A parliamentary watchdog as suggested changes in the defence purchase rules to ensure transparency.

The JS body suggested that the government pass a new law on defence purchase updating the decades old guideline 'DP-35', which the previous BNP-led government refused to modify.

The parliamentary standing committee on defence ministry at its meeting on Thursday suggested that the defence procurements in Bangladesh would accelerate if the DP-35 (defence purchase-1935) rule was updated in line with the public procurement act of 2006.

The Biman Bangladesh Airlines authorities have termed its pilots' statements regarding the national flag carrier 'against the national interest'.

A Biman press release issued around 6pm on Thursday said the management thinks the pilots had 'unwarrantedly meddled' in the issues and tried to 'instigate' other officials of the state-owned airlines.

The High Court has ruled it 'highly illegal' and 'contrary to public interest' for the military chief to give away a cantonment house to Khaleda Zia with the president's approval.

According to a copy of the verdict of Oct 13, obtained by bdnews24.com, the court reasoned that the plot of land belonged to the government and the armed forces did not have any authority to be given away. 'Not even the president can give away public property. The president is not above the law either.'

Two women have given birth to healthy babies from eggs screened for genetic defects before being implanted in the womb, in a study of a new technique that could improve the success rate of in-vitro fertilization.

Twin girls born in Germany in June and a boy born in Italy in September are the first deliveries in a pilot study of a technique called comparative genomic hybridisation (CGH) by microarray, European scientists said on Friday.

The biggest Hindu festival of Durga Puja has ended with Bisarjan, the ceremonial immersion of Goddess Durga in rivers or water bodies.

Sunday was Bijaya Dashami, the final day of the five-day festival. It was a government State holiday has been being observed on this auspicious day.

China must invest in welfare and housing so workers and farmers provide the spending for sustained growth, a top economic planner said in a report on Monday, while Communist Party chiefs drew up a long-term development blueprint.

The Chinese economy is set to grow by about 50 percent to $7.5 trillion by 2015, powering past Japan and moving closer to the biggest economy, the United States. But a meeting of the party's Central Committee, ending on Monday, has dwelt on domestic imbalances that could drag down that ascent.

Tigers have won the fifth and final match by 3 runs to whitewash Kiwis 4-0 in the lowest ever ODI total defended by the hosts.

Bangladesh took the last wicket with three balls remaining to secure 67 points in the International Cricket Council (ICC) ratings to stand alongside West Indies in the international one-day rankings.

Prime minister Sheikh Hasina has said that a large number of steps have been taken to eradicate terrorism, and that stricter steps will be taken if needed.

She was speaking at a programme to mark the 47th birth anniversary of her youngest brother Sheikh Rasel, at the capital's Osmani Memorial Auditorium on Monday.

A clash between police and army recruit candidates under the players quota has left at least 30 people injured in Savar.

The clash took place at Bangladesh Krira Shikkha Pratishtan on Monday.

Sub-inspector Syed Azharul Islam, Chakrabarti Police camp under Joydevpur Police Station told bdnews24.com said that on Sep 21, the primary player selection test for 13 categories was held at the Army Stadium.

The northern Philippines was lashed by heavy rains and strong winds from super typhoon Megi on Monday morning, and forecasters said the center of the storm was expected to make landfall before noon (12 a.m. EDT).

Megi, the 10th and strongest typhoon to hit the Philippines this year, had slowed and changed course slightly overnight to be tracking west southwest, delaying its expected arrival in north Luzon, the country's main island, the state weather agency said.

Proceedings have begun at a special tribunal at the Peelkhana headquarters of the Bangladesh Border Forces, to frame charges against 623 BDR men.

Of the BDR men being tried, one of the accused had died earlier and had been relieved of the charges.

The hearing commenced at Special Court-8, headed by Brig Gen Obaidul Haque, around 10am on Monday.

Tourists may be banned from staying in St Martin's Island overnight.

In a bid to restrict visitors to protect the natural habitat of this coral island off the south-eastern tip of Bangladesh, the environment department has recommended that all tourist accommodation be relocated to Teknaf.

It also recommends that visitors should be allowed for only four months of the year, between November and February.

BNP leader Salahuddin Quader Chowdhury has rejected allegations of war crimes during Bangladesh's Liberation War of 1971.

The BNP standing committee member rejected those allegations by way of discrediting the evidences collected by the probe body of the war crimes tribunal charged with trying Bangladesh's war criminals.

Premier League side Liverpool inched closer to a sale on Wednesday when a High Court judge ruled against their unpopular American owners and backed the club's board and its right to negotiate a deal.

The ownership battle engulfing one of the world's most famous sporting institutions ended up in court after owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett tried to sack members of the board last week in a last ditch bid to keep control of the club.

With its environment minister Jairam Ramesh wanting to hold off till a comprehensive impact assessment, it is likely that the Indian government will review the controversial Tipaimukh Hydro Electric (Multi-Purpose) Project.

Indian prime minister Manmohan Singh is expected to chair a high-level meeting to review the Tipaimukh HEP and other proposed projects in the country's north-eastern region, particularly in the state of Arunachal Pradesh. The meeting may take place on Oct 18.

BNP chief Khaleda Zia will have to vacate her cantonment house within a month.

The deadline of 30 days stipulated by a High Court starts to count from the High Court's rejection Khaleda's petition. Her petition, essentially, challenged a government notice asking her to vacate the house.

Justices Nazmun Ara Sultana and Sheikh Hassan Arif on Wednesday, after a 22-day hearing, ruled that the government notice asking opposition chief Khaleda Zia to vacate her cantonment house is legal.

Arafat Rahman Coco, the youngest son of BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia, will have to come back to the country.

An Appellate Division regular bench has stayed the High Court order to extend his parole on Wednesday based on a government petition requesting stay of the order.

Additional attorney general M K Rahman told journalists the three-strong regular bench, headed by chief justice A B M Khairul Haque, stayed the High Court order by six weeks.

Operations at the Turag accident site to search for bodies of bus passengers have been called off.

A Savar-bound bus had fallen into the Turag river on Sunday with about 50 passengers. Eight of them had made it to the shore, but one among died on her way to hospital. Among the rest, 13 bodies were recovered but 11 could be identified.

The police have filed a case against the bus driver. Sub-inspector Abul Kalam Azad had filed the case on Tuesday night against Mujibur Rahman, the driver. He has been missing since the accident.

Water is leaking into a fertiliser-laden ship at the outer anchorage of Chittagong port through its keel.

Ocean Pearl, a Saint Kitts flag carrier, began to leak from around 2:30pm on Wednesday.

Ocean Pearl, with 8,000 tonnes of urea, arrived at Alpha Anchorage on Sep 3, port secretary Farhad Uddin said.

Maha Shashthhi has begun with Shashthyadi Kalparambha.

The whole country along with the capital has got a festive look on the occasion of Durga Puja, the biggest Hindu festival in Bangladesh.

The first phase of the festivities began with the Mahalaya, invoking of Goddess Durga, on Oct 7 which will terminate with Bisarjan on Oct 17.