Author: News Desk

Stocks edged up in the morning trade today maintaining the gains from the previous two sessions. The DSEX, the premier index of the Dhaka Stock Exchange, advanced 31.68 points or 0.61 percent to 5,157.83 as of 11:28 am. Investor sentiment was largely positive as around 266 issues advanced, 56 declined, and 68 remained unchanged. Total turnover stood at Tk 169.95 crore. Shares of Energypac Power Generation surged the highest at 10 percent, while shares of ICB Islamic Bank dropped 3 percent. CSE All Share Price Index was up 0.10 percent, gaining 14.76 points to 14,359.52.

After a series of drama, Durbar Rajshahi’s foreign players and coaching staff are set to leave Bangladesh tonight after completing their stint in the ongoing Bangladesh Premier League. According to a press release issued by the franchise, Zimbabwe all-rounder Ryan Burl is set to depart for Harare at 03:00 am (Monday), Pakistan’s Mohammad Haris will leave for Lahore at 01:40 pm tomorrow, while Caribbean cricketer Miguel Cummins is set to depart on February 5. Head coach Ijaz Ahmed will also fly tomorrow. “The remaining players will depart at the earliest possible time on the subject of getting available flight tickets,”…

The Lalbagh Kella, or the Lalbagh Fort is perhaps the most wondrous 17th century monument present in Dhaka, built by Prince Muhammad Azam, the third son of Emperor Aurangzeb. This tourist destination, which attracts thousands of visitors every day, has seen multiple renovations throughout the centuries, but perhaps few as impressive as the complete restoration, retrofitting and 3D architectural documentation of the Mughal Hammamkhana (Royal Bathhouse) in the fort. The project, which was implemented by the Department of Archaeology and Ministry of Cultural Affairs, was funded by the U.S. Department of State’s Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation (AFCP) program, and…

Thousands of Bangladeshi development professionals face uncertainty as US government-funded projects have been halted following an executive order by the Trump administration on January 20. Though the order mandates a 90-day review, many employees have already been terminated, and all project activities have come to a standstill. The USAID website has also gone offline. Project personnel have been advised to avoid office visits. In some cases, staffers attend offices to maintain appearance but are not engaged in any work. Authorities have instructed employees not to comment publicly on the executive order or its implications, said a diplomatic source. “We come…

Saraswati Puja, the worship of the goddess of knowledge, music, art, and culture, began this morning across the country with great enthusiasm, festivity, and religious fervour. Saraswati Puja or Basant Panchami, falls on the fifth “Tithi” of the Bangla month of Maagh every year. Traditionally, children are introduced to the alphabet on the day of Saraswati Puja, and this ritual is called “Hatekhori”. Toddlers are usually given a slate and chalk to scribble with on the auspicious day. Major Hindu temples, schools, colleges, universities, and other educational institutions stage the festival with traditional gaiety and religious fervour. The students in…

The Bangladesh-Malaysia Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BMCCI) hosted a reception in honor of His Excellency Mohd Shuhada Othman, the newly appointed High Commissioner of Malaysia. The event was graced by the presence of esteemed Ambassadors, High Commissioners, diplomats, Government Officials, BMCCI past presidents, and valued members of the Chamber. Welcoming the newly appointed High Commissioner, President Mr. Shabbir A Khan highlighted the deep-rooted ties between Bangladesh and Malaysia, emphasizing strong partnerships across various domains, including trade, investment, education, healthcare, and tourism. The President expressed confidence that under the leadership of His Excellency bilateral relations would strengthen further by finding…

On January 16, India’s national space agency, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), conducted a successful space docking (SpaDeX) operation by bridging two satellites in space, after overcoming hiccups twice. The ISRO began the SpaDex mission on December 30 with the launch of the spacecraft in the form of two satellites using the space agency’s old workhorse Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV)-C60 from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh, about 110km from Chennai. The docking experiment was postponed twice before it was carried out on January 16. The docking process involved two satellites, each weighing 220 kg.…

The European Union (EU) has updated its code of conduct on online hate speech, requiring social media platforms like Meta’s Facebook, Elon Musk’s X, and Google’s YouTube to step up efforts to tackle harmful content. The European Commission announced the changes on Monday, integrating the code into the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA). Other companies that are joining the commitment include Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, Twitch, Snapchat, Microsoft-hosted services, Rakuten Viber, Jeuxvideo.com, and Dailymotion, as per a recent report by Reuters. “In Europe, there is no place for illegal hate, either offline or online. I welcome the stakeholders’ commitment to a…

Perplexity AI, a US-based search engine company, has submitted a bid to merge with TikTok US, as per a recent report by Reuters. The proposal, submitted to TikTok’s parent company ByteDance on Saturday, was first reported by CNBC and confirmed by a source familiar with the discussions. The merger plan involves creating a new entity by combining TikTok US, Perplexity AI, and private equity firm New Capital Partners, states the Reuters report. The structure would allow existing ByteDance investors to retain their equity while integrating TikTok’s video content capabilities with Perplexity’s search tools, according to the source, who requested anonymity…

The FBI has recently conducted a large-scale operation to hack approximately 4,200 computers across the United States, targeting the removal of PlugX, a malware linked to Chinese state-backed hacking groups, according to the US Department of Justice. The operation aimed to eliminate a cyber threat by the China-based hacking groups known as “Mustang Panda” and “Twill Typhoon” which used PlugX to infect thousands of Windows computers in the US, Asia, and Europe since at least 2012, the FBI said in an unsealed affidavit. PlugX, a tool widely used by hacking groups, operates by infecting systems through USB ports, allowing hackers…