Latest news with #Yunus
Hindustan Times
12 hours ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
‘China, Pak gaining influence in B'desh'
New Delhi Foreign policy experts have warned the parliamentary committee on external affairs against the increasing strategic foothold of China and, to some extent, Pakistan in Bangladesh under the interim government led by Chief Advisor Mohammad Yunus, people familiar with the matter said on Friday. The experts added that media hype is adding to the adversities. 'China, Pak gaining influence in B'desh' Former foreign secretary Shiv Shankar Menon, dean of JNU's School of International Studies Amitabh Mattoo and former Indian High Commissioner to Dhaka Riva Ganguly Das, along with retired Lt. General Syed Ata Hasnain, briefed the members of the panel, led by Congress lawmaker Shashi Tharoor, during a meeting on the 'Future of India-Bangladesh Relationship' on Friday. Tharoor later said, 'Four first-class experts gave us great insights... You will see our report in the next few weeks... We didn't discuss (the issue of Bangladeshis living in India). But we were told about a figure that the number of Bangladeshis coming to our country has lessened now.' According to functionaries, some experts expressed concern over how China and Pakistan are making inroads in Bangladesh since the students' revolt led to the ouster of former premier Sheikh Hasina in August 2024. India-Bangladesh relations have been in free fall since the caretaker government led by Yunus assumed office after Hasina was ousted. The two sides have repeatedly clashed over Dhaka's handling of the repression of Bangladesh's Hindus, with New Delhi calling for steps to protect the minority. In April this year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Yunus on the sidelines of the Bimstec summit in Thailand. 'I reiterated India's support for peace, stability, inclusivity and democracy in Bangladesh. Discussed measures to prevent illegal border crossings and expressed our serious concern for the safety and well-being of Hindus and other minorities,' Modi later said in a post on X. On Friday, the experts told the panel that the influx of illegal Bangladeshis in India has reduced drastically, even as a section of the media has made it a major issue. The experts also felt that the media hype also remains a major issue in restoring India-Bangladesh ties. According to people familiar with the matter, BJP MP Kiran Choudhry,recalled India's role in liberating Bangladesh, noting that her father Brigadier Atma Singh of 17 Kumaon Regiment had played a heroic role in the 1971 war and had suffered bullet injuries. Singh was called the 'founding father' of the regiment and his unit battle honours. Another MP asked if South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation could be revived to counter China's attempts to grow its influence in the region, and also floated the idea of exchange of journalists to boost people-to-people engagement with Bangladesh. As New Delhi and Dhaka are set to meet in the coming months to renew the Ganga water treaty, experts also discussed the geostrategic situation and the importance of data sharing for Ganga and Teesta.
NDTV
20 hours ago
- Business
- NDTV
India Bans Imports Of Certain Jute, Other Items From Bangladesh Via Land
India on Friday banned imports of certain jute products and woven fabrics from Bangladesh through all land routes amid strained relations between the two countries. However, imports are allowed only through Nhava Sheva seaport in Maharashtra, the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) said in a notification. The goods under these curbs include jute products, flax tow and waste, jute and other bast fibres, jute, single flax yarn, single yarn of jute, multiple folded, woven fabrics or flex, and unbleached woven fabrics of jute. Such port restrictions will not apply to Bangladeshi goods transiting through India to Nepal and Bhutan, it added. It further said re-exports of these products from Bangladesh to India through Nepal and Bhutan will not be allowed. "Import from Bangladesh shall not be allowed from any land port on the India-Bangladesh border. However, it is allowed only through Nhava Sheva seaport," the DGFT said, adding that "imports of certain goods from Bangladesh to India are regulated with immediate effect". Earlier in April and May, India announced similar curbs on imports from Bangladesh. On May 17, India imposed port restrictions on the import of certain goods like readymade garments and processed food items, from the neighbouring country. On April 9, India withdrew the transhipment facility it had granted to Bangladesh for exporting various items to the Middle East, Europe and various other countries except Nepal and Bhutan. These measures were announced against the backdrop of the controversial statements made by the head of Bangladesh's interim government Muhammad Yunus in China. The comments did not go down well in New Delhi. It also drew sharp reactions from political leaders in India across party lines. India-Bangladesh relations have nosedived dramatically after Yunus failed to contain attacks on minorities, especially Hindus. Bangladesh is a big competitor of India in the textile sector. The India-Bangladesh trade stood at USD 12.9 billion in 2023-24. In 2024-25, India's exports stood at USD 11.46 billion, while imports were USD 2 billion. Bangladesh's perceived growing proximity with Pakistan and China and the implications of India's strained ties with its eastern neighbour were also discussed at a parliamentary committee meeting on Friday, according to sources.
India Today
a day ago
- Politics
- India Today
Exclusive: Park Sung-hoon on Squid Game 3, dealing with hate, visiting India
5:02 A Durga temple in Dhaka's Kilkate area was demolished by the Yunus administration, citing illegal encroachment on railway land. The demolition occurred a day before Rath Yatra, sparking protests by Hindu organisations. The minority community claims they were not given an opportunity to relocate the temple, raising concerns about the safety of Hindus in Bangladesh.
Indian Express
2 days ago
- Business
- Indian Express
As China, Pakistan, and Bangladesh inch closer to each other, India must explore feasible diplomatic options
Written by Udayan Das On June 19, China, Bangladesh, and Pakistan had their first-ever trilateral meeting at the Foreign Office level hosted in Kunming, Yunnan. What might look like a sudden development is actually a steady culmination of geopolitical alignments of the past year. It is no secret that the relationship between China and Pakistan is on a firm footing. For one, the recent India-Pakistan standoff has only hardened this relationship. It is also commonplace to argue that Bangladesh has been working with China on several aspects for a long time now. What has changed, then, to bring about this realignment? There are two key shifts since Bangladesh's dramatic regime change in August last year that explain this. First, the weak link in the triangle, Bangladesh-Pakistan ties, is notably improving. Second, with the Delhi-Dhaka rift, Bangladesh is decisively inclined towards China. Bitter history and lingering issues notwithstanding, Bangladesh and Pakistan are in a convergence of convenience and opportunism. A meeting between Muhammad Yunus and Shehbaz Sharif in December 2024 initiated military and economic engagement. A high-level military delegation from Bangladesh held talks in Pakistan with the Chief of Army Staff, Asim Munir, in January. In February, the Bangladeshi Navy participated in Aman 2025 in Karachi after a gap of 12 years. In a historic first since 1971, the two states started direct trade from March 2025. Bangladesh's new regime is in search of partners in the region as it has firmly resolved to undo Hasina's and the Awami League's legacy of prioritising India in foreign relations. For Pakistan, it is an opportune moment to engage with Bangladesh on several fronts. Strategically, it balances and offsets India's asymmetry in South Asia. It is not surprising that one of the notes in the first meeting between the heads of state was about reviving the SAARC. With Pakistan's continuing economic woes, a new trade partner in Bangladesh is welcome too. Culturally, challenging the legacy of the 1971 War of Independence and the rise of Islamism can be the preface for an interesting period of relations between Dhaka and Islamabad. Yunus made an economic outreach when he went to China in March. A total of nine economic and technical agreements were signed on diverse issues. With US investments drying up and Bangladesh deliberately looking beyond India, China becomes its best option to resolve its economic difficulties. Interestingly, engagements are not limited to state interactions alone. China has been hosting delegations from Bangladesh's political parties and striving to develop people-to-people ties as well. Under the Hasina regime, China-Bangladesh ties had only grown, but with some tacit acknowledgement from India (seemingly lacking now). It was primarily about giving priority to India in major economic projects and making sure that India's security concerns were addressed. Yunus, however, has now welcomed Chinese companies to the Teesta River Comprehensive Management and Restoration Project (TRCMRP), while Hasina had preferred Indian involvement. Reportedly, Bangladesh and China are in talks to develop the Lalmonirhat Airbase, which is 135 kilometres away from the Siliguri Corridor. This is concerning as China's assistance cannot rule out its presence and surveillance near India's strategically vulnerable location. India's unease was further aggravated when Yunus touched a raw nerve by showcasing the Northeast as almost like a landlocked captive market sandwiched between China and the sole guardian of the Bay of Bengal, Bangladesh. In a sharp response, India curbed the import of ready-made garments from Bangladesh, a move intended to financially hurt Bangladesh and force it to acknowledge India's security sensitivities. The main concern for India in this triad is China's entry into its strategically crucial and vulnerable zones through an eastern front in Bangladesh. What options does India have? There is little to mend with Pakistan now that the hard lines are drawn. It is also a reality that China will attempt to intrude in South Asia and widen the chasm between India and other South Asian countries. There aren't many options for India other than to diplomatically engage and have a functional relationship with its regional counterparts for a stable neighbourhood. A punishing move, like India's restrictions on Bangladeshi imports, is only likely to harm its interests. It will provoke an even stronger anti-India narrative and create a vacuum that will be capitalised on by China. India's diplomacy has to pursue substantive gains amidst a neighbourhood where it is entangled in the identity politics of other states and an unforgiving asymmetric structure. The triad's cooperation also highlights that the longstanding features of South Asian politics show remarkable consistency. The Bangladesh-Pakistan bonhomie shows that small states may unite over rifts and grievances with big states in the region. Despite India's previously good relations with Bangladesh, Delhi always aligned itself with a particular regime and political party. India, therefore, is not merely an external player but is embedded in the corrosive domestic equations of the South Asian states. The lines between domestic and foreign policy remain blurred in the region. Finally, the smaller states will always be inclined to draw in an extra-regional balancer, here in the form of China, when rifts with the regional big power widen. The writer teaches at the Department of Political Science, St. Xavier's College (Autonomous), Kolkata
India.com
3 days ago
- Business
- India.com
Operation Sindoor creates panic in Bangladesh, Yunus government rushes to UK, likely to sign Rs 77000000000 defence deal, also plans to...
Muhammad Yunus New Delhi: Bankrupt Bangladesh has reportedly taken a major step amid rising tensions with India. The Yunus government has sent a delegation to London to strengthen its air defense system. This delegation will gather information about new air defense technologies. According to the reports, Bangladesh is likely to sign a deal worth billions of rupees with the UK. This move comes after India carried out 'Operation Sindoor' against Pakistan, where the Indian Armed Forces destroyed nine terror bases. During the operation, the Pakistani air defense system failed miserably to intercept Indian missiles. Consequently, Bangladesh has grown more vigilant about its aerial defense. Aiming to strengthen its security, the country is now seeking to enhance its defense capabilities through cooperation with other nations—prompting this recent move. Bangladesh in the UK Muhammad Yunus had sent a high-level military delegation from Bangladesh, led by Major General Mohammad Kamarul Hasan, who is the Commander of the Rangpur Area and the General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the 66 Infantry Division, to participate in the 19th Full Spectrum Air Defence Summit held in London. The delegation also includes six senior officers from the Bangladesh Army and Air Force. Bangladesh's presence at the summit reflects its intent to strengthen military partnerships. The summit in London was focused on enhancing integrated air and missile defence capabilities, with an emphasis on improving coordination among participating countries. What is Bangladesh's plan? According to reports, the Bangladesh Army is working relentlessly to reduce dependence on any single country and considering increasing military cooperation with Western countries like the UK. This will help the country with technology transfer and the procurement of weapons. UK's Sky Sabre system Bangladesh is likely to get UK's Sky Sabre system. Sky Sabre is a medium-range, land-based mobile air defense system developed by the UK. It was commissioned in 2021 The Sky Sabre system is valued at approximately $900 million (around ₹7,700 crore). This system is designed to counter threats from fighter jets, helicopters, drones, and missiles. It has also been deployed in the Falkland Islands and Poland to help secure NATO's eastern flank.
