One little town showed how to fight back
An eerie silence settled over the streets of Kushtia in the early hours of March 30, 1971, as a curfew, imposed by the occupying Pakistan army, was in place.
3d ago
42 Risky Buildings: Rajuk evacuation move going nowhere
It appears the evacuation notice handed out to 41 risky buildings by the Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk) on March 13 was not well-thought-out.
3d ago
Ragging in IU: They’re too afraid to speak up
Starting university is always a very exciting and important step in a student’s life. But Mahmud (not his real name) remembers his initial days on the campus for all the wrong reasons.
4d ago
Kushtia’s tale of unimaginable brutality
A dilapidated tin-shed stands precariously at Bittipara area in Kushtia.
5d ago
Siddikbazar Building: 3 designs seized, only 1 had approval
The owner of the ill-fated seven-storey building in Siddikbazar constructed its basement and the two top floors without approval from Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha, detectives have said.
2w ago
‘I said what I needed to say’
After delivering his watershed speech on March 7, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman returned home with thousands in his wake.
3w ago
EC gearing up for city polls by September
The Election Commission is preparing to hold city corporation polls in Barishal, Gazipur, Khulna, Rajshahi, and Sylhet between June and September ahead of the next national election.
3w ago
Torture of student at IU: Hall admin was indifferent all along: probe
Two probe bodies have found Chhatra League activists’ involvement in the torture of fresher Phulpori Khatun at Kushtia’s Islamic University.
4w ago
A year on, EC yet to earn trust
Since its formation a year ago, the new Election Commission has largely failed to gain the opposition parties’ trust, said political analysts
Islamic University halls run by BCL diktat
It’s the Chhatra League leaders, not the university or the hall administration, who are running the show at the dorms of Islamic University.
EC asks for Tk 3,954cr as polls expenses
The Election Commission has asked the government for Tk 3,954 crore to meet the expenses of the upcoming parliamentary and local government elections and repairing 1.1 lakh electronic voting machines.
1.5 lakh evms bought since 2018: 40,000 unrepairable
The Election Commission has bought 1.5 lakh EVMs in phases since 2018 at Tk 2.35 lakh each, almost 11 times the price available in India.
Draft Electoral Roll 2022: Women comprise over half of new voters
More female voters have got on the voter list than males during the last registration of prospective voters ahead of the 12th parliamentary election.
Mid-day meals likely for govt primary school students from July
The government is planning to introduce the school feeding programme for students of all state-run primary schools in July with the hope that it will help increase attendance and reduce dropouts.
AL allies welcome the nomination
Leaders of the ruling Awami League and its alliance have expressed satisfaction over the nomination of Md Shahabuddin as the next president of the country while the BNP termed the election process “illegal”.
Shahabuddin next president
Md Shahabuddin, a retired district judge and a former commissioner of Anti-Corruption Commission, is set to become the next president unopposed, putting an end to weeks of intense speculation over the post of the head of the state.
Draft voter list 2023: Number of voters rises 5pc in a year
An unusual increase in the number of voters has raised eyebrows among election experts and demographers.
HSC pass rate falls
The rate of success in the HSC examinations dropped to 84.31 percent last year from a record 95.57 percent in 2021.
Six By-Elections: Public apathy to blame for low turnout Say experts
The turnout of 16 percent voters on Wednesday’s by-polls to Brahmanbaria-2 was the lowest in any by-election held in the last four years, excluding the ones held amid coronavirus restrictions.
150 constituencies: EC’s EVM dream over, for now
The government has shelved a proposal for buying two lakh electronic voting machines, forcing the Election Commission to change its plan for using the machines in up to 150 constituencies in the next general polls.
JS Constituencies: EC yet to begin demarcation
The Election Commission is yet to begin delimitation of parliamentary constituencies, a vital job ahead of the next national election, due to the unavailability of the final report on the latest census.
Educational Institutions: Anti-bullying policy in sight
The government is at the final stage of introducing a policy to stop bullying and aggressive ragging at educational institutions to ensure that students learn in a safe environment without fear.
NCTB textbooks: Never-ending cycle of controversies
The National Curriculum and Textbook Board has been stuck in the loop of controversies centring on school textbooks with academics and some NCTB officials blaming it on the negligence of writers and editors, insufficient training and lack of serious punishment for blunders.
IMF Loan Programme: Getting Bangladesh ready for LDC graduation
The prospective loan programme of the International Monetary Fund will prime Bangladesh for graduation from the least-developed country bracket and reach middle-income country status by 2031, said the lender’s top official.
1.7m students drop out in pandemic
Education in Bangladesh took a major hit from the Covid pandemic, which caused 17.62 lakh students to drop out of educational institutions, according to government data.
Graft At Universities: Empower UGC to take legal action
University Grants Commission wants power to take actions against irregularities and corruption in universities if probes find evidence to substantiate the allegations.
Bangabandhu comes home, completes victory
It was the British Royal Air Force comet jet that, on January 10, 1972, carried Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman to his freed motherland -- the country he had led to independence.
New curriculum rolls out, preparations not enough
The new curriculum that takes effect today might be off to a haphazard start as the teachers have not been brought up to speed with the vastly different programme.
Shine taken off a noble initiative
Even though festivals to distribute free textbooks will be celebrated at schools, many students will not get the full set of new books today, the first day of the latest academic year, thanks to the high price of paper and delays in placing work orders.
2.5cr pry textbooks won’t reach students on time
The authorities won’t be able to deliver 25 percent of the primary textbooks on January 1, the first day of the next academic year thanks to the high price of paper, load-shedding and delays in placing the work orders.
Election meaningless if not participatory
A former chief election commissioner yesterday said the commission has to bring all political parties to the national election when the current election commissioners say that it is not their job to ensure all parties participation.
Islamic Arabic University: The VC a law unto himself?
The vice-chancellor of Islamic Arabic University seems to have made a habit of ignoring the law and regulations whenever it comes to appointing officials.
Memorial for fallen Indian soldiers yet to be completed
The government, with an aim to uphold the martyred Indian soldiers' contribution to the cause of Bangladesh's liberation as part of Bangladesh-India allied force, decided to construct a memorial in July 2017.
Training Allowances Cut: Election Commission, Finance Division at odds
A difference of opinion has emerged between the Election Commission and the Finance Division after the latter cut the training allowances of EC officials.
Victory Day Today: Freedom dawns
It was like a radiant dawn shining after a long and dreadful night. The cool wind of freedom was blowing in mid-December 1971.
No comprehensive list in 5 decades
The government’s initiative to prepare a complete list of martyred intellectuals is advancing at a snail’s pace. And so, the nation is still in the dark about the exact number of luminaries killed during the Liberation War.
Registration Conditions: EC serves show cause notices to 14 parties
The Election Commission yesterday served show cause notices to 14 political parties that did not respond to the commission’s letter regarding whether they were complying with their registration conditions.
Education still inaccessible for them
Around three-fourths of the children with disabilities are out of the secondary school system, while 60 percent do not attend conventional primary schools.
75pc children with disabilities out of secondary school
Around three-fourths of the children with disabilities are out of the secondary school system, while 60 percent do not attend conventional primary schools.
Gaibandha by-election: Irregularities well-orchestrated
The Election Commission recommended punishment for 134 officials involved in Gaibandha-5 by-polls after its probe found their involvement in irregularities and negligence in performing duties.
SSC results: Dhaka students outshine others
Students from Dhaka city outperformed their fellows from the rest of the country in this year’s Secondary School Certificate exams.
SSC, equivalent exams: Floods, more subjects drag down pass rate
Tests on more subjects and abysmal results in the Sylhet board due to floods have pushed down the pass rate in this year’s SSC exams in nine general education boards compared to last year.
EC’s compliance letter: No response from AL, 12 other parties
The ruling Awami League and 12 other political parties have not responded to the Election Commission’s letter asking all parties to check if they were complying with the conditions of their registration.
EC registration compliance letter: No response from AL, 12 others
Thirteen political parties, including the ruling Awami league, did not respond to the Election Commission’s letter asking all parties to check if they were complying with their registration conditions.
‘Communal’ question in HSC: 5 teachers can’t do public exam-related job
The five teachers, who prepared and scrutinised Bangla first paper question of HSC exams that hurt religious sentiments of Hindus, will not be allowed to take part in any activities related to public exams any more.
Dev project proposal: EC sets EVM price without market study
The Election Commission has fixed the price of Electronic Voting Machines in the development project proposal without evaluating the market price.
Central lottery for secondary school admission
Admission to 3,391 secondary schools in the country’s metropolitan cities and district towns will take place through a central lottery in the coming academic session.
November 20, 2022
Misdeeds of VCs, teachers: President gave a message, but what's next?
President Abdul Hamid has expressed some bitter truths about the misdeeds of a section of public university vice chancellors and teachers.
November 17, 2022
Foreign envoy’s comments: EC, govt sing same tune
The Election Commission and the government have picked up similar tones against statements by foreign diplomats on Bangladesh’s domestic issues, such as elections.
November 14, 2022
Compliance with registration conditions: EC starts reviewing political parties
The Election Commission has started reviewing political parties to check if they are complying with their registration conditions.
November 10, 2022
Creative question paper: Over one in 3 teachers out of their depth
The government introduced a creative question system for public exams in 2008 but it has still not been able to train 55 percent of the teachers on preparing questions under this method.
November 9, 2022
Now a writer belittled in HSC Bangla 2nd paper question
After the recent controversy over communal issue in HSC questions, now a question on the technical board’s Bangla second paper has belittled a renowned writer of the country.
November 9, 2022
Communal question in HSC test: A gross violation of govt guideline
Teachers who prepared and scrutinised the HSC Bangla first paper question that hurt the religious sentiments of the Hindus have violated government guidelines for making question papers, officials have said.
November 6, 2022
Ensure power, keep candles ready too
The authorities have asked the Power Division to make sure there is uninterrupted electricity during the coming HSC exams, but also told the exam centres to keep candles at hand.
November 4, 2022
Voter list enrolment: EC mulls stern punishment for falsifying info
The Election Commission is mulling stringent punishment for making false declarations for getting enrolled to the voter list.
November 3, 2022
Free textbooks: Govt in a race against time
The government is struggling to print textbooks in time for free distribution to primary and secondary level school students on January 1 -- the first day of the next academic year.
October 31, 2022
Jamaat seeking a new garb?
A total of 80 political parties has applied for registration with the Election Commission, many with “bizarre and unusual names”.
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