Page 5 - India-bangladesh

Father of accused alleges son being framed in Saif stabbing case

The father of the Bangladeshi man accused of stabbing actor Saif Ali Khan will soon approach that country's foreign ministry and the Indian High Commission for the release of his son, who he said was being framed for reasons unknown to him. In a 12-minute interview, Mohammad Ruhul, the father of Shariful Islam, told PTI over the phone from Bangaldesh that his son did not have proper documentation for his stay in India and he lived in constant fear of being arrested. He alleged that the man seen in the CCTV camera footage was not Shariful and added that his son was being framed. "I will get in touch with the Bangaldeshi foreign ministry and also seek help from the Indian High Commission in Dhaka for the release of my son," Ruhul told PTI. He claimed that he learned about his son's arrest through Facebook and news channels and added he had not been contacted by police in this connection. "The police have not said anything to us," Ruhul told PTI. He revealed that Shariful entered In

Escaped death by just 20-25 min: Hasina's party shares emotional voice note

Ousted Bangladesh leader Sheikh Hasina breaks down as she recounts fleeing Dhaka with her sister, Rehana, amid protests

Bangladesh moves to drop secularism from Constitution: What we know so far

The existing principles-nationalism, socialism, democracy, and secularism-were established in the 1972 constitution, drafted after Bangladesh's independence during the 1971 India-Pakistan War

India-Bangladesh border talks to begin Feb 16; infiltration top agenda

The twice postponed Director General (DG) level border talks between India and Bangladesh are now expected to be held here from February 16 with the issue of fencing and rise in infiltration attempts post the regime change in that country being a major subject of discussion, official sources said Wednesday. A delegation of the Border Guard Bangladesh is scheduled to hold discussions with their counterparts Border Security Force (BSF) between February 16 and 19 as part of the 55th edition of these bi-annual talks. This will be the first top-level discussion between the two forces post the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government on August 5, 2024. The engagements of the two sides are being worked upon, official sources told PTI. The dates for these talks were twice postponed last year, they said. The issues related to objections raised by Bangladesh over the construction of "agreed upon" single-row fence at about 92 identified patches covering about 95.8 km of the overall 4,096 km ...

India summons Bangladesh envoy amid border fencing row with Dhaka

Bangladesh's Foreign Ministry voiced concern over India's BSF allegedly building unauthorised fencing along the 4,156-km border

For extradition, offender gets protections: Ex-official on Hasina's arrest

ICT issued an arrest warrant against Hasina and 10 others, including her former Defence Adviser Major General (retired) Tarique Ahmed Siddique and former IGP Benazir Ahmed

India, Bangladesh exchange 90 fishermen at maritime boundary amid tension

In a mutual exchange between India and Bangladesh amid strained bilateral relations, the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) handed over 90 Bangladeshi fishermen for 95 Indian fishermen at the International Maritime Boundary Line, a Defence official said here. The Indian fishermen were handed over by the ICG to the district magistrate of West Bengal's South 24 Parganas near Sagar Island on Monday, he said. The operation was the result of mutual efforts of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), West Bengal government and the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) in maintaining maritime relations between India and Bangladesh, the Defence official said in a statement. He said that on December 9, 2024, ICG apprehended two Bangladeshi fishing trawlers FV Laila-2 and FV Meghna-5 with 78 fishermen on board, engaged in fishing within Indian waters. The Centre accorded approval for the repatriation of 78 crew members along with two Bangladeshi fishing boats and an additional 12 crew of sunken Bangladesh fishing b

Bangladesh releases 95 Indian fishermen in reciprocal repatriation

Bangladesh on Sunday handed over to India 95 Indian fishermen while New Delhi released 90 Bangladeshi fishermen. The process of reciprocal repatriation of fishermen in each other's custody came amid frosty ties between the two countries. The decision to release the fishermen was announced by New Delhi and Dhaka on Thursday. The exchange of the fishermen was coordinated by the Indian Coast Guard and the Bangladesh Coast Guard. The Bangladeshi side handed over 95 fishermen and four fishing vessels to the Indian Coast Guard, according to an official statement. The Indian Coast Guard released 90 Bangladeshi fishermen including 12 rescued from sunken fishing boat "Kaushik", it said. "Idian fishermen are being handed over to West Bengal State fisheries authorities at South 24 Parganas post repatriation from Bangladesh," the Indian Coast Guard said in the readout. In recent months, several Indian fishermen have been arrested by Bangladesh authorities when they happened to inadvertently

50 Bangladeshi judicial officers to undergo 10-day training in India

The diplomatic row between Dhaka and New Delhi notwithstanding, as many as 50 Bangladeshi judicial officers will undergo 10 day training at state-run academies in India, according to a media report on Saturday. The Law Ministry has given permission to 50 judicial officials of subordinate courts to undergo training at the National Judicial Academy and State Judicial Academy at Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh with no cost to Bangladesh. The Law Ministry has given permission in the wake of the Supreme Court's advice, Prothom Alo newspaper said here. These judicial officers will participate in the training from February 10 to February 20. Assistant Judges, Senior Assistant Judges, Joint District and Sessions Judges, Additional District and Sessions Judges, District and Sessions Judges and officers of equivalent rank have been nominated for the training. A circular signed by Abul Hasanat, Deputy Secretary (Training) of the Law and Justice Division of the Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamen

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

'Won't hurt India's interests, but...': Bangladesh Army chief on Northeast

Bangladesh Army chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman characterises India-Bangladesh relations as a 'give-and-take relationship' while describing China as 'a partner in our development'

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

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

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 ...

Security strengthened in Kolkata after arrests of Bangladeshi infiltrators

Security was strengthened in Kolkata ahead of New Year's Day following the arrest of two Bangladeshi infiltrators from the heart of the city, Police Commissioner Manoj Kumar Verma said. Addressing a press conference, Verma said the police were surveilling the hotels and guest houses and had also asked their management to verify the backgrounds of their employees. "Because of the timely intervention of Kolkata Police, the recent arrests (of two Bangladeshi infiltrators) have been made possible. Our men are on the prowl," he said, replying to a question. To prevent any untoward incident on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day, 4,500 police personnel would be deployed in Kolkata, he added. Verma said that watch towers have been set up to monitor crowds, and traffic police would be vigilant to stop drunken driving and rash driving. On concerns that illegal Bangladeshi immigrants managing to secure Indian passports with fake documents, he said, "We are abiding by guidelines of the Ministr

Bangladesh 2024: Hasina's India refuge casts shadow over Dhaka-Delhi ties

Bangladesh faced an upheaval this year with the ouster of long-time Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, a development that also cast a shadow over its traditionally strong ties with India. The relations could be strained further: Bangladesh now seeks her extradition from India. The removal of 77-year-old Hasina followed weeks of protests led by students over a controversial quota system in government jobs that escalated into a nationwide campaign calling for the end of her 16-year regime. In August, tens of thousands rallied against what they perceived as political repression. The military opted not to use lethal force against the protestors while Hasina hurriedly left Bangladesh for India just months after she had secured her fourth straight term as prime minister. The anti-government protests resulted in the deaths of more than 1,500 people, including students, in confrontations between protestors and security forces, according to officials. The 84-year-old Nobel laureate Muhammad Yun

Bangladesh's situation discussed in NEC plenary meet, says Tripura CM

Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha on Wednesday said he had presented a report on Bangladesh's situation at the recent plenary session of the North Eastern Council (NEC). The regional planning body's plenary session was held in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah and DoNER Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia here on December 21. While addressing a press conference, the chief minister said there was a discussion on the present situation of Bangladesh at the NEC plenary conference. Bangladesh shares a 4,096-km international boundary with India, and of which, the neighbouring country has an 1879-km border with four northeastern states- Tripura (856 km), Mizoram (318 km), Meghalaya (443 km) and Assam (318 km). I have presented a report on the situation in Bangladesh and mentioned details of barbed wire fencing, and the strength of BSF, CRPF and police. I also place our demands which need to be done," he said. Claiming that the NEC plenary meeting was successful, Saha said the ...

Bangladesh turmoil casts shadow on key connectivity projects in Tripura

The sudden collapse of the Sheikh Hasina government in Bangladesh has cast a shadow on key connectivity and trade projects in Tripura, which is likely to have far-reaching implications on the northeastern state's growth engine in the year ahead. Dark clouds of uncertainty loom large on the fate of 'Maitri Setu' (friendship bridge), built over River Feni in South Tripura's Sabroom sub-division, despite its joint inauguration by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his the then Bangladeshi counterpart, Sheikh Hasina, in March 2021. The 1.9-km-long bridge, constructed at a cost of Rs 133 crore, promises a shorter and more economical alternate connectivity between the Northeast and Kolkata via Chittagong and Mongla ports in Bangladesh with Sabroom as a gateway to the Southeast Asian nations. However, barely days before passenger movement between India and Bangladesh through the bridge was scheduled to be flagged off, a deadly student uprising in August threw the country into disarray and ..

Auto parts traders in Delhi boycott biz with B'desh amid ongoing tensions

The move follows reports of violence against 'Hindus' and 'attacks' on temples in Bangladesh