| Front Page | 
Long list of violence as crossfire crosses line
The country last year witnessed an alarming escalation in human rights violations, especially with the introduction of law enforcers-sponsored murders, outranking by far any previous record and sending
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Stepping into post-MFA era with hope
It is going to be a new experience for the country's readymade garment exporters from today -- no more will they enjoy the protection of US quota system to ward off fierce competitors like China and India.
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Truck driver Kashem returns home
Abul Kashem, the Bangladeshi truck driver who was abducted by an Iraqi guerilla group fighting the US and British troops in their homeland, returned home yesterday.
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Indonesia stops counting tsunami disaster dead
The world pumped aid into south Asia's tsunami zone yesterday in a frantic race to save millions of survivors from dehydration and disease, and stop a terrifying death count climbing further.
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Disco fire in Buenos Aires kills 175
At least 175 people were killed and 619 were injured in a fire at a Buenos Aires discotheque packed with 2,000 teenagers that had its emergency exits padlocked, Mayor Anibal Ibarra said yesterday.
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Bad night for revellers
The city hot spots, except a few in the more affluent areas, looked forlorn last night, as would-be revellers kept away from going out to celebrate the New Year's Eve fearing arrest and harassment amid
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ACC fails to start work as tussle with govt on
Claiming credit for the formation of an 'independent' Anti Corruption Commission (ACC), an election pledge of the ruling coalition, the government is busy tightening its grip on the commission.
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Two top Rajshahi outlaws killed in 'crossfire'
Two top operatives of outlawed Purbo Banglar Communist Party (ML) were killed in 'crossfire' between Rapid Action Battalion and their associates in Puthia upazila early yesterday.
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CPA set to recover grabbed land
Chittagong Port Authority (CPA) has received nod from the higher authorities to recover 97 acres of its land worth over Tk 500 crore under illegal occupation for more than 40 years.
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Sonali Bank to open new bank in US
Sonali Bank, in collaboration with the government, is opening a full-fledged bank in the United States soon to facilitate channelling remittance from Bangladeshi expatriates there.
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Seeking peace...
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'238 killed in hands of law enforcers last year'
A total of 238 people were killed at the hands of law enforcers last year and of them, 147 alone were killed in 'crossfire' involving various law enforcing agencies including Rab, said the annual report
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Bangladeshi shot dead by BSF
Indian Border Security Force (BSF) shot dead a Bangladeshi citizen and injured another in frontier Baliadangi upazila of the district on Thursday night.
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Andaman, Nicobar aborigines safe
Contrary to apprehensions, the aboriginal tribes in India's Andaman and Nicobar islands have survived last Sunday's Tsunami disaster.
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Another cold wave shortly
With the thinning of clouds, the temperature will fall and the second spell of cold wave is likely to hit the country in a couple of days.
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| Business |
DSE greets New Year as T-bond debuts today
The Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) will greet the New Year by welcoming treasury bonds, expected to make debut in the secondary market today, a move DSE says will create a new dimension in reducing dominance
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Privatisation dilemma bogs BSRS activities down
Bangladesh Shilpa Rin Sangstha (BSRS), once leader in industrial lending, is now heading to nowhere with dilemma over privatisation putting a lid on its normal financial activities.
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India opens up pension fund sector
In a key financial sector reform, India has opened up the pension fund sector to private and foreign players, fulfilling a promise made by Finance Minister Palaniappan Chidambaram in his budget five months
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Asia's currencies seen rising yet again in ’05
Foreign exchange forecasters are predicting a fourth straight year of gains for the South Korean won Taiwan dollar, Thai baht and other Asian units in 2005, with Asia's horrific tsunami disaster failing
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Africa hit hard as global textiles market opens
African textile producers are expected to be the hardest hit when rich countries end a curb on clothing imports from developing nations from today, forcing Africa to compete with larger low-cost producers,
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Daffodil Computers approves 10pc dividend
Daffodil Computers Ltd has approved a 10 percent dividend for its shareholders for the financial year 2003-’04.
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Lanka, Maldives bear brunt of tsunami
Sri Lanka and the Maldives are likely to suffer the heaviest economic consequences from the tsunami wave disaster, with bigger economies in the region better placed to withstand the fallout, analystssaid.
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WB allocates $250m for Asia quake emergency
The World Bank announced Thursday a 250-million-dollar injection into emergency reconstruction financing after the deadly South Asia tidal waves.
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India's inflation declines, growth slows down
Indian inflation declined for the fourth week in succession to a six-month low of 6.5 percent and the economy growth slowed in the second quarter of 2004.
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SE Asian stocks end strong 2004 with small gains
Shares in Singapore and Malaysia wrapped up a strong year yesterday by scoring minor gains, their upside limited by year-end position squaring and concerns about the tsunami's economic impact on Southeast
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| Sports |
Cricket:
Kapali misses three-dayer
Alok Kapali received a jolt in his bid to return to the national side as the talented batsman failed to recover from his injury ahead of BCB XI's three-day match against Zimbabwe that starts today inChittagong.
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Hockey:
Abahani pass Mariner test
Abahani stayed hot on the heels of leaders Usha Krira Chakra when the defending champions cruised to a 3-1 win over Mariner Youngs Club in yesterday's Green Delta Premier Hockey League match at the Maulana
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Langer, Kumble top Test class of 2004
Australian opener Justin Langer and Indian spinner Anil Kumble topped test cricket's international batting and bowling lists for 2004.
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Cricket:
Woes mount for Pakistan
It's a New Year's Test of stark contrasts: Pakistan are scratching to come up with a team while Australia are blessed with options after naming a 13-man squad for the final Sydney cricket Test getting
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Cricket:
Vaughan hails mates
England captain Michael Vaughan pledged that his team would seek to carry over their triumphant form of 2004 into the new year after they came within two wickets of a ninth successive victory on a dramatic
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Cricket:
CA proposes tsunami match
Australia's cricketers on Thursday proposed an international match to raise funds for tsunami victims but said the event depended on cooperation from cricket bodies.
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Cricket:
Rumman bowls Azad to victory
A four-wicket haul by Kabir Rumman propelled Azad Sporting Club's way to a narrow 17-run win over Lalmatia Club in the First Division Cricket League at the BKSP ground yesterday.
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Football:
'Guilty' Rooney gets 3-game ban
Manchester United's push for the Premiership title suffered a major blow on Thursday when star striker Wayne Rooney was hit with a three-match ban after admitting a charge of violent conduct, the Football
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Cricket:
Lehmann holds on
Darren Lehmann said Friday he realised his Test career hangs in the balance ahead of the third and final cricket Test against Pakistan at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Sunday.
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Tennis:
'Wimbledon still a dream'
Australian Mark Philippoussis, who has seen his world ranking plummet 100 places in the last year, still harbours dreams of a Wimbledon crown, he revealed Friday.
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Tennis:
Age no barrier, says Navratilova
Martina Navratilova has taken a swipe at critics who think her continued involvement on the women's circuit reflects poorly on tennis.
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Tennis:
Gilbert unsure
Two weeks after being sacked by world number two Andy Roddick, Brad Gilbert was unsure whether his former pupil had made the right decision.
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Pabna Cadet College sports
Titumir House became champions and Bhasani House finished as runners-up in the inter-house sports competition of Pabna Cadet College held at the college playground recently.
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Olympics:
British Olympians honoured
British winners at this summer's Athens Olympics were among hundreds of people recognised by Queen Elizabeth II in her New Year Honours on Friday, with double track gold medalist Kelly Holmes made a Dame.
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Cricket:
Clarke prays for runs in Sydney
Michael Clarke is hoping his first hometown Test over the New Year will bring a return to batting form against Pakistan.
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Cricket:
Jenner spins for MacGill
Stuart MacGill should join forces with master leg-spinner Shane Warne to bamboozle Pakistan in the final Sydney cricket Test, Warne's mentor Terry Jenner said Friday.
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Football:
Mixed reaction to Luxemburgo
Spain's sports media gave a guarded welcome to new Real Madrid coach Vanderlei Luxemburgo on Friday, highlighting the Brazilian's stellar record but bemoaning the merry-go-round of new faces at the club.
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Football:
The good, the bad and the bizarre
A look back at some of the highs and lows of the last 12 months in soccer: Greatest upset: Greece's victory in Euro 2004 when they beat hosts Portugal, twice, defending champions France and favourites
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Football:
Reds guard against New Year Blues
Rafael Benitez is confident his injury-plagued Liverpool squad can kick off 2005 in style by blowing a hole in Premiership leader Chelsea's current aura of invincibility.
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Football:
English giants for tsunami victims
Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal and other English Premiership clubs on Thurday pledged at least one million pounds (1.8 million dollars) in aid for victims of Asia's tsunami disaster.
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| Metropolitan |
11th Dhaka Book Fair begins today
The fortnight-long 11th Dhaka Book Fair begins in the city today.
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New railway timetable for inter-city trains
Bangladesh Railway (BR), Eastern Zone, has announced a new timetable for eight inter-city trains, with effect from today.
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| National |
From darkness to light
Born in the dark world, they can now dream of education like other children and have a normal life in society.These ill-fated children have at last got a shelter where they are growing with allamenities.
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Know labour laws before starting agitation
Speakers at a two-day seminar that concluded here yesterday called upon workers to unite to realise their rights allowed by labour laws and industrial laws.
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Sylhet blasts: Face-saving probe by lone IO
The CID could not find any significant clue to any of the six incidents of bomb and grenade blast in Sylhet city last year, that killed 12 and injured over 100 people.
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AK-47s among 40 modern arms seized in Bandarban last yr
Army and Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) in joint drives recovered 22 A.
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Export, import stop at Bhomra port
The government is incurring a great loss due to stoppage of export and import activities at Bhomra Land Port in Sadar upazila from Thursday.
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Moni Mela begins at Durgapur
A weeklong Moni Mela began at Susong Durgapur, marking the 4th death anniversary of Comrade Moni Singh, founder of Communist Party of Bangladesh and adviser to the provisional government of Bangladesh
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Joint survey resolves border dispute
The dispute between Bangladesh and India over construction of a revetment on the bank of Atrai river in Mohanpur border in the district has been resolved following a joint Indo-Bangla border survey.
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Cold wave kills 8 in Barisal
Cold wave claimed at least eight lives in Barisal division in last four days.
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Patuakhali BCL stages 2-hour hunger strike
Patuakhali district unit of Chhatra League (BCL) staged a two-hour token hunger strike in front of press club demanding withdrawal of cases filed against one of their leaders on Thursday.
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Scenic rural Bangladesh in winter...
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| Culture |
Catches win matches...
The title is a famous term in cricket, and is a painful for all Bangladesh cricket lovers.
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Stellar Bangalees and their luminous works
Watching the December 16 entry by eminent educationist Abdur Rashid Tarkabagish in his diary, or the invitation card of Nobel laureate economist Amartya Sen's wedding, or the epitaph of Hasan HafizurRahman
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Gains and Losses of 2004...
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| General |
FFs urged to unite to revive the spirit of liberation war
Speakers at a reunion yesterday called upon the freedom fighters to be united to revive the spirit of liberation war and establish it in every sphere of life.
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RU admission tests start today amid tension
The admission tests of Rajshahi University begins today amid tension as the teachers also begin a five-day work abstention programme to protest the killing of Prof Muhammad Yunus.
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Hanging bridge over Surma demanded
The Sylhet Bibhag Gonodabi Parishad has called a daylong hartal in Sylhet on January 31 to press home its demand for construction of a hanging bridge over the Surma in place of the age-old Keane Bridge.
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Ctg Press Club executives
Abu Sufian and Kalim Sarwar have been re-elected president and general secretary of Chittagong Press Club unopposed.
The biennial election of the club was held at its auditorium in the port cityyesterday.
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Reunion held
A reunion of ex-students of Vikrampur Bhaban, a dormitory in the city's Indira Road area, was held at the Bhaban on Thursday.
The dormitory is supervised by Dhaka-based Munshiganj-Vikrampur Samity.
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| International |
Indonesia announces int'l summit
Indonesia, the country worst hit by the Asian-wide tsunami disaster, said Friday it would host a major international summit to discuss strategies for overcoming the catastrophe and raising more aid.
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Ukraine court rejects PM's complaints
Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovich's bid to overturn his liberal rival's victory in a presidential election lay in tatters on Thursday after Ukraine's Supreme Court threw out his complaints.
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Abbas takes election campaign to Gaza
Three Palestinians were killed as Israel pressed on with an offensive in the Gaza Strip, a bastion of Islamic hardliners where Palestinian presidential favorite Mahmud Abbas was taking his election campaign
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Nordic governments under fire for slow response
Survivors, relatives and emergency experts in the Nordic countries like Sweden, Norway, Finland and Denmark, have blasted their governments in recent days for failing to respond immediately to the needs
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World welcomes new year in sombre mood
Normally exuberant New Year celebrations were tempered by thoughts for victims of south Asia's tsunami as several major cities canceled parties and Australia led a global minute of silence.
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Australian mother's terrible choice
Australian mother Jillian Searle faced an agonising decision as a wall of water approached her on the Thai resort island of Phuket on Sunday.
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Swedes tops the list of foreign casulaties
A total of 60 Swedes have been identified among the dead and 3,500 are missing after the massive earthquake and tidal waves that slammed the Indian Ocean coastlines, the foreign ministry said on Friday.
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Man found alive after five days under rubble in Indonesia
A man has been pulled alive from the rubble in Indonesia's Banda Aceh city five days after a powerful earthquake and tsunami caused massive destruction, reports said Friday.
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Formation of Israeli coalition faces hitch
The formation of a new Israeli government, bringing Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's right-wing Likud into a coalition with Labor, could be delayed by the demands of a small ultra-Orthodox party, officials
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Baghdad oil refinery fire doused
Iraqi firefighters put out a fire at a crucial oil refinery in Baghdad on Friday after an apparent sabotage that officials warned could have caused a "catastrophe" in the nation's capital, the oil ministry
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US replaces memo on torture with new guidelines
The US Justice Department released a new memo yesterday to replace a controversial document outlining how to avoid violating US and international terror statutes while interrogating prisoners.
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Indian troops kill Pakistani insurgents in Kashmir
Indian troops in insurgency-hit Kashmir have killed three Pakistani members of a hardline Islamic militant group fighting for the Himalayan region's secession from India, an army spokesman said Friday.
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| Editorial |
Editorial:
Welcome 2005
Yesterday, we said goodbye to 2004 with a heavy heart. Nature dealt us a severe blow, at the very fag end of 2004 perhaps to expose the utter helpless of man against its fury which often strikes unannounced.
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Editorial:
Steps to avoid launch disasters
The new plan by the government to diversify passengers into different launch terminals of Dhaka based on their destinations certainly is a good move.
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Looking forward to 2005
At the outset, I wish my readers a very happy New Year. May they have prosperity, peace, and good health throughout the coming months.
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Grassroots changes over the last three decades
Recently I returned to a village named Dautia in Manikgonj, fifty kms from Dhaka, after an absence of 28 years.
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| Letters to Editor |
Well done, cricketers!
Bangladesh played good cricket against India. India lost the second ODI. Our players were consistent with the ball. There were fewer infield errors this time around.
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Rab or Cab?
I would request the relevant authorities to rename Rab to Cab, the C being the abbreviation for "Crossfire." I have not been able to find a suitable expansion of the letter .
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Circulation of money
We are now passing through the 21st century and our nation is already 33 years old! We had governments in the past and also at present pursuing ideologies like Nationalism, Socialism, Secularism, Democracy,
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Future of RMG
The RMG sector of Bangladesh is going to walk a tight rope as MFA will expire shortly. The termination of GSP facility will wreak havoc on the economy of our country.
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Eid and media
Eid has become a big celebration as far as media is concerned. Celebrities and luminaries are getting involved in this. New drama serials and tele-films were lined up to air for more than actual Eidholidays.
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Democracy...
The great sons of the soil fought for our freedom.
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