Bangladesh’s novel coronavirus caseload climbed to 545,424 yesterday after the health authorities detected 470 new cases in 24 hours till the morning.

Zahirul Islam, managing director of Lama Rubber Industries Limited, in a rejoinder claimed that the news report on the grabbing of indigenous Mro people’s jhum land carried by this paper on February 13 was “completely one sided, fake and very harmful” for its shareholders.

The High Court has ordered the authorities to maintain status quo on land grabbing, earth filling and operating brick kilns on the land of the Bhadra and Hori rivers in Khulna’s Dumuria upazila for three months.

A police constable landed in jail yesterday on charge of raping a teenaged girl in Feni’s Fulgaji.

French safety officials yesterday gave the green light to extend the lifetime of the country’s oldest of nuclear power plants as it seeks to boost the share of renewables in its power mix.

An Awami League (AL) leader was beaten to death at his in-law’s place at Tayarpur village in Satkania upazila of Chattogram early yesterday.

Family members of a journalist who was killed during a clash in Noakhali’s Companyganj upazila on February 19 have demanded trial of the killers.

A new passenger train between Dhaka and New Jalpaiguri (NJP) of India’s West Bengal state will start its service on March 26 as part of the golden jubilee celebrations of Bangladesh’s independence.

Five more Covid-19-related deaths and 410 new cases were reported in the country in 24 hours till yesterday morning.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday renewed her call to the people to strictly maintain the health protection guidelines even after receiving the Covid-19 vaccine.

If the contractor for the Padma Bridge Rail Link Project has any issue, it should talk to the authorities concerned, as this is not something to talk about with the media, said Railways Minister Nurul Islam Sujan yesterday.

After the separation of his parents 11 years ago, Hasan Bapari used to live with his maternal grandparents in Feni. After their deaths last year, he was admitted to a madrasa in Narayanganj. But there he was sexually abused by a teacher and he left the madrasa.

Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen has called upon the US authorities to help legalise the undocumented Bangladeshis residing there.

A Dhaka court yesterday ordered the Anti-Corruption Commission to confiscate 59 acres of land and three flats of Proshanta Kumar Halder, also known as PK Halder, in a money laundering case.

The three-year-old boy whose body was recovered from a rooftop water tank in the capital’s Shyampur area on Tuesday was kidnapped by a masked man from Gazipur on Saturday.

The number of people vaccinated for Covid-19 rose to 2,673,038 as the vaccination campaign entered the 15th day yesterday.

India announced an expansion of its vaccination programme yesterday but warned that breaches of coronavirus protocols could worsen an infection surge in many states, particularly after it detected several variants.

Dhaka and Washington have agreed to work together to promote democracy, good governance and human rights while further strengthening bilateral relations and enhancing cooperation on global issues.

BNP mayoral candidate in Chattogram City Corporation polls Shahadat Hossain filed a case with the Election Tribunal yesterday, alleging that the election result was manipulated by EC officials.

The High Court yesterday issued a rule asking the government to explain in a week why it should not be directed to outline a scheme to ensure compensation for rape victims to make their constitutional right to life effective and meaningful.