Bangladesh

    Bangladeshi police officers escort Hasnat Karim, centre, to a court appearance in Dhaka in August 2016. It was supposed to be a celebration. On 1 July 2016, Hasnat Karim, a British-Bangladeshi businessman, and his wife, Sharmina Parveen, took their two children out for their daughter’s 13th birthday at Holey Artisan Bakery Cafe, an upscale Dhaka restaurant. They had gone early so their son could later watch a cartoon at home, where a birthday cake was waiting. As they scanned the menu, gunmen claiming allegiance to the Islamic State stormed the cafe. Over 10 hours, they murdered more than 20 people, mostly foreigners, and held the others hostage. If we had been late, just five or 10 minutes, then we would not have been able to enter the restaurant, Parveen, a soft-spoken w...

    Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TCCA) Coordinator Ahmed Rafiq on Sunday said his country will build refugee camps for one lakh Rohingyas, who fled the persecution in Rakhine state of Myanmar, in the southeastern districts of Bangladesh. He disclosed this while paying a courtesy call on Disaster Management and Relief Minister Mofazzal Hossain Chowdhury (Maya) at his office at the Secretariat in the city, said an official release. During the meeting, they discussed different bilateral issues, including site selection for the refugee camps, and expressed optimism for a peaceful resolution to the crisis as soon as possible. The minister informed the TCCA representative that Bangladesh has given shelter to Myanmar refugees only on humanitarian grounds. Turkey will ...

    Wild elephants trampled to death two Rohingya Muslims in Bangladesh on Monday when they rampaged through a settlement where the refugees were taking shelter after fleeing a military offensive in neighbouring Myanmar. More than 410,000 refugees from Myanmar have poured into Bangladesh since Aug. 25 when attacks by Rohingya militants on security posts triggered a Myanmar army operation that the United Nations has described as ethnic cleansing. ‘There are elephants in the forest, close to the place where many Rohingya refugees are clearing forest to make huts,’ police official Chailau Murma told Reuters. An elderly person and a toddler were killed when the elephants rampaged through the area, he said. Three other people were taken to hospital to be treated for injuries, a ref...

    UNICEF trucks filled with emergency water, sanitation and hygiene supplies for thousands of Rohingya children are headed to Cox’s Bazar, with a steady stream of supplies in the pipeline for the coming days and weeks. Up to 400,000 Rohingya have fled Myanmar for Bangladesh since August 25, with thousands more arriving every day, the UNICEF said on Thursday. Around 60 per cent are children, according to preliminary estimates, reports UNB. The sheer number of refugees has overwhelmed pre-existing refugee camps, with new arrivals seeking shelter anywhere they can find space. ‘There are acute shortages of everything, most critically shelter, food and clean water,’ said Edouard Beigbeder, UNICEF’s Representative in Bangladesh. ‘Conditions on the ground place children at risk of ...

    Rohingya refugees stands in an open place during heavy rain, as they are hold by Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) after illegally crossing the border, in Teknaf, Bangladesh, August 31, 2017. Photo: Reuters Around 38,000 Rohingya have crossed into Bangladesh from neighbouring Myanmar, United Nations sources working in Bangladesh’s southern district of Cox’s Bazar said on Friday. The estimate comes a week after Rohingya insurgents attacked police posts and an army base in Rakhine state, prompting clashes and a military counteroffensive.

    The Saudi authorities have approved all pending applications of intending Bangladeshi Hajj pilgrims paving ways for them to perform the holy Islamic ritual, a Bangladesh foreign ministry statement said in Dhaka on Tuesday evening. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs would like to inform that 118,924 pilgrims visas have been approved by Saudi authorities as of 14 August 2017, the statement read. It added: The Embassy of Saudi Arabia in Dhaka has informed that there is no pending application with them. The statement said Bangladesh’s foreign ministry also was closely working with the Saudi authorities in this regard.  

    Despite spending huge public funds, the speed of different types of vehicles has come down to 7 kilometers per hour from 21 kilometers over the last 10 years in the capital, killing the city dwellers’ 32 lakh working hours each day due to the growing traffic congestions. Speakers came up with the shocking observations at a discussion on ‘Thousands corers of development projects for transportation system, the sufferings people are increasing; Government’s role and responsibility’ in the city on Saturday. Poribesh Bachao Andolon (POBA) or Save the Environment Movement organised the discussion. The speakers sought a mass transportation-centric integrated communication system to end people’s sufferings caused by gridlocks on roads in the city. The traffic gridlock that kills s...

    European Union security screening of Bangladesh exports could damage the country’s multi-billion dollar textile industry, garment manufacturers alleged Thursday. Tensions have been running high in recent months following a resurgence of extremist attacks in Bangladesh claimed by Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State group. Last week the EU, which accounts for more than 60 percent of Dhaka’s $34 billion annual shipments, asked carriers transporting mail and cargo from the South Asian nation to provide an additional layer of screening to check for explosives. ‘The screening can be performed either at the point of origin (Bangladesh) or at transit prior to the entry into the EU. The implementation will be the responsibility of the carriers/airlines,’ the EU delegation to Bangladesh ...

    At least six people were killed in Cox’s Bazar, Rangamati and Bhola as severe cyclonic storm Mora hit Cox’s Bazar-Chittagong coast near Kutubdia on Tuesday morning. In Cox’s Bazar, two people Rahmatullah and Sayera Khatun were killed at East Domkhali and East Borohaula in Dulahajara upazila as trees collapsed on them during the storm in the morning, Deputy Commissioner of Cox’s Bazar M Ali Hossain told reporters. Besides, a panicked woman, Mariam Begum, died of heart attack at Nuniachata cyclone centre, he said. Besides, 20,000 houses were damaged during the cyclone, said the DC adding that they could not yet assess the total losses in damages caused by the cyclone. Meanwhile, the administration has provided 100 metric tonnes of rice and Tk 1lakh for the cyclone-affected p...

    With a fiery new bowler named Fizz leading the young guns and all-rounder Mushfiqur Rahim the old guard, Bangladesh are aiming to leave their mark on the Champions Trophy where they are appearing for only the second time. Bangladesh edged ahead of West Indies in the world rankings to get their place at the 50-over tournament where they will feature in the opening match against hosts England on June 1. Captain Mashraf Mortaza said the team, who last took part in the trophy in 2006, have the mental strength to overcome the tough conditions in England. "If you look at our group, you must feel it will be a difficult job for us," Mashrafe said before leaving Dhaka. "But you can never be sure. We defeated England twice in those conditions, beat Australia once. "Though those vict...