Elections to city corporations and municipalities will be held in July, election commissioner Muhammed Sohul Hussain said Monday, reports bdnews24.com

"An election schedule will be announced after the city corporation ordinance is passed," Sohul told reporters after a meeting of the Election Commission at the EC secretariat.

Bdnews24.com

A citizens' organisation campaigning to protect national resources Sunday alleged that army personnel had been intimidating the people of Phulbari to leave the coalmine project area.

"The survey by military personnel in the area sparked panic among people," Professor Anu Muhammad, member secretary of the National Committee to Protect Oil, Gas, Mineral Resources, Power and Ports, claimed at a press conference in Purana Paltan.

The airstrip of Zia International Airport remained closed from 7.10pm Sunday after a Biman Bangladesh aircraft from Sylhet skidded off the runway on landing, an official said, reports bdnews24.com

ZIA director Wing Commander Saidul Hasan told bdnews24.com that the runway was closed.

A Dhaka court Sunday deferred a hearing on charge-framing in a graft case against former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, involving the purchase of eight MiG-29 warplanes to May 11, reports bdnews24.com.

Judge Golam Mortuza of Dhaka Divisional Judge's Court, set up in the Sangsad Bhaban, shifted the date as former army chief Mustafizur Rahman, another accused in the case, failed to attend the hearing because of his illness.

Bdnews24.com

The interim cabinet Sunday approved an ordinance to turn Bangladesh Telegraph and Telephone Board into a public limited company, a government official said.

Updated The cabinet approved the BTTB Amendment Ordinance 2008 at a meeting chaired by chief adviser Fakhruddin Ahmed, CA's press secretary Fahim Munaim told reporters.

The government will discuss at the scheduled meeting of the interim cabinet on Sunday the issue of the presence of the military representatives at the formal talks with the political parties, two advisers said, reports bdnews24.com.

Local government adviser M Anwarul Iqbal and commerce adviser Hossain Zillur Rahman told reporters separately at the Bangladesh Secretariat Sunday that the council of advisers would discuss the preparations for the dialogue, including the issue.

A Dhaka court Sunday asked the Supreme Court Bar Association election authorities to explain why the secretary post would not be barred on a temporary basis, reports bdnews24.com.

Judge Iftekhar Ahmed passed the ruling and asked newly elected secretary Nurul Islam Sujan and 10 members of the election subcommittee of the SCBA to explain in three days from now.

Bdnews24.com

The United States has donated $40 million in food aid to Bangladesh, which the lender believes will help enhance democracy and development and deny space to terrorists.

"The United States is donating an additional $40 million worth of food aid to Bangladesh," US ambassador to Bangladesh James F Moriarty told reporters at a press conference at the American Club Sunday.

Agency

Iraq restarted its mission in Bangladesh Sunday, after a lapse of five years. The functioning of its mission in Dhaka was stopped as the US-led forces occupied Iraq in March 2003.

Iraqi new Charge d'Affaires Sabri Rashid presented his credentials to foreign affairs adviser Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury in his office Sunday. Rashid assured that Iraq would import workers from Bangladesh after Iraq achieved political stability.

Bdnews24.com

Authorities Sunday decided to run the activities of a pier, known as Masjidghat, east of Sadarghat, for one more month, hours after angry

Bdnews24.com

Awami League presidium members Tofail Ahmed and Suranjit Sengupta Saturday demanded the release of all political detainees, including former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, to create an environment for meaningful dialogue and elections.

They made the demand at a May Day discussion, organised by the United Federation of Garments Workers at the Awami League's central office on

Joint forces Saturday tightened security and launched a string of raids in three districts, a day after the killing of a policeman and looting of firearms by outlawed operatives in Bagmara upazila of Rajshahi, reports bdnews24.com.

Inspector general of police Noor Mohammad visited the scene of the murder in Taherpur area Saturday.

Our Correspondent

Three of a family died and two others were injured in Ghonarpara area of Cox's Bazar after their house caught fire early Saturday.

Dipak Shwarma Dipu, a resident of Ghonarpara, said that the dead were Prodip Acharya, 45, his wife Kalpana Acharya, 38, and son Sujan Acharya, 20.

Agency

Law adviser AF Hassan Ariff Saturday stressed the reinforcement of Bangladesh Press Council in an effort to protect the rights of the media.

"The 1974 Press Council Act should be modified so that the council can discharge its responsibilities properly," the adviser said in his speech to a seminar at the National Press Club.

Staff Correspondent

The cabinet is likely to discuss a proposal Sunday to turn Bangladesh Telegraph and Telephone Board into a public limited company, the chief adviser's special assistant MA Malek said Saturday.

Malek, who is in charge of the post and telecommunications ministry, said at a BTTB meeting that the proposal on the transformation of BTTB had been sent to the cabinet.

The historic May Day was observed today (Thursday) in the country alongside entire humanity to express solidarity with the movement for establishing socioeconomic rights of the working-class people, reports agency.

May Day, also known as International Workers'' Solidarity Day, commemorates the historic uprising of working people in Chicago, USA, at the height of a prolonged fight for eight-hour workday.

Bdnews24.com Very Severe Cyclonic Storm "Nargis" in the Bay of Bengal has weakened a little to 100 knots and has tracked mainly Eastwards in the last Twenty hours.

The Eye is clearly visible. Nargis is expected to strike the Irawaddy Delta Coast of Myanmar by afternoon of 2nd May 2008 IST, said gujaratweather.com in its 9:30 IST weather bulletin.

Ignoring weather warning

Our Correspondent

Holidaymakers flocked to Cox's Bazar sea beach Thursday night despite a warning signal 4 issued for the district with tropical cyclone Nargis in sight, police said.

Bangladesh Football Federation employees fear losing their jobs following an alleged verbal message from the newly elected president, reports agency.

BFF's vice-president Manzoor Hossain Malu on Wednesday asked 22 employees to resign "citing personal reasons", referring to an order from the federation's president Kazi Salahuddin, an employee alleged.