WIKILEAKS EXPOSÉ

US diplomats have repeatedly put pressure on Bangladesh government to reopen the controversial Phulbari coal mine, which was closed following a violent protest.

In a latest WikiLeaks release, a diplomatic US cable shows that US ambassador to Bangladesh James Moriarty held talks with the country's chief energy advisor last year.

Initial probe into Wednesday's train crash in Narsinghdi that left at least 14 people dead finds the loco master of Chattala Express responsible for the accident.

Head of a four-member probe committee Eusuf Ali told bdnews24.com: "The Chattala loco master Rafiq Uddin left the main tracks and entered the platform, ignoring the signal."

Communications minister Syed Abul Hossain has said that the funds for the much-desired Padma Bridge have been arranged and its construction will be completed before the end of the tenure of the current government.

The minister mentioned this on Friday while distributing the compensation among the landowners, whose lands have been acquired for the bridge, at Zazira in Shariatpur.

MUNICIPAL POLLS

Awami League general secretary Syed Ashraful Islam has said the grand alliance will have common candidates in the upcoming municipal elections.

He made the announcement after the party's central executive committee meeting held on Friday evening with Awami League president Sheikh Hasina in the chair.

Removal of belongings at Khaleda Zia's Cantonment house began on Friday and it would take perhaps another day to clear out all items.

According to eyewitnesses, household goods collected from the house on 6 Mainul Road were shifted to a rented house in Baridhara and another house in Dhanmondi.

Grameen Bank has dismissed reports that its founder Muhammad Yunus had diverted nearly Tk 7 billion in aid to another company as "inaccurate and misleading".

It denied any wrongdoing and said 'these reports are a total fabrication and baseless".

Norway's national TV NRK aired a documentary on November 30 titled "Fanget i Mikrogjeld" or "Caught in Micro debt", based on which bdnews24.com ran a report on December 1. According to the documentary, Nobel laureate Yunus transferred the money to Grameen Kalyan, which was in no way involved with microcredit operations.

The power secretary has expressed fear that mass agitation could rise in the next few months due to increasing demand for electricity.

"We've three threats ahead of us – for irrigation, SSC exams and the World Cup," Abul Kalam Azad said on Sunday at a meeting with the local representatives and administrative officials at the office of Rangpur deputy commissioner.

The 14-party grand alliance has warned the government over prices of daily necessities, and law and order issues.

"We've urged the government to be on alert," Awami League general secretary Syed Ashraful Islam said on Sunday after the fourth meeting of the ruling alliance.

Confusion over supplying free primary textbooks has risen as a paper suppliers requested for more time.

Ratan Kumar Siddiquee, who is on special duty to supervise textbook publication, told bdnews24.com that 'Nipun Enterprise' was ordered to supply 997 tonnes paper within Nov 20.

The firm informed NCTB on Nov 24 that it will not be able to supply the required amount.

Home state minister Shamsul Haque Tuku has held opposition chief Khaleda Zia responsible for the mass-arrests around the country.

He said this on Monday following a meeting on Bishwa Ijtema Law and Order at the ministry.

Tuku alleged that Khaleda put to risk the lives of 'fresh' Juba Dal activists by calling the strike. He also said that the act was not worthy of a politician, adding that those who called the strike want to create anarchy and soil democracy.

The Appellate Division has rejected the leave to appeal petition filed by opposition leader Khaleda Zia to challenge an High Court rule that declared illegal the lease of the Dhaka cantonment residence on Shaheed Mainul Road and asked her to vacate the premises.

A regular bench of the Appellate Division headed by chief justice ABM Khairul Haque scrapped the petition around 11am on Monday.

BNP vice-chairman Nazmul Huda has slammed his party chief Khaleda Zia's counsels for not seeking to stay a High Court order regarding her cantonment house.

Huda also said he thought that calling a general strike on Nov 14, protesting Khaleda Zia's eviction, was a wrong decision. "It would have been better if that was called after Eid."

Ruling Awami League general secretary Syed Ashraful Islam has once again challenged the opposition BNP to translate its veiled threat into some concrete action.

Syed Ashraf issued the challenge when briefing television reporters after inspecting the construction work of Gulistan-Jatrabari flyover on Friday.

Agitated BNP activists have set fire to five buses in the capital as a part of their protest against the eviction of party chief Khaleda Zia from her cantonment residence.

Buses were set on fire in Motijheel, Fakirapul, Mirpur and Gabtali around 2pm on Saturday after a day-long strike was called for Sunday from the party headquarters at Naya Paltan. Another bus was set on fire in Dar-Us-Salam area around 2.45pm.

The police have charged baton to disperse BNP demonstrators from Dhaka Cantonment's Jahangir Gate.

Traffic was halted for some time on the Old Airport Road due to the police action around 12.30pm on Saturday.

Main opposition BNP has called a countrywide dawn-to-dusk general strike for Sunday to protest the eviction of chairperson Khaleda Zia from her residence in Dhaka Cantonment.

BNP secretary general Khandker Delwar Hossain called for the strike from a briefing at the party headquarters on Saturday.

A tearful BNP chief Khaleda Zia has reached her political office in Gulshan after being evicted from Dhaka Cantonment house.

Earlier, law-enforcers boarded the opposition chief on her Pajero, her press secretary said.

Maruf Kamal Khan told bdnews24.com on Saturday afternoon that the lawmen had her board the vehicle at 3:05pm but they did not say where they would be taking the opposition chief.

WAR CRIMES TRIAL

The war crimes tribunal has ordered Delwar Hossain Sayedee to be detained until Dec 29.

The International Crime Tribunal passed order on Tuesday in a case filed against the Jamaat-e-Islami leader for crimes against humanity during the 1971 Liberation War.

The tribunal also asked investigators to report their findings regarding the allegations within Dec 23. The court will then decide whether or not to detain him further.

Kalim Sharafee, renowned Rabindra Sangeet exponent and cultural revolutionary, passed away at his Baridhara residence. He was 86.

Sharafee died from old-age complications at his home around noon on Tuesday, sources close to his family confirmed to bdnews24.com.

A Chittagong magistrate's court has given the police permission to take former state minister for home affairs Lutfazzaman Babar in custody for questioning in the ten-truck arms haul case.

Chittagong metropolitan magistrate Mahbubur Rahman permitted the five-day remand on Monday.

Chittagong city police assistant commissioner Nirmalendu Bikash Chakrabarty said that the order was given following hearing of a 10-day remand petition by Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of police.