Suspect remains absconding

Goods worth Tk 9.9 lakh in duties recovered, passenger released after warning

Clad in black and white and carrying flowers, people thronged the Central Shaheed Minar in Dhaka and elsewhere in the country to honour the language martyrs on the occasion of International Mother Language Day and Martyrs’ Day yesterday.

The Enhanced Monitoring Mechanism (EMM), a body of the UN Committee for Development Policy (UN CDP), will begin an evaluation process following Bangladesh’s request to defer its graduation from the group of Least Developed Countries (LDCs) to developing nation status.

On  Friday mornings, the otherwise quiet veranda of a house in Haktiarkhola village under Kamalganj upazila in Moulvibazar turns into a classroom.

From midnight yesterday, people from all walks of life thronged Shaheed Minars across the country to pay homage to the martyrs of the 1952 Language Movement, observing Martyrs’ Day and International Mother Language Day.

On the occasion of International Mother Language Day and Language Martyrs’ Day, no patriotic songs were played on the central Shaheed Minar premises in Lalmonirhat district yesterday, drawing flak from local eminent citizens and cultural activists.

A competition was held yesterday on making temporary Shaheed Minars on the occasion of the Martyrs’ Day and the International Mother Language, featuring children from local marginal families in Rasulpur shoal within Kirtankhola river in Barishal.

Rajshahi city residents have finally received a permanent Shaheed Minar to pay tribute to the heroes of the 1952 Language Movement.

An upazila-level Sramik Dal leader was shot and injured by armed miscreants in Raozan upazila of Chattogram on Friday night.

The government plans to introduce monthly honorariums and festival allowances for khatibs, imams, muezzins and religious leaders of other faiths in some areas before the upcoming Eid-ul-Fitr in line with the ruling party’s election pledges.

Information Minister Zahir Uddin Swapan yesterday alleged that certain quarters are secretly patronising mob activities.

Hundreds of US troops have been pulled out of the Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, The New York Times reported Friday, as US President Donald Trump said he was considering limited military strikes on Iran.

A police constable was stabbed by miscreants during a search at a checkpoint in Dhaka’s Jatrabari area yesterday.

The first session of Bangladesh’s newly elected 13th Parliament will take place on March 12, or possibly a day or two earlier, said Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed last night.

All Bangladesh missions in India resumed visa services on Friday, signalling a step towards normalising relations between the two countries.

Uncertainty has arisen over the withdrawal of security support -- including the deployment of gunmen, and in some cases, house guards -- provided to at least 70 politicians and politically important individuals ahead of the 13th parliamentary election.

Time is the most valuable currency in global trade. Wise governments spend it carefully. On February 9, however, Bangladesh’s interim administration spent it recklessly.

Education Minister ANM Ehsanul Hoque Milon yesterday said the country’s conventional education system is to blame for rising unemployment, as it fails to align with employment needs.

If the 15 percent rate replaces the 19 percent reciprocal tariff finalised for Bangladesh under the trade deal, Bangladesh’s effective tariff for exports to the US would stand at 31.5 percent.