A handout picture released by the Syrian opposition’s Shaam News Network on July 15 allegedly shows smoke rising from the Jouret al-Shayyah neighbourhood of the Syrian central city of Homs, following shelling by forces loyal to the Syrian government regime. — AFP photo

Jamaican sprinter Yohan Blake (L) runs next to compatriot Michael Frater to win his 100 meters race with a time of 9.85 seconds at Spitzen Leichtathletik in Lucerne on Tuesday. — AFP photo

Commerce minister GM Quader attends the launching ceremony of World Trade Directory compiled by Bangladesh Tariff Commission presided over by Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Asif Ibrahim in Dhaka on Wednesday. — New Age photo

England captain Andrew Strauss (L) holds the series trophy with his South African counterpart Graeme Smith before today’s first Test match at the Oval in London on Wednesday. — Reuters photo

Shanti Lata and her troupe perform at the festival.

Rajuk Uttara Model College students flash V-signs in celebration of their success in this year’s HSC examinations on the campus at Uttara in Dhaka on Wednesday. — Indrajit Ghosh

Former US president, Bill Clinton, right, pays a visit to former South African president Nelson Mandela on Tuesday at his home in Qunu, Eastern Cape, on the eve of Mandela’s 94th birthday. — AFP photo

A portrait of Raman Lamba (L) is seen on the walls of North Down Cricket Club pavilion in Belfast and the general view of the club pavilion (R). — New Age photos

Greek finance minister Yannis Stournaras, right, and his alternate minister of finance Christos Staikouras leave the Prime Minister’s office in Athens on Tuesday. — Reuters photo

The president, Zillur Rahman, poses with the delegation of the Global Autism Public Health, Bangladesh at Bangabhaban on Wednesday. — PID photo

Paris Saint-Germain’s new recruit from AC Milan Zlatan Ibrahimovic (C), poses with his new team jersey next to club’s chairman Nasser Al-Khelaifi (L) and sporting director Leonardo during a press conference as part of his official presentation at the Parc des Princes in Paris on Wednesday. — AFP photo

MAIN NEWS

Guideline in final stages

The government is going to issue a guideline soon for fund collection in the private sector for the construction of the Padma Multipurpose Bridge which became uncertain after the World Bank pulled... Full story

Rural-urban disparity persists

Results of the Higher Secondary Certificate and equivalent examinations show that rural-urban disparity still persists in education system. As in previous years, students of... Full story

BB examining US report on two Bangladsh banks’ link

Bangladesh Bank governor Atiur Rahman on Wednesday said the central bank is examining the report of a US Senate committee that accused Islami Bank Bangladesh Ltd and Social Islami Bank... Full story

JS panel asks GP to stop retrenchments

A parliamentary standing committee on Wednesday warned GrameenPhone that legal action would be taken against it unless it stops staff retrenchments immediately and resolves the... Full story

NATIONAL

Power Cell to start re-powering old state-owned plants

The Power Cell, a state agency in the power sector, has decided to start re-powering of old units in four power stations from October to increase electricity generation by around 1,500 megawatt, officials said. Full story

International Justice Day observed

METRO

Authorities decide not to hike CNG auto drivers’ deposit

The authorities on Wednesday said the daily deposit of the CNG-run auto-rickshaw drivers would not be increased. It was decided at a joint meeting of the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority... Full story

Road safety campaign launched in city

BUSINESS

Pvt sector credit growth target raised, public sector lowered

Bangladesh Bank on Wednesday announced a ‘restrained’ monetary policy for July-December 2012 aiming to bring down the inflation to 7.5 per cent within this fiscal year and increase slightly the private sector credit growth target. In its new monetary policy... Full story

Govt slashes sugar price to Tk 55 a kg

INTERNATIONAL

22 NATO supply trucks destroyed in Afghanistan

A Taliban bomb attack Wednesday destroyed 22 fuel tankers carrying supplies for NATO forces in Afghanistan, local officials said. A pre-dawn explosion triggered a fire which engulfed the trucks, parked in the northern... Full story

Libya’s Jibril beats Islamists in vote

SPORTS

Roqibul’s wait ends

Middle-order batsman Roqibul Hassan received his much awaited call for the national team when the Bangladesh Cricket Board included him in their 30-member preliminary squad on Wednesday for... Full story

Yuvraj named in India squad

EDITORIAL

Perpetrators of Amin Bazar killings must be brought to justice

WHAT happened at Amin Bazar in Savar on the outskirts of the capital... Full story

A serious allegation

OP-ED

Reclaiming life in times of death

DOES the development industry in Bangladesh think for ourselves? I think not, and I now want to turn to Mr Fazle Hasan Abed, the founder of Brac, the largest development organisation in the world, who was conferred knighthood by the Most Excellent... Full story

At the precipice of war

TIMEOUT

I will make BNSS vibrant: Minu

Just after being elected the president of Bangladesh Nrityashilpi Sangstha, eminent dancer-choreographer Minu Haque vows to make the organisation active and vibrant. As the first initiative, Minu Haque told New Age, ‘A colourful programme has... Full story

Private university students show their artistic skill

LETTERS

Edn minister’s turn to prove

SYLHET MC College is one of the oldest and most prestigious colleges in Bangladesh. One of its hostels was burnt and destroyed completely on the night of July 8. Learning of this incident, our education minister immediately... Full story