A Pir (spiritual leader) has been hacked to death in Rajshahi’s Tanor upazila that bears the same symptom of previous murders of bloggers and secular activists.   The deceased was identified as, Shahidullah, 65, who was found dead with gashes on the right shoulder and a slit throat in a mango orchard.   After being informed by locals Police recovered the body around 10:00pm last night.…

Sixteen residential female students of Tazhat Fatema (R) Girls Kawmi Madrasa in the city have been admitted to Rangpur Medical College Hospital (RMCH) this evening after they fell sick from food poisoning, reports BSS. Headmaster of the Madrasa Humayun Kabir told reporters that 56 residential female students of the institution continued fasting on the occasion of Holy Sab-E-Meraj on Wednesday and…

Voting in over 700 Union Parishads of 87 upazilas under 46 districts will be held on Saturday in the 4th phase election to the lowest tier of the local government.   The balloting will be held from 8am to 4pm without any break through some 7,000 polling stations, UNB reports.   Meanwhile, voting would not require for 33 chairman posts, 227 member posts and 98 reserved seats as single candidates…

The international right body “Amnesty International” urged Bangladesh government to halt the imminent execution of Motiur Rahman Nizami and impose a moratorium on the death penalty.   Amnesty International made this urge after the Supreme Court rejected Nizami’s review plea on Thursday.   “We are dismayed that the Supreme Court has upheld the conviction and death…

Quoting a US-based think-tank, Indian daily The Hindu on Friday reported that the dreadful Islamic State terror group intends to announce “an affiliate” in Bangladesh, where it has already “designated a local leader,” amid a series of brutal killings of secular bloggers and intellectuals in the Muslim-majority country.   The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) said the…

The Rizal Commercial Banking Corp (RCBC) accepted the resignation of Lorenzo Tan as president and CEO of the Yuchengco-controlled financial institution effective immediately, the bank said in a statement released this evening. RCBC, however, cleared Tan of any wrongdoing, saying an internal investigation into the $81-million money laundering caper “had cleared [him] of any breach of bank rules…

North Korea is preparing to hold a once-in-a-generation congress of its ruling party that is intended to rally the nation behind leader Kim Jong Un and could provide an important glimpse into Kim's plans for the country's economy and military. The congress, set to begin on Friday, is the first in 36 years and follows a 70-day "loyalty drive" in which everyone from coal miners to…

Police recovered hanging body of a female student of ASA University Bangladesh from a women's hostel at Babar Road of Mohammadpur area in city Friday afternoon. Police said Afroza Shimu (21) had earned a bachelor's degree in business administration from ASA University, daughter of one Abdul Mannan Pramanik,She hailed from Rangpur sadar. Other borders of the hostel on Babar Road contacted police…

A couple was killed by a lightning strike at Sikirchar in Chhengarchar municipality of Matlab Uttar upazila here on Friday evening.The deceased were identified as Ayat Ali, 60, and his wife Asabi Begum, 50, of the area. Local Kamal Khan said a streak of thunderbolt struck Ayat Ali and his wife around 7:30pm while working at their courtyard, leaving them dead on the spot.

In a fresh move to boost Hilsa production, scientists from Bangladesh, India and Myanmar underscored the need for a shared plan for sustainably managing the hilsa fishery.   They made the call at a two-day meeting that began at Sonargaon Hotel in the capital on Wednesday, according to an IIED press release.   Fisheries and Livestock Minister Mohammad Sayedul Haque inaugurated meeting hosted…

A housewife allegedly committed suicide by jumping under a running train at Shankarpur rail station in the Jessore district town on Thursday night. Quoting Tarek Mohammad, sub-inspector of Jessore Kotwali Police Station, news agency UNB said Sharmin Khatun, 24, wife of Abdullah Hussain of Rambhadrapur in Kalaroa upazila of Satkhira district, jumped off before a train around 9 pm and was critically…

A man was beaten to death allegedly by his younger brother over a land-related dispute at Sonadanga in Khulna city on Thursday. Quoting police sources news agency UNB said Kamrul Islam Kallol, 40, and his younger brother Firoz Arefin-both sons of late Lutfur Rahman, had been at loggerheads over the ownership of a piece of land. As a sequel to the enmity, Firoz, a sports teacher of Khulna College,…

The ringleader of a pirate gang was killed in a reported gunfight between his cohorts and members of Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) at Mrigmari of the Sundarbans in Mongla upazila early Friday. Lieutenant Colonel Faridul Alam, commanding officer of Barisal Rab-8, said acting on secret information that some fishermen were kidnapped by a gang of pirates, a team of Rab-8 conducted a drive near the Shela…