February 19, 2025 2:23 PM

Sonowal inaugurates inland waterways terminal in Assam, boosting trade with Bhutan, Bangladesh

Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal inaugurated the Inland Waterways Terminal (IWT) at Jogighopa on Tuesday, marking a milestone in India's inland water transport network. To commemorate the occasion, a vessel with two barges—MV Trishul, accompanied by Barges Ajay and Dikshu—was flagged off, carrying 110 metric tonnes of coal and stone chips to Bangladesh. The foundation stone for the terminal was laid by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in February 2021. Prime Minister Modi hailed the inaugurati...

February 13, 2025 4:32 PM

Human rights violations ongoing in Bangladesh even during interim government’s tenure: OHCHR Report

The United Nations' Human Rights Office (OHCHR) has found that human rights violations in Bangladesh did not occur only during the Awami League era but are also taking place under the interim government’s tenure. This finding was revealed in a fact-finding report made public by the UN agency on Wednesday. Divided into two broad sections, the report states that human rights violations during the interim government's tenure include revenge abuses targeting the police, Awami League members, and ...

February 11, 2025 2:12 PM

Bangladesh opposition says government aims to hold polls by December

Bangladesh is working towards holding general elections by December, the party of former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia said after some of its officials held a meeting with Muhammad Yunus, the chief adviser to the interim government. The South Asian nation has been in charge of a caretaker government led by Nobel Peace laureate Yunus since August, when mass protests forced then Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to resign and flee to neighbouring India. Khaleda's Bangladesh Nationalist Par...

February 10, 2025 10:55 AM

Operation Devil Hunt sees 1,300 arrests in nationwide crackdown on violence in Bangladesh

More than 1,300 people have been arrested by security forces in Bangladesh as part of a sweeping crackdown that began on Saturday. The nationwide operation, dubbed "Operation Devil Hunt," was launched by the interim government, led by Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus, following a wave of violent attacks on properties linked to former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s family and key members of her Awami League party. The Muhammad Yunus-led interim government ordered 'Operation Devil Hunt' on Saturda...

February 8, 2025 8:10 AM

‘India has no role to play’: MEA summons Bangladesh Envoy after Dhaka lodges protest over Sheikh Hasina’s speech

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Friday summoned Bangladesh's Acting High Commissioner to India, Md. Nural Islam, expressing concerns over continued negative remarks by Bangladeshi authorities regarding India. MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, in an official statement, said, "The Bangladesh Acting High Commissioner to India, Md. Nural Islam was summoned by MEA to the South Block today, February 7, 2025, at 5 p.m. It was conveyed that India desires a positive, constructive, and mutually...

February 7, 2025 12:04 PM

Bangladesh: Ex-president Abdul Hamid’s house set on fire; vandalism, arson spread in districts

In Bangladesh, an uncontrolled mob on Thursday night vandalised and set fire the residence of former president Abdul Hamid in Kishoreganj district. According to local media reports, a large crowd stormed the house, broke into the premises, and looted valuables before setting fire. Earlier in the evening, a mob demolished the Kishoreganj district Awami League office using a bulldozer, escalating tensions in the area. Daily Star newspaper reports that houses of Awami League (AL) leaders were atta...

February 7, 2025 10:17 AM

Mob in Bangladesh destroys ousted PM Sheikh Hasina’s family home

A mob in Bangladesh has demolished the Dhaka family home of ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, along with properties owned by some of her relatives. Leaders of Hasina’s Awami League party were also targeted by the mob. The attack, referred to as a "bulldozer procession," was announced and shared on social media. Despite prior knowledge of the event, authorities were unable to prevent the destruction of the properties. In August 2024, Hasina resigned after 15 years of controversial rule, wh...

February 7, 2025 9:31 AM

‘Should be strongly condemned’: India slams attack on Bangladesh founder Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s residence in Dhaka

India expressed its deep anguish on Thursday over the vandalism of the residence of Bangladesh's founder, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, and strongly condemned the "act of vandalism." In response to media queries regarding the attack on Rahman’s residence, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated, "It is regrettable that the historic residence of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, a symbol of the heroic resistance of the people of Bangladesh against the forces of occupation and oppr...

February 6, 2025 9:02 AM

Bangladesh protesters torch ousted PM Sheikh Hasina’s father’s home

Thousands of protesters set fire to the home of Bangladesh's founding leader, as his daughter, ousted former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina delivered a fiery social media speech calling on her supporters to stand against the interim government. Witnesses said several thousand protesters, some armed with sticks, hammers, and other tools, gathered around the historic house and independence monument, while others brought a crane and excavator to demolish the building. The rally was organised alongs...

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...