Bangladesh

January 24, 2025 2:18 PM

Bangladesh grappling with skyrocketing interest payments

Bangladesh's economy is grappling with skyrocketing interest payments, which eat up more than half of government revenue expenses during the first four months of the current fiscal year 2024–25, according to data from the Ministry of Finance of Bangladesh. Economic experts said that Bangladesh's external debt is over $100 billion with higher interest rates, posing grim challenges for the country's economy, especially considering its declining revenue and foreign exchange earnings. Earlier th...

January 21, 2025 1:00 PM

Bangladesh: Yunus administration unveils new uniforms for police and other law enforcement agencies

In a move aimed at modernising the appearance of law enforcement agencies, the Yunus Administration of Bangladesh unveiled new uniforms for the police, Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), and Ansar-Village Defence Party on Monday. Home Affairs Adviser of Bangladesh, Lieutenant General (retd) Jahangir Alam Chowdhury, said, "We have finalised three new uniform designs for the police, RAB, and Ansar. These uniforms will be phased in gradually, with the current attire being replaced over time." The new u...

January 20, 2025 6:03 PM

Bangladesh: Foreign Adviser Touhid departed for China on 5-day state visit

Bangladesh Foreign affairs adviser Md Touhid Hossain today departed for China on a 5-day state visit aiming to forge a new dimension of Dhaka-Beijing relations. The five-day official visit will focus on lowering interest rates on loans, exchanging hydrological information, advancing medical treatment cooperation, and encouraging greater Chinese involvement in resolving the Myanmar situation, reports Bangladesh Sanghbad Sangstha (BSS). Touhid is set to hold bilateral talks with his Chinese count...

January 20, 2025 1:42 PM

Bangladesh: Bail hearing for Hindu Priest Chinmoy Krishna Das expected on Monday

The bail hearing for Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmmachari, a Hindu priest and spokesperson of the Bangladesh Sammilit Sanatani Jagran Jote, is expected to be held today in the High Court. Das has been charged with sedition for allegedly insulting the national flag of Bangladesh, a claim he and his supporters vehemently deny. On January 2, a lower court in Chittagong denied his bail application. In response, Chinmoy's lawyer, Apurba Kumar Bhattachariya, filed for bail at the High Court on January 12...

January 16, 2025 3:30 PM

Bangladesh: Protesting ethnic minority students attacked, more than a dozen injured

In Bangladesh, protesting ethnic minority students were attacked by other student groups and local people in the capital Dhaka on Wednesday night. More than a dozen, mostly students belonging to different ethnic minority communities, were injured in an attack in presence of the police. Among the injured were several female students. The protesting group, “Aggrieved Adivasi Students” took out a procession in front of the National Curriculum and Textbook Board (NCTB) Bhavan, Dhaka, demanding ...

January 15, 2025 4:16 PM

Bangladesh: Khaleda, Tarique acquitted in Zia Orphanage graft case

In Bangladesh, the supreme court on Wednesday acquitted Khaleda Zia, Tarique Rahman and others in the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case. The court headed by Chief Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed pronounced the verdict unanimously acquitting Khaleda, former prime Minister of Bangladesh, and others who were convicted and sentenced by the lower court in the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case, reports BSS. The court came up with the judgment cancelling the High Court order that extended Begum Khaleda Zia's ...

January 10, 2025 11:36 AM

Bangladesh: July proclamation postpone due to lack of ‘political consensus’

In Bangladesh, the declaration of the July Revolution may not be made on January 15 as was planned since additional time is needed to reach broader consensus, said Mahfuj Alam, adviser of the interim government at a media briefing on Thursday. He also said the interim government will not declare the July proclamation, while it is only facilitating the formation of the proclamation. He said the proclamation of the July Revolution would be made after reaching a "broader consensus" in cons...

January 8, 2025 10:19 AM

Bangladesh govt revokes passports of Hasina, 96 others

The Bangladesh Department of Immigration and Passports has canceled the passports of 97 people, including ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, due to their alleged involvement in enforced disappearances and the July killings. “The Passports Department canceled the passports of 22 people involved in enforced disappearances, while the passports of 75 people, including Sheikh Hasina, were revoked due to their involvement in the July killings,” Chief Adviser’s Deputy Press Secretary Abul Kala...

January 6, 2025 11:10 AM

Bangladesh cancels judicial officials’ training in India

Bangladesh has withdrawn its judicial officials from participating in training sessions scheduled at India's National Judicial Academy in Bhopal and a state judicial academy. The program, initially planned for February 10-20, was canceled as per directives issued by the Supreme Court. The Ministry of Law, Justice, and Parliamentary Affairs issued a circular on Sunday announcing the cancellation. Earlier, on December 30, 50 judicial officials, including Assistant Judges, Senior Assistant Judges,...

January 1, 2025 10:36 AM

Protesters in Bangladesh demand July uprising proclamation by January 15

Thousands of protesters gathered in Dhaka on Tuesday to demand justice for victims of the July uprising against former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's government. Organized under the banner of "Students Against Discrimination," the protest saw a massive turnout at the Central Shaheed Minar, where participants observed a minute of silence to honor those who lost their lives during the violent clashes, the Dhaka Tribune reported. The event, termed the "March for Unity," began at 4:00 p.m. and was ...