Madrasa teacher arrested for raping student in Manikganj
A madrasa teacher from Manikganj has been arrested on charges of “raping” one of his pupils. SM Amanullah, officer-in-charge of Manikganj Sadar Police Station, confirmed that madrasa teacher Rafiqul Islam was arrested around midnight on Wednesday, reports bdnews24.com. Rafiqul, 37, lives in Saturia upazila in Manikganj, and teaches at the Jamia Arabia Siddika Dar-ul-Ulum Madrasa. According to OC Amanullah, legal action is being taken over the incident.
Source:bd News24
March 20, 2025 05:54 UTC
NCP Convener Nahid travelling to Patuakhali to meet family of ‘gang rape’ victim
The victim is a student and her father died while participating in the July UprisingNahid Islam, convener of the National Citizen Party (NCP) is travelling to Patukhali to meet the family of the college student who was allegedly gang raped in Patuakhali’s Dumki. He left for Patuakhali on Thursday, said NCP Joint Member Secretary (Office) Saleh Uddin Sifat. The student’s father died while participating in the July Uprising. Later, he will meet the deputy commissioner and police superintendent to discuss the rape case and brief the media. He is scheduled to attend several events with NCP leaders and activists in Patuakhali and Barishal during his visit.
Source:bd News24
March 20, 2025 04:47 UTC
India's Vodafone Idea explores partnership with Musk's Starlink
Shares of Vodafone Idea rose nearly 5% on WednesdayVodafone Idea is in exploratory talks with various satellite communication providers, including Starlink, the company said on Wednesday, a week after the Indian telecom firm's rivals signed deals with Elon Musk's company. The mobile operator made the disclosure after Indian stock exchanges sought a clarification on its stock move and a report by local financial news website Moneycontrol earlier in the day. Shares of Vodafone Idea rose nearly 5% on Wednesday. "Our strategy is to provide services -- whether fixed or mobile -- in uncovered areas, where satellite makes perfect sense," Vodafone Idea Chief Technology Officer Jagbir Singh told Moneycontrol, as per the report. Last week, Musk's SpaceX signed deals with Bharti Airtel and Reliance Jio to bring Starlink's internet services to India.
Source:bd News24
March 20, 2025 03:08 UTC
Equality-based welfare budget coming
Measures are envisaged in the next budget for boosting trade-commerce and investment in private sector alongside taming inflation and raising people's incomes, the finance adviser disclosed Wednesday. Dr Salehuddin Ahmed presented before the media the outlook of such a maiden budget of Bangladesh he wants to prepare for the financial year 2025-26. Also, the finance adviser said, the size of the overall budget would not be bigger unnecessarily while the same prudence would be followed in crafting the Annual Development Programme that is integrated with the national budget. Also, social-safety-net annuities will be increased and coverage will be expanded to some extent in the coming budget. Chief Executive Officer of RTV Ashiqur Rahman said expansion of tax net without increasing tax rate is necessary.
Source:bd News24
March 20, 2025 02:47 UTC
‘I also have the right to know,’ says Asif Mahmud on Dhaka administrator clique controversy
Local Government Advisor Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuyain has said he would like to know about appointment of administrators following a controversy that surfaced over “a special clique becoming administrators” in all wards of Dhaka city corporations. As I am responsible for the relevant ministry, I, too, have the right to know,” the advisor wrote in a social media post on Wednesday. “They said ‘the city corporation will allocate the funds, finance the initiative, and the Citizen Party will implement it’,” it read. Regarding the hint given in the advisor’s post, the NCP leader said: “Only the advisor can clarify what he’s implying. “If the city corporation is allocating the funds, why should a political party implement it?
Source:bd News24
March 20, 2025 02:27 UTC
Tulip Siddiq dismisses ‘false’ corruption allegations
In a letter to the ACC, her lawyers say the allegations are “false and vexatious”Former UK City minister Tulip Siddiq has accused Bangladeshi authorities of waging a “targeted and baseless” campaign against her. In a letter to Bangladesh’s Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), lawyers representing Tulip described allegations of financial misconduct as “false and vexatious,” according to a report published by the BBC. Tulip had referred herself to Starmer’s ethics advisor, Sir Laurie Magnus, after corruption allegations emerged in January. In the letter, Tulip’s lawyers said Abdul Motalif, who is "a close family friend and like a godfather to her", gave her the King's Cross flat. “All allegations raised against Tulip will be proven in any court, including the ones in the United Kingdom,” he told The Times.
Source:bd News24
March 20, 2025 01:47 UTC
E-ticketing transforms Eid journey with empty stations, terminals
Online bus ticket sales began earlier, with Shohag Paribahan launching the service in 2008. Other platforms such as Jatri, BUSBD, bdtickets, and Poribahan.com also sell bus tickets online. After the start of Eid ticket sales, passengers have not been seen crowding counters at Gabtoli and Kalyanpur in the last few days. Nurul Islam, a sales worker, said the scenario has completely changed since online ticket sales began. All Eid tickets are non-refundable, and even if someone buys extra tickets, selling them becomes uncertain.
Source:bd News24
March 19, 2025 21:54 UTC
No clear path to settling Constituent Assembly debate but a vote within a vote may hold the key
CONSTITUENT ASSEMBLY IN SPOTLIGHTFollowing the Uprising, separate elections for the Constituent Assembly and Constitution Meet entered political discussions. In the official NCP Iftar, Nahid said it was “possible” to hold both parliamentary and National Constituent Assembly elections at a time. When is a second republic established?”“Why should there be a Constituent Assembly election? Nearly 16 years ago, Nepal set a precedent by electing a Constituent Assembly to transition from monarchy to democracy. Referring to the Constituent Assembly process during Pakistan’s rule, Zobaida said: “To me, advocating for a Constituent Assembly seems like a rejection of the Liberation War.
Source:bd News24
March 19, 2025 20:30 UTC
Air fares drop 75% after govt intervention: ATAB
The price of air tickets, particularly for flights to various destinations in Saudi Arabia, have fallen by nearly 75%, following the government's intervention and the implementation of stricter regulations, according to the Association of Travel Agents of Bangladesh (ATAB). However, following the government's monitoring efforts, ticket prices have dropped dramatically, with fares now available for as low as Tk48,000 to Tk50,000. Under the new regulations, air tickets must now be booked with the passenger's name, passport details, and a photocopy of the passport. This has allowed passengers and travel agencies to access real-time ticket information, fostering competition among airlines and leading to lower prices. ATAB, in a statement, praised the government's intervention, calling it a timely and necessary step to alleviate the financial burden on travellers, especially migrant workers who depend on affordable air travel.
Source:bd News24
March 19, 2025 18:35 UTC
Ex-UGC chair Shahidullah no more
Editor : Iqbal Sobhan ChowdhuryPublished by the Editor on behalf of the Observer Ltd. from Globe Printers, 24/A, New Eskaton Road, Ramna, Dhaka.Editorial, News and Commercial Offices : Aziz Bhaban (2nd floor), 93, Motijheel C/A, Dhaka-1000.Phone: PABX- 41053001-06; Online: 41053014; Advertisement: 41053012.E-mail: [email protected] , news©dailyobserverbd.com, advertisement©dailyobserverbd.com, For Online Edition: mailobserverbd©gmail.com
Source:bd News24
March 19, 2025 17:02 UTC
India's antitrust raids on global media giants GroupM, Publicis, Dentsu ran through the night
REUTERSA security guard stands outside the Competition Commission of India (CCI) headquarters in New Delhi, India, Jan 13, 2020. REUTERSIndia's antitrust officers grilled media executives and seized data in an investigation into price fixing by global advertising agencies GroupM, Interpublic, Publicis and Dentsu, with raids continuing well past midnight into a second day on Wednesday, people familiar with the matter said. WPP in 2023 said it had a 45 percent media market share in India, with 45 of the top 50 advertisers as clients. The media agencies compete in India, the world's eighth-biggest ad market, where revenues of $18.5 billion last year are set to grow 9.4 percent in 2025, GroupM estimates. In a case started last year, the CCI is investigating allegations that broadcasters and media agencies were colluding on prices and discounts of ad rates.
Source:bd News24
March 19, 2025 15:29 UTC
ADP implementation slows to 15-year low in first 8 months of FY25
Editor : Iqbal Sobhan ChowdhuryPublished by the Editor on behalf of the Observer Ltd. from Globe Printers, 24/A, New Eskaton Road, Ramna, Dhaka.Editorial, News and Commercial Offices : Aziz Bhaban (2nd floor), 93, Motijheel C/A, Dhaka-1000.Phone: PABX- 41053001-06; Online: 41053014; Advertisement: 41053012.E-mail: [email protected] , news©dailyobserverbd.com, advertisement©dailyobserverbd.com, For Online Edition: mailobserverbd©gmail.com
Source:bd News24
March 19, 2025 14:50 UTC
Urgent concern about malnutrition in Yemen after funding cuts, says MSF
Urgent concern about malnutrition in Yemen after funding cuts, says MSFMalnutrition is growing in Yemen with needs outpacing current treatment capacity, medical charity MSF said on Wednesday, in a statement appealing for greater financial support following a decline in humanitarian funding for the country. Admissions for malnutrition in Yemen remain alarmingly high, MSF said. "If we don't act now by boosting nutrition programs, ensuring affordable transport to health facilities ... then we risk an even greater surge of malnutrition in the months ahead," said Himedan Mohammed, head of operations for MSF Middle East. The organisation said it was unable to meet all the needs despite scaling up treatment capacity, and called for financial support following "sudden and drastic reductions" in humanitarian funding to Yemen. Yemen has been plagued by years of fighting between the Houthi forces that hold most large urban centres, including the capital Sanaa, and the Saudi-backed government.
Source:bd News24
March 19, 2025 14:30 UTC
Awami League’s Golap holds ‘illicit assets’ worth Tk 680 million: ACC
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has accused former Awami League lawmaker Abdus Sobhan Golap of amassing ‘illicit assets’ worth over Tk 680 million at home and abroad, including nine flats and houses in the United States. On Wednesday, ACC Director General Akhtar Hossain said the case was being processed at the commission’s integrated district Dhaka-1 office. Citing the complaint, he said that Golap had accumulated over Tk 690 million in assets, including Tk 323.4 million in immovable property, Tk 371.6 million as movable assets, and Tk 2.5 million in family expenses. Highlighting Golap's legal and verifiable income amounted to Tk 104.4 million, the ACC official said he had acquired the remaining wealth of Tk 683.2 million "beyond known sources of income”. In addition, the ACC investigation uncovered evidence of "unusual and suspicious transactions" of Tk 976.3 million in 51 bank accounts linked to Golap, according to Akhtar.
Source:bd News24
March 19, 2025 12:54 UTC
SSC maths exam deferred by a day for Easter
Education authorities have postponed the Secondary School Certificate (SSC) mathematics test by a day due to Easter Sunday. The exam, originally scheduled for Apr 20, will now be held on Apr 21, according to the revised routine. SM Kamal Uddin Haider, convenor of the Inter-Education Board Examination Control Committee, said: “As Easter Sunday falls on Apr 20, the maths exam has been rescheduled to Apr 21.”This marks the second revision of the SSC exam timetable after the Bengali Second Paper test was pushed back from Apr 13 to May 13 last month. The SSC and equivalent exams will begin with the Bengali First Paper test on Apr 10. The SSC exams this year will cover the complete syllabus, with full marks and regular timing.
Source:bd News24
March 19, 2025 11:34 UTC