Your evening brief - No half fare for students in Metro Rail, freedom fighters can travel for free

The metro trains will not facilitate students with halved transport fares. However, the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) coaches will be free of charge for freedom fighters. The buyers of MRT pass will get a 10% discount. Read more

Among a number of incidents taking place on Tuesday (27 December), take a quick look at some of the most important news items The Business Standard has compiled for you…

Dhaka gets positive response from Delhi on quota for rice, wheat: Tipu Munshi

Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi said India has responded positively to providing annual quota facilities to Bangladesh for importing seven commodities including rice, wheat and onion in fixed amount. Read more

BPC incurs Tk9,000cr losses in 10 months: Chairman

The Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC) incurred losses of upto Tk9,000 crore from February to November 2022, BPC Chairman ABM Azad said Tuesday (27 December). Read more

10 minutes to reach from Uttara to Agargaon on Metro Rail: Obaidul Quader

It will now take 10 minutes to reach from Uttara to Agargaon on Metro Rail and will take 17 minutes once all stations are opened, said Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader. Read more

PM Hasina calls for larger Turkish investment in Bangladesh

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday sought robust Turkish investment in Bangladesh alongside cooperation in the sustainable repatriation of Rohingyas. Read more

ADB signs agreements for $528 million loans to Bangladesh to strengthen climate and disaster resilience

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Government of Bangladesh on Tuesday signed agreements for $250 million in loans to strengthen climate and disaster resilience in 22 coastal towns in Bangladesh and $278.29 million in loans to provide long-term financing and catalyze private sector financing for infrastructure development, reducing pressures on public finance, and enhancing value for money. Read more

3 more RMG factories in Bangladesh recognised as green

The United States Green Building Council (USGBC) has recognised three more readymade garment factories in Bangladesh as green – raising the total number of environment-friendly establishments in the apparel sector to 183. Read more

Genome sequencing reports of Chinese nationals infected with Covid by Sunday: IEDCR

The genome sequence reports of the four Covid-19 infected Chinese citizens, who travelled to Bangladesh from China recently, will be available by Thursday of this week or early next week, said Institute of Epidemiology Disease Control And Research (IEDCR) Director Dr Tahmina Shirin. Read more

Mashrafe made Awami League's youth and sports secretary

Former Bangladesh national cricket team captain Mashrafe Bin Mortaza has been made the Youth and Sports Secretary of Bangladesh Awami League. Read more

Rangpur city election underway

The voting for Rangpur City Corporation (RCC) election has begun. The vote casting started at 8:30am on Tuesday (27 December) and will continue till 4:30pm. Only Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) are being used in all centres for the poll. Read more

2.8% of the total population have disabilities: BBS

Around 2.8% of the total population in the country are physically or mentally challenged, in other words, persons with disabilities, reveals a recent survey by the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS). Read more

At least 20 reported dead as Rohingya boats land in Indonesia

At least 20 Rohingya have died at sea in recent weeks, the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) said on Tuesday, as boats carrying hundreds of the persecuted Muslims landed in Indonesia while others were believed to be adrift in the Indian Ocean. Read more

48 deaths reported in US from massive storm

Millions of people hunkered down against a deep freeze Monday to ride out the winter storm that has killed at least 48 people across the US and is expected to claim more lives after trapping some residents inside houses with heaping snow drifts and knocking out power to tens of thousands of homes and businesses. Read more

Countrywide drills, booster doses, masks- India's renewed Covid fight

India has renewed its fight against coronavirus even as the daily tally remains below the 300-mark at a time when many other countries are witnessing a worrying spike in caseload, especially China. Millions have been affected in the fresh wave of Covid in China, which has been labelled as the world's worst outbreak. Read more