Page 11 - Muhammad Yunus

Want good relation with India but on basis of fairness and equality: Yunus

Bangladesh's Chief Adviser Dr Muhammad Yunus on Wednesday said his country wants good relations with India and other neighbouring nations it should be on the basis of "fairness and equality". In a televised address, Yunus said after he took oath as the head of the administration, many foreign leaders, including Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Pakistani counterpart Shehbaz Sharif, telephoned to congratulate him. "We want good relations with India and other neighbouring nations, but that relations should be on the basis of fairness and equality," he said. The 84-year-old Nobel laureate took oath as the head of the interim government on August 8 after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina resigned and fled to India following widespread protests against her government. Yunus said Bangladesh has already started high-level bilateral cooperation talks with India to deal with floods. "I have also taken the initiative to revive SAARC to enhance regional cooperation in South Asia, he ...

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

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

Revival of SAARC spirit can solve many regional problems: Muhammad Yunus

There should be a revival of the spirit of SAARC, Muhammad Yunus, the head of Bangladesh's interim government has said, underlining that the eight-member bloc can solve many of the region's problems. In an interview with PTI at his official residence in Dhaka, Chief Adviser Yunus said that although the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) was formed with a great cause, it now exists only on paper and is not functioning. The regional grouping comprises Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Yunus mentioned that he would try to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly session scheduled to be held later this month. He also mentioned that he will try to get the heads of state of SAARC nations together for a photo op. Obviously, we will try to meet (Prime Minister Narendra Modi). I will try if all the heads of state of SAARC nations come together and take a photo. SAARC was formed for

Muhammad Yunus calls for resolving issues over Teesta treaty with India

Bangladesh's Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus has said the interim government would pursue with India ways to resolve the differences over the long-pending Teesta water sharing treaty, as delaying it for years serves no purpose for either nation. In an interview with PTI at his official residence in Dhaka, Yunus stated that the water-sharing issue between the two countries must be resolved according to international norms, emphasising that lower riparian countries like Bangladesh have specific rights that they seek to uphold. By sitting over this issue (water sharing), it is not serving any purpose. If I know how much water I will get, even if I am not happy and sign it, it would be better. This issue has to be resolved, he said. Replying to a query on whether the interim government would push for resolving the issues over the Teesta water-sharing treaty at the earliest, he said the new regime will pursue it. Push is a big word; I am not saying it. We will pursue it. But we have to sit

Hasina must stay silent till Bangladesh seeks her extradition, says Yunus

Muhammad Yunus, the head of Bangladesh's interim government, has said that former prime minister Sheikh Hasina making political remarks from India is an unfriendly gesture", asserting that she must remain silent to prevent the discomfort to both countries until Dhaka requests her extradition. "If India wants to keep her until the time Bangladesh (government) wants her back, the condition would be that she has to keep quiet," he said. In an interview with PTI at his official residence in Dhaka, Yunus, who was appointed the country's Chief Adviser after Hasina's ouster, stressed that while Bangladesh values strong ties with India, New Delhi must move beyond the narrative that portrays every other political party except Awami League as Islamist and that the country will turn into Afghanistan without Sheikh Hasina. "No one is comfortable with her stance there in India because we want her back to try her. She is there in India and at times she is talking, which is problematic. Had she be

Attacks on Hindus not communal, issue exaggerated, says Bangladesh's Yunus

Chief Adviser to Bangladesh's interim government, Muhammad Yunus, has said the issue of attacks on minority Hindus in his country is exaggerated and questioned the manner in which India projected it. In an interview with PTI at his official residence here, Yunus said the attacks on minorities in Bangladesh are more political than communal. He suggested that the attacks were not communal, but a fallout of a political upheaval as there is a perception that most Hindus supported the now-deposed Awami League regime. I have said this to (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi also that this is exaggerated. This issue has several dimensions. When the country went through an upheaval following the atrocities by (Sheikh) Hasina and the Awami League, those who were with them also faced attacks, the Nobel laureate told PTI. The minority Hindu population faced vandalism of their businesses and properties, as well as the destruction of Hindu temples, during the student-led violence that erupted followi

Hasina must stay silent in India till B'desh seeks her extradition: Yunus

Muhammad Yunus, the head of Bangladesh's interim government, has said that former prime minister Sheikh Hasina making political remarks from India is an unfriendly gesture", asserting that she must remain silent to prevent the discomfort to both countries until Dhaka requests her extradition. "If India wants to keep her until the time Bangladesh (government) wants her back, the condition would be that she has to keep quiet," he said. In an interview with PTI at his official residence in Dhaka, Yunus, who was appointed the country's Chief Advisor after Hasina's ouster, stressed that while Bangladesh values strong ties with India, New Delhi must move beyond the narrative that portrays every other political party except Awami League as Islamist and that the country will turn into Afghanistan without Sheikh Hasina. "No one is comfortable with her stance there in India because we want her back to try her. She is there in India and at times she is talking, which is problematic. Had she be

With 2 more murder charges, Bangladesh's deposed PM Hasina faces 94 cases

Two more murder cases have been filed against Bangladesh's deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina, taking the total number of cases to 94, a media report said on Wednesday. The 76-year-old Awami League leader, who resigned and fled to India last month, has had a slew of cases filed against her mostly for murders during the mass student protests against a controversial quota system in government jobs. Hasina is now facing at least 94 cases, mostly for murders during the mass student protests. On Wednesday, Hasina and 26 others were booked over the killing of a resident of Dhaka during the protests on July 19, The Daily Star newspaper reported. The victim's wife filed the case in the Court of Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Afnan Sumi, who asked the Police Bureau of Investigation to submit a report after an investigation. Former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan, Awami League general secretary Obaidul Quader and several leaders and activists of Awami League and its front organisations are

Bangladesh interim govt warns of legal action for creating instability

Bangladesh's interim government on Tuesday warned that it would take legal action against anyone found creating instability in the country that is going through turmoil. The Ministry of Home Affairs issued the warning in a circular and expressed concern over instability being created by forced resignations, vandalism, arson, illegal searches, looting and extortion by over-enthusiastic and vested quarters, The Daily Star newspaper reported. The circular said that to create instability, some quarters are putting pressure on the police to file cases and also attacking the accused in court. The government assured that a case filed does not mean random arrests will be made. "All these cases will be properly investigated and appropriate action will be taken," according to the circular. The government said it would identify all the miscreants and take legal action against them irrespective of party affiliation. Bangladesh witnessed massive student protests in mid-July over the controvers

With 5 new charges, Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina faces 89 murder cases

Five new murder cases have been filed against Bangladesh's deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina and her former cabinet minister for the killing of five people during the quota reform protests in the country, according to media reports. The cases, filed with Dhaka Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court on Monday, were the latest in the slew of cases filed against the 76-year-old leader after her resignation and fleeing to India on August 5 following a massive protest by students against a quota system in government jobs. With this, the tally of cases filed against Hasina has risen to 89, the Dhaka Tribune reported. The five more murder cases have been filed against Hasina, party general secretary Obaidul Quader, and 339 others, in connection with the deaths of five people during the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, the Tribune reported. Over 230 people were killed in Bangladesh in the incidents of violence that erupted across the country following the fall of the Hasina government

B'desh interim leader to present outline on reforms soon, says his aide

Bangladesh's interim leader Muhammad Yunus will soon come up with a comprehensive framework on reforms, including on the transition of power, after consulting all political parties, his special assistant has said. Nobel laureate Yunus, who was appointed Bangladesh's Chief Adviser after the fall of Sheikh Hasina-led government on August 5, on Saturday held a series of meetings with 35 political parties, including Jatiya Party, Gono Forum, Islami Andolon Bangladesh, Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), at the State Guest House Jamuna in the capital. "The Chief Adviser exchanged views with political parties and talked about reforms (to be brought by the interim government) and their outline," Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS) news agency quoted his special assistant Mahfuj Alam as saying. On the outcomes of the meetings, Mahfuj Alam said the political leaders who joined meetings presented many reform proposals and "the chief adviser will present an outline on the reforms soon". He will mai

49 minority teachers in Bangladesh forced to resign since Aug 5: Report

At least 49 teachers belonging to minority communities were forced to resign in Bangladesh after the fall of the Sheikh Hasina-led government on August 5, according to a minority organisation in the violence-hit nation. The Bangladesh Chhatra Oikya Parishad, the student wing of Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Oikya Parishad, said this at a press conference on Saturday, The Daily Star newspaper reported. The organisation's coordinator, Sajib Sarkar, said in the students' violence that ensued for days following the ouster and fleeing of 76-year-old prime minister Hasina, minority teachers across the country faced physical assault, and at least 49 of them were forced to resign. However, 19 of them were reinstated later, the report quoted him as saying. Sarkar added that religious and ethnic minorities have also faced attacks, looting, assault on women, vandalism of temples, arson attacks on homes and businesses, and killings during this period. Bangladesh saw several incidents of

Insights and social preferences: What microfinance can teach economists

Mainstream economics has largely dismissed the insights from microfinance as folksy, feel-good anecdotes

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

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

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