| Front Page | 
Enumeration starts amid agitation
Work for the controversial fresh voter list by the manpower appointed mostly on political consideration began yesterday amid demonstrations by the main opposition Awami League (AL).
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Caretaker govt to find polls too hot to handle
The next caretaker government may face an uphill task to conduct the parliamentary election in the wake of the looming political confrontation over electoral reforms.
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JP, CPB men lock in violent clash
One person was killed in a road accident during a clash between the Jatiya Party (Ershad) and the Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB) at Paltan in the capital yesterday, leaving at least 25 activistsof
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They talk of 'third force' for fear of losing polls
Prime Minister and BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia yesterday said those who are afraid of elections and believe that they will not be able to come to power through elections are talking of the "third force".
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Bid to get 'flawed' bid cleared by cabinet today
The power ministry today will seek the cabinet's approval for a flawed bid for the 150 MW Chandpur power project in violation of the Public Procurement Regulation (PPR), sources said.
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DCC cattle markets set to go to BNP men
Dhaka City Corporation (DCC) will issue work orders today to the highest bidders in a controversial tender process for its 14 Eid cattle markets in the city.
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Eid-ul-Azha on Jan 11
The Eid-ul-Azha will be celebrated in Bangladesh on January 11. It was officially announced yesterday following sighting of Jilhajj moon .
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Secondary students won't get all books before month-end
Secondary school students will not get all their textbooks before last week of January.
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Hajj pilgrimage to peak Jan 9
Saudi Arabia said the climax of this year's hajj pilgrimage, in which more than 2 million Muslims will retrace the footsteps of Prophet Hazrat Mohammad (SM), would be on January 9.
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India, Pakistan swap list of nuke facilities
Nuclear-armed rivals Pakistan and India yesterday exchanged lists of their nuclear facilities in line with an agreement to swap such information annually on New Year's Day, the foreign ministry said.
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Uncertainty still haunts hajj goers
Uncertainty and anxiety have gripped a few hundred non-ballottee pilgrims at a hajj camp in Ashkona in Uttara as most of them do not know when their plane tickets will be confirmed.
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Opposition to force govt to go for reforms
Awami League (AL) President Sheikh Hasina yesterday said the opposition will take part in the next election, compelling the BNP-Jamaat coalition government to carry out reforms in the caretaker government
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Khulna BJP leader injured in bomb attack
A local leader of ruling coalition partner Bangladesh Jatiya Party (BJP) came under a bomb attack by unidentified men in the city's Shiromoni area last night, but luckily escaped unhurt.
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Robber killed in 'crossfire'
An alleged leader of inter-district robbers' syndicate was killed in "crossfire" during a shootout between his accomplices and the police at Araihazar in Narayanganj early yesterday.
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Safta comes into being: Pakistan, Sri Lanka yet to ratify it
South Asian Free Trade Area (Safta), paving way for free trade of goods among countries of the Saarc countries, came into being yesterday but Pakistan is yet to complete the formality of ratifying it.
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Arrested JMB man says he was in Shibir
The Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) second-in-command of Khulna district on Saturday night admitted on interrogation that he was an activist of Islami Chhatra Shibir (ICS) before he joined JMB in
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48-hr transport strike in 21 dists from today
Bangladesh Sarak Paribahan Sramik Federation has called a 48-hour transport strike in 21 districts of southwestern region from today to press home their five-point demand.
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Democracy is dead: Ershad
Jatiya Party (JP) Chairman HM Ershad yesterday said his party will form electoral alliance with those who are in agreement with their 12-point demand.
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Cop held for snatching cattle trader's money
Rajshahi police yesterday arrested a police constable on a charge of snatching money from a cattle trader and recovered the looted money. The arrested policeman was identified as Masud Rana.
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BSF kills 1 in Thakurgaon
A Bangladeshi was shot dead by Indian Border Security Force (BSF) at Horinmari frontier in Baliadangi upazila Saturday night.
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Ahmadinejad has an empty bank account and an old car
Iran's hardline President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has an empty bank account and a 30-year-old car, according to a list of his worldly possessions published in the local press yesterday.
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| Business |
Dearth of equipped labs blurs shrimp prospect
Shrimp exporters are facing inadequate testing facilities in laboratories when they eye US$ 1 billion annual export by 2008.
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CPD's reflections from Bangladesh perspective
continued from Jan 1
Strengthening of MoC's Consultative Process on WTO
There is a mechanism of consultative process in place in the Ministry of Commerce (MoC) for seeking advice from
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DITF draws huge crowd on New Year's Day
Dhaka International Trade Fair (DITF) witnessed a huge turnout of visitors yesterday, the first day of the New Year, after some dull days following a recent bomb blast incident on Rokeya Sharoni, away
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Bourses start New Year on a low
The capital market started 2006 with a downtrend in indices. The DSE General Index declined by 7.55 or 0.45 percent to close at 1669.79 points yesterday from 1677.34579 points on Thursday.
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New 500 taka note from tomorrow
New prints of 500 taka notes with the signature of Governor of Bangladesh Bank Salehuddin Ahmed will be issued tomorrow.
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Office bearers of BJMA
Kamran T Rahman and Md Talha have been elected chairman and vice chairman of Bangladesh Jute Mills Association (BJMA) for 2006-07.
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New DMDs of Bank Asia
Aminul Islam and Erfanuddin Ahmed have been appointed deputy managing directors of Bank Asia Ltd with effect from January 1, 2006.
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Cricket:
Kaneria looks forward to India series
Billed as Pakistan's trump card against India, champion leg-spinner Danish Kaneria said it will be a new and tougher challenge for him but he is determined and motivated to play a leading role in theupcoming
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China-US textiles deal comes into effect
A deal to limit the export of Chinese textiles and apparel to the US market, hammered out in three months of tough talks between Washington and Beijing, was due to come into effect on Sunday.
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ATN news update thru' GP cellphone
Private TV channel ATN Bangla has signed an agreement with mobile phone operator GrameenPhone Ltd to provide news updates through GP cellphones.
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S Korea's trade surplus down 19.8pc in 2005
South Korea's trade surplus shrank nearly 20 percent year-on-year in 2005 despite record exports due to the rising cost of imported oil and raw materials, the government said Sunday.
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| Sports |
Football:
Abahani top dog in Super Six
Abahani finished atop the Super Six table after a 2-2 draw with defending champions Brothers Union in both sides' last match ahead of the Nitol-Tata Fifth National Football League semifinals.
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Cricket:
Ganguly's fate decider?
India's tour of Pakistan, which starts this week, could decide the future of former captain Sourav Ganguly.
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Cricket:
'No home advantage'
Pakistani skipper Inzamamul Haq on Sunday tipped India as favourites in the forthcoming Test series, saying a home advantage and Pakistan's recent series win over England would count for little.
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Cricket:
Sydney Test from today
Australian captain Ricky Ponting is aiming to start the new year the way he ended 2005, with runs and another victory against South Africa in the decisive final cricket Test starting here on Monday.
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Cricket:
India getting on ICC's nerves?
Only days after cricket's great revolutionary Kerry Packer died, the game's leaders are trying to head off another major upheaval.
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Cricket:
Old DOHS seek revenge against Abahani
With a hope to maintain their all-win record in the Aktel Premier Division Cricket League, defending champions Old DOHS meet fallen giants Abahani in an eighth round match at BKSP today.
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Cricket:
CCDM imposes fine on MSC
The Cricket Committee of Dhaka Metropolis (CCDM) imposed a fine on Mohammedan Sporting Club for attacking match officials after their Premier Cricket League encounter against Old DOHS at the FatullahCricket
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Football:
Liverpool, MU end year on a high
Peter Crouch's fifth goal in five Premiership games earned Liverpool a hard-fought 1-0 win over West Bromwich Albion at Anfield on Saturday.
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Football:
Mourinho warns Cole
Fuming Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho rounded off 2005 by savaging England midfielder Joe Cole, telling him one more bout of showboating for the crowd will bring the axe crashing down.
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Football:
Edson never liked 'Pele'
Pele was so angry with a school classmate who dreamed up his nickname that he punched him, the soccer great recalled on Sunday.
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Football:
Owen dismisses WC concern
Newcastle striker Michael Owen insists he will be fit for England's World Cup campaign this summer, despite breaking a bone in his foot on Saturday.
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Cricket:
Another ton for Ponting
Australia captain Ricky Ponting celebrates his 100th Test appearance in the third and final Test against South Africa starting at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Monday.
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Football:
Merkel against banning Iran
German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Sunday she opposed banning Iran from the soccer World Cup because of controversial remarks by Iran's president, saying it would be wrong to punish the players for
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Cricket:
Peshawar may not host ODI
The Indian itinerary for the tour of Pakistan looks like heading for another change with Peshawar unlikely to host the second one-day international.
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Cricket:
SL-India final in women's Asia Cup
Defending champions India maintained their unbeaten record in the second women's Asia Cup, beating Sri Lanka by 10 wickets at the Gymkhana ground here Sunday.
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Cricket:
Pegasus ride on Sharif
An all-round performance by Sharif guided Young Pegasus maintain their all-win record in the First Division Cricket League with an 18-run defeat of Jatrabari Krira Chakra in the eleventh-round game at
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Football:
Sylhet reach zonal semis
Two-goal Sameer steered Sylhet into the zonal semifinal of the Second JFA Cup Under-16 football tournament with a 2-0 win over ten-man Habiganj at the Chandpur Stadium yesterday.
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Tennis:
US win Hopman Cup opener
The United States rallied to defeat Serbia and Montenegro 2-1 at the Hopman Cup on Sunday, after Lisa Raymond had slumped 6-2, 6-4 to Ana Ivanovic.
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Cricket:
Steve believes Ricky can go past Brian
Steve Waugh, the former Australian captain, has declared that Ricky Ponting is the batsman most likely to go past Brian Lara's record of most Test runs.
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Basketball:
V-Day b'ball final today
Josephites will take on Bangladesh Navy in the today's Victory-Day Basketball Tournament final at the Dhanmondi Basketball Gymnasium.
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| Metropolitan |
Build knowledge-based nation
Prime Minister Khaleda Zia urged all to read and learn more to overcome the country's shortcomings in resources, capacity and knowledge to build an enlightened nation.
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'Ethnic minorities yet to get constitutional recognition'
Prof Serajul Islam Chowdhury, a noted academic, yesterday said the fascist aspect of the country is apparent through its failure to provide constitutional recognition to its ethnic minorities.
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5 killed, 21 injured in road accidents
At least five people were killed and 21injured in separate road accidents in Sirajganj and Jessore yesterday.
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3 journos killed, 370 tortured, 164 get death threats
Three journalists were killed and 370 others were injured in 165 incidents of torture on journalists across the country last year, according to a survey by Mass-line Media Centre (MMC).
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Port city wears curfew-like atmosphere
An unprecedented curfew-like situation gripped the port city on the Thirty First night as law enforcers took to the streets in a combative mood to ward off what they said any 'unpleasant scene' centring
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SC to deal with new voter-list preparation today
The Supreme Court will reopen today after a fortnight winter vacation and deal on the first day with the most contentious political issue of the time regarding new voter-list preparation, which already
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Shahidur, Nasreen to be buried today
The namaz-e-janaza of Petrobangla Director (Planning) Kazi Shahidur Rahman and his wife Nasreen Shahid killed in a road accident on Friday will be held at the Petrobangla Centre at Karwan Bazar in the
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Shahriar not spared from appearing before court
Despite submitting doctor's prescription eminent writer and columnist Shahriar Kabir was not spared from appearing before the court yesterday.
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'Unite to fight terrorism'
Speakers at a rally yesterday called upon the members of political parties and civil society to unite in the fight against terrorism and fundamentalism in the country.
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Attack on CPB rally, office condemned
Different organisations yesterday condemned the attack of the Jatiya Party (JP) activists on the Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB) rally and office in presence of JP chairman HM Ershad.
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BNP, Jamaat leaders force one to sign deal
Local BNP and Jamaat leaders of Sherpur upazila of Bogra allegedly forced a man to sign a deed of Tk 75,000 in fine on Saturday night.
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Bangladesh is my second home: Zarab
Ambassador of Palestine in Dhaka Mohammad Shahta Zarab paid a farewell call on Leader of the Opposition in Parliament Sheikh Hasina at her Dhanmondi residence yesterday.
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Youth shot in Mirpur
Gunmen shot and injured a youth in the city's Mirpur area yesterday afternoon.
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Shaukat Osman's birth anniversary today
The 89th birth anniversary of Shaukat Osman, an eminent writer, will be celebrated today, says a press release.
Shaukat Smriti Bidyalaya has chalked out a two-day programme to mark the day.
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18th BCS Forum AGM Jan 27
The Annual General Meeting and reunion of the 18th Bangladesh Civil Service (BCS) forum will be held at the Institute of Engineers Bangladesh (IEB) in the city on January 27, says a press release.
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Heroin worth Tk 1 cr seized
Members of Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) yesterday seized more than one kilogram of heroin worth about Tk 1 crore and a touchstone idol in Keraniganj. They also arrested four alleged drug peddlers.
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9th Buet convocation tomorrow
The 9th convocation of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (Buet) will be held on the campus tomorrow.
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JCD factions clash in Gazipur
Two groups of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) clashed at Gazipur Government Badre Alam College on the occasion of 27th founding anniversary of JCD. Three JCD leaders were expelled in this regard.
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Appeal for help
Mohammad Motaharul Haque, a father of three children, is suffering from liver cirrhosis.
Doctors said his treatment would cost around Tk 7 lakh which he cannot afford to pay.
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| National |
Nilphamari Polli Bidyut Samity exceeds target
Amid frustrating performance by government and autonomous service sectors, the Nilphamari Polli Bidyut Samity (Rural Electrification Association) has raised some hopes.
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'Enlightened Lalmonirhat' creates awareness
Rangpur: Several thousand people from different areas of Lalmonirhat yesterday observed the 2nd anniversary of launching of the much-acclaimed Enlightened Lalmonir-hat porogramme in a colorful manner.
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BNP activists drive out lessees from ferry ghats
The government is being deprived of a good amount of revenue as influential BNP activists are allegedly collecting toll illegally from passengers and cargo boats at Balashi and Sayedpur ferry ghats (terminals)
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A prospective sector ignored
Though a new venture, seed production has drawn many enterprising youths in the district's Modhupur area, employing about 6000 agriculture labourers and supplying good quality seeds to farmers.
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Kuakata full of tourists
Kuakata sea beach is now full of tourist. Thousands of tourists from home and abroad have flocked there to spend holiday and to welcome the New Year.
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10 hurt in JP factional clash in Ctg
A clash between two rival factions of Jatiya Party (Ershad) yesterday left at least 10 persons injured in the port city.
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The Daily Star Readers' Club formed in B'Baria
An 101-member committee of The Daily Star Readers' Club was formed with Prof Abdun Noor as its convenor at a meeting held at the North South School of Primary Graduation School hall room here on Friday.
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2 JMB men handed over to Jessore police
Two JMB (Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh) commanders who were arrested by members of the Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) in Khulna Friday night were handed over to Jessore police for interrogation on Saturday.
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10 fishermen abducted by pirates in Sundarban
Pirates abducted ten fishermen from Tengrakhali canal area in the Sundarbans on Friday and demanded Tk 5 lakh ransom.
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Rice truck hijacked in Gaibandha
A truck carrying rice worth Tk 5 lakh was hijacked by an armed gang of highwaymen at Shahebganj on the Gobindaganj-Dinajpur Highway Friday night.
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| Point-Counterpoint |
Bangladesh's MDG report card
Bangladesh has the largest number of poor people in the world after China and India. About 49.6 percent people cannot earn even one dollar a day.
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Deadly game of politics
The warm up for the next general election has begun in earnest. The two major parties have been wasting no time to form coalition of like-minded people to fight the 2007 election.
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Efficiency in public administration
In Australia public servants are regarded as inherently inefficient and need to be watched closely to ensure that they do a fair day's work.
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| Culture |
Recap of theatre activities in 2005
In comparison with 2004, there have been fewer theatre festivals in Dhaka. However the number of new productions in 2005 is satisfactory.
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Portraying reality through the lens
Iftekhar Wahid Iftee's solo photo exhibit, being held at Café Insomnia, is a collection of 15 promising pictures, in startling black-and-white.
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Impress Limited and Banglalink join hands in a film venture
Banglalink, a mobile phone operator, will sponsor 12 films to be produced this year by Impress Tele-film Limited (ITL).
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A treat of Tagore songs in Bengal Shilpalaya
On December 31, 2005 culture aficionados congregated for a musical evening of Tagore's songs, titled Amader Shantiniketon. The organiser was the Bengal Foundation and the venue was the Bengal Shilpalaya.
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| General |
Water level in major rivers reduces to lowest
Major rivers including the Padma, Teesta, Brahmaputra and their tributaries are abnormally drying up due to continuous withdrawal of common river waters in the upstream through India's various dams including
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BDR-BSF confce begins Jan 5 in Sylhet
A three-day deputy director general level border conference between the Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) and the Border Security Force (BSF) of India will begin on January 5 at the BDR sector headquarters in Sylhet.
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Shykh Siraj gets Dr Ibrahim Award
Shykh Siraj, a noted TV personality, yesterday received Dr Ibrahim Memorial Honorary Award for his outstanding contribution to the development of agriculture in the country, says a press release.
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| International |
Militants end ME truce
Palestinian militants marked the end of a truce agreement yesterday by firing a barrage of rockets towards southern Israel and detonating explosives in a beachfront UN club in Gaza City.
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War fear grips Nepal as Maoist truce nears end
A new year dawned in revolt-torn Nepal yesterday amid growing fears of fresh violence as the Maoist rebels' unilateral truce neared its end.
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Talks key to halting Lanka's slide to war
Sri Lanka could slide back into civil war early in the New Year unless the government and Tamil Tiger rebels agree to meet face-to-face and save their fragile truce, according to analysts and mediators.
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Revellers ring in New Year
Revellers around the world rang in the New Year with the usual fireworks and fanfare accompanied by calls for peace from the US and Iraqi presidents.
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Churchill was willing to let Gandhi die
Winston Churchill, Britain's World War II prime minister, was prepared to let Indian independence leader Mahatma Gandhi starve to death if he went on hunger strike while interned during the war, archives
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Five children, woman burned alive in Bihar
Five children and a woman were burned to death in their home yesterday by a rival family over a dispute about missing buffaloes in the eastern Indian state of Bihar, police said.
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| Editorial |
Editorial:
Tipaimukh dam
One cannot recall that Bangladesh has been consulted by the upper riparian India before the plan for Tipaimukh dam project was given a go-ahead in the neighbouring country.
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Editorial:
Orphaned by highway accident
We are deeply shocked at the loss of yet several valuable lives in a road accident which took place the other day on the Dhaka-Sylhet highway in the early hours in which two senior executives of Petrobangla
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Toppling of government: Still a pipedream
To state the obvious it must be admitted that Begum Khaleda Zia, our prime minister, is powerful head of the government. She relishes unbridled power and -- significantly -- she acquires it herself.
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Conflict, corruption, cricket
What do we really celebrate when we usher out the old year and cheer in the new -- birth or death? I get the politically incorrect feeling that we are far happier about the death of the past than thepromise
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Bangladesh as I see it
I wonder what is happening.
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| Letters to Editor |
Guest birds bring delight, fear
The news items with the subject heading published on 12 Dec 2005 (pg. 20) drew my attention.
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Do we really need Jamaat?
Do we really need Jamaat in politics? If so why? What is the achievement that Jamaat made in these years being active partners of the coalition? Presumably, the main goal of Jamaat was to slowly grabthe
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Sound pollution
Most of us are certainly thinking about Greenhouse Effect, and other crucial or rearmost environmental crises.
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Fundamentalism in Bangladesh
I concur with the writer of the letter on this topic published a few days ago. Madrassah education needs to be upgraded to the same standard as public school.
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Congratulations to Sachin
Indian master blaster Sachin Tendulkar is still showing his brilliant performance. He scored his 35th Test century against Sri Lanka in the second Test in Delhi.
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Bomb blasts
Life is the most pretty artful work of Allah and is also a divine gift. All the preparations and arrangements are for life, but there is no safety and scope for better living in Bangladesh.
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Playing with fire
The Netrokona massacre occurred on December 8, 2005, one day before its liberation in 1971 and it has been termed by the State Minister for Home Affairs as a new dimension.
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Bitter-cane !
It's a déjà-vu of colonial era indigo plantation.
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GDP Growth
The Honourable Finance Minister's observation that the country's GDP growth will be 7% this fiscal year is something that, if actually achieved, would be a pleasant respite from the continuous streamof
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Our potential
In spite of apparent dangerous situations prevailing in Bangladesh now, the world is looking towards it with keen desire to invest in different sectors of its economy.
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Asian Highway Treaty
Bangladesh should sign the Asian Highway Treaty. This is not the only game in world stage. You have to learn how to play big boys if you want to be a player on the world stage.
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Inadequate facilities at ZIA
I have been using the Zia International Airport (ZIA) for a long time. During my several visits to Bangladesh, I noticed that women along with their children had been waiting in the queue for hours.
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Disturbed
There was a letter in DS about the missed call disturbance. I wrote a letter last year about the problem, but nobody paid any heed to it, rather some wanted to make the issue controversial.
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Yadav's death
We watched in horror as the deceased Yadav Biswas' memory was dishonored and his family, instead of being permitted to grieve and perform last rites, was humiliated and hassled.
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Dismissal of two state ministers
I am a regular reader of The Daily Star since it has come out. I would like to draw the attention of the government through your daily about two state ministers who had to quit because of their incompetence.
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| Star City |
Extortionists making fortunes from cattle traders
Mosaddek Ali, a cattle trader, from Naogaon was stunned when he received information that he would have to pay Tk 800 to enter the Gabtoli market.
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City awaits nod for six new roads
Dhaka City Corporation (DCC) says that it could not start construction work of six new roads as the projects have been waiting for the approval of the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council
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Baldah Garden losing attraction
A dearth of employees and facilities combined with negligence of the authorities has left the century-old Balda Garden in a dismal state.
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Loud horns creating noise pollution
The level of noise pollution in the city has increased due to use of loud hydraulic horns and double horns despite the fact that there are laws against the use of such horns.
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