Sena's Priyanka Chaturvedi demands inquiry into ‘leak' of AAIB's report on Air India Ahmedabad plane crash
For the sake of transparency with regard to the authorship of the preliminary report, Ms. Chaturvedi said the names of all members of the investigation panel should be made public, and the report should bear the signatures of each panel member.
'I write to you to express serious concerns regarding the manner in which the recent interim investigation report by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau [AAIB] was handled and disseminated, particularly in light of media reports surfacing in international publications before the report was officially made public in India,' Ms. Chaturvedi said, adding that it has serious implications for 'public safety, pilot morale, and India's global aviation standing'.
The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) on Saturday released its preliminary report on the crash of Air India's Boeing 787-8 plane that killed 260 people, including 241 people onboard. The aircraft, which was operating the flight AI171 from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick, crashed into a building soon after takeoff.
The Shiva Sena (UBT) MP said that one cannot be a mute spectator with regard to the narrative being built around the AI 171 crash and the interim report. 'It is deeply troubling that sensitive details of the AAIB report were available to foreign news agencies and published in outlets such as The Wall Street Journal before any official release in India. This raises urgent questions about how the contents of the report were accessed by foreign entities prior to their dissemination to the Indian public and concerned stakeholders,'she added.
Ms. Chaturvedi claimed that the non-stop insinuations being made against the deceased pilots through implication and selective leaks of the interim report through the international media were 'absolutely reprehensible'.
'Such motivated speculation via broadcast, print and digital platforms shows a more sinister attempt to malign our pilots who aren't alive to put their case, even pilot associations have raised their objections,' she said.
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First Post
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One year after Hasina ouster, how Yunus' Bangladesh has bridged the gap with Pakistan
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The situation escalated when security forces, allegedly acting on the prime minister's orders, unleashed violent crackdowns on demonstrators, resulting in approximately 1,400 deaths and thousands of injuries, according to estimates from the United Nations. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The upheaval reached a climax on August 5, when General Waker-Uz-Zaman of the Bangladesh Army addressed the nation at noon. At the same time, furious citizens had already taken over major state symbols — the Prime Minister's Office, the Ganabhaban residence, and the national parliament complex. Police stations across the country came under attack, and the government's hold on power collapsed. Anti-government protesters display Bangladesh's national flag as they storm Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's palace in Dhaka on August 5, 2024. File Image/AFP In the vacuum that followed, Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus assumed charge as the interim head of government. He promised reforms, a new electoral process, and a return to stability. Although political turmoil is not alien to Bangladesh — a country familiar with military coups and street agitations since gaining independence in 1971 — this was the first instance of a sitting prime minister fleeing the country under such dramatic circumstances. How Yunus' diplomacy realigned Bangladesh Muhammad Yunus's arrival marked a distinct departure from the geopolitical orientation that had defined the Hasina years. One of the most noticeable changes has been the recalibration of Bangladesh's foreign relations, especially its outreach toward Pakistan — a nation with which ties had remained frosty since the 1971 Liberation War. Yunus has engaged in two high-profile meetings with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif — once on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York last year and later during the D-8 summit in Cairo. These meetings have contributed to a thaw in relations and initiated a series of cooperative efforts between the two nations. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD In contrast, Yunus's engagement with India — traditionally Bangladesh's closest strategic partner — has been far less frequent. He met Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi only in April at a regional summit in Bangkok, fuelling perceptions in New Delhi that the new interim leadership was repositioning its alliances. Prime Minister Narendra Modi meets Bangladesh's interim government head Muhammad Yunus in Bangkok, Thailand, on April 4, 2025. File Image/PIB Hasina's administration had fostered particularly close economic, defence and infrastructural ties with India, which are now seemingly being diluted. Yunus has voiced criticisms of India's narrow focus on cultivating ties primarily through Hasina. His administration has taken a less vocal stance on issues like the safety of Bangladesh's Hindu minority — a recurring concern for New Delhi — and opened the door to increased Chinese investments, moves that have unsettled Indian policymakers. How Yunus' Bangladesh has moved closer to Pakistan Resumption of trade with Pakistan Bangladesh resumed direct trade with Pakistan — an act not seen since the two nations severed formal economic ties following Bangladesh's secession in 1971. The reinstatement of bilateral trade led to a measurable boost: trade between August and December 2024 reportedly rose by 27 per cent compared to the same period the previous year. This turnaround was facilitated by several strategic decisions. In September 2024, Bangladesh removed its longstanding policy of conducting full physical inspections on all Pakistani imports, a move that significantly cut shipping times and reduced operational costs for businesses. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD By November, for the first time in 53 years, two Pakistani cargo ships docked at Chittagong Port with shipments of sugar and potatoes. The following month, Bangladeshi authorities granted Pakistani vessels access to Mongla Port as well. Efforts to foster private-sector collaboration also gained momentum. On January 13, both governments signed a memorandum of understanding to create a joint business council aimed at deepening commercial ties and coordinating trade promotion activities. However, this realignment came at a cost to India-Bangladesh trade, which reportedly fell by approximately 9.5 per cent in the latter half of 2024. Easing borders with Pakistan Bangladesh's interim government reversed Hasina-era restrictions on visa processing for Pakistani nationals, streamlining access that had previously required security clearances from multiple state agencies. In return, Pakistan waived visa fees and abolished the need for Bangladeshi travellers to undergo security vetting. Direct air travel, suspended since 2018, is expected to resume shortly, further enhancing people-to-people contact. Additionally, Pakistan extended an offer of 300 fully-funded scholarships for Bangladeshi students to pursue higher education in its universities. This academic initiative, announced in December last year, aims to foster long-term cultural ties and cooperation in science and technology. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Track II diplomacy also resumed, with Pakistani academics participating in the 'Bay of Bengal Conversation' seminar in Dhaka in November. The cultural sphere was activated through a Pakistani artist's visit to Bangladesh and the Bangladeshi cricket team's tour of Pakistan, both of which were praised as symbolic gestures of renewed friendship. 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STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The deployment of BNS Samudra Joy marked the first time in over a decade that a major Bangladeshi warship had docked in Pakistan. Reports also indicate that Bangladesh placed orders between September and December 2024 for 40,000 rounds of artillery ammunition, 2,000 rounds of tank ammunition, and 40 tonnes of RDX — tripling its imports from the previous year. These purchases align with Bangladesh's broader military modernisation agenda, dubbed 'Forces Goal 2030,' and represent a significant shift in its procurement sources. There is also strong interest from Dhaka in acquiring JF-17 Thunder fighter jets — co-developed by Pakistan and China — to further support its air force modernisation. Training programmes are also underway and it was reported that from February, a Pakistani Major General would oversee instruction at Bangladesh's Momenshahi Cantonment. High-level visits with Pakistan Between late January and early February, Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) chief Lt Gen Asim Malik made an unprecedented visit to Rangpur, Bangladesh. The visit drew attention in India, particularly due to its proximity to India's northeastern states, heightening regional security sensitivities. Admiral Mohammad Nazmul Hassan, Bangladesh's chief of naval staff, met with Pakistan's army commander, Syed Asim Munir Ahmed Shah. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD In June, three senior officers of the Pakistan Army visited Bangladesh and proceeded to the headquarters of the 10th Infantry Division in Ramu, located near the Myanmar border. These visits suggested possible coordination on border security issues, including those relating to the Rohingya refugee crisis. On July 23, Pakistan's Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi met Bangladesh's Home Adviser, Lt Gen (Retd) Md Jahangir Alam Chowdhury, in Dhaka. 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Sharif, in response, said that 'main issues had been resolved' under the 1972 Shimla Agreement, but expressed openness to reviewing remaining concerns. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD On April 17, Bangladesh formally repeated its demand for a public apology and raised additional issues — including the repatriation of more than 300,000 stranded Pakistanis, repayment of a $4.5 billion debt it claims Pakistan owes, equitable distribution of the former country's assets, and the transfer of cyclone relief aid from 1970. During a meeting between Foreign secretaries Md. Jashim Uddin and Amna Baloch at the Padma State Guest House, Dhaka once again flagged these 'historically unresolved issues.' Also Watch: With inputs from agencies
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