Jan 1: A tragedy in Turkey
Thirty-nine people, including many foreigners, were killed on the very first day of the year when a gunman went on a rampage at an exclusive nightclub in Istanbul where revellers were celebrating the New Year, reports AFP.
Jan 2: Unplug foreign channelsThe government directed television channel distributors to stop airing foreign television channels that broadcast advertisements of local companies.
Jan 3: Recognise guerrillas as freedom fighters
The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court upheld a High Court order that directed the government to recognise 2,367 members of the ‘guerrilla force’ who participated in the 1971 Liberation War as freedom fighters.
Gruesome Fire in Gulshan
Several hundred shops were gutted as a devastating fire broke out at Gulshan-1 DCC Market (New DNCC) in the capital. Several portions of the two-storey market also collapsed due to the fire that came under control after over 15 hours. Traders of the market alleged that the incident was an act of sabotage.
Jan 5: Islami Bank sheds skin
The biggest shake-up in the history of Islami Bank took place on this day as its Chairman, Managing Director and a Vice-Chairman stepped down. Former secretary Arastoo Khan has been made chairman of the bank while another former secretary, Syed Manzoorul Islam has been appointed Islami Bank Foundation chairman.Jan 6: Neo-JMB kingpin killed

Nurul Islam alias Marzan, mastermind of the Gulshan cafe attack, and his fellow militant were killed in a violent gunfight with police in the capital. He was believed to be the last kingpin of neo-JMB militant group. After the killing of its chief Tamim Chowdhury, Marzan was working as the operational commander of the militant group.
Jan 7: Blood on the border
A Bangladeshi national was tortured to death by members of Indian Border Security Force (BSF) along Chakulia border in Damurhuda upazila in Chuadanga district early Saturday. The deceased was identified as Bakul Mandal, 38, son of late Soda Ali Mandal of Phulbari village of the upazila.
Jan 8:  Conspirators cornered
A Dhaka court on Sunday sent seven Biman officials to jail in a case filed over technical glitch of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s flight. Earlier, Biman filed a case against the nine—eight engineers and a technician – of criminal conspiracy and sabotage through negligent conduct with respect to machinery for technical glitch causing emergency landing of the VVIP flight.
Jan 10: Hindi Chair at DU
Dhaka University and Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for establishing a Hindi Chair at the university. A senior Indian Professor will be appointed to the Chair aiming to conduct research for expansion and modernisation of Hindi language.
Jan 11: Obama says goodbye

US outgoing President Barack Hussain Obama gave his forceful speech amid an a corrosive political climate as President-elect Donald Trump prepares to take office.
Jan 13: Coal-laden cargo capsizes
A coal-laden cargo vessel capsized near Fairway Buoy in Mongla in the Bay of Bengal. The vessel named ‘MV Lady Marry’ sank in the bay near Hiron point while heading towards Noapara, Jessore after loading 1000 tonnes of coal from the mother vessel in Mongla.
Jan 15:  Police clearance goes online

From now on, people, including expatriates who want to go abroad can apply online for police clearance certificates browsing www.pcc.police.gov.bd website. The scan copies of necessary documents and receipt of government fee will have to be submitted online.
Jan 16: 26 awarded death penalty
Twenty-six people, including former city councilor Nur Hossain and ex-RAB commanding officer Lt Col Tarek Sayed Mohammad, were sentenced to death and nine others jailed for different terms in two cases filed over the sensational Narayanganj seven murders.
Jan 20: Trump triumphs

Donald Trump became the 45th President of the United States. He was sworn into the office through a time-honored inauguration ceremony that encapsulated the peaceful transfer of power that is a hallmark of American democracy.
Jan 21: Bangladesh starts exporting bikes

Bangladesh started exporting motorcycles to Nepal. Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed inaugurated export of bikes manufactured by Runner Automobiles Limited at Bhaluka in Mymensingh.
Jan 23: Clutch of corruption on climate
Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) found massive irregularities in implementation of the climate change resilience projects by local government bodies. Revealing a study on six projects of Bangladesh Climate Change Trust Fund (BCCTF), TIB said political influence played a big role in picking up and implementing the projects instead of consideration of the intensity of the climate risks.
Jan 29: BB keeps monetary policy unchanged
Bangladesh Bank has kept its monetary policy stance unchanged for the second half of the current fiscal year and projected a 7.2 percent annual GDP growth as the government did before the beginning of the FY in July.
Jan 30: Yunus under NBR scanner
The National Board of Revenue (NBR) has launched an investigation into the alleged tax evasion by Grameen Bank founder Dr Muhammad Yunus. The tax authorities are also investigating the sources of the funds he donated to Clinton Foundation and the fee he earned for carrying the RIO Olympic torch.
Feb 1: Palestinian President arrives in Dhaka

A red carpet was rolled out as Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas arrived in Dhaka on a three-day official visit at the invitation of his Bangladesh counterpart Abdul Hamid.
Feb 5: Suranjit Sengupta dies
Country’s veteran politician and seasoned parliamentarian Suranjit Sengupta died at a city hospital. He was 72.
Feb 6: New EC formed

President Md Abdul Hamid appointed the much-awaited five-member Election Commission with former Secretary K M Nurul Huda as the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC).
Feb 7: Burglars decamp with Nobel Prize

A replica of the Nobel medal awarded to Indian child rights campaigner Kailash Satyarthi has been stolen from his home in the capital, Delhi.
Feb 8: Apex court appoints 12 amici curiae
The Supreme Court appointed 12 amici curiae to assist it in hearing an appeal filed by the government against the High Court verdict that declared illegal the 16th amendment to the constitution.
Feb 10: Another murder on the border
A Bangladeshi national was shot dead by members of Indian Border Security Force (BSF) along Datbhanga border in Roumari upazila.
Feb 11: Cries of corruption unfounded
A Canada court dismissed the ‘corruption conspiracy’ involving the Padma Bridge project in Bangladesh and acquitted three former executives of Canadian engineering giant SNC-Lavalin.
Feb 18: Hasina meets Markel
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has met German Chancellor Angela Merkel and discussed Rohingya issue at a bilateral meeting at Hotel Bayerischer in Munich.
Feb 20: More room for talents

The cabinet gave its approval for recruiting general candidates from the merit list of Bangladesh Public Service Commission (BPSC) examinations to the vacant posts reserved for the quotas of freedom fighters, women and ethnic minorities relaxing its provisions.
Feb 21: Former lawmaker held
The Detectives Branch (DB) of police on Tuesday detained Dr Abdul Kader Khan, former Jatiya Party lawmaker of the Gaibandha-1 constituency, in connection with the killing of Awami League MP Manjurul Islam Liton.
Feb 22: Killer driver to spend life behind bars
A bus driver was sentenced to life in prison in Manikganj for his dangerous driving which caused a fatal road accident, leaving famed filmmaker Tareque Masud, journalist Ashfaque Munir Mishuk and three others dead five and a half years ago.
Feb 23: Gas gets dearer
Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) announced a fresh hike in gas tariff to be effective in two phases from March 1 and June 1 respectively.
Feb 24: Marvel of marvels
Cutter master Mustafizur Rahman has won Cricinfo’s best T20 International bowling award in men’s category while another bowler Mehedi Hasan bagged the debutant of the year award for 2016.
Feb 27: Minimum age of marriage
Parliament passed the much-talked-about Child Marriage Restraint Bill 2017 with a clause allowing child marriages under special circumstances.  However, the law provides for awarding highest two-year imprisonment and Tk one lakh in fine or both for the people involved in arranging underage marriages.
Feb 28: Militants hanged
Five members of the banned militant outfit Jama’atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) were sentenced to death for killing Japanese national Kunio Hoshi in Rangpur in 2015.
Mar 1: Bangladesh, Russia ink deal
Bangladesh and the Russian Federation signed an agreement on the establishment of the intergovernmental commission on trade, economic, scientific and technical cooperation.
Mar 2: Muhit heaps praise on Yunus
Finance Minister AMA Muhith appreciated Prof Muhammad Yunus for introducing microcredit programme contributed significantly to reducing poverty in the country.
Mar 5: Fate of BGMEA building sealed
Rejecting a review petition, Supreme Court ordered the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) to demolish its high-rise building constructed on wetland at Hatirjheel in the capital.
Mar 6: A veteran journalist dies
Amir Hossain, an eminent journalist and acting editor of the Daily Sun, died of cardiac arrest at a hospital in the capital. He was 73
Mar 8: Badrul – the beast

In a speedy trial, Badrul Alam, an expelled activist of Bangladesh Chhatra League, was sentenced to life in prison for hacking college student Khadiza Begum in the shrine city of Sylhet.
Mar 11: BD Ambassador to Brazil passes away

Bangladesh Ambassador to Brazil and former Foreign Secretary Mohamed Mijarul Quayes passed away in Brasilia, Brazil at 6 am (BST) on Saturday. He was 57.
Mar 16: Raid on militant den
Four militants, including a woman, were killed in overnight explosions and gunshots during an anti-militancy raid on a militant den in Sitakunda upazila of the district. They were members of the Neo-JMB, an offshoot of the banned Islamic outfit JMB, police said.
Mar 17: Suicide attack on RAB

A suicide bomber detonated a bomb on the proposed site of the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) Headquarters at Uttara in the capital, blowing off himself and rocking the barracks of the elite police unit.
Mar 19: Tigers win 100th Test
Bangladesh Cricket Team won its 100th Test match by four wickets to level the 2-match series against Sri Lanka at 1-1 at Colombo’s P Sara Oval.
Mar 20:  Genocide Day

The Cabinet cleared a proposal of the Ministry of Liberation War Affairs for recognising March 25 as Genocide Day.
Mar 21: Leapfrog towards universal health coverage

The government approved the fourth phase of a massive sector-wise programme for health, population and nutrition sectors involving nearly Tk 1,15,500 crore (1155 billion) in a bid to gradually move towards universal health coverage and health related SDGs.
Mar 22: Attack on UK Parliament
Four people, including an armed police officer and a man believed to be the attacker, have died in a terrorist incident near the UK’s Houses of Parliament.
Mar 23: Fire in Bangladesh Bank
A fire broke out at Bangladesh Bank Bhaban (building) at Motijheel in the capital. Fire originated on the 13th floor of the 32-storey building around 9:20pm.
Mar 24: Sin of suicide bomber
A suspected suicide bomber was killed as a bomb he was carrying exploded with a big bang in front of a police check post near Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in the capital.
Mar 25: Militants strike at midnight

At least three people, including a police officer, were killed and 32 others injured in two separate blasts near the suspected militant den in Shibbari area of Sylhet city. Police suspect the bombs were hurled by the cohorts of the militants holed up inside the den at Atia Mahal, a five-storey building in the city’s Shibbari.
Mar 27: Shringla visits EWMGL
Indian High Commissioner in Dhaka Harsh Vardhan Shringla visited country’s largest media conglomerate East West Media Group Limited (EWMGL) complex in Bashundhara of the capital.
Mar 28: PM uncovers Karagarer Rojnamcha
Prime Minister uncovered the “Karagarer Rojnamcha (Diary in Jail), the second autobiography of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. Emeritus Professor Rafiqul Islam presided over the function, while eminent historians Professor Syed Anwar Hossain and Professor Muntasir Mamun took part in the discussion on the book.
Apr 1: Inter-Parliamentary Union assembly in Dhaka

International Parliamentary Assumedly began in Dhaka for first time where some 1,350 delegates, including 45 Speakers, 37 Deputy Speakers, 896 MPs attended.
Apr 2: Ordeal of two mayors
Rajshahi City Corporation (RCC) mayor Mosaddek Hossain Bulbul and Sylhet City Corporation (SCC) mayor Ariful Haque Chowdhury were suspended again hours after they rejoined their offices.
Apr 5: Abandoned baby finds new home

The baby boy ‘Ekush’, who was reportedly left in a dustbin in the port city, was finally handed over to a couple through a Chittagong court.
Apr 7: Prophet’s mosque Imam conducts Juma prayers in Dhaka

Imam and Khatib of Masjid-e Nababi (the Prophet’s mosque) Abdulmehsin bin Mohammad Bin Abdul Rahman Al-Qasim led the Juma congregation at Baitul Mukarram National Mosque in Dhaka.
Apr 8: Hasina, Modi one-on-one meeting

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina made one-on-one meeting with Indian counter part Narendra Modi at Hyderabad House in New Delhi.  After the bilateral meeting, the two states signed 36 agreements, memorandums of understanding and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
Apr 9: Sonia Gandhi  meets Hasina

Congress President Sonia Gandhi met Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at South Drawing Room of Rashtrapati Bhavan.
Apr 10: Apu Biswas drops a bombshell

Film actress Apu Biswas on Monday claimed that she is married to actor Shakib Khan during an exclusive interview with a private television channel.
Apr 17: Bangabandhu Satellite

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was handed over a replica of the Bangabandhu Satellite scheduled to be launched early 2018.
Apr 20: Bhutan to get connected
Bangladesh and Bhutan agreed to connect through Chittagong and Mongla ports that will open up further opportunities of bilateral trade between the two countries and beyond.
Apr 21: Sayem Sobhan gets Dadasaheb Phalke Award

Bashundhara Group Managing Director Sayem Sobhan Anvir has received India’s most prestigious Dadasaheb Phalke Excellence Awards-2017. He has been accorded the award for the outstanding contribution of of East West Media Group Ltd, a concern of the country’s leading business conglomerate, to the mass media, social service and sports.
Apr 24: Bangladesh opens mission in Guwahati
With consular jurisdiction over Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Manipur, Mizoram and Nagaland, Bangladesh opened Assistant High Commission in Guwahati of Assam.
Apr 27: Country’s first digital island

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina announced Moheshkhali Island under Cox’s Bazar district as the country’s first ‘Digital Island’ through launching a project hoping that it will play a greater role in expediting the overall socioeconomic development of the people of this Island.
May 2: Countrywide blackout
Power supply in 37 districts of the country was suspended for nearly five hours due to the partial failure of the national gridline.
May 6: Country’s first marine drive opens
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina opened the 80-km Cox’s Bazar-Teknaf Marine Drive to traffic.
May 7: 58-party alliance formed

A new political alliance of the 58-party has been formed led by Jatiya Party (JaPa) Chairman Hussain Muhammad Ershad.
May 8: Bank Co Act amended

The government approved amendments to three provisions of the Bank Company Act.
May 10: Khaleda unveils Vision 2030
BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia unveiled a 256-point charter of ‘Vision 2030’
May 12: 6 Operation Sun Devil

Five militant suspects and a fireman were killed during a search operation ‘Sun Devil’ at their den at Godagari in Rajshahi that law enforcers busted.
May 13: 7.24pc growth achievement revealed
Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) released the prediction of economic growth at historical high 7.24 percent and per capita income to $1,602 in the FY 2016-17
May 14: Customs raid on Apan Jewellers
Customs Intelligence conducted raids on six showrooms of Apan Jewellers in the capital on Sunday following allegations of duty evasion and sealed off a showroom.
May 15: SC upholds Sayedee death

The Supreme Court upheld its earlier verdict that gave Jamaat leader Delwar Hossain Sayedee imprisonment unto death for committing crimes against humanity during the Liberation War in 1971.
May 20: Police raid Khaleda’s office
Law enforcers raided BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia’s office at Gulshan following a search warrant.
May 21: 5 ‘militants’ surrender to RAB
Five persons surrendered to RAB at a suspected militant hideout in Gabtoli area of Narsingdi.
May 26: Statue of Themis removed from SC premises
The Supreme Court authorities removed the statue of the Greek Goddess of Justice Themis on the SC premises following the demand of Islamist platform Hefazat-e-Islam.
May 30: 8 killed in cyclone Mora

At least eight people were killed and several hundred others injured in a super cyclone named ‘Cyclone Mora’ which lashed the country’s coastal areas.
June 1: Budget for 2017-18 FY placed in JS
Finance Minister AMA Muhith placed a gigantic Tk 400,266 crore (4.0 trillion) budget for 2017-18 fiscal year.
June 2: Huge arms, ammo recovered in N’ganj

A huge cache of sophisticated firearms and ammunition were recovered from a canal in a police drive at Rupganj in Narayanganj.
June 4: Terror attack on UK nightlife hub
Three assailants smashed a van into pedestrians on London Bridge before attacking revellers in a popular nightlife hub with knives, leaving seven dead in the deadly terror attack in Britain.
June 6: Ex-CJ Latifur dies
Former chief justice and chief adviser to a caretaker government Latifur Rahman passed away at a hospital in the capital.
June 7: Rajuk evicts Moudud from Gulshan house
Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk) evicted BNP leader Barrister Moudud Ahmed from the house at Gulshan-2 in the capital.
June 9: 3 British Bangladeshis elected UK MPs
Three Bangladeshi-origin women, Tulip Rizwana Siddiq, Rushanara Ali and Rupa Huq re-elected as lawmakers in the British parliament.
June 10: Bangladesh reach ICC semi-finals
Bangladesh reached the semi-finals of the ICC Champions Trophy 2017
June 13: Landslide kills 133 in CHT

At least 133 people, including four soldiers, were killed and several hundreds injured as torrential rains triggered massive landslides in three hill districts of the country.
June 17: BNP motorcade comes under attack
Five senior BNP leaders, including Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, were injured as a group of youths attacked his motorcade in Rangunia upazila.
June 21: Highway police ASP found dead
An assistant superintendent of highway police was found dead in Mirpur Beribadh area near Rupnagar.
June 29: Hasina receives accolade
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina featured distinctively in a book unveiled in the USA as one of the 18 current women national leaders of the world.
June 29: JS passes Tk 4trn budget
Parliament passed the national budget of Tk 4,00,266 crore (4 trillion) for 2017-2018 fiscal year.
July 2: Female militants nabbed
Raiding a ‘Neo JMB’ hideout in Bheramara upazila of Kushtia, law enforcers arrested three suspected female militants along with suicidal vests, weapons and explosives.
61 sued over Sunamganj flood
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) filed a case against 61 people, including 15 officials of Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB), for their alleged involvement in irregularities in implementing haor embankment projects.
July 3: Supreme Court scraps parliamentary authority
The Supreme Court upheld the High Court verdict that declared illegal the authority of parliament to impeach judges of the apex court.
Boiler goes bust, kills many
At least eight people were killed and 40 others injured as a boiler exploded at a readymade garment (RMG) factory in Gazipur.
July 8: Misery in the north
Many low-lying areas of Sirajganj, Bogra, Gaibandha, Kurigram and Jamalpur were inundated, causing flood.
July 11: Firearms seized
Customs intelligence officials seized 19 import-restricted pistols from the air cargo unit of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport.
July 13: Sri Lankan President in Dhaka
Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena arrives in Dhaka on a three-day official visit to Bangladesh at the invitation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
July 14: Khaleda flies to UK
BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia left Dhaka for the UK to receive medical treatment and spend time with her family members there.
July 16: EC unveils roadmap for JS polls
The Election Commission (EC) announced its 11th parliamentary election roadmap for holding a free and fair national election.
July 19: UNO in dilemma
Barguna sadar Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Gazi Tarique Salman was not only harassed through a defamation case, but also by the local administration over his printing of an invitation card with an image of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman drawn by a child- Salman. He was sent to jail but released on bail on the same day amid widespread criticism.
July 20: Shot by police, Siddiqur lost eye
M Siddiqur Rahman, a third-year political science student, suffered injuries to both eyes as police lobbed teargas shells to disperse the demonstrating students, demanding the announcement of their examination schedules. He lost his eyesight.
July 22: A stroke of genius
With two silver and two bronze medals, Bangladeshi students secured first position among South Asian countries in the 58th International Mathematical Olympiad in Rio de Janeiro of Brazil.
July 28: A freedom fighter dies
Major (Retd) Ziauddin Ahmed, who was a sub-sector commander during the country’s Liberation War in 1971, died at a hospital in Singapore.
July 31: EC sits with civil society
The Election Commission held a dialogue with civil society members on the issue of arranging the upcoming 11th parliamentary elections.
August 1: Miracle of middle science
Twin girls conjoined at the hip were successfully separated following a groundbreaking operation at the Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH).
August 2: OIC Secretary General visits Bangladesh
Secretary General of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Dr Yousef bin Ahmad Al Othaimeen arrived Dhaka on a four-day tour.
August 2: Work on Metro Rail begins
Work on the much-hyped 12-km metro rail from Uttara to Agargaon and its nine stations began.
August 7: Citycell employees sue Chairman
Five employees of private mobile operator Citycell sued its chairman M Morshed Khan and seven other top officials for failing to pay their salaries and allowances.
August 15-16: EC sits with journalists
The Election Commission held a dialogue with journalist on the upcoming 11th parliamentary elections.
August 20: PM visits flood-affected areas
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina visited flood-affected Dinajpur and Kurigram districts on to see for herself the condition of the flood victims. August 21: Fall of a megastar
Legendary Bangla film actor Razzak passed away at a hospital in Dhaka at 76.
August 25: Hell breaks loose on Rohingays
Bangladesh has once again been exposed to Rohingya influx after fresh violence in Rakhine state of Myanmar that forced to flee them in Bangladesh since August 25 and till now an estimated 600,000 Rohingyas have arrived in Bangladesh
August 30: Jabbar will sing no more
Legendary singer Abdul Jabbar, who inspired freedom fighters through his songs during the country’s War of Independence in 1971, passed away.
August 30: Tigers make history
Bangladesh clinched a historic victory in the first Test of the two-match series against Australia at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium.
Sep 9: Myanmar plants landmines on border
Myanmar’s security forces planted internationally banned antipersonnel landmines along its border with Bangladesh which have seriously injured at least three civilians and reportedly killed one man last week, Amnesty International said in a report published on its website on September 9, reports UNB.
Sep 17: BD doctor’s invention saving millions
Gynecologists across the world are now using a technique invented by a Bangladeshi doctor to prevent bleeding after childbirth, and eventually saving millions of mothers from postpartum haemorrhage. Dr Sayeba Akhter, also the founder of MAMM’s Institute of Fistula and Women’s Health (MIFWOH), invented the technique now known as ‘Sayeba’s method’ in 2000 when she was the head of Gynecology and Obstetrics Department at Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH).
Sep 18: Impose sanctions, arms embargo on Myanmar
Human Rights Watch (HRW) on September 18 called for targeted sanctions and an arms embargo against Myanmar military for persecution of Rohingyas forcing around 4,00,000 ethnic minority people to flee to Bangladesh.
Sep 19: Most Rohingya villages calm, claims Suu Kyi
After a mass exodus of Rohingya Muslims sparked allegations of ethnic cleansing, Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi said her country does not fear international scrutiny.
The Nobel Peace laureate’s global image has been damaged by violence since Rohingya insurgents attacked Myanmar security forces on Aug. 25.
Sep 22: Myanmar guilty of genocide
The Permanent Peoples’ Tribunal (PPT) found Myanmar de facto Prime Minister Aung San Suu Kyi and army chief Senior General Min Aung Hlaing guilty of committing genocide against the Rohingya community. The seven-member tribunal delivered its verdict on September 22, after holding hearings on the persecution of Rohingyas for five days at the moot court at the Law Faculty of University Malaya in Kuala Lumpur.
Sep 27: HRW accuses Myanmar of crimes against humanity
Human Rights Watch accused Myanmar of committing “crimes against humanity” in Rakhine State, calling on the UN Security Council (UNSC) to act on the issue by imposing sanctions and an arms embargo against the government, report agencies.
The Myanmar military “is brutally expelling the Rohingya” from the western state of Rakhine, said James Ross, legal and policy director at the New York-based rights organisation
Sep 29: Beauty pageant fiasco
Jannatul Nayem Avril was adjudged to represent Bangladesh in Miss World-2017 to be held in China. The Miss World Bangladesh is announced at the grand finale of the contest at International Convention City Bashundhara (ICCB) in the capital
Later on, Avril’s title was disqualified followed by all the controversies about her past marriage and more. Jessia Islam has been selected as the new face to represent Bangladesh in the main competition of Miss World on October 4.
Sep 30: Padma Bridge a visible reality
Padma Bridge is no longer a dream. It has now become a visible reality as the first span of the country’s dream multipurpose structure was installed on this day.
Oct 3: CJ goes on month-long leave
Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha has gone for one month leave amid controversy over his derogatory comment about Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in the verdict on the 16th Amendment to the Constitution.
Wahhab Miah made acting Chief Justice
Justice Md. Abdul Wahhab Miah is heading the Appellate Division as it resumes its session in the absence of Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha, who has taken a month’s leave from today (Oct 3).
Oct 10: Myanmar rights body admits to Rohingya persecution
Myanmar National Human Rights Commission has admitted to the persecution of Rohingyas in Rakhine state that left many people dead and caused a massive influx.
Oct 13: CJ flies to Australia
Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha left Dhaka for Australia on Friday (Oct 13) night after he secured government’s clearance for his overseas trip. Before leaving his official residence around 10:00pm, he told reporters that he was not physically ill.
Oct 14: Sinha faces a volley of allegations
Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha is tainted with 11 allegations, including corruption, money laundering and moral turpitude, the Supreme Court said in a statement on Oct14.
The SC in the statement signed by its Registrar General Syed Aminul Islam said it refrained from making public Sinha issue earlier, but the situation has now compelled it to do so.
This is for the first time in the country’s history that the apex court issued statement against a Chief Justice.
Oct 19: Khaleda returns home
BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia returned home on October 19 after around four months of stay in the United Kingdom.
The party has taken preparation for giving her a warm reception after her arrival at the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in the capital.
Oct 19: PayPal’s Xoom service launched in Bangladesh
PayPal, a global online money transfer service, has launched its payment service Xoom in Bangladesh to enable the freelancers and families of the expatriates to receive money from anywhere of the globe.
Prime Minister’s ICT Adviser Sajeeb Wazed Joy inaugurated the service at a function titled ‘PayPal+Xoom service and freelancer conference’ on the second day of ‘Bangladesh ICT Expo-2017’ at the Bangabandhu International Conference Centre in Dhaka.
Oct 23: Delhi gives top priority to Dhaka: Sushma
Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said India always gives top priority to Bangladesh among all the neighbouring countries as per its ‘neighbour first policy’.
“When we look at our four neighbours I see Bangladesh at the top of them,” she said while addressing the inauguration of 15 India-funded development projects and new chancery at Indian High Commission in Dhaka.
New gas field discovered in Bhola
State-owned Bangladesh Petroleum Exploration and Production Company Limited (BAPEX) discovered a major gas field at Shahbazpur in Bhola.
The country’s 27th gas field was discovered at a depth of 3,500 meters below the surface through the drilling of an exploration well.
Oct 27: Catalonia declares independence
Catalan lawmakers voted to declare independence from Spain, as Madrid vowed in turn to “restore legality” and quash the region’s secessionist bid, reports AFP.
The regional parliament in Barcelona passed a resolution to “declare Catalonia an independent state in the form of a republic”.
But later on, Spain dissolved the regional government of Catalonia and Supreme Court also declared the vote null and void.
Oct 28: Khaleda’s motorcade comes under attack
The motorcade of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia came under attacks at different points of the road to Chittagong while she was on her way to Cox’s Bazar to see the Rohingyas.
Oct 30: UNESCO recognises 7th March speech
The UNESCO has given recognition to the historic 7th March speech of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman as part of the world’s documentary heritage.
Bangabandhu’s 7th March speech has been included in the Memory of the World International Register, a list of world’s documentary heritage maintained by the UNESCO.
Nov 4: Anti-graft Purge in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia has arrested dozens of senior figures including princes, ministers and a top business tycoon, with authorities on Sunday pledging “fair” justice after a sweeping purge seen as consolidating the crown prince’s hold on power.
Prominent billionaire Al-Waleed bin Talal was among the princes arrested, a government source told AFP, immediately after a new anti-corruption commission headed by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was established by royal decree.
Nov 5: NSU teacher goes missing
Dr Mobashwer, an assistant professor of the Faculty of Social Science at North South University, has gone missing amid growing number of abduction incidents in the country.
Nov 9: Indo-Bangla train service ushers new era
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her Indian counterpart Narendra Modi on Thursday called for strengthening relations among all the neighbouring countries to accelerate growth and the pace of prosperity.
They came up with the call while inaugurating the end-to-end immigration and customs services of Dhaka-Kolkata Maitree Express and flagging off Khulna-Kolkata Bandhan Express service through video conferencing.
Sheikh Hasina joined the video conferencing from her official residence Ganabhaban while Modi joined it from New Delhi. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee also joined the programme from Kolkata.
Nov 10: Sinha resigns, finally
Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha has finally resigned his post amid a row over the Supreme Court’s verdict on the 16th Amendment to the Constitution.
“A resignation letter of Surendra Kumar Sinha reached Bangabhaban on Friday (Nov 10),” Zainal Abedin, Press Secretary to President Abdul Hamid, told the daily sun.
The resignation came when SK Sinha was staying abroad on one-month leave on health grounds.
Nov 21: Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe Resigns
Robert Mugabe resigned as Zimbabwe’s president on Nov 21 swept from power as his 37-year reign of autocratic control and brutality crumbled within days of a military takeover.
The move looks set to bring an end to Zimbabwe’s worst political crisis since the country won independence from Britain in 1980.
Nov 23: Rohingya repatriation to begin in 2 months
Bangladesh and Myanmar finally signed an ‘instrument’ on Rohingya repatriation with no ending deadline amid high hopes that the forcibly displaced Rohingyas will start returning to their homeland within the next two months, reports UNB.
The two neighbouring nations struck the instrument in the afternoon following a meeting between Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali and Myanmar’s State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi in the morning at Suu Kyi’s office.
Mahmood Ali and Myanmar’s Minister for State Counsellor’s office Kyauw Tint Swe signed the documents.
Nov 27:  BDR Mutiny: HC upholds death for 139
The High Court upheld death penalty for 139 convicts in a case filed over the killing of 74 people, including 57 army officers, in a mutiny at BDR Pilkhana headquarters in the capital in 2009.
The court commuted death sentences of eight convicts to life-term imprisonment and acquitted 12 lifers and four death-row convicts. It also upheld life-term imprisonment of 146 convicts and acquittal of 34 people accused in the case.
Besides, the HC sentenced 31 people to life imprisonment and four others to seven years in prison in an appeal by the state against 69 people acquitted by the trial court.
Nov 28: ‘Rohingya’ absent in Pope’s speech
Pope Francis called for respect for rights and justice in a keenly-watched address in Myanmar on Nov 28, but refrained from any mention of the Rohingya, or allegations of ethnic cleansing that has driven huge numbers of the Muslim minority from the country, reports AFP.
Nov 30: Pope’s Bangladesh visit
Pope Francis has arrived in Dhaka on a three-day apostolic visit. The Holy Father landed at Hazrat Shah Jalal International Airport in the city at 3.00pm.
Nov 30: Annisul Huq no more
Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) Mayor Annisul Huq, who was undergoing treatment for neurological problem at Wellington Hospital in London, passed away on Thursday, November 30. He was 66.
Dec 5: Humanoid robot Sophia in city
World’s first robot citizen with artificial intelligence, Sophia, arrived in Dhaka to attend the country’s digital fair— Digital World-2017.
A Dragon Airlines flight carrying Sophia from Hong Kong landed at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport around 4.00am.
Dec 6: UNESCO recognises ‘Shital Pati’
Sylhet’s traditional art of ‘Shital Pati’ weaving has been inscribed on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) of Humanity by UNESCO. The recognition was given at UNESCO’s 12 ICH Committee session at Jeju in South Korea.
This is the third ICH from Bangladesh inscribed by UNESCO, according to its official website. Earlier in 2016, “Mangal Shobhajatra on Pahela Baishakh” was inscribed while “Baul songs” was inscribed in 2008.
Dec 6: Trump recognises Jerusalem as Israel’s capital
President Donald Trump recognised the disputed city of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital — a historic decision that overturns decades of US policy and risks triggering a fresh spasm of violence in the Middle East, reports AFP.
Dec 11: Gazette on judges’ service rules issued
The government on December 11 issued service rules and conduct for lower court judges, two days before the Appellate Division is scheduled to hold a hearing on the matter.
“The 24-page gazette was issued and sent to BG Press for publication. We are hoping to get published the gazette very shortly,” law ministry’s spokesperson Dr Md Rezaul Karim told BSS.
Dec 12: Rangpur win BPL crown
Rangpur Riders clinched the title of the fifth edition of Bangladesh Premier League T20 tournament, demolishing Dhaka Dynamites in the grand finale.
Rangpur routed Dhaka by 57 runs at the match at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in the capital, winning the BPL title for the first time.
Dec 14: Over 6,700 Rohingyas killed in Myanmar
In August and September alone, at least 6,700 Rohingya Muslims are believed to have been killed by Burma’s security forces.
Doctors Without Borders whose French acronym is MSF surveyed people in refugee camps in Bangladesh to gather the figures, estimating that at least 9,000 people died in Rakhine state between August 25 and September 24 – with the 6.700 figure directly because of the violence.
Dec 15: Mohiuddin Chowdhury passes away
Former mayor of Chittagong City Corporation (CCC) and city Awami League president ABM Mohiuddin Chowdhury passed away at a Chittagong hospital early in the day, reports UNB. He was 73.
Dec 18: A tragedy in Mohiuddin’s Qulkhawani
At least ten people were killed and 50 others injured in a stampede at the Qulkhawani of former mayor of Chittagong City Corporation (CCC) ABM Mohiuddin Chowdhury in Ctg, reports BSS.
Dec 19: JWG formed to repatriate Rohingyas
Bangladesh and Myanmar on formed a 30-member Joint Working Group (JWG) to oversee the repatriation of Rohingyas.
The JWG was formed at a three-hour meeting of delegations from both the countries at state guesthouse Padma in Dhaka.
The JWG will ensure safe return of Rohingyas within two months of the signing of the ‘instrument’ that will expire on January 23, 2018.
Dec 21: JP wins RCC polls
Mayoral candidate from Jatiya Party (JP) Mostafizar Rahman Mostafa has been elected as mayor of the Rangpur City Corporation (RCC).
Dec 22: Missing NSU teacher returns
Missing North South University (NSU) teacher Mubashar Hasan has returned home 44 days after he had gone missing.
Dec 24: A sweet victory at year end
Bangladesh have clinched the maiden four-nation South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) Under-15 Women’s Championship title, beating India 1-0 at the Birshreshtha Shaheed Sepoy Mohammad Mostafa Kamal Stadium in city’s Kamalapur.
Compiled by Jannatul Islam, Sohel Hossain Patwary and Md Enamul Hassan, Edited by Atiqul Kabir Tuhin