Minister spoke at event for ‘propaganda’ wing of aunt’s political party
The anti-corruption minister spoke at an event organised by the “propaganda” arm of her aunt’s authoritarian regime. Tulip Siddiq is under increasing scrutiny over her relationship to the former Bangladesh prime minister Sheikh Hasina, who was ousted in August 2024 amid accusations of human rights abuses and violent suppression of dissent and the media. Investigators in Dhaka have ordered financial institutions in the country to provide them with transaction details for Siddiq and other members of Hasina’s family as part of a probe into the former ruler. Siddiq spoke at an event organised by the Centre for Research and Information months after being elected in 2015On Monday Siddiq, who retains the full confidence of the prime minister, referred herself to the independent adviser on ministerial standards following revelations she had been given property by supporters of her aunt’s regime. She has repeatedly insisted
Source:bd News24
January 07, 2025 23:33 UTC
Khaleda’s London trip sparks speculation - when is Tarique coming home?
From regular citizens to BNP leaders at all levels, everyone seems to be reflecting on these same crucial queries. Although BNP leaders are demanding the announcement of an election roadmap, the government has not yet engaged in such discussions. Rezaul Karim Shawon, a student of the chemistry department at Jahangirnagar University, told bdnews24.com: “Tarique Rahman is an icon for BNP's youth. Tarique's lawyer Barrister Kaiser Kamal, said: "Tarique Rahman is a very important figure in Bangladesh's politics. "We expatriates do not want Tarique Rahman to face any peril by returning to the country with risk factors present.
Source:bd News24
January 07, 2025 23:04 UTC
Task force launches investigations into 6 troubled banks
The banks under scrutiny are First Security Islami Bank, EXIM Bank, Global Islami Bank, Social Islami Bank Limited, ICB Islamic Bank, and Union Bank Limited. Md Abdul Mannan, chairman of First Security Islami Bank, told bdnews24.com: "The task force has held meetings with the banks one by one, and its investigation is under way." He added that members of two international audit firms would soon join the six-strong task force team. According to a senior official at Bangladesh Bank, the task force started its audit in the banks on Monday. The official added that the central bank’s inspection teams would uncover irregularities in loan disbursement, and their reports would be coordinated with the task force.
Source:bd News24
January 07, 2025 21:02 UTC
EXPLAINED: What to know about HMPV, the virus causing an outbreak in China
China has reported a rise in human metapneumovirus (HMPV) cases in its northern region in recent weeks, raising concerns on social media that there could be another outbreak like COVID-19. A common respiratory virus, HMPV is known to spike every winter and spring, health officials said. MALAYSIAMalaysian health officials said HMPV cases were not new and that they were monitoring the developments. BANGLADESHBangladesh has not yet recorded any HMPV cases at present, news outlets quoted local health officials as saying. But the virus has always been present in the country, public health expert Mushtuq Husain told news portal bdnews24.com.
Source:bd News24
January 07, 2025 19:13 UTC
Israel says no foreign courts have warrants issued against reservists
DEBBIE HILL/Pool via REUTERSIsrael said on Tuesday pressure groups were pushing foreign courts to take action against Israelis over alleged war crimes in Gaza but described the actions as "propaganda activity" and said no warrants had been issued. The International Criminal Court has issued arrest warrants against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, as well as a Hamas leader, Ibrahim Al-Masri, over alleged war crimes in Gaza. The warrants sparked outrage in Israel but also drew fears that similar warrants could be issued against Israelis who served in the military in Gaza. The case in Brazil attracted wide attention in Israel, underscoring fears that individuals beyond the government and military leadership could be drawn into the war crimes issue, particularly through social media posts. The Israeli military has warned reservists that they could face arrest abroad over alleged war crimes in Gaza, according to documents published by Israeli media.
Source:bd News24
January 07, 2025 19:05 UTC
Employment, social security, and inflation control key to stability: Fahmida Khatun
This represents a 69.5 percent increase over the food poverty line for maintaining a minimum healthy diet. Inflation rose to 11.38 percent in November, with food inflation nearing 14 percent. Meanwhile, the latest national wage growth rate stands at 8.10 percent, consistently lagging behind inflation rates nearly every year. Zahid Hussain, a former lead economist at the World Bank’s Dhaka office, said: “Food inflation has become a significant concern. For over 36 months, the inflation rate has risen much faster than the wage growth rate in sectors like agriculture, services, and industry.
Source:bd News24
January 07, 2025 16:59 UTC
ACC prosecutes former MPs Shekhar, Abul Kalam Azad
ACC Director General (Prevention) Akhter Hossain has also pressed charges against former MP from Gaibandha-4 constituency Abul Kalam Azad on Monday. He was also charged with making suspicious transactions totalling Tk 110 million through seven personal and business bank accounts in his name. Additionally, he deposited Tk 20 million and withdrew nearly the same amount through seven personal and business accounts in his name, totalling about Tk 40 million. It also claims that the accused's wife, Ms Ruhul Ara Rahim, possesses assets worth Tk 5.1 million without any declared source. FARIDPUR EX-SP CHARGEDThe ACC has prosecuted former Faridpur police superintendent Md Shahjahan, now with the Chittagong Range DIG's office, for acquiring illegal assets worth Tk 14 million.
Source:bd News24
January 07, 2025 16:47 UTC
Passports of Hasina, 96 others revoked over enforced disappearances, killings
At a briefing at Dhaka’s Foreign Service Academy on Tuesday, the chief advisor’s Deputy Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad Majumder said the passport office had cancelled the passports of 22 people involved in "enforced disappearances and murders”. "In addition, the passports of 75 such people involved in or accused of the July killings have been revoked. Former prime minister Sheikh Hasina is one of them," he added. More than 100 cases have been filed against Hasina and her government's ministers, MPs, and the top Awami League leaders for killings intended to curb the movement. The International Crimes Tribunal, or ICT, has issued an arrest warrant against Hasina on charges of genocide and enforced disappearance.
Source:bd News24
January 07, 2025 16:32 UTC
Public administration ministry to discuss protesters excluded from 43rd BCS on Thursday
The Ministry of Public Administration will meet on Thursday to decide the fate of the 227 applicants who were excluded from the final recruitment notice for the 43rd Bangladesh Civil Service examination for first-class jobs in the government. A meeting on the 227 candidates excluded due to negative comments in their intelligence report will be held at 11:30am on Thursday, an internal memo at the ministry stated. On Jan 25, 2024, the Bangladesh Public Service Commission had provisionally nominated 2,163 candidates for recruitment to various cadres through the 43rd BCS examination. Accordingly, objections and lack of recommendations were reported against 227 applicants, who were declared temporarily unsuitable for appointment. However, the notice stated that if any of the 227 excluded applied for reconsideration, the matter would be looked into.
Source:bd News24
January 07, 2025 15:20 UTC
Government's achievements in 5 months are ‘remarkable’, says press secretary
‘What we have achieved in the last five months is amazing,’ he saysChief Advisor's Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam has said the government's achievements in the past five months are “remarkable”. If we live in a democratic state, we do live in plan and error, with options to choose from. The press secretary said, "At that moment, Muhammad Yunus took charge. Instead, they are currently around $22 billion.”About elections, the press secretary said: "If the political parties think they don't want too much reform, we will hold an election in December this year. If the parties think the interim government has not done sufficient reform work, and they need the reform, then it will take another six months.
Source:bd News24
January 07, 2025 14:58 UTC
Police tighten security at Dhaka airport for BNP chief Khaleda’s London journey
The BNP chief will board a Qatar-sent special air ambulance at 10pmSecurity measures have been tightened at Dhaka's Shahjalal International Airport ahead of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia's departure for London. The BNP chief is scheduled to leave for London for medical treatment at 10pm on Tuesday on a special air ambulance sent by the Qatar’s emir. “Begum Khaleda Zia will leave her Gulshan residence at 8pm on Tuesday for Shahjalal International Airport,” BNP Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi said in a media statement on Monday. Deputy Commissioner Rawnak Jahan of Dhaka Metropolitan Police’s Uttara Division said, “The airport road is a critical entry and exit point for Dhaka. “The airport is a Key Point Installation [KPI], and all arrangements have been made.”He concluded, "We have coordinated with everyone.
Source:bd News24
January 07, 2025 14:08 UTC
Khaleda Zia to leave for London at 10pm tonight
A ‘special air ambulance’ flight sent by Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani is set to start the journey at 10:00 pm on Tuesday with BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia and her entourage for London. The plane has now been placed under strict security," said Enamul Haque Chowdhury, a member of the BNP Chairperson’s Advisory Council. Stating that the emir arranged the special royal fleet aircraft for Khaleda, her personal physician AZM Zahid Hossain said: "We will leave for London at 10pm tonight. They are Prof Shahabuddin Talukdar, Prof FM Siddique, Prof Nuruddin Ahmed, Dr Zafar Iqbal, Prof AZM Zahid Hossain and Dr Mohammed Al Mamun. BNP chief Khaleda will be admitted to The London Clinic in the UK for advanced treatment, her doctors have said.
Source:bd News24
January 07, 2025 08:25 UTC
90 fishermen, sailors detained in India return to Bangladesh
The Bangladesh Coast Guard formally handed over the men to their families members on TuesdayAt least 90 Bangladeshi sailors and fishermen who had been detained by the Indian Coast Guard while fishing near the international maritime boundary have been reunited with their families. "On Dec 9, 2024, the Indian Coast Guard seized two Bangladeshi fishing vessels carrying 78 sailors and fishermen. They alleged that the two Bangladeshi fishing vessels were fishing in their territory. The Bangladesh Coast Guard was given the responsibility of conducting it. Zahirul noted that the 90 sailors and fishermen, including those from 'FB Laila-2' and 'FB Meghna-5', were brought to Chattogram on Monday night.
Source:bd News24
January 07, 2025 07:12 UTC
No mutiny in BDR, it was a ‘conspiracy to kill army officers,’ says probe commission chief
The army was just watching and local and foreign conspirators carried out the massacre, he saysNo mutiny in BDR, it was a ‘conspiracy to kill army officers,’ says probe commission chiefRetired maj gen ALM Fazlur Rahman heading the new inquiry commission into the BDR killings believes there was no mutiny in the border force in 2009 and it was “a conspiracy” to kill the army officers. The seven-strong commission was formed on Dec 23 amid a growing clamour following the change in power for a reinvestigation into the killings of 74 people, including 57 army officers, which caused a stir at home and abroad during the Awami League government. Representatives of RAOWA, relatives of the officers killed in Pilkhana on Feb 25 and 26, 2009, the surviving officers of Pilkhana, and those serving in the army at that time were present in the meeting. It was a conspiracy to kill the officers. Fazlur told bdnews24.com that the commission would launch a website soon to ask for documentary evidence and data.
Source:bd News24
January 06, 2025 21:57 UTC
Cycle of inflation, hunger pushing Bangladeshis into extreme hardship
Inflation rose to 11.38 percent in November, with food inflation nearing 14 percent. Zahid Hussain, a former lead economist at the World Bank's Dhaka office, said: "Food inflation has become a significant concern. Advising on reducing both food prices and inflation, he said: "A decrease in the inflation rate alone will not suffice because wages are not increasing. For over 36 months, the inflation rate has risen much faster than the wage growth rate in sectors like agriculture, services, and industry. We need to curb food inflation and simultaneously enhance the capacity to deal with it."
Source:bd News24
January 06, 2025 20:17 UTC