Bangladesh

Bangladesh asks Myanmar to explain its border fencing plan

Bangladesh asks Myanmar to explain its border fencing plan Dhaka - The government of Bangladesh on Monday asked Myanmar to clarify a planned border fence along the no-man's land along the two countries' shared border, officials said.

"We asked for an official version of the construction site of the fencing as Myanmar has given various versions of the location of fencing," Bangladeshi State Minister for Foreign Affairs Hasan Mahmud told a press conference.

Forty-five women sworn in as lawmakers in Bangladesh

Dhaka, BangladeshDhaka- Forty-five women were sworn in as lawmakers in Bangladesh's Jatiya Sangsad or parliament on Sunday, officials said.

The women wear earlier this month elected unopposed to seats reserved for women. They were expected to join Sunday's session, which follows after a nine-day recess.

Thirty-six of the new lawmakers belong to ruling Awami League (AL), four to Jatiya Party, a coalition partner of the AL, and the rest belong to the mainstream opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party.

British Airways ends direct flights from Dhaka

British Airways ends direct flights from Dhaka Dhaka - British Airways Saturday ended its direct passenger flights between Dhaka and London after 38 years of operation in Bangladesh, officials said.

"It was a commercial decision by British Airways to shut the route," Mujtaba Ali Khan, the outgoing station manager of the airline, told the German Press Agency dpa.

In November, BA had announced that it would suspend its passenger flights on Dhaka-London route due to non-profitability.

Bangladesh asks Malaysia to restore visas for migrant workers

Bangladesh asks Malaysia to restore visas for migrant workers Dhaka  - Bangladeshi Foreign Minister Dipu Moni on Saturday urged Malaysian authorities to reconsider the cancellation of visas for more than 55,000 Bangladeshi workers during the economic crisis, officials said.

Moni met Malaysian International Trade and Industry Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin bin Mohd in Kuala Lumpur as part of Bangladesh's diplomatic efforts to protect its overseas labour markets, a release issued by the embassy in Malaysia said.

Bangladesh detains 10 Islamists after clashes injure 20

Bangladesh detains 10 Islamists after clashes injure 20 Dhaka  - Bangladesh police on Friday detained 10 Islamists who went on the rampage and clashed with lawmen in central Dhaka, police said.

Activists belonging to Hijb-ut Tahrir, an organisation campaigning for establishing Sariah law, ran riot near Baitul Mokarran National Mosque, said Farid Ahmed, a police officer.

He said the demonstrators attacked police who prevented them from taking to the streets to disrupt traffic. Police used batons to disperse the protesters, leaving at least 20 people injured.

British men detained for running terror ''orphanage'' in Bangladesh

British men detained for running terror ''orphanage'' in BangladeshDhaka (Bangladesh), Mar. 27 : Bangladeshi Police have arrested a British man whose charity is suspected of running a militant-training camp in the guise of an orphanage on remote Bhola Island.

Greater Manchester-based Faisal Mostafa, who was acquitted in 2002 of being part of an al-Qaeda bomb plot, was arrested on Wednesday night in Dhaka.

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