The much-sought-after "Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime" unit under Dhaka Metropolitan Police started functioning yesterday headed by newly appointed Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Monirul Islam.

Private recruiting agencies yesterday wrote to the prime minister seeking her intervention in halting possible monopoly by a “syndicate led by a Malaysian company” in hiring Bangladeshi workers there.

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) has expressed serious concerns over a barrage of cases filed against Mahfuz Anam, editor and publisher of The Daily Star.

Journalist leaders yesterday were taken aback by the issuance of an arrest warrant against an editor in a defamation case, as the country's parliament scraped this provision in the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) five years ago.

A Narayanganj court ordered arrest of Mahfuz Anam on defamation charge in one of 18 more cases filed against The Daily Star editor and publisher in 15 districts yesterday.

Various government agencies have started investigating the recently ATM frauds in Dhaka, in which cardholders lost about Tk 25 lakh, according to police and bankers.

“Chairperson Khaleda Zia's remarks on the number of Liberation War martyrs were contextually correct."

A Dhaka court yesterday framed charges against the wife and son of executed war criminal Salauddin Quader Chowdhury and five others for allegedly leaking the draft verdict of the International Crimes Tribunal-1 that sentenced him to death.

Detectives arrested two alleged kidnappers and rescued a five-year-old boy in Gazipur on Sunday, around one and a half months after his abduction from the capital's Uttara area.

Seventeen more cases, including six for sedition, were filed against The Daily Star Editor and Publisher Mahfuz Anam in 17 districts yesterday.

Foreigners are believed to be involved in the skimming racket that stole money from ATMs in signs of new financial crimes that rattled both banks and customers.

The cabinet yesterday finally gave the nod to the draft Bangladesh EPZ Labour Law 2016, with provisions for forming legal trade unions in factories inside of the Export Processing Zones (EPZ).

“I am looking forward to playing for the national team, which is an ultimate goal for any cricketer. But I have to make myself a complete cricketer to fulfil my dream."

What began with a slight hiccup ended with a bunch of youngsters from the Caribbean jazzing up the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium with their funky dance moves.

Twelve more lawsuits were filed against The Daily Star Editor Mahfuz Anam yesterday in Dhaka and eight other districts for publishing reports based on information supplied by Task Force Intelligence Cell (TFIC) during the last caretaker government's tenure in 2007-08.

At least six people, including five of a family, were killed when an auto-rickshaw collided head on with a sand-laden truck at Dayarampur of Tarakanda on Mymensingh-Netrakona highway yesterday evening.

In an atmosphere of fun, frolic and festivities, people across the country yesterday celebrated the Valentine's Day.

In yet another incident of cruelty against kids, two teen boys were tortured badly in Rajshahi over a flimsy claim that they may have stolen a mobile phone.

A few days ago a new TV talk show series, called “Anamosity” (title given by my daughter), ran in town, which I hope the readers of this paper did not miss. If you are lucky a few more episodes may still be in the process of production.

The Chief Prosecutor Office of the International Crimes Tribunal yesterday wrote to the law ministry seeking "necessary actions" against prosecutor Mohammad Ali for "breaching discipline and code of conduct, and serious professional misconduct".