Author: Rasmita Jena

  • Bangladesh’s Foreign Affairs Advisor Discusses Changing Ties with India

    Bangladesh’s Foreign Affairs Advisor Discusses Changing Ties with India

    Bangladesh’s foreign affairs advisor, Mohammed Touhid Hossain, spoke on Saturday about the changing relationship between Bangladesh and India. He said that things have shifted since former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was pushed out of power in August. Hossain was speaking at a seminar at North South University in Dhaka.

    He mentioned that after August 5, Bangladesh’s relationship with India changed and that it’s important for Bangladesh to think about this new reality when building its ties with India. “I believe India will understand how to move forward with Bangladesh under the new situation,” said Hossain.

    The relationship between the two countries has gotten tense since Hasina stepped down, following protests led by student groups. A caretaker government led by Nobel Prize winner Muhammad Yunus took over after her departure.

    Touhid Hossain also noted that the previous government worked hard to ease India’s worries. He said, “They tried to remove India’s concerns. We also have our own worries. Issues arise when our problems are not addressed,” but he didn’t give more details.

    He is hopeful that Bangladesh can still build a good relationship with India. “We will not harm anyone. We hope that no one will harm us,” he added. Hossain also suggested that the media in India exaggerates the situation and urged Bangladeshi media to report more objectively.

    Recently, India asked Bangladesh’s interim government to protect Hindus and other minority groups from threats and violence. They also called for fairness in handling the case of Chinmoy Krishna Das, a Bangladeshi monk who was arrested on a sedition charge.

  • Hindu Priests Arrested in Bangladesh: Protests and Concerns Rise

    Hindu Priests Arrested in Bangladesh: Protests and Concerns Rise

    Hindu priest Shyam Das Prabhu was arrested on Friday in Bangladesh, according to Radharamn Das, a spokesperson for ISKCON Kolkata. His arrest follows widespread protests over the detention of another priest, Chinmoy Krishna Das, who is accused of sedition and was denied bail earlier this week.

    Radharamn shared Shyam Das’s photo on the social media platform X, saying, “Does he look like a terrorist? FreeISKCONMonks.” He mentioned that the arrest of innocent ISKCON monks is very shocking and disturbing.

    In the past few weeks, there have been many protests in both Bangladesh and India, calling for the release of Chinmoy Krishna Das. The Indian government has also expressed serious concern about the safety of Hindus in Bangladesh.

    Hindus make up about 8% of Bangladesh’s 170 million people. Since August 5, when the Awami League government changed, there have been over 200 attacks on Hindus across 50 districts.

    The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), a Hindu group in India, condemned what they called “atrocities” against Hindus in Bangladesh. They criticized the current government for not taking action and called for Chinmoy Das’s release.

    On the other hand, the Bangladeshi government insists that Hindus are safe and that there is no threat to minorities. Muhammad Yunus, the Chief Advisor, stated that they are committed to ensuring a fair trial for Chinmoy Das.

  • Sharad Kapoor Accused of Harassment: Legal Action Initiated

    Sharad Kapoor Accused of Harassment: Legal Action Initiated

    Actor Sharad Kapoor, known for his roles in movies, has been accused of harassment by a 32-year-old woman. She says he invited her to his house to talk about a work project but then made unwanted advances and sent her rude messages.

    On November 26, 2024, she went to his office to discuss video reels, as he had suggested. When she got there, she claimed that he was dressed inappropriately and tried to touch her in ways that made her uncomfortable. After this meeting, she received more inappropriate messages from him, including a voice note that upset her even more.

    She has decided to take legal action against him, saying it’s important to hold people accountable in the entertainment industry. The police have taken her complaint seriously and filed a First Information Report (FIR) against Kapoor, using specific laws meant to protect people from such behavior.

    So far, the police have not received any comments or statements from Sharad Kapoor about these accusations. He started his acting career in 1994 with the movie “Mera Pyara Bharat” and has appeared in many films, playing both supporting and villain roles. Recently, he was seen in the political drama “Jai Ho,” which starred Salman Khan.