Rashidul Hasan

The vacuum in the wake of the Awami League’s departure from the political arena and the BNP’s impending reemergence as number one are leading other parties to peel away from these major players and seek to make their own spheres of alliance.

The taunts and barbs leave little room for doubt that the 33-year-old ties have soured. Since the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s government on August 5, BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami leaders have differed in private and in public on various issues, including reforms and election timeframe.

Flights between Bangladesh and India have seen a sharp drop in passenger numbers recently, with airlines blaming India’s restricted visa issuance as the main cause.

Flights between Bangladesh and India have seen a sharp drop in passenger numbers recently, with airlines blaming India's restricted visa issuance as the main cause

Passengers will have to wait for a year and a half to use the third terminal of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport as the authorities are yet to figure out the modalities for running the state-of-the-art terminal.

Biman at last has a managing director with relevant experience after Md. Shafiqur Rahman, a veteran of the national flag carrier, was chosen by the new board to steady the ship riddled by years of malpractices.

For passengers with past experience of the Dhaka airport, the prospect of flying into Bangladesh’s capital has not been a pleasant one, chiefly because of the seemingly interminable delays in getting their checked-in baggage.

Passengers say they have been getting their luggage quickly at airport previously known for long delays

Seven political parties, including the BNP and Jamaat, yesterday said Prof Muhammad Yunus-led interim government can take the time necessary for creating an atmosphere conducive to holding a free and fair election.

The travel agents are facing an “existential crisis” due to the countrywide internet blackout as all activities of around 4,000 travel agents have remained halted since Thursday night.

Uncertainty looms over the fate of hundreds of Saudi-bound Bangladeshi migrant workers as Saudia airlines cancelled multiple flights following the countrywide internet shutdown since Thursday night.

Hundreds of passengers were stranded at the Dhaka airport yesterday after flights were grounded due to a glitch in a cyber security software widely used by airlines.

Biman is lagging far behind the international standard for on-time performance for its flights, an indication of the continued operational inefficiency of the national flag carrier.

A parliamentary body yesterday formed a three-member sub-committee to investigate alleged corruption in the tender process to purchase vaccines for the fisheries and livestock department.

The government’s family planning efforts are likely to be seriously hindered as supplies of contraceptives at the field-level offices are running dangerously low.

The Civil Aviation Authorities of Bangladesh finally confiscated 12 airplanes that had occupied a large part of the cargo village for around 10 years, disrupting the loading and unloading of goods.

The national flag carrier is only earning profits in 11 of its 21 international routes.

Since he was recruited as a carrier about six months ago, Sohel (real name withheld) transported smuggled golds on his motorbike from Jashore to Jhenaidah’s Maheshpur border at least 27 times.

Saidul Karim Mintu, general secretary of Jhenaidah Awami League, assured one of the masterminds of MP Anwarul Azim Anar murder that he would pay after the job was done.

Finally ending all uncertainty, almost all intended pilgrims have gone to Saudi Arabia to perform the hajj this year.