Abolish almost all quotas in govt job: Committee

The committee formed to evaluate the quota system in civil service favours eliminating almost all reserved spots and prioritising merit-based recruitment. However, the body would seek the opinion of the Supreme Court about the 30 percent quota for freedom fighters' children and grandchildren which the students demanding the reforms said was a delaying tactic. "The primary suggestion of the committee is to abolish almost all quotas and put priority on merit," Cabinet Secretary M Shafiul Alam told journalists on August 13. "This quota [for freedom fighters' children and grandchildren] will be abolished if the court opines for its elimination. The rest will be opened for merit," said the cabinet secretary.

Shahidul Alam sent to prison after remand

A Dhaka court on August 12 sent noted photographer Shahidul Alam to jail after police produced him before it in a case filed for spreading propaganda and false information against the government. He was produced before the Dhaka Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's Court around 3:00pm after a seven-day remand, and the court sent him to jail. Contacted, Sub-Inspector Mahmudur Rahman, general recording officer at the CMM Court, told reporters that police prayed to the court for keeping him in prison until the completion of the probe in the case, filed under section 57 of the Information and Communications Technology Act.

Samakal Editor Golam Sarwar dies at 75

Sarwar, Editor of Bangla daily Samakal, passed away on August 13, he was 75. The veteran journalist, who had long been suffering from various dieses, breathed his last around 9:25 pm (BST) while undergoing treatment at Singapore General Hospital, said Samakal City Editor Shahed Chowdhury. Sarwar, also the president of Editors' Council, was put on life support around 5:30pm today as his health condition deteriorated. He is survived by wife, two sons, one daughter and a host of relatives and followers to mourn his death. Meanwhile, President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina expressed deep shock at his death. Golam Sarwar, who also served as chairman of the board of directors of Press Institute of Bangladesh (PIB), obtained his Master's degree in Bangla literature with honours from Dhaka University. He started his career as a journalist in 1963.

Road Safety Protest: No bail for 22 pvt univ students

A Dhaka court on August 9 denied bail to the 22 private university students who were arrested in two separate cases filed over vandalism and attacks on policemen during the road safety movement. Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Satyabrata Sikder passed the order after police produced the students before the court on completion of their two-day remands. The investigation officer said they were verifying information which they gathered from the students and until the investigation was completed, they would remain in jail. During the hearing, the defence lawyers told the court that their clients were being harassed by being falsely implicated in cases, although their names were not included in the first information reports. The lawyers also said policemen beat them mercilessly and showed them arrested in the cases.