March to May, Bangladesh registers 5,448 cases of violence against women and children

June 18, 2026 5:33 PM

March to May, Bangladesh registers 5,448 cases of violence against women and children

As violence against women and children continues to mount across Bangladesh, at least 5,448 cases were registered under the Women and Children Repression Prevention Act between March and May, local media reported, citing police headquarters data. According to a report in Bangladesh's leading Bengali daily Prothom Alo, of the 413 cases filed in Dhaka metropolitan areas, police submitted charge sheets in only 65 cases within three months, while 10 cases were closed with final reports after invest...

Dinesh Trivedi Arrives in Bangladesh to Take Charge as India’s High Commissioner

June 12, 2026 1:55 PM

Dinesh Trivedi Arrives in Bangladesh to Take Charge as India’s High Commissioner

India's newly appointed High Commissioner to Bangladesh, Dinesh Trivedi, arrived in the country on Friday through the Benapole land port, formally commencing his diplomatic assignment in Dhaka. Trivedi was received at the border by Indian Deputy High Commissioner Pawan Badhe. He is set to succeed Pranay Verma as India's envoy to Bangladesh. The Ministry of External Affairs had announced Trivedi's appointment on April 27. He received his Letters of Credence from President Droupadi Murmu on June...

Over 2,860 nationality verification cases pending with Bangladesh: MEA

May 7, 2026 9:35 PM

Over 2,860 nationality verification cases pending with Bangladesh: MEA

India on Thursday said comments made by Bangladeshi officials regarding the possible “pushback” of illegal immigrants from West Bengal should be viewed in the context of the ongoing issue of repatriation of illegal Bangladeshi nationals from India. Addressing a media briefing in New Delhi, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said India requires cooperation from Bangladesh to complete nationality verification of illegal immigrants. “We have seen comments of thi...

Railways draws $942 million FDI in 11 years; exports at ₹26,000 crore:Ashwini Vaishnav

March 18, 2026 6:20 PM

Railways draws $942 million FDI in 11 years; exports at ₹26,000 crore:Ashwini Vaishnav

Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Wednesday informed the Lok Sabha that the railway sector has attracted foreign direct investment (FDI) equity inflows of $942 million between 2014-15 and 2025-26 (up to December 2025). Citing the FDI policy circular dated October 15, 2020, he said 100% FDI is permitted under the automatic route in railway infrastructure. The permitted areas include suburban corridor projects through public-private partnerships, high-speed train projects, dedicated freight li...

Bangladesh shuts universities early to save power amid energy crisis

March 9, 2026 11:26 AM

Bangladesh shuts universities early to save power amid energy crisis

Bangladesh will close all universities from Monday, bringing forward the Eid al-Fitr holidays as part of emergency measures to conserve electricity and fuel amid a worsening energy crisis linked to the conflict in the Middle East. Authorities said the decision applies to all public and private universities across the country, a move that officials said will not only reduce electricity consumption but also ease traffic congestion, which leads to fuel wastage. Officials said university campuses ...

Tarique Rahman sworn in as Bangladesh’s PM after landslide election victory

February 17, 2026 4:43 PM

Tarique Rahman sworn in as Bangladesh’s PM after landslide election victory

Bangladesh Nationalist Party leader Tarique Rahman was sworn in as Bangladesh’s prime minister on Tuesday, marking a decisive political shift in the South Asian nation after his party’s sweeping parliamentary election victory. Rahman, 60, son of former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia and assassinated President Ziaur Rahman, takes office facing urgent challenges, including restoring political stability, rebuilding investor confidence, and reviving key industries such as the garment sector after t...

Tarique Rahman to take oath as Bangladesh Prime Minister as BNP returns to power after two decades

February 17, 2026 10:16 AM

Tarique Rahman to take oath as Bangladesh Prime Minister as BNP returns to power after two decades

Tarique Rahman, chairman of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), is set to take oath as Prime Minister of Bangladesh on Tuesday, marking the party’s return to power after nearly two decades. The swearing-in ceremony of the new cabinet will be held at the South Plaza of the Jatiya Sangsad in Dhaka at 4:00 p.m., according to local media reports. 297 newly elected Members of Parliament will also be sworn in by Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin at the Parliament’s oath room. While...

Bangladesh election offers hope to garment sector battered by tariffs and unrest

February 11, 2026 3:29 PM

Bangladesh election offers hope to garment sector battered by tariffs and unrest

Millions of Bangladeshi garment workers and their bosses will vote on Thursday for a new government hoping it can save the country's biggest industry, which has suffered six straight months of falling exports due to U.S. tariffs and domestic political and labour unrest. The garment sector is Bangladesh's economic lifeblood, driving 80% of exports and more than 10% of the economy, and supplies some of the world's global brands. In a country of 175 million, nearly four million workers, mostly wo...

Why is Bangladesh holding a national referendum alongside its general election?

February 11, 2026 3:27 PM

Why is Bangladesh holding a national referendum alongside its general election?

Bangladesh will hold a national referendum on Thursday together with its first parliamentary election since violent protests ousted former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in August 2024. The referendum will give people a chance to vote on reforms to state institutions. Here is a look at why the referendum is being held, and what it entails. WHY IS A REFERENDUM NEEDED? The referendum focuses on implementing the 'July Charter' drafted after the 2024 uprising to establish good governance, democracy...

Bangladesh’s Tarique Rahman: From exile to edge of power

February 11, 2026 12:27 PM

Bangladesh’s Tarique Rahman: From exile to edge of power

Less than two months after returning from nearly two decades of self‑imposed exile in London, Tarique Rahman could win one of Bangladesh's most pivotal elections and become prime minister, leading the country as his parents once did. If opinion polls hold, Thursday's election would mark a remarkable reversal of fortune for the soft‑spoken 60-year-old, who left the country in 2008 saying he needed medical treatment after his release from detention under a military‑backed caretaker administ...