Saarc Nations

In a significant legal development, a Dhaka court has issued arrest warrants against former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, her son Sajeeb Wazed Joy, and 16 others in connection with alleged irregularities in the allocation of residential plots in the Purbachal New Town project. The warrants were issued on Monday by Judge Md Zakir Hossain of the Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Judge’s Court, following the formal acceptance of charges in two specific cases. Among the accused are senior officials, including Purabi…

Transshipment cargo from Bangladesh for re-export through India grew by 46% between the 2023-24 and 2024-25 fiscals at the Petrapole Land Port in West Bengal’s North 24 Parganas district, according to official data. However, no truck from Bangladesh carrying transshipment cargo for third countries entered through the Petrapole border since 09th. April, 2025 after the Indian government revoked the facility granted to the neighbouring country in 2020, an official said. In the 2023-24 fiscal, 3,473 trucks carrying 4,733 consignments worth…

India has reiterated that the decision in withdrawing transshipment facility to Bangladesh was due to the pileup of Bangladeshi export goods at Indian airports and ports, which was hindering Indian exports and creating backlogs. The Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, while answering at a briefing today, that the transshipment facility had been extended to Bangladesh in 2020. “The trans-shipment facility extended to Bangladesh had over a period of time resulted in significant congestion at our Airports and Ports.…

The Bangladesh Election Commission has prepared the draft of the electoral code of conduct, to ensure a level playing field for future elections. However, the draft was prepared without consultation with any political parties. The draft committee conducted a meeting in the EC building’s capital in Agargaon, after which the Election Commissioner Md Anwarul Islam Sarkar spoke to the press, apprising them of the developments. “We will sit with various stakeholders on this later. The situation will guide us on…

The Bangladesh Investment Summit 2025 officially kicked off on April 7 at Intercontinental Dhaka, bringing together key policymakers and industry leaders to chart the country’s investment future. The event began with a panel discussion featuring Ashik Chowdhury, Executive Chairman of BIDA; Dr Ahsan H. Mansur, Governor of Bangladesh Bank; Faiz Ahmad Taiyab, Special Assistant to the Chief Adviser overseeing Posts, Telecommunications and IT; and Shish Haider Chowdhury, Secretary of the ICT Division. During the session, Faiz Ahmad Taiyab emphasized the…

The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provincial government has started the mapping of Afghan citizens in line with the Pakistan government’s policy to repatriate them to Afghanistan, officials said. Thousands of Afghans have lived in the provincial capital Peshawar since 1978, when the Russian invasion of neighbouring Afghanistan led to a massive influx of refugees into Pakistan. The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has deputed police to map and collect data on the whereabouts of Afghans, as the district administration here identified 160,000 people holding…

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi met Rt. Hon’ble Mr. K.P. Sharma Oli, Prime Minister of Nepal, on the sidelines of the 6th BIMSTEC Summit in Bangkok today. The two leaders reviewed the unique and close relationship between India and Nepal. They expressed satisfaction at the progress in enhancing physical and digital connectivity, people-to-people linkages, and in the domain of energy. They agreed to continue working towards further deepening the multifaceted partnership between our two countries and peoples. Nepal is a…

Jamalpur : The residence of Awami League organizing secretary and former state minister Mirza Azam was vandalized and set ablaze this evening amid growing political unrest. According to witnesses, a bulldozer arrived in the afternoon and began demolishing the main gate and boundary wall of Azam’s two-story house. Shortly after, a group of protesters stormed the property, ransacked the premises, and set it on fire. Mir Ishaq Hasan Ikhlas, convener of the District Student Against Discrimination, stated, “In response to…

Dhaka: Chief Advisor of Bangladesh, Muhammad Yunus, expressed deep sorrow over the passing of former Indian Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh, describing him as a close friend and a visionary leader. In his condolence message, Yunus highlighted Dr. Singh’s humility, statesmanship, and unwavering commitment to the welfare of the Indian people, noting that he will be remembered for transforming India’s economy. Yunus emphasized Dr. Singh’s role in fostering strong ties and mutual cooperation between Bangladesh and India, praising his contributions…

Thailand is set to streamline travel for Bangladeshi citizens with the launch of its e-visa service on January 2, according to a statement by the Royal Thai Embassy in Dhaka. This digital initiative aims to make the visa application process more efficient and user-friendly. Starting December 19, 2024, Bangladeshi official passport holders—government employees, officials, and representatives on official business—will also be exempt from visa requirements. To apply for the e-visa, applicants can complete the application form and upload necessary documents…