Narendra Modi
Modi wishes Hasina on her birthday
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has greeted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on her 75th birthday.
"Warmest good wishes on your 75th birthday! Wish you many more years of health and success in service to the people of Bangladesh," reads the message shared by the Indian High Commission in Dhaka.
Read: Bangladesh celebrates Hasina’s 75th birthday
The Chinese Embassy in Dhaka also greeted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
"Our warmest wishes to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on her birthday! Wishing her a long and prosperous life with continued success in taking Bangladesh to great heights!," said the Embassy in a message shared on its verified page.
Read: Hasina’s birthday celebrated amid mass vaccination campaign
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's birthday was celebrated on Tuesday.
Anti-Modi protest: 20 Chatra Odhikar Parishad men get bail
A Dhaka court on Sunday granted bail to 20 members of Chatra Odhikar Parishad who were held for violence during a protest against Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Bangladesh in last March.
Dhaka Metropolitan Session Judge KM Imrul Kayes passed the bail order during a virtual hearing.
The accused are- Md Younus, Najmul Hasan, Nahidul Tareque, MD Nayeen, Asaduzzaman, Azharul Islam, Sohel Mridha, Mostak Ahmed, Azim Hossain, Md Ruhul Islam Sohel, Abdullah Al Mahmud Jishan, Md Sohel Ahmed, Sheikh Khayrul Kabir, Shobuj Hossain, Golam Tanvir, Md Hemayet, Ismail Hossain, Md Rezaul Karim, Muntajul Islam and Kazi Bahauddin Monir.
Read: Eminent citizens demand unconditional release of anti-Modi student protesters
On March 25, a rally was held under the banner of Chatra Adhikar Parishad at the Motijheel Shapla Chattar to protest Modi’s visit.
When police tried to stop the activists from taking out a procession a clash between police and the protestors broke out.
Police fired teargas shells and sound grenades at the protestors while they threw stones at them.
Next day police filed a case at the Motijheel police station over the clash.
PM greets Modi on his birthday
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has greeted her Indian counterpart Narendra Modi on his birthday.
Bangladesh High Commission officials in New Delhi handed over a flower bouquet on behalf of the prime minister on Friday, said the mission.
Read:Modi to attend first in-person Quad Summit in US next week
Modi to attend first in-person Quad Summit in US next week
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend the first in-person Quad Summit to be hosted by President Joe Biden in the US on September 24 amid the growing humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan after the return of the Taliban.
The Quad, acronym for the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, is an informal strategic group of four nations -- the US, Australia, Japan and India. The Quad was formed in 2007 as a counterbalance to China in Asia.
In a statement, the Indian External Affairs Ministry Tuesday said that the Quad leaders will review the progress made since their first virtual Summit held on March 12 and "discuss regional issues of shared interest".
"They will also exchange views on contemporary global issues such as critical and emerging technologies, connectivity and infrastructure, cyber security, maritime security, humanitarian assistance/disaster relief, climate change and education."
Read: It's very regrettable, says FM on China's Quad remarks
The leaders of Australia, India, Japan and the United States will also review the Quad Vaccine initiative which was announced in March this year, the Ministry said.
"The Summit would provide a valuable opportunity for dialogue and interactions among the Leaders, anchored in their shared vision of ensuring a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific region," it added.
The Indian Prime Minister is also scheduled to address the General Debate of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on September 25 in New York, according to the Foreign Ministry.
The Indian Foreign Ministry's statement comes after White House press secretary Jen Psaki confirmed the date of the Quad Leaders Summit late on Monday night.
"US President Joseph R Biden, Jr will host the first-ever Quad Leaders Summit at the White House on September 24. President Biden is looking forward to welcoming to the White House Prime Minister Scott Morrison of Australia, Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India, and Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga of Japan," Psaki said.
"Hosting the leaders of the Quad demonstrates the Biden-Harris Administration's priority of engaging in the Indo-Pacific, including through new multilateral configurations to meet the challenges of the 21st century."
India was among several countries that evacuated their diplomatic staff from Kabul when the Taliban took over the Afghan capital on August 15.
Read: Beijing wants Dhaka not to join Quad
However, two weeks later, India began direct communication with the Taliban, with the country's envoy in Qatar Deepak Mittal holding talks with Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanekzai, the head of the Taliban's Political Office in the Gulf state.
At the meeting, Ambassador Mittal had raised India's concern that Afghanistan's soil should not be used for anti-Indian activities and terrorism in any manner, to which Stanekzai assured him that these issues would be positively addressed, according to the Ministry of External Affairs.
"Discussions focused on safety, security and early return of Indian nationals stranded in Afghanistan. The travel of Afghan nationals, especially minorities, who wish to visit India also came up."
The Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan on August 15, with the US troops ending their 20-year military presence in the South Asian country.
India is particularly worried about the implications of the US withdrawal from Afghanistan, given it has already infused over three billion USD worth development aid into that country and the horrific memories of the Taliban's role in the hijacking of an Indian airliner in 1999.
Mamata slams Modi govt as nephew summoned over coal scam
Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government for "unleashing federal probe agencies against her family members", hours after her nephew and his wife were summoned for questioning by a federal probe agency in connection with an alleged coal scam.
"Why are you unleashing the ED (Enforcement Directorate) against us. Against your one case we will raise bagfuls. We know how to fight back," Mamata told the media in state capital Kolkata.
Mamata's nephew Abhishek, a parliamentarian, and his wife Rujira have been asked to appear before the federal agency at its headquarters in New Delhi on September 6 and 1, respectively, in connection with the case pertaining to illegal mining and theft of coal from two leasehold mines in the eastern Indian state.
Abhishek also slammed India's ruling saffron party for trying to intimidate him so as to deter the Trinamool Congress party from focussing on the northeastern state of Tripura -- where the BJP is in power. "The more you try to intimidate us, the more we will focus on BJP-ruled states," he said at a rally in Kolkata.
After returning to power for the third time in a row in Bengal in May this year, Mamata's party has now been eyeing Tripura, which shares its border with Bangladesh. Abhishek recently visited Tripura to strengthen the Trinamool Congress' organisational hierarchy in the state, where assembly polls are slated for 2023.
It may be mentioned here that Mamata has been accusing the country's ruling BJP of trying to destabilise her government ever since her party came to power in Bengal for the third consecutive time in May this year. Bucking anti-incumbency, Mamata scripted history on May 2 by single-handedly pulling off an astounding win in the assembly election.
Bengal had witnessed the most high-profile contest in India's recently held state elections. While Mamata had harped on being Bengal’s daughter, the BJP asked people to vote for "change and socio-economic development" after 50 years of Communist and Trinamool rule.
Indian sends 30 ambulances to Bangladesh
A total of 30 ambulances, now in Petrapole, will reach Bangladesh soon.
After clearances at Benapole land custom check post, they will leave for Dhaka soon.
The remaining ambulances are expected to arrive in batches by September end, said the Indian High Commission in Dhaka.
Read: Bangladesh shatters its own records; reports 264 single-day Covid deaths
During the state visit of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Bangladesh on March 26-27, he had announced the gift of 109 Life Support ambulances to the Government of Bangladesh, to further enhance healthcare, especially in the shared effort to contain the Covid-19 pandemic in Bangladesh.
After 56 yrs, Bangladesh-India rail link to reopen Sunday
After nearly 56 years, commercial services on the restored Haldibari-Chilahati railway corridor between India and Bangladesh will resume Sunday.
The revamped railway corridor was inaugurated by Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her Indian counterpart Narendra Modi on December 17 last year.
Read: 3 more haats to be set up along Bangladesh-India border: Tipu
A freight train will make the journey to Bangladesh from the eastern Indian state of West Bengal on the restored 12km corridor, the Indian Railways announced Saturday.
"The first goods train to Bangladesh through the re-opened Haldibari-Chilahati rail link is being loaded with stone chips at Damdim station of Alipurduar Division, NFR. The train is scheduled to reach Chilahati (Bangladesh) on 01.08.2021," the Northeast Frontier Railway tweeted.
Read: Jaishankar arrives Thursday to deepen Bangladesh-India ties
The railway corridor had been lying defunct since 1965 after train links between India and then East Pakistan snapped. And once in operation, the corridor will boost bilateral trade between the two countries.
While the distance between India's Haldibari Railway Station and the international border is 4.5 km, it's another 7.5 km on the Bangladesh side from the 'zero point'.
Bollywood singer Babul Supriyo quits politics
Bollywood singer Babul Supriyo on Saturday announced his retirement from Indian politics, barely a month after he was sacked as a federal Minister by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the mega Cabinet rejig.
"I'm leaving...farewell...," Supriyo wrote on Facebook. "If you want to do social work, you can do it without being in politics...let's organise myself a little first and then..."
The 50-year-old country's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) parliamentarian from the eastern Indian state of West Bengal's Asansol constituency, however, made it clear that he would not join any other political party.
Read: Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty's husband arrested
"Heard everyone's words -- father, (mother) wife, daughter, two dear friends...After hearing everything, I say that I am not going to any other party - #TMC, #Congress, #CPIM, nowhere...I am a one Team Player! Have always supported one team #MohunBagan...Have backed only BJP in West Bengal...That's it...I am going..." he wrote.
Supriyo joined politics -- and the BJP -- some seven years ago. He served as junior Urban Development Minister and Minister of State for Heavy Industries in the Modi government's first five-year tenure. He was made the junior Environment and Forest Minister after the BJP returned to power in 2019.
Read: Bollywood legend Dilip Kumar dies
Born Supriya Baral, he entered Bollywood as a playback singer in the mid-nineties and has sung for many films since then. He has also done playback singing in 11 Indian languages during his musical career.
Supriyo was among 13 federal Ministers who were dropped by Prime Minister Modi in the Cabinet reshuffle earlier this month -- some of the others being then Health Minister Harsh Vardhan, Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad and Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar.
Hasina’s care packages of sweet mango reach Indian President, PM
India’s leading media have widely carried stories on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's gifts of sweet Haribhanga mango that she sent to Indian President Ram Nath Kovind, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other political leaders in India.
Some of the media outlets in India described the gift as a “mango diplomacy” while Dhaka says it is just sharing happiness with friends and neighbours in this historic year.
READ: Sheikh Hasina gifts 2,600kg mangoes to PM Modi, Mamata Banerjee
Prime Minister Hasina on Sunday sent 2,600 kgs of mango as a gift for Indian President Ram Nath Kovind, her counterpart Narendra Modi, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and other Indian political leaders in India.
The mango packages reached Kolkata on Sunday via Benapole Petrapol land border and were later transported to Delhi via train.
300 kgs of mangoes handed over to Tripura CM
Bangladesh Assistant High Commissioner in Agartala Mohammad Jobayed Hosen on Monday handed over 300 kgs of Haribhanga mangoes to Chief Minister of Tripura, Biplab Kumar Deb at his office Monday afternoon.
The Chief Minister cordially thanked Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for sending mangoes.
Prime Minister Hasina Sunday sent 2,600kg mangoes as a gift for her counterpart Narendra Modi and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and others.
READ: Sheikh Hasina gifts 2,600kg mangoes to PM Modi, Mamata Banerjee
Indian President Ram Nath Kovind and other Indian political leaders will also receive the mangoes.
The mangoes were sent through Jashore's Benapole land port.
Prime Minister Hasina will also send mangoes to Nepal, Sri Lanka and the Maldives.
Mango diplomacy has always been a tradition in South Asia.
READ: Europe to soon feast on luscious Bangladeshi mangoes
Bangladesh has already sent the fruit to the Bhutanese King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck and Prime Minister Lotay Tshering.
The Bhutanese prime minister, a graduate of Mymensingh Medical College, had tasted Bangladeshi mangoes during his stay in Bangladesh.