'The BJP lacks a credible mass leader who matches Mamata Banerjee's popularity.' 'Given the division of votes among Opposition parties, the West Bengal government's dole-giving strategy, and the consolidation of the poor, significant sections of scheduled caste groups and Muslim minorities behind the ruling party, it will be difficult to dislodge the Trinamool from power.'
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, speaking at the University of Oxford, stressed the importance of inclusive development and stated that division in society is counterproductive. She emphasized that her governance model prioritizes the welfare of all sections of society and does not allow discrimination, highlighting the state's diverse population and the need for a human-centric approach.
Satyajit Ray anticipated the issues we are only now starting to raise, long before large language models, AI chatbots, predictive algorithms, and autonomous systems began to control every bit of our lifestyles, notes Atanu Biswas.
Body of Bhabesh Chandra Roy, 58, a resident of Basudebpur village of Dinajpur, about 330 kilometres northwest of Dhaka, was recovered on Thursday night, The Daily Star said quoting police and family members.
'The pain of not having a home is bearable, but the pain of having one -- and not finding peace in it -- is far worse.'
Ahmedabad civic authorities launched a massive demolition drive on Tuesday, razing over 2,000 illegally constructed houses and properties in the Chandola Lake area. The operation, which involved around 50 teams equipped with earthmovers and 2,000 police personnel, was carried out days after illegal Bangladeshi immigrants were detained from these settlements. The Gujarat High Court declined to stay the action, observing that the dwellings were situated on the periphery of the water body and therefore subject to demolition under the Land Revenue Code. Authorities also demolished the illegal farmhouse of Lalu Pathan, alleged mastermind behind the encroachments, who is suspected to have helped illegal immigrants obtain rental accommodation and Aadhaar cards.
A former Bangladesh army officer and close aide of Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus has suggested that Dhaka should collaborate with China to occupy India's northeastern states if it attacks Pakistan in response to the Pahalgam terror attack. Bangladesh's interim government has distanced itself from the remarks made by Major General (Retd) ALM Fazlur Rahman on his social media account. Rahman's comments come amidst growing tensions between India and Bangladesh following Yunus' remarks in China about India's northeastern states being landlocked and needing Bangladesh's access to the ocean. These incidents have further strained relations between the two countries, with India withdrawing transhipment facilities granted to Bangladesh for exporting goods to the Middle East, Europe, and various other countries.
'Very rarely does a film give you the opportunity to do this, I was constantly improvising and adding scenes on the set.'
Reciting Islamic verse 'Kalma' saved the life of Assam University Professor Debasish Bhattacharya by a whisker from the terrorists' bullets in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam where he was holidaying with his family.
There's room for all kinds on OTT this week, as Sukanya Verma tells us.
'Creative impulses ek lifetime mein pura nahi ho payega.'
The lotus motif is making a grand comeback!
A Border Security Force (BSF) jawan was detained by Pakistan Rangers after accidentally crossing the Punjab border. Constable PK Sahu of the 182nd battalion was apprehended by the Rangers across the Ferozepur border. Sahu, a resident of West Bengal, was in uniform and carried his service rifle. A flag meeting is underway between the two forces to secure his release.
The Kolkata Police has booked actor Paresh Rawal under different sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) on a complaint filed by Communist Party of India-Marxist state secretary Md Salim, who alleged that he delivered 'hate speech' against the Bengali community during an election rally of the Bharatiya Janata Party in Gujarat.
'I am not a mother and never had an abortion either, so I had to understand motherhood and child loss from anecdotal experiences of others.'
The actor walked the runway for menswear designer Abhishek Roy at the FDCI x Lakme Fashion Week 2025.
The former Union minister said the question that was posed to the country then and faced it today was whether Muslims in India felt accepted, cherished and celebrated.
The Awami League leaders were charged with committing crimes against humanity over the deaths of hundreds of people during last year's anti-government protests by a student platform. The protests resulted in the ouster of Hasina's 16-year-long regime on August 5.
'Shreya (Ghoshal) ma'am said she hasn't heard a voice like mine before, and added that even in the future, there won't be another voice like mine.'
A former Bangladeshi beauty queen, Meghna Alam, has been detained for allegedly setting up a honey trap for a former Saudi ambassador in Dhaka, in an attempt to extort USD 5 million. Alam, who runs a charity, was initially detained without charge under the controversial Special Powers Act. Her arrest sparked a media outcry and concerns by rights watchdogs. Alam denies the allegations, claiming the diplomat wanted to marry her. The Saudi embassy has not commented, but media reports suggest the envoy left Bangladesh as the scandal unfolded.
Deadly brides, daredevil officers, bloodthirsty royals, killer toys, celebrity chefs, comic book heroes, angry goddesses, senior citizen dreams, poisonous snowfall, the OTT offerings this week will make you wish for days twice the size of its menu.
'I didn't like doing jhatak-mataks. I would subconsciously start feeling, 'Oh my God, my makeup man and my driver will be watching this.''
Nobel laureate economist Abhijit Banerjee has said the current situation in Bangladesh is unlikely to trigger a fresh round of exodus of minority Hindus into India. He believes that migration is primarily driven by social networks and economic opportunities rather than persecution. Banerjee, known for his work in poverty alleviation, further emphasized that India's overt preference for Hindu migrants from Bangladesh in the past has been a significant factor in their migration, rather than attacks on the community.
The couple met during morning walks, and the relationship grew over time.
Monday saw a host of Indian festivals like Vishu, Bihu, Poila Boishakh and Baisakhi. Film folk celebrate by dressing up and creating happy memories on social media.
Amateur Ham Radio operators have picked up suspicious late-night radio signals in coded Bengali, Urdu and Arabic along the Indo-Bangladesh border in South Bengal over the last two months, raising concerns about possible extremist activities. The signals, which have been detected between 1 AM and 3 AM, are unusual in their pattern and language usage, according to Ham radio operators, who have reported the matter to authorities. The development comes amidst ongoing unrest in Bangladesh and growing anti-India rhetoric in the neighbouring country. Security agencies are investigating the matter, and the Border Security Force (BSF) has acknowledged the seriousness of the situation.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday asserted that priority must be given to locals and those knowing the local language during recruitment in state government jobs.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, known for his hardline Hindutva views and 'bulldozer justice' approach, has spoken out about his policies toward Muslims, the Waqf board, and his vision for India. He asserts that Muslims will receive a fair share of development in Uttar Pradesh, but not special concessions. He also criticizes the Waqf board for its alleged appropriation of government properties and calls for its reform. Adityanath defends his 'bulldozer justice' policy, claiming it is necessary for infrastructure development and removal of encroachments. He also discusses his vision for India, emphasizing the importance of Hindi as a national language and the need for unity across different linguistic groups.
'It is true Manoj Kumar was an excellent director with an unbeatable music sense.' 'But I had a bad experience regarding the song Hai Hai Yeh Majboori.'
It was a rare treat to see Sharmila Tagore and her children Saif Ali Khan, Soha Ali Khan and Saba Pataudi at the premiere of her Bengali film Puratawn (The Ancient) at the ongoing MAMI Film Festival in Mumbai.
A fragrant, spiced yoghurt-cashew curry is the place for fillets of rohu.
A salute to Sarojini Naidu freedom fighter, poet, women's right activist on her 146th birth anniversary.
Subhas Chandra Bose was under house arrest, yet he pulled out a daring escape from his Elgin Road residence in Calcutta to Germany via Pakistan, Afghanistan, Russia...
A sister or cousin of paniyarams, these are akin to large pan-fried idlis but are dosas. And utilise millets.
Bite into these alu croquettes and experience the wee explosion of pickle and creaminess.
'The TMC can't go on forever taking advantage of the people's fright of the BJP.'
Bethica unusually uses brown poha and green bananas to make crispy vadas.
A favourite among Bengalis, Mutton Rezala has its roots in Mughlai cuisine.
Bill Aitken came to India nearly 60 years ago. He never returned. An Indian citizen since 1972, he tells Rediff.com's Archana Masih how India changed his life forever.
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