Latest news with #Dhaka
Times of Oman
2 hours ago
- Politics
- Times of Oman
Election will change scenario in Bangladesh, says prominent rights activist Manzill Murshid
Dhaka: Prominent human rights activist Manzill Murshid anticipated that the upcoming election in Bangladesh will bring significant change by establishing democratic rights. Speaking to ANI, Manzill Murshid, President of Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh (HRPB), stated that the current interim government, led by Muhammad Yunus, lacks constitutional legitimacy as it wasn't formed under the caretaker government provision. This has raised concerns about the timing and fairness of the election. Murshid said, "If there is an election, there will be a big scenario change. When a party comes to power, we hope our democratic rights will be established. Of course, a political party cannot deny another political party the right to function and carry out its activities, as political parties are fundamentally about politics and democracy. But this government is not a political party government." Manzill Murshid stated that Bangladesh did not proceed in accordance with the law after August 5. He said that Muhammad Yunus came into power as an interim government; however, there is no provision in the constitution regarding a caretaker government. He said, "After the 5th August (2024), there was a conspiracy, in my opinion, the state did not proceed in accordance with the demand of the people, to hold a free, fair and inclusive election. Dr. Yunus came into power as an interim government, although there is no provision in the constitution for such a move. That should be a caretaker government. If they form a caretaker government, then there is a possibility to declare the election date earlier." "But ultimately, when they took over the power, and long after, they did not say anything about the election, because they always say it takes five years after completing many kinds of reforms, they will declare the election. Some supporters of the government also share this idea. There was a very complex view in the minds of the people that there would be no election in the short term. Still, when a big party of Bangladesh, Bangladesh Nationalist Party BNP, raised their voice about the election, then the scenario changed," he added. The government initially hinted at delaying elections until 2026, citing the need for reforms. However, following pressure from the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and other parties, a joint declaration was issued in London, suggesting that elections might be held in February. "Ultimately, what happened was that the Chief Adviser went to London, met with the BNP's acting Chairman Tareq Rahman, and there was a conversation. After the meeting, they issued a joint declaration, from which we know that an election will be held in February. But we are not sure because the Election Commission has not yet declared the schedule", Murshid said. Murshid recalled that Yunus had said that he would not ban the Awami League. However, the interim government banned it after some of the student leaders and government partners demanded a ban on the Awami League. He criticised the government's decision to ban the Awami League, questioning its impact on the electoral process. He emphasised that excluding major political parties undermines the legitimacy of the elections. Murshid said, "Earlier, the Chief Adviser always told that they would not ban the Awami League. I think it was his mental condition. However, when our former president, Abdul Hamid, left the country, some student leaders and government partners raised their voices, arguing that the Awami League should be banned. They organised thousands of people in the street. But the government was not strong enough to stop the movement. Many demands were fulfilled because of the pressure." "When NCP and Jamaat-e-Islami demanded to ban the Awami League. The government discussed with the political parties and declared that the activities of the Awami League would be banned. That means the Awami League can not work. If the political party can not work, that means the existence of the political party is nowhere," he added. He stated that the questions will be raised over the next elections if the Awami League is not allowed to contest it. He stated, "During the last government, all international actors said that there must be elections in which all political parties must participate. But in the last three elections, the bigger party, the BNP, did not participate. That's why the election was not accepted. However, in the upcoming election, the major party is the Awami League. If the Awami League does not participate, or the government does not give any chance to participate, the election will be questionable." The right group leader also stated that the Election Commission reinstated the registration of Jamaat-e-Islami in accordance with the legal provisions. He said, "Jamaat-e-Islami has legal rights to register as a political party." Murshid said there is no possibility for Bangladesh's former Prime Minister, Sheikh Hasina, to return to Dhaka at this stage, adding that her decision to leave the country was the right one to ensure her safety. Murshid also emphasised the importance of enhancing relations between India and Bangladesh, particularly given the shared cultural and linguistic ties between the two nations. He urged both governments to collaborate on addressing visa issues and strengthening bilateral relations, regardless of their political differences. Manzill Murshid said, "India is a big country. We have a big border with India. Some people in India, such as those from West Bengal, share a similar language and culture. We used to go to India. We have thousands of relatives in India. We used to go there for medical treatments and shopping, but this has been stopped due to a visa problem. Both the government and the opposition should take steps, without considering the political aspect, to maintain good relations for the betterment of both people. They should sit down and resolve their differences and make good relations through our foreign ministries."
GSM Arena
2 hours ago
- GSM Arena
The Infinix Hot 60i is already selling online
We have known that the Infinix Hot 60 family is right around the corner for some time now, but we expected a bit more formal release than a random reader tip in our inbox, informing us that the Hot 60i is already on sale in Bangladesh. We imagine that there will be a bit more heads up for the higher-end models from the Hot 60 family, but this might just be it for the Hot 60i. Regardless, the seller has a conveniently rich specs page. The Hot 60i resembles the Hot 50i, or rather the Hot 50, as it features a trio of "camera" modules on the back. Infinix Hot 60i In any case, the phone's physical appearance is very familiar. It measures 167.9 x 75.6 x 7.7 mm, featuring a plastic back and frame, and a Gorilla Glass front. We don't know exactly what kind of glass is used, and we aren't quite sure how well-sealed the design is. According to the specs, the phone is "splash proof", which probably means something like an IPX4 rating, probably IP54. The available colors are Sleek Black and Titanium Grey. The Hot 60i features a 6.78-inch, 120Hz, Full HD+ IPS LCD display on the front, with an advertised brightness of 800 nits. The chipset is a MediaTek Helio G81 Ultimate, accompanied by 6GB or 8GB of RAM and 128GB or 256GB of storage – probably non-expandable, since there are two slots on the card tray for two Nano-SIM cards. The Hot 60i is a dual-SIM 4G device. Local connectivity is handled by dual-band Wi-Fi AC and Bluetooth 5.0, with onboard NFC and a 3.5mm audio jack. The fingerprint reader is side-mounted, and the specs sheet lists a Light sensor, Proximity sensor, Accelerometer, Compass and Gyroscope. In terms of cameras, the Hot 60i is listed as having a 50MP, f/1.8 main camera with FullHD video capture. There is reportedly a second 2MP camera. We aren't sure what the third module on the camera island is. There is a single 8MP, f/2.0 selfie camera. A rather large 5,160 mAh battery is keeping the light on. It has 45W charging support. The store offers two variants of the Hot 60i – 6GB/128GB for BDT 13,999 (€98/$115) and 8GB/256GB for BDT 16,499 (€115/$135). Source
Reuters
a day ago
- Politics
- Reuters
Ukraine calls for EU sanctions on Bangladeshi entities for import of 'stolen grain'
NEW DELHI/DHAKA, June 27 (Reuters) - Ukraine plans to ask the European Union to sanction Bangladeshi entities it says are importing wheat taken from Ukrainian territories occupied by Russia, after its warnings to Dhaka failed to stop the trade, a top Ukrainian diplomat in South Asia said. Russian forces have occupied large parts of Ukraine's southern agricultural regions since 2014 and Kyiv has accused Russia of stealing its grain even before the 2022 invasion. Russian officials say there is no theft of grain involved as the territories previously considered part of Ukraine are now part of Russia and will remain so forever. According to documents provided to Reuters by people familiar with the matter, the Ukraine Embassy in New Delhi sent several letters to Bangladesh's foreign affairs ministry this year, asking them to reject more than 150,000 tonnes of grain allegedly stolen and shipped from Russian port of Kavkaz. Asked about the confidential diplomatic communication, Ukraine's ambassador to India, Oleksandr Polishchuk, said Dhaka had not responded to the communication and Kyiv will now escalate the matter as its intelligence showed entities in Russia mix grain procured from occupied Ukrainian territories with Russian wheat before shipping. "It's a crime," Polishchuk said in an interview at Ukraine's embassy in New Delhi. "We will share our investigation with our European Union colleagues, and we will kindly ask them to take the appropriate measures." Ukraine's diplomatic tussle with Bangladeshi authorities has not been previously reported. The Bangladesh and Russian foreign ministries did not respond to requests for comment. A Bangladeshi food ministry official said Dhaka bars imports from Russia if the origin of the grain is from occupied Ukrainian territory, adding that the country imports no stolen wheat. Amid the war with Russia, the agricultural sector remains one of the main sources of export earnings for Ukraine, supplying grain, vegetable oil and oilseeds to foreign markets. In April, Ukraine detained a foreign vessel in its territorial waters, alleging it was involved in the illegal trade of stolen grain, and last year seized a foreign cargo ship and detained its captain on similar suspicions. The EU has so far sanctioned 342 ships that are part of Russia's so-called shadow fleet, which the bloc says enable Moscow to circumvent Western restrictions to move oil, arms and grain. Russia says Western sanctions are illegal. A Ukraine official told Reuters Ukrainian law prohibits any voluntary trade between Ukrainian producers, including grain farmers in the occupied territories, and Russian entities. The Ukraine Embassy has sent four letters to Bangladesh's government, reviewed by Reuters, in which it shared vessel names and their registration numbers involved in the alleged trade of moving the grain from the Crimean ports of Sevastopol and Kerch, occupied by Russia since 2014, and Berdiansk, which is under Moscow's control since 2022, to Kavkaz in Russia. The letters stated the departure and tentative arrival dates of the ships that left from Kavkaz for Bangladesh between November 2024 and June 2025. The June 11 letter said Bangladesh can face "serious consequences" of sanctions for taking deliveries of "stolen grain", and that such purchases fuel "humanitarian suffering." The sanctions "may extend beyond importing companies and could also target government officials and the leadership of ministries and agencies who knowingly facilitate or tolerate such violations," the letter added. In a statement to Reuters, Anitta Hipper, EU Spokesperson for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, said the vessels in question were not currently subject to any restrictive measures. The sanctions regime was designed to act against activities that undermine the food security of Ukraine including transportation of "stolen Ukrainian grain" and "any proven involvement of vessels in shipping stolen Ukrainian grain could provide the basis for future restrictive measures," she added. The Russia-controlled territories, excluding Crimea, accounted for about 3% of the total Russian grain harvest in 2024, according to Reuters' estimates based on official Russian data. Russian grain transporter Rusagrotrans says Bangladesh was the fourth largest buyer of Russian wheat in May. Ambassador Polishchuk told Reuters their intelligence shows Russia mixes its grain with that from occupied Ukrainian territories to avoid detection. A Russian trader, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said that when the grain is loaded for export at a Russian port, it is very difficult to track its origin. "These are not diamonds or gold. The composition of impurities does not allow for identification," the person said.
Times of Oman
a day ago
- Politics
- Times of Oman
India expresses dismay over Durga Temple demolition in Dhaka
New Delhi: India has expressed dismay over Bangladesh Muhammad Yunus-led interim government's decision to allow demolition of a makeshift Durga Temple in Khilkhet in Dhaka, saying that the governnment instead of providing security to the temple, projected the episode as illegal land use and allowed the destruction of the temple. Addressing a weekly media briefing in New Delhi, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the action has resulted in damage to the deity before it was shifted. When asked about Temple demolition in Bangladesh, he said, "We understand that extremists were clamouring for demolishing the Durga temple in Khilkhet, Dhaka. The interim government, instead of providing security to the temple, projected the episode as illegal land use allowing and they allowed the destruction of the temple today." "This has resulted in damage to the deity before it was shifted. We are dismayed that such incidents continue to recur in Bangladesh. Let me underline that it is the responsibility of the interim government of Bangladesh to protect Hindus, their properties, and religious institutions," he added. Bangladesh Railway authorities on Thursday demolished a makeshift Durga Temple constructed on its land in Dhaka's Khilkhet. The temple was demolished three days after a mob demanded the removal of the temple. The Bangladesh Railway authorities said that they demolished Khilkhet Sarbojanin Shri Shri Durga Mandir as it was constructed illegally on railway land. The decision of the authorities has been condemned by several minority organisations, alleging that the authorities demolished the temple without providing prior notice to the community people. The temple committee members alleged that a mob of more than 500 people, with sticks, took position in the temple while the worshippers were staying in the temple at about 9 pm (local time) on Monday, Bangladesh-based newspaper New Age reported. They alleged that the railway authorities only demolished the temple while all other establishments remained untouched. Speaking to New Age, the committee secretary Arjun Roy said that they took permission from the railway authorities to celebrate Durga puja there in the past year and to use the place for their worshipping temporarily. He further said, "But the authorities demolished everything today without giving us a prior notice. We are very disheartened over the incident." Speaking to New Age, Bangladesh Railway's Dhaka divisional estate officer Md Nasir Uddin Mahmud said that the demolition of the temple and other illegal establishments began at about 10 am(local time). According to him, a number of establishments were built on the railway's land illegally and they came to know regarding the makeshift temple on Monday. Md Nasir Uddin Mahmud stated that the temple's committee did not take permission from the uahtorites, New Age reported. The Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad, the Mahanagor Sarbojanin Puja Committee, and the Minority Rights Movement in separate statements condemned the mob incident and the demolition of the temple.
Arab News
a day ago
- Business
- Arab News
Bangladesh pushes solar to tackle energy woes
DHAKA: Bangladesh's caretaker leader has ordered all government institutions including ministry buildings and schools to install solar panels to ease chronic power problems in a country regularly hit by deadly heatwaves. The South Asian nation of 170 million people has set itself a target of generating 20 percent of its power from renewable energy by 2030 — a four-fold increase — and rising to 30 percent by 2040, the government said in a statement. 'Bangladesh is lagging far behind its neighboring countries,' the statement issued by the office of interim leader Muhammad Yunus read. 'Only 5.6 percent of our total requirement is currently met from renewable sources,' it added, noting that in neighboring India, it is 24 percent and in Sri Lanka, nearly 40 percent. The government's rooftop solar program will see all government offices, schools, colleges and hospitals installed with panels immediately, the statement issued late Thursday said. The micro-finance pioneer said the panels would be installed and operated by private sector companies, unlike the largely failed push by since-ousted former prime minister Sheikh Hasina to install panels by using government power agencies. 'The private sector will handle overall maintenance and keep the systems operational for their own business interests,' the statement said. 'The government will only provide them with rooftop access.' The government has also initiated tender processes for 55 solar power plants with a total 5,238 megawatts capacity. Bangladesh relies heavily on importing cross-border power from neighboring India, as well from Nepal, especially when demand soars during the blistering heat when consumers rely on energy-hungry air conditioners to keep cool. Dhaka also began construction of the Russia-backed nuclear plant at Rooppur in 2017. The much-delayed 2,400-megawatt project will be Bangladesh's largest power station by generating capacity once fully operational.
