Partha Pratim Bhattacharjee

Law enforcers have taken all-out measures, including keeping Dhaka city BNP leaders and activists under close watch, to preempt “potential subversive activities” centering on the BNP’s Dhaka rally on December 10.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday instructed Bangladesh Bank to intervene if any bank faced a dollar shortage while opening letters of credit for importing food, fertiliser and other agricultural inputs to ensure uninterrupted food supply.

The men on the ground, the Armed Police Battalion (APBn) members, have time and again stated that after every incident of violent crime in Cox’s Bazar Rohingya camps, the refugees point to the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (Arsa).

Two ministers, three MPs and an Awami League central committee member have been accused of backing party rebels in the zilla parishad polls, which led to the defeat of three AL-sponsored chairman candidates.

Awami League President Sheikh Hasina yesterday urged her party leaders to start campaigning for the national election, slated for January 2024.

Consumer goods importers and processors yesterday told the prime minister how the deepening energy and power crises were affecting their industries.

As the recent BNP rallies drew huge crowds in different cities, the Awami League is now preparing to hold rallies and other programmes across the country from next month apparently to show its strength.

While transport leaders held Khulna hostage for the last two days “to wage a war against illegal three-wheelers”, their vociferous demands fizzled out around the time the BNP ended its rally.

The ruling Awami League and its arch-rival the BNP are working to bring like-minded political parties into their fold ahead of the next parliamentary election.

She is no stranger to adversity. Her life has been plagued by tragedies. But none of those could break her resolve.

The ruling Awami League has hinted it will try to handle BNP’s ongoing protests deftly, as the government is under “pressure” from the international community for its highhandedness towards the opposition programmes.

Mohiuddin Maharaj, organising secretary of Pirojpur district Awami League, is contesting the chairman’s post in the upcoming zila parishad elections as a rebel candidate for the second consecutive time.

Bangladesh Tariqat Federation has become a curious case in the country’s political landscape, which is now murky in the absence of effective opposition parties.

Who is calling all the shots in government affairs at the moment, the ministers or the bureaucrats? The answer is pretty obvious.

The government is expected to increase the duty and taxes on 300 non-essential and luxury items such as SUVs, mobile phones and home appliances as it looks to rein in imports and ease the pressure on foreign currency reserves.

On Sunday noon, Awami League Presidium Member Kazi Zafarullah did something unusual -- he ditched his SUV, hid his face behind a mask and got on a bus in front of Purabi cinema hall in the city’s Pallabi.

Friday’s unprecedented hike in fuel prices, hot on the heels of increased electricity, fertiliser and gas prices, served as yet another massive blow to the people who are already struggling to barely survive amid surging living costs.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday issued a host of directives that include  stopping non-essential procurement and exercising caution in taking up new development projects.

The repayment of foreign loans in the power sector may worsen the country’s debt-servicing burden as the government will have to pay the lenders Tk 197,677.27 crore in the 30 years from 2024-25 fiscal.

The government’s plan for one to two hours of daily power cuts is failing, especially in the north, and the signs are that the electricity crisis may worsen across the country in the coming days.