Bangladesh

Amar Ekushey & International Mother Language Day observed

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 01:46:00 +0100

Dhaka 21 Feb 2012: DHAKA: The nation Tuesady paid homage to the martyrs of the historic language movement of 1952 to mark the Language Martyrs Day and International Mother Language Day. President M Zillur Rahman, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and opposition leader Begum Khaleda Zia placed wreaths at the Central Shaheed Minar to lead the nation in paying floral homage to the martyrs. The mournful immortal chorus ‘Amar Bhaiyer Rokte Rangano Ekushey February, Ami Ki Bhulite Pari’ was reverberated all around in memory of the language heroes. President M Zillur Rahman first placed a wreath and then Premier Sheikh Hasina laid another on the altar of the memorial to the martyrs of the 1952 language movement after zero hour amid a tight security in and around the Central Shaheed Minar. They stood in solemn silence for some time in respect to the memory of the martyrs, who won the last battle for establishing Bengali as a state language during the then exploitative...

15 receive Ekushey Padak-2012

Mon, 20 Feb 2012 12:18:00 +0100

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has urged all to remain alert about upholding the spirit of ‘Amar Ekushey’ (immortal 21st) and said that those who reject the four main pillars of the Language Movement and the independence are the enemies of Ekushey and our independence. “To face them, we’ll have to infuse the spirit of Ekushey among the new generation and widely practice Bangla language and literature in every field and sphere of our social life,” she said. The premier was addressing a function, marking the distribution of ‘Ekushey Padak’ for 2012, at the Osmani Memorial Auditorium in the city on Monday. Hasina also urged all to establish a knowledge-based prosperous, peaceful and non-communal Bangladesh in line with the spirit of ‘Amar Ekushey’ as well as the ‘Sonar Bangla’ dreamt by father of the nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. Information and Cultural Affairs Minister Abul Kalam Azad presided over the function organised by the Cultural...

Saydee-led rajakars raped my wife: Madhusudan Gharami

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 12:53:00 +0100

DHAKA, February 2, 2012: A prosecution witness on Wednesday told the International Crimes Tribunal that his wife was raped by rajakars led by at his Hoglabunia village in Parerhat during the Liberation War in 1971. Narrating the painful episode, prosecution witness No. 23 Madhusudan Gharami said rajakars along with some people had entered his house in his absence and gang-raped his wife. “The man who converted you to Muslim had been here, you go away and I suffer unbearable pain as I’ve been raped by them, I can’t say anymore, don’t think about me,” Gharami quoted her wife as saying. Lying on a comfortable rolled away bed beside the witness box flanked by an attending physician and a ward boy following his sickness, octogenarian Gharami, a carpenter, gave his deposition before the tribunal. Raking the past up, Gharami burst into tears and the tribunal, both the prosecution and the defence counsel observed tears rolling down his cheeks. The attending ward boy was seen...

Army coup foiled in Bangladesh, top officers involved in conspiracy

Thu, 19 Jan 2012 22:08:00 +0100

DHAKA: A bid to topple the Bangladeshi government led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has been foiled, the Bangladesh Army said on Thursday. The Bangladesh Army said efforts by some officers to topple the government have been foiled and that the process to bring the culprits to justice has begun. "Specific information has been unearthed that some officers in active military service have been involved in the conspiracy to topple the system of democratic governance," bdnews24.com quoted army spokesman Brigadier General Muhammad Masud Razzaq as saying at a press briefing. Razzaq branded the accused officers as having extreme religious views. "Some unruly military officers have been actively engaged in the execution of the heinous conspiracy through maintaining contacts with fugitive Major Zia (Syed Mohammad Ziaul Huq) by mobile phones and internet," Razzaq said. "On Dec 22 last year, Major Zia met a senior officer and tried to provoke that senior...

Bangladesh celebrating 40th Victory Day

Fri, 16 Dec 2011 21:34:00 +0100

Bangladesh celebrating 40th Victory Day 40 years Bangladesh Dhaka, 16 Dec 2011: The nation is celebrating the 40th Victory Day Thursday with a renewed call for establishing the rule of law, institutionalizing democracy and holding war-crime trial as part of the efforts for fulfilling the objectives of the Liberation War. A 31-gun salute will herald the day. The other programmes include hoisting the national flag, placing wreaths at the National Mausoleum, parade, reception to gallantry award-winning freedom fighters, discussion meetings and prayer sessions.The nation is commemorating the country`s triumph in the nine-month of war of independence against the Pakistani forces and their local lackeys this very day in 1971.The day is being marked all over Bangladesh and the country`s missions abroad by paying glowing tributes to Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman for relentlessly leading a struggle towards the country`s independence. On this day in 1971, the chief of the...

Bangladesh to honour 124 dignitaries

Tue, 13 Dec 2011 14:54:00 +0100

DHAKA, Dec 12: The cabinet, on Monday, approved a list of 124 foreign dignitaries, to confer the country's state honour, for their outstanding contribution to the War of Liberation in 1971. The approval came in the weekly cabinet meeting held at the secretariat, with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair. AB Tajul Islam, state minister for the Liberation War, told The Independent that the foreign heroes would be honoured in an auspicious day between January 10 to March 26 this year, at the south or north plaza of Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban. Some of the Indian recipients include former chief minister of West Bengal, Jyoti Basu; former foreign ministers – Sardar Swaran Singh and VK Krishna Menon; former chief minister of Tripura, Sachindra Lal Singh; former defence minister, Jagjivan Ram; former diplomats DP Dhar and PN Dhar; former Prime Minister IK Gujral; finance minister Pranab Mukherjee, Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw; Gen. Jagjit Singh Aurora; Pandit Ravi Shankar; Satyajit...

Bangladesh war crimes trial begins in Dhaka

Sun, 27 Nov 2011 14:10:00 +0100

Bangladesh war crimes trial begins in Dhaka BBC Report from Dhaka A leader of a Bangladesh Islamist party has gone on trial (21 November 2011) accused of crimes against humanity during the country's independence struggle against Pakistan. Delawar Hossain Sayedee is the first of seven suspects set to face a tribunal on charges relating to the 1971 war. Charges listed against him include genocide, rape and religious persecution - all of which he denies. The chief prosecutor said the trial, which resumes on Monday, was essential for the establishment of democracy. BBC correspondent Anbarasan Ethirajan said it marked a watershed moment for Bangladesh, which has yet to come fully to terms with its violent past. The special court will try Bangladeshis accused of collaborating with Pakistani forces, who were trying to stop Bangladesh becoming an independent nation. 'Vendetta' More than three million people were killed and many more were left homeless,...

BNP’s Khulna Roadmarch today

Sat, 26 Nov 2011 12:48:00 +0100

BNP’s Khulna Roadmarch today Roadmarch to Pabna, Khustia, Jhenidah, Jessore and Khulna Dhaka, Nov. 26 - Chairperson Khaleda Zia will direct a road march towards Khulna today to pulsate up support for her party’s demand that the government reinstate the caretaker government system to oversee in the next parliament elections. Senior leaders of the four-party alliance and similar minded parties will accompany the road march that will pass through Pabna, Kushtia, Jhenidah and Jessore before reaching Khulna.The BNP leader will stay at Jessore Circuit House tonight and restart the march towards Khulna tomorrow. The two-day programme will end with a public meeting on Khulna Circuit House premises at 3:00pm tomorrow. Hope BNP’s this long march will carry something for the citizens of Bangladesh.

Govt invites tender for 2nd Padma Bridge project

Sat, 19 Nov 2011 19:55:00 +0100

The government Friday invited tender for investors’ prequalification for building a $2 billion 2nd Padma Multipurpose Bridge under Public-Private Partnership (PPP) initiative though construction of the first one hit snags over suspension of the World Bank funding over graft allegations. Bangladesh Bridge Authority (BBA) under the communications ministry floated the international tender on 3 November for building the 6.1-km bridge over the mighty river Padma connecting Paturia and Daulatdia points. The proposed bridge will be constructed on public-private partnership (PPP) initiative with an estimated cost of Tk US$ 2 billion, according to the Communications Ministry officials. Both the planned bridges are to connect the country’s cutoff southwest with the eastern part, including the capital Dhaka. Earlier on 27 October, the cabinet committee on economic affairs approved the proposal for construction of the second bridge on ‘Build-Own-Operate-and-Transfer’ (BOOT) basis...

Dhaka, Berlin agree to boost economic ties

Wed, 26 Oct 2011 08:06:00 +0200

Bangladesh and Germany yesterday agreed to further explore bilateral trade and cooperation in the areas of sustainable development, climate change, health and social safety net programme. “Our development cooperation is very good. We have discussed how to strengthen our economic ties,'' German Chancellor Angela Merkel told reporters at a joint press conference with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina after a luncheon meeting at German Chancellery in the afternoon. The two leaders also discussed cooperation in renewable energy, and primary and secondary education for the young people of Bangladesh. The Chancellor praised Hasina for her government's role in tackling the Bangladesh economy despite the global economic downturn. ''Bangladesh economy is on good track,'' Hasina said, adding Bangladesh could not achieve desired level of development since the country had been under military dictators. On international...

PM Hasina arrives in Berlin

Sun, 23 Oct 2011 16:38:00 +0200

Berlin, Oct 22 - Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina arrived at Tegel Airport in Berlin at 3-30 pm local time. She was received by Bangladesh`s Foreign Minister Dipu Moni, Bangladesh Ambassador to Germany Masud Mannan and high German government officials. The Prime Minister was then driven to Hotel Adlon Kempinski in the heart of Berlin in a motorcade. On her arrival at the hotel several hundred Bangladeshi expatriates greeted her with flower bouquet. Among others, Awami League Europe chapter president Anil Das Gupta, UK Awami League president Sultan Sharif, and Europe chapter Awami League leader Nazrul Islam, were present. Earlier, Prime Minister Hasina left Dhaka for the German capital in the morning to attend World Health Summit-2011. The Prime Minister is scheduled to attend a reception to be hosted by students of Bangla Pathshala at Bangladesh House in Berlin Saturday. She will attend another reception the next day (Oct 23) to be hosted by non-resident...

Khaleda declares 3 road marches

Tue, 27 Sep 2011 14:37:00 +0200

Khaleda declares 3 road marches September 27, 2011: Paltan, adjacent areas turn into human sea DHAKA, September 27, 2011: BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia Tuesday afternoon declared three road marches to press home their demand for restoring the caretaker government system. In her address at a Naya Paltan rally, the opposition leader said they will conduct a road march towards Sylhet from Dhaka on October 10, another towards Rajshahi on October 18 and the other towards Chittagong on October 25. She accused the Awami League-led grand alliance government of torturing opposition leaders and activists. “They (AL) want to stay in power through intimidation,” she said. “But you do not know that you cannot stay in power through installing fear and torture.” Saying the government is using police as ruling party activists, she asked the policemen to stop torturing people and reminded them of their duty as the protectors of the people. The former prime minister...

PM offers peace model

Sat, 24 Sep 2011 23:03:00 +0200

PM offers peace model Tells world leaders at UN about 6 things to do New York Sept. 25, 2011 (UNB) - Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday unveiled a six-point multi-dimensional peace model for championing democracy and people's empowerment, coinciding with the UNGA theme “Mediation in the Peaceful Settlement of International Disputes”. The six multipliers of her proposed model include eradication of poverty and hunger, reduction of inequality, mitigation of deprivation, inclusion of excluded people, acceleration of human development and elimination of terrorism. “In fact, my life-time experiences have inspired me to come up with a new peace model. I call it the 'People's empowerment and a peace-centric development model' that reaffirms all people should be treated equally and emphasises the scope of human capabilities which can be realised through peace,” Hasina said in her address at the 66th UN General Assembly. Many Heads of state and...

Statement at the Conclusion of the 2011 Article IV Consultation Mission to Bangladesh

Sat, 17 Sep 2011 12:37:37 +0200

Statement at the Conclusion of the 2011 Article IV Consultation Mission to Bangladesh Press Release No. 11/334 September 15, 2011 An International Monetary Fund (IMF) mission led by Mr. David Cowen of the Asia and Pacific Department visited Dhaka and Chittagong during September 5–15 to conduct the 2011 Article IV Consultation discussions. The mission met with Minister of Finance Abul Maal Abdul Muhith, Economic Advisor to the Prime Minister Mashiur Rahman, Bangladesh Bank (BB) Governor Atiur Rahman, Finance Secretary Mohammad Tareque, National Board of Revenue Chairman (NBR) Nasiruddin Ahmed, BB deputy governors, and other senior officials. It also met representatives from civil society, development partners, and the private sector. Bangladesh’s economy expanded at a strong pace in FY11 (July 2010–June 2011), supported by rapid export growth and accommodative macroeconomic policies. However, inflation has also been on the rise, pushed up by higher food prices and demand-side...

Bangladesh filmmaker Tareque Masud dies in crash

Mon, 15 Aug 2011 00:18:00 +0200

A Boy, a Nation, and a Clay Bird Bangladesh filmmaker Tareque Masud dies in crash Posted: Aug 15, 2011 2:45 PM ET Bangladesh film-maker T areque Masud has been killed in a bus crash near Dhaka on 13 August 2011. Masud's film The Clay Bird won a prize at the Cannes Film Festival in 2002 and was Bangladesh's candidate for the foreign film Oscar in 2003. When the birth of a nation, especially one as bloody as the war of independent that birthed Bangladesh in 1971, resides in living memory, it casts a long shadow over the films and literature of the new country. Yet, thanks to the vagaries of politics and history, the memories of that birth itself keep getting rewritten and overwritten as different political parties come to power in Bangladesh. For him, personally, that changed his life. “War was in fact a liberating factor for me and my mother who was in purdah,” says Tareque. “It forced us to leave our home and become refugees in my mother’s...

Arrest warrant against Tarique in money-laundering case now

Mon, 08 Aug 2011 17:01:00 +0200

DHAKA August 08: A Dhaka court now issued arrest warrants against BNP’s senior vice-chairman Tarique Rahman and his businessman-friend Giasuddin Al Mamun in a money- laundering case, which the opposition party has made one of the issues of their anti-government movement. Justice Mozammel Hossain of the Special Judge’s Court-3 issued the arrest warrant Monday after holding indictment hearing on the high-profile graft case. The court also set September 11 for recording depositions of witnesses in the case. Former Speaker Barrister Jamiruddin Sircar MP, Barrister Rafiqul Islam Mia and Barrister Mahbub Uddin Khokon MP stood for the defendants while Advocate Anisul Haque and Advocate Mosharraf Hossain Kazal moved for the state. Earlier on July 25, the same court had summoned the self-exiled BNP leader, also elder son of party Chairperson Khaleda Zia, to appear before it on August 8 in connection with the case. Besides, the court had deferred again the...

BASIS releases catalogue on IT and software

Mon, 08 Aug 2011 16:48:00 +0200

DHAKA August 7: Bangladesh Association of Software and Information Services (BASIS) yesterday published its catalogue on software and IT services for the local market and international buyers. The 321-page catalogue that profiles 233 products and services of 110 software and IT companies was launched at a pro-gramme at Ruposhi Bangla Hotel in Dhaka. It presents information on client benefits, specific product features, representative client list and other related facts and figures. The catalogue will be sent to all Bangladeshi embassies so that they can use it for marketing purposes to spread news about the local software companies in international markets, said Commerce Minister Faruk Khan at the launch. The catalogue is the “face” of the Bangladeshi software industry that will answer all the queries of buyers, said Mahboob Zaman, BASIS president. AKM Fahim Mashroor, senior vice-president, said BASIS will publish another catalogue on outsourcing this year...

Sonia receives the “Bangladesh Freedom Honour” on behalf of Indira Gandhi

Mon, 25 Jul 2011 23:28:00 +0200

Sonia hails Bangladesh’s anti-terror efforts Receives the “Bangladesh Freedom Honour” on behalf of Indira Gandhi DHAKA July 25: Bangladeshis cast aside their usual docile Sonia Gandhi, chairperson of United Progressive Alliance (UPA), on an official visit here, lauded Bangladesh’s efforts to combat terrorism as she received on behalf of late prime minister Indira Gandhi the “Bangladesh Freedom Honour”. “Sonia Gandhi in a one-to-one meeting with (Prime Minister) Sheikh Hasina lauded the steps taken by the government to stop terrorism,” said the prime minister’s press secretary Abul Kalam Azad. India and Bangladesh are committed to fighting terrorism, said Azad. Both leaders also discussed and condemned terror attack in Norway that left over 90 people dead. Later, Sonia Gandhi received on behalf of the late prime minister Indira Gandhi, the “Bangladesh Freedom Honour”, which is the country’s highest honour for any foreign...

Ex-PM's son Arafat Zia sentenced over bribes

Thu, 23 Jun 2011 11:09:00 +0200

DHAKA, Bangladesh – A Bangladesh court Thursday sentenced the fugitive son of former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia to six years in jail for laundering money taken as bribes from two global companies — a verdict that could trigger violent protests by opposition parties. Judge Mohammad Mozammel Hossain said in his verdict Arafat Rahman was guilty of smuggling more than 200 million takas ($2.66 million) to Singapore. The judge also fined Rahman 190 million takas ($2.53 million) and asked authorities to get the smuggled money returned. Rahman, the younger son of Zia, was accused of taking bribes from China Harbor Engineering Company Ltd. and the Bangladesh subsidiary of Germany's industrial giant Siemens AG for helping them win government contracts during his mother's 2001-2006 premiership. Defense lawyer Sanaullah Mia said the trial was politically motivated. Zia's Bangladesh Nationalist Party, the main opposition party, did not accept the verdict and said it would...

Leonardo Dicaprio supports Bangladesh bid to save tigers

Sat, 18 Jun 2011 13:15:00 +0200

Actor Leonardo DiCaprio has backed a new wildlife protection initiative set up by Bangladesh to save endangered Royal Bengal Tigers from poachers. The 'Titanic' actor, who launched the Save Tigers Now organisation to protect the big cats, has praised officials for setting up the Wildlife Crime Control unit. "A bit of good news in an otherwise dire situation. Save Tigers now," Contactmusic quoted DiCaprio as tweeting as he posts a link to an article about the latest development. DiCaprio is on a mission to raise 20 million dollars for the Save Tigers Now organization, which aims to double the tiger population by 2022. (ANI Actor Leonardo DiCaprio has backed a new wildlife protection initiative set up by Bangladesh to save endangered Royal Bengal Tigers from poachers.The 'Titanic' actor, who launched the Save Tigers Now organisation to protect the big cats, has praised officials for setting up the Wildlife Crime Control unit."A bit of good news in...