| Front Page | 
Govt okays change in constitution
The cabinet yesterday in principle approved a proposal for the 14th amendment to the constitution with a set of six changes, including 45 women's reserved seats, permanent provision for display of portraits
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NCBs fail to rein in operating costs
The performance of the nationalised commercial banks (NCBs) in the last one year has worsened on rising operating cost and capital deficits that grew by 5.44 percent and 21 percent.
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Biman plans to buy obsolete F28 aircraft
Biman Bangladesh Airlines is at the final stage of buying two obsolete 26-year-old Fokker F-28 aircraft at the risk of incurring huge loss on account of heavy maintenance and frequent problem.
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Amendment move draws flak
Opposition political parties, women's rights groups and civil society yesterday rejected the cabinet's approval of the 14th amendment to the constitution that proposes a set of six changes.
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Back to the wall, fishermen take to logging
Sundarbans' poor farmers and fishermen are increasingly resorting to illegal logging and poaching to survive in the face of a government ban on catching shrimp fry, depleting precious plant and wildlife
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Bush, Blair knew they were hyping case for Iraq war: Blix
George W. Bush and Tony Blair probably knew they were exaggerating the threat from Iraq when they were making the case for war, according to former chief UN weapons inspector Hans Blix.
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Hasina accuses PM of spreading torture on women
Leader of the Opposition Sheikh Hasina yesterday accused her arch political rival Prime Minister Khaleda Zia of spreading torture on women and called for putting an end to the coalition rule.
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Rights groups see draft insult to women
Women's rights groups yesterday condemned the cabinet's approval of a proposal for proportionate distribution of reserved seats for women among parliamentary parties instead of direct polls, pegging the
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Doctors plan shifting Azad from ICU
Doctors attending injured writer Humayun Azad at the Combined Military Hospital (CMH), Dhaka plan to shift him from the intensive care unit (ICU) as his health improved.
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'JCD men' torch Protest symbol on DU sculpture
JCD men yesterday set fire to the red cover that Azad Mancha activists wrapped around the Raju Bhashkorjo (sculpture) in front of Dhaka University's Teacher-Student Centre to symbolise protest against
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Iraq leaders sign new constitution
Iraq's Governing Council yesterday signed an interim constitution after weeks of wrangling, in a key step towards a planned handover of sovereignty by US-led occupying powers to Iraqis on June 30.
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One in 8 of world's birds in peril
One in eight of the world's birds face extinction, fuelled by unchecked agricultural expansion and unsustainable forestry, especially in the tropics, according to a new report by Birdlife International.
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Govt action Blocks equal rights
Government intervention is standing in the way of equal rights and empowerment of women in Bangladesh and despite 94 years of worldwide success, women's movements here is shackled and suppressed.
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21 AL leaders get bail
Apprehending arrest in defamation cases pending with districts courts for the last five months, 21 senior Awami League (AL) leaders yesterday appeared before the High Court and secured anticipatory bail.
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Man throws acid on Cousins
A man threw acid on two cousins at Gowainghat in Sylhet yesterday.
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HC judgement on Tofail's quashment petition stayed
The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court yesterday stayed for two months the High Court (HC) judgement, dismissing a quashment petition filed by Awami League leader and former industries minister Tofail
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Two killed in car crashes
Two died in road accidents at Mirpur and Tejgaon in the city yesterday.
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Indian foreign Secy in city
Indian Foreign Secretary Shashank arrived in the capital yesterday on a four-day visit.
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Girl burnt to death in city fire
A fire in a house in the city's Tejturibazar area incinerated a five-year-old girl yesterday, police and firefighters said.
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Security guard Shot in city
Unknown miscreants yesterday shot and injured a security guard in Sutrapur as he refused their entry into a local businessman's house.
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Hamas vows vengeance for 14 Gaza deaths
Hamas threatened revenge yesterday, after 14 Palestinians were killed in the deadliest Israeli raid in Gaza in 17 months -- part of an upsurge in bloodshed linked to a proposed Israeli withdrawal from
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Trauma linked to coronary disease
Post-traumatic stress disorder increases the risk of heart disease, a study shows.
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Italy keen to help in police reforms
Italian Ambassador to Bangladesh Dr Pietro Ballero called on Home Minister Altaf Hossain Choudhury at his secretariat office yesterday.
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Father stabbed for protesting teasing of daughter
Hoodlums stabbed an elderly father of a college-girl indiscriminately at about 10:30 on Sunday night as he protested at teasing his daughter.
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Rare Syria Rights demo broken up
Syrian police have broken up a rare protest by human rights activists demanding political and civil reforms.
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Rangpur hospital interns agree to call off strike
Intern doctors at Rangpur Medical College Hospital (RMCH) agreed to pull out from the strike temporarily following a meeting among the leaders of Intern Doctors Asso-ciation, BMA, DAB and the director
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Benapole port strike rolls to fifth day
The government has incurred a loss of Tk 10 crore in revenue in the last four days as export-import between Bangladesh and India through Benapole land port remained suspended since Friday due to an indefinite
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| Business |
SEC relaxes BO account rules for IPO applicants
In a move to encourage people in participating in initial public offerings (IPO), the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has relaxed its rules on opening beneficiary owner's (BO) account beforeapplying
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BTRC for Tk 1,000 flat duty on cellphone set
In a bid to spur growth of cellular telephony, the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC), has proposed to the government to fix a flat import duty of Tk 1,000 on a mobile handset.
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Consumer credit less than 1pc of total credit
Consumer credit offered by local banks and financial institutes is about Tk 5,290 million, less than one percent of the total credit in Bangladesh.
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Be fashion-savvy, raise quality to enter Swiss footwear market
A Swiss governmental organisation has offered to work as matchmaker between Bangladeshi exporters and Swiss importers to help locals to enter footwear and leather goods market of the Alpine country.
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G10 central bankers to examine world recovery
Top central bankers will put the global economic recovery under a microscope Monday amid some concerns that risk-hungry investors were driving markets higher than fundamentals might justify.
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Vietnam minister for Dhaka-Hanoi business forum
Visiting Assistant Foreign Minister of Vietnam Do Ngoc Son has suggested the setting up of a 'Bangladesh-Vietnam Business Forum' to augment the bilateral business relations.
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Share trading of Tripti suspended for seven days
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) yesterday suspended share trading of Tripti Industries for seven days following unusual rise in trade volume and price hike of the company's shares.
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NYK Line (BD) hosts first ever 'Shipper's Nite’
NYK Line (Bangladesh) Ltd hosted its first ever 'Shipper's Nite' at the Pan Pacific Sonargaon Hotel on Sunday.
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IFIC Bank signs deal with Square Informatix
IFIC Bank yesterday struck an agreement with Square Informatix Limited, a venture of Square Group, to provide online banking services to its clients.
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StanChart holds int'l credit confce Thursday in Seoul
Standard Chartered Bank is going to organise an international credit conference in Seoul, South Korea on Thursday, which will focus on the pivotal role of credit bureaux.
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EU ministers mull candidate for IMF chief
EU finance ministers were to hold initial discussions on a European candidate to succeed IMF head Horst Koehler at talks in Brussels starting Monday, although no decision is expected, diplomats said.
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| Sports |
Cricket:
Top players to form A side
The national selectors included eight players who are now touring Zimbabwe for the full Bangladesh side when they announced a strong 25-member Bangladesh A squad for two four-dayers and five limited-over
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Football:
Belal does it again
Muktijoddha Sangsad Krira Chakra registered their ninth victory in the Western Union Premier Division Football League when they blanked a relegation-bound Dhanmondi Club 2-0 at the Sher-e-Bangla National
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Cricket:
Tickets snapped up
Tickets for the first one-day international between Pakistan and India sold out within hours of sales being resumed on Monday.
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Cricket:
Aussies in Murali maze
Spin wizard Muttiah Muralitharan took his 40th five-wicket haul as Australia were bowled out for 220 on the opening day of the first Test against Sri Lanka on Monday.
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Cricket:
Hamilton turns spin-friendly
Unseasonal heavy rainfall has turned the pitch for the first Test match between New Zealand and South Africa into a spin bowler's paradise.
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Cricket:
Giles waiting for Lara
England spinner Ashley Giles is looking forward to a reunion with West Indies captain Brian Lara when the Test series begins in Jamaica on Thursday.
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Cricket:
A second chance
Craig McMillan has good reason to be focusing with renewed confidence on the Test series against South Africa starting on Wednesday.
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Cricket:
Mani supports ICC meet in England
World cricket bosses say the ICC Champions Trophy should stay in the UK even if England boycott Zimbabwe.
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Cricket:
CCDM sits on Premier League
The meeting of Cricket Committee of Dhaka Metropolis (CCDM) ended yesterday without any decision on when the Premier Division Cricket League would start.
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Cricket:
Windies bowler has suspect action
Rookie Jamaican pace bowler Dwight Washington, who has been selected in West Indies' 16-man squad for the first Test against England, has been reported for having a suspect bowling action.
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Chess:
23 BD chess players in India meet
A total of 23 players from Bangladesh will participate in the second Parsvnath International Rating Chess Tournament that begins tomorrow in Delhi.
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Cricket:
BSFNA cricket
Jubo Cricket Academy A defeated Katakhali Cricket Academy by seven wickets in quarterfinals ofthe Bangladesh Sports Foundation of North America (BSFNA) cricket tournament at the Rajshahi college playground
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Football:
DC Cup soccer
Pabna Zilla Dal defeated Rangpur Zilla Dal 3-1 in the Deputy Commissioner Gold Cup football tournament at the Gaibandha Stadium yesterday.
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Athletics:
Mutola makes history
Maria Mutola of Mozambique become the first athlete in history to win six titles at the World Indoor Championships here on Sunday.
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Football:
7-up Barcelona
Resurgent Barcelona survived a late bout of nerves to beat Real Mallorca 3-2 at the Nou Camp on Sunday and stretch their winning league run to seven matches.
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Football:
Impressive Milan, Roma
European champions AC Milan maintained their lead at the top of Serie A with an impressive 3-1 win over Sampdoria on Sunday but AS Roma kept on their tail after a 4-1 crushing of Inter Milan.
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Football:
Porto's time to party?
Alex Ferguson's Manchester United host FC Porto in the European Champions League on Tuesday in what is looking more and more like a defining moment of truth.
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Football:
FIFA against Ailton's Arab exodus
FIFA are in favour of stopping Brazilian striker Ailton from playing for oil-rich Qatar and of taking measures to prevent such incidents happening again, an executive committee member of soccer's world
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Football:
Fatal smoke
One man was killed and at least 27 people were injured by an explosion at a soccer stadium Sunday. The dead man apparently mishandled chemicals typically used to create smoke, authorities said.
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Football:
Magura soccer
The only match of the Econo First Division Football League between Zia Smriti Sangsad and Sreerampur Friends Club ended in a goalless draw at the Magura Stadium yesterday.
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Cricket:
M'singh cricket
Mohammedan Sporting Club beat Abahani Krira Chakra by four wickets in the Navana Premier Division Cricket League held at local Circuit House ground today.
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| Metropolitan |
Lack of dredging a threat to water transportation
Lack of dredging of rivers poses a serious threat to rural water transportation in the country, said Shipping Minister Akbar Hossain at a workshop yesterday.
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'Involve community in city solid waste management'
Speakers at a seminar yesterday said active community involvement is essential for sustainable solid waste management in the capital.
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Wasa-Abahani row over land
The Abahani Limited and Dhaka Wasa became embroiled in a dispute over a portion of a land known as Dhanmondi playground as both of them claimed their right to it.
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Bullet-hit passport broker dies
A passport broker, who along with four others received bullet injuries in a shootout at Agargaon in the city on Saturday, died at Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) yesterday.
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UK education fair begins Mar 11
The British Council is organising a three-day Education@UK Fair 2004 in the city on March 11-13.Education Minister Dr Osman Farruk will inaugurate the fair at Dhaka Sheraton Hotel at 11:00am.
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JU admission test rescheduled again
The Jahangirnagar University (JU) authorities have rescheduled the date for admission test for first year honours courses under 2003-2004 academic session.
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RU reopens Today
Rajshahi University (RU) reopens today after 53 days of closure. All residential halls were opened yesterday and the university buses started plying as usual.
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Khulna comes to a standstill for an hour
Normal life came to a standstill as an one-hour work stoppage was observed in the city and other districts in the south-western region yesterday at the call of Khulna Chamber of Commerce and Industry
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Accused held
Fatulla police yesterday arrested the prime accused in the killing of Awami League (AL) activist Abdul Kader .
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Buet classes Begin Mar 20
Classes of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (Buet) will begin on March 20.
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| National |
Illiterate women bring light to remote island
Thirty-five illiterate women at a remote coastal island are doing an impossible job.
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CUTA not 'satisfied' with Syndicate meeting
The Chittagong University Teachers Association (CUTA) is not "satisfied" at the outcome of the marathon special meeting of the Syndicate held on Sunday.
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IO was 'influenced' by ruling party, hearing told
Hearing of the revision petition regarding the attack on Awami League chief Sheikh Hasina's motorcade at Kalaroa on August 30, 2002 began at the District and Sessions Judge's court on Sunday.
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Life stops for an hour in 21 southern districts
As the clock ticked 11 am yesterday, life stopped for an hour in 21 southern districts.
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She can not afford to remain UP member any more
Kulity wants to resign from the post of Union Parishad (UP) member because she can not afford to retain it. Moreover, she can not render any service to her people.
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60 hurt in B'baria clash
At least 60 people were injured in clashes between two rival groups at Chitri village in Nabinagar upazila on Sunday.
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IU students submit memo to PM
Islamic University (IU) students on Saturday submitted a memorandum to its chancellor Prime Minister Khaleda Zia through the university registrar.
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More 11000 REB connections in Netrakona this year
More 11,000 subscribers will get power supply from Netrakona Palli Biddyut Samity during the current financial year.The REB has 55,510 subscribers now, 41,219 of them residential and 9,080 commercial.
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Punishment Demanded
Hundreds of people demonstrated here on Saturday demanding proper investigation, arrest and punishment to the killers of two housewives.
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Bandarban poura chairman showcaused
The government has issued a show-cause notice on Bandarban Pourashava chairman Ayub Choudhury on February 28 asking why he should not be removed from his position.
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| Point-Counterpoint |
The Asian University for Women
When on January 13, 2004 the news broke that Chittagong would host the Asian University for Women (AUW), I was elated for two interrelated reasons: the project will be built in my hometown with the participation
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Planning future irrigated agriculture
Like many other Asian countries, farmers in Bangladesh are among the poorest and food insecure population.
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| Culture |
Rhythm of life
Salma Kaniz Ahmed, who recently held her solo at the National Museum, says, "I had my first solo here at Dhaka when I came here from USA.
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Street Theatre: A need for patronage
March 7, was the closing day of the weeklong patha natok (street theatre) festival held by the Bangladesh Patha Natok Parishod (BPNP) The organisation has been holding this festival regularly for
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IUB Literary Society marks one year
The Independent University of Bangladesh (IUB) Literary Society has completed one year as the cultural hub of Dhaka. On March 4, this year, the organisation put up an elaborate programme to mark the day.
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First serial of ntv exceeds 50 episodes
This is the age of the mega serial on television. Witness the proliferation of programmes aired on the silver screen such as Ronger Manush, Sharey Teen Tala and Ekannoborti.
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Ustad Azizul Islam in Chittagong
Flutist Captain Ustad Azizul Islam performed a solo flute recital at the Engineers' Institute of Chittagong recently.
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Lecture demonstration
Renowned musician Kumarprosad Mukhopadhyay delivered a lecture cum demonstration on classical music recently, as part of the patronisation programme arranged by Bengal Foundation.
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| General |
ADR to mitigate sufferings of poor litigants
Chief Justice Syed JR Mudassir Husain yesterday said alternate dispute resolution (ADR), being much cheaper and speedier than the existing legal system, can greatly mitigate the sufferings of poor litigants.
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Wasa customers to get account books
Dhaka Water and Sewerage Authority (Wasa) is going to introduce account books for customers and identity cards for revenue inspectors in a bid to stop harassment of clients, increase revenue and reduce
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Paris roundtable on sustainable dev begins today
Water Resources Minister Hafizuddin Ahmed, Bir Bikram, left here for France yesterday to attend a roundtable discussion of UN Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD).
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1252 more held
Police arrested 1,252 people, including one listed criminal, during their countrywide drive in the last 24 hours ending at 6am yesterday.
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| International |
UN rejects Iran's call to close case
The head of the UN atomic watchdog yesterday voiced "serious concern" at omissions in Iran's declarations about its nuclear activities and rejected a call from Tehran to drop investigations.
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Aristide supporters open fire: 6 killed
Suspected supporters of exiled Haitian President Jean-Bertrand Aristide sprayed gunfire into a crowd of thousands of jubilant revelers outside the National Palace Sunday, killing at least six people,including
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Asia puts focus on domestic violence
Domestic violence was the focus of International Women's Day in Asia yesterday, while the United Nations took the occasion to warn that HIV rates were soaring among the continent's female population.
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Zimbabwe 'seizes US cargo plane'
A US-registered cargo plane with 64 suspected mercenaries on board was impounded in Harare, Zimbabwe's Home Affairs Minister Kembo Mohadi has said yesterday.
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HRW decries abuse of Afghans by US forces
US military forces in Afghanistan have mistreated detainees, arbitrarily detained civilians and used excessive force in arrests of non-combatants, Human Rights Watch said in a new report released yesterday.
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Breakaway Tamil rebels want to avoid bloodshed
The leader of a breakaway faction of Sri Lanka's Tamil Tiger rebels yesterday played down fears of armed conflict within the movement and said he would meet Norwegian peace envoys to discuss a new truce.
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Gujarat riot is a blot on NDA tenure: Advani
The NDA Government's tenure has been remarkable in ensuring security and development in the country, except for the "unfortunate" events of Gujarat in 2002, Deputy Prime Minster LK Advani said in Uttar
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US turns to Software to find Laden
US military and intelligence officials are using powerful software called Analyst's Notebook and have engaged the services of Task Force 121, which also helped in Saddam Hussein's capture, to arrive at
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Kerry continues to press Bush on security
John Kerry is pressing President Bush on national security issues, raising questions about the handling of probes into terrorist attacks as well as intelligence suggesting weapons of mass destructionwere
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Conservatives oust socialists in Greek polls
Greece's conservatives scored a resounding victory in elections, ending two decades of almost uninterrupted Socialist rule as the country prepared to host the Olympic Games and chart a course for a historic
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| Editorial |
Editorial:
JS committee's good counsel
The parliamentary standing committee on home ministry has asked the government to refrain from political intervention in matters of police administration.
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Editorial:
Save the lakes
Indeed, so intense has the fervour for land-grabbing become, that much of the land that is now being grabbed isn't even land -- it is water.
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A Disquieting time
Since the early years of 1950s we seem to have come a full circle with the return of the syndromes reminiscent of those times when a repressive Muslim League government of the day chose to take the country
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Extremism: Heart of crisis
The murder and mayhem on the Ashura day in Karbala, Baghdad and Quetta and the earlier suicide attack on an Imambara in Islamabad do seem to be the work of al-Qaeda.
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| Letters to Editor |
Naked aggression
It is really painful to see a sovereign and independent country like Iraq becoming a victim of a naked aggression.
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Mosquito menace
Amid the dearth of various civic amenities, the mosquito menace prevailing in the city of Khulna has crossed the limits of tolerance. The mosquito population has grown sharply in the city and its outskirts.
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Bachelor, a pleasant surprise
Bachelor is a welcome movie to the conscious and educated spectators. As it is not a typical commercial film, the scripting and the story narration were different and witty.
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To the opposition and the government...
It has started all over again, hartal, police action and then more hartals; it is like a vicious cycle.
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Barbaric attack
We condemn the attack on Dr. Humayun Azad by some miscreants in front of Bangla Academy during the month-long Book Fair. This kind of barbarism is shameful for any citizen of this country.
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