In another significant development in the country’s continuing political transition nearly two years after the mass uprising that ended former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s long tenure Bangladesh President Mohammed Shahabuddin has reportedly resigned Friday.

According to local media reports on Friday, Shahabuddin submitted his resignation after informing Prime Minister Muhammad Rahman earlier this week. There has been no official statement from the presidency, and Shahabuddin has not publicly commented on the reports.

The 76-year-old assumed office in April 2023 after being elected unopposed as the Awami League’s nominee for a five-year term. While the Bangladeshi president serves as the country’s constitutional head of state, the office is largely ceremonial, with executive authority vested in the prime minister and the cabinet. 

Role Became Crucial After Hasina’s Ouster

Although the presidency traditionally carries limited executive powers, Shahabuddin’s position gained unusual significance after Sheikh Hasina fled to India in August 2024 following a nationwide student-led uprising that brought an abrupt end to her government.

The political turmoil created a temporary vacuum in the country’s leadership until a caretaker administration was installed to oversee governance and chart a path toward fresh elections.

Shahabuddin remained in office throughout the transition, overseeing constitutional formalities during one of Bangladesh’s most turbulent political periods in recent decades.

Pressure Mounts Over Hasina’s Return

The reported resignation comes as Bangladesh’s interim administration faces increasing calls to remove officials perceived to be aligned with Hasina’s former government. Public pressure has intensified following reports that the ousted prime minister, who has been living in India since leaving office, intends to return to Bangladesh later this year.

In November last year, Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal sentenced Hasina to death in absentia over the government’s crackdown on anti-government protests. A UN assessment estimated that nearly 1,400 people were killed during the unrest. Hasina has rejected the allegations and continues to deny any wrongdoing.

In an earlier interview with Reuters, Shahabuddin had indicated that he planned to leave office after the scheduled February election, saying he had been sidelined by the interim administration that replaced Hasina’s government.

Hasina has also told Reuters that she and senior Awami League leaders intend to return to Bangladesh and surrender to authorities. The Awami League, once the country’s dominant political force, has since been banned, though the former prime minister continues to retain support among sections of the population. (First Post)

The post Bangladesh President Mohammed Shahabuddin resigns amid ongoing political transition: Report appeared first on Newswire.

A Bangladesh zoo has removed a sign naming a rare albino buffalo “Donald Trump” after the exhibit sparked controversy. 

Local media report the sign has been taken down, while the zoo’s curator was dismissed over the weekend, though officials have not disclosed a reason for the firing. 

The buffalo, nicknamed “Donald Trump” because of its distinctive blond tuft of hair, became an overnight viral sensation on social media earlier this year.

Originally sold for ritual slaughter during Eid al‑Adha, the nearly 700‑kilogram (1,500‑pound) animal drew large crowds to the farm where it was kept, with visitors travelling from different areas to see it.

Authorities intervened amid growing security and crowd management concerns, arranging for the buffalo to be moved to the national zoo in Dhaka instead of being sacrificed.

The animal’s owner said the nickname came from its hairstyle, which many compared to that of US President Donald Trump.

The government’s decision to preserve the buffalo and its subsequent relocation to the zoo drew widespread attention, but the naming of the animal after a political figure triggered debate. (Newswire)

The post Bangladesh Zoo removes “Donald Trump” Buffalo sign, Curator fired appeared first on Newswire.

Bangladeshi Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman was elected President of the UN General Assembly’s 81st session on Tuesday after defeating Andreas Kakouris of Cyprus in a closely contested vote, positioning himself to steer the world body through a pivotal year marked by intensifying global crises, UN reform efforts and major leadership transitions. 

In a secret-ballot election, Rahman secured 99 votes to Kakouris’s 91. A total of 190 ballots were cast, with no invalid votes or abstentions.

The presidency rotates among the UN’s five regional groups, and the 81st session falls to the Asia-Pacific group. Rahman will serve a one-year term starting on 8 September.  

His presidency will coincide with one of the most consequential processes on the UN calendar: the selection of Secretary-General António Guterres’s successor, whose term ends on 31 December 2026.

Rahman brings more than four decades of diplomatic and multilateral experience to the role. Bangladesh’s Foreign Minister since February, he previously served as National Security Adviser and High Representative on the Rohingya Issue.  

A career diplomat, he joined Bangladesh’s foreign service in 1979. He also held senior UN positions in New York and Geneva.

Accepting the position, Rahman said he was taking on the role “with humility and respect” at a moment when confidence in the international system was under strain.

“The UN will commence its ninth decade at a time when trust in our organization is being tested on multiple fronts,” he told Member States.

“Taken together, these challenges tend to undermine the public trust and confidence in the ability of our organization to deliver its promises.”

Rahman said his presidency would focus on six broad priorities: peace and security; accelerating progress on the SDGs; climate action and environmental protection; human rights; governance of emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, and UN reform.

Drawing on Bangladesh’s experience in peacekeeping, he pledged to support preventive diplomacy, peacebuilding and civilian protection.

He also highlighted the need to address development financing gaps, advance implementation of the Global Digital Compact and strengthen the UN’s effectiveness at a time of growing pressure on multilateral institutions.

The election comes amid what the current General Assembly President Annalena Baerbock described as an exceptionally difficult period for multilateral diplomacy.

Addressing Member States after the vote, Baerbock said the UN was facing “not only headwinds, but immense pressure,” with consensus increasingly difficult to achieve and defence of the UN Charter becoming “a daily necessity.”

“The role of the president of the General Assembly is no longer simply procedural,” she said.

The General Assembly is the UN’s most representative body, bringing together all 193 Member States, each with one vote. While its resolutions are generally not legally binding, the Assembly serves as the principal forum for international deliberation on peace and security, development, human rights and international law.

The 81st session will open on 8 September, with world leaders gathering two weeks later for the annual high-level debate at UN Headquarters in New York. (UN)

The post UN General Assembly elects Bangladesh’s Foreign Minister as next president appeared first on Newswire.

A Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion event, comprising a Media Networking Session, a B2B Roadshow, and a Tour Operators Networking Evening, was held in Dhaka, Bangladesh, in April. 

According to the High Commission of Sri Lanka in Dhaka, the event from 05–06 April 2026 was organized by the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau (SLTPB) in close collaboration with the High Commission of Sri Lanka in Dhaka, and took place at the Le Méridien Dhaka.

The initiative brought together key stakeholders from the tourism industries of Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, reinforcing strong professional linkages and opening new avenues for enhanced tourism cooperation between the two friendly nations.

The Media Networking Session, held on 05 April 2026, provided a dynamic platform for engagement among print, electronic, and digital media professionals from both countries. The session facilitated meaningful dialogue between media representatives, tourism authorities, and industry stakeholders. The media continues to play a pivotal role in supporting tourism promotion efforts, advancing responsible and sustainable tourism practices, and highlighting emerging business and investment opportunities within the tourism sectors of Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, the High Commission of Sri Lanka in Dhaka, said in a statement.

The B2B Roadshow and Tour Operators Networking Evening, held on 06 April 2026, brought together leading tour operators, travel agents, and key industry stakeholders from both countries in an engaging and collaborative setting. The event provided a platform to further strengthen strategic partnerships, promote joint tourism initiatives, and encourage sustained B2B engagement, with the aim of significantly enhancing two-way tourist flows between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.

The High Commission noted that tour operators and travel agents play a vital role as the essential bridge between destinations and travelers. They shape destination perceptions, curate attractive travel experiences, and ensure seamless travel facilitation. Their expertise enables the promotion of diverse tourism segments, including leisure travel, MICE tourism, wellness tourism, cultural tourism, and emerging health tourism opportunities. In addition, they play a key role in facilitating group travel, corporate exchanges, and business-related visits, thereby contributing to broader economic and tourism linkages.

Sri Lanka and Bangladesh share long-standing cordial relations, grounded in common cultural values, historical ties, and expanding economic cooperation. Tourism has emerged as a vibrant and strategic sector, further strengthening these ties by bringing the people of both countries closer while generating mutual economic benefits.

Sri Lanka is increasingly recognized as a preferred destination among Bangladeshi travellers for both leisure and business purposes, and has become one of the important source markets for Sri Lanka’s tourism industry. In 2025, over 59,000 Bangladeshi visitors travelled to Sri Lanka, reflecting the country’s strong reputation as a welcoming, safe, and attractive destination, the statement said.

The High Commission of Sri Lanka went on to note that, nevertheless, significant untapped potential remains to further expand two-way tourism flows between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. With enhanced air connectivity, improved accessibility, and strengthened collaboration among tourism stakeholders, new opportunities can be unlocked not only in tourism but also in trade, investment, and broader economic cooperation between the two countries.

The Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau, SriLankan Airlines, FitsAir, along with tour operators and travel agents from both Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, as well as the Tour Operators Association of Bangladesh (TOAB) and the Bangladesh Outbound Tour Operators Association (BOTOA), participated in this landmark tourism promotional event in Dhaka as key industry partners and stakeholders. (Newswire)

The post Sri Lanka Tourism hosts promotional event in Dhaka appeared first on Newswire.

Bangladesh says it suspects measles has killed at least 98 children in the past three weeks, official data show, with the capital, Dhaka, ramping up vaccination efforts in the worst affected areas.

Last week, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman directed two senior ministers to travel across the South Asian nation of 170 million people to assess the scale of the crisis to help coordinate a response.

Data from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare released on Sunday showed that the number of children aged six months to five years old with suspected measles symptoms soared to 6,476.

“Compared with past years, the number of affected children is higher, and the death toll is higher too,” Halimur Rashid, director at Communicable Disease Control, told the AFP news agency.

The largest number of suspected cases on record was in 2005 at 25,934, according to World Health Organization (WHO) data. That number had significantly declined in succeeding years until this year.

Rashid attributed the potential outbreak to “multifactorial causes, including a shortage of vaccines”.

The confirmed number of measles cases among children aged six months to five years stands at 826 with 16 deaths. Experts said in many cases, testing is either not done or patients die before testing can be carried out.

Measles is one of the world’s most contagious diseases, according to the WHO, and is transmitted when a person coughs or sneezes. While the disease can affect a person of any age, it is most common among children and can cause complications, including brain swelling and severe breathing problems.

The WHO estimated as many as 95,000 measles deaths occur globally every year, mostly among unvaccinated or undervaccinated children under the age of five, according to its latest statistics.

There is no specific treatment for measles once caught.

Bangladesh has made significant advancements in vaccinations to tackle infectious diseases, but a measles drive due in June 2024 was delayed by a deadly uprising that same year that toppled Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

Most Bangladeshi children receive a vaccine at nine months although many infected in the recent outbreak had been six months old, officials said.

“We committed to reducing the number to zero by December 2025 but failed to achieve the target due to poor vaccination programmes,” said Mahmudur Rahman, chief of the National Verification Committee of Measles and Rubella.

Dhaka has identified 30 of the most affected areas in the region and has started a vaccination programme. Health Minister Sardar Shakhawat Hossain Bakul said the vaccination drive will cover the “worst affected areas” before being expanded to other regions.

Tajul Islam A Bari, a former official at the Expanded Programme on Immunisation and a public health expert, told AFP that although funds had been allocated for vaccine purchases, authorities had failed to procure them.

“Now we see the result. The situation is scary,” Bari said. (Al Jazeera)

The post Suspected measles outbreak kills nearly 100 children in Bangladesh appeared first on Newswire.

Six Sri Lankan fishermen have been released after spending eight months in detention in Bangladesh for allegedly entering the country’s maritime boundary illegally.

According to the Dinamina newspaper, the group had set out on a multi‑day fishing vessel in July 2025 and was apprehended by the Bangladesh Navy. 

They were subsequently held at Chittagong Central Prison while legal proceedings were carried out.

The fishermen, aged 23, 27, 38, 40, 46, and 58, endured months of imprisonment that left their families in Sri Lanka facing severe hardship. 

Appeals from relatives prompted diplomatic intervention by the Ministry of Fisheries, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Sri Lankan High Commission in Bangladesh, leading to their release yesterday (31).

They were brought to Dhaka International Airport today (April 1) and are scheduled to arrive at Bandaranaike International Airport, Katunayake, tomorrow (02), coordinated by the Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources. (Newswire)

The post Six Sri Lankan fishermen freed after eight months in Bangladesh custody appeared first on Newswire.

Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has announced that the national women’s team will tour Bangladesh in April and May to engage in a bilateral series. 

According to an SLC statement, the team during the tour will play three ODIs and three T20I games. 

The matches will be played at Rajshahi and Sylhet, respectively. 

The Sri Lankan women’s team will travel to Bangladesh on 17th April 2026. (Newswire)

The post SL women’s tour of Bangladesh : Schedule announced appeared first on Newswire.

Pakistan have complained to match referee Neeyamur Rashid over the on-field umpire Kumar Dharmasena’s decision to allow Bangladesh to take an lbw review off the penultimate ball of the third ODI in Mirpur. 

ESPNcricinfo has learnt the Pakistan management registered their complaint on the grounds that they believe Bangladesh took the review after a replay of the delivery flashed up on the big screen.

The decision to take the review, and its ultimate consequences helped Bangladesh assume an unassailable position in the game. Before that delivery, Pakistan needed 12 to win off two balls. Rishad Hossain flighted one up onto leg stump that spun down the leg side, away from Shaheen Afridi. The umpire called it a wide as it went down leg. After brief discussions, Bangladesh decided to take a review for lbw, even though, to the naked eye, the ball was nowhere near Afridi’s legs or any part of his body.

Normal protocols mandate that a decision about a review be made before any replays are visible to players to prevent them influencing the decision to review.

 However, with the assumption there was no case for a review as the said delivery was initially given a wide, Pakistan have argued those normal protocols were not followed, with the big screen at the stadium showing the ball passing the bat, and potentially giving Bangladesh enough information to suggest it may have made contact. Pakistan are also understood to be aggrieved at the possibility Bangladesh were allowed to review outside the maximum 15 seconds within which such a decision must be made. No timer appeared on the broadcast, so whether Bangladesh reviewed in time could not be independently confirmed.

However, the reason for Afridi’s visible frustration became clear as soon as the DRS went to Hawk-Eye, with a spike at the moment the ball passed the bottom of his bat, suggesting it had kissed the toe end and could not, therefore, be a wide. Bangladesh lost the review, but the wide decision was reversed and the equation became 12 in one ball. Afridi was stumped off the final delivery and swung his bat over the stumps in frustration. It secured victory for Bangladesh by 11 runs, and a 2-1 series win.

It is not yet clear yet what action the PCB wants from the match referee, though it is believed they expect at minimum a public acknowledgment that an error was made.

The decision is the second in as many games Pakistan have felt they may have come out the wrong side of. Salman Agha was run-out after being caught outside his crease trying to hand the ball to Mehidy Hasan Miraz in the second ODI. 

Agha’s frustration spilled over and he had heated words before throwing his bat and gloves down, earning him a demerit point and a 50% match fee fine. Mehidy was fined 20% of his match fee for that incident. (Cricinfo)

The post Pakistan lodge official complaint about Bangladesh’s review appeared first on Newswire.

Bangladesh has closed universities and launched fuel rationing amid a worsening energy crisis linked to the conflict in the Middle ⁠East.

Authorities shut all public and private universities across the country from Monday, bringing forward the Eid ⁠al-Fitr holidays as part ⁠of emergency measures to conserve electricity and fuel.

Officials said the move will not only ⁠reduce electricity consumption but also ease traffic congestion, which leads to fuel wastage.

They said the university campuses consume large amounts of electricity for residential halls, classrooms, laboratories and air conditioning, and the early closure would help ‌ease pressure on the country’s strained power system.

“The decision has been taken to reduce electricity and fuel consumption considering the current global situation,” Bangladesh’s Ministry of Education said in a directive circulated to university authorities.

Government and private schools are already closed for the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, meaning most educational institutions across the country will now remain shut during the period.

Bangladesh, which relies on imports for 95 percent of its energy needs, on Friday also imposed daily limits on fuel sales after panic buying and stockpiling.

As part of ⁠broader austerity measures, the government has also asked all foreign-curriculum schools and private coaching centres to suspend ⁠operations during this period to limit electricity use.

Alongside the closures, the government has issued guidelines encouraging institutions and offices to use electricity more efficiently, including maximising natural daylight and minimising unnecessary lighting and power consumption.

The moves came as Bangladesh faces mounting uncertainty over fuel and gas supplies following disruptions to global energy markets ⁠caused by the United States-Israel war on Iran.

The war has snowballed into a wider conflict in the ⁠Middle East, severely hampering oil and gas exports, and driving up costs.

Severe ⁠gas shortages have already forced Bangladesh to halt operations at four of its five state-run fertiliser factories, redirecting available gas to power plants to avoid widespread outages.

The country of 170 million people – the world’s eighth most populous – has ‌also bought LNG from the spot market at sharply higher prices while seeking additional cargoes to bridge supply gaps.

“We are doing everything ‌we ‌can to reduce consumption and ensure stability in power, fuel and import supplies,” a senior official in the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources said.

Energy analysts say such steps can offer short-term relief for the power sector while authorities work to stabilise fuel imports and manage distribution. However, they warn that prolonged interruptions to the academic calendar could create challenges for students if the energy crisis continues.

Authorities have not indicated how long the closures will remain in place, though institutions are expected to resume normal academic schedules after the Eid holidays if the energy situation improves. (Al Jazeera)

The post Bangladesh shuts universities early to save power amid energy crisis appeared first on Newswire.

Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has extended his congratulations to the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and its leader, Tarique Rahman, following their landslide victory in Bangladesh’s parliamentary elections. 

“Best wishes to the people of Bangladesh for reaffirming their faith in democracy, and congratulations to Mr. Tarique Rahman on leading the BNP in these elections. The results reflect the trust placed in him. I look forward to strengthening ties between our two nations,” President Dissanayake said, in a post on ‘X’.

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party won a landslide parliamentary election on Friday, securing a resounding mandate in a pivotal vote that is expected to restore political stability in the South Asian nation.

The parliamentary election held on Thursday was Bangladesh’s first vote since the 2024 Gen Z-driven uprising that toppled long‑time premier Sheikh Hasina.

Opinion polls had given BNP an edge, and the party lived up to the forecasts, with the coalition it dominates winning 209 seats to secure an overwhelming two-thirds majority in the 300-member Jatiya Sangsad, or House of the Nation, Jamuna TV showed.

Soon after it won a majority in the overnight vote-count, the party thanked and congratulated the people and called for special prayers on Friday for the welfare of the country and its people. (Newswire)

The post President AKD congratulates BNP’s Tarique Rahman on Bangladesh election win appeared first on Newswire.

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party won a landslide parliamentary election on Friday, local TV stations showed, securing a resounding mandate in a pivotal vote that is expected to restore political stability in the South Asian nation.

The parliamentary election held on Thursday was Bangladesh’s first vote since the 2024 Gen Z-driven uprising that toppled long‑time premier Sheikh Hasina.

A clear outcome had been seen as crucial for stability in the Muslim-majority country of 175 million after months of deadly anti-Hasina unrest disrupted everyday life and hit major industries, including the apparel sector in the world’s second-largest garment exporter.

It was also the first national election to follow recent revolts led by the under-30s that have cropped up through the wider region. Nepal is set to hold a vote next month.

Opinion polls had given BNP an edge and the party lived up to the forecasts, with the coalition it dominates winning 209 seats to secure an overwhelming two-thirds majority in the 300-member Jatiya Sangsad, or House of the Nation, Jamuna TV showed.

Soon after it won a majority in the overnight vote-count, the party thanked and congratulated the people and called for special prayers on Friday for the welfare of the country and its people.

“Despite winning the national parliamentary election by a large margin of votes, no celebratory procession or rally shall be organised by BNP,” the party said in a statement and urged people to pray at mosques, temples, churches and pagodas across the country.

The BNP is led by top prime ministerial contender Tarique Rahman, the 60-year-old son of former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia and former President Ziaur Rahman.

Its campaign promises included financial aid for poor families, a 10-year limit for an individual to remain prime minister, boosting the economy by measures including foreign investments, and anti-corruption policies. (CNN)

The post Bangladesh’s BNP wins big in first election since Gen Z uprising appeared first on Newswire.

Bangladesh has secured a reduced 19 percent tariff rate with the United States under a trade agreement signed between the two countries, granting exemptions for some textiles and garments manufactured with US material.

The trade deal was announced on Monday.

Muhammad Yunus, the chief adviser heading Bangladesh’s interim government, said Washington had “committed to establishing a mechanism for certain textile and apparel goods from Bangladesh using US-produced cotton and man-made fibre to receive zero reciprocal tariff in [the] US market”.

The White House said Bangladesh had agreed to provide significant preferential market access for US industrial and agricultural goods, including chemicals, medical devices, machinery, motor vehicles and parts, soya products and dairy goods, beef, poultry, tree nuts and fruit.

Bangladesh will also ease non-tariff barriers by accepting US vehicle safety and emissions standards, recognising US Food and Drug Administration certifications, and removing import restrictions on remanufactured goods, the White House added.

The nations also noted recent and upcoming commercial deals including aircraft procurement, around $3.5bn in purchases of US agricultural products, and an estimated $15bn in US energy product purchases over 15 years.

Yunus said the agreement followed nine months of negotiations that began in April last year.

Bangladesh also pledged to uphold internationally recognised labour rights and strengthen environmental protections.

The South Asian nation in August had secured a reduction in US tariffs on its exports to 20 percent, down from 37 percent initially proposed by Washington, offering much-needed relief to the nation’s apparel exporters.

The ready-made garments sector is the backbone of Bangladesh’s economy, accounting for more than 80 percent of total export earnings, employing about four million workers and contributing about 10 percent to gross domestic product.

At the 19 percent tariff rate, Bangladesh will compete comfortably with next-door neighbour India, for which the tariff rate has been set at 18 percent, down from a crippling 50 percent. Both countries make clothing and footwear for clients in the US. When the first round of tariffs was announced on April 2, India had been slammed with 25 percent while Dhaka had been given a much stiffer 37 percent. At the time, Bangladeshi manufacturers feared that they would lose clients to the Indian market. Now both are on an equal footing.

Bangladesh goes to the polls on Thursday to elect new leadership after being governed by an interim government since August 2024, when ousted former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina fled to India, where she remains. (Al Jazeera)

The post US and Bangladesh set trade deal with tariffs at 19 percent appeared first on Newswire.

Bangladesh’s scheduled matches in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, set to begin next month, are unlikely to be moved to Sri Lanka despite formal requests from the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), with Chennai and Thiruvananthapuram emerging as potential alternative venues within India, according to multiple reports. 

The BCB has twice formally written to the International Cricket Council, seeking to shift its fixtures out of India amid security and safety concerns following rising tensions between the two countries, including an earlier controversy after star pacer Mustafizur Rahman was released from an Indian Premier League squad. 

Bangladesh officials have insisted they would prefer all their World Cup matches to be played in co-host Sri Lanka rather than in India, arguing that the safety and well-being of players, support staff and visiting journalists must be ensured. However, the ICC and the Board of Control for Cricket in India are reportedly exploring the option of relocating the scheduled games to other venues within India rather than overseas, given logistical challenges so close to the tournament start. 

Possible alternative cities under consideration include Chennai and Thiruvananthapuram, with officials from the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association and Kerala Cricket Association said to have been approached about hosting matches originally slated for Kolkata and Mumbai. 

The BCB’s stance has highlighted tensions over national pride and security. BCB president Aminul Islam has maintained that alternative venues in India would still mean playing in India, a position that underscores Dhaka’s reluctance to compromise on its request. 

The dispute comes as Bangladesh prepares to play three Group C matches in Kolkata and one in Mumbai, with the BCB arguing that the current political and security climate is unsuitable for their team’s participation without relocation. 

The ICC has not made a definitive decision, and final venue allocations are expected to be communicated in the coming days as the tournament’s February start approaches. (Newswire)

The post Bangladesh World Cup venue row continues as Sri Lanka option fades appeared first on Newswire.

The Bangladesh government has ordered an indefinite ban on the telecast and promotion of the Indian Premier League (IPL) following the controversy surrounding the removal of Bangladesh fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman from the Kolkata Knight Riders squad.

In an official communication issued on January 5, the authorities confirmed that all IPL-related broadcasts, promotions and event coverage have been suspended with immediate effect and will remain so until further orders. The decision, the statement said, was taken in the “public interest” and approved by the appropriate authority.

The order follows the IPL decision to release Mustafizur from the KKR squad ahead of the new season. According to the Bangladeshi authorities, the move was conveyed as an instruction from the Board of Control for Cricket in India and has been described as lacking “any logical reason”.

“There is no logical reason for this decision of the Indian Cricket Board and such a decision has distressed, shocked and angered the people of Bangladesh,” the government order stated, reflecting the strong public sentiment that has built up around the issue.

As a consequence, the government said it had been compelled to act by suspending all IPL-related telecasts and promotional activities across Bangladesh. “A request has been made to stop the promotion/broadcast of all games and events of the Indian Premier League (IPL) until further orders,” the statement added.

The fallout has extended beyond broadcast restrictions. The Bangladesh Cricket Board has decided against sending its national team to India for the upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, citing security concerns and government advice. The decision came in the wake of KKR’s move to release Mustafizur following BCCI instructions.

While the BCCI did not explicitly cite the current state of bilateral relations for seeking Mustafizur’s release, it indicated that the decision was influenced by broader developments. The pacer’s abrupt exit from the IPL prompted the BCB to call an emergency meeting on Saturday night. A subsequent meeting of the Board of Directors on Sunday resulted in a unanimous decision that the national team would not travel to India for the tournament, scheduled to begin on February 7.

“The Board reviewed the situation in detail, taking into account developments over the last 24 hours and expressed deep concern over the overall circumstances surrounding the participation of the Bangladesh National Team in matches scheduled to be played in India,” the BCB said in a statement.

“Following a thorough assessment of the prevailing situation and the growing concerns regarding the safety and security of the Bangladesh contingent in India, and considering the advice from the Bangladesh Government, the Board of Directors resolved that the Bangladesh National Team will not travel to India for the tournament under the current conditions.”

After the meeting, BCB director Khaled Mashud Pilot elaborated on the board’s concerns. “If they (India) cannot provide security to one of our players, how will they ensure the security of our entire team? That is why we will not go there to play,” he said, referring to Mustafizur’s situation.

The International Cricket Council is now expected to address the issue, with Bangladesh scheduled to play all four of their league matches in India under the existing tournament plan. (India Today)

The post Bangladesh orders indefinite ban on IPL telecast after Mustafizur Rahman row appeared first on Newswire.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Vijitha Herath departed for Bangladesh from the Bandaranaike International Airport this morning.

The Foreign Minister had left the country on SriLankan Airlines flight UL 189 bound for Dhaka.

It is reported that he is travelling to represent Sri Lanka and participate in the funeral ceremony of the former Prime Minister of Bangladesh, Begum Khaleda Zia.

The funeral of Begum Khaleda Zia, who died at the age of 79 after a prolonged illness, is to be held this evening. (Newswire

The post FM departs for Bangladesh to attend Khaleda Zia’s funeral appeared first on Newswire.

Khaleda Zia, who served as prime minister of Bangladesh for three terms, died on Tuesday morning at the age of 80.

Zia and her Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) were once hailed for playing a crucial role in transitioning the South Asian nation from military rule to democracy.

She served as prime minister of Bangladesh between 1991 and 1996, and between 2001 and 2006. She was the first woman to serve as prime minister of Bangladesh.

Zia had been sentenced to several years behind bars prior her death for alleged involvement in corruption charges that her party said were politically motivated.

Rise to politics

Zia entered politics after her husband, former president Ziaur Rahman, was assassinated in May 1981 during a military coup. Rahman had fought for Bangladesh’s independence war from Pakistan in 1971, and formed the BNP party a few years prior his assassination.

Zia, who was a housewife at the time with no experience in politics, soon became one of the country’s top leaders for her civilian political resistance against the then military regime.

Zia established a solid political alliance by including political parties from both the left and the right with her center-right party. She successfully forced the military regime to give up power by leading nationwide movements for democracy.

On February 27,1991, Zia’s party won 140 of the 300 directly-elected seats during the national election and became the country’s first female prime minister.

Empowering women

Zia helped increase literacy rates among girls and boosted job opportunities for women by providing free education and scholarships. She introduced daily free meals for students at schools across the country with help from foreign donors. During her tenures, those efforts have seen millions of girls enrolled in primary and secondary schools.

Zia also contributed to expanding the country’s export-oriented garment industry.

“Now as Prime Minister, Mrs. Zia, in contrast with Benazir Bhutto when she first became Prime Minister of Pakistan, is aggressively promoting education and vocational training, especially of girls, and expanding small-scale, no-collateral lending to increase the self-sufficiency of women,” journalist Barbara Crossette wrote in the New York Times in November 1993.

US Forbes magazine, which included Zia as one of the 100 world’s most powerful women for several years during her leadership between 2001 and 2006, wrote, “Once a shy and withdrawn housewife, Zia has revitalized the education sector, particularly for young girls.”

Laila Noor Islam, a professor at Dhaka University, told DW Zia will be remembered for changing the social and political landscape of Bangladesh.

“People will remember her for introducing the parliamentary system of democracy in her country, for creating export-oriented readymade garment factories where hundreds of thousands of women got jobs, for introducing free primary education for all, and developing the caretaker government system for conducting free and fair national elections,” she said.

Archrival Sheikh Hasina

Soon upon entering politics, Zia became the archrival of Sheikh Hasina, the top leader of the center-left Awami League (AL) party and in power since 2008.

They are often called “the Battling Begums” – “begum” refers to a Muslim woman of high rank – for their longs-standing rivalry, which split the country’s political arena into two, one led by Hasina’s AL, the other by Zia’s BNP.

“When I hear the name Khaleda Zia, what comes to mind is “Hasina’s rival.” Zia and Hasina have had such a long and bitter rivalry, and it’s been amplified by the fact that they’ve dominated Bangladeshi politics for so long,” Michael Kugelman, a South Asia expert at the Washington-based Woodrow Wilson Center for Scholars, told DW.

“And given that their respective families comprise the country’s two political dynasties, the rivalry also is embedded in the core political history of Bangladesh,” he added.

Corruption allegations

Zia was convicted in a graft case in February 2018 and later in a separate corruption case. The politician was accused of misusing her power by embezzling some $250,000 (€240,000) in donations meant for an orphanage trust.

The BNP maintains the cases were fabricated to keep Zia out of politics, allegations denied by Hasina’s government.

Over the past decade, more than 180,000 legal cases have also been filed against nearly four million BNP members, according to the party’s count. The data shows that more than 600 party members have been abducted, and around 3,000 were victims of extrajudicial killings at the hands of authorities during the same period.

In 2020, her prison sentence was converted to house arrest before she was released again in 2024 after the fall of her rival Sheikh Hasina’s government.

Political downfall

Zia, an advocate of democracy, slowly lost her ground by failing to form solid political resistance against the Hasina government.

“Khaleda Zia has made a lot of mistakes in the last decade. Boycotting elections led to missed opportunities. More importantly, she opted to play the role of a disruptive and confrontational opposition without seeking a middle ground, and this led to a lot of burned bridges,” Kugelman said.

“It also led to her party resorting to violence at times, which didn’t help its cause. Additionally, her decision to align herself with Islamist political parties [at times], especially those with hardline elements cost her and her party support from those that uphold the idea of a secular and moderate Bangladesh,” he added.

Asif Nazrul, a professor at Dhaka University, believes Zia’s downfall should also be attributed to her unwillingness to gain the confidence of India and foreign diplomats who could have pushed Hasina to conduct a fair and inclusive national election.

“Zia’s decision not to meet Indian President Pranab Mukherjee in Dhaka in 2013, and refusing the offer of Sheikh Hasina regarding election-time government in the same year, have heavily cost her political career,” Nazrul told DW.

“She has failed to win the heart of Dhaka-based elite intellectuals and western diplomats,” he added. “Her failure to stop the people in BNP and its allies in harboring separatists fighting the Indian government in the past also made her weaker over time.”

But Zia’s fight for democracy will be remembered for years to come, said Nazrul.

“Zia could have flown to other countries during political uncertainties in 2006 and 2007, and during her trial in the last years,” Nazrul said. “She was aged and very ill, and despite knowing the likelihood of her suffering, she did not bow to the Hasina government and took any chance of leaving the country.” (DW)

The post Bangladesh’s first female PM Khaleda Zia dies at 80 appeared first on Newswire.

The heir to Bangladesh’s longtime ruling family and leader of the country’s powerful opposition, Tarique Rahman, has returned to the country after 17 years in exile, his party said.

Rahman, 60, an aspiring prime minister who has lived in London since he fled Bangladesh in 2008 over what he called a politically motivated persecution, arrived in Dhaka on Thursday.

Acting chairman of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), he is expected to take the reins from his ailing mother, 80-year-old former prime minister Khaleda Zia.

The BNP earlier said it aims to mobilise up to five million supporters in the capital to welcome Rahman.

BNP leaders said they were coordinating security arrangements with authorities for what they called an “unprecedented” mobilisation, with supporters expected to line the route from the airport to the reception venue on Thursday.

Rahman is widely viewed as the prime ministerial frontrunner in February’s general election.

His arrival comes as the BNP regains momentum – after the ouster of longtime leader Sheikh Hasina last year. (Al Jazeera)

The post Bangladesh opposition leader Tarique Rahman returns after 17 years in exile appeared first on Newswire.

Bangladesh dispatched a humanitarian relief consignment to Sri Lanka this afternoon (03 Dec) to support ongoing recovery efforts following the devastation caused by the recent adverse weather conditions. 

The shipment of relief arrived at 1:00 pm aboard a Bangladesh Air Force C-130 aircraft.

The cargo included 1,000 mosquito nets, 500 food packets, 10 tents and 20 pieces each of torch lights, gum boots, vests, gloves and hats, along with 125 boxes of essential medicines. 

The assistance will be immediately directed to affected communities, further strengthening relief operations in the affected regions.

The cargo was received by Mayuri Perera, Additional Secretary at the Ministry of Defence and was formally handed over by Andalib Elias, High Commissioner of Bangladesh to Sri Lanka, underscoring the continued solidarity of Bangladesh with Sri Lanka during this challenging period. (Newswire)

The post Bangladesh delivers relief cargo to support Sri Lanka’s disaster response appeared first on Newswire.

Bangladesh’s deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina has been sentenced to death in absentia by a court in Dhaka for crimes against humanity over a deadly crackdown on a student-led uprising last year.

A three-judge bench of the country’s international crimes tribunal convicted Hasina of crimes including incitement, orders to kill, and inaction to prevent atrocities, carried out as she oversaw a crackdown on anti-government protesters last year.

Reading the verdict to the court, Justice Golam Mortuza Mozumder said the “accused prime minister committed crimes against humanity by her order to use drones, helicopters and lethal weapons”.

Hasina had pleaded not guilty to the charges and alleged the tribunal was a “politically motivated charade”.

The months-long tribunal tried and sentenced Hasina in abstentia. Since she fled the country in August last year, Hasina has been living in exile – and under protection – in neighbouring India, and the Indian government has ignored requests for her extradition to face trial.

Family members of killed protesters broke down in tears in the courtroom as judges handed death sentences to Hasina and the former home minister, Asaduzzaman Khan, her co-accused in the trial.

Hasina’s absence from the defendant’s box was stark. In an audio message recorded on before the verdict, Hasina remained defiant. “Let them announce whatever verdict they want. It doesn’t matter to me. Allah gave me this life and only he can end it. I will still serve my people,” she said.

Dhaka was on edge in the run-up to the decision, with security tightened across the capital and police, army and paramilitaries cordoning off the tribunal area. The city’s police issued a “shoot-on-sight” order if someone was found hurling crude bombs or setting fire to vehicles.

On Monday morning, a small explosive was hurled on to the roads close to the court, setting off panic and prompting police to blockade the roads.

The protest that toppled Hasina began as a student movement but escalated into a nationwide uprising, now referred to as the “July revolution”, against Hasina’s authoritarian rule.

Hasina’s 15 years in power were seen as a reign of terror by many in Bangladesh, marred by allegations of corruption, torture and enforced disappearances, which were documented by human rights organisations and the UN.

In response to the unrest, Hasina oversaw a ruthless, state-led crackdown, with documented use of live ammunition against civilians by police and security forces. The UN human rights office estimates up to 1,400 people were killed during the uprising, the worst political violence in Bangladesh since its 1971 independence war.

The prosecution of Hasina has been a core promise made by the interim government, led by the Nobel-laureate Mohammad Yunus, who was appointed to lead the country by protest leaders last year. They appointed Mohammad Tajul Islam as chief prosecutor to build a case that would be heard by the international crimes tribunal in Dhaka. (The Guardian)

The post Ousted Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina sentenced to death for crimes against humanity appeared first on Newswire.

A Bangladesh court convicted ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina of crimes against humanity on Monday, concluding a months-long trial that found her guilty of ordering a deadly crackdown on a student-led uprising last year.

The prosecution had sought the death penalty for Hasina and former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan. It did not recommend any penalty for a third suspect – a former police chief who became a state witness and pleaded guilty.

Hasina and Asaduzzaman were tried in absentia for crimes against humanity for the killing of hundreds of people during a student-led uprising in July and August of 2024.

The United Nations in a February report said up to 1,400 may have been killed in the violence, while the country’s health adviser under the interim government said more than 800 people were killed and about 14,000 were injured.

The interim government in Bangladesh strengthened security in the nation’s capital and elsewhere on Monday ahead of the verdict.

Paramilitary border guards and police were deployed in Dhaka and many other parts of the country as Hasina’s Awami League party called for a nationwide shutdown on Monday to protest against the verdict, calling the tribunal a “kangaroo court”.

Hasina was ousted on August 5 last year and fled to India.

Bangladeshi Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus took over as the head of an interim government three days after her fall. Yunus vowed to punish Hasina and banned the activities of her Awami League party. (SCMP)

The post Ousted former Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina convicted of crimes against humanity appeared first on Newswire.