Bangladesh's interim leader, Muhammad Yunus, has confirmed that general elections will likely take place by the end of 2025 or in the first half of 2026. Yunus, who was appointed the country’s "chief adviser" after a student-led uprising in August toppled former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, is overseeing a temporary administration that is focused on restoring democratic institutions in the country. Yunus, 84, the Nobel Peace Prize-winning microfinance pioneer, h

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar expressed concerns in the Lok Sabha regarding the safety of minorities in Bangladesh, particularly following reports of attacks on Hindus. His statement came amidst rising incidents of communal violence in the neighboring country, where the treatment of minorities, especially Hindus, has become a matter of increasing alarm. Jaishankar emphasized that the government of Bangladesh must ensure the safety and security of its minority communities, highlighti

Lalu Prasad Yadav, the RJD founder, voiced strong support for Mamata Banerjee to lead the INDIA bloc, stating that Congress's objections to this leadership "mean nothing." His remarks came after Mamata Banerjee's comments earlier this month, where she hinted at taking charge of the Opposition alliance, if given the opportunity, while still operating from Bengal. This leadership dispute within the opposition has surfaced against the backdrop of the ongoing Winter Se

Mamata Banerjee, the Trinamul Congress supremo and West Bengal Chief Minister, has expressed her readiness to take charge of the I.N.D.I.A. bloc, the opposition alliance aimed at challenging the BJP in upcoming elections. Senior leaders within the opposition, including Tejashwi Yadav of RJD and Sharad Pawar of the Nationalist Congress Party, have indicated their support for her bid, though they stress that the decision should be made through consensus among all members of the coalition.

India's Foreign Secretary, Vikram Misri, made a day-long visit to Dhaka on Monday for crucial talks with his Bangladeshi counterpart Mohammad Jashim Uddin. The visit comes amid deteriorating relations between India and Bangladesh, following the ouster of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in August due to a massive uprising. Mr. Misri arrived in Dhaka on an Indian Air Force jet, marking the first high-level visit from New Delhi since the political upheaval in Bangladesh. He was receiv

In a significant political move, Bangladesh is set to remove Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's image from its currency notes, marking a dramatic shift in the country’s national identity. Known as the "Bangabandhu" or "Friend of Bangladesh," Rahman was the iconic founding father of the country. However, recent political developments, including the student-led protests and the rise of new leadership, have led to his image being gradually erased from public life, starting wit

In response to growing protests in Kolkata over attacks on Hindu minorities in Bangladesh, Bangladesh has called Shikder Mohammad Ashrafur Rahman, the Acting Deputy High Commissioner in Kolkata, back to Dhaka for urgent consultations. Rahman, who also serves as the Minister - Political Affairs, is expected to return to Kolkata by the middle of this month, after attending the foreign secretary-level talks scheduled between India and Bangladesh next week. Protests, primarily led by po

In a major move, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma declared a statewide ban on the serving and consumption of beef in restaurants, hotels, and public spaces. The decision was made following a state cabinet meeting, which included an amendment to the existing laws surrounding beef consumption. Although the consumption of beef itself is not illegal in Assam, the Assam Cattle Preservation Act of 2021 already regulates cattle transportation, slaughter, and the sale of beef in the state. Un

Bangladesh summoned India's High Commissioner to Dhaka after the closure of its visa and consular services in Tripura, India, due to a security incident involving a protest in Agartala. The protest, which occurred against the arrest of Hindu monk Chinmoy Krishna Das, led to about 50 people entering the Bangladesh Assistant High Commission's premises. The Bangladeshi government expressed concerns over the lack of local police action to contain the situation, which left mission staff fe

In a significant escalation of trade tensions, China announced on Tuesday that it would ban the export of several key materials, including gallium, germanium, and antimony, to the United States. These materials are vital for high-tech applications, including advanced electronics and military technologies. The Chinese Commerce Ministry's decision follows a recent expansion of the U.S. “entity list,” which now includes 140 Chinese companies—many based in China, though some

The bail hearing for Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari, the Hindu priest accused of sedition in Bangladesh, has been postponed until January 2, 2025, after no lawyers appeared in court on Tuesday. This delay follows reports that a Bangladeshi lawyer defending the Hindu monk was brutally attacked at his home by Islamists and is now in the Intensive Care Unit. According to the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), the lawyer’s attack has made it impossible for him to rep

RBL Bank and Bajaj Finance Ltd. have mutually decided to stop issuing new co-branded credit cards following discussions that have taken place over the past month. While the change will not affect RBL Bank’s overall credit card business, it marks the end of a significant partnership that previously accounted for a large portion of RBL Bank’s card issuances. As of September 2023, Bajaj Finserv co-branded cards represented 41% of RBL Bank’s total credit card issuances.

India has raised serious concerns with Bangladesh over the growing incidents of violence against the Hindu minority and the rise of extremist rhetoric in the country. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) emphasized that India has been in consistent communication with Bangladesh’s interim government regarding the targeting of Hindus and other minorities. In its weekly press briefing, the MEA reiterated that India has consistently raised the issue with Bangladesh, urging the g

The New Pamban Bridge, inaugurated by Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, is a groundbreaking feat of modern engineering, representing India’s first vertical lift railway sea bridge. This bridge, located in Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu, replaces the century-old Pamban Rail Bridge, which had been in operation since 1914. The old bridge was decommissioned in December 2022 due to corrosion, paving the way for this state-of-the-art structure. Stretching 2 kilometers, the new Pamban Bridg

Sheikh Hasina, the ousted prime minister of Bangladesh, has strongly condemned the arrest of a Hindu priest and the violence in the country that followed. She demanded the immediate release of the arrested Hindu priest, describing the action as unjust. Hasina also spoke out about the death of a lawyer in Chittagong, who was killed during clashes related to the protest over the priest’s arrest. She condemned the rise in religious and communal violence, pointing out that temples, mosques,

Following the arrest of Hindu priest Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari in Dhaka, protests have erupted across Bangladesh, particularly in Chattogram. The arrest of the former ISKCON leader has triggered violent clashes, with a Hindu temple in Chattogram’s Firingibazar allegedly targeted by a mob. The incident highlights growing unrest in the country, with many in the Hindu community demanding justice for their community and for the release of Chinmoy Krishna Das. ISKCON Banglade

Indian Americans in Silicon Valley held a solidarity rally at Milpitas City Hall to condemn recent violence against Hindus in Canada and Bangladesh. Community leaders and participants called for global attention to these incidents and urged U.S. leaders to hold the governments of Canada and Bangladesh accountable for safeguarding Hindu minority populations. The rally highlighted the attack on Hindu devotees at the Hindu Sabha temple in Brampton, Canada, where Khalistani extremists t

On Tuesday, India condemned the arrest of Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari, a prominent Hindu priest and leader of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) in Bangladesh, calling for the protection of religious minorities in the country. Chandan Kumar Dhar, also known as Chinmoy Krishna Das, was arrested on Monday afternoon at Dhaka's Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport. A Dh

Starlink, the satellite internet service by Elon Musk, is set to make its entry into India's telecom and internet market, a move that could potentially disrupt the dominance of major players like Mukesh Ambani's Jio, Sunil Bharti Mittal's Airtel, and BSNL. The service aims to bring ultra-high-speed internet via satellite constellations in low-Earth orbit, offering an alternative to traditional broadband connections. Starlink has long expressed its intention to enter the

Solar Energy Corporation of India Ltd. (SECI) has debarred Reliance Power Ltd. and its subsidiary Reliance NU BESS Ltd. (formerly Maharashtra Energy Generation Ltd.) from bidding in any future SECI tenders for the next three years. This decision comes after SECI discovered that the company had submitted fake bank guarantees during the bidding process for a 1 gigawatt solar power and 2 gigawatt battery energy storage system project. The Incident: Fake Bank Guarantees in SECI Tender