Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Kazi Habibul Awal is set to address the nation and announce the schedule for the upcoming general election at 7 pm today, the Election Commission has said. Bangladesh Television and Bangladesh Betar will broadcast the CEC’s speech in the evening, EC Secretary Jahangir Alam said while briefing reporters this morning. Read: Unique Group, DNCC sign deal; Sheraton to run in full swing  Before announcing the polls schedule, a meeting will be held at the Election Commission at 5 pm today. The CEC will hold the 26th meeting of the Election Commission, said the EC secretary. The dates of nomination paper submission, evaluation, and withdrawal of candidature will be finalised at the meeting, he said. A three-tier security system has been set up at the Election Commission building on the occasion of the announcement of the next general election's schedule. Read: No scope left for dialogue now: Quader acknowledges receiving Donald Lu’s letter from Peter Haas  Apart from police, RAB and Ansar personnel have been deployed in front of the Election Commission building. Entry of visitors has been restricted inside the building. The CEC is going to announce the polls schedule amid the ongoing 48-hour blockade called by BNP, Jamaat and like-minded opposition parties to press home their one-point demand. The Election Commission is determined to hold the next general election within the stipulated time as per its constitutional obligation, CEC Kazi Habibul Awal had said earlier. Read: Films can be part of cultural revolution to beat back arson terrorism: Info Minister  The 11th national election was held on December 30, 2018. According to the constitution, the tenure of the current government will end on January 29, 2024. A total of 11,96,91,633 voters are expected to cast their votes at 42,103 polling centres across the country in the 12th general election of Bangladesh.  

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will address the nation this evening, on the occasion of Victory Day 2022. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will address the nation at 7:30pm this evening, says a press release from PM’s Press Wing. Read more: PM to address nation this evening State-owned Bangladesh Television and Bangladesh Betar will broadcast the prime minister’s speech.

Enamul Haq, the first director general of Bangladesh Betar, has passed away. He was 93. The veteran journalist breathed his last at United Hospital in the city on Tuesday night, said his family. He was made director general of Bangladesh Betar after independence of the country. After two years, he was given the responsibilities of leading Press Information Department (PID). In 1980, he was posted to Bangladesh High Commission in London as press minister. He served as the editor of the New Nation newspaper and also contributed hundreds of articles for many domestic and international publications. Haq left behind his wife, two sons and three daughters. He was laid to rest in a graveyard at Baridhara J block .

Thursday marks the 66th birth anniversary of legendary singer Andrew Kishore, widely regarded as the "Playback King" and one of the most iconic singers in Bangladesh. Born to Khitish Chandra Baroi and Minu Baroi on November 4, 1955, at Rajshahi in Bangladesh (then East Pakistan), Kishore, a Christian by birth, completed his master's degree in commerce from Rajshahi University in 1977. At the age of six, Kishore started taking music lessons from Abdul Aziz Bachchu, who was the chief music director of Rajshahi Betar at that time -- and Kishore got his first break via participating in a talent hunt project organised in Dhaka by Shahidul Islam, the then director of the Transcription Service of Bangladesh Betar. Soon after recognising Kishore's potential, Bangladesh Betar (previously Radio Bangladesh) signed him as a vocalist in the areas of modern, folk, patriotic, Nazrul, and Tagore songs. Also read: Andrew Kishore's condition critical, put on life support Kishore's great adventure in Dhallywood began with the film 'Mail Train' (1977). 'Ochinpurer Rajkumari Nei Je Tar Keu', composed by Saley Alam Khan, was his debut playback song.  After receiving critical recognition for the song 'Ek Chor Jay Chole', penned by Alam Khan in 'Protigga' (1979), Kishore never had to look back on his great musical career. Remembered for his iconic tracks, including ‘Jiboner Golpo, Achhe Baki Olpo’, ‘Amar Buker Moddhe Khane’, ‘Dak Diyachhen Doyal Amare’, ‘Hayre Manush Rongin Fanush’, ‘Amar Shara Deho Kheyo Go Mati’, ‘Amar Babar Mukhe Prothom Jedin Shunechilam Gaan’, ‘Bhengeche Pinjor Meleche Dana’, ‘Bhalobese Gelam Shudhu’, and ‘Shobai To Bhalobasha Chae’, Kishore sang nearly 15,000 songs in his career. Apart from being a prolific singer with a versatile and deeply melodic voice, Kishore also tried to inspire a new generation of singers through platforms like ‘Bangladeshi Idol’ as one of its judges. For his tremendous contribution to the film industry of the country, Kishore won Bangladesh National Film Award eight times as the ‘Best Male Playback Singer’ for ‘Boro Bhalo Lok Chhilo’ (1982), ‘Surrender’ (1987), ‘Khotipuron’ (1989), ‘Padma Meghna Jamuna’ (1991), ‘Kabul’ (1996), ‘Aaj Gaye Holud’ (2000), ‘Saajghor’ (2007) and ‘Ki Jadu Korila’ (2008), alongside five prestigious Bachsas Awards and three Meril-Prothom Alo Awards, to name a few. Also read: Singer Andrew Kishore passes away The eminent singer passed away on July 6, 2020, due to Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.    

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will address the nation on Thursday evening ahead of Eid-ul- Fitr. "The Prime Minister will address the nation at 7:15 pm on the occasion of Holy Eid-ul Fitr," PM's Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim said. Also read: Eid-ul-Fitr on Friday as Shawwal moon not sighted State-owned Bangladesh Betar and Bangladesh Television will simultaneously broadcast the Prime Minister’s address. Also read: Celebrate Eid where you are: PM Hasina Private television channels and radio stations will also air the speech.

The grateful nation is set to observe the Amar Ekushey -- the Language Martyrs Day (Shaheed Day) and the International Mother Language Day -- on Sunday, marking the supreme of sacrifice of the language heroes for upholding the right to speak their mother tongue Bangla.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday said her government will do everything necessary to ensure the civic and democratic rights of the people.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will address the nation this (Thursday) evening, marking the second anniversary of her current government formed through the December-30, 2018 general election.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will address the nation on Tuesday evening on the occasion of Victory Day.

The government has appointed Hosne Ara Talukdar as the new Director General (DG) of state-owned radio station Bangladesh Betar (BB).