The Election Commission (EC) yesterday extended the time limit by five days for the political parties to apply for registration.

BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami will press hard for lifting of the state of emergency and deferral of the upazila election at talks with the caretaker government today.

For the first time since imposition of the state of emergency, Awami League (AL) yesterday announced countrywide protest rallies scheduled for October 19.

A large number of jute products developed by local scientists have not made it to the market despite their huge commercial potential, mostly due to the laid-back government attitude towards promoting and marketing them.

The global financial turmoil appears to have an impact on garments as orders from buyers are slowing.

A Dhaka court in a verdict of a law suit yesterday ordered former Awami League (AL) lawmaker and ex-chairman of Viqarunnisa University Foundation HBM Iqbal and seven others to pay Tk 8.09 crore to Viqarunnisa Noon School and College by October 31.

The government has decided to start construction of a subway in the capital in the middle of next year to be completed by 2013 to improve communication and ease the nagging traffic congestion.

The government yesterday asked the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) for a list of the convicts in its cases in the wake of speculations and newspaper reports on the fate of convicted politicians regarding their participation in the upcoming national polls.

Economic decentralisation and proper planning are now crucial to make Dhaka liveable and for the growth of business and industries, urban experts and economists said yesterday.

The Appellate Division of Supreme Court (SC) yesterday declined to entertain the Anti-corruption Commission (ACC) petitions seeking stay of the High Court (HC) orders granting bail to four political leaders in separate corruption cases.

Senior Joint Secretary of Khulna City Awami League (AL) Khan Ibne Zaman was hacked to death yesterday at his residence at Khalishpur in the city.

The High Court (HC) is set today to hear petitions filed by former prime ministers Khaleda Zia and Sheikh Hasina for quashing the proceedings of three separate corruption cases filed by the Anti-corruption Commission (ACC) against them.

At least four people including a mother and her four-year-old were killed and three went missing in a head-on collision between two vessels in the Buriganga in Keraniganj early yesterday.

Commerce and Education Adviser Hossain Zillur yesterday dismissed a report that Awami League, BNP and pro-government quarters will be given 100 seats each in parliament.

US ambassador to Bangladesh James F Moriarty yesterday hoped the political parties and the government will reach a compromise over the state of emergency to make the upcoming general election credible.

When Bangladesh take on New Zealand in the third and final one-day match of the Brac Bank series at the Chittagong Divisional Stadium today the country will reach a statistical milestone.

The government has asked the students not to get admitted to unauthorised local and foreign educational institutions known as university, college, school, outer campus, regional centre, distant-earning centre, regional resource centre, study centre, admission centre or information centre.

The High Court (HC) will hear today an application filed by the Election Commission (EC) for vacating the HC order staying the EC's re-demarcation of the parliamentary constituencies.

The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) would take initiative to bring back dreaded criminal Trimoti Subrata Bain, who was arrested in Kolkata, India.

A High Court (HC) bench yesterday sent back a writ petition that challenged the legality of the constitution of Jamaat-e Islami Bangladesh.

US economist Paul Krugman, a prolific New York Times columnist and fierce critic of Washington's economic policies, won the Nobel Economics Prize yesterday.

Sri Lankan soldiers attacked Tamil Tiger rebel bunkers along the northern front lines triggering gunbattles that killed 27 guerrillas and five soldiers, the military said yesterday.

Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh warned yesterday that a dangerous rise in ethnic and communal tensions was posing a serious threat to the country's social stability.

THERE are some visible signs of reform in the political parties which, however faint, do suggest that the parties have begun to feel that they have to change the old order that had little room for collective thinking, let alone decision making. It is indeed a welcome development, though any conclusion might be premature at this point of time, when the parties are undergoing a process of reorganising and regrouping.

US missile strikes have once more left people dead in Pakistan. The number of people dead from such forays by drones since mid-August now stands at twelve. Of a good deal more significance than the number of deaths is the matter of how such American attacks inside Pakistan, in search of Taliban and al-Qaeda elements, may be leading to a worsening of the situation. Questions have already been raised, and quite properly too, of such attacks being an infringement of Pakistan's sovereignty. More to the point, such behaviour on the part of the United States surely does not bode well for the future. That is because it might become a pattern where other nations might face conditions similar to those that Pakistan is confronted with. After what has happened in Afghanistan and Iraq and what has been going on in Pakistan's tribal areas, there are grounds for concern.

JUST as we get used to the rule of the tyrants, or consuming adulterated food items, or drinking polluted water, we get used to getting bogged down on the roads in traffic congestions for hours together. And we endure it with such grace! No hollering, no banging, no cursing.

SENATOR John McCain's ongoing presidential campaign represents nothing less than a frontal assault on American political decency -- a campaign that is directed at character assassination has now turned into a campaign of his own self-destruction. At a time when distressed people within the country and the world outside are running for shelter from the financial market meltdown and want to hear what solutions McCain has to offer, he seems obsessed with Obama.

IT'S not often that run-of-the-mill politicians rise above petty self-interest, and even more rare that they articulate grand ideas and visions. But when they do make worthy proposals, these must be heartily welcomed -- no matter what their motives.

Everyone in the Bangladesh tent believes that the job has turned into a tough one after losing a great opportunity in Dhaka to pull off their first-ever one-day series victory against any major Test-playing nation.

Cricket fans in the port city are eagerly waiting to see their homeboy Tamim Iqbal make a cracking return to form in the third one-day international against New Zealand here today after no shows in the first two matches of the Brac Bank series.

It was the stifling heat coupled with the sultry air from the Bay that greeted the New Zealand team as they entered the Chittagong Divisional Stadium yesterday for their final practice ahead of the deciding one-day match against Bangladesh.

Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) president Kazi Salahuddin has asked the national footballers to focus hundred percent on the field during the Merdeka Cup football tournament, which kicks off in Kuala Lumpur tomorrow.

Just after two days of play, Chittagong returned with the satisfaction of winning two more points than Dhaka after their opening round first-class match of the Ispahani Mirzapore Tea 10th National Cricket League ended in a draw yesterday.

Sachin Tendulkar scored a match-saving 49 to help India avert defeat in the first Test against Australia on Monday but fell short of a world record.

Farashganj remained winless at their new home when the old-Dhaka outfit drew goalless with visiting Chittagong Mohammedan at the Narshingdi Stadium in yesterday's Citycell B. League match.

Tripte Datta of BKSP finished fifth in the 10m air rifle on the second day of the 3rd Commonwealth Youth Games at Pune, India yesterday. She scored 384.

Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) yesterday struck a deal with Pragati Insurance to bring the national footballers under insurance for life and injury.

World player of the year Kaka returned after an 11-month international absence to inspire five-time champions Brazil to a 4-0 World Cup qualifying victory over Venezuela here on Sunday.

Wayne Rooney has told Fabio Capello he is prepared to sacrifice his attacking ambitions to be the England's coach utility man.

Australia and Japan are looking to top their group with maximum points as they take on Qatar and Uzbekistan in Asian World Cup qualifying on Wednesday.

England coach Fabio Capello suffered a major blow on Monday with the news that defenders John Terry and Ashley Cole will miss Wednesday's World Cup qualifier against Belarus.

Brazil and Argentina put the mediocrity of recent World Cup qualifying performances behind them this weekend with respective wins that has left them second and third respectively in the table.

Collated list of countries who have reached final qualifying round for 2010 World Cup-African Nations Cup competitions (in alphabetical order):

Czech keeper Petr Cech strained his thigh muscle in the 2010 World Cup qualifier against Poland on Saturday and may not appear in Wednesday's clash with Slovenia, a national team spokesman said.

The full International Cricket Council (ICC) board gathers in Dubai this week for one of its quarterly meetings against a backdrop of talk that it is becoming increasingly marginalised in the running of world cricket.

Pakistan cruised to a seven-wicket victory over an outclassed Zimbabwe in the four-nation Canada Twenty20 tournament on Sunday with opener Shoaib Khan taking man-of-the-match honours for his 50 runs.

This was how it was supposed to end at the Sydney Cricket Ground last January, with India batting spiritedly to save the game after a challenging Australian declaration had left them with just over two sessions to tilt at windmills. Sadly, what happened on the field on January 6 was largely obscured in the aftermath of several controversies, and jibes back and forth about the misunderstood spirit of cricket.

A friendly fixture between England and Spain is set to be moved from its scheduled venue of Madrid next year over fears that racism could again become the overriding feature of the match.

International cricketers are safe from terror attacks in troubled Pakistan because the game is so well loved in the country, player-turned-politician Imran Khan told Australian media.

The organisers of the ongoing four-nation Twenty20 tournament in Canada, Al-Barakah Properties, have signed a five-year contract with Cricket Canada to organise more such international tournaments in the country in summer.

Stuart Law, who captained Lancashire in 2008, has been released, with his Indian Cricket League (ICL) links being one factor in the decision.

The World Cricket League (WCL) was devised by the International Cricket Council (ICC) to provide regular one-day international cricket to Associate and Affiliate countries as well as to provide a qualification route into the ICC World Cup Qualifier (formerly ICC Trophy) and form there to World Cup.

The global financial turmoil seems to have weighed on Bangladesh's lifeline, garments, as orders are being deferred by buyers from the countries, where stores have reported declining sales.

Bangladeshi banks have withdrawn their surplus funds from the troubled banks abroad following the deepening financial crisis that rattled the global banking system, local bankers said.

Maksons Spinning Mills is going to be the first company since 2002 in textile sector to be listed with the country's stock market.

Britain said Monday it would inject up to 37 billion pounds of public money into three ailing banks, urging other countries to take similar radical steps to prop up the global financial system.

China is keen to import more products from Bangladesh, relocate some of its factories and provide assistance for building infrastructure here, said Liang Wentao, the leader of the visiting 20-member Chinese trade and commerce delegation yesterday.

The tenth meeting of the South Asian Telecommunication Regulators' Council (SATRC) kicked off in the Indian capital yesterday with a face-to-face parley between operators and regulators, focusing on the need for reduction in much-talked-about roaming charges among the south Asian nations.

The stock market regulator has slapped a total of Tk 60 lakh fine on 30 directors of three listed companies for violating securities rules.

Ericsson and Grameenphone (GP) have recently signed an agreement to strengthen the capacity of the Telenor Group's all-IP (internet protocol) core network in Bangladesh.

LG Electronics on Sunday announced to launch five LG brand mobile handsets in Bangladesh market through its local distributor Integra International Ltd, said a statement.

A two-day workshop on information and communication technology (ICT) for developing e-governance capacity of government officials began yesterday in the capital.

The stock price plunge and severe credit crunch we are watching today in global financial markets are byproducts of the developments in the US six years ago. In late 2001, fears of global terror attacks after 9/11 shook an already struggling US economy, one that was just beginning to come out of the recession induced by the bursting of the dotcom bubble of late 1990s.

Developing countries complained Sunday that the global financial crisis will put their recent hard-won economic gains at risk while the rich nations focus only on their own problems.

Dhaka stocks bounced back yesterday after market regulators assured investors that the global turmoil would not create an impact on the local capital market.

Asian stocks on Monday posted heavy gains after a week of big losses, with Hong Kong up more than 10 percent, as dealers reacted to a pledge by world leaders to help the battered global economy.

The dollar was lower in Asian trading Monday with investor confidence still muted despite a pledge by Group of Seven (G7) finance chiefs to support major banks amid the financial crisis, dealers said.

The global financial crisis underscores the need for coordinated action to build a better multilateral system, World Bank president Robert Zoellick said Sunday.

Japan's finance minister said Monday he would consider guaranteeing all bank deposits, as world leaders outlined detailed measures to tackle the growing financial crisis.

China said Monday its trade surplus hit a monthly all-time high of 29.3 billion dollars in September despite slowing global demand brought on by the financial crisis.

Malaysia, the world's second-largest palm oil producer, will hike exports by 50 percent to reduce a "worrying" stockpile causing by slowing demand, Plantations Minister Peter Chin said Monday.

AHM Nurul Islam has recently joined Dhaka Chamber of Commerce & Industry (DCCI) as its secretary, said a DCCI statement.

Speakers at a roundtable yesterday said unified protest of the countrymen is the last resort to save the country from the grab of international monetary agencies as the government itself is trying to uphold their interest by privatising service sectors.

LAMB Hospital has ensured quality health service at minimal cost for poor people in northwestern region of the country.

Speakers at a dialogue yesterday said the government should ensure transparency at every step to remove the uncertainty prevailing in the minds of people over holding the Jatiya Sangsad elections.

The 9th Bangladesh Conference titled 'Dialogue & Exchange - Lower Saxony/Europe & Bangladesh' will be held in Hanover, Germany, from October 17 to 19.

The month-long national education survey-2008 will begin across the country tomorrow with a view to collecting all kinds of information from all post-primary education institutions.

Chief Scout Commissioners of Saarc countries have reached an agreement to form a South Asian Scout Forum to strengthen coordination among Scouts in the region.

Three people, including a female government officer, were killed and another injured in separate road accidents in Dhaka and Manikganj in the last two days.

Speakers at a discussion yesterday laid emphasis on bringing the country out of the trend of taking loans from different international financial organisations with hard conditions and prepare development plans utilising the resources of the country.

Local Government, Cooperatives and Rural Development Adviser M Anwarul Iqbal yesterday underscored the need for devising sustainable technology and aware people about hygienic sanitation for ensuring total sanitation coverage across the country by 2010.

Three people, including a policeman, were injured in a collision between a locomotive and a human hauler at Sholoshahar Level Crossing in the city yesterday morning.

At least 10 people were injured, three by bullets, in a clash between the students of Victoria College and security guards of Comilla Rail Station yesterday morning.

Rajshahi Mayor AHM Khairuzzaman Liton yesterday sought cooperation of his party men as he is going to take stern action very soon against those who were engaged in corruption and irregularities in the city corporation in the past.

Speakers at a discussion yesterday paid their rich tributes to veteran journalist, filmmaker and litterateur Obaidul Haq for his outstanding contribution to the field of journalism and literature.

The South Asian Institute of Advanced Legal and Human Rights Studies (SAILS) was launched yesterday with a view to promoting higher legal education and ensuring human rights and the rule of law in the region.

A young man was arrested while trying to kidnap an eight-year-old girl at Anantapur village in Begumganj upazila on Sunday.

The Bangladesh Sarak Paribahan Malik-Sramik Oikya Parishad (BSPMSOP) yesterday withdrew its countrywide transport strike, which was scheduled to begin today.

The country is going to observe the Child Rights Week starting today with a call to prevent all kinds of exploitation and tortures against children.

A robber was beaten to death by a mob during a robbery at a house at Fatulla in Narayanganj in the early hours of yesterday.

Former BNP lawmaker Nazim Uddin Alam was released on bail from the Dhaka Central Jail yesterday.

At least 13 students were injured in a clash between the activists of Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) and Islami Chhatra Shibir at Jagannath University in the city yesterday.

The National Film Award for several years from 2002 to 2007 will be distributed on October 23.

The English examination of the second semester of the second batch at Jagannath University (JNU) will be held tomorrow instead of today due to Lakshmi Puja, says a press release.

A Dhaka court yesterday sentenced three people to 32 years' rigorous imprisonment for killing Ali Islam Dewan, a small trader of Savar area, in October 2003.

American Citizens Democratic Club of Bangladesh has requested all the US democrats living in Bangladesh to register their names to support the election campaign in Bangladesh for US Democratic Party president candidate Barack Obama and vice president candidate Joe Biden.

Prof Dr Rafiqul Islam Chowdhury, a political scientist and former vice chancellor of Chittagong University (CU), passed away due to a cardiac arrest at South Point Hospital in the city yesterday at the age of 75.

Prof Abdullah Abu Sayeed, founder of Bishwa Sahitya Kendra, has said many good initiatives could not be implemented in the country due to corruption.

Janak Roy, a freedom fighter, passed away due to a cardiac arrest at Thakurgaon Sadar Hospital on Sunday.

London-based Al Quran Academy handed over 10,000 copies of Holy Quran as gift for the Armed Forces personnel yesterday.

Afiya Islam Prapti, a six-year-old girl, has been suffering from blood cancer, says a press release.

Groceries worth around Tk 5 lakh were gutted in a fire at a godown in the port city's Majhir Ghat area on Sunday night.

South Chittagong Transport Owners and Workers' Association called off the indefinite strike in the 19 routes of Chittagong to Cox's Bazar and Bandarban districts after a meeting with the administration yesterday afternoon.

Police in separate drives arrested 1,439 people on different charges across the country in the last 24 hours as of 6:00am yesterday.

Major political parties will face crisis in fielding candidates in Barisal region as most of its prominent leaders are either convicted or on the run since 1/11.

Investigation authorities yesterday pressed charges against 13 people including local Jamaat-e-Islami leader Abu Taleb Sardar and local Jubo Dal leaders Nazrul Islam and Zahirul Islam in the case for killing journalist Belal Hossain in Kalaroa upazila on September 14 in 2006.

Freedom fighters of Thakurgaon yesterday destroyed the plaques of two Razakars' set by Thakurgaon municipality authority as district administration failed to take any steps within the deadline announced by freedom fighters.

Leaders and activists of Gonotrantrik Baam Morcha, (democratic left alliance) in Rajshahi yesterday urged the authorities not to 'harass' their leaders in the name of hunting outlaws.

The sixth death anniversary of firebrand peasant leader Ila Mitra who led the famous tebhagha movement in the region during British rule passed yesterday silently, unnoticed.

Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) will continue its anti-corruption drive in joint collaboration with the next democratically elected government.

Hundreds of indigenous people from Kalmakanda and Durgapur upazilas in Netrakona district yesterday formed a human chain in front of the office of Kalmakanda upazila nirbahi officer demanding punishment of two persons for raping indigenous women.

Activists of Rajshahi Medical College (RMC) unit of Islami Chhatra Shibir (ICS) yesterday pasted posters on walls of residential halls and different buildings on the campus portraying Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) activists as terrorists, campus sources said.

Troops and helicopter gunships killed about 40 Taliban militants while four people, including a politician, were injured in a roadside bomb in northwest Pakistan, officials said Monday.

General Ray Odierno, who commands US forces in Iraq, has accused Iran of trying to bribe Iraqi lawmakers in the hope of undermining an agreement that would allow US troops to remain in Iraq after the end of this year, The Washington Post reported Monday.

The EU yesterday condemned Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe's "unilateral decision" to form a new government and threatened fresh sanctions unless he respects a power-sharing deal.

Hillary and Bill Clinton Sunday launched a campaign blitz of the blue-collar heartland that will decide the White House race, beseeching their supporters to make Barack Obama president.

A conservative opposition party won the first round of Lithuania's national election, although strong support for two populist groups means this Baltic nation will face difficult talks on forming a coalition government.

Cambodia warned yesterday of the risk of a large-scale armed conflict with Thailand as ministers from the two neighbours failed to reach a breakthrough in talks on their border dispute.

EU foreign ministers yesterday were cautious on the possibility of renewing strategic partnership talks with Russia, frozen over the Georgia conflict, saying no decision may be made until next month.

Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari Sunday asked India to honour the international water sharing agreements and warned that the violation of Indus Water Treaty would damage Indo-Pak relations.

Seven passengers were killed and one was injured when a bus exploded in Myanmar's main city Yangon early yesterday morning, a police official said.

India, on Sunday, conveyed its' concern to Pakistan over the recent spurt in border ceasefire violations and the attack on its embassy in Kabul for which ISI has been blamed.

Two civilians were killed when a rocket fired by militants hit their home in eastern Afghanistan, police said yesterday, as the US-led coalition said it killed five Taliban elsewhere in the country.

Secular Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas would easily win an election against Ismail Haniya, head of the Islamist Hamas government in Gaza, a poll published yesterday showed.

Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari flies to China today seeking economic investment and support for his country as its ties with the United States come under increasing strain.

Former Gurkha soldiers from Nepal are heading to the House of Lords Monday to support a bill which would cement their right to settle in Britain after a lengthy battle.

A two-year-old boy who fell into a deep well in northern India was pulled out dead on Monday, four days after authorities mounted a massive rescue operation to save him.

Shailkupa Neaz Mohammad Khan (N.M. Khan) public library and village hall is now devoid of readers despite its superb collection of books from home and abroad. In the good old days a good number of students and other government officials thronged here to peruse fiction, drama, novels and story books. However, today neither adults nor students bother to come here to catch up on their reading.

A weeklong concert marking Eid-ul-Fitr and Durga Puja ended in Pabna last Saturday. Popular and upcoming artistes including former finalists of the talent hunt Close Up 1 performed at the programme. Authorities of the Proshanti Bhubon Park, which was inaugurated recently, organised the concert.

Trinamul Unnayan Sangstha, a local NGO working for the indigenous people arranged a cultural programme last Sunday at a remote village Mrachanai, under Sadar upazila in the hill district Khagrachhari, to generate community awareness.

Sarod maestro Ustad Amjad Ali Khan, will perform at a programme to be held at the tennis court of Dhaka Club on November 6, says a press release. The programme is being organised by Sadat Hossain Salim, president, Dhaka Club. Event management group Web Entertainment Ltd. will arrange the programme. The programme will start at 9 pm and will continue till midnight.

After the world premier at the South Asian Film Festival 2008 (Goa, India), local premiere of Razibul Hossain's second digital film Unadittya (Less than Sun God) was held at the Shawkat Osman Auditorium, Central Public Library on October 11. Along with Unadittya, another film by Hossain (Balughori) was screened at the event.

Eminent cine-journalist (Editor of Priyojon) Abdur Rahman and filmmaker Golam Rabbani Biplab have been selected for this year's Fazlul Haque Memorial Award, according to a press release.

ATN Bangla will air the 84th episode of drama serial Mouchakey Dhil tonight at 8:00 pm. Written by Abu Sufian and jointly directed by Sufian and Sabrina.

Drama serial Eit Kather Khacha will be aired tonight at 8:15 pm on ntv. Written and directed by Shihab Khan the story of the serial revolves around three couples.

Over the years AC/DC's music hasn't matured much, to the delight of its fans. The band has always delivered an aggressive take on rock's raw essentials: slicing guitars, driving rhythms and racy lyrics. Its new album, “Black Ice” (Columbia), set to be out this month, is the band's most focused release in almost two decades, full of the fist-pumping riffs and shout-along choruses the band is known for. And it is expected to be one of fall's biggest rock releases.

THE Holy Pravarana Purnima is one of the greatest Buddhist festivals. The Buddhists of Bangladesh observe the holy day with due solemnity, religious dignity, freedom and fervour. This year, the Pravarana is more significant and meaningful because we have observed two other national religious festival, the holy Eid-ul-Fitr and the Saradiya Durgapuja of the two major communities, Muslim and Hindu, respectively, with religious festivity.

FOURTEEN matches, 126 runs and six months after making his debut for the Tigers, Dhiman Ghosh handed in his retirement to the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) and defected to the Indian Cricket League (ICL).

THE global financial meltdown has caused a dramatic shift in the 2008 presidential race. With four weeks left in the presidential campaign, Barack Obama now leads John McCain by double digits, 52% - 41% among registered voters -- a marked shift from the last NEWSWEEK poll, from last month, when the two candidates were tied at 46%.

CHILDREN in the UK are supposedly shocking their parents by using colloquial American words and phrases, such as "cookie" and "whassup" and "mortgage-backed securitisation crisis." UK newspaper columnists are lamenting that American English has won the war, and British English is dead.

Jhumiya people have continued to cultivate jhum crops on the slopes of hills, leading to environmental disasters in Khagrachhari.

The CNG-run autorickshaws and city service buses have continued to violate traffic rules in the port city after the traffic department suspended its drive against reckless driving and illegal parking for Eid-ul-Fitr.

Call to set up second medical college