Page 40 - Bangladesh

World Bank pledges additional $2 bn to support critical reforms in B'desh

The World Bank on Tuesday said that it could mobilise an additional USD 2 billion in financing to Bangladesh in this fiscal year to support critical reforms, flood response, better air quality and health. World Bank Country Director Abdoulaye Seck pledged the new assistance when he called on interim government's Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus at the State Guest House Jamuna in Dhaka on Tuesday. Seck said that the World Bank "is committed to increasing lending to Bangladesh in this fiscal year to help the reform agenda of the Interim Government," the chief adviser posted on X. "Seck informed that the World Bank can mobilise about $2 billion new financing in this fiscal year to support critical reforms, flood response, better air quality and health," Yunus said in another post on X. Seck's remarks came days after the US Agency for International Development (USAID)-Bangladesh on Sunday said it would provide USD 202.25 million in aid to Bangladesh to advance development, empower youth, .

Provide us with citizenship, Gadchiroli's B'deshi refugees appeal to centre

It has become even more difficult for these people to gain citizenship after the implementation of CAA

Tribals to intensify agitation against B'deshi infiltrators: Champai Soren

Former Jharkhand chief minister Champai Soren on Monday demanded a thorough probe into illegal land transactions in the Santhal Parganas region, and asserted that tribals will intensify agitation against Bangladeshi infiltrators in the state. The remarks of Soren, who switched over to the BJP from the JMM last month, came a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi slammed the JMM-led coalition in Jharkhand for allegedly patronising infiltration, and said infiltrators were grabbing land and changing the demography of the region, besides committing atrocities on women. Infiltration poses a grave threat to the tribal society's existence. The Santhal Pargana Tenancy Act, meant to protect tribal land rights, is being violated. I demand a probe into all illegal land transactions in the region. The tribals are uniting and will oust the Bangladeshi infiltrators, Soren claimed. Earlier in the day, he participated in a tribal rally here and paid homage to their icons like Baba Tilka Manjhi and

US delegation meets Bangladesh interim chief adviser Yunus, assures support

A high-level US delegation Sunday met Bangladesh interim government's Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus here and assured him of expanding economic and political ties to create a more equitable and inclusive future for the people in the South Asian country. The delegation led by Assistant Secretary for International Finance at the US Department of the Treasury Brent Neiman met Yunus at the State Guest House in Dhaka. Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs, Donald Lu, who arrived in Dhaka on Saturday from India, also joined the delegation. "Our delegation met with the Chief Adviser, Professor Muhammad Yunus, affirming our dedication to fostering inclusive growth, institution building and development to benefit the people of Bangladesh. As Bangladesh looks to chart a more equitable and inclusive future, the US stands ready to support those efforts," the US embassy here said in a post on X after the meeting. The meeting came as the US Agency for ...

Attempt to murder case filed against Sheikh Hasina, 58 others in B'desh

A fresh case has been filed against Bangladesh's ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina and 58 others on the charges of attempting to murder a student during the violent clashes that led to the fall of her government last month, a media report said on Sunday. It was the latest in the slew of cases filed against the 76-year-old former premier, who resigned and fled to India on August 5 following a massive protest by students against a controversial quota system in government jobs. The case was filed on Friday by 22-year-old Fahim Faisal, who claimed he was shot and injured during an anti-government protest in Dinajpur on August 4, a day before the fall of the Hasina-led Awami League government, The Daily Star newspaper reported. With this, the tally of cases against Hasina has reached 155, including 136 for murder, seven for crimes against humanity and genocide, three for abduction, eight for attempted murder and one for the attack on a Bangladesh Nationalist Party procession, the repor

Committed to helping Bangladesh expand economic opportunities, says US

The US on Sunday assured Bangladesh's interim government of its commitment to helping the country expand economic opportunities, build institutional capacity, and uphold human rights. The US commitment came as a high-level US delegation met Foreign Adviser Md Touhid Hossain. "We are committed to helping expand economic opportunities, build institutional capacity, uphold human rights, and mitigate climate risks with our partner, Bangladesh," the US Embassy in Dhaka posted on X after the meeting. The US delegation at the meeting was headed by Assistant Secretary for International Finance of the US Department of Treasury Brent Neiman. The delegation also included US State Department Assistant Secretary for South and Central Asia Donald Lu, The Daily Star newspaper said. "Great to meet the foreign affairs adviser at Padma House," said the embassy. Neiman also met Finance Adviser Salehuddin Ahmed. After the meeting, the embassy said: We support Bangladesh's path towards renewed dynami

Bangladesh crisis: Hindus protest over demand for new minority law, justice

Hindu protesters in Dhaka and Chattogram carried signs demanding swift justice through a fast-track tribunal for those responsible for the attacks on the community

JMM-led alliance patronising infiltrators in Jharkhand for vote bank: BJP

The Leader of Opposition in Jharkhand Assembly Amar Bauri said the central government had informed the high court that illegal Bangladeshi immigrants are living in the state, which the JMM-led alliance government has been denying for "vote bank". In an affidavit filed before a division bench of acting Chief Justice Sujit Narayan Prasad and Justice Arun Kumar Rai on Thursday, the Centre said Bangladeshis illegally entered Jharkhand through Sahebgunj and Pakur districts. There is also a "sizeable decrease" in the tribal population due to "high conversion of tribals and low birth rate" among them, it said. The senior BJP leader said that they have been raising the issue for a long time but the JMM-led alliance government has been denying the threat of infiltration. "The JMM-led government is engaged in patronizing Bangladeshi infiltrators in Jharkhand for vote bank and appeasement," he alleged while addressing reporters at state BJP headquarters here on Thursday. "According to the ..

IND vs BAN: Comparing both sides' bowling attacks ahead of Test series

While India's new coach Gautam Gambhir and skipper Rohit Sharma will be wary of the challenge ahead of them, they would be confident going into the series with a star-studded squad at their disposal.

Former B'desh PM Khaleda Zia admitted to hospital, advised several tests

Former Bangladesh prime minister Khaleda Zia was admitted to a private hospital in the early hours of Thursday, according to a media report. The 79-year-old Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) chairperson arrived at the Evercare Hospital from her Gulshan residence around 1:40 am, BNP media cell member Sayrul Kabir Khan was quoted as saying by the Dhaka Tribune newspaper. Her physician, Professor AZM Zahid Hossain, said the medical board has recommended several tests and she has been placed in a private cabin following her admission to the hospital. The next course of her treatment will be determined after reviewing the test results, he said. On August 21, Zia had returned home after 45 days treatment at the same hospital. The former prime minister, who was under house arrest for the past five years, was freed by an order of Bangladesh President Mohammed Shahabuddin on August 6. She was acquitted of all charges against her following the fall of the Awami League government led by he

Bangladesh interim govt urges pause in Durga Puja activities during namaz

All puja committees in Bangladesh have been instructed to switch off music five minutes before the azaan and keep it off during prayer time

What is Hilsa fish and its significance in West Bengal during Durga puja?

Hilsa plays a vital role in Bengali culture, where fishes are offered as a holy sacrifice to deities. From Durga Puja to Jamai Shoshti, this fish is considered very auspicious

B'desh ramps up border vigilance with Myanmar as thousands of Rohingya flee

The new arrivals add to more than one million Rohingya refugees already living in overcrowded camps in Cox's Bazar district after they fled a military-led crackdown in Myanmar in 2017

India-funded projects 'very important', to continue in B'desh: Interim govt

A top adviser of the interim government said Tuesday that India-funded projects are "very important" and will continue under the new administration in Bangladesh. Finance Adviser Salehuddin Ahmed also said that Dhaka looks forward to "enhanced cooperation" with New Delhi during his meeting with Indian High Commissioner Pranay Verma here, the state-run BSS news agency reported. "Already, the projects they (India) have with us are big projects, and we'll continue those, as those are not small projects and we'll take another big project for the benefits of ours...," the report quoted him as saying. "We'll not stop on whatever we have got, and we'll talk about those projects ...funding of the projects and also their implementation part," he added. The financial adviser's remarks come amid concerns about the timely implementation of projects funded under India's three lines of credit following the ouster of the Sheikh Hasina-led Awami League government last month after a mass ...

Adani seeks intervention on power supply dues in letter to Bangladesh Govt

Adani Power is said to have invested $2 billion in setting up the Godda power unit

$500 mn in overdue power debt not sustainable: Adani Group to Bangladesh

The power deal, signed under Sheikh Hasina leadership, involves the supply of coal-generated electricity from Adani's 1,600 MW Godda plant, which the Yunus govt claims is opaque and expensive

Bangladesh-India relations should be based on equity and fairness: Yunus

Interim government's Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus Sunday said that Bangladesh wants to maintain good relations with India while asserting that it should be based on equity and fairness. Yunus, 84, made the remarks while responding to a question at a meeting with students who had participated in the student-people revolution that ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina last month, state-run BSS news agency reported. "We need to maintain good relations with India. But it should be based on equity and fairness," the chief adviser's special assistant Mahfuj Alam quoted him as saying. Mahfuj, who briefed the media after the meeting, added that the chief adviser said Bangladesh always gives importance to mutual respect and equity in maintaining relations with neighbours. He stressed reviving the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) to enhance regional cooperation. The interim government headed by Yunus was appointed days after Hasina resigned and fled to India on August

Bangladesh to take steps to extradite deposed PM Hasina from India

Bangladesh will take necessary steps to extradite deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina from India to try her on charges of mass killings during the student-led mass movement against her government, the newly-appointed chief prosecutor of the country's International Crimes Tribunal said on Sunday. Following unprecedented anti-government protests that peaked on August 5, Hasina resigned as prime minister and fled to India. Necessary steps will be taken to bring former prime minister Hasina back under the extradition treaty with India to try her on charges of mass killings during the student-led protests in July and August, International Crimes Tribunal Chief Prosecutor Md Tajul Islam was quoted as saying by The Daily Star newspaper. "We will file an application with the International Crimes Tribunal, when it resumes functions, to issue arrest warrants against all the absconding accused including Sheikh Hasina in connection with the cases filed for mass killing and crimes against ...

Singapore pledges $100,000 to fund flood relief efforts in east Bangladesh

Singapore on Sunday pledged USD 100,000 to support the Singapore Red Cross' (SRC) public fund-raising efforts following severe floods in eastern Bangladesh. "The contribution will support humanitarian relief efforts and the immediate needs of affected communities, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said. On September 5, the SRC pledged USD 50,000 to support emergency operations in Bangladesh, providing essential aid and relief to affected communities through the Bangladesh Red Crescent Society (BDRCS). It said it is in contact with the BDRCS as well as the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies to monitor the situation and is ready to provide further assistance, The Straits Times newspaper reported. The SRC also launched a public fund-raising appeal to support the recovery efforts in Bangladesh. It will run until October 31. "We are deeply saddened by the loss of lives and displacement caused by the severe floods, said Benjamin William, SRC's secretary-gener

Parl security breach chargesheet: Accused wanted to discredit democracy

The December 13, 2023 Parliament security breach accused wanted to discredit India's democracy, gain instant global fame, usurp power and achieve "richness and glory" by targeting the "very symbol of democracy", according to the chargesheet filed in the court by Delhi Police. The accused first met on social media and planned their move for nearly two years before executing it last year on the anniversary of the 2001 Parliament attack. According to the chargesheet, a source said, their first in-person meeting was held in February, 2022 at Mysuru. Citing from the chargesheet, sources told PTI, that in total they held five meetings in Mysuru, Gurugram and Delhi to decided finalise their plan and arrive at a modus operandi. The chargesheet, spread over 1,000 pages, was filed before the Patiala House Court in June and the court took its cognisance last month. A supplementary was filed in July. The chargesheet mentioned that the group of young people, led by Manoranjan D, a resident of .