Your evening brief - Govt making all-out efforts to implement SDGs, says PM

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has said that her government is tirelessly working to implement the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). "We're making all-out efforts to implement the SDG agendas by incorporating its targets to the eighth fifth-year plan and the perspective plan from 2021-2041," she said. The premier said this when visiting the Queen of Belgium and UN SDG Advocate Mathilde Marie Christine paid a courtesy call on her at her office here. Read more

Among a number of incidents taking place on Wednesday (8 February), take a quick look at some of the most important news items The Business Standard has compiled for you…

Girls fare better in this year's HSC exams; over 9% drop in pass rate

Female students did better in this year's Higher Secondary School Certificate (HSC) and equivalent examinations compared to last year while the pass rate has decreased by 9.31%. The average pass rate in the HSC-equivalent examination this year is 85.95%, last year it was 95.26%. Read more

Turkey-Syria earthquake: Rescuers press on into third day

Rescuers from Turkey and Syria, and increasingly from around the world as international assistance arrived, continue to search the rubble for survivors early Wednesday after major earthquakes in Turkey and Syria. Read more

Fakhrul, Abbas get permanent bail in Nayapaltan case

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and party's standing committee member Mirza Abbas have been granted permanent bail in a case filed over the clash between police and party activists in Nayapaltan on 7 December last year. Read more

Obtain training on skills dev, especially on ICT: PM Hasina to students

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has asked students to acquire special training on skills development in different subjects, especially on ICT, for taking advantage of the immense opportunities in the job market. Read more

Bangladesh seeks new terms for Adani coal electricity deal: Washington Post report

Bangladesh is seeking a discount on electricity purchased from Adani Power, the power company owned by Indian businessman Gautam Adani, said a report by Washington Post citing a stock exchange filing that was made public on Tuesday (7 February). Read more

Over 92% work of metro rail Agargaon-Motijheel part completed

The overall civil work progress of the metro rail Agargaon-Motijheel section is now over 92% as 88.22% installation work of electrical and mechanical system and rolling stock depot equipment collection has already been completed, an official said. Read more

2 more deals signed to expand Dhaka-Sylhet 6-lane highway

Two more deals have been signed to expand the Dhaka-Sylhet highway. Read more

Allot stalls to Adarsha in Ekushey Book Fair: HC

The High Court (HC) has directed the Bangla Academy to allot stalls to Adarsha Publications at the Ekushey Book Fair. Read more

Stocks continue inching up

The Dhaka bourse has seen the pattern of selloff in the first hours and recovery to inch up for the third consecutive session on Wednesday (8 February). Read more

Zelenskiy heads to London, wins pledge to train pilots on NATO planes

President Volodymyr Zelenskiy was due in London on Wednesday for only his second trip abroad since Russia invaded Ukraine, and won promises of new military aid, including training on advanced NATO fighter jets the West has so far held back from supplying. Read more

PSG under investigation over alleged undeclared labour

Paris St Germain are under investigation by French prosecutors over alleged undeclared labour, the Paris prosecutors' office said on Tuesday. Read more