Parliament today passed the Tk 603,681 crore national budget for the fiscal year 2021-22, with the theme “Bangladesh towards a resilient future protecting lives and livelihoods”.

Commuters’ woes continued on the third day of the “partial lockdown” due to lack of transports on the road.

Cabinet Division, in a circular issued today, said legal action will be taken if anyone goes out without any emergency during the week-long nationwide “strict restriction”, starting tomorrow.

Dhaka Metropolitan Police are prepared to arrest anyone who will go out without emergencies during the strict lockdown, scheduled to begin from tomorrow.

Bangladesh Armed Force will deploy necessary number of army personnel under “Aid to the Civil Power” to ensure field-level effective patrolling during the countrywide seven-day “strict lockdown”, starting tomorrow.

Ruling Awami League’s senior lawmaker Tofail Ahmed and Jatiya Party MP Kazi Firoz Rashid in parliament today expressed their frustration and anger over the growing presence of government bureaucrats in various jobs without importance being given to politicians.

An under-construction bridge collapsed at Dobhashipara area of Kuakata municipality today.

Law Minister Anisul Haque told parliament today that the government has taken various steps to make NID services more efficient and dynamic.

Planning Minister MA Mannan today asked Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) why the government and the people would not get real-time information.

The Cabinet Division approved the final draft of “Highway Act 2021” today with the provision of a maximum of two years’ punishment for violation.

As all forms of public transport, except rickshaws, have been suspended but offices remain open, it’s office-goers who like always were left high and dry.

The Medical Degrees (Repeal) Bill 2021 was placed in Parliament today.

The Bangladesh Shishu Hospital and Institute Bill 2021 was placed in parliament today to provide better healthcare services to children.

Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen expressed scepticism about procuring vaccines smoothly saying bilateral cooperation is not the only deciding factor and that issues of global politics are at play.

When the cabinet division decided late on Saturday evening that the nationwide “total and complete” lockdown would be postponed from June 28 to July 1, and there would be a limited-scale or partial countrywide lockdown in the interim period, it left many asking what a “limited-scale” lockdown even meant.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday called for cooperation from all as she reiterated her government’s resolve to overcome the coronavirus pandemic.

State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid said the government has dropped 10 coal-fired power plant projects, with total generation capacity of 8451 MW, as it seeks to revise the country’s power system master plan (PSMP).

A massive reform is needed in the bureaucracy to modernise it as the bureaucrats still follow many age-old rules that have become irrelevant, Planning Minister MA Mannan said yesterday.

The High Court yesterday questioned the legality of the Dhaka University authorities’ decision to terminate its teacher Prof Morshed Hasan Khan from his job.

Realising their imminent failure to meet the deadline for early commissioning, the authorities are planning to launch the Uttara-Agargaon metro rail service by December next year.