Vsdoc
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This is an international forum.
Kindly adhere to the rules.
Bangla videos or articles without an English translation are NOT allowed.
Bangladesh Defense
This is an international forum.
Kindly adhere to the rules.
Bangla videos or articles without an English translation are NOT allowed.
Vsdoc
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Thank you for reporting.
Please continue to do so in case I miss these. I will take it up with the admins and see that this adda culture is stamped out.
Saif
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Misinformation campaigns and the future of Bangladesh-India relations
VISUAL: SALMAN SAKIB SHAHRYAR
After the fall of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina last week, Bangladesh was thrown into a critical state of instability and uncertainty. There was no government till Dr Muhammad Yunus took oath as the chief adviser of the interim government on August 8. During this period, the country saw an outburst of violence and crime, which was the outcome of both pent-up political frustration against the ruling party of 15 years and the result of some bigotry, and the machinations of bad actors trying to take advantage of the lawlessness for personal gains. One of the most dangerous situations that can happen in a country is the chaos, crime, and destruction that take place after an authoritarian force is forced to abdicate. Unfortunately, Bangladesh is in such a situation.
However, this issue is not just a domestic phenomenon. Several influential groups inside Bangladesh's largest neighbour have taken the initiative to create a narrative that this momentary lawlessness caused by the thoughtless abdication of the former prime minister is the prelude of a Bangladesh where bigotry and religious fundamentalism are going to flare up.
The main platform where such notions are being sensationalised at the moment is X, formerly known as Twitter. Many verified accounts on X are reporting rumours as actual news and sometimes just outright propagating fake news. What's worse is that this propagation of fake news has also been noted in Indian mainstream media, as well as among popular Indian social media personalities.
It is true that there have been concerning reports of violence against minority communities. Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Oikya Parishad reported 205 incidents of persecution of members of minority communities across 52 districts. Gobinda Pramanik, general secretary of Bangladesh National Hindu Mahajot, recently made a video statement about the matter, in which he said that, after Sheikh Hasina's resignation on August 5, the Hindu community in Bangladesh thought they would be attacked in a massive way and there would be incidents of arson. According to the general secretary, houses of some Hindu leaders of the Awami League who were very active, as well as those of some Muslim leaders, were attacked. He also stated that some opportunistic people attacked a few local temples. Coordinators of the anti-discrimination student movement called for protection of the minority communities, which was answered by many. Leaders of BNP, Jamaat and other parties, too, instructed their functionaries to ensure that Hindu homes were not attacked and temples were protected.
But against this backdrop, we saw Republic TV from India spreading rumours and making strange claims.
The West Bengal Police, in a statement posted from its official Facebook page, stated that the way some local TV channels are reporting on the current situation in Bangladesh is clearly communally inflammatory and against the norms of the Press Council of India. The West Bengal Police urged viewers to exercise their own judgement when viewing this type of coverage and keep in mind that the authenticity of the footage shown by the channel is not verified by any neutral third party. They requested people not to fall into the trap of one-sided, hateful and misleading propaganda.
The sudden upsurge in misinformation and disinformation on Indian social media coincidentally aligns with a seemingly coordinated rise in criminal activities and vandalism all over Bangladesh. Inside the country, some people are also taking to social media and calling this another attempt by pro-AL forces in India, as well as RAW, to fabricate a narrative of communalism in order to plunge Bangladesh into further unrest and instability. Needless to say, there is no evidence for any of this. Rumours beget rumours. This kind of misinformation treadmill needs to be stopped immediately lest it leads to further instances of violence, and makes the people-to-people divide between Bangladesh and India even worse.
Although it seems the Indian authorities have overtly asked for people to stop propagating fake news regarding what is happening in Bangladesh, there are many in India who firmly believe that Bangladesh is about to fall under a fundamentalist rule the moment the next general elections are held. It almost feels like, with the fall of Sheikh Hasina, some elements in India are behaving as though India has suffered a great loss. It is my humble opinion that, instead of immediately choosing to take the easily monetisable culture-war talking points, the enlightened Indian cultural leaders should first push for a democratic Bangladesh where actual political discourse can take place without fear of getting killed or disappeared by security forces. The people of Bangladesh don't need to be kept "in check" by a convenient autocrat. That is the narrative of a now-disgraced political party that has proven to lie repeatedly to the people and the world to keep power. The people of India must not fall for this narrative ever again.
India must realise the shortcomings of its foreign policy regarding Bangladesh. These should be fundamental lessons from history. Never trust a dictator to keep power. A robust and mature democracy is the only reliable international partner. Right now, India needs to revamp its approach towards Bangladesh entirely. Now is the time for genuine track 2 diplomacy. It is time for genuine people-to-people relations to ensure long-term, sustainable friendship with its most significant geostrategic partner. And this kind of change must start at home.
Zillur Rahman is the executive director of the Centre for Governance Studies (CGS) and a television talk show host.
VISUAL: SALMAN SAKIB SHAHRYAR
After the fall of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina last week, Bangladesh was thrown into a critical state of instability and uncertainty. There was no government till Dr Muhammad Yunus took oath as the chief adviser of the interim government on August 8. During this period, the country saw an outburst of violence and crime, which was the outcome of both pent-up political frustration against the ruling party of 15 years and the result of some bigotry, and the machinations of bad actors trying to take advantage of the lawlessness for personal gains. One of the most dangerous situations that can happen in a country is the chaos, crime, and destruction that take place after an authoritarian force is forced to abdicate. Unfortunately, Bangladesh is in such a situation.
However, this issue is not just a domestic phenomenon. Several influential groups inside Bangladesh's largest neighbour have taken the initiative to create a narrative that this momentary lawlessness caused by the thoughtless abdication of the former prime minister is the prelude of a Bangladesh where bigotry and religious fundamentalism are going to flare up.
The main platform where such notions are being sensationalised at the moment is X, formerly known as Twitter. Many verified accounts on X are reporting rumours as actual news and sometimes just outright propagating fake news. What's worse is that this propagation of fake news has also been noted in Indian mainstream media, as well as among popular Indian social media personalities.
It is true that there have been concerning reports of violence against minority communities. Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Oikya Parishad reported 205 incidents of persecution of members of minority communities across 52 districts. Gobinda Pramanik, general secretary of Bangladesh National Hindu Mahajot, recently made a video statement about the matter, in which he said that, after Sheikh Hasina's resignation on August 5, the Hindu community in Bangladesh thought they would be attacked in a massive way and there would be incidents of arson. According to the general secretary, houses of some Hindu leaders of the Awami League who were very active, as well as those of some Muslim leaders, were attacked. He also stated that some opportunistic people attacked a few local temples. Coordinators of the anti-discrimination student movement called for protection of the minority communities, which was answered by many. Leaders of BNP, Jamaat and other parties, too, instructed their functionaries to ensure that Hindu homes were not attacked and temples were protected.
But against this backdrop, we saw Republic TV from India spreading rumours and making strange claims.
The West Bengal Police, in a statement posted from its official Facebook page, stated that the way some local TV channels are reporting on the current situation in Bangladesh is clearly communally inflammatory and against the norms of the Press Council of India. The West Bengal Police urged viewers to exercise their own judgement when viewing this type of coverage and keep in mind that the authenticity of the footage shown by the channel is not verified by any neutral third party. They requested people not to fall into the trap of one-sided, hateful and misleading propaganda.
The sudden upsurge in misinformation and disinformation on Indian social media coincidentally aligns with a seemingly coordinated rise in criminal activities and vandalism all over Bangladesh. Inside the country, some people are also taking to social media and calling this another attempt by pro-AL forces in India, as well as RAW, to fabricate a narrative of communalism in order to plunge Bangladesh into further unrest and instability. Needless to say, there is no evidence for any of this. Rumours beget rumours. This kind of misinformation treadmill needs to be stopped immediately lest it leads to further instances of violence, and makes the people-to-people divide between Bangladesh and India even worse.
Although it seems the Indian authorities have overtly asked for people to stop propagating fake news regarding what is happening in Bangladesh, there are many in India who firmly believe that Bangladesh is about to fall under a fundamentalist rule the moment the next general elections are held. It almost feels like, with the fall of Sheikh Hasina, some elements in India are behaving as though India has suffered a great loss. It is my humble opinion that, instead of immediately choosing to take the easily monetisable culture-war talking points, the enlightened Indian cultural leaders should first push for a democratic Bangladesh where actual political discourse can take place without fear of getting killed or disappeared by security forces. The people of Bangladesh don't need to be kept "in check" by a convenient autocrat. That is the narrative of a now-disgraced political party that has proven to lie repeatedly to the people and the world to keep power. The people of India must not fall for this narrative ever again.
India must realise the shortcomings of its foreign policy regarding Bangladesh. These should be fundamental lessons from history. Never trust a dictator to keep power. A robust and mature democracy is the only reliable international partner. Right now, India needs to revamp its approach towards Bangladesh entirely. Now is the time for genuine track 2 diplomacy. It is time for genuine people-to-people relations to ensure long-term, sustainable friendship with its most significant geostrategic partner. And this kind of change must start at home.
Zillur Rahman is the executive director of the Centre for Governance Studies (CGS) and a television talk show host.
Saif
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Regime change in Bangladesh: The fallout for India
India's best interest may perhaps lie in strengthening a new democracy in Bangladesh.
Regime change in Bangladesh: The fallout for India
Did Bangladeshs inevitable neighbour follow even a rule of its own best interest in underscoring the dynastic autocracy in Bangladesh? PHOTO: PID
Vladimir Lenin, after all, was right. Sometimes, there are decades where nothing happens; and there are weeks where decades happen. Glory to the martyrs and vanguards of Bangladesh who made it to a possible democracy once more!
In Bangladesh, August is apparently a month when decades happen. Karl Marx famously said, "History repeats itself, first as tragedy, second as farce." If the fall of the BAKSAL (Bangladesh Krishak Sramik Awami League) regime in August 1975 was a tragedy, the boisterous exit of the regime this August is a repetition, this time as a farce. The free fall of the regime is a relief for many; however, there are also darker clouds around in the horizon.
The odds are no less apparent. One of these concerns India, the nation-state's largest neighbour. The facts around the number one superpower, the US, are another concern. But I can't deal with the second topic in this space. Let me rather stay with only India today.
To some, the events of July-August, for all their valour and glory may tell the same old story. But it is not exactly a void in which they disgorge.
The coup d'état of 1975 was organised clandestinely. It was a civilian-military combined effort. There is good evidence that it was sustained by a Western power. The current conjuncture seems to involve a broad coalition of radical forces led by university students, sustained by the support of a cross-section of civil society, political parties and the so-called international community. The fallout now is more uncertain than ever, at least compared to what it was a half century earlier.
The Awami League regime in 1975 under Sheikh Mujibur Rahman had gone berserk with its one nation one leader "mantra". In 2024, the daughter's regime only went wilder with its sheer ruthlessness. History repeated itself.
It is perhaps too early to say what awaits us even in the not-too-distant future. A doubt pops up, nevertheless. What is the nature of the August 5 revolution? Is it a popular revolution like the French Revolution flying the banner of equality, human dignity, and social justice? Or is it to prove a coup d'etat of sorts, an 18th Brumaire of civil society, midwifed by the "international community", tailored by the armed forces? How different is it going to be from the events of January 11, 2007, events welcomed by the country's biggest neighbour, India? We hardly learn from history. That seems to be the only takeaway from history's department stores.
One does not choose from an empty set. Not a neighbour, at any rate. Nations act, as everyone knows, not as philanthropists or cynics but in their own best interest. Did Bangladesh's inevitable neighbour follow even a rule of its own best interest in underscoring the dynastic autocracy in Bangladesh? Was that the best option it had had? Will it learn a lesson, in all candour, this turnaround? These are questions best left to political pundits in India and beyond.
For us, citizens and denizens of Bangladesh, it is more of a single-payer option. India's unabashed selfishness in promoting a regime that clearly violated all rules of liberal democracy proves highly short-sighted, more now than ever.
What alternatives did India have to choose from is not apparent, or not well-known in any case. But it may even be non-transparent. In 1975, India blatantly ignored its lower riparian neighbour in claiming the Ganga-Padma as a virtually all-India domestic watercourse. That it is an international river, it apparently forgot then. India's stance on other watercourses changed little since then. The waters of the Teesta and many other common international rivers don't flow quietly anymore.
Border killings on a rhythmic scale are not simply a mystic symbol of India's political muscle but of its myopic nature. It is a bizarre thing: "India's Bangladesh Problem," as one pundit called it. Termites, they call their unhandsome neighbours.
India's China obsession, at least ever since her war with China in 1962, could have misled it to its Bangladesh policy. But a people who didn't put up with Pakistan's proto-colonial repressive regime of two and a half decades can hardly be expected (let alone taken for granted) to welcome such a proverbial "subsidiary alliance" as India desires to perpetrate on Bangladesh.
The latest regime change in the wake of a popular mass uprising should provide an occasion to rethink future relations between the two sovereign neighbours in South Asia, adorned by the common historical legacy of many centuries.
The immiseration of one neighbour for the benefit of the other can only be sustained by such regimes as the just fallen one in Bangladesh. India is a habitat, nay a breeding ground, of proverbial wise men. I am sure they will not be deluded by dreams of "Akhand Hindustan". That simply will not work.
The regime change of August 2024 may also provide an occasion to reflect on the question of national identity, a question the think tanks of national security (or regional imperialism if you like) can only ignore at their own peril.
Let history not repeat a second tragedy. The regime change in Dhaka, apparently, will enjoy the blessings of the "international community". But it is unlikely to work well if India does not think today what forces of circumstances will force it to think tomorrow.
India's best interest may perhaps lie in strengthening a new democracy in Bangladesh. At any rate, not obstructing democratic aspirations of a new generation in its eastward neighbourhood is the key point.
Dr Salimullah Khan is professor of general education at the University of Liberal Arts.
Did Bangladeshs inevitable neighbour follow even a rule of its own best interest in underscoring the dynastic autocracy in Bangladesh? PHOTO: PID
Vladimir Lenin, after all, was right. Sometimes, there are decades where nothing happens; and there are weeks where decades happen. Glory to the martyrs and vanguards of Bangladesh who made it to a possible democracy once more!
In Bangladesh, August is apparently a month when decades happen. Karl Marx famously said, "History repeats itself, first as tragedy, second as farce." If the fall of the BAKSAL (Bangladesh Krishak Sramik Awami League) regime in August 1975 was a tragedy, the boisterous exit of the regime this August is a repetition, this time as a farce. The free fall of the regime is a relief for many; however, there are also darker clouds around in the horizon.
The odds are no less apparent. One of these concerns India, the nation-state's largest neighbour. The facts around the number one superpower, the US, are another concern. But I can't deal with the second topic in this space. Let me rather stay with only India today.
To some, the events of July-August, for all their valour and glory may tell the same old story. But it is not exactly a void in which they disgorge.
The coup d'état of 1975 was organised clandestinely. It was a civilian-military combined effort. There is good evidence that it was sustained by a Western power. The current conjuncture seems to involve a broad coalition of radical forces led by university students, sustained by the support of a cross-section of civil society, political parties and the so-called international community. The fallout now is more uncertain than ever, at least compared to what it was a half century earlier.
The Awami League regime in 1975 under Sheikh Mujibur Rahman had gone berserk with its one nation one leader "mantra". In 2024, the daughter's regime only went wilder with its sheer ruthlessness. History repeated itself.
It is perhaps too early to say what awaits us even in the not-too-distant future. A doubt pops up, nevertheless. What is the nature of the August 5 revolution? Is it a popular revolution like the French Revolution flying the banner of equality, human dignity, and social justice? Or is it to prove a coup d'etat of sorts, an 18th Brumaire of civil society, midwifed by the "international community", tailored by the armed forces? How different is it going to be from the events of January 11, 2007, events welcomed by the country's biggest neighbour, India? We hardly learn from history. That seems to be the only takeaway from history's department stores.
One does not choose from an empty set. Not a neighbour, at any rate. Nations act, as everyone knows, not as philanthropists or cynics but in their own best interest. Did Bangladesh's inevitable neighbour follow even a rule of its own best interest in underscoring the dynastic autocracy in Bangladesh? Was that the best option it had had? Will it learn a lesson, in all candour, this turnaround? These are questions best left to political pundits in India and beyond.
For us, citizens and denizens of Bangladesh, it is more of a single-payer option. India's unabashed selfishness in promoting a regime that clearly violated all rules of liberal democracy proves highly short-sighted, more now than ever.
What alternatives did India have to choose from is not apparent, or not well-known in any case. But it may even be non-transparent. In 1975, India blatantly ignored its lower riparian neighbour in claiming the Ganga-Padma as a virtually all-India domestic watercourse. That it is an international river, it apparently forgot then. India's stance on other watercourses changed little since then. The waters of the Teesta and many other common international rivers don't flow quietly anymore.
Border killings on a rhythmic scale are not simply a mystic symbol of India's political muscle but of its myopic nature. It is a bizarre thing: "India's Bangladesh Problem," as one pundit called it. Termites, they call their unhandsome neighbours.
India's China obsession, at least ever since her war with China in 1962, could have misled it to its Bangladesh policy. But a people who didn't put up with Pakistan's proto-colonial repressive regime of two and a half decades can hardly be expected (let alone taken for granted) to welcome such a proverbial "subsidiary alliance" as India desires to perpetrate on Bangladesh.
The latest regime change in the wake of a popular mass uprising should provide an occasion to rethink future relations between the two sovereign neighbours in South Asia, adorned by the common historical legacy of many centuries.
The immiseration of one neighbour for the benefit of the other can only be sustained by such regimes as the just fallen one in Bangladesh. India is a habitat, nay a breeding ground, of proverbial wise men. I am sure they will not be deluded by dreams of "Akhand Hindustan". That simply will not work.
The regime change of August 2024 may also provide an occasion to reflect on the question of national identity, a question the think tanks of national security (or regional imperialism if you like) can only ignore at their own peril.
Let history not repeat a second tragedy. The regime change in Dhaka, apparently, will enjoy the blessings of the "international community". But it is unlikely to work well if India does not think today what forces of circumstances will force it to think tomorrow.
India's best interest may perhaps lie in strengthening a new democracy in Bangladesh. At any rate, not obstructing democratic aspirations of a new generation in its eastward neighbourhood is the key point.
Dr Salimullah Khan is professor of general education at the University of Liberal Arts.
Saif
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Dhaka slams desecration of nat’l flag in Kolkata
The government yesterday strongly condemned the desecration of Bangladesh’s national flag and the burning of Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus’s effigy in Kolkata as “deplorable acts”.
Dhaka slams desecration of nat’l flag in Kolkata
Decries violent protest outside its mission
The government yesterday strongly condemned the desecration of Bangladesh's national flag and the burning of Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus's effigy in Kolkata as "deplorable acts".
The foreign ministry in a statement decried the violent protests outside the Deputy High Commission of Bangladesh in the West Bengal capital.
Expressing "deep concern" over the incident, the ministry called upon the Indian government to take necessary measures to prevent such occurrences.
It also urged New Delhi to ensure the safety and security of all the diplomatic missions of Bangladesh in India as well as its diplomats and non-diplomatic members of staff.
A large group of protesters participated in the demonstration in the evening, organised by a Kolkata-based Hindu organisation "Bongio Hindu Jagran".
The protest turned violent as the demonstrators broke through police barricades and reached the boundaries of the Bangladesh Deputy High Commission, according to the foreign ministry statement.
"They set fire to the national flag of Bangladesh and burned the effigy of the Hon'ble Chief Adviser of the Government of Bangladesh," the statement said.
Although the situation seems to be under control at the moment, there is a prevailing sense of insecurity among all the members of the Deputy High Commission, it added.
Decries violent protest outside its mission
The government yesterday strongly condemned the desecration of Bangladesh's national flag and the burning of Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus's effigy in Kolkata as "deplorable acts".
The foreign ministry in a statement decried the violent protests outside the Deputy High Commission of Bangladesh in the West Bengal capital.
Expressing "deep concern" over the incident, the ministry called upon the Indian government to take necessary measures to prevent such occurrences.
It also urged New Delhi to ensure the safety and security of all the diplomatic missions of Bangladesh in India as well as its diplomats and non-diplomatic members of staff.
A large group of protesters participated in the demonstration in the evening, organised by a Kolkata-based Hindu organisation "Bongio Hindu Jagran".
The protest turned violent as the demonstrators broke through police barricades and reached the boundaries of the Bangladesh Deputy High Commission, according to the foreign ministry statement.
"They set fire to the national flag of Bangladesh and burned the effigy of the Hon'ble Chief Adviser of the Government of Bangladesh," the statement said.
Although the situation seems to be under control at the moment, there is a prevailing sense of insecurity among all the members of the Deputy High Commission, it added.
Saif
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‘Plot on to label Bangladesh as a communal country’
Stating that there is a plot to brand Bangladesh as a communal country by labelling false allegations of repression against minorities, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir yesterday urged all to remain alert to thwart such a move.
‘Plot on to label Bangladesh as a communal country’
Says Fakhrul; he leaves for London today to meet Tarique
Photo: AFP
Stating that there is a plot to brand Bangladesh as a communal country by labelling false allegations of repression against minorities, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir yesterday urged all to remain alert to thwart such a move.
"My only request is that what we have achieved should not go in vain, because there is a fascist sitting on the other side of the border," he said at a student convention held at the Krishibid Institute of Bangladesh (KIB).
The event, titled "Student Convention 2024," was organised by the Thakurgaon Chhatra Kalyan Parishad in Dhaka.
The BNP leader claimed that fascist forces, staying in India, are devising various conspiracies and instigating a series of untoward incidents.
"After orchestrating these incidents, they are spreading them worldwide to portray Bangladesh as a country of fundamentalists, where minorities are being persecuted."
Fakhrul said the Indian newspapers and social media relay such vile incidents as evidence of what is happening in Bangladesh.
"Actually, it is not. Who is doing these things? Why are they doing them? I am saying this because we have no time to be happy that we have won..."
The BNP leader said a sword is still above the heads of the democratic and pro-Bangladesh forces.
"They [fascist forces] are trying to take us back to darkness everywhere. So, we must stay vigilant and alert. Any hasty actions or chaos must be prevented to ensure that no one can instigate it."
The BNP leader also alleged that the Awami League had depleted the country's resources through widespread planning and corruption.
"The economy has been ruined, banks have been plundered, and looting, bribery, and corruption were rampant everywhere. We must put a stop to these things and build resistance against them."
Fakhrul also expressed frustration over the fact that students from different colleges were fighting against each other, despite having once united to overthrow an oppressive regime. "This is not acceptable in any way."
"We must stand against this, as it is a conspiracy...Your [students'] responsibility is to make people understand that this is not the way. I am deeply concerned when I see a lawyer killed on the road in the name of ISKCON, in the name of religion."
Fakhrul thanked the students for their crucial role in helping oust the fascist government through a mass uprising. "Fighting against fascism without resources is nearly impossible, but your courage made it possible."
Throughout Bangladesh's history, he said whenever the people, along with students, united in resistance, victory was always achieved.
FAKHRUL LEAVES FOR LONDON
Fakhrul is scheduled to leave for London, UK, today for a 10-day visit, said BNP media cell member Sayrul Kabir Khan.
According to BNP sources, Fakhrul is travelling to London to meet party acting chairman Tarique Rahman to discuss political and party matters.
Once Mirza Fakhrul returns, BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia may travel to London for medical treatment.
Says Fakhrul; he leaves for London today to meet Tarique
Photo: AFP
Stating that there is a plot to brand Bangladesh as a communal country by labelling false allegations of repression against minorities, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir yesterday urged all to remain alert to thwart such a move.
"My only request is that what we have achieved should not go in vain, because there is a fascist sitting on the other side of the border," he said at a student convention held at the Krishibid Institute of Bangladesh (KIB).
The event, titled "Student Convention 2024," was organised by the Thakurgaon Chhatra Kalyan Parishad in Dhaka.
The BNP leader claimed that fascist forces, staying in India, are devising various conspiracies and instigating a series of untoward incidents.
"After orchestrating these incidents, they are spreading them worldwide to portray Bangladesh as a country of fundamentalists, where minorities are being persecuted."
Fakhrul said the Indian newspapers and social media relay such vile incidents as evidence of what is happening in Bangladesh.
"Actually, it is not. Who is doing these things? Why are they doing them? I am saying this because we have no time to be happy that we have won..."
The BNP leader said a sword is still above the heads of the democratic and pro-Bangladesh forces.
"They [fascist forces] are trying to take us back to darkness everywhere. So, we must stay vigilant and alert. Any hasty actions or chaos must be prevented to ensure that no one can instigate it."
The BNP leader also alleged that the Awami League had depleted the country's resources through widespread planning and corruption.
"The economy has been ruined, banks have been plundered, and looting, bribery, and corruption were rampant everywhere. We must put a stop to these things and build resistance against them."
Fakhrul also expressed frustration over the fact that students from different colleges were fighting against each other, despite having once united to overthrow an oppressive regime. "This is not acceptable in any way."
"We must stand against this, as it is a conspiracy...Your [students'] responsibility is to make people understand that this is not the way. I am deeply concerned when I see a lawyer killed on the road in the name of ISKCON, in the name of religion."
Fakhrul thanked the students for their crucial role in helping oust the fascist government through a mass uprising. "Fighting against fascism without resources is nearly impossible, but your courage made it possible."
Throughout Bangladesh's history, he said whenever the people, along with students, united in resistance, victory was always achieved.
FAKHRUL LEAVES FOR LONDON
Fakhrul is scheduled to leave for London, UK, today for a 10-day visit, said BNP media cell member Sayrul Kabir Khan.
According to BNP sources, Fakhrul is travelling to London to meet party acting chairman Tarique Rahman to discuss political and party matters.
Once Mirza Fakhrul returns, BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia may travel to London for medical treatment.
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Dhaka slams desecration of nat’l flag in Kolkata
The government yesterday strongly condemned the desecration of Bangladesh’s national flag and the burning of Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus’s effigy in Kolkata as “deplorable acts”.www.thedailystar.net
Dhaka slams desecration of nat’l flag in Kolkata
Decries violent protest outside its mission
View attachment 11142
The government yesterday strongly condemned the desecration of Bangladesh's national flag and the burning of Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus's effigy in Kolkata as "deplorable acts".
The foreign ministry in a statement decried the violent protests outside the Deputy High Commission of Bangladesh in the West Bengal capital.
Expressing "deep concern" over the incident, the ministry called upon the Indian government to take necessary measures to prevent such occurrences.
It also urged New Delhi to ensure the safety and security of all the diplomatic missions of Bangladesh in India as well as its diplomats and non-diplomatic members of staff.
A large group of protesters participated in the demonstration in the evening, organised by a Kolkata-based Hindu organisation "Bongio Hindu Jagran".
The protest turned violent as the demonstrators broke through police barricades and reached the boundaries of the Bangladesh Deputy High Commission, according to the foreign ministry statement.
"They set fire to the national flag of Bangladesh and burned the effigy of the Hon'ble Chief Adviser of the Government of Bangladesh," the statement said.
Although the situation seems to be under control at the moment, there is a prevailing sense of insecurity among all the members of the Deputy High Commission, it added.
I think it may be time to call in the Indian ambassador in Dhaka to the Bangladesh foreign ministry, and give him an earful before handing him a protest note.
If things get worse, then - recall Bangladesh' high commissioner/ambassador back home from New Delhi and Kolkata. No more visas allowed for Indians.
Both parties have to work at bilateral relations, Bangladeshis should not take this sort of insult lying down.
Indians are having a hard time accepting that the horses have left the barn and that ships have sailed.
Last edited:
Saif
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Kolkata’s flag-burning incident must not recur
Such hostile acts will add fuel to the fire
Kolkata’s flag-burning incident must not recur
Such hostile acts will add fuel to the fire
Visual: Star
The burning of the Bangladesh national flag and the effigy of the chief adviser to the interim government of Bangladesh outside the Bangladesh Deputy High Commission in Kolkata was a reckless and provocative act. This incident has the potential to inflame tensions between India and Bangladesh, exacerbating already strained relations. Such hostile displays only serve to deepen divisions.
According to Bangladesh's foreign ministry, violent protests erupted with demonstrators breaking through police barricades and reaching the Bangladesh Deputy High Commission's boundaries, creating a sense of insecurity among the staff. This kind of aggression threatens not only bilateral relations but could have far-reaching consequences, spilling over into social unrest and further instability in the region.
What makes this incident even more concerning is the involvement of certain Indian regional political figures who appear to be exploiting anti-Bangladesh sentiment for domestic political gain. The recent inflammatory rhetoric and actions by some politicians risk undermining India's own foreign policy and could have broader implications. India has long been a vocal advocate for the rights of minorities in Bangladesh, which the interim government has time and again committed to uphold.
One particularly dangerous narrative being peddled is the claim that the arrest of former ISKCON member Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari is an attack on the Hindu community in Bangladesh. This rhetoric is baseless and irresponsible. The arrest has been misrepresented by sections of the Indian media, which serves to stoke fears and fuel divisions. The tragic death of a lawyer during protests in Chattogram has further been distorted to fit this narrative. Initially, some outlets erroneously claimed that the lawyer, a Muslim, had been targeted because he was representing Chinmoy Das, but this was later proven false. Despite this, false narratives continue to circulate, amplifying tensions.
India and Bangladesh share a complex history, but they also share significant economic and strategic interests. The actions of a few individuals should not be allowed to undermine the broader relationship. It is time for both governments, and particularly the Indian media, to resist the temptation of inflammatory rhetoric and focus on strengthening the ties that bind the two nations. The stakes are far too high to allow such provocative incidents to escalate into something far worse.
We urge the Indian media, in particular, to exercise rigorous journalistic principles when reporting these incidents and to avoid taking them out of context, which may lead to exaggeration and misreporting.
Such hostile acts will add fuel to the fire
Visual: Star
The burning of the Bangladesh national flag and the effigy of the chief adviser to the interim government of Bangladesh outside the Bangladesh Deputy High Commission in Kolkata was a reckless and provocative act. This incident has the potential to inflame tensions between India and Bangladesh, exacerbating already strained relations. Such hostile displays only serve to deepen divisions.
According to Bangladesh's foreign ministry, violent protests erupted with demonstrators breaking through police barricades and reaching the Bangladesh Deputy High Commission's boundaries, creating a sense of insecurity among the staff. This kind of aggression threatens not only bilateral relations but could have far-reaching consequences, spilling over into social unrest and further instability in the region.
What makes this incident even more concerning is the involvement of certain Indian regional political figures who appear to be exploiting anti-Bangladesh sentiment for domestic political gain. The recent inflammatory rhetoric and actions by some politicians risk undermining India's own foreign policy and could have broader implications. India has long been a vocal advocate for the rights of minorities in Bangladesh, which the interim government has time and again committed to uphold.
One particularly dangerous narrative being peddled is the claim that the arrest of former ISKCON member Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari is an attack on the Hindu community in Bangladesh. This rhetoric is baseless and irresponsible. The arrest has been misrepresented by sections of the Indian media, which serves to stoke fears and fuel divisions. The tragic death of a lawyer during protests in Chattogram has further been distorted to fit this narrative. Initially, some outlets erroneously claimed that the lawyer, a Muslim, had been targeted because he was representing Chinmoy Das, but this was later proven false. Despite this, false narratives continue to circulate, amplifying tensions.
India and Bangladesh share a complex history, but they also share significant economic and strategic interests. The actions of a few individuals should not be allowed to undermine the broader relationship. It is time for both governments, and particularly the Indian media, to resist the temptation of inflammatory rhetoric and focus on strengthening the ties that bind the two nations. The stakes are far too high to allow such provocative incidents to escalate into something far worse.
We urge the Indian media, in particular, to exercise rigorous journalistic principles when reporting these incidents and to avoid taking them out of context, which may lead to exaggeration and misreporting.
