Page 38 - Bangladesh

Here's why Bangladesh's new govt can't afford to let chaos, extremism reign

Any expression of concern about Bangladesh's path causes some, particularly in the country's active and vocal diaspora, to fume

Over 1,000 killed during anti-govt protests in B'desh: Interim govt adviser

Over 1,000 people have been killed during the protests against the Sheikh Hasina-led government in Bangladesh while more than 400 were blinded by police fire, with some of them losing sight in one or both eyes, a top adviser of the interim government said on Thursday. Health Adviser Nurjahan Begum disclosed this during a visit to the Central Police Hospital in the capital's Rajarbagh where she interacted with the police personnel injured in clashes and spoke to those at the surgical department to ask about their condition. "So far 1,000 people have been killed and more than 400 students and members of the general public have lost their sight. Many have been blind in one eye, while others are blind in both," Nurjahan was quoted as saying by the bdnews24.com news portal. An anti-discrimination student movement against the government started in mid-July over a controversial quota system in jobs. The protests turned violent after crackdown by the forces. Several protesters were killed

Former Bangladesh speaker, commerce minister arrested in murder case

Former Bangladesh speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury and ex-commerce minister Tipu Munshi have been arrested over the killing of a goldsmith during the recent quota reform protests that led to the ouster of the Sheikh Hasina-led government, media reports said on Thursday. Munshi, 74, was arrested by the Rapid Action Battalion in Gulshan, Dhaka, on Wednesday night in the murder case filed in Rangpur, the Dhaka Tribune newspaper reported. The case was filed against 17 people, including Munshi and former speaker of Parliament Chaudhury, for the killing of Muslim Uddin Milon, a 38-year-old goldsmith. Besides, many unnamed people were accused in the case. Chaudhury, 46, served as the first female speaker of the Bangladesh Jatiya Sangsad from April 2013 until August 2024. Milon was shot dead on July 19 in Rangpur during the student-led movement against a controversial quota system in government jobs, which later turned into a mass uprising that ousted 76-year-old Hasina's Awami League ...

Operations in Bangladesh stabilised, people rejoining factory: Emami CFO

Homegrown FMCG major Emami has said its operations in Bangladesh have stabilised as people have rejoined the factory and production has resumed. Replying to queries at the AGM, Emami CFO Naresh Bhansali said the business was impacted in Bangladesh due to political turmoil, and the company expects operations to normalise over a period of time. "Last month was very turbulent. But it (operation) has stabilised now. People have joined back work, factory has resumed operations. The market has also opened," Bhansali said while replying to a query from the shareholder. The company does not see a big impact on its overall business from the Bangladesh operations. "Bangladesh will also come back on the same growth trajectory path over a period of time. The new Government, which we expect to get established in some time, will hopefully give political stability and we expect the business to resume soon. We do not expect any market share or any loss there," the CFO said. Emami has one ...

B'desh wants cordial ties with India, but doesn't want interference: JeI

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami supremo Shafiqur Rahman has said his party seeks harmonious and stable ties with India but asserted that New Delhi needs to reconsider its foreign policy in the neighbourhood, as bilateral relations do not entail interfering in each other's internal issues. Rahman, who is the Ameer of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, stated in an interview with PTI that his party supports close relations between India and Bangladesh but also believes that Bangladesh should maintain strong and balanced relations with countries like the US, China, and Pakistan, by leaving behind the baggage of the past. Rahman, 65, contended that New Delhi's perception of Jamaat-e-Islami as anti-India is mistaken, asserting that Jamaat-e-Islami is not against any country; it is a wrong perception. We are pro-Bangladesh and are solely interested in safeguarding the interests of Bangladesh, and emphasised that this perception needs to change. The Jamaat-e-Islami suggested that it would have been ..

Chief adviser Yunus can't delay B'desh election for too long, says BNP

The BNP wants to avoid a repeat of the past, where an army-controlled caretaker government in 2006 stayed beyond its mandated three months and delayed the voting by about two years

Bangladesh forms commission to identify victims of forced disappearance

Bangladesh's interim government on Tuesday formed a commission to trace and identify victims of forced disappearance during deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina's nearly 16-year regime, an official notification said. According to the notification, the five-member commission has been entrusted with the task of tracing and identifying the missing people and investigating the circumstances under which they were forcibly disappeared by various intelligence and law enforcement agencies. The commission comprised two retired High Court judges, two rights activists and a university teacher. The commission has been asked to investigate the cases of forced disappearance between January 1, 2010, and August 5, 2024, when Hasina's regime was ousted in a student-people mass upsurge. "In line with the Commission of Inquiry Act, 1965, the Commission will submit its report to the government in the next 45 working days, the Cabinet Division notification read. According to the notification, the polic

Factory ops resume in Bangladesh, Emami pins hope on political stability

Emami is targeting double-digit growth in its international business in FY25. In FY24, international business grew by 12 per cent in constant currency and 9 per cent in INR terms

Five more murder cases filed against ousted Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina

Five more murder cases have been filed against Bangladesh's ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina taking the total number of cases filed against the Awami League leader to 71, a media report said on Tuesday. Four of the new cases were filed in Dhaka and one in Rajshahi against the 76-year-old deposed former prime minister, several former ministers and police officials, The Daily Star newspaper reported. In the first case, Hasina and 48 others were booked for the death of one Dulal alias Selim in the city's Jatrabari area on August 3 during mass protests. The victim's brother Mostafa Kamal filed the case against the Awami League president and others with the court of Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Md Saddam Hossain. Former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan, Awami League general secretary Obaidul Quader, former Awami League lawmakers Shamim Osman and Ramesh Chandra are among the accused, The Daily Star said. In the second case, Hasina along with 21 others was booked on the charge of killi

Decoded: How Farakka Barrage Pact determines India-Bangladesh water sharing

The purpose of the Farakka barrage is to divert water into the canal. It is carefully done using a system of gates on the main Ganga river

UN human rights watch tells Bangladesh interim govt to investigate abuses

This domestic mechanism should operate with UN support and oversight to ensure its independence and adherence to international human rights standards, the letter added

Hasina's ouster watershed moment for student activism in B'desh: Analysts

The recent student movement in Bangladesh, culminating in the ouster of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, marks a watershed moment in the nation's political landscape, fuelled by a 70-year legacy of student activism from the 1952 Language Movement to the Liberation War and beyond. Political analysts and observers view the recent student protests, which many in Bangladesh have christened as the Bangla Spring taking a cue from the Arab Spring or the Monsoon Revolution, as a watershed moment in Bangladesh's political landscape, driven by the same spirit of activism that has characterised student movements in the country for over 70 years, even before its independence in 1971, when it was known as East Pakistan. The latest movement, which began in July 2024, was sparked by the Court's decision to reinstate a controversial job quota system, a move that reignited long-standing frustrations among students and the general public. The reinstatement of the job quota system, which had been ...

Indian power firms owed over $1 bn by Bangladesh amid financial turmoil

Five Indian power companies-Adani Power, SEIL Energy India, NTPC, PTC, and Power Grid Corporation of India-are collectively owed over $1 billion.

Bangladesh garment industry faces crisis amid political unrest, floods

Bangladesh's garment industry, a vital economic pillar, is facing a severe crisis due to a volatile mix of political unrest, including violent protests, and catastrophic flooding, threatening to unravel years of rapid growth and global prominence. The textile and garment industry, which accounts for over 80 per cent of Bangladesh's total export earnings and contributes approximately 11 per cent to the nation's GDP, has been hit hard. This industry contributes significantly to export earnings and employs millions. Following the unprecedented anti-government protests, which reached a crescendo on August 5, Sheikh Hasina resigned as prime minister and fled the country. She landed in India on August 5 and is currently staying there. The two-month-long anti-quota protests have led to widespread demonstrations, curfews, and violence. This unrest has not only disrupted factory operations but has also caused significant economic losses. Factories were forced to close, and with the peak se

Biden lauds PM Modi for message of peace, humanitarian aid for Ukraine

In a phone conversation, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday briefed US President Joe Biden on his visit to Ukraine and reiterated India's full support for the early return of peace and stability in the eastern European country. The two leaders also discussed the ongoing situation in Bangladesh and stressed the need for early restoration of normalcy and ensuring the safety and security of minorities, especially Hindus. "We had a detailed exchange of views on various regional and global issues, including the situation in Ukraine. I reiterated India's full support for early return of peace and stability," Modi said on 'X'. "We also discussed the situation in Bangladesh and stressed on the need for early restoration of normalcy, and ensuring the safety and security of minorities, especially Hindus, in Bangladesh," he said. An official readout said Modi briefed Biden on his recent visit to Ukraine. In the phone conversation, Prime Minister Modi and Biden reiterated their commitment

Muhammad Yunus greets Hindus on Janmashtami, promises to promote harmony

Bangladesh's interim government chief Muhammad Yunus on Monday met the country's Hindu community and vowed to promote interfaith harmony as he hosted a reception for them coinciding with Janmashtami. The minority Hindu population has faced vandalisation of their business and properties and devastation of Hindu temples in the students' violence that ensued for days following the ouster of prime minister Sheikh Hasina, who fled to India on August 5. "There can't be any divisions among people in our country. We are equal citizens. The interim government is determined to protect the rights of every citizen of the country," the chief adviser's (CA) office quoted Yunus as saying. According to the statement, Yunus expected to build Bangladesh where everyone can practice their faith without any fear and where no temple needs to be guarded. Bangladesh is a large family where the responsibility of the government is to protect the rights of every citizen, his office quoted him as saying on ..

Despite regime change, Dhaka traffic more chaotic due to sporadic protests

Dhaka's roads, known for its notorious traffic, have become more chaotic as sporadic protests by various organisations have led to severe congestion, leaving commuters stranded and scrambling for alternative routes. On Monday morning, rickshaw pullers blocked the Shahbagh intersection to demand a ban on battery-operated auto rickshaws and other issues, stopping all traffic on nearby roads. The protest began around 10:30 a.m. The rickshaw pullers protesting at Shahbagh claimed that autorickshaw drivers were charging too littleTk20 (approx Rs 14) instead of the standard Tk50 (approx Rs 35)from passengers, which meant they weren't getting any business. They also pointed out that autorickshaws, which previously operated in the alleys, now run on main roads, ignoring traffic rules and causing traffic jams and accidents. This situation has worsened the already chaotic traffic and led to a shortage of public transportation options for commuters. On Sunday, the city's traffic came to a .

Bangladesh: Muhammad Yunus' govt suspends 2 diplomats serving in India

Shaban Mahmud, who served as the First Secretary (Press) at the Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi and Ranjan Sen serving in Kolkata have been asked to step down

Bangladesh begins with economic clean-up after Sheikh Hasina's exit

From a distance, Bangladesh was widely perceived as an economic success story, propelled by the world's second-largest garment exports industry

Bangladesh crisis: Students clash with paramilitary personnel, 50 injured

At least 50 people were injured in Dhaka on Sunday when students clashed with hundreds of paramilitary personnel protesting for job regularisation