Staff Reporter : Bangladesh and Italy have pledged to elevate their relationship to even greater heights, forging stronger bonds in trade, investment, security, and technological advancements. This commitment was solidified during the second round of political consultations held in Dhaka on Monday. Leading the discussions, Bangladesh Foreign Secretary Ambassador Masud Bin Momen and Italian Secretary General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Riccardo Guariglia affirmed a shared desire to broaden cooperation across multiple domains. These include political and cultural ties,...
Staff Reporter : The ways former Inspector General of Police (IGP) Benazir Ahmed and Commissioner of the National Board of Revenue (NBR) Matiur Rahman, along with their family members, managed to sneak out of the country have become a hot topic of discussion. This comes despite the strong vigilance on them by law enforcers, including the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC). Both Benazir Ahmed and Matiur Rahman are alleged to have amassed significant illegal wealth through corrupt practices. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina,...
Staff Reporter : The United States Department of State has issued a firm statement reaffirming its unwavering commitment to a free and independent press. Highlighting the vital role journalists play in safeguarding democratic institutions and fostering transparency, the Department strongly condemned any attempts to harass or intimidate them. This statement came in response to a journalist’s inquiry regarding a recent, threatening message issued by the Bangladesh Police Service Association towards media outlets reporting on police corruption. The journalist further emphasised...
Staff Reporter : The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) on Tuesday strongly denounced the Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) and agreements signed...
Staff Reporter : Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has firmly reassured the nation that the decision to grant rail transit to...
Staff Reporter : The 2024 Trafficking in Persons Report by the US State Department, published on its website, paints a complex picture of Bangladesh’s efforts to combat human trafficking. While the Bangladeshi government has demonstrably increased its overall efforts compared to the previous year, it still falls short of meeting the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking, keeping the country in Tier 2 for the fifth consecutive year since 2020. Countries that fully comply with the Trafficking in Persons...
Aljazeera : During one of the many conversations I had with Julian Assange while he was at the Ecuadorian Embassy...
Staff Reporter : The Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission (BSEC) on Tuesday, June 25, ordered the Central Depository Bangladesh Limited to freeze the beneficiary owner (BO) accounts of withdrawn revenue official Matiur Rahman and his family members. Concurrently, the Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit directed all banks to freeze the accounts of Matiur and his family for 30 days. These actions were taken at the request of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), which is investigating allegations of corruption against Matiur Rahman. Matiur...
Raises concerns over Bangladesh building reservoir with Chinese help on Teesta Special Report : West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee...
Staff Reporter : The recent statement released by the Bangladesh Police Service Association (BPSA) has sparked a wave of protests from the newspaper industry, political parties, and corruption watchdog groups across the country. The statement has raised serious concerns about its implications for press freedom and democratic values. Representatives from the newspaper industry have expressed deep dismay, believing the statement could severely curtail press freedom in Bangladesh. On Monday, the Newspaper Owners Association of Bangladesh (NOAB) declared that such a...
Staff Reporter : Amid a forex crunch, the opening of letters of credit (LCs) for imports saw a marginal increase over the 11 months of the current financial year 2023-24. The total value of LC openings was $63.02 billion, compared to $62.08 billion during the same period in the previous fiscal year. However, LC settlements for imports decreased by 12 percent, totaling $60.79 billion compared to the corresponding period last year, according to data from the Bangladesh Bank. Experts attribute...
Staff Reporter : Public and private commercial banks owe Tk 51,391.89 crore to state-owned institutions including TCB, BADC, and Biman...