Page 39 - Bangladesh

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

In relief for commuters, Dhaka Metro resumes service after over 30 days

The Dhaka Metro resumed services on Sunday over a month after it was shut for passengers during the unprecedented anti-government protests in Bangladesh. Two stations -- Mirpur 10 and Kazipara -- will however remain closed, according to an official notification. Commuters, especially students and office-goers heaved a sigh of relief as they had to travel through Dhaka's notorious traffic congestions daily to reach their destinations. According to the official notification, the services resumed in the morning around 7 AM. Mirpur-10 and Kazipara stations were vandalised in July during the anti-government protests. The Dhaka Metro services were shut for passengers in the third week of July. "We are planning to make the metro rail infrastructure a key point installation with enhanced security for its protection from any kind of vandalism," Road Transport and Communication Adviser Muhammad Fouzul Kabir Khan said. Khan said the interim government also plans to declare metro rail operat

Bangladesh's former textile and jute minister Golam Dastagir held in Dhaka

Bangladesh's former textile and jute minister Golam Dastagir Gazi has been arrested here as the police take stern measures against officials and ministers of the ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina's Awami League government, according to media reports on Sunday. The 76-year-old leader was detained late Saturday night from a house in the Piergoli area of the capital Dhaka around 3 am, The Daily Star newspaper quoted Paltan police station officer-in-charge Mollah Mohammad Khalid Hussain as saying. The Dhaka Metropolitan Police detained him and brought him to the Detective Branch (DB) office, according to The Dhaka Tribune. Gazi was kept at the DB office as the police station is badly damaged following recent violence, Hussain said, adding that a group of people besieged the house after knowing his location there. However, the police officer did not provide any details regarding the case for which he was arrested. Earlier, a case of murder was filed against 105 individuals, including

Two Bangladeshis detected in Assam, sent back home, says CM Himanta

Two Bangladesh nationals who illegally entered India were detected in Assam and sent back to their country, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said. The duo was apprehended at Badarpur railway station and sent back to Bangladesh on Friday night, he added. "Two Bangladeshi nationals were apprehended at Badarpur railway station by @assampolice," Sarma wrote on X. The apprehended individuals were identified as Masum Khan, resident of an area under Modelganj police station of Bangladesh, and Sonia Akhtar of Dhaka. They reportedly entered India through the Madhoppur (Bangladesh)-Agartala route and were en route to Bengaluru, Sarma said. "In collaboration with the BSF, Assam Police successfully pushed them back across the border last night," the chief minister added. Sarma had said on Saturday that over 30 Bangladeshis trying to enter India without valid documents have been pushed back from Assam in the last one month. They were en route to Bengaluru and other south Indian cities in s

Sheikh Hasina-led Awami League members placed on remand in murder cases

A court here on Saturday placed Salman F Rahman, private industry affairs adviser to ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina, former law minister Anisul Huq, former social welfare minister Dipu Moni and two others on different terms of remand for interrogation in four murder cases. Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Mohammad Jashim passed the orders in the cases, Daily Star Newspaper quoted a sub-inspector working in the court as saying. Apart from the three, former chief whip ASM Feroz and former army officer Major General Ziaul Ahsan were also placed on remand in murder cases. Salman, Anisul and Ziaul were placed on a fresh 10-day remand in two murder cases filed with New Market and Lalbagh police stations. Dipu Moni was placed on a four-day remand in a case filed with Badda Police Station and Feroz was placed on a seven-day remand in a case filed Bhatara Police Station. Cases have been filed against many officials or ministers of the ousted Hasina-led government after she resigned and f

Hindus not migrating to India, fighting in trouble-torn B'desh: CM Himanta

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday claimed Hindus have not tried to enter India from Bangladesh since the neighbouring country plunged into instability. Hindus are staying and fighting in Bangladesh. In the last one month, not a single Hindu person has been detected trying to enter India, he said at a press conference here. He also asserted that Muslims from the neighbouring country were attempting to crossover to seek employment in India's textile sector. 35 Muslim infiltrators have been arrested in the past one month... they are trying to enter, but those coming are not for Assam, but to go to Bangalore, Tamil Nadu, Coimbatore to work in the textile industry, the CM claimed. We have requested our prime minister to impress upon the Bangladesh government to ensure the safety of Hindus, he added.

Hindus, Muslims both protected Dhaka's ancient temple after turmoil: Priest

Describing the deity of the ancient Dhakeswari Temple here as a "mother to all humans", a priest of the revered shrine said several Hindus, Muslims and others from the local community had come together to guard it soon after the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government in Bangladesh. The centuries-old temple in old Dhaka has many mosques in its vicinity and chimes of temple bells at times merge with the sound of 'azaan' emerging from nearby mosques. PTI on Friday visited the Sree Sree Dhakeswari National Temple, one of the prominent shakti peethas', and interacted with priests and members of the Hindu community who visited the shrine. While a young married couple had come to seek blessings for their two-month-old daughter, a woman lit candles at a corner of the temple courtyard facing the sanctum sanctorum and diligently prayed. "People of many religions come here to pray. And, Maa (Goddess) is mother to all humans whether it is Hindus, Muslims, Christians or Buddhists. They come here

Bangladesh's worst floods in decades leave 5 mn stranded in low-lying areas

"People had no time to save anything," Ali said. "Entire villages, all of the families who lived in them, and everything they owned - homes, livestock, farmlands, fisheries - have been washed away."

Bangladesh's crisis leaves Adani Power chasing $800 million in dues

The economic crisis in Bangladesh has deepened, with overall arrears reportedly reaching $2 billion

Monsoon floods kills 13, affects nearly 3 million people in Bangladesh

Monsoon rainfall-triggered floods in deltaic Bangladesh and upstream Indian regions killed at least 13 people and marooned or affected nearly three million others in this country, posing a huge administrative challenge to the newly installed interim government amid a political transition. Bangladesh is crisscrossed by more than 200 rivers, 54 of them being transboundary rivers with upper riparian India, in four major basins. A depression (a system that brings in copious rainfall) in the Bay of Bengal has led to the current deluge with rivers in two basins the north-eastern Meghna Basin and south-western Chattrogram Hills Basin flowing above the danger mark. Apart from the torrential rains, the overflowing rivers, El Nino and climate change phenomenon were the factors responsible for widespread flooding in the country, weather experts said on Friday. A Disaster Management Ministry spokesperson said: We are monitoring the flood situation and relief activities from our control room i

Murder case filed against Bangladesh cricketer Shakib Al Hasan and others

A case filed by the father of a victim of the violence names cricketer Shakib Al Hasan and actor Ferdous Ahmed, both former members of parliament representing the Awami League party.

Plane with Chinese nationals crashes in Thailand, 9 aboard feared dead

The plane on a domestic flight was bound for Ko Mai Chee airport in Trat in the country

Bangladeshis not angry but hurt over Hasina's stay in India: Top BNP leader

A top BNP leader here said Bangladeshis are "not angry but hurt" over deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina's stay in India, even as he urged politicians and security strategists in New Delhi to "rethink" their policy given the ground reality here. In an exclusive interview with PTI at his residence in Dhaka, Abdul Moyeen Khan, a former Cabinet minister of Bangladesh, also said his country shares a border with India on three sides and it is a big neighbour, so there is "no reason why India should not be our best friend". After unprecedented anti-government protests which reached a crescendo on August 5, Hasina resigned as prime minister and fled the country, even as protesters had termed the fall of the government and her departure a "day of victory". She landed in India on August 5 and is currently staying there, even as her over two-week-long presence in India has given rise to speculation here. Khan said the current situation is of "consolidation" and coming back to normalcy. Th

Bangladesh to raise policy interest rate from next week to fight prices

A 50-basis point increase will take the policy interest rate to 9%, and Bangladesh Bank plans to tighten it further in the coming months

Bangladesh floods not due to release of water from Indian dam: MEA

After allegations that India was responsible for the flood situation in Bangladesh became rampant, MEA on August 22 denied the reports with a clarification. Watch the video to know the details.

Explained: Why Bangladesh social media is blaming India for causing floods

Earlier today, social media users in Bangladesh blamed India for the floods affecting at least eight districts in the neighbouring country

B'desh to tame inflation by interest rate hike of 9% in coming days: Report

Bangladesh Bank's new governor, Ahsan H. Mansur, appointed just a week ago, also said that he would raise interest rates further to 10 per cent or more in the coming months