Bangladesh Ferry Toll Hits 58

Blaze engulfs apartment blocks in Dhaka

(NEWSER) - Over 100 people have been killed in a fire that ripped through a crowded residential neighborhood in Dhaka, Bangladesh. The fire, caused by a fault in an electrical transformer, spread rapidly as it consumed chemicals in stores and small-scale factories, and quickly engulfed several apartment blocks, Reuters reports. More»

'All the rage among educated,' says street vendor

(NEWSER) - Booksellers on the streets of the Bangladesh capital of Dhaka have discovered a surprise hit: Adolf Hitler's manisfesto Mein Kampf. The tome is selling as well as Dan Brown's latest book, the Lost Symbol. "For some reason Hitler's book is all the rage among educated people," one street seller told the BBC . What's the appeal? "I think it's because many people have seen Hitler in films and want to know more about him," said the vendor. More»

(NEWSER) - Mutinous border guards in the Bangladeshi capital of Dhaka laid down their weapons today, ending the uprising that started yesterday and claimed at least 20 lives, the BBC reports. “All the rebel troops have surrendered with their arms,” a government spokesman said, and urged rebels outside the capital to do the same. The bodies of 9 officers of the border guard have been found, and many more are missing. More»

Border guards take officers hostage as tanks roll through Dhaka

(NEWSER) - A growing mutiny among troops in Bangladesh has left 50 people dead and forced the army to unleash tanks on the streets of the capital, Dhaka. The unrest began yesterday when border guards rebelled over pay and work conditions and has spread to at least 12 cities throughout the country. Some mutineers are said to be holding their officers hostage, reports the BBC. More»

Relief slowed as power, phones remain out

(NEWSER) - The death toll from yesterday’s cyclone in Bangladesh has risen to 1,100, and widespread power and telephone shortages are slowing relief work. The full devastation may not be known for days. Relief agencies have descended on the impoverished nation, but blocked roads and rivers make reaching the worst-hit areas difficult, the AP reports. More»