Sustaining dev, curbing inequality major challenges
Sustaining the development that has taken place in Bangladesh in the past 14 years and curbing inequality are key major challenges facing the economy owing to the fallout of the coronavirus pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine war, said Planning Minister MA Mannan.
Tk 10,964cr loans turn sour in 3 months
Banks in Bangladesh witnessed an accumulation of default loans by Tk 10,964 crore in the first three months of 2023, highlighting the worsening financial health of the banking sector, official figures showed.
Commercial Vehicles: 74,000 set to go under crushers
Over 74,000 registered buses, trucks and other commercial vehicles are past their economic lifespan set by the government.
Reining in inflation top priority
The government is going to unveil a Tk 7,61,785 crore budget for the next fiscal year on Thursday, setting containment of high inflation as a major target.
Erdogan claims victory in Turkish presidential election
President Tayyip Erdogan claimed victory in Turkey's presidential election on Sunday, a win that would steer his increasingly authoritarian rule into a third decade
Opinion
1857: The Uprising in Delhi and Its Brutal Suppression
The great revolt of 1857 was a momentous struggle against colonial rule in the Indian subcontinent—the most widespread anti-colonial struggle during the nineteenth century.
Is BJP's policy of exclusion and segregation backfiring?
PM Modi's decision to inaugurate the new parliament building himself has garnered scrutiny.
A blatant disregard for rights treaties
The Digital Security Act must go, before it inflicts further harm
Business
NBR to engage agents to help people file tax returns
The tax authority, for the first time, is going to engage individuals to help new taxpayers file tax return in a bid to increase compliance and narrow the gap between registered taxpayers and regular return filers.
Stock of unsold yarn piles up as demand drops
Stocks of unsold yarn of local millers have grown to over one million tonnes over the past five months or so for a drop in demand for garments from the domestic and international consumers.
Kazi Badam to invest $17.22m in Bepza EZ
Kazi Badam Ltd, a concern of Kazi Farms Group, will set up a factory to process cashew nut in Bepza Economic Zone inside Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Shilpa Nagar, Chattogram.
Steel makers seek tax breaks
Steel makers in Bangladesh are seeking reduced import duty, value added tax (VAT) and other tariffs in the upcoming national budget to provide products at lower prices, meaning that construction costs would likely decrease.
AFC Agro Biotech’s profit plunges 80%
AFC Agro Biotech Ltd posted an 80 per cent year-on-year decrease in profit to Tk 11.52 lakh in the third quarter of the ongoing financial year.
Junk stocks infect market once again
The age-old trend of junk stocks gaining value despite having no reason to advance has returned just when major indices of Bangladesh’s stock market are starting to rise.
Indo-Bangla Pharma suffers 91.65% drop in profit
Indo-Bangla Pharma-ceuticals Limited suffered a 91.65 per cent dip in profit to Tk 11.62 lakh in the third quarter of the current financial year.
StanChart, JBCCI, JCIAD, and JETRO to help accelerate Japan-Bangladesh partnership
All should work towards accelerating Japan-Bangladesh strategic partnership so that it will deepen economic cooperation, leverage the decades-long friendship and fuel growth between the two nations, according to speakers at a discussion.
Bangladesh Group of IABSE organises a seminar
Bangladesh Group of the International Association for Bridge and Structural Engineering (IABSE) organised a seminar highlighting the different challenges of implementing mega infrastructure projects during the pandemic situation.
News
40 insurgents shot dead in India’s Manipur
Commandos of the Manipur Police had been engaging insurgents for over eight hours yesterday in several areas of the Indian state hit by ethnic violence, sources have told NDTV.
PLANNED RAID INCIDENT / Minister trying to cover up ‘horror stories’: ex-Pak PM
PTI Chairman Imran Khan yesterday hit back at Pakistan Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah’s allegations that the party had planned to orchestrate a “raid and rape” at a known worker’s home in an effort to malign law enforcement agencies, terming them an effort to pre-empt and cover up “horror stories”.
SUDAN CONFLICT / US, KSA call for extended truce
Saudi Arabia and the United States yesterday called for the extension of a ceasefire deal that has brought some let-up in a six-week war between military factions but little humanitarian relief for civilians.
Republicans, Biden reach debt ceiling deal
President Joe Biden and Republican leader Kevin McCarthy announced a deal Saturday to raise the debt ceiling, dragging the United States back from the precipice of default with only a few days to spare.
China’s home-grown plane makes maiden flight
China’s first domestically produced passenger jet made its maiden commercial flight yesterday, a milestone event in the nation’s decades-long effort to compete with Western rivals in the air. Beijing hopes the C919 commercial jetliner will challenge foreign models like the Boeing 737 MAX, though many of its parts are sourced from abroad.
My Dhaka
Entertainment
Curtains close on Cannes Film Festival
The festival had opened by awarding Michael Douglas and Harrison Ford the honorary Palme d'or. It would finally draw to a close by awarding the prestigious Palme d’or to Justine Triet, for "Anatomy of a Fall".
‘Antarjal’ will release in several continents simultaneously
The first cybercrime thriller film of the country, "Antarjal" will be released Canada, America, Australia, New Zealand, Europe, and several countries in the Middle East along with Bangladesh in the upcoming Eid-ul-Azha.
Hatirpool Sessions Live: connecting with the youth through music
Heartfelt lyrics, eccentric compositions and most importantly, a sense of universality make them the sensation that they are.
Sports
Villa back in Europe for first time in 13 years
Aston Villa will play in Europe for the first time in 13 years after Sunday's 2-1 win over Brighton sealed their place in next season's Europa Conference League.
'You finish where you deserve to' says Smith as Leicester go down
Dean Smith admitted Leicester got what they deserved after the former Premier League champions were relegated on the final day of a dismal season.
Liton wins BSPA Sports Person of the Year 2022 award
Bangladesh star batter Liton Das won the Sports Person of the Year 2022 prize of the Kool-BSPA sports award for his performances across formats, ahead of footballer Sabina Khatun, who won the Popular Choice Award, and archer Nasrin Akter during a ceremony at the Pan Pacific Sonargaon Hotel on Sunday.
Life & Living
#Relationships / 10 things you should know about Kabin-Nama
The concept of marriage has persisted through the millennia in several civilisations and countless societies. Through the ages, lots have changed the idea of unison and have been amended to allow both husband and wife to coexist without any bars holding them back. Nowadays, marriage is considered a legal contract, making Kabin-Nama (also referred to as Nikah Nama) the rule book. The Kabin-Nama form is drafted so that a couple can set the terms and conditions of the marriage according to their preferences.
Tired of your regular sanitary napkins? Try these products for a change
Researchers find that plastic materials in napkins and diapers take around 300 years to decompose in soil, which may lead to severe environmental consequences. But with increasing awareness and interventions in menstrual hygiene management across the country, the products in Bangladesh are slowly but surely changing. Their benefits are more long-lasting than the plastic products we have made ourselves complacent to.
How to travel with a group on a budget
Are you planning a trip with your friends without looking to break the bank? Well, you’re in luck because travelling with a bunch of people on a budget is totally possible! Here are some money saving hacks so you can finally make that trip all your friends have been planning for. You’ll be able to make the most of your trip and the best part, you don't have to worry about running out of money either.
Youth
Ruet teachers stage sit-in at VC office demanding promotion
More than 50 teachers of Rajshahi University of Engineering and Technology (Ruet) are staging a sit-in inside the vice chancellor’s office from this morning demanding their due promotion and upgradation.
How my admiration for Kazi Nazrul Islam evolved over the years
Kazi Nazrul Islam’s work remains just as relevant and beautiful 123 years after his birth.
Why there’s a lack of English medium students applying to public universities
It’s commonly seen that participation from English medium students is comparatively much lower.
Tech & Startup
boAt products now officially available in Bangladesh
boAt, a reputed audio and wearable brand from India, has signed a national distributor agreement with DX Group to distribute their products in Bangladesh.
Cover Story / ChatGPT vs Google Bard: which is better?
With Google recently releasing Bard as a potential competitor for ChatGPT, you might be wondering the obvious question: which is better among the two AI chatbots?
Netflix will now charge US $7.99 monthly for sharing passwords
“A Netflix account is for use by one household,” the company said in a statement.
Star Multimedia
3 reasons why Zaida won Gazipur polls
Development activities carried out by suspended Gazipur mayor Zahangir Alam, his close ties with the local Awami League leaders and activists and the voters’ sympathy for him were the main reasons for his mother’s victory in the mayoral polls, said voters.
GCC polls: Zahangir's reaction on announcement of results
Former Gazipur mayor Zahangir Alam expressed dissatisfaction over the delay in publishing of election results to the Gazipur City Corporation
Fire injures 3 on board vessel near Patenga sea beach
Three sailors suffered burn injuries when a fire broke out following a blast on board a lighter vessel in the sea off Patenga beach late Friday night
Baor leased to influentials: 406 fisher families in peril
At least five thousand fishing families are spending their days half-starved, as they cannot fish in the six boars in Jhenaidah and Jashore district
11.52 lakh tonnes of mangoes to be produced in 4 northern districts
Mango has been cultivated on 92,913 hectares of land in Rajshahi, Chapainawabganj, Naogaon, and Natore districts. The yield per hectare was 12.40 tonnes. The production is estimated to be more than 11.52 lakh tonnes, which is 60 percent of the total production of the country. The value of mangoes produced in the region stood at Tk 8,067 crore
Daily Star Books
Environment
Protecting Sandhya River: HC blasts Barishal district admin for failure
The High Court today blasted the Barishal district administration for not complying with its 2018 directives over removal of the obstacles from Sandhya River in the district and its preservation and protection.
3-month ban on fishing, tourism in Sundarbans begins June 1
A three-month ban on fishing and tourism in the Sundarbans will start from June 1 to ensure safe breeding space for the fish and wild animals.
Dhaka's air world's most polluted this morning
Dhaka, the overcrowded capital city of Bangladesh, has topped the list of cities with the worst air quality with an AQI index of 179 at 8:35am today
EU releases €2.5 million to support those affected by Cyclone Mocha
Following Cyclone Mocha in Myanmar and Bangladesh, the European Commission has released €2.5 million in emergency humanitarian aid to address the most urgent needs of the affected population
Brahmaputra runs dry in Mymensingh
Despite dredging efforts being underway since 2019, the Old Brahmaputra has failed to show any signs of the expected increase in its water levels.
4 hornbill birds rescued in Ctg, 2 get 6 months
A mobile court sentenced two wildlife traffickers to six months in jail after four endangered hornbill birds were rescued from them in Chattogram's Banshkhali today..Banshkhali Upazila Assistant Commissioner (Land) Mahmudul Hasan, who led the mobile court, handed down the punishment to Md
Rain likely in Dhaka, Rajshahi, and other divisions today
Dhaka and seven other divisions may experience rain or thundershowers in the 24 hours from 9:00am today.
Photo Gallery
