The advisory council yesterday approved amendments to two key laws aimed at strengthening the Election Commission, granting it more authority to recruit all its officials and take disciplinary action against those negligent in polling duties.

Leaders of the Students Against Discrimination platform offered Nobel laureate Prof Muhammad Yunus the responsibility of leading a new government on August 4 last year, a day before the Awami League regime fell, said Nahid Islam, convener of the National Citizen Party, yesterday.

Two people were killed and another was injured after a bus hit their motorcycle from behind in Auliapur of Patuakhali Sadar upazila yesterday.

Novartis (Bangladesh) Limited has been renamed as Nevian Lifescience PLC, following an acquisition of its majority shares by Radiant Pharmaceuticals Limited from Novartis AG Switzerland, said a press release.

The ousted Awami League government enacted the now-defunct “quick rental” act to allow large-scale corruption in the power and energy sector by “rewarding and giving indemnity” to power company owners, said speakers at a dialogue yesterday.

True decentralisation requires the transfer of real power and decision-making to the local level, but this continues to be ignored in Bangladesh, speakers said at a programme yesterday.

Around 400km of roads under the Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) in Lalmonirhat have become almost unusable due to years of neglect.

At least nine makeshift markets have been built dangerously close to the tracks along the Chattogram-Cox’s Bazar rail line while the Bangladesh Railway authorities have turned a blind eye to the menace.

Over one lakh people from Lalmonirhat Sadar and Kurigram’s Phulbari, Nageshwari and Bhurungamari upazilas have long been suffering due to slow progress in the construction of a bridge over the Ratnai river.

A wild male elephant, around 35 years old, has been found dead in the remote hills of Ukhiya in Cox’s Bazar.

Incidents of theft of manhole lids and iron slab covers of drains are on the rise in Chattogram city, causing serious inconvenience to residents.

Shown arrested in sabotage case, sent to jail by court

Nomination paper submission deadline ends; 931 papers submitted

Demonstrators allege move aims to obstruct Rucsu revival

Leaders accuse govt of bowing to external pressure

Academics say arts boost children’s intellectual growth and sustain heritage

Forest Department awaits post-mortem results to confirm cause

Next election must be held on the basis of July Charter, says Golam Porwar

These sessions courts will deal with only criminal cases from now on

Fakhrul reiterates BNP doesn’t support PR system or banning any political organisation