Page 10 - Muhammad Yunus

Relations with India changed after Aug 5: B'desh foreign affairs advisor

He further remained optimistic to establish good relationship with India and said that Bangladesh "will not cause harm to anyone"

Interim govt in Bangladesh must protect all minorities, says MEA

India on Friday said the interim government in Bangladesh must live up to its responsibility of protecting all minorities as it expressed serious concern over the "surge" of extremist rhetoric and increasing incidents of violence in the neighbouring country. Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said India has consistently and strongly raised with the Bangladeshi government the threats and "targeted attacks" on Hindus and other minorities. "Our position on the matter is clear -- the interim government must live up to its responsibility of protecting all minorities," he said. Jaiswal was replying to a question on the situation at his weekly media briefing. "We are concerned at the surge of extremist rhetoric, increasing incidents of violence and provocation. These developments cannot be dismissed only as media exaggeration," he said. "We once again call upon Bangladesh to take all steps for the protection of minorities," he added. On the arrest of Hindu m

Bangladesh freezes bank accounts of 17 ISKCON members for 'sedition'

Bangladesh's authorities have ordered freezing for 30 days the bank accounts of 17 people associated with ISKCON, including its former member Chinmoy Krishna Das arrested this week on sedition charges, media reports said Friday. The move comes after the Bangladesh High Court rejected a petition seeking a ban on International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), following the killing of a lawyer in a clash between the Hindu leader's supporters and security personnel. The Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU) sent these directives to different banks and financial institutions on Thursday, suspending all types of transactions related to these accounts for a month, newspaper Prothom Alo said. The financial intelligence agency under the central Bangladesh Bank asked the banks and financial institutions to send information, including updated transaction statements of accounts related all businesses owned by these 17 individuals, within the next three working days, it said.

Bangladesh seeks deposed PM Hasina's trial in ICC alongside domestic court

Bangladesh has sought to pursue deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina's trial in the International Criminal Court even as she faced a trial in a domestic tribunal on charges of crimes against humanity, office of the interim government chief Muhammad Yunus said here on Thursday. The Chief Adviser Yunus discussed the issue of Hasina's trial with International Criminal Court (ICC) prosecutor Karim A Khan who called on him at his official Jamuna residence, an official of the chief adviser's press wing said. Hasina fled to India on August 5 following widespread protests against her Awami League-led government over a controversial job quota system. Three days later, Yunus, a Nobel laureate, took over as the Chief Adviser of the interim government. He said Yunus, during his meeting with Khan on Wednesday, told him that Bangladesh intends to pursue the charges against Hasina and her allies particularly on charges of carrying out massacre during the July-August mass uprising and enforced ...

Iskcon branded 'fundamentalist' by Bangladesh govt amid rising tensions

The Attorney General of Bangladesh referred to Iskcon as a 'religious fundamentalist organisation' following the arrest of Hindu leader Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari

Attacks on minorities in B'desh: Indian-Americans urge Biden to intervene

An influential Indian-American organisation has urged US President Joe Biden and President-elect Donald Trump to call on the government of Bangladesh to protect the minority Hindu community in the country. In separate letters to Biden and Trump, the Foundation for India and Indian Diaspora Studies (FIIDS) on Wednesday expressed grave concern over the escalating human rights violations against religious minorities in Bangladesh and the recent arrest of Hindu spiritual leader Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari. Bangladesh's minority Hindus have faced over 200 attacks, including those on their temples, since the fall of Sheikh Hasina's Awami League government on August 5, according to the FIIDS. Das was arrested on Monday in a sedition case and later denied bail by a court, triggering protests by community members in various locations, including the capital Dhaka and the port city of Chattogram. He was a member of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) and was recen

Chinmoy Das arrest: India calls Bangladesh action 'unfortunate'. Here's why

Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari, the leader of the Hindu group Sammilita Sanatani Jote, was arrested by Bangladesh police on Monday near Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka

Yunus hopes US-Bangladesh ties will thrive despite Trump's criticism

Bangladesh's neighbour and Hindu-majority India has strong cultural and business ties with Bangladesh and Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government has also expressed concern over the spate of attacks

Awami League leader files complaint against B'desh Chief Advisor in ICC

Anwaruzzaman Chowdhury, an Awami League leader and former Mayor of Sylhet, filed the complaint against Muhammad Yunus

Donald Trump's victory may not be good news for Pakistan and Bangladesh

Other South Asian leaders can't rely on the warm personal relationship that Trump shares with Prime Minister Narendra Modi

UN calls for thorough investigation into killings during Bangladesh unrest

A top United Nations human rights official called Wednesday for a thorough investigation of all killings and other rights violations during the violent unrest leading up to and after the fall of Bangladesh's former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. The UN's High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk concluded a two-day visit to Bangladesh on Wednesday, as an interim government headed by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus is navigating through challenges to establish order in the country. Hasina ended her 15-year rule when she fled the country to India on August 5 after a student-led demonstration morphed into an anti-government protest movement in July. Hundreds of students, security officials and others were killed during the protests, and after Hasina's fall hundreds more, including Hasina's supporters, were killed in revenge attacks or in mob violence across the South Asian nation. Turk has already sent a fact-finding mission to look into the killings after the Yunus-led government ..

From Hasina extradition to India ties: Muhammad Yunus' plan for Bangladesh

Bangladesh interim government Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus acknowledges recent events may have 'disheartened' India, calls on New Delhi to ensure stronger regional cooperation

B'desh interim govt announces nine member constitution reform commission

Bangladesh's interim government has announced the formation of a nine-member commission to review and evaluate the country's constitution, and recommend necessary reforms. Under the leadership of prominent Bangladeshi-American professor Ali Riaz, the Constitution Reform Commission will submit its report to the government within 90 days, the state-run BSS news agency reported. The commission was formed to review and evaluate the existing constitution to establish a representative and effective democracy while empowering the people, it was announced on Monday. It will prepare a report on recommendations for constitutional reform considering everyone's opinions, The Dhaka Tribune newspaper reported. The commission includes student representative Mahfuj Alam, who is also the special assistant to the Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus, the report said. Other members include Dhaka University (DU) Law Department's Professors Sumaiya Khair and Muhammad Ikramul Haq, Barrister Imran Siddique, and

Bangladesh interim govt recalls five envoys in major diplomatic reshuffle

The foreign ministry ordered envoys in Brussels, Canberra, Lisbon, New Delhi and the permanent mission to the United Nations in New York to immediately return to the capital, Dhaka

Protests erupt outside UN headquarters as Muhammad Yunus addresses UNGA

Slogans of terrorist, minority killer, Hindu killer Yunus, go back, step down were raised outside UN headquarters in New York

Yunus meets Chinese FM, WB President Banga; discusses bilateral cooperation

Earlier on Tuesday, Yunus called for repatriation of Rohingyas amid the "deteriorating" security situation in Bangladesh during a high-level meeting

Amid Bangladesh turmoil, Adani eyes Indian power grid to link Godda plant

Adani Power's Jharkhand plant, which sells its entire output to Bangladesh, is exploring selling power in India. This comes amid reports that Bangladesh may review its pact with the company

Sri Lankans seek change but stability crucial amid economic uncertainty

Sri Lanka's new leaders must demonstrate they are more responsible than the old guard they revile

Bangladesh's interim govt gives Army magistracy powers for 2 months

Bangladesh's interim government has granted magisterial powers to the Army for two months to improve law and order in the country and prevent "subversive acts". The Ministry of Public Administration issued a notification on the government's decision on Tuesday, saying it will be applicable with immediate effect. The powers will be given to commissioned officers of the Army. The order will remain in force for the next 60 days. Section 17 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, or CrPC, which awards Army officers the status of special executive magistrates, says these officers shall be subordinate to the district magistrates, or deputy commissioners, bdnews24.com reported. This authority including arrest and dispersal of unlawful rallies has been conferred upon commissioned officers of the Army. In self-defence and extreme need, the officer can open fire, said an adviser to the interim government on Tuesday, The Daily Star newspaper reported. "We are witnessing subversive acts and disru

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 ...