London

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday said that there is freedom of speech in the country as the newspapers here are enjoying full freedom. "But all concerned will have to be responsible to enjoy this freedom. However, freedom doesn't mean to tarnish the rights of anybody," she said while delivering her winding up speech in the 15th session of the 10th Parliament. The Cabinet yesterday approved the amendments to a law allowing four members of the same family to sit on the board of a commercial bank. The amended law will also allow the directors of commercial banks to serve for three consecutive terms of three years each. The seal of approval was given to the Bank Company (Amendment) Act 2017 at the regular weekly Cabinet meeting with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair. President Ab...

    Public transport in London is the priciest in the world, according to a report published by Deutche Bank. A monthly Oyster travel card in London costs £135, a whopping £33 more than the equivalent available in Dublin, which came in as the world's second most expensive city. A monthly ticket costs £95 in Auckland, which came in third, followed by New York City where it costs £91. Tokyo was ranked the fifth most expensive city, at £86. Transport for London (TfL) has commented saying that the findings "did not show the true cost of transport in other countries". The report also investigated the evolution of the cost of monthly travel over the years. It has emerged that the cost of transport in England's metropolis is less expensive now than in 2014, when commuters paid £165 a...

    Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May speaks outside 10 Downing Street after traveling to Buckingham Palace to visit Queen Elizabeth after Parliament was dissolved ahead of the general election, in London Prime Minister Theresa May maintained her strong lead in opinion polls ahead of next month's national election, with one analyst saying she was on course for the kind of huge success Margaret Thatcher enjoyed over 30 years ago. May is asking voters to strengthen her hand as she seeks a mandate for her plan to implement the result of last year's Brexit referendum by quitting the European Union's single market. Her Conservative Party made big gains in local elections last Thursday at the expense of the main opposition Labour party and polls published at the weekend, conducte...

    Almost 900 teachers in Tower Hamlets would lose their jobs if changes to the way schools are funded go ahead, it has been claimed today. According to recruitment agency Teachingjobsinlondon.co.uk schools in the borough could be forced to sack 891 teachers, putting it second from top on a list of the worst affected local authorities in London. The worst hit borough is Newham with the equivalent of 1,074 losses and Southwark with 808 is the third worst. The company claims the least affected areas are Richmond Upon Thames (249), Kingston Upon Thames (249) and Merton (204). The analysis used National Union of Teachers (NUT) data which took the total losses in per pupil funding for the borough’s schools and divided the resulting figure by the average Tower Hamlets teacher salar...

    A suspected jihadist armed with several knives was thought to be heading towards Downing Street when he was dramatically arrested by armed police, security sources have revealed. The 27-year-old man was carrying a rucksack containing at least three knives when he was detained "following a stop and search as part of an ongoing operation", police said. The ‘lone wolf’ suspect had been under close surveillance when counter-terrorism officers ordered his immediate detention as he came within 300 yards of the gates of the Prime Minister’s residence. It is understood that the suspect’s family had become concerned about his behaviour and reported him to the authorities several weeks ago. Investigators believe he was about to launch an attack. The 27-year-old man, dressed head to ...

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday asked the members of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) to make sure that common people do not fall victims to unnecessary torture and oppression during their duties. “You all must give attention to the fact that common people do not suffer in anyway...they must not face any unnecessary torture and oppression...,” she said. The Prime Minister said this while speaking at the PM‟s Special Darbar marking the 13th founding anniversary of the Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) at its Kurmitola headquarters. She also asked the members of the elite force to work more sincerely to ensure safety to public life and property. Belarus yesterday expressed its interest to set up a joint commission on trade and economy to further boost the economic relations with Bangladesh. Vi...

Underscoring the necessity for all countries to support their most vulnerable citizens, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday said it is the responsibility of all to make sure adequate social and medical support for individuals with autism and neuro-development disorders. Governments should make policies and programs to ensure that no individual is neglected. They deserve to have the opportunity to participate in their country's economic growth, she said. The Prime Minister said this while inaugurating a three-day 'International Conference on Autism and Neuro Developmental Disorders' at the Royal Banquet Hall in Thimphu. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday unveiled the plaque of the foundation stone of Chancery of Bangladesh Embassy at Hejo in the Bhutanese capital. She unveiled the pl...

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday morning paid tributes to Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman by placing wreaths at the portrait of the great leader in front of the Bangabandhu Memorial Museum at Dhanmondi-32 in the capital on the occasion of historic Mujibnagar Day. The Cabinet has approved in principle a proposal of the Internal Resources Division (IRD) for formulating an integrated income tax law incorporating all previous rules, amendment and orders. The approval was given in the weekly meeting of the Cabinet held at Bangladesh Secretariat in the capital yesterday with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair. After the meeting Cabinet Secretary Mohammad Shafiul Alam said that the new act would make the income tax laws and rules more easy and effective. Prime ...

    This is the terrifying moment a heroic bus passenger grapples with an alleged knifeman on a London bus in broad daylight. Shocking footage emerged today of two men wrestling near the driver’s cab as one tries to disarm the other of the 12-inch kitchen knife clutched in his hand. After a fierce struggle the brave commuter rips the blade away from the alleged attacker, who flees out of the bus and down the street as the emergency alarm blares. As horrified passengers stand in shock, the man shouts after him: “I am an African. You will never take my life.” The encounter, which left the passenger with knife wounds to his hand and head, took place in on a route 149 bus in Stoke Newington on Tuesday afternoon. It came during a shocking day of knife crime in the capital. Less tha...

Indian President Pranab Mukherjee yesterday highly praised the constant efforts of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for taking forward Bangladesh and solidifying its relations with India. He made the remarks when Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina met him at Rashtrapati Bhaban in the afternoon. They discussed various matters relating to bilateral interests, including the decisions agreed upon by the two countries during the talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday. Congress President Sonia Gandhi yesterday appreciated Bangladesh government's efforts to handle terrorism with an iron hand and said this social menace should be dealt with the way Bangladesh is doing. The Congress leader made the statement when she met Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at South Drawing Room of Rashtrapati Bhavan. V...