Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina held a bilateral meeting with her Indian counterpart Narendra Modi in London on Thursday and discussed matters of bilateral interests. ‘On the sidelines of the Commonwealth Heads Of Government Meeting (CHOGM), the two premiers held the meeting at Lancaster House in London and discussed issues related to bilateral interests,’ Foreign Secretary Md Shahidul Haque said while briefing reporters after the meeting. Reports BSS. PM's Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim was present at the briefing. Replying to a question of journalists that whether Rohingya and Teesta issues came up for discussion, the foreign secretary said all the issues were discussed at the meeting. The Bangladesh and Indian prime ministers also discussed the issue of Commonwealth. While talking about the the Rohingya issue, Haque said India has changed its position on this issue, which is ‘much closer to us’. ‘India is helping for rehabilitation of the Rohingyas,’ he said. The foreign secretary said the issue of inauguration of ‘Bangladesh House’ at Biswa Bharati University in Indian state of West Bengal in presence of the two premiers came up for discussion. The two leaders are now in the British capital to join the 25th Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) that began in London on Thursday. Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md Shahriar Alam, PM's Principal Secretary Md Nojibur Rahman, and Principal Coordinator on the SDG Affairs Md Abul Kalam Azad were present at the meeting. AH

Vice Chancellor of Dhaka University Dr. Akhtaruzzaman said, rumors, provocation and lying are being spread in different ways even through social media about Dhaka University. He said this while speaking to the newsmen at his office on Friday. News were published in different media that the Sufia Kamal Hall authority thrown some female students out of the hall on Thursday night. Commotion continued on social media throughout the night over the news. In this regard to inform about the real incident DU Vice Chancellor (VC) arranged a press conference. VC said, three students were handed over to their guardians over the allegation of spreading confusion on Facebook. There is no chance of spreading confusion. No general student was harassed. VC thinks that the hall authority has practiced guardian like attitude. He said, the agitating students and the people behind provocation are not the same. Movement is traditional with Dhaka University. It is very normal. Anybody can do movement over logical demand. But provocation and movement are not same. We support movement, not provocation. He thinks that though quota reform movement was participated by general students but evil force intruded into that. That evil force was associated with sabotage, he observed. Dr. Akhtaruzzaman said, university authority did not harass any general student. Thousands of students were involved in the movement. The investigation committee has identified 25/26 persons from them. DU VC urged media persons not to present any news without confirmation. He said that confusion created if news are published without scrutinize. He sought cooperation of all in this regard. Allegation arose that Sufia Kamal Hall authority thrown out some students in connection with assaulting Chhatra League leader Iffat Jahan Isha. General student became angry over the incident. Panic also gripped them. Hall Provost Sabita Rizwana said to the media, we have called a number of students. Their mobile phones are being checked. They are spreading rumors from their fake social media account. They are being handed over to their local guardians following obtaining bond. Earlier on Wednesday the university authority in a disciplinary meeting decided to confer show cause notice to 26 students over the incident of assaulting Sufia Kamal Hall unit president Iffat Jahan Isha. Isha’s temporary suspension order was also withdrawn in the meeting. AH                   

In their crucial match against Sri Lanka Bangladesh beat the host by 2 wickets. The tigers achieved the target of 160 runs with loss of 8 wickets with one ball to spare. Mahmudullah the hero of the match hammered a six on the fifth ball of the last over. He scored 43 runs of just 18 balls and was adjudicated man of the match.   With this win Bangladesh reached in the final of Nidahas T-20 Trophy making Sri Lanka out of the race. Based on the fine innings of Tamim Iqbal tigers made the impossible possible. Tamim hammered 50 runs of 42 balls. Mushfiqur Rahim scored 28 while Sabbir 13 and Soumya scored 10 runs. Dananjaya of Sri Lanka bagged two wickets while Aposo, Gunathilaka, Mendis and Udana took one wicket each. Earlier, winning the toss Bangladesh skipper Shakib Al Hasan decided to field first. This was the first match of Shakib after recovering from injury. Bangladesh while bowling from the beginning was very aggressive. The controlled bowling of the tigers made Sri Lanka shrinking at one moment. Captain Shakib leading from the front strike first for the team when Sri Lanka were 15. Then Mustafiz strike when the total was 22. At one moment Sri Lanka were 41 with loss of 5 wickets at 8.1 overs. But the Sri Lankan dependable batsman Kushal Perera lingered the innings to reach a dependable total. On the other hand a very timely innings came from Thisara Perera. Kushal scored 61 of 40 balls and Thisara scored 58 of 37 balls. These two Perera innings mainly helped Sri Lanka to make a defendable total of 159 runs with loss of 7 wickets in the stipulated 20 overs. Among Bangladeshi bowlers Mustafiz bagged 2 wickets, while Shakib, Rubel, Miraz and Soumya took one wicket each.    AH  

The mayoral by-election of Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) and election of 18 wards were suspended by the court. After getting the copy of stay order on Tuesday night the Election Commission (EC) told this. Besides, elections in 18 wards under Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) were also suspended for four months. Acting EC Secretary Helal Uddin said, we have received a photocopy of written verdict of the court. There it was mention that DNCC election is suspended for six months and DSCC election is suspended for four months. Earlier on January 17 the court suspended DNCC by-election for three months. AH    

Fisheries and Livestock Minister Sayedul Hoque passed away. Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji’un. He breathed his last at 8:30 am on Saturday at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) hospital while undergoing treatment. Sayedul Hoque was suffering from fever, urine infection and physical weakness for long days. He was admitted to BSMMU on 16 September under supervision of expert physician of neuro medicine department. Earlier on Friday President Mohammad Abdul Hamid visited BSMMU to see the condition of Fisheries and Livestock Minister Sayedul Hoque. Vice Chancellor of BSMMU Professor Dr. Kamrul Hasan Khan, Anesthesiology Department Chairman Professor Dr. Debabrata Banik, Syndicate Member and Surgery Department Professor Dr. Soyef Uddin Ahmed and Director (Hospital) Brigadier General Md. Abdullah Al Harun were present during the President’s visit. AH