Israel to close occupied West Bank crossings over election

Israel says it will close all land crossings with the occupied West Bank on the day of its general election this coming week.The Israeli army said in a statement on Sunday that it would bar Palestinian workers from entering most areas of the West Bank from Sunday through Monday and enforce a full cl

The Chattogram Custom House building in Chattogram. Photo: Collected

The number of consignments locked by the Audit, Investigation and Research (AIR) wing rose 29.4% year-on-year from 361 in the same period of FY26, while revenue and fines collected surged 83.6% from Tk31.7 crore, according to customs data

My Districts

Trump and Rubio plan to visit oil tanker carrying Venezuelan crude in Texas

President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Tuesday plan to show off a newly arrived oil tanker filled with Venezuelan crude to be processed in Texas refineries, according to a congressional aide and two U.S. officials.

Bangladesh PM arrives in Japan for a four day state visit, accompanied by his wife Zubaida Rahmand and escorted by Nakasone Yasutaka, State Minister for Foreign Affairs for Japan. Photo: PMO

Tarique Rahman is visiting Japan at the invitation of Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi. During the visit, the two countries are expected to discuss strengthening bilateral relations, attracting Japanese investment and expanding economic cooperation, among other important issues

Ramu boat festival.jpeg

People from different faiths and communities lined the banks of the Bakkhali river as paper-crafted ships were floated

BNP nominates Aliza Zaman for vacant reserved seat

Aliza Zaman hassubmitted her nomination paper as the BNP candidate for the by-election to the vacant reserved women

Jay-Z to headline Super Bowl halftime show in California

Rapper and music mogul Jay-Z will headline the Super Bowl halftime show on February 14 at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, the NFL, Apple Music and Roc Nation announced Monday night.

Japan eyes 1 trillion yen investment in Bangladesh over 5 years

Japan eyes private investment of up to 1 trillion yen in Bangladesh over the next five years, with the potential to create 200,000 jobs, as the two countries agreed to deepen economic cooperation, strengthen supply chains and upgrade their flagship development initiative to “BIG-B for Shared Prosperity”.

Railway minister.jpg

Railway minister says overhaul underway, with 80 locomotives and 200 new coaches in the procurement pipeline

Dilara Zaman returns to music videos with SI Sumon’s ‘Maa’

Veteran actress Dilara Zaman has returned to music videos after a three-decade hiatus, appearing in the upcoming video for "Maa", a song performed by SI Sumon.

Carney says US moving closer to Canada’s trade demands as midterms approach

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said Monday that trade discussions with US President Donald Trump’s administration had intensified slightly, but any progress reflected Washington’s movement closer to Canada’s position.

OP_1_cash-economy.jpg

In early September, in an article published by this newspaper, I highlighted how the country’s underground economy was not only depriving the government of much-needed revenue but also sustaining inequality, rewarding tax evasion, distorting competition, and weakening the government’s capacity to deliver public services.

Microsoft offers voluntary buyouts to 27% of global workforce amid AI spending surge

Microsoft has offered voluntary buyouts to around 60,000 employees, or about 27% of its global workforce, as the software giant ramps up spending on artificial intelligence.

Shah Rukh Khan unveils ‘King’ poster, declares himself a lover

Shah Rukh Khan is embracing his romantic side once again at 60, unveiling a new poster for his upcoming action thriller “King”, in which the superstar declares himself a lover rather than a killer.

Court rejects Akhtaruzzaman's bail plea

A court in Dhakaon Monday rejected the bail plea of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami leader Major (retd) Akhtaruzzaman in a case filed over allegedly

Haier Bangladesh launches Tigris water heaters, first Microwave

Haier Bangladesh Limited has reached a major market milestone by officially launching its brand-new premium Tigris Water Heater Series and introducing Haier’s first-ever microwave oven lineup in Bangladesh at the Haier Gulshan Flagship Store. The dual-product launch further enriches Haier&rsqu

Macklemore (2).jpg

Macklemore launched his first “Free Palestine” tour in Dublin, Ireland, on Monday, dedicating the opening concert to “love and liberation”. The performance came just over a month after he was dropped as an opening act for Ed Sheeran’s tour following a political speech he delivered on stage.

ED_1__Bangladesh_stuck_in_low_growth_trap.jpg

The latest growth forecasts from international organisations are troubling: Bangladesh may not just grow more slowly this year, but its economy could remain weak for years—unless its underlying problems are addressed.