200-year-old Sufi shrine demolished after stopping Qawwali event
Witnesses say around 11pm, hundreds of students from the nearby Jamia Faizur Rahman (RA) Momenshahi Boro Masjid Madrasa attacked the Sama Qawwali programme in the city's Thana Ghat area. Around 3am, the madrasa students left after attacking, vandalising, and setting fire to the shrine. “Following the Milad, a Sama Qawwali was arranged in a tent in front of the police station gate, drawing many devotees and supporters. "Moments later, hundreds of madrasa students arrived, destroyed everything, and then left. Let justice be served—that is our demand.”Alam Chishti, the organiser of the shrine’s festival, added: “We have been holding Sama Qawwali events for many years.
Source:bd News24
January 09, 2025 15:46 UTC
Taliban say India is a 'significant regional partner' after meeting
India's Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri met acting Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi in Dubai on Wednesday. "In line with Afghanistan's balanced and economy-focused foreign policy, the Islamic Emirate aims to strengthen political and economic ties with India as a significant regional and economic partner," the statement from Afghanistan's foreign ministry said late on Wednesday. India's foreign ministry said after the Dubai meeting that India was considering engaging in development projects in Afghanistan and looking to boost trade ties. Regional players including China and Russia have signalled they are willing to boost trade and investment in Afghanistan. The Delhi meeting could ruffle Pakistan, which borders both countries and has fought three wars in the past against India.
Source:bd News24
January 09, 2025 14:54 UTC
Maxwell misses out in Australia squad for Sri Lanka series
Selectors have instead opted for uncapped all-rounder Cooper Connolly as another spin option, joining Nathan Lyon, Todd Murphy and Matthew Kuhnemann. Teenage opener Sam Konstas and all-rounder Beau Webster have been retained in the squad following impressive Test debuts against India. Uncapped quick Sean Abbott joins Mitchell Starc and Scott Boland among the pace options. Australia, who beat India 3-1, have already sewn up their place in the World Test Championship final against South Africa at Lord's in June. Squad:Steve Smith, Sean Abbott, Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cooper Connolly, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Sam Konstas, Matt Kuhnemann, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Nathan McSweeney, Todd Murphy, Mitchell Starc, Beau Webster
Source:bd News24
January 09, 2025 14:04 UTC
Tracey Ann Jacobson named new acting US ambassador to Bangladesh
She will join the US embassy in Dhaka as chargé d’affaires ad interim on Jan 11Diplomat Tracey Ann Jacobson has been named the new acting US ambassador to Bangladesh. Jacobson, a career member of the Senior Foreign Service, will join the US mission in Dhaka as chargé d’affaires ad interim on Jan 11, a statement issued by the embassy said on Thursday. Most recently, Jacobson served as a senior advisor to the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs. Prior to that assignment, she served as chargé d’affaires ad interim at the US embassy in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. With Jacobson’s arrival as chargé d’affaires ad interim, Megan Bouldin will resume duties as the deputy chief of mission at the US embassy in Dhaka.
Source:bd News24
January 09, 2025 11:32 UTC
Russian strike kills 13 in Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhia
REUTERS/StringerFirefighters work at the site of an administrative building damaged by Russian air and missile strikes, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine, Jan 8, 2025. REUTERS/StringerA Russian guided bomb attack on Wednesday killed at least 13 people and injured 63 in Ukraine's southeastern city of Zaporizhzhia, authorities said. Russian troops had used two guided bombs to hit a residential area, the regional governor Ivan Fedorov told reporters. Fedorov said Russian troops shelled the town of Stepnohirsk, south of Zaporizhzhia, killing two people. Russia regularly carries out air strikes on the Zaporizhzhia region, which its forces partially occupy, and its capital.
Source:bd News24
January 09, 2025 10:17 UTC
3.7m duplicate TCB cards revoked, says Commerce Advisor Bashir
Several duplicate TCB cards were distributed to certain families in the past through the forging of NID cards, Commerce Advisor Sheikh Bashir Uddin says. Asked why 6.3 million smart cards had been distributed when the Awami League government had said some 10 million TCB family cards in circulation, Bashir said: "There was huge corruption among the 10 million cards with the same families getting multiple cards by forging NIDs through trickery. Not a single family has been left out by revoking 3.7 million cards of the 10 million cards.”"The goods are being sent to the right people. The commerce advisor said the authorities want to add another 3.7 million cards, reports bdnews24.com. Noting that the members of the public are suffering due to soaring rice prices, he said the crisis is “temporary”.
Source:bd News24
January 09, 2025 10:12 UTC
Pilkhana explosives case: hearing scrapped amid overnight protests, courtroom fire
Then he left.”The next hearing date will be announced at a later time, he said. The Explosives Act case over the 2009 incident was to be held on Thursday, but students from the Alia madrasah held an overnight protest against the use of the institution’s field for the temporary courtroom. The temporary courtroom and its furniture were burnt in the night amid the protest. Borhan said, “Given the situation today, we don’t have the proper environment for a court hearing. Meanwhile, the explosives charges trial, initiated in 2010, was paused midway through to focus on the murder trial, leaving the proceedings incomplete.
Source:bd News24
January 09, 2025 09:51 UTC
ACC prosecutes former WASA MD Taqsem, nine others over illegal recruitment
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has prosecuted former Dhaka Water Supply and Sewerage Authority (WASA) managing director Taqsem A Khan and nine others on charges of aiding financial embezzlement through unauthorised staff appointments. ACC Deputy Director Syed Nazrul Islam filed the case on Wednesday at the commission's Integrated District Office in Dhaka, according to its Director General (Prevention) Md Akhtar Hossain. The appointments were approved at WASA's 252nd board meeting, chaired by then-chairman Md Habibur Rahman. Other board members included Taqsem, former additional secretary Sudhangshu Shekhar Biswas, FCA Vice President Md Mahmud Hossain, Bangladesh Engineers Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh representative Engineer Md Nuruzzaman, Institution of Diploma Engineers, Bangladesh President AKMA Hamid, former Dhaka North City Corporation councillor Aleya Sarwar Daisy, and former Dhaka South City Corporation councillor Md Hasibur Rahman Manik. ACC Director General Akhtar Hossain said, "The board members primarily endorsed the illegal appointments."
Source:bd News24
January 09, 2025 09:49 UTC
Pilkhana Massacre: Families of BDR personnel protest at Shaheed Minar again
"We will start the march towards Shahbagh at 1:00 pm," Naimul Hasan, a student representative of the protesters at the Shaheed Minar, said. The programme by the relatives of the arrested BDR personnel began on Wednesday morning. They formed a human chain at the Shaheed Minar to push for their demands. "We stayed at the Shaheed Minar overnight. Meanwhile, the explosives charges trial, initiated in 2010, was paused midway through to focus on the murder trial, leaving the proceedings incomplete.
Source:bd News24
January 09, 2025 08:59 UTC
Gas pressure to remain low for 72 hours from Friday to Monday
Repair work will be conducted on a floating LNG terminal which supplies imported gas starting at noon on FridayGas pressure to remain low for 72 hours from Friday to MondayThe supply of imported natural gas will slow for a 72-hour period starting at noon on Friday due to repair work on the floating LNG terminal. This may lead to low gas pressure throughout the country, according to Petrobangla. Due to the reduction in gas supply, some parts of the country may experience low pressure. An average of 900 to 1,100 mmscf of gas is supplied per day from the two floating LNG terminals in the Bay of Bengal. The capacity of the two LNG terminals is 1,100 mmscf.
Source:bd News24
January 09, 2025 07:26 UTC
National Bank seeks Tk 10 billion more in liquidity support
National Bank Limited, suffering from a liquidity crisis, has sought an additional Tk 10 billion from Bangladesh Bank in liquidity support. Hence we are seeking Tk 10 billion more,” National Bank Chairman Abdul Awal Mintu said. In addition to National Bank, First Security Islami Bank, Social Islami Bank, Global Islami Bank, Union Bank and Exim Bank received the support. Meanwhile, Padma Bank sought Tk 13 billion and Janata Bank sought Tk 100 billion in liquidity support. When Bangladesh Bank dissolved the existing board of the National Bank after the changeover in government, it had been controlled by Chattogram businessman S Alam.
Source:bd News24
January 09, 2025 07:14 UTC
National Bank seeks Tk 10bn more in liquidity support
The bank received Tk 40 billion from Bangladesh Bank after the fall of the Awami League government and wants to pay 10 percent interest on the loanNational Bank Limited, suffering from a liquidity crisis, has sought an additional Tk 10 billion from Bangladesh Bank in liquidity support. Hence we are seeking Tk 10 billion more,” National Bank Chairman Abdul Awal Mintu said. In addition to National Bank, First Security Islami Bank, Social Islami Bank, Global Islami Bank, Union Bank and Exim Bank received the support. Meanwhile, Padma Bank sought Tk 13 billion and Janata Bank sought Tk 100 billion in liquidity support. When Bangladesh Bank dissolved the existing board of the National Bank after the changeover in government, it had been controlled by Chattogram businessman S Alam.
Source:bd News24
January 09, 2025 06:34 UTC
Hundreds of veterans, others urge Trump to continue resettling at-risk Afghans
REUTERSUS President-elect Donald Trump speaks after a meeting with Republicans in Congress at the US Capitol building in Washington, US January 8, 2025. The letter calls on Trump and congressional leaders to continue funding the resettlement of at-risk Afghans and their families and for Congress to approve an additional 50,000 Special Immigration Visas (SIVs). Trump made immigration a major issue of his presidential campaign, promising to ramp up border security and deport record numbers of illegal immigrants. He planned to send the letter to the Trump transition team on Friday and hand-deliver it to Republican and Democratic congressional leaders next week. The Taliban, who instituted a general amnesty for officials and troops of the former US-backed government, deny the UN charges.
Source:bd News24
January 09, 2025 04:06 UTC
Grameen Bank plans to reduced government control
Grameen Bank, the Nobel prize-winning microfinance institution, is poised for a significant shift in its ownership and governance structure. Should the plan go forward, oversight of the bank, currently influenced by the government, would be transferred to Bangladesh Bank, according to a bdnews24.com report. The Financial Institutions Division of Bangladesh’s Ministry of Finance has drafted an ordinance to amend the Grameen Bank Act of 2013. According to the 1983 Grameen Bank Ordinance, 25 per cent of Grameen Bank's ownership is now in the hands of the government, while the remaining 75 per cent belongs to borrowers. The project was subsequently endorsed by Bangladesh Bank, with other financial institutions, including Bangladesh Krishi Bank, participating in its development.
Source:bd News24
January 09, 2025 03:37 UTC
Major overhaul at Grameen Bank plans reduced government control
Should the plan go forward, oversight of the bank, currently influenced by the government, would be transferred to Bangladesh Bank. The Financial Institutions Division of Bangladesh’s Ministry of Finance has drafted an ordinance to amend the Grameen Bank Act of 2013. Grameen Bank and Yunus co-shared the Nobel Peace Prize in 2006 in recognition of their efforts to alleviate poverty through microcredit. According to the 1983 Grameen Bank Ordinance, 25 percent of Grameen Bank's ownership is now in the hands of the government, while the remaining 75 percent belongs to borrowers. The project was subsequently endorsed by Bangladesh Bank, with other financial institutions, including Bangladesh Krishi Bank, participating in its development.
Source:bd News24
January 08, 2025 22:01 UTC