Dhaka  - Bangladesh's elite anti-crime Rapid Action Battalion Tuesday captured two suspected militants after a clash in central Comilla district, officials said.

The battalion officials said the criminals hurled a homemade grenade at them when the lawmen raided the den in Debidwar Upazila, some 63 kilometres east of the capital Dhaka, injuring one battalion member. The force retaliated with gunfire wounding several of the militants.

Dhaka - Bangladesh's elite anti-crime Rapid Action Battalion Tuesday captured two suspected militants after a clash in central Comilla district, officials said.

The battalion officials said the criminals hurled a homemade grenade at them when the lawmen raided the den in Debidwar Upazila, some 63 kilometres east of the capital Dhaka, injuring one battalion member. The force retaliated with gunfire wounding several of the militants.

Dhaka  - Bangladesh's government on Monday announced further cuts in the prices of major fuel oils, reacting to recent drops in international oil prices.

The price cuts will range from between 3.75 to 5.13 per cent, depending on the product. Items affected include diesel, kerosene, octane and petrol. The new prices take effect at midnight Monday (1800 GMT).

The cut is a "temporary adjustment" to match the recent fall in international oil prices to below 40 dollars a barrel, said M Tamim, a junior energy minister.

Dhaka- The Dutch government will provide Bangladesh with 30 million euros (42.1 million dollars) to promote public education in the South Asian country where illiteracy is still high, the Netherlands embassy in Dhaka said Wednesday.

The money will be spent for non-formal education under a project called Janashilon (Popular Education) in partnership with Friends in Villages Development in Bangladesh (FIVDB), a non-governmental organisation working in the education sector, under a five-year agreement.

Dhaka, Dec. 17: Bangladesh on Wednesday ended two years of emergency rule by restoring the fundamental rights of its people through an ordinance promulgated by President Iajuddin Ahmed on Monday.

A Daily Star newspaper report said that the government had also repealed the Emergency Powers Ordinance 2007 and Emergency Powers Rules 2007.

These laws were proclaimed to enforce emergency declared on January 11, 2007 amid political turmoil over the ninth parliamentary polls that were scheduled to be held on January 22, 2007.

The revocation of the ordinance carries some saving clauses meant to be helpful to the anti-graft measures taken under the emergency rules.

Dhaka - Bangladesh's military-backed government Tuesday lifted the state of emergency restoring civil and political rights ahead of December 29 elections, according to an official gazette notification.

The withdrawal of the state of emergency came in the face of demands by major political parties, civil society actors, rights groups and international donors to allow full electioneering by the parties and candidates, and to allow the population to exercise their democratic rights ahead of the poll, the statement said.