Bangladesh’s Election Commission has launched a nationwide programme to train nearly one million people for the 13th parliamentary polls set for February, before Ramadan. Running from September to December at a cost of about Tk 1 billion (USD 9 million), the programme covers election officials, magistrates, law enforcement, polling agents, journalists, and observers. Training includes […]
The idea of a caretaker government in Bangladesh emerged from a political consensus in the mid-1990s, when distrust between parties made it impossible to hold credible elections under a ruling government. Advocates point to its achievements: the system temporarily restored public faith in democracy, ensured opposition participation in elections, and created a sense of neutrality […]
A year after Bangladesh formed a commission to investigate enforced disappearances, victims and families are calling for justice and reparations. The interim government launched the inquiry on August 27, 2024, following the ousting of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Mir Ahmad Bin Quasem, held in secret detention for nearly nine years, told Fortify Rights: “In […]
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has projected India as a rising power under Hindu nationalism, but analysts say the country’s limits are increasingly evident. Despite rapid growth and diplomatic gains, India faces deep inequality, youth unemployment, and military shortcomings compared with China. Modi’s nationalist rhetoric boosts his domestic image but often clashes with fragile infrastructure and […]
A geopolitical expert has asserted that the United States views India as expendable leverage rather than a core ally in its global strategic framework, pointing to recent tariffs on Indian imports as evidence of that stance. George Friedman, chairman of Geopolitical Futures, said the U.S. decision to impose tariffs was less about penalizing India for […]
President Donald Trump imposed a 50% tariff on Indian imports, one of the steepest levies the U.S. charges, on Wednesday. The move follows a new 25% baseline tariff set earlier this month and is aimed at punishing India for purchasing Russian oil. The decision risks straining ties with New Delhi, America’s fifth-largest trading partner, while […]
Bangladesh has reiterated its call for Pakistan to issue a formal apology for atrocities committed during the 1971 Liberation War, stressing that genuine reconciliation cannot take place without addressing historical injustices. Foreign Affairs Adviser Md. Touhid Hossain delivered the message during a meeting Sunday with Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar in […]
Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus is signaling a strategic shift in Bangladesh’s regional diplomacy, placing renewed emphasis on cooperation within South Asia through the revival of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation, or SAARC. His recent talks with Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar in Dhaka reflect a broader effort to rebuild ties across the region […]
The recent abduction of 12 Bangladeshi fishermen from the Naf River marks yet another escalation in a troubling series of cross-border aggressions that demand a decisive and coordinated response from the Bangladeshi state. The incident, which occurred Saturday afternoon near Naikkhongdia in Teknaf, involved armed members of the Arakan Army taking control of a fishing […]
Pakistan’s deputy prime minister and foreign minister arrived in Dhaka on Saturday in a visit that marks the highest-level contact between the two countries since 2012, signaling a potential thaw in historically tense relations. Senator Muhammad Ishaq Dar is in Bangladesh for a two-day visit at the invitation of the Bangladeshi government. He was received […]
