Prasanta Paul | THE Mamata Banerjee government in West Bengal received a hard wrap from the Calcutta High Court for its failure to hand over to the Border Security Force (BSF) the land acquired by the state authorities for erecting barbed wire fencing across the Indo–Bangladesh international border. In a landmark judgement delivered recently, a…
Read moreSUBHRA GUPTA | THE recent poll verdict in Bangladesh has significance embedded in various layers for its immediate neighbours, spanning from the East, West and Southeast Asian regions apart from the international superpowers. After nearly two years of political slugfest targeting India, the verdict betrayed exactly the opposite; the large majority of voters in Bangladesh…
Read moreSpecial Correspondent February 17, 2026 THE chapters in the controversial multi–crore teacher recruitment scam in West Bengal are yet to be closed. Fresh revelations about the complicity between the ruling clique and a senior leader of the Rastriya Sawamsevak Sangh or RSS have started surfacing in Birbhum district. Grapevine has it that one Jayashree Saha,…
Read moreDHAKA | BANGLADESH’s streets have again erupted with political violence. In early July, a university student protest began over Bangladesh’s job quota system that disproportionately benefits the descendants of Bangladesh’s 1971 liberation war fighters, which many students view as unfair and outdated. Early last week, peaceful protests turned violent as police and ruling party supporters…
Read moreLOOKEAST REPORT | POLICE and security officials in Bangladesh fired bullets and tear gas at protesters and banned all gatherings in the capital on Friday, as internet and mobile services were cut off after days of deadly clashes over the allocation of government jobs. The protests, which began weeks ago but escalated sharply on Monday,…
Read moreDR MANAS DAS | SOME say it is an anachronism. To some others it is a mere fancy project. A considerable few are not sure about the future of this renovated legacy and they fume at the brouhaha over it. But not many, in their senses, can dispute the glamour and pride associated with the…
Read moreLOOKEAST REPORT | INDIA and Bangladesh moved to bolster their defense relationship and signed agreements for expanding cooperation in maritime security, ocean economy, space, and telecommunication sectors, as New Delhi tries to present itself as a regional power. The agreements were signed during Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s visit to India, the first foreign leader…
Read moreDR APARNA PANDE | INDIA’S diplomatic influence has grown significantly through 2023, attracting interest from countries worldwide looking to strengthen economic and strategic bonds with the South Asian nation. However, relations with its closest neighbors remain conflict–ridden and problematic. While its western neighbor Pakistan often captures international attention, its eastern neighbor, Myanmar (formerly Burma), is…
Read moreASHLEY SOUTH | ANTI-REGIME forces in Myanmar have made remarkable gains over the past six months, taking control of at least 400 army bases and 50 towns across the country through coordinated attacks. The State Administrative Council (SAC), as the military regime calls itself, is no longer able to function effectively. Chairman Min Aung Hlaing,…
Read moreLOOKEAST REPORT | HIGHLIGHTING the strong rapport with India compared to China, Bangladesh foreign minister Hasan Mahmud emphasised on Thursday that New Delhi is geographically closer to Dhaka than Beijing. This insight came when he was asked about Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s preferences for her next trip to neighbouring countries. Mahmud also mentioned that Prime…
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