There is a "high possibility" of a meeting between Bangladesh Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the sidelines of the BIMSTEC Summit in Bangkok, a senior official said. The meeting comes amid strained ties between the two countries, marked by India's concerns over violence against Hindus and a rise of hardline Islamist forces in Bangladesh. Yunus's recent comments about India's northeastern states being landlocked and Bangladesh being the "only guardian of the ocean" in the region have drawn sharp reactions from Indian politicians. However, a Bangladesh official insists that Yunus's statement was misinterpreted.
A Hindu leader in Bangladesh, Chinmoy Krishna Das, had his bail hearing in a sedition case postponed for a month due to the absence of a lawyer to represent him. The hearing was scheduled for December 3rd, but was adjourned to January 2nd, 2024. Das was arrested on November 25th for alleged sedition and has been denied bail since. The incident has sparked protests from his supporters and has highlighted concerns about the safety of minorities in Bangladesh. The postponement of the bail hearing further delays a decision on his release.
The governor has also started using a bullet-proof car since Tuesday morning, the sources told PTI.
On Wednesday, August 14, 2024 victims and relatives of people injured and killed during the recent unrest joined a protest demanding justice at Shaheed Minar in Dhaka.
The other members of the interim government will be finalised after consultations with various political parties, the press secretary added.
Following is the statement made by Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh during his joint press conference with his Bangladeshi counterpart Sheikh Hasina
Bangladesh interim government's Law Adviser Asif Nazrul has condemned Prime Minister Narendra Modi's post on X commemorating Victory Day saying, "India was merely an ally in this victory, nothing more."
Several Hindu temples, households and businesses have been vandalised, and at least two Hindu leaders affiliated with former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's Awami League party have been killed in the violence since Monday, when Hasina resigned and fled to India.
The chaos and fear created by the deadly protests remained. Gangs of criminals have been looting and robbing homes in the absence of law enforcers over the last two days.
India and Bangladesh signed seven Memorandum of understanding (MoUs) on Tuesday in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Bangladeshi counterpart Sheikh Hasina in Delhi. India-Bangladesh delegation-level talks led by PM Modi and Hasina were commenced at the Hyderabad House in New Delhi. "India-Bangladesh delegation level talks led by PM @narendramodi & PM Sheikh Hasina commence. "On the agenda are issues related to connectivity, energy, water resources, trade & investment, border management & security, development partnership and regional & multilateral matters," the official spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs Arindam Bagchi tweeted.
Bangladesh's interim government on Wednesday said it is 'consulting all stakeholders' to decide the fate of President Mohammed Shahabuddin, as authorities beefed up security around his residence in the wake of protests demanding his removal over comments that raised questions on prime minister Sheikh Hasina's resignation.
Bangladesh descended into chaos on Monday as Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina surreptitiously resigned and fled the country in a military aircraft while the Army stepped in to fill the power vacuum.
Bangladesh's top legal official has proposed to remove the words 'secularism' and 'socialism' from the Constitution apart from a provision prescribing capital punishment for regime change through extra-constitutional means.
The absence of Shakib Al Hasan has come as a relief to South Africa as they embark on a two-test series in Bangladesh but stand-in captain Aiden Markram does not expect the challenge to be any easier.
The chief adviser's decision to stay in office came two days after he told student-led National Citizen Party (NCP) leaders that he was mulling resignation as he felt "the situation is such that he cannot work", citing difficulties in working amid the failure of political parties to find common ground for change.
Bangladesh's interim government on Sunday issued a stern warning to media organisations, stating that they will be shut down if they publish or broadcast false or misleading news, in a move aimed at curbing the spread of misinformation.
At least 30 suspects have been detained in Bangladesh's Chattogram city for their alleged involvement in the killing of a lawyer and attacking security personnel following the arrest of a prominent Hindu community leader. The violence erupted after Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari, spokesperson for Bangladesh Sammilita Sanatani Jagran Jote, was denied bail and sent to jail in a sedition case. The lawyer, Assistant public prosecutor Saiful Islam, was killed during clashes between security personnel and Das' followers. The interim government has condemned the violence, urging people to remain calm and has ordered an investigation into the killing and appropriate legal measures.
The Bangladesh Cricket Board has written to Bangladesh's army chief of staff General Waker-Uz-Zaman seeking security assurance for organising the women's T20 World Cup.
It will be an interesting picture of cricket diplomacy if the two leaders are seen watching the game from VVIP Box of Dr BC Roy Club House.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday visited the mausoleum of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and paid floral tributes to him, becoming the first-ever foreign Head of State or Head of Government to pay homage at the grave of 'Bangabandhu' at Tungipara in southwestern Bangladesh.
Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan has apologised for his 'silence' during protests in the country.
Bangladesh has demanded a public apology and compensation from Pakistan for the 1971 atrocities, raising "historically unresolved issues" during the first foreign secretary-level talks between the two countries in 15 years. Dhaka also asked Islamabad to pay USD 4.3 billion as its share from the combined assets at the time of East Pakistan's split from West Pakistan in 1971 to form an independent Bangladesh.
India has expressed concerns over a rise in violence against Hindus and other minorities in Bangladesh and Pakistan, reporting 2,200 cases in Bangladesh and 112 in Pakistan this year. The Indian government has urged both countries to take measures to ensure the safety of minorities and has highlighted the issue at international forums. The government has also stated that it is monitoring the situation closely and has shared its concerns with the respective governments.
Sharif was the only prime minister from India's neighbourhood who wasn't invited to the swearing-in ceremony in New Delhi.
The warship was to anchor outside the Chattogram port from August 7 to 10 on its journey from Shanghai to Karachi.
Bangladesh Cricket official says Shakib Al Hasan won't be 'harassed unfairly' on return to country. Nafees is confident that Shakib won't face any issues and feels that there is no reason why their experienced star should not play in Bangladesh.
Bangladesh is in turmoil, which is not good news for India, which shares a porous 4000 km border with it. There is a danger of fundamentalism growing there, and India has to move in to reset its ties with the new dispensation before China and Pakistan make capital out of it, alerts Ramesh Menon.
Bangladesh hopes to procure a submarine to boost the capabilities of its navy, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said at an event marking the induction of two patrol aircraft and three warships.
Veteran Bangladeshi MP Anwarul Azim Anar, who went missing in India, was found murdered in Kolkata and three people have been arrested, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan announced in Dhaka on Wednesday.
'I fear that India will need to remain vigilant so that the honour and dignity of the mothers, sisters and daughters of our Hindu brothers are not at stake. The entire country will have to stand with its minority Hindu brothers with full strength'
Reports about homes of some senior players being attacked by mobs have also deepened the crisis
Hindu community leaders in Bangladesh are advocating the formation of a dedicated political party, reflecting a call for political representation to protect their rights and ensure their safety. Hindu leaders from the Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council (BHBCOP) and other groups are now discussing the possibility of establishing a separate political party or demanding reserved parliamentary seats.
Muhammad Yunus urged the people to "exercise patience" before judging his government's role.
The issue of the amended Citizenship Act is an internal matter of India, Advisor to Hasina on international affairs, Gauhar Rizvi, said in Kolkata.
'Everyone in Dhaka today is aware that that they need good relations, normal relations with India, but the question... but it's premature to think about that now, right now it is a crisis moment'
The 65-year-old top judge revealed his decision around 1 pm after protesters of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement gathered at the apex court premises. The students had issued an ultimatum to him and the judges of the Appellate Division to resign by 1 pm
"Everything may look normal in Kashmir. Everything may look normal here. We may be celebrating the victory, although of course some people believe that that victory or that success of 2024 was perhaps only marginal, perhaps a lot more needs to be done," he said.
The interim government led by Professor Muhammad Yunus as the Chief Adviser has asked Bangladesh's envoys in India, Brussels, Canberra, Lisbon, and the Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York to return immediately and report to the foreign ministry here as part of the latest reshuffle.
Muhammad Yunus on Thursday promised to deliver a government which assures safety to its citizens, as the Nobel laureate returned to the protest-torn Bangladesh from Paris to take oath as the head of the interim government following the ouster of Sheikh Hasina.
The ruling Awami League-led grand alliance has won 288 seats in the 300-member Parliament, Election Commission secretary Helaluddin Ahmed said.
