The ongoing crisis in Bangladesh and subsequent non-arrival of travellers from there has led to a blow to the traders of a particular area in central Kolkata, which is popular among tourists from the neighbouring country for shopping and staying. A section of those perplexed traders are staring at a void, while others are either looking at new avenues or decided to woo back the Indian customers they have lost in the past. An estimated 15,000 families are now affected by the situation. According to a trader, in the past, local customers and tourists from other states in India used to visit these areas for various purposes. They were more or less ignored by the traders and their population gradually dwindled over the years. "Now there is a big question mark. They don't know what to do they don't know in which direction their business will go since they are dependent only on the Bangladeshis," the National Committee Member of Travel Agents Federation of India (East India), Anil Punjab
Union minister Giriraj Singh on Saturday claimed Bangladeshi nationals and Rohingya were working as delivery agents for food delivery companies and online shopping platforms and added that they should be identified. Singh made these remarks in Hyderabad, where he attended the convocation of NIFT-Hyderabad. "The services sector, whether it is Zomato, Swiggy or Flipkart, the delivery boys are Bangladeshis and Rohingya. Efforts should be made to identify them and hand them over to police," he told PTI Videos on the sidelines of the event. The Union minister also threw his weight behind Yogi Adityanath over his comments drawing a parallel between Sambhal and Bangladesh, saying the Uttar Pradesh chief minister did not say anything wrong. Adityanath had on Thursday said the actions of Mughal emperor Babur's commander in Ayodhya and Sambhal 500 years ago and the events happening in Bangladesh at present shared the same nature and intent. "Look at the kind of acts our enemies in neighbour
India's visit comes at a time of heightened tensions in bilateral relations, particularly concerning the safety of Hindus in Bangladesh following the fall of Sheikh Hasina's government
Hotels in Barak Valley of Assam have announced they would not host any Bangladesh national till attacks on Hindus and other minorities in the neighbouring country stop. Barak Valley, which comprises three districts of Cachar, Sribhumi (formerly Karimganj) and Hailakandi, shares a 129-km-long border with Bangladesh's Sylhet region. "The situation of Hindus and other minorities in Bangladesh is concerning. We cannot accept this in any way. We have, therefore, decided to stop hosting any national from that country in all the three districts of Barak Valley until the situation improves and atrocities on the Hindus stop. This is our form of protest," Barak Valley Hotel and Restaurant Association president Babul Rai told reporters on Friday. "The people of Bangladesh must ensure that stability returns to the country. Only if the situation improves, we can reconsider our decision," he said. A few days ago, Bajrang Dal had asked organisers of an ongoing global expo in Silchar to close down
India on Friday announced that Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri will travel to Bangladesh on Monday, a visit that comes amid increasing strain in ties between New Delhi and Dhaka over attacks on minorities, including Hindus, in the neighbouring country. It will be the first high-level visit from New Delhi to Dhaka after deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina fled Bangladesh and took shelter in India following massive anti-government protests. Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said Misri will travel to Bangladesh to attend a meeting under the framework of Foreign Office Consultations. In Dhaka, the foreign secretary will hold talks with his Bangladeshi counterpart, besides holding several other meetings, he said. "The foreign secretary is scheduled to visit Bangladesh for Foreign Office Consultations on December 9. This is part of our structured interactions with the Bangladesh side," Jaiswal said. Jaiswal was responding to a question at his weekly media .
Northeast extremist groups have a history of launching hit-and-run attacks in India from bases in Bangladesh, allegedly with support from Pakistan's ISI and Bangladeshi intelligence agencies
Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri is likely to visit Bangladesh next week for a foreign secretary-level meeting, amid tensions between the two countries after the interim government headed by Muhammad Yunus came to power. Foreign Adviser Md Touhid Hosain said the scheduled Foreign Secretary-level Foreign Office Consultation (FOC) between Bangladesh and India will take place in Dhaka on December 9 or 10, the state-run BSS news agency reported. It will be the first high-level visit by a senior Indian government official to Bangladesh since the interim government came to power on August 8 after the ouster of Sheikh Hasina as prime minister. "It is very clear that we want a good relationship (with India)," Hosain told reporters at the Foreign Ministry here. However, he emphasised that relations between Bangladesh and India must be built on a reciprocal basis. "Both sides need to want that and should work for it." Hosain said while the FOC is scheduled for December 10, it might be
Bangladesh interim government's Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus has said the Sheikh Hasina regime destroyed everything, as he pledged to hold general elections only after ushering in constitutional and judicial reforms, Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha reported on Wednesday citing an interview he gave to a Japanese newspaper. The 84-year-old Nobel laureate, in an interview with Nikkei Asia, said, "We need comprehensive reforms in the economy, governance, bureaucracy and judiciary (before holding elections)." Yunus also reiterated that India should extradite Hasina once her trial in the International Crimes Tribunal in Bangladesh concludes. "Once the trial concludes and a verdict is reached, we will formally request India to hand her over," Yunus said, adding that under an international law signed by both countries, "India would be obligated to comply." The chief adviser also said the Indian government's concern about the safety of Hindus is not based on facts as much of what's being said i
The practice of smuggling gold to buy grain has persisted even after India, the world's second-largest gold consumer, slashed 9 percentage points from its import duty in July
Donald Lu, US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs, is slated to visit India to co-lead the US-India East Asia Consultations, focusing on global and regional issues
Bangladesh has suspended all activities of its Assistant High Commission in Agartala after the breach of its premises
The Bangladesh Assistant High Commission in Tripura's capital Agartala on Tuesday announced the suspension of all visa and consular services with immediate effect until further notice because of "security reasons", a day after the mission's premises was breached by a group of people protesting against the arrest of Hindu monk Chinmoy Krishna Das in Dhaka. Amid escalating tensions between the two countries, Dhaka summoned the Indian envoy posted there to protest against the alleged vandalism of its mission in Tripura. Also on Tuesday, police registered a suo motu case and arrested seven people for their alleged involvement in the incident at the Bangladesh mission. Action was also taken against four policemen for dereliction of duty, West Tripura district SP Kiran Kumar K said. "Given the security situation, all visa and consular services at the Bangladesh Assistant High Commission, Agartala, will remain suspended until further notice. This comes into effect immediately," Md Al-Amee
Daily Star Bangladesh reported that the Chattogram court deferred to January 2 the hearing on the bail petition of Chinmoy Krishna Das
A writ petition has been filed in the Bangladesh High Court seeking a ban on the broadcast of all Indian TV channels in the country citing provocative news aired on them, according to a media report. Lawyer Ekhlas Uddin Bhuiyan filed the petition and confirmed the matter on Monday, the Dhaka Tribune reported. Bhuiyan said a hearing on the application may take place on the High Court bench, which will consist of Justice Fatema Najib and Justice Sikder Mahmudur Razi. The writ petition was filed in the High Court seeking a ban on the broadcast of all Indian TV channels in Bangladesh, the report added. The writ seeks a directive under Section 29 of the Cable Television Network Operation Act 2006 to prohibit the broadcast of all Indian TV channels. It also asks why a rule should not be issued instructing a ban on Indian TV channels in Bangladesh. The writ calls for a ban on channels like Star Jalsha, Star Plus, Zee Bangla, Republic Bangla, and all other Indian TV channels, the report
After protesters barged into the Bangladesh assistant high commission on Monday, the Ministry of External Affairs emphasised that consular properties must not be targeted under any circumstances
An Iskcon spokesperson claimed that the lawyer is critically injured and undergoing treatment in the ICU
ISKCON Kolkata spokesperson Radharamn Das on Tuesday said he has urged its monks and followers from Bangladesh to avoid wearing saffron robes and 'tilak' in public, advising them to practice their faith discreetly amid safety concerns following targeted attacks against Hindu minorities in the neighbouring country. This suggestion comes in the wake of escalating violence against the Hindu community in Bangladesh after the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government earlier this year, which has heightened anxieties among devotees and their families. "The situation in Bangladesh is alarming. The monks and devotees, who have been calling us, we have told them to hide their identity as ISKCON followers or monks publicly. We have asked them to practice their faith discreetly inside homes or inside the temples. We have advised them to dress in a manner that does not draw attention," Das, who is also ISKCON Kolkata vice-president, told PTI. He emphasised that the measure was temporary and aimed ..
India on Monday described as "deeply regrettable" an incident of breach of premises at the Bangladesh assistant high commission in Agartala and said consular properties should not be targeted under any circumstances. The comments by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) came hours after thousands of people took out a massive rally around the Bangladeshi mission in the capital city of Tripura protesting the arrest of Hindu monk Chinmoy Krishna Das in Bangladesh as well as attacks on minorities in that country. Over 50 protesters reportedly entered the premises of the Bangladeshi mission in Agartala, triggering concerns among those present at the complex. "The incident earlier today of the breach of premises at the Bangladesh Assistant High Commission in Agartala is deeply regrettable," the MEA said. It said the government is taking action to step up security for the Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi and other missions of the country in India. "Diplomatic and consular proper
Tripura's Power Minister Ratan Lal Nath stated that while Bangladesh has been paying its dues in installments, the outstanding amount has impacted the state electricity board
Over 1,000 monks from across West Bengal are taking part in a demonstration at the Petrapole border in North 24 Parganas on Monday to protest against the attacks on minority Hindus in Bangladesh, and the release of arrested spiritual leader Chinmoy Krishna Das in the neighbouring country. The monks, under the banner of the Akhil Bharatiya Sant Samiti, started arriving since morning at the protest site, about 800 meters from the Petrapole border checkpost. West Bengal BJP leaders, led by Leader of Opposition in the assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, have also announced an agitation program at Petrapole border on Wednesday over the Bangladesh issue. Members of the Hindu Jagran Manch and other religious groups are also likely to join the protest. "We will form a human chain and protest to convey our message of peace to the Indian government and the Bangladesh dispensation, demanding an immediate stop of atrocities against minorities in Bangladesh," said a monk, after reaching the Petrapole ..