Banks to hire credit raters for risk assessment

Banks now will have to have their credit risks assessed by External Credit Assessment Institutes (ECAI), the Bangladesh Bank has said. More...

Anti-graft drive to go on if voted to power: AL

The Awami League has told the Dhaka-based diplomats that the party will continue to pursue the corrupt impartially if voted to power, but does not support purging of politicians. More...

AL fears attempt on Hasina's life

The Awami League says it has reports that attempts may be made on the life of party chief Sheikh Hasina when she hits the campaign trail ahead of the general elections slated for Dec. 18. More...

Agri-credit disbursement to be mandatory for commercial banks

Agri-credit disbursement to be mandatory for commercial banks

Agriculture credit disbursement is going to be compulsory for all commercial banks from this fiscal year as Bangladesh Bank decided on Tuesday. "Bangladesh Bank will issue necessary circular immediately," deputy governor Nazrul Huda told reporters after a meeting in this regard at the central bank. More........

AL working for electoral alliance

Hasina to be accorded grand reception on her return

Getting the 'green signal' from Party President Sheikh Hasina, the Awami League has started working to form a new 'electoral alliance' with pro-liberation .......More

Kareena Kapoor excited to be shooting with Aamir Khan on birthday

SOURCE: www.bd64.com

New Delhi, (IANS) Bollywood actress Kareena Kapoor has many reasons to look forward to her birthday Sep 21 - one of them being shooting with Aamir Khan, her favourite actor.More........

Rebel cricketers join ICL Bashar to lead Dhaka Warriors

Source: www.thebangladeshtoday.com
Thirteen players from Bangladesh will make up the Dhaka Warriors, the new team announced for the second season of Indian Cricket League (ICL) which commences on October 10.

Bail in 3 more cases needed for her legal release Hasina bailed in Tk 3 cr extortion case

SOURCE:

Awami League President Sheikh Hasina has been granted bail for three months in Tk 3 crore extortion case and-- now she will have to obtain bail in three more cases to be released through legal procedure.More......

MySpace Music to start with major ad sponsors

News Corp's MySpace, the world's largest social networking site, said on Sunday its long-expected MySpace Music joint venture with three major music labels will launch with four major sponsors underwriting the costs of streaming free music to millions of MySpace users.
MySpace said McDonald's, Sony Pictures, Toyota and State Farm will power access to be to a range of new music services by sponsoring a mix of free downloads, song playlists, and personal music players.

BCB high-ups move to face player retirement issue

The high-ups of the Bangladesh Cricket Board Monday passed a busy day meeting among themselves and with contracted cricketers following the issue of six players' plea for retirement from international as well as domestic cricket.

HC stays ACC case against Fazlul Huq

The High Court Monday suspended proceedings for three months of an ACC case against former caretaker government adviser Justice Fazlul Huq, charged with earning illegal wealth. The High Court bench of Justice Mirza Hossein Haider and Justice Mamnun Rahman gave the order on a writ petition submitted by Fazlul Huq challenging the validity of the case. The court also issued a rule nisi on the Anticorruption Commission and the government to show cause within four weeks as to why the filing of the case and its proceedings should not be declared without legal authority. Advocate Helaluddin Mollah, representing the petitioner, the ACC did not follow due process in filing the case and pressing charges. He said the law stipulates that three members of the commission must approve the filing of a case and submission of the chargesheet. More info.......

No democracy in BNP: AL's Zillur

Awami League acting president Zillur Rahman on Sunday said there was no practice of democracy in the BNP."There is no vestige of democracy in the party," Zillur said at an iftar party at his Gulshan home.On the permanent leadership of Khaleda, he said: "It is would be greed for power.""Councillors of a party are there to elect a chairperson. Chairperson will not be made by any administration," he added.

The AL leader said the announcement relating to Khaleda's leadership for life sounded absurd.He added that the AL would announce movement for permanent release of Sheikh Hasina 'if necessary' after her return.

Khaleda says 'No, thank you'

Khaleda Zia has "humbly" and "respectfully" turned down the party standing committee proposal to make her BNP leader for life, according to a statement Sunday evening. "I feel deeply grateful for the proposal the standing committee of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party made in its latest meeting, to make me the party leader for life," she said in the "I thank all concerned for this. "This proposal was only an expression of overwhelming emotion at a particular time. "I humbly reject this offer without any disrespect to such emotions," Khaleda said exactly 24 hours after the standing committee took the decision in a meeting that she herself chaired. The party policymakers had decided late Saturday afternoon that Khaleda would lead BNP for life, just two days after her release from jail. More info......

History of Bangladesh

This article is about the People's Republic of Bangladesh. For other uses, see Bangladesh (disambiguation).

গণপ্রজাতন্ত্রী বাংলাদেশ Gônoprojatontri Bangladesh People's Republic of Bangladesh
Flag Coat of arms
Anthem: Amar Shonar Bangla My Golden Bengal
Capital (and largest city)		Dhaka 23°42′N, 90°21′E
Official languages		Bengali (or Bangla)
Demonym		Bangladeshi
Government		Parliamentary republic[1]
-	President	Iajuddin Ahmed
-	Prime Minister	vacant
-	Chief Adviser	Fakhruddin Ahmed
Independence		from Pakistan
-	Declared	March 26, 1971
-	Victory Day	December 16, 1971
Area
-	Total	147,570 km² (94th) 55,599 sq mi
-	Water (%)	7.0
Population
-	2007 estimate	150,448,340[2] (7th)
-	Density	1045/km² (11th) 2,706/sq mi
GDP (PPP)		2007 estimate
-	Total	$206.6 billion[3] (48th)
-	Per capita	$1,300[3] (153rd)
GDP (nominal)		2007 estimate
-	Total	$72.4 billion[3] (58th)
-	Per capita	$455[3] (157th)
Gini (2000)		31.8 (medium)
HDI (2007)		▲ 0.547 (medium) (140th)
Currency		Taka (BDT)
Time zone		BDT (UTC+6)
-	Summer (DST)	not observed (UTC+6)
Internet TLD		.bd
Calling code		+880
1	Adjusted population, p.4, "Population Census 2001, Preliminary Report". Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (2001-08).

Bangladesh (help·info) (Bengali: বাংলাদেশ [ˈbaŋlad̪eʃ] Bangladesh), officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh (Bengali: গণপ্রজাতন্ত্রী বাংলাদেশ Gônoprojatontri Bangladesh) is a country in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south. Together with the Indian state of West Bengal, it makes up the ethno-linguistic region of Bengal. The name Bangladesh means "Country of Bengal" in the official Bengali language.

The borders of present-day Bangladesh were established with the partition of Bengal and India in 1947, when the region became the eastern wing of the newly-formed Pakistan. However, it was separated from the western wing by 1,600 kilometres (1,000 mi) across India. Political and linguistic discrimination as well as economic neglect led to popular agitations against West Pakistan, which led to the war for independence in 1971 and the establishment of Bangladesh. However, the new state had to endure famines, natural disasters and widespread poverty, as well as political turmoil and military coups. The restoration of democracy in 1991 has been followed by relative stability and economic progress.Bangladesh is among the most densely populated countries in the world and has a high poverty rate. Geographically the country straddles the fertile Ganges-Brahmaputra Delta and is subject to annual monsoon floods and cyclones. The government is a parliamentary democracy; however, political rule has been suspended under emergency law since January 11, 2007. Bangladesh is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations, SAARC, BIMSTEC, the OIC, and the D-8. As the World Bank notes in its July 2005 Country Brief, the country has made significant progress in human development in the areas of literacy, gender parity in schooling and reduction of population growth.

Huji eyes JS polls, starts operating in new name

Banned Islamist militant outfit Harkatul Jihad al Islami (Huji), comprised of Afghan war veterans, has started activities across the country to take part in the next parliamentary polls under a new name.Huji leaders under the banner of Islamic Democratic Party (IDP) gathered for an iftar party in a Rajshahi community centre in Shalbagan on September 8 claiming to be in negotiations with the government for holding political programmes openly.Even though they claimed that they are not involved in any criminal or anti-state activities, they admitted that their organisation began from Huji. They said they are still in Jihad as before in Afghanistan but the Jihad is for “rebuilding the country by promoting true democracy”.They said two top Huji founders–Mufti Abdus Salam and Rahmatullah alias Shaikh Farid–are president and secretary of the party. They collected the application form for getting IDP registered with the Election Commission for participating in the next general elections. They already formed fully-fledged IDP committees in 42 districts and in all thanas of Dhaka city to that end. They have begun renting offices in districts and forming committees and organising activists in 300 upazilas across the country.The government so far has made no visible effort to arrest Huji kingpins since banning the outfit in October, 2005.Several police and intelligence officials said even though Huji has been banned, they have never received any instructions from the government to launch any drive against Huji leaders and activists.

Khaleda to lead BNP 'for life'

Khaleda Zia will lead BNP for life, party policymakers decided Saturday at a standing committee meeting, just two days after her release from jail.
Chowdhury Tanvir Ahmed Siddiqui placed the proposal on Khaleda's lifetime leadership, secretary general Khandaker Delwar Hossain told reporters after the meeting.
Khaleda called the 'urgent' meeting of the party's top policymaking body, beginning at 4.30pm, to discuss a schedule and agenda for BNP's planned dialogue with the government among other urgent issues stemming from her release, a party official had earlier told bdnews24.com.
Delwar said Khaleda's meeting with four advisers and her conversation with chief adviser Fakhruddin Ahmed by phone on Friday were high on the meeting agenda.
The meeting also okayed the appointment of Delwar as secretary general of the party and approved his decisions during Khaleda's detention, he told reporters after the meeting.
On dialogue with the government, Delwar said: "Date and time have not been fixed yet. We will fix them after talks with four-party alliance leaders. We will then inform the government about it." He said Saturday's meeting declared the last standing committee meeting on Oct 29—held amid intra-party factionalism at M Saifur Rahman's Gulshan home while Khaleda was still behind bars—illegal and its decisions ineffective.
According to the party constitution, only the chairperson can convene a standing committee meeting, the committee members said.
They also demanded general elections ahead of upazila polls and expressed concern at the high prices and rising unemployment.
The number of standing committee members totals 11, including Khaleda, Saifur, Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, Abdul Matin Chowdhury, Delwar, AR Goni, Siddiqui, Moudud Ahmed, Khandaker Mahbubuddin Ahmad, Mahbubur Rahman and M Shamsul Islam.
Khandaker Mosharraf and Moudud are currently behind bars.

12 killed, 135 injured as trains collide in Los Angeles

 Leslie Burnstein heard screams of agony as she ran through a haze of smoke toward the twisted train wreckage where dozens of bloodied passengers were still trapped inside the cars.

A bound Hasina can't talk with free Khaleda, says Zillur

Acting Awami League (AL) president Zillur Rahman yesterday demanded that party chief Sheikh Hasina be released unconditionally and permanently at the earliest possible time. He said the AL president would not sit across the table under parole with a 'free Khaleda Zia'.

Khaleda agrees to sit with Hasina: MK Anwar

Hafiz endorses Delwar as Secretary General
Responding to the government's initiative to bring the two top political leaders Awami League President Sheikh Hasina and BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia in ...

World's biggest experiment 'Big Bang' starts well

Scientists have hailed a successful switch-on for an enormous experiment which will recreate the conditions a few moments after the Big Bang.They have now fired two beams of particles called protons around the 27km-long tunnel which houses the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). The £5bn machine on the Swiss-French border is designed to smash protons together with cataclysmic force.

Four arrested for hacking RAB website

One of the main RAB website hackers, Shahee Mirza, said that nobody should use his acquired computer skills in such criminal activities like hacking of important Government or private websites.

JS polls date likely within a week

The Election Commission (EC) might announce within a week a specific date for the parliamentary poll, and detailed schedules for upazila parishad and Dhaka City Corporation elections, dispelling doubts about the long overdue national ballot.

Dialogue, floods to decide EC on UZ polls(1)

With around 150 upazilas in 22 districts of the country being flooded in the present month, the Election Commission is set to give a decision in the next few days on upazila polls that were slated for October, a top election official said Monday.
Election Commissioner M Sakhawat Hossain told bdnews24.com Monday that after taking the overall opinion of the political parties into count the EC will present its stand on Sept 10.
The EC has also had talks with the government in this regard.
Chief Election Commissioner ATM Shamsul Huda, election commissioners Muhammad Sohul Hossain and M Sakhawat Hossain and EC secretary Muhammad Humayun Kabir met with the chief adviser Sunday night.
Humayun Kabir told bdnews24.com Monday that both the flood situation and the views of the political parties in the ongoing third round dialogue would be taken into account.
High officials at the EC secretariat, meanwhile, said that given the opposition by political parties to upazila polls and the flood situation in the country, the EC is now thinking of an alternative line on upazila elections.
In such a situation, the EC may announce a probable date for national elections first, they said. The schedule is likely to be announced in the first week of November.
Besides, the EC will also present its position regarding the state of emergency to all.
The chief adviser has already said that the national elections would be held in the third week of December.
If the government insists on holding upazila elections first, the flood situation would not get much consideration, said officials in the EC secretariat and the water resources ministry.

Dialogue, floods to decide EC on UZ polls(2)

At least 150 upazilas in 22 districts of the country have seen flooding in the current month, WDB officials say.
What the situation might become in October cannot be forecast now. Last year a total of 47 districts of the country were hit by floods.
Water Development Board has given such a picture of the flood situation to the water resources ministry, eyeing the probable upazila election.
WDB director general Hossain Shahid Mozaddad told bdnews24.com Monday: "Around 150 upazilas in 22 districts of the country have already been flooded. Though there is possibility of improvement in the situation in October, nothing can be said definitely now."
"In the devastating floods in September-October, 2007 a total of 47 districts were inundated."
He said the Election Commission secretariat had sought the information about the flood situation last year and this year from the water resources ministry.
WDB has sent an overall picture of flood situation to the ministry Monday. The list of flooded upazilas the EC had sought would reach the commission soon, he said.

Dialogue, floods to decide EC on UZ polls(3)

On Sept 4, the Election Commission said it was looking to hold elections to those Upazila Parishad not affected by floods.

In a regular briefing at the EC Secretariat, secretary Muhammad Humayun Kabir told reporters a list of the flood-affected upazilas was being drawn up.

Asked whether they saw the floods as the main obstacles to holding upazila elections, Kabir said: "Floods have been affecting many districts and upazilas. We are collecting a situation report."

Up to Aug 20, the final voter lists for 297 upazilas had been published. The EC has said it was planning to hold elections to around 300 upazilas.

Political parties, including the Awami League and BNP, have been opposing the holding of upazila elections before national elections. In three rounds of dialogue with the EC most parties have demanded announcement of the schedule for national election ahead of any other polls.

50 Years of Struggle and Achievements - Bangladesh Awami League(3)

Therefore, as a political party, Awami League can claim to have attained success in the overall development of the political history of the country, particularly in the process of building a nation-state for the Bangalee people. It is continuing in its role as the people- oriented political party with progressive and pragmatic political, social and economic agenda for the betterment of the lot of the toiling masses of the country.

We plan to elaborate on some of the glaring successes of Awami League in its long history of struggle over the last fifty years.

50 Years of Struggle and Achievements - Bangladesh Awami League(2)

This half-a-century- old party has a glorious of relentless and uncompromising struggle against autocracy and communalism, against political and economic domination. Its greatest achievement is the emancipation of the Bangalee people from the colonial rule of Pakistan. This was the party that both germinated and helped blossom the Bangalee nationalism: the independence won in 1971 is the undying monument of that grand success of Awami League as a political party. Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, our Father of the Nation, gave the leadership to the people and the party that took us through the glorious War of Liberation. Since then, the party has worked tirelessly to combat autocracy and communalism, to nourish the non communal political tradition and to institutionalize democracy through establishing a constitutionally elected government.