Page 22 - Bangladesh

Bangladesh's EC to probe irregularities in Awami League-era elections

Bangladesh's Election Commission (EC) has decided to investigate irregularities and shortcomings in all previous elections, including the three preceding elections that have been controversial during the Awami League-rule in 2014, 2018 and 2024. The Dhaka Tribune newspaper reported that following a meeting, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) AMM Nasir Uddin instructed all 10 regional election officers to examine the reasons behind the decline in the electoral system and submit detailed reports. The CEC issued written directives, asking regional officials to identify past irregularities and deficiencies and report their findings to the EC secretariat. The 2014, 2018 and 2024 national elections are widely regarded as some of the most controversial in the country's history. The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) of former prime minister Khaleda Zia and allied parties boycotted the 2014 election, resulting in one-sided voting and unopposed election of 153 candidates, an unprecedented ..

Pakistan FM to visit Bangladesh; Muhammad Yunus to reciprocate visit

Pakistan's Ishaq Dar will visit Bangladesh next month, the first such trip by a Pakistani foreign minister since 2012, signalling warming ties between Dhaka and Islamabad after Sheikh Hasina's ouster

Iskcon Kolkata to hold daily prayers till normalcy returns in Bangladesh

ISKCON Kolkata on Friday said its followers will continue holding prayers till normalcy returns in Bangladesh, where Hindus and other religious minorities have been facing atrocities since the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government. The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), Kolkata, has been holding daily prayers at its Albert Road centre here for over a month for the safety and security of religious minorities in Bangladesh, and the release of jailed Hindu spiritual leader Chinmoy Krishna Das and other monks in the neighbouring country. "We will continue with our daily prayers for the minorities in Bangladesh till normalcy returns there," ISKCON Kolkata spokesperson Radharamn Das said. "Devotees are very anxious as to what the future holds for the minorities in Bangladesh," he told PTI. He said the devotees were, however, hopeful that Chinmoy Krishna Das will get justice before the high court in Bangladesh, challenging a Chittagong court order denying bail to ...

India, Bangladesh announce reciprocal repatriation of fishermen in custody

India and Bangladesh on Thursday announced that they will kick-start a process of reciprocal repatriation of fishermen in each other's custody, a move that came amid strain in their bilateral ties. Shortly after Bangladesh said it will hand over 95 Indian fishermen to Indian authorities on January 5, India said it will release 90 Bangladeshi fishermen on the same day. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said mutual exchange of fishermen and their vessels has been worked out keeping in mind the primarily humanitarian and livelihood concerns of the fishing communities on both sides. "In recent months, several Indian fishermen have been arrested by Bangladesh authorities when they happened to inadvertently cross the International Maritime Boundary Line and entered Bangladesh waters," it said. The MEA said several Bangladesh fishermen have also been apprehended by Indian authorities in similar circumstances. "Earlier today, 95 Indian fishermen were handed over by Bangladesh authori

Mamata accuses BSF of infiltration plot; border guards reject claim

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday accused the Border Security Force of facilitating infiltration from Bangladesh as part of a central government "blueprint" to destabilize the state, a charge the BSF denied, asserting it diligently guards the country's boundary. Speaking at an administrative review meeting at the state secretariat, Banerjee alleged that the BSF was allowing infiltrators to enter through areas like Islampur, Sitai, and Chopra. "We have information that the BSF is letting infiltrators enter India through various border areas. This is a deliberate attempt to destabilize the state. There is a deep-rooted conspiracy involving the central government," she said. Banerjee said she could sense a "blueprint of the Centre" behind this attitude of the BSF. "Goons are entering India. I want peace on both sides of the border. We have a good relationship with neighbouring Bangladesh," she said. The Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo further alleged that women

B'desh continues to erase role of Hasina's father Mujib, now from textbooks

New Bangladeshi textbooks for primary and secondary students have reportedly removed the title 'Father of the Nation' for Mujibur Rahman

Racket facilitating entry of Bangladeshi nationals busted in Delhi, 4 held

Delhi Police said it has uncovered a large-scale illegal immigration racket involving Bangladeshi nationals and arrested four people, including two persons from the neighbouring country who allegedly entered India illegally, an official said on Thursday. The other two arrested are accused of facilitating the Bangladeshi nationals' unlawful immigration and document fabrication. The immigration racket involved handlers in Bangladesh and India who handled transportation and others in India who helped forge fake documents for their stay in India. Police have also seized fake Aadhaar and PAN cards, Indian passport applications, and other documents. Police said they have also discovered "donkey routes" via Meghalaya and Assam in the border states that the two foreign nationals used. Joint Commissioner of Police (Southern Range) Sanjay Kumar Jain said Delhi Police has apprehended two Bangladeshi nationals -- Bilal Hosen and his wife Sapna -- along with two Indian nationals -- Aminur Ishla

Mamata Banerjee alleges BSF letting 'Bangladeshi terrorists' enter Bengal

Calling it the 'blueprint' of central government, Mamata Banerjee alleged that the BSF was allowing 'Bangladeshi terrorists' to cross the border to create instability in West Bengal

Hindu monk Chinmoy Das' bail plea rejected by court in Bangladesh

Chattogram's Metropolitan Sessions court denied bail to Hindu monk Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari, arrested on November 25 in connection with a sedition case

Bangladesh's political turmoil gives Bengal BJP's membership drive a fillip

The violence against Hindus in Bangladesh has provided a fillip to West Bengal BJP's membership drive, as the party struggles to meet its ambitious one crore target, while campaiging against the atrocities on minorities across the border to consolidate Hindu support in the state. Attacks on the minority community on the other side of the border has provided the party with a rallying point, as it seeks to counter challenges posed by organisational gaps, internal discord, and the ruling Trinamool Congress's (TMC) political dominance. Both TMC and BJP are leveraging the Bangladesh issue to shape the political narrative ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections. The Bangladesh turmoil, where Hindu minorities have been at the receiving end, has accelerated the membership drive, as people see the BJP as the only party capable of ensuring stability and are afraid of similar events under TMC's rule, which is known for its minority appeasement, state BJP president Sukanta Majumdar told PTI. Top

Awami League may contest elections unless banned, says Bangladesh CEC

Bangladesh's Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin has said that ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina's Awami League may participate in elections unless the government or the judiciary issues a ban against the party. The chief election commissioner (CEC) said this during a meeting with election officials at the Chittagong Circuit House on Monday, The Dhaka Tribune newspaper reported. Nasir Uddin also assured that the Election Commission runs with complete independence and faces no external pressure. We are committed to taking all necessary steps to ensure a fair and transparent election, he added. The CEC also acknowledged the issue of fake voters in previous elections and attributed a decline in voter registration to mistrust in the voting process. He announced plans to initiate a voter list update soon to address these concerns. The voter list will be updated within the next six months. This time, elections will not follow previous patterns. Since August 5, there has been .

Protesters in Bangladesh demand Proclamation of July Uprising by Jan 15

The "March for Unity" began Tuesday afternoon at the Central Shaheed Minar, with participants observing a minute of silence to honor those who lost their lives in the July protests

Maharashtra ATS arrests 9 Bangladeshis for illegal stay, 43 held in a month

The Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) has arrested nine Bangladeshi nationals for illegally entering India and staying in the country without proper documents, officials said. With this, the ATS has arrested 43 Bangladeshi nationals in 19 cases last month as part of a special drive, an official said on Tuesday. The latest action was taken with the help of local police in Mumbai, Nashik, Nanded and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar in the last four days. Nine Bangladeshi nationals -- eight males and one female -- were arrested, he said. The accused got Aadhaar cards made using forged documents, the official said. Police have registered five cases against them under the Foreigners Act and other relevant legal provisions, he added.

Yunus pays tribute to Manmohan Singh at Indian High Commission in B'desh

Professor Yunus visited the Indian High Commission in Dhaka and placed a floral wreath at the portrait of late PM Manmohan Singh

Bangladesh's interim govt to announce proclamation of July uprising

Bangladesh's interim government led by Muhammad Yunus has announced that it has decided to prepare a proclamation of July uprising, a day after it distanced itself from a proposed declaration with an identical title by the Anti-Discrimination Students Movement that led to an upheaval four months ago. We hope within few days the proclamation will be prepared with the participation and consensus of all and presented before the nation, Shafiqul Alam, Press Secretary to the chief adviser of the interim government of Bangladesh, Muhammad Yunus, told reporters in a midnight press conference. Addressing reporters in front of Yunus' official Jamuna residence, Alam said the declaration would be based on the views of all participating students, political parties, and stakeholders, including the Anti-Discrimination Students Movement that led to the ouster of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's Awami League regime on August 5. Alam said the government took the initiative to prepare the proposed ...

Global uprisings: Protests and movements which shook the world in 2024

Kenya's cost-of-living crisis, to martial law in South Korea. Here's a look at major protests that erupted across the globe in 2024

Bangladeshi Americans urge Trump to protect minorities in their country

Describing the ongoing atrocities against religious and ethnic minorities in Bangladesh as an existential threat from Islamist forces, a coalition of Bangladeshi American Hindus, Buddhists, and Christians has urged President-elect Donald Trump to intervene and help protect minority communities in the country. Urging Trump to secure the immediate release of monk Chinmoy Krishna Das, who they said has been falsely imprisoned on sedition charges, the group on Sunday said Bangladesh risks descending into radicalisation, which could have far-reaching effects not only for South Asia but for the rest of the world as well. Das, a former ISKCON leader, was arrested at the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka on November 25. A court in Chattogram sent him to jail, rejecting his bail petition as he was accused of a sedition charge for allegedly disrespecting the country's flag. The hearing in the case will be held on January 2, 2025. In a memorandum addressed to Trump, the group ...

Minority organisation in B'desh demands release of arrested Hindu monk

A minority group in Bangladesh on Sunday called for the "immediate release" of Chinmoy Krishna Das, asserting that the case against the arrested Hindu monk is "false" and "harassing", according to a media report. Das, a former ISKCON leader, was arrested at the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka on November 25. A court in Chattogram sent him to jail, rejecting his bail petition as he was accused of a sedition charge for allegedly disrespecting the country's flag. The hearing in the case will be held on January 2, 2025. The Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council (BHBCOP) released a statement demanding his immediate release, the Prothom Alo news portal reported. Signed by the BHBCOP's acting General Secretary Manindra Kumar Nath, the statement said that the sedition case filed against 19 people, including Das, was false and harassing. It called for the release of all those arrested in the case, according to the report. Ties between New Delhi and Dhaka have ..

Could delay polls: BNP criticises Yunus' idea to lower voting age to 17

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) on Saturday said that Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus' suggestion to set the minimum voting age at 17 would put pressure on the Election Commission and could delay the election process. Yunus, 84, who was sworn-in to lead the interim government after the ouster of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina in August, on Friday suggested that the minimum voter age should be lowered to 17 years, The Dhaka Tribune newspaper reported. In a video message played in an election dialogue, Yunus said, To give their (youth) opinion on their own future, I think the voting age for them should be fixed at 17 years." BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, during a discussion at the Jatiya Press Club here, said the chief adviser's suggestion to lower the voting age to 17 means a new voter list would have to be prepared. "Now, people will fear that even more time will be wasted and further delays will occur, he was quoted as saying. Alamgir said there is a

Bangladesh targets Hasina with new corruption probe, extradition plea

The Anti-Corruption Commission said Thursday it will investigate Hasina and five other family members for allegedly misappropriating government land in Purbachal