Author: PV DESK

A delegation of the National Citizen Party (NCP) called on US Chargé d’affaires Tracey Ann Jacobson at her residence in the capital today. NCP Convener Nahid Islam, Member Secretary Akhter Hossen, Senior Joint Member Secretary Tasnim Jara, and Joint Member Secretary Alauddin Mohammad represented the NCP delegation, said a NCP press release. Jacobson, Political and Economic Counselor Eric Geelan, Political Officer James Stewart, and Political Specialist Firoze Ahmed were present from the US side. The meeting discussed various issues including Bangladesh’s current political situation, the outline of reforms, the law and order situation, the July Declaration and…

Bangladesh and Malaysia signed five Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) and three Exchange of Notes in different areas of cooperation on the first day of Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus’s three-day visit to Malaysia on Tuesday. Chief Adviser Prof Yunus and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim witnessed the signing of the MoUs and Exchange of Notes in Putrajaya. The first exchange of note was signed on cooperation in the field of higher education. Malaysian foreign minister Dato’ Seri Utama Haji Mohamad bin Haji Hasan and Bangladesh’s adviser for expatriates’ welfare and overseas employment ministry Dr Asif Nazrul signed…

The Election Commission (EC) has published a draft of the supplementary voter list across the country ahead of the 13th general elections. Briefing reporters in front of Nirbachan Bhaban at Agargaon in the capital today, Election Commission (EC) Senior Secretary Akhter Ahmed said as of June 30, 2025, the total number of the country’s voters stood at 12,61,70,900. Out of those, 6,40,06,916 are male voters and 6,21,62,760 are female voters, he said, adding that the rate of the voter inclusion in 2025 is 3.69 percent and the rate of the increase of voters is 1.97 percent. The…

The National Board of Revenue (NBR) today cautioned taxpayers about misleading social media posts promoting the filing of “zero returns”, terming the practice illegal under the Income Tax Act 2023. In a press release, the NBR said some online content has been spreading the false notion that taxpayers can submit returns by filling all sections with “zero”. Such misinformation has led certain individuals to make false declarations regarding their income, expenses, assets and liabilities. “There is no provision for filing any kind of return called ‘zero return’,” the NBR said, adding that taxpayers are legally required to accurately…

Authorities at Chattogram Port have halted the release of a container after detecting the presence of radioactive material in a shipment of imported scrap metal. The radiation was detected by the port’s ‘Megaport Initiative Radiation Detection System’ during routine screening. Customs officials said initial tests showed a radiation level of one micro sievert — a unit measuring radiation exposure. While this level is not considered high, they stressed that the exact level cannot be confirmed until further testing is completed. As a precaution, the container has been isolated in a secure location. According to port sources,…

Rice procurement activities across the country are facing disruptions following the imposition of a 0.5% source tax on domestic rice procurement, according to an official document. The document was placed in a recent meeting of Food Planning and Monitoring Committee (FPMC) held at Bangladesh Secretariat with Finance Adviser Dr Salehuddin Ahmed in the chair. As per the meeting document, the target for Boro Crop collection as paddy was 3.50 lakh metric tonnes while the collection as of July 15 was 3,76,942 tonnes, which means 108% achievement. Parboiled Rice collection target was 14.00 lakh metric tonnes where the…

The interim government plans to procure at least 40,000 body-worn cameras for police to enhance security at voting booths during the general election in February as it wants to ensure foolproof security at all levels. The move was discussed at a high-level meeting at the State Guest House Jamuna in Dhaka on Saturday, chaired by Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus, said Chief Adviser’s Deputy Press Secretary on Sunday. Chief Adviser Prof Yunus instructed the officials concerned to expedite the procurement process and ensure proper training for thousands of police personnel. “We must guarantee complete security at all…

Since the historic victory of the student-led movement during the July-August Uprising of 2024, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has made significant strides in environmental, forest and biodiversity conservation under the leadership of adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan. The achievements over the past year reflect the interim government’s strong commitment to tackling pollution, preserving natural resources and mitigating the effects of climate change. One of the most notable initiatives launched in November 2024 was a nationwide crackdown on the use of banned polythene bags. In a concerted effort to curb plastic waste, 748 mobile courts were…

BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman on Wednesday said the victory in the mass uprising on 5 August last year could not have been achieved by any single party or individual alone. “The July movement against the Awami League’s misrule is not the sole effort of any party or person, but belongs to all. People from all walks of life contributed to and supported this movement,” he said at a programme in London. The event marked the 41st death anniversary of former minister and Chief of Naval Staff Rear Admiral Mahbub Ali Khan. He was also the father of…

President Donald Trump demanded a massive $1 billion fine from the prestigious University of California system on Friday as the administration pushed its claims of antisemitism in UCLA’s response to 2024 student protests related to Gaza. The figure, which is five times the sum Columbia University agreed to pay to settle similar federal accusations of antisemitism, would “completely devastate” the UC public university system, a senior official said. President James Milliken, who oversees the 10 campuses that make up the University of California system, including Los Angeles-based UCLA, said managers had received the $1 billion demand on Friday…