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New Delhi: The 'Desh Gorte July Padayatra', or the 'July Walkathon for Nation Building', organised by Bangladesh's unregistered National Citizen Party (NCP) on the first anniversary of the violent July uprising that ultimately led to former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's unceremonious exit from power in August 2024, was a desperate attempt to gain public sympathy and restore efforts to make inroads into Gopalganj, long considered as a 'fortress' of the Awami League (AL). Formed by student leaders who led the July 2024 uprising, the NCP, or the Jatiya Nagorik Party (NJP) as it is known in Bengali, has failed to meet the preliminary requirements and scrutiny of Bangladesh's Election Commission for registration. However, the current interim government led by Muhammad Yunus continues to dole out innumerable freebies to the NCP, including providing its top leaders with a security cover on taxpayers' money. Fully aware of its fault lines, the party, through its 'March to Gopalganj' perhaps targetted some kind of a provocation that could have ultimately resulted in delaying the much-awaited general elections in the country. However, in Gopalganj, the 'banned' Awami League and its student wing 'Chhatra League', even after having faced significant setbacks and considered 'defunct' by many, threw a spanner in the NCP's plan of action. It was in Gopalganj in August 2024 that the Awami League and allied organisations had committed to bring Hasina back to Bangladesh. This Wednesday, tackling insurmountable obstacles, the party's cadre showed that its spirit and mission continues to save Bangladesh and its inclusive socio-politico-economic fabric of progress. Even as the Awami League workers continue to run for their lives - dozens killed already - all over the country, the party's Gopalganj cadre stood like a rock, blocking the convoy of NCP leaders and activists who wanted to desecrate and dishonour the memorial and mausoleum complex dedicated to Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman at Tungipara. In Gopalganj district, Kotalipara upazila is Hasina's electoral area and Tungipara upazila her, as well as Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's, birthplace. In its traditional stronghold, the Awami League held its ground. The pro-Hasina voices were so strong that the NCP leaders had to take shelter in the office of the Gopalganj's Superintendent of Police. The slogan going around in Gopalganj is "Sheikher Beti Aasbe, Bangladesh Haansbe, simply translated as "the daughter of Sheikh will come and Bangladesh will smile". The senior leaders of the NCP were taken from Gopalganj to Khulna. Seeing the situation getting tense, convenor Nahid Islam, member secretary Akhtar Hossain, chief organiser (south) Hasnat Abdullah, and chief organiser (north) Sarjis Alam had to leave by Armoured Personnel Carriers (APC). At least 10 vehicles were set on fire in Gopalganj district headquarters. More than 50 people, including police personnel, were injured in a series of clashes. At least 400 unidentified people have also been accused in the case, 45 detained by the joint forces during raids since the violent clashes which led to five deaths. On Thursday, July 17, the interim government's Home Advisor Lt. Gen. (Retd.) Jahangir Alam Chowdhury said that the Gopalganj situation has been brought under control and underscored that the intelligence agencies had no prior information that such a serious incident would occur. Meanwhile, the Yunus administration continues to blatantly support the NCP. "This heinous act -- allegedly carried out by members of the banned AL's Chhatra League and AL activists -- will not go unpunished. The perpetrators must be swiftly identified and held fully accountable. There is no place for such violence against any citizen of Bangladesh," the Chief Adviser mentioned in a post on X. The statement has been termed as shocking and outrageous, pointing to much deeper problems within the system. Yunus, the self-proclaimed "champion of free speech", banned the Awami League, the party which established Bangladesh as an independent and sovereign state in the comity of nations. Awami League, on its part, is holding its nerve to cope with the situation. The cadres have realised the significance of neglecting the masses. Their perseverance and adaptability in the face of adversity may pay some dividends in the future. Meanwhile, political parties in Bangladesh continue to jostle over establishing control within the interim administration, judiciary and university campuses. On Saturday, the radical Islamist Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI) party will hold its grand rally at Suhrawardy Udyan in Dhaka. The JeI has reserved 10,000 buses and at least two trains to bring large numbers of people from across the country to Dhaka in order to make their grand rally a success. Top Jamaat leaders are directly supervising organisational activities to mobilise supporters from Dhaka and across the country. JeI leader Golam Parwar has reiterated the party's demand for a neutral caretaker government during the election period to ensure the democratic rights of people. It seems that Bangladesh is heading toward a major political crisis with more violence in the coming days and weeks. For the Awami League, however, it is a win-win situation as the major political parties compete for supremacy adding more anarchy in the already topsy-turvy political landscape of Bangladesh. (The writer is an expert on South Asia and Eurasia. He was formerly with Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses. Views expressed are personal)
IMPHAL, Nov 17: The NPP on Sunday withdrew support from the BJP-led Government in Manipur, even as violence continued to rock the state as offices of the Congress and the saffron party were ransacked in the hill district of Jiribam where an unidentified body was found earlier in the day, officials said. Follow the Daily Excelsior channel on WhatsApp A BJP MLA's ancestral house was vandalised in Imphal Valley while a building owned by Ashab Uddin, the Independent legislator of Jiribam, was ransacked, officials said. The incidents occurred a day after irate mobs set fire to the residences of ...Read More >
DHAKA: Hindu leader Chinmoy Krishna Das failed to get any relief on Tuesday as his bail hearing in a Bangladesh court was postponed for a month due to the unavailability of any lawyer to represent him, according to a media report. After an initial hearing on the bail petition on Tuesday, the judge set January 2 for another hearing, Chattogram Metropolitan Police ADC (Prosecution) Mofizur Rahman was quoted as saying by bdnews24.com. Das will have to wait a month to see if he will receive bail in a sedition case against him, it said. His bail plea was set to be heard by the court of Chattogra ...Read More >
Guwahati, Jun 5 (PTI) The Assam Congress on Thursday demanded a CBI inquiry into alleged illegal stone mining in Karbi Anglong district in violation of a Supreme Court order. Addressing a press conference here, former Rajya Sabha member Ripun Bora also alleged that Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council Chief Executive Member Tuliram Ronghang was allowing illegal activities in the district in nexus with Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. "Large-scale illegal stone mining is taking place in the hills of Karbi Anglong in violation of the Supreme Court order. The SC had banned mining in and around K ...Read More >
Ujjain (Madhya Pradesh) [India], June 5 (ANI): Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav attended the Spiritual and Wellness Summit 2025 held in Ujjain on Thursday and said that investment proposals worth around Rs 1950 crore were received in the summit. He also highlighted that the state is ready to lead India's wellness mission and is becoming the country's leading spiritual and wellness destination, a major attraction for investors in this sector. Also Read | Gautam Gambhir Reacts On Bengaluru Stampede During RCB's IPL 2025 Victory Celebrations During IND vs ENG Pre-Departure Press Confer ...Read More >
NEW DELHI (AP) -- India will start counting its vast population in a mammoth exercise starting next year. The first census in 16 years will be conducted digitally and include controversial questions about caste for the first time since independence. The Home Ministry announced plans to conduct a two-stage count ending March 1, 2027, in a statement Wednesday night. India's last official census in 2011 counted 1.21 billion people. The country's population is now estimated to be well over 1.4 billion, making it the world's most populous country, according to the U.N.'s Department of Economic an ...Read More >
Hindus and members of other minority groups say they have faced more attacks than ever since an interim government replaced the ousted prime minister, as Islamist groups have become more prominent and demoralized security agencies have left a security vacuum. The government says the threat to Hindus has been exaggerated. Around 91% of Bangladeshs population is Muslim, with Hindus making up almost all of the rest. Officials, witnesses and local media reports said that Krishna Das Prabhu, also known as Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari, was arrested in Dhakas main airport on Monday while traveli ...Read More >
NEW DELHI: A group of madrasa students attacked a stall at the Amar Ekushey Book Fair in Dhaka on Monday, protesting the display of books written by exiled Bangladeshi author Taslima Nasreen, according to police and eyewitness accounts. The incident occurred at the stall of Sabyasachi Publication, which publishes Nasreen's books. Eyewitnesses reported that a group of individuals approached the stall, questioning why Nasreen's books were being displayed. "A group of agitators came to Sabyasachi Prakashani and began shouting about the presence of Taslima Nasreen's books in the stall. Later, Pu ...Read More >
Guwahati, Jun 5 (PTI) Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday said that the caste census will greatly benefit the indigenous Muslim community living in both the Brahmaputra and Barak Valley in the state. The Centre on Wednesday announced that India's 16th Census with caste enumeration will be carried out in 2027. The indigenous Muslim communities of Assam have been demanding for a long time, a caste-based census to assert their distinct socio-cultural identities, the chief minister said on the sidelines of the World Environment Day programme here. ''The proposed caste enumerati ...Read More >
The Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) coalition is now gearing up for a national protest after losing Maharashtra state elections. The Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) coalition, which suffered a crushing defeat in last week's Maharashtra state elections, is now gearing up for a national protest against the credibility of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), which it blames for its loss. The MVA, led by the Congress, Shiv Sena (Uddhav Thackeray faction), and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) (led by Sharad Pawar), is planning to challenge the use of EVMs in court and demand a return to ballot paper voting. Fo ...Read More >
Guwahati: A group of intellectuals and prominent citizens met the officials of the Bangladesh Assistant High Commission in Agartala and demanded the immediate release of Hindu priest Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari in Bangladesh. Various other organisations also organised protest rallies and demonstrations against the arrest of Hindu priest Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari. The intellectuals under the banner of 'Forum for Protection of Minorities in Bangladesh' urged the Bangladesh caretaker government led by Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus to make all efforts to protect the minorities in Bangla ...Read More >
Dhaka: India should 'unequivocally' recognise the July-August uprising, which toppled Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's regime, to start bilateral ties afresh, a key aide of Bangladesh's interim government said Wednesday. In a Facebook post, Mahfuj Alam -- considered a de facto minister in the interim government and a key leader of Bangladesh's Anti-Discrimination Students Movement -- noted that the Indian establishment tried to portray the uprising as "something militant, anti-Hindu, and an Islamist takeover" and asked India to "change the Post '75 playbook and realise the new Bangladesh realit ...Read More >
New Delhi: In a significant ruling, the Supreme Court has directed that no new lawsuits related to places of worship (temples, mosques, or shrines) can be filed until further notice. This decision was made during the ongoing hearing of petitions challenging the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991. The ruling prohibits the lower courts from issuing any survey orders or interim orders that might alter the status or nature of any religious site. The bench, comprising Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna, Justice Sanjay Kumar, and Justice K.V. Vishwanathan, issued this order while hearing sev ...Read More >
Guwahati, Feb 4: Assam's Special Task Force (STF) arrested another Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT) operative in the early hours of Tuesday in Kokrajhar, bringing the total number of arrests in the case to 12. Acting on intelligence inputs, the STF, with assistance from Kokrajhar police under Operation Praghat, apprehended one Nasim Uddin SK, a key operative suspected of involvement in extremist activities. The accused was presented before the court and has been remanded to seven days in police custody for further interrogation. According to an STF statement issued on Tuesday, Nasim Uddin is no ...Read More >
ISKCON Bangladesh has strongly condemned the arrest of Chinmoy Krishna Das, a prominent Hindu leader, and spokesperson for the "Bangladesh Sammilito Sanatani Jagaran Jot" and also issued a list of demands to the Muhammad Yunus-led government for subsequent violence and attacks against Sanatanis in various regions of Bangladesh. The organisation has also issued a statement and called upon the government authorities to promote peaceful coexistence. ISKCON Bangladesh made note of the above points and more matters in a statement issued, regarding the current situation in Bangladesh and the arres ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], November 28 (ANI): India has expressed its concern over the escalating incidents of violence against Hindu minorities in Bangladesh and desecration, and damage to their places of worship, and has also called on the interim government there to ensure the safety of minorities. In a response to question asked by RJD MP AD Singh, Minister of State for Ministry of External Affairs, Kirit Vardhan Singh in a written reply to Rajya Sabha, stated that the "primary responsibility" for the protection of life and liberty of all citizens of Bangladesh, including minorities, "rests with ...Read More >
Sources said during the crucial Mahayuti leaders' meeting in New Delhi on Thursday night, Maharashtra's caretaker Chief Minister Eknath Shinde sought 12 ministerial berths for his party It's been six days since the Maharashtra assembly election results were declared and the Mahayuti alliance emerged victorious, but suspense over the new head of the state and fresh cabinet minister is not over yet. Sources have said that the key alliance leaders will finalise a list and fly to Delhi on Monday to meet with the BJP top brass before making an announcement. Sources said during the crucial Mahayut ...Read More >
NEW DELHI: The heads of the border guard forces of India and Bangladesh will meet in New Delhi in mid-February for the first time since the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government to discuss key issues such as the fencing of the boundary and tackling trans-border crime. The director general of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), Maj Gen Mohammad Ashrafuzzaman Siddiqui, will travel to India during February 16-19 for talks with the head of the Border Security Force (BSF), Daljit Singh Chawdhary, people familiar with preparations for the meeting said on condition of anonymity on Wednesday. Siddiqui's t ...Read More >
Agartala, Jan 31 (VOICE) Tripura has 73 per cent reserve forest cover and absorb huge carbon from the atmosphere, Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha said, adding that keeping this in mind, the state government has sought 20 per cent devolution of taxes in the forests and ecology category to the 16th Finance Commission, which is now visiting the state.The 16th Finance Commission headed by its Chairman Arvind Panagariya arrived in Tripura on Wednesday on a four-day visit to the state and held a series of meetings with the Tripura council of ministers headed by the Chief Minister. The Commission ...Read More >
New Delhi, Jun 5 (PTI) Chief Justice of India B R Gavai on Thursday said India has continuously aspired to become a hub of international arbitration by building a progressive legislative framework, a pro-enforcement judiciary and robust institutional support. In his keynote address on "Arbitrating Indo-UK Commercial Disputes" as part of the London International Disputes Week, the CJI said India and the United Kingdom shared a rich history, bound by a common legal heritage rooted in the principles of common law. He referred to the July 2018 memorandum of understanding signed between India and ...Read More >
Deposed Bangladeshi PM Sheikh Hasina accused Muhammad Yunus on Tuesday that he has been the mastermind behind the targeted violence against the minorities, especially Hindus in Bangladesh. She said this while virtually addressing the Awami league event in Now York. Hasina claimed that Yunus led the mass killing under a meticulously planned crusade with the help of student coordinators. The statement comes in the wake of heightened unrest after the arrest of ISKCON affiliated Hindu monk Chinmoy Krishna Das. She also stressed upon the statement of the son of her political rival Khaleda Zia, Ta ...Read More >
Kolkata: BJP on Saturday criticised urban development minister Firhad Hakim over a video where the Kolkata mayor is purportedly heard making a comment on minorities. Hakim had made the comment while addressing an educational conference recently. Hakim said BJP was using his quote out of context and he was only referring to the gulf between the educated and the uneducated. "As education spreads, the gulf will be bridged and there will be one identity," said Hakim. Saying that he would never play ...Read More >
BJP leaders, including Amit Malviya, CR Kesavan, and Pradeep Bhandari, accused Congress leader Rahul Gandhi of arrogance after he allegedly failed to greet President Droupadi Murmu, a tribal woman, during her speech on Constitution Day. Malviya claimed that Gandhi's refusal to acknowledge the President stemmed from her tribal background, while Kesavan and Bhandari pointed to Gandhi's "dynastic entitlement" and anti-tribal sentiments. The President, addressing Parliament, highlighted the significance of India's Constitution and lauded the government's efforts in social justice and inclusive dev ...Read More >
A violent clash between Bangladeshi security forces and supporters of Hindu leader Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari resulted in one fatality on Tuesday. The incident occurred after Brahmachari, an outspoken monk and spokesperson for a newly-formed Hindu advocacy group, was denied bail on sedition charges. According to AFP, citing Nurul Alam, a police inspector stationed at Chittagong Medical College Hospital, public prosecutor Saiful Islam Alif succumbed to injuries sustained during the altercation. "He had deep injuries on his head," confirmed hospital director Taslim Uddin. The clashes erup ...Read More >
In the Indo-Pacific region, if one development would prove to be a landmark event in the region's modern history, it would be the signing of the Treaty of Comprehensive Partnership between North Korea and Russia in June 2024. The partnership has paved the way for strengthening bilateral ties between Moscow and Pyongyang and marked the onset of the global order transition, which was already underway. The institutionalization of the U.S., South Korea, and Japan's trilateral security cooperation has also given Russia and North Korea another strategic reason to collaborate. Therefore, with the geo ...Read More >
Mumbai, Dec 3 (PTI) Maharashtra's caretaker Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Tuesday visited a private hospital in Thane for a "check-up," two days before a new CM is sworn in at an open ground ceremony in south Mumbai. Even as it is not known yet who would take oath as chief minister at Azad Maidan on the evening of December 5, preparations are in full swing for the ceremony, to be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, about 2,000 VVIPs and some 40,000 supporters. Shinde, who had been staying at his private residence in Thane for the last few days, visited the hospital in the morning. "I ...Read More >
New Delhi, Dec 3 (PTI) The Shahi Imam of Delhi's Jama Masjid on Tuesday described as "reprehensible" the alleged mistreatment of Hindu minorities in Bangladesh and asked that country's interim government to take immediate steps to prevent such acts. India has been expressing concerns over attacks on minorities, especially Hindus, in Bangladesh, since Sheikh Hasina's resignation as prime minister in August following months-long students-led protests. Also Read | Rahul Gandhi To Visit Sambhal: DM Requests Neighbouring Districts To Restrict Congress Leader's Proposed Visit to Violence-Hit Town. ...Read More >
Kolkata, Dec 4 (PTI) A five-member delegation of monks went to the Bangladesh Deputy High Commission here on Wednesday to submit a memorandum demanding immediate steps to stop atrocities on Hindus and other religious minorities in the neighbouring country. Kartik Maharaj, one of the members of the delegation, said they had also written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging him to take legal recourse to ensure the safety and security of minorities in Bangladesh. "Bigger protests will be organised in West Bengal if appropriate steps are not taken to ensure protection of the minorities in Ban ...Read More >
Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], December 4 (ANI): Bharatiya Janata Pary (BJP) leader Devendra Fadnavis said on Wednesday that Maharashtra Governor CP Radhakrishnan has invited the Mahayuti alliance to form the next government and the oath taking ceremony will take place tomorrow. Fadnavis said the Mahayuti leaders met the Governor and handed over letters of support. Also Read | Why Is Maharashtra Assembly Winter Session Held in Nagpur? Know History and Reason Behind Nagpur Being State's Winter Capital. Fadnavis along with Shiv Sena chief Eknath Shinde and NCP chief Ajit Pawar on Wednesday met ...Read More >
NDIA bloc leaders, who submitted a notice of no-confidence motion against the Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar on Wednesday, blamed the chair for not allowing them to speak in the Rajya Sabha. The leaders held a joint press conference labelling several charges against the chairman. "His behaviour (RS chairman) has damaged the dignity of the country. He has brought such a situation in the history of parliamentary democracy that we had to bring this notice for the resolution (of no confidence ...Read More >
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said his government's policies and decisions were aimed at boosting India's strength and unity in line with the Constitution, while the opposition Congress had "tasted blood" by repeatedly wounding it.Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said his government's policies and decisions were aimed at boosting India's strength and unity in line with the Constitution, while the opposition Congress had "tasted blood" by repeatedly wounding it. Replying to a t ...Read More >