Page 5 - Sheikh Hasina

Hasina's ouster watershed moment for student activism in B'desh: Analysts

The recent student movement in Bangladesh, culminating in the ouster of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, marks a watershed moment in the nation's political landscape, fuelled by a 70-year legacy of student activism from the 1952 Language Movement to the Liberation War and beyond. Political analysts and observers view the recent student protests, which many in Bangladesh have christened as the Bangla Spring taking a cue from the Arab Spring or the Monsoon Revolution, as a watershed moment in Bangladesh's political landscape, driven by the same spirit of activism that has characterised student movements in the country for over 70 years, even before its independence in 1971, when it was known as East Pakistan. The latest movement, which began in July 2024, was sparked by the Court's decision to reinstate a controversial job quota system, a move that reignited long-standing frustrations among students and the general public. The reinstatement of the job quota system, which had been ...

Muhammad Yunus greets Hindus on Janmashtami, promises to promote harmony

Bangladesh's interim government chief Muhammad Yunus on Monday met the country's Hindu community and vowed to promote interfaith harmony as he hosted a reception for them coinciding with Janmashtami. The minority Hindu population has faced vandalisation of their business and properties and devastation of Hindu temples in the students' violence that ensued for days following the ouster of prime minister Sheikh Hasina, who fled to India on August 5. "There can't be any divisions among people in our country. We are equal citizens. The interim government is determined to protect the rights of every citizen of the country," the chief adviser's (CA) office quoted Yunus as saying. According to the statement, Yunus expected to build Bangladesh where everyone can practice their faith without any fear and where no temple needs to be guarded. Bangladesh is a large family where the responsibility of the government is to protect the rights of every citizen, his office quoted him as saying on ..

Bangladesh: Muhammad Yunus' govt suspends 2 diplomats serving in India

Shaban Mahmud, who served as the First Secretary (Press) at the Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi and Ranjan Sen serving in Kolkata have been asked to step down

Bangladesh update: Sheikh Hasina facing 53 cases, growing extradition calls

Bangladesh's interim government last week revoked all diplomatic passports issued to Members of Parliament from Hasina's era, including that of the former prime minister

Bangladesh begins with economic clean-up after Sheikh Hasina's exit

From a distance, Bangladesh was widely perceived as an economic success story, propelled by the world's second-largest garment exports industry

Sheikh Hasina-led Awami League members placed on remand in murder cases

A court here on Saturday placed Salman F Rahman, private industry affairs adviser to ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina, former law minister Anisul Huq, former social welfare minister Dipu Moni and two others on different terms of remand for interrogation in four murder cases. Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Mohammad Jashim passed the orders in the cases, Daily Star Newspaper quoted a sub-inspector working in the court as saying. Apart from the three, former chief whip ASM Feroz and former army officer Major General Ziaul Ahsan were also placed on remand in murder cases. Salman, Anisul and Ziaul were placed on a fresh 10-day remand in two murder cases filed with New Market and Lalbagh police stations. Dipu Moni was placed on a four-day remand in a case filed with Badda Police Station and Feroz was placed on a seven-day remand in a case filed Bhatara Police Station. Cases have been filed against many officials or ministers of the ousted Hasina-led government after she resigned and f

Hindus, Muslims both protected Dhaka's ancient temple after turmoil: Priest

Describing the deity of the ancient Dhakeswari Temple here as a "mother to all humans", a priest of the revered shrine said several Hindus, Muslims and others from the local community had come together to guard it soon after the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government in Bangladesh. The centuries-old temple in old Dhaka has many mosques in its vicinity and chimes of temple bells at times merge with the sound of 'azaan' emerging from nearby mosques. PTI on Friday visited the Sree Sree Dhakeswari National Temple, one of the prominent shakti peethas', and interacted with priests and members of the Hindu community who visited the shrine. While a young married couple had come to seek blessings for their two-month-old daughter, a woman lit candles at a corner of the temple courtyard facing the sanctum sanctorum and diligently prayed. "People of many religions come here to pray. And, Maa (Goddess) is mother to all humans whether it is Hindus, Muslims, Christians or Buddhists. They come here

Bangladeshis not angry but hurt over Hasina's stay in India: Top BNP leader

A top BNP leader here said Bangladeshis are "not angry but hurt" over deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina's stay in India, even as he urged politicians and security strategists in New Delhi to "rethink" their policy given the ground reality here. In an exclusive interview with PTI at his residence in Dhaka, Abdul Moyeen Khan, a former Cabinet minister of Bangladesh, also said his country shares a border with India on three sides and it is a big neighbour, so there is "no reason why India should not be our best friend". After unprecedented anti-government protests which reached a crescendo on August 5, Hasina resigned as prime minister and fled the country, even as protesters had termed the fall of the government and her departure a "day of victory". She landed in India on August 5 and is currently staying there, even as her over two-week-long presence in India has given rise to speculation here. Khan said the current situation is of "consolidation" and coming back to normalcy. Th

Explained: Why Bangladesh social media is blaming India for causing floods

Earlier today, social media users in Bangladesh blamed India for the floods affecting at least eight districts in the neighbouring country

Bangladesh revokes Sheikh Hasina's diplomatic passport; extradition looms

Sheikh Hasina's extended stay in India raises diplomatic concerns for India as Bangladesh intensifies calls for her extradition

Bangladesh update: Sheikh Hasina facing 33 cases, including 27 for murder

Bangladesh's interim government intends to prosecute those involved in the killings during the recent student movement against the Hasina-led government in the country's International Crimes Tribunal

'Not feasible': ICC moves Women's T20 WC from strife-hit Bangladesh to UAE

The ICC on Tuesday moved the upcoming Women's T20 World Cup from Bangladesh to the UAE, saying it "wasn't feasible" to conduct the event there after governments of a number of participating countries advised against travelling to the unrest-hit nation. The event, which also features India and is scheduled to take place from October 3 to 20, will now be staged in Dubai and Sharjah with Bangladesh retaining the hosting rights, ensuring that it receives its share of revenue. "It is a shame not to be hosting the Women's T20 World Cup in Bangladesh as we know the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) would have staged a memorable event," ICC Chief Executive Geoff Allardice said in a statement which avoided any direct mention of the violence and tension in the South Asian nation. Allardice said the Bangladesh Cricket Board explored "all avenues to try and enable the event to be hosted" there. "...but travel advisories from the governments of a number of the participating teams meant that wasn't

Bangladesh's Yunus to head foundation to be set up for violence victims

Bangladesh on Tuesday decided to set up a foundation to take care of the families of those killed and injured in the unprecedented student-led violent protests that ultimately led to the ouster of the Sheikh Hasina government. Over 600 people, including 44 police personnel and at least 30 children, have been killed since the massive protest by students over a controversial quota system in government jobs first started in July. Hasina, 76, resigned and fled to India on August 5 following the massive protest by students against the controversial quota system. Yunus, 84, took oath as the Chief Adviser of the Interim Government on August 8. Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus will head the Foundation, which will include an Adviser of the Interim Government, student representatives, and the family members of the deceased and injured, the state-run news agency, Bangladesh Sangbad Sanstha (BSS), said quoting a press release from the Press Wing of Yunus' office. We can never forget the

Sheikh Hasina accused of genocide, faces International Crimes Tribunal case

Bangladesh's interim government has announced that it will prosecute those involved in killings during the mass student movement against Hasina in the ICT

Two more murder cases filed against Sheikh Hasina, total now at 15

These latest charges add to the growing number of legal cases against ousted Bangladesh prime minister Sheikh Hasina, who resigned and fled to India on August 5 following massive student protests

Bangladesh's interim govt focused on improving law and order, says new NSA

A newly-appointed top Bangladeshi security official on Monday acknowledged that law and order is the main challenge for the interim government and said that the new administration is focused on improving the situation as quickly as possible. Talking to the media, Home Affairs Adviser Lt Gen (retd) Md. Jahangir Alam Chowdhury emphasised the urgency of addressing security concerns and outlined his dual responsibilities in both home affairs and agriculture. "Our main challenge at the Ministry of Home Affairs is law and order. We are focused on improving the situation as quickly as possible, Chowdhury, who was appointed on Friday, was quoted as saying by the UNB news. Within three days of his appointment, Brig Gen (retd) M Sakhawat Hussain was replaced as home adviser in the interim government of Bangladesh by Lt Gen (retd) Chowdhury, amid criticism of the ex-army officer's conduct by student leaders, media reports on Saturday said. The law and order situation deteriorated in Banglades

Bangladesh crisis hits India's tourism: 90% drop in Bangladeshi visitors

The situation worsened two weeks ago when former PM Sheikh Hasina resigned amid student protests, resulting in temporary flight disruptions and suspension of all visas except those for medical reasons

Fresh murder case filed against Sheikh Hasina over fish trader's death

A new murder case has been filed against Bangladesh's deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina and 62 others, including ex-ministers of her cabinet, over the death of a fish trader during the quota reform protests in the country, a media report said on Monday. The case, filed late on Sunday, was the latest in the slew of cases filed against the 76-year-old leader after her resignation and fleeing to India on August 5 following a massive protest by students against a quota system in government jobs. It was filed by Shahnaz Begum, the wife of Md Milon, who was shot dead on July 21 while returning home from a local fish market, the Dhaka Tribune newspaper reported. As many as 62 people, including Hasina, former road transport and bridges minister Obaidul Quader, former lawmaker Shamim Osman, and former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan, were named as accused in the case. According to the report, leaders and activists of the Hasina-led Awami League and its affiliated organisations armed with

Hasina's 'brutal dictatorship' destroyed institutions of Bangladesh: Yunus

Bangladesh's interim government chief Muhammad Yunus on Sunday alleged that Sheikh Hasina's "brutal dictatorship" destroyed every institution of the country during her decade-and-a-half-long reign when elections were "blatantly rigged." Briefing foreign diplomats stationed in Dhaka for the first time, 10 days after assuming charge as the Chief Advisor of the interim government after Hasina's resignation and her fleeing to India, the 84-year-old Nobel laureate sought the support from the international community to rebuild Bangladesh after the Second Revolution following the mass uprising. Yunus assured the diplomats, including India's High Commissioner in Dhaka, Pranay Verma, that his administration will hold a free, fair and participatory election as soon as his government completes the "mandate" of carrying out "vital reforms." "The revolutionary students want us to carry meaningful and deep reforms, which will turn the country into a real and thriving democracy. The task is huge b

Bangladesh deposed PM Hasina, 33 others sued in 2013 'mass murder' case

An application was filed with a court in Bangladesh on Sunday to register a case against deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina and 33 others, accusing them of carrying out a mass murder by indiscriminately firing on a rally organised in 2013 by Hefazat-e-Islam here. Babul Sardar Chakhari, chairman of the Bangladesh People's Party (BPP), applied to the court of Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Zaki-Al-Farabi, the Dhaka Tribune newspaper reported. The application accused them of the "mass murder" during the rally at Shapla Chattar in Motijheel on May 5, 2013. The court recorded the plaintiff's statement and said it would pass an order on the issue later. With this, 76-year-old Hasina, who resigned from the premiership and fled to India on August 5 following a mass uprising, now faces 11 cases, including eight for murder, one for abduction, and two for committing crimes against humanity and genocide, in Bangladesh. Over 230 people were killed in Bangladesh in the incidents of violence th