 27th batch are working as DCs. A fit list is being prepared for the promotion of officials from the 24th batch to the post of joint secretary.
Source:bd News24
January 21, 2025 12:30 UTC
Ex-OC who fled police custody likely in India: DMP chief
Shah Alam, the former police officer who fled from police custody at Dhaka’s Uttara East Police Station, has likely left the country, according to Dhaka Metropolitan police Commissioner Sheikh Md Sazzat Ali. He may have fled to India or another country.”Alam had been arrested in a case related to the Anti-discrimination Student Movement on Jan 8. The following day, he fled from police custody at the Uttara East Police Station. DMP chief Sazzat said, in response to a question: “We arrested the former OC from Kushtia. Alam had been appointed as chief of Uttara East police Station on Aug 1, during the Anti-discrimination Student Movement protests.
Source:bd News24
January 21, 2025 11:40 UTC
Masuda Bhatti removed from post as information commissioner
President Mohammed Shahabuddin has removed Information Commissioner Masuda Bhatti from her post after allegations of serious misconduct against her were proven. The Ministry of Information issued a notice in this regard on Monday. Bhatti was appointed to the post in the Information Commission alongside retired judge Shahidul Alam Jhinuk in August 2023 by the president in a notice issued under the Awami League government. The Supreme Judicial Council submitted a report against Bhatti on Jan 10. The notice said, “As the allegations of serious misconduct against Information Commissioner Masuda Bhatti of the Information Commission of Bangladesh have been proven before the Supreme Judicial Council, the President has removed Masuda Bhatti from her post on Jan 16 in accordance with the provisions of Article 16(6) of the Constitution of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh as amended and Section 16(1) of the Right to Information Act, 2009.”
Source:bd News24
January 21, 2025 11:20 UTC
‘Rationale behind increasing VAT will be made public in a few days’
Finance Adviser Salehuddin Ahmed has said the rationale behind increasing VAT on a broad swathe of goods will be made public in a few days, reiterating that the move will not have much impact on the prices of daily commodities. However, he avoided questions regarding whether the decision would be reconsidered after a meeting related to government procurement on Tuesday. The initiative to raise VAT was met with criticism from even Debapriya Bhattacharya, the chief of the economic white paper committee, and the National Citizens' Committee. The Ministry of Agriculture used a budget provided by the Ministry of Finance to arrange the OMS,” Salehuddin said. But the prices of rice have dropped a bit.”Salehuddin said several proposals to buy fertiliser were approved at the meeting.
Source:bd News24
January 21, 2025 09:38 UTC
Trump orders US exit from the World Health Organization
"World Health ripped us off, everybody rips off the United States. It's not going to happen anymore," Trump saysFILE PHOTO: A view of a WHO logo during the 77th World Health Assembly of the World Health Organization (WHO) at the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, May 27, 2024. REUTERS/Denis Balibouse/File PhotoFILE PHOTO: A view of a WHO logo during the 77th World Health Assembly of the World Health Organization (WHO) at the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, May 27, 2024. REUTERS/Denis Balibouse/File PhotoThe United States will exit the World Health Organization, President Donald Trump said on Monday, saying the global health agency had mishandled the COVID-19 pandemic and other international health crises. The move means the US will leave the United Nations health agency in 12 months' time and stop all financial contributions to its work.
Source:bd News24
January 21, 2025 09:22 UTC
A pocket of warmth among the cold
A group of four boys - (from left) Umor, Fahim, Noor, and Munna - gather around a fire to warm themselves up in Rangpur city on Monday, Jan 20, 2024. Four neighbourhood boys have lit a small fire to get a bit of warmth on a cold night in Rangpur city on Monday, Jan 20, 2025. A group of four boys - (from left) Umor, Fahim, Noor, and Munna - gather around a fire to warm themselves up in Rangpur city on Monday, Jan 20, 2024. The keen chill of winter seems to cut through whatever warm clothes one puts on. In Rangpur, where the temperature dipped to 18 degrees Celsius on Monday, a group of young boys can be seen gathering around a fire to stave off the cold.
Source:bd News24
January 21, 2025 08:18 UTC