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NDTV
24-06-2025
- Politics
- NDTV
China Deepens Political Engagement As Bangladesh Preps For 2026 Elections
Kolkata: China's enhanced role in Bangladesh's domestic politics continues with its latest round of meetings with political parties in the country. Since April this year, China has emerged as a leading player in Bangladesh engaging with all major political parties. Chinese Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Sun Weidong met a visiting Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) delegation on Tuesday. After the meeting, he said he hoped for a free and fair election in Bangladesh, adding that China conveyed its willingness to work with the country's future government. The Bangladesh nationalist Party or BNP was the main opposition party in Bangladesh during former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's administration. It was the BNP which had boycotted the 2024 national elections claiming they were "rigged and unfair". But Beijing has gone beyond just the leading opposition party. It has also been meeting other political forces within Bangladesh. In April this year, a senior Chinese Communist Party delegation led by Peng Jiubin of the Southeast and South Asian Affairs Bureau of the International Department of the CCP met a delegation of the Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh, considered pro-Pakistan. With them too, the upcoming elections were discussed. Earlier this month, The Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Yao Wen met a delegation of the recently formed National Citizens Party, at the Chinese Embassy in Dhaka and the upcoming elections were discussed in detail. The National Citizens Party or NCP is an offshoot of the students' uprising last year that led to the ouster of the Sheikh Hasina government in August 2024. The NCP Convenor Nahid Islam was a part of the interim government led by Professor Muhammad Yunus earlier. These meetings, which have been billed as regular interactions, show China's involvement and outreach with political parties that are likely to emerge as major stakeholders in the upcoming elections. These meetings come in the wake of Bangladesh's Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus's visit to China where he made a clear pitch for Beijing to engage with Dhaka. Mr Yunus, during his four-day visit to Beijing in March this year, asked Beijing to make an "extension", saying that northeast India's "seven sister states are landlocked" by Bangladesh and Myanmar. Yunus urged the Chinese government to "extend" in the region by establishing a base in Bangladesh which was seen as a call to indirectly cut-off India's northeastern states. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had reacted sharply to Muhammad Yunus's remarks saying, "...any rhetoric that vitiates the environment is best avoided," when the two leaders met on the sidelines of the BIMSTEC Summit in Bangkok.
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First Post
12-06-2025
- Politics
- First Post
Yunus says sought PM Modi's help to stop Hasina from 'speaking to Bangladeshi people' but...
CA Yunus has said PM Modi ignored his request to stop former PM Sheikh Hasina from making political statements while staying in India. Speaking in London, Yunus said his government will continue efforts to extradite Hasina. read more Bangladesh's interim government chief, Muhammad Yunus, said on Wednesday that Prime Minister Narendra Modi ignored his request to stop former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina from making political statements while in India. Speaking at Chatham House in London, Yunus added that his government would continue its efforts to extradite Hasina from India so she can face charges in Bangladesh's International Crimes Tribunal, which recently indicted her for ordering a police crackdown on protestors last year. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'When I had a chance to speak with Prime Minister Modi, I simply said, 'You want to host her — I cannot force you to abandon that policy. But please help us ensure that she does not address the Bangladeshi people the way she currently is,'' Yunus said, while addressing the audience at the London-based think tank. More from World Yunus said he made this request to Modi during their bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the BIMSTEC Summit in Bangkok this April. 'She announces that she will speak on a particular day and at a particular time, and the whole of Bangladesh becomes very angry,' he added. 'Modi's answer — and I quote — was: 'It is social media; we cannot control it.' What can you say? This is an explosive situation, and you can't simply walk away by saying it's social media. Yet this continues,' Yunus remarked. Sheikh Hasina fled to India in August last year after being ousted following mass student protests. Since then, India has not responded to any of the extradition requests made by Dhaka since December, after the interim government took charge. Yunus said his government would persist in seeking Hasina's extradition following her indictment by Bangladesh's International Crimes Tribunal. 'The trial process has started. The tribunal has issued her notices for the crimes she has committed, and now she must respond,' he said. He also stated that they plan to involve Interpol and follow all proper legal procedures. 'We want the process to be legal and proper,' he added. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Yunus further said that he wants strong ties with India but claimed that 'fake news in the Indian press' is damaging those efforts.
News18
17-05-2025
- Business
- News18
Proposed Kolkata-Northeast Link To Pass Via Sea, Giving Bangladesh A Miss
Last Updated: The Shillong-Silchar highway project will extend a key transport route in Myanmar, offering an alternative sea link between North-East states and Kolkata. In a significant development, the proposed highway project linking Meghalaya's Shillong and Assam's Silchar will become an extension of a key multi-modal transport project in Myanmar. The proposed road project will also lead to an alternative link via sea between the North-East states and Kolkata, reported The Indian Express while quoting an National Highways & Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) official. The project is being described as a response to Bangladesh interim government chief adviser Muhammad Yunus's remark in Beijing this March that North-East India is 'landlocked" and Dhaka is the 'only guardian of the ocean for all this region". Yunus made the remarks while seeking 'extension of the Chinese economy". A few days later, on April 4, Yunus met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the sidelines of the BIMSTEC Summit in Bangkok. The Ministry of External Affairs had said that PM Modi told Yunus that 'rhetoric that vitiates the environment is best avoided". 166.8-km Proposed Highway The proposed four-lane highway will span across 166.8-km along NH-6 from Mawlyngkhung near Shillong to Panchgram near Silchar. It is being implemented by NHIDCL for the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH). It will be first high-speed corridor project in the North-East and is expected to be completed by 2030. Meanwhile, the Kaladan Multi Modal Transit Transport Project in Myanmar is being funded by the Ministry of External Affairs — and links the Kolkata seaport to the Sittwe port on the Kaladan river in Rakhine state. Further, the Sittwe port connects to Paletwa in Myanmar through an inland waterway and to Zorinpui in Mizoram through a road section. However, Bangladesh has restricted access via Bay of Bengal while maintaining its stronghold on movement through water in the region. Hence, the Kaladan project was jointly identified by India and Myanmar as an alternative — the link is expected to be fully operational by the time the Shillong-Silchar highway is completed. The construction of the Shillong-Sichar highway will involve major engineering work, including slope stabilisation to predict landslides, as the alignment traverses through difficult hilly terrain. Further, the Centre approved the project at a cost of Rs 22,864 crore on April 30. Of the total 166.8-km project, 144.8 km lies in Meghalaya while Assam will get 22 km in its share. Once operational, the highway will reduce the travel time from 8.30 hours to just 5 hours. Watch India Pakistan Breaking News on CNN-News18. Get breaking news, in-depth analysis, and expert perspectives on everything from politics to crime and society. Stay informed with the latest India news only on News18. Download the News18 App to stay updated! First Published: May 17, 2025, 17:28 IST
Indian Express
16-05-2025
- Business
- Indian Express
New North-East link to Kolkata will be via sea, giving Bangladesh a miss
The proposed highway from Shillong in Meghalaya to Silchar in Assam will become an extension of a key multi-modal transport project in Myanmar, leading to an alternative link via sea between the North-East states and Kolkata, a senior official from National Highways & Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) told The Indian Express. The official described the project as a response to Bangladesh interim government chief adviser Muhammad Yunus's remark in Beijing this March that North-East India is 'landlocked' and Dhaka is the 'only guardian of the ocean for all this region' — he said this while seeking 'extension of the Chinese economy'. Days later, on April 4, Yunus met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the sidelines of the BIMSTEC Summit in Bangkok. The Ministry of External Affairs said Modi told Yunus that 'rhetoric that vitiates the environment is best avoided'. The 166.8-km four-lane highway along NH-6 from Mawlyngkhung near Shillong to Panchgram near Silchar is the first high-speed corridor project in the North-East. It is being implemented by NHIDCL for the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH), and is expected to be completed by 2030. At the other end, the Kaladan Multi Modal Transit Transport Project in Myanmar is being funded by the Ministry of External Affairs — and connects the Kolkata seaport to the Sittwe port on the Kaladan river in Rakhine state. Further, the Sittwe port connects to Paletwa in Myanmar through an inland waterway and to Zorinpui in Mizoram through a road section. 'The NHIDCL will take the project further from Zorinpui to Lawngtlai to Aizawl in Mizoram. This is not only the first high-speed corridor in the North-East, but the first such project in the hilly region. Shillong-Silchar is significant as Silchar is the entry point for connecting Mizoram, Tripura and Manipur as well as the Barak Valley region of Assam. Thus, it will become a major connectivity link for the entire North-East and an important milestone for developing the region as a gateway for India's Act East Policy,' the NHIDCL official said. 'With the help of the Kaladan project, cargo will reach from Vizag and Kolkata to the North-East, without being dependent on Bangladesh. The high speed-corridor will ensure transportation of goods via road after that, which will spur economic activity in the region,' the official said. Currently, the only access to the seven North-East states is through the Siliguri Corridor, also called the 'Chicken's Neck', for the rest of India. The other two points of entry are through Bangladesh and Myanmar. Bangladesh has, however, curtailed access via Bay of Bengal while maintaining its stronghold on movement through water in the region. Hence, the Kaladan project was jointly identified by India and Myanmar as an alternative — the link is expected to be fully operational by the time the Shillong-Silchar highway is completed. The construction of the Shillong highway will involve major engineering work, including slope stabilisation to predict landslides, as the alignment traverses through difficult hilly terrain. On April 30, the Union Cabinet approved the project at a cost of Rs 22,864 crore. Of the total length of the project, 144.8 km lies in Meghalaya and 22 km in Assam. Once operational, the new alignment will reduce journey time from 8.30 hours to just 5 hours. According to the NHIDCL official, the new highway will reduce dependency on the Siliguri Corridor. 'While the project is of strategic importance, it is also going to be one of the most challenging ones as the terrain is very difficult and the existing condition of the road is not good,' he said. 'The National Institute of the Rock Mechanics has been roped in for the detailed study of the rock in the region. We will deploy modern technology and machinery in the construction to provide all-weather connectivity. We will have slope stabilisation to predict the landslide so the movement of traffic can be stopped. Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) scanning has been used for topographical surveys. Based on the data collected from surveys, three solutions have been proposed — strengthening by rock anchors, high strength wire mesh panels and protection walls,' the official said. Modern instruments would be deployed to monitor the slope after its stabilisation and construction of various protective measures, he said. 'Piezometer, Rain Gauge, Settlement Gauge, Inclinometer, Geophones, etc., are key equipment which will be installed for the monitoring,' the official said. Geophones are used for vibration monitoring in seismic and geotechnical projects. Inclinometers are used in hill slope monitoring to detect and measure ground deformation, indicating potential slope instability or landslide movement. Rain gauge helps in measuring rainfall, settlement gauges are used to monitor vertical movement or settlements within hill slopes, and piezometers are used for monitoring pore water pressure in hill slopes. The Shillong-Silchar project will be implemented in Hybrid Annuity Mode (HAM), one of the forms of Public-Private Partnerships (PPP). It will have 19 major bridges, 153 minor bridges, 326 culverts, 22 underpasses, 26 overpasses, eight limited height subway and 34 viaducts. Dheeraj Mishra is a Principal correspondent with The Indian Express, Business Bureau. He covers India's two key ministries- Ministry of Railways and Ministry of Road Transport & Highways. He frequently uses the Right to Information (RTI) Act for his stories, which have resulted in many impactful reports. ... Read More
NDTV
05-05-2025
- Politics
- NDTV
Hindu Monk Chinmoy Krishna Das Now Charged With Murder Of Chittagong Lawyer
Dhaka: Prominent Hindu leader and spokesperson for the Bangladesh Sammilito Sanatani Jagaran Jot, Chinmoy Krishna Das, was shown arrested on charges of the murder of Chittagong court lawyer Saiful Islam Alif by a local court on Monday. The lawyer was allegedly hacked to death outside the court premises on November 7 last year. Chittagong's Metropolitan Magistrate S M Alauddin granted the police application for Das' arrest and passed the order during a virtual hearing. "Investigating officers submitted applications on Sunday to show Chinmoy Krishna Das was arrested in four cases. The court on Monday granted shown arrest in the Alif murder case following a virtual hearing. The hearings on the other three applications will be held on Tuesday," Dhaka Tribune quoted Public Prosecutor of the Chittagong Metropolitan Sessions Judge Court, Mofizul Haque Bhuiyan as saying. Earlier on April 30, the Appellate Division of the Bangladesh Supreme Court stayed the High Court order of granting bail to Das in a sedition case. Judge of the Appellate Division, Justice Rezaul Haque passed the order after hearing an appeal filed by the state counsel hours after the High Court granted him bail. The stay order remains in force until the filing of a leave-to-appeal petition and release of the full text of the verdict. The Bangladesh High Court had earlier granted bail to Das, who was arrested on November 25 last year on charges of sedition, linked to alleged disrespect of the national flag during a rally in Chittagong. His arrest had sparked widespread outrage across the world. Chinmoy was arrested in Dhaka on November 25 and sent to jail the following day after a Chittagong court rejected his bail plea. On December 11, 2024, the same court again refused bail in the case. The arrest of Das had sparked massive protests by the Hindu community in Bangladesh, which has been in political turmoil since August 2024 when former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was removed amidst widespread violent demonstrations. In the following nine months, Bangladesh has witnessed rising cases of attacks on the Hindu community ever since the Hasina-led government was toppled and an interim administration was formed under the leadership of Muhammad Yunus. India has taken a tough line on the rights of the Hindu minority and repeatedly stated that there is "systematic persecution of Hindu minorities" under the Yunus-led interim government. Last month, Prime Minister Narendra Modi raised the issue of the safety and security of minorities in Bangladesh, including Hindus, during his meeting with Yunus on the sidelines of the BIMSTEC Summit in Bangkok. Recently, Bhabesh Chandra Roy, a prominent leader of the Hindu community associated with the Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Committee, was abducted from his home and beaten to death by four individuals on April 18.
