Dhaka plans to train 10,000 IT programmers every year

October 7th, 2009 DHAKA - Bangladesh has cancelled leave of its border guards and stepped up army deployment on its border with Myanmar, alleging large-scale intrusion and to protest against the eastern neighbour erecting a border fence. Tension mounted along the Naikhyangchhari border in Bandarban after Myanmar resumed border fencing Friday.

August 23rd, 2009 DHAKA - Bangladesh has decided not to recognise Kosovo as an independent Balkan state, rejecting a request from the US. Dhaka has made it clear that it would like to keep away (from the Kosovo issue), New Age newspaper said Sunday quoting Foreign Secretary Mirajul Quayes.

August 14th, 2009 DHAKA - A speeding bus hit a tree and crashed into a canal in Bangladesh, killing at least 13 people and injuring 10, reports said here today. The accident occurred in Feni, a town 80 miles east of Dhaka, United News of Bangladesh said.

July 29th, 2009 DHAKA - At least 10 people died and large parts of the national capital were inundated in a heavy downpour that broke a 53-year record, an official said. Dhaka ended its relatively dry spell, thanks to a delayed monsoon wherein 333 mm rain fell Monday and Tuesday.

July 14th, 2009 DHAKA - Despite bursting at the seams and poor civic amenities, Dhaka, the four centuries-old city that is now the capital of Bangladesh, remains the country's "most attractive" city, says a survey. Dhaka gets 7.3 points in a scale of 10 -- well below the international criteria of competitiveness of a city in terms of cost of doing business, dynamics of local economy, human resources and training, infrastructures, and quality of life.

May 28th, 2009 DHAKA - Travel between Dhaka and Kolkata by ship, something that stopped over four decades back, may be revived to promote people-to-people contact and eco-tourism. Bangladesh Shipping Minister Afsarul Amin Wednesday commended a proposal mooted by the parliament's standing committee.

May 19th, 2009 DHAKA - Over 2,500 border guard personnel have been arrested in connection with the Feb 26 mutiny by Bangladesh Rifles (BDR), Commerce Minister Faruk Khan said Tuesday. Khan, who was tasked with the inquiry into the incident, said: 'At least 1,398 members of the BDR have been arrested in Dhaka, while 1,581 more were held in 29 other districts.' Khan said 585 accused have confessed to their involvements in the mutiny.

April 12th, 2009 DHAKA - Dhaka has sought Delhi's financial assistance to build a dedicated railway bridge over river Jamuna to facilitate the movement of Indian cargo trains to Gazipur, located north of the national capital. Communications Minister Syed Abul Hossain wrote to Delhi last month seeking credit for the construction of the bridge at a cost of $250 million, New Age newspaper said Sunday.

February 26th, 2009 KOLKATA - All border districts in West Bengal have been put on alert following the mutiny by Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) troopers in the neighbouring country's capital city of Dhaka. 'The district magistrates and superintendents of police in the border districts have been told to be alert.

February 16th, 2009 DHAKA - At least eight people were killed and dozens others injured Tuesday as a train collided with a truck in northwestern Bangladesh, the police said. The accident occurred at around noon at the Khasiabari level crossing in Joypurhat district, some 280 km from the capital Dhaka, killing the eight victims on the spot, said inspector Noor Hossain at Joypurhat police station.

February 11th, 2009 LONDON - Former Spice Girls singer Victoria Beckham was seen at Heathrow airport in her stilettos and sunglasses and with her Loewe 'Calle' bag that costs $10,000. Dailymail.co.uk reports that this was the second time Beckham was seen with the bag.

February 9th, 2009 DHAKA - Dhaka and Moscow have expressed their willingness to sign a free trade agreement (FTA), Bangladesh's foreign ministry said Tuesday. The volume of Russia-Bangladesh trade was at present $250 million and there was opportunity to expand trade by signing an FTA, Russian Ambassador Gennady Trotsenko to Dhaka was quoted as saying in a meeting here with Bangladesh's Foreign Minister Dipu Moni.

February 2nd, 2009 DHAKA - Dhaka Warriors, an Indian Cricket League (ICL) franchise comprising Bangladeshi cricketers, have alleged that the Bangladesh Cricket Board has been trying to block them from practising at a rented city ground. The BCB has barred the Dhaka Warriors from using the grounds and practice facilities owned by it and its affiliated organisations.

January 29th, 2009 DHAKA - Bangladesh has engaged a New Zealand-based consultant to design an over-5-km-long bridge on the Padma river to improve connectivity with its south-western region to eventually link up with the Trans-Asia highway, a media report said Friday. The 5.58 km long and 25 m wide bridge on the Padma will connect the southwestern area with Dhaka at Mawa in Munshiganj and Janjira in Madaripur.

January 26th, 2009 DHAKA - Five people were missing Monday when a trawler carrying 40 people capsized on a river in Bangladesh's Madaripur district, the police said. The accident occurred at around 5 p.m., some 90 km southwest of Dhaka.