Latest news with #DHAKA
Arab News
7 hours ago
- Politics
- Arab News
Bangladeshi forces clash with supporters of ousted leader Hasina, leaving at least 4 dead
DHAKA: Bangladeshi security forces on Wednesday clashed with supporters of ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, leaving at least four people dead and scores injured, a hospital official and local media violence erupted in the morning and spread as a new political party formed by students who led the uprising against Hasina in August last year announced a march toward southwestern Gopalganj district, Hasina's ancestral home, and her Awami League party's later imposed an overnight curfew in the Hasina's ouster 11 months ago, Bangladesh has been marked by chaos and unchecked mob violence. Wednesday's attack underscores the deep divisions in the country as its interim government keeps failing to bring the deteriorating security situation under control.A chaotic situationTV footage showed pro-Hasina activists armed attacking police with sticks and setting vehicles on fire as a convoy of about 20 vehicles carrying the leaders of the students' National Citizen Party arrived as part of commemorations of the leaders took shelter in the office of the local police chief. Footage showed top leaders were being escorted by soldiers to an armored vehicle for safety. They later left for a neighboring district with security Biswas, a senior official of a state-run hospital, told reporters that the bodies of at least three people had been brought in. The country's leading English-language Daily Star reported that four people interim government said Wednesday the attackers on the students would not go 'unpunished' and in a statement issued on behalf of interim leader Muhammad Yunus, described the violence in Gopalganj as 'utterly indefensible.'Hasina's Awami League party, which authorities banned in May, issued several statements on X condemning the violence and blaming the interim government for the deaths and injuries.'We urge the world to take note of this blatant use of security apparatus,' one Awami statement said, adding that it had used mob violence against 'dissenters.'Student leader Nahid Islam gave the authorities a 24-hour ultimatum to arrest those responsible for the Gopalganj violence and floated the prospect of another march in the neighboring district of Faridpur on right wing Jamaat-e-Islami party condemned the attacks on the student-led party and announced a nationwide protest in all districts and main cities for Thursday.A nation in turmoilCritics of the interim government warn of a widening polarization that has reduced hopes for national reconciliation even as Yunus' administration pledges to bring order in the post-Hasina era. They say if the situation does not improve, a peaceful transition to democracy would be Peace Prize laureate Yunus took over the country three days after Hasina was toppled and fled to India, pledging to restore order. He has promised a new election would be held in April next now faces charges of crimes against humanity while the government seeks her extradition from India, which has not responded to Bangladesh's is a politically sensitive district because Hasina father's mausoleum is located there. Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the country's independence leader, was buried there after he was assassinated along with most of his family members in a military coup in National Citizen Party launched its 'July March to Rebuild the Nation' at the start of the month, saying they would take place across all districts as part of its drive to position itself as a new force in Bangladeshi political past has been largely dominated by two dynastic parties — Hasina's Awami League and the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, or BNP, headed by her rival and former prime minister Khaleda Zia. The BNP, which is hopeful of coming to power in the absence of Hasina's party, was mostly silent about Wednesday's violence.
Washington Post
14 hours ago
- Politics
- Washington Post
Bangladeshi forces clash with supporters of ousted leader Hasina, leaving at least 4 dead
DHAKA, Bangladesh — Bangladeshi security forces on Wednesday clashed with supporters of ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina , leaving at least four people dead and scores injured, a hospital official and local media said. The violence erupted in the morning and spread as a new political party formed by students who led the uprising against Hasina in August last year announced a march toward southwestern Gopalganj district, Hasina's ancestral home, and her Awami League party's stronghold.
Associated Press
20 hours ago
- Politics
- Associated Press
At least 3 dead as Bangladesh police clash with supporters of ousted leader Hasina
DHAKA, Bangladesh (AP) — Bangladeshi security forces on Wednesday clashed with supporters of ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, leaving at least three people dead and scores injured, a hospital official said. The violence erupted in the morning and spread as a new political party formed by students who led the uprising against Hasina in August last year announced a march toward southwestern Gopalganj district, Hasina's ancestral home, and her Awami League party's stronghold. TV footage showed pro-Hasina activists armed with sticks attacking police and setting vehicles on fire as a convoy of about 20 vehicles carrying the leaders of the National Citizen Party arrived as part of commemorations of the uprising. Top leaders of the party took shelter in the office of the local police chief as footage showed some of them were being escorted by soldiers to an armored vehicle for safety. Jibitesh Biswas, a senior official of a state-run hospital, told reporters that at least three people were brought in dead. Bangladesh has been in political turmoil since Hasina was toppled and fled to India. The interim leader, Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus, took over three days after her ouster and pledged to restore order. He said a new election would be held in April next year. Gopalganj is a politically sensitive district because Hasina father's mausoleum is located there. Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the country's independence leader, was buried there after he was assassinated along with most of his family members in a military coup in 1971. The students' party launched its 'July March to Rebuild the Nation' on July 1 across all districts in Bangladesh as part of its drive to position itself as a new force in Bangladeshi politics, which as been largely dominated by two dynastic families. One is Hasina's Awami League party, and the other is the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, or BNP, headed by Hasina's archrival Khaleda Zia, also a former prime minister.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Md. Shafayet Alam Eyes New Frontiers: Driving Fintech Innovation for Australia's Digital Future
DHAKA, BD / / July 16, 2025 / After transforming Bangladesh's digital finance landscape through the rapid ascent of Nagad into a billion-dollar fintech powerhouse, Md. Shafayet Alam is now looking outward-with a vision to apply his expertise, innovation mindset, and deep experience in building inclusive financial ecosystems to new global markets. Australia, with its strong financial infrastructure and openness to innovation, stands at the centre of that vision. A Proven Fintech Architect with Global Impact As Executive Director and founding force behind Nagad Ltd., Alam helped scale the company from a postal-backed concept to one of Asia's most successful mobile financial platforms. Under his leadership, Nagad onboarded over 80 million users, processed billions in daily transactions, and helped bring tens of millions into the formal financial system-many for the first time. This experience positions Alam uniquely to contribute to advanced economies like Australia, where fintech innovation continues to evolve but still grapples with inclusion, rural access, and the digitisation of small businesses. A Vision for Australia's Inclusive Digital Economy Alam's future ambition is centred on three transformative goals for Australia: 1. Driving Financial Inclusion at Scale By leveraging his expertise in digital onboarding (e-KYC), USSD-based access models, and secure mobile transactions, Alam aims to expand access to digital financial services among rural populations, Indigenous communities, and unbanked migrant workers in Australia-without requiring high-end smartphones or dense urban infrastructure. 2. Digitising Micro and Small Enterprises Alam envisions bringing his QR-based micro-merchant digitisation model-successfully deployed with 300,000+ businesses in South Asia-to Australia's underserved small business sectors. These lightweight, low-cost solutions can help reduce reliance on cash and enable seamless, traceable payment systems across regional towns and independent shops. 3. Strengthening Government-to-Citizen Payment Systems Building on his experience with national digital disbursement systems in Bangladesh, Alam proposes the development of more efficient, real-time social support payment infrastructure in Australia-particularly for disaster relief, aged care, and youth subsidies. These systems reduce administrative overhead and improve delivery accuracy. Technology, Ethics, and Long-Term Value Beyond technological solutions, Alam brings a deep ethical commitment to financial empowerment, focusing not just on profit but on systems that improve lives. He believes fintech should be designed to work across cultures, socio-economic backgrounds, and connectivity levels, with maximum adaptability and minimal barriers. His approach aligns well with Australia's push towards digital resilience, cyber-secure financial innovation, and equitable access in both metropolitan and remote regions. Global Recognition and Local Commitment Alam's work has earned global recognition-including the "Visionary Leader in Digital Finance" award from the UK-based Business Tabloid-and has been featured in MSN, Zee News, Gulf News and many Bangladeshi renewed newspaper for leading one of the most impactful fintech revolutions in Asia. Now, with a strong desire to collaborate with Australian fintech companies, government agencies, universities, and innovation hubs, Alam seeks to build the next chapter of digital transformation-this time, with Australia at its core. Looking Ahead Md. Shafayet Alam's future contributions aim to blend proven, scalable models with Australia's forward-thinking financial ecosystem. His work in inclusive finance, low-cost innovation, and public-private partnership offers a rare combination of vision and execution that could help shape Australia's next-generation digital economy. Contact Details: Website: info@ 09609616167 SOURCE: Nagad View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Arab News
2 days ago
- Politics
- Arab News
Bangladesh struggles to contain the fallout of an uprising that toppled its leader last year
DHAKA: Bangladesh was on the cusp of charting a new beginning last year after its former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was removed from power in a student-led uprising, ending her 15-year rule and forcing her to flee to India. As the head of a new interim government, Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus promised to hold a credible election to return to democracy, initiate electoral and constitutional reforms and restore peace on the streets after hundreds were killed in weeks of violence that began on July 15, 2024. A year later, the Yunus-led administration has struggled to contain the fallout of the uprising. Bangladesh finds itself mired in a growing political uncertainty, religious polarization and a challenging law-and-order situation. Here's what to know about Bangladesh a year after the protests that toppled Hasina. Chaotic political landscape Uncertainty about the future of democracy looms large in Bangladesh. The student protesters who toppled Hasina formed a new political party, promising to break the overwhelming influence of two major dynastic political parties — the Bangladesh Nationalists Party, or BNP, and Hasina's Awami League. But the party's opponents have accused it of being close to the Yunus-led administration and creating chaos for political mileage by using state institutions. Meanwhile, Bangladesh's political landscape has further fragmented after the country's largest Islamist party, the Jamaat-e-Islami, returned to politics more than a decade after it was suppressed by Hasina's government. Aligned with the student-led party, it's trying to fill the vacuum left by the Awami League, which was banned in May. Its leader, Hasina, is facing trial for crimes against humanity. The strength of Jamaat-e-Islami, which opposed Bangladesh's independence from Pakistan in 1971, is unknown. Both BNP and the Jamaat-e-Islami party are now at loggerheads over establishing supremacy within the administration and judiciary, and even university campuses. They are also differing over the timing of a new parliamentary election. Yunus has announced that the polls would be held in April next year, but poor law and order situation and a lack of clear-cut political consensus over it have created confusion. The chief of Bangladesh's military also wanted an election in December this year — a stance Yunus didn't like. 'Post-revolution honeymoons often don't last long, and Bangladesh is no exception,' says Michael Kugelman, a Washington-based South Asia analyst and senior fellow of Asia Pacific Foundation. 'The interim government faced massive expectations to restore democracy and prosperity. But this is especially difficult to do as an unelected government without a public mandate.' Yunus wants reforms before election Yunus has delayed an election because he wants reforms — from changes to the constitution and elections to the judiciary and police. Discussions with political parties, except Hasina's Awami League, are ongoing. Some of the reforms include putting a limit on how many times a person can become the prime minister, introduction of a two-tier parliament, and appointment of a chief justice. There appears to be little consensus over some basic reforms. While both the BNP and the Jamaat-e-Islami parties have agreed to some of them with conditions, other proposals for basic constitutional reforms have become a sticking point. The Jamaat-e-Islami also wants to give the interim government more time to complete reforms before heading into polls, while BNP has been calling for an early election. The student-led party mostly follows the pattern of the Jamaat-e-Islami party. Kugelman says the issue of reforms was meant to unite the country, but has instead become a flashpoint. 'There's a divide between those that want to see through reforms and give them more time, and those that feel it's time to wrap things up and focus on elections,' he says. Human rights and the rise of Islamists Human rights in Bangladesh have remained a serious concern under Yunus. Minority groups, especially Hindus, have blamed his administration for failing to protect them adequately. The Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council says minority Hindus and others have been targeted in hundreds of attacks over the last year. Hasina's party has also blamed the interim government for arresting tens of thousands of its supporters. The Yunus-led administration denies these allegations. Meenakshi Ganguly, deputy Asia director for Human Rights Watch, says while the interim government has stopped enforced disappearances and extrajudicial executions that had occurred under the Hasina government, 'there has been little progress on lasting security sector reforms or to deliver on the pledge to create robust, independent institutions.' Meanwhile, Islamist factions — some of whom have proposed changes to women's rights and demanded introduction of Sharia law — are vying for power. Many of them are planning to build alliances with bigger parties like the BNP or the Jamaat-e-Islami. Such factions have historically struggled to gain significant electoral support despite Bangladesh being a Muslim majority, and their rise is expected to further fragment the country's political landscape. Diplomatic pivot and balancing with global powers During Hasina's 15-year rule, Bangladesh was India's closest partner in South Asia. After her ouster, the Yunus-led administration has moved closer to China, which is India's main rival in the region. Yunus' first state visit was to China in March, a trip that saw him secure investments, loans and grants. On the other hand, India is angered by the ousting of its old ally Hasina and hasn't responded to Dhaka's requests to extradite her. India stopped issuing visas to Bangladeshis following Hasina's fall. Globally, Yunus seems to have strong backing from the West and the United Nations, and it appears Bangladesh will continue its foreign policy, which has long tried to find a balance between multiple foreign powers. But Kugelman says the country's biggest challenge may be the 'Trump factor.' In January, the Trump administration suspended USAID funds to Bangladesh, which had sought significant levels of US support during a critical rebuild period post Hasina's ouster. 'Dhaka must now reframe its relations with an unconventional US administration that will largely view Bangladesh through a commercial lens,' Kugelman says.
