International
Bangladesh Chief Advisor Yunus dials PM Modi, assures protection of Hindus in country
New Delhi, Aug 16 (IANS) Muhammad Yunus, the Chief Advisor of the interim government in Bangladesh, called Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday in what was the first interaction between the two leaders following the resignation of former Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina on August 5.
“Received a telephone call from Professor Muhammad Yunus. Exchanged views on the prevailing situation. Reiterated India’s support for a democratic, stable, peaceful and progressive Bangladesh. He assured protection, safety and security of Hindus and all minorities in Bangladesh,” PM Modi posted on X after the call on Friday afternoon.
The continuing acts of violence against the minority communities in Bangladesh, especially Hindus, comes as a massive challenge for the interim government which was sworn in on August 8 under the leadership of Yunus.
“The two leaders also discussed ways to take the bilateral relationship forward in line with the respective national priorities,” mentioned a statement released by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).
Prime Minister Modi has extended his best wishes to the 84-year-old Nobel laureate and microfinance pioneer on the same day, expressing that the new regime would restore peace and ensure the protection of Hindus and other minorities in the neighbouring country.
“My best wishes to Professor Muhammad Yunus on the assumption of his new responsibilities. We hope for an early return to normalcy, ensuring the safety and protection of Hindus and all other minority communities. India remains committed to working with Bangladesh to fulfill the shared aspirations of both our peoples for peace, security and development,” Prime Minister Modi said in a post on X on August 8.
While Yunus, after taking oath, said that he would “uphold, support and protect the constitution and will perform duties sincerely”, there was a massive outbreak of violence in the country after Hasina left Dhaka with goons creating huge unrest and targetting Hindus, their homes and places of worship.
Horrendous acts of violence have been reported against the Hindu community in Bangladesh since August 5.
On Tuesday, the Bangladesh Jatiya Hindu Mohajot (BJHM), a grand national alliance of 23 religious organisations in the country, said that Hindu families have faced violence and vandalism at as many as 278 locations across 48 districts of the nation since August 5.
The alliance leaders said that Hindus of Bangladesh are living in fear and are even being threatened to leave the country. They urged Yunus to “act fast” during these times of uncertainty.
“Whenever there is a change in government, Hindus are the first to be attacked. Although there were fewer incidents in the past, they have increased recently. We want to live in this country with security. We were born here, and we have rights in this country,” said BJHM President Prabhas Chandra Roy.
On the same day, Yunus visited a historic Hindu temple in Dhaka and assured Hindu community leaders that establishing human rights and freedom of speech remains one of his prime goals.
“Everyone has equal rights in the country. There is no discrimination between us. Please help, be patient and judge us later on what we did and what we didn’t. If we fail, then criticise,” Yunus was quoted as saying by the local media during his visit to the Dhakeshwari National Temple – one of the most significant places of worship for the Hindu community in the region for over 800 years.
Asif Nazrul and A.F.M. Khalid Hossain, the legal and religious affairs advisors to the interim government, also accompanied Yunus to the temple.
However, as there was no end in sight to violence, PM Modi, during his address to the nation on Independence Day on Thursday, once again expressed deep concern over the current situation in Bangladesh.
“Whatever is happening in our neighbouring nation (Bangladesh) is very concerning for us. I hope that conditions normalise there… All 140 crore Indians are worried about the safety of Hindus and other minorities in Bangladesh. India always wishes for its neighbouring nations to walk on the path of peace and progress. We are committed to maintaining peace,” said PM Modi.
The Prime Minister also reiterated India’s support for Bangladesh’s stability and development: “In the coming days, we will always wish well for Bangladesh’s ‘Vikas Yatra’ (journey of development) because we are the well-wishers of humankind.”
In an exclusive interview with IANS late Thursday, Abul Fayez Muhammad Khalid Hossain, the Advisor for Religious Affairs in the interim government, labelled India as Bangladesh’s “best neighbour” which had helped the country “immensely” in gaining independence, and assured that “work has begun” to take strict action against criminals involved in several incidents of violence and vandalism against the minority communities, especially Hindus.
“India is our neighbouring country and we want to maintain peace and tranquility in our country with the goodwill of India,” Hossain told IANS in an exclusive interview as the interim government continued to receive a massive flak from all corners for failing to provide security to the Hindus in the country.
“India is our best neighbour which had helped us immensely during our liberation. We want to grow relations between the two countries,” he added.
–IANS
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International
Lee Hsien Yang seeks refuge in United Kingdom
Lee Hsien Yang, the youngest son of Singapore’s founding father, the late Lee Kuan Yew, announced on Tuesday that he is now a political refugee in the United Kingdom after seeking asylum from the British government “as a last resort.”
“I remain a Singapore citizen and hope that someday it will be safe to return home,” Lee stated in a Facebook post, as reported by Channel News Asia (CNA).
Citing what he described as the Singapore government’s “attacks” against him, Lee, who is the younger brother of former Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, revealed that he sought asylum protection in 2022.
Lee Hsien Yang and his late sister, Lee Wei Ling, who passed away earlier this month, have been in conflict with their brother Lee Hsien Loong over the fate of their father’s home following his death in 2015, resulting in a public dispute that has estranged the siblings.
In an interview with the UK-based newspaper The Guardian, Lee alleged that a “campaign of persecution” compelled him to seek asylum in Britain.
In response to his claims, the Singapore government stated that there is “no basis” for his allegations of “a campaign of persecution” or other assertions regarding political repression in the country.
“Singapore’s judiciary is impartial and makes decisions independently. This is why Singaporeans have a high level of trust in the judiciary,” a government spokesperson remarked.
The spokesperson added that there are no legal restrictions preventing Lee and his wife, lawyer Lee Suet Fern, from returning to Singapore. “They are and have always been free to return to Singapore,” the spokesperson said.
Lee and his wife have been outside of Singapore since 2022, having opted not to attend a scheduled police interview regarding potential offenses related to providing false evidence in judicial proceedings concerning their father’s will and the family home.
Lee and his late sister, who had been living at the property, alleged they felt threatened while trying to fulfill their father’s wish to demolish the house. They also accused their elder brother, former Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, of abusing his governmental influence to advance his personal agenda.
International
Indo-Russian ties are stronger than ever before at BRICS
Kazan, Russia: Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a bilateral meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the 16th BRICS Summit.
During the meeting, President Putin remarked, “I recall our meeting in July, where we had productive discussions on various issues. We’ve also spoken over the phone several times. I am very grateful you accepted the invitation to come to Kazan. Today, we will attend the BRICS Summit’s opening ceremony, followed by dinner.”
PM Modi responded by expressing his appreciation, saying, “I sincerely thank you for your friendship, warm welcome, and hospitality. It’s a great pleasure to visit such a beautiful city as Kazan for the BRICS Summit. India shares deep historical ties with this city, and the opening of our new embassy here will further strengthen these connections.”
International
Laos seeks to enhance nutrition amid climate change concerns
Vientiane (Laos), Aug 22 (IANS) Representatives from the Lao government and development partners have attended a conference here titled “Climate Change and Nutrition in Laos: Intersections and Interventions” to discuss the impact of climate change on nutrition in the Southeast Asia country and potential solutions.
Speaking at the conference, deputy director general of the Department of Hygiene and Health Promotion under the Lao Ministry of Health Viengkhan Phixay, said, “We gather to address a critical and interwoven issue: the impact of climate change on nutrition and how we can work together to tackle these challenges,” Xinhua news agency reported.
The Lao government is actively engaged in this endeavor, with numerous policies and initiatives aimed at addressing both climate change and nutrition, Lao National Television reported on Thursday.
“By leveraging the Scaling Up Nutrition network in Laos, which is led by the government, and supported by civil society, donors, and the United Nations, we have a robust platform to tackle the negative impacts of climate change while improving nutrition and overall health for everyone in Laos,” Viengkham said at the conference held on Monday.
The conference featured a series of presentations that not only detailed evidence-based research but also introduced innovative tools for measuring and enhancing nutrition under the impact of climate change.
The conference stressed the critical need for integrated approaches to tackle the intertwined challenges of climate change and nutrition, and setting the stage for impactful future collaborations.
–IANS
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International
One killed, seven injured in shootout in Iraq
Baghdad, Aug 22 (IANS) A civilian was killed while seven others were injured on Thursday in a tribal shootout in Iraq’s holy Shiite province of Najaf, according to a local security source.
The shootout erupted in the early hours between armed men from the local tribe in the al-Zarga area in northern Najaf, some 160 km south of Baghdad, a local police officer told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.
The clash resulted in the killing of an Iraqi civilian and the injury of seven others, including three Iranian Shiite pilgrims, the source added.
A joint force from the Interior Ministry’s emergency response division and Najaf provincial police arrested 53 gunmen from both sides of the shootout and seized weapons and ammunition, the Interior Ministry said in a statement.
It added that search operations are ongoing to locate additional gunmen and weapons, with more details to be released later.
The incident took place as numerous pilgrims traveled to the city of Karbala to observe Arbaeen, which marks the end of a 40-day mourning period for the killing of Imam Hussein, the grandson of Prophet Muhammad, in the Battle of Karbala in 680 A.D.
Typically, these pilgrims also visit Najaf as part of their journey to Karbala.
–IANS
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International
Bangladesh seeks $1 billion budget support from World Bank
Dhaka, Aug 22 (IANS) Bangladesh’s interim government has sought $1 billion from the World Bank as budgetary support.
The call came from the country’s Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Adviser Muhammad Fouzul Kabir Khan’s meeting with Abdoulaye Seck, the World Bank’s Country Director for Bangladesh and Bhutan, in Dhaka on Wednesday.
He made the plea as the ministry owes more than 2 billion dollars to suppliers in import costs of power and energy, Xinhua news agency reported.
Khan mentioned that the interim government, which was formed with many pressing mandates, is due to settle a $2 billion debt left by the previous government in the power sector.
He said they have already suspended activities under the much-criticized Quick Enhancement of Electricity and Energy Supply Act 2010 and abolished the government’s power to set energy prices without any public hearing.
On August 5, the former Prime Minister of Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina, was ousted from her country and power, ending her rule since January 2009.
This event was seen as a massive escalation, with what initially started as student’s protests and resulted in a major crisis in Bangladesh.
Earlier on August 8, Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus took oath as the head of Bangladesh’s interim government.
–IANS
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