Dhaka, Feb 12 (IANS) With polling underway in Bangladesh for the 13th Parliamentary elections on Thursday, political parties in the fray have exuded confidence in forming a government in the violence-hit nation, while acknowledging that the fairness of thevoting might be compromised. The National Citizens Party (NCP), a member of the Jamaat–e–Islami–led 11-party alliance, stated that the coalition is set to assume power, local media reported.NCP convener Nahid Islam, candidate of the 11-pa…
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Dhaka, Feb 11 (IANS) With Bangladesh heading for polls on Thursday, election rules strictly prohibit exploiting religious sentiments for gaining electoral advantage, yet the parties and candidates from across the political spectrum ran paid ads and unpaid social media content portraying the rival camps as “bad Muslims,” local media reported on Wednesday. An analysis of 50 sponsored ads between December 23, 2025, and February 6, 2026 reveals that both Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and Ja…
New Delhi, Feb 11 (IANS) The recently announced reciprocal trade deal with the United States does ensure Dhaka a “marginal” duty cut to 19 per cent, but comes “at a steep cost”, including a commitment “to billions of dollars in purchases”, according to an analysis in Bangladesh media.“Bangladesh’s interim government has signed a sweeping trade agreement with the United States at the twilight of its tenure to secure a partial tariff relief, but the deal comes with significant geop…
New Delhi, Feb 10 (IANS) Bangladesh’s healthcare system has become capable of meeting the majority of domestic demand, but chronic mismanagement and poor planning are draining nearly four-fifths of the sector’s public spending, according to AM Shamim, general secretary of the Bangladesh Private Hospital, Clinic and Diagnostic Owners Association.In a recent interview with Bangladesh’s The Daily Star newspaper, he said “Our national health budget stands at around Bangladeshi Taka 42,000 cr…
Dhaka, Feb 9 (IANS) Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) has voiced serious concerns after 21 employees of an online news portal ‘Bangladesh Times’ were allegedly picked up by army personnel and taken to an army camp. TIB has termed the action as unacceptable and an attempt to create fear among journalists, local media reported. During a speech at an event, TIB Executive Director Iftekharuzzaman condemned the army’s action and stressed that the incident at the office of media outlet set a…
Dhaka, Feb 7 (IANS) A transnational campaign led by two Bangladeshi online activists based in the United States and France sparked violent attacks on major media houses and cultural institutions in Bangladesh recently, exposing the dangers of online incitement across borders. Journalists and observers warn that this marks one of the first instances where social media platforms from across borders were used to orchestrate mass violence in Bangladesh, raising concerns over platform accountability …
Dhaka, Feb 7 (IANS) At least 50 people, including several journalists, were injured after repeated clashes broke out between law enforcement personnel and Inqilab Mancha activists in Dhaka’s Shahbagh area, where police resorted to baton charges, tear gas shells and sound grenades to disperse protesters, local media reported on Saturday.This comes as the journalists have been under constant threat after the interim government took over in Bangladesh. The attacks on media professionals have been…
Dhaka, Feb 6 (IANS) Five people, including a child, were injured after unidentified assailants opened fire during an election campaign in the Ali Khali Rohingya camp area of Teknaf upazila in Bangladesh’s Cox’s Bazar, local media reported on Friday. The incident took place in Block A/04 of Camp-25 at the Ali Khali Rohingya camp on Thursday at around 8:30 pm (local time). Teknaf Model police station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Mohammad Saiful Islam confirmed the incident, Bangladesh’s leading daily …
Dhaka, Feb 5 (IANS) Amid mounting criticism over his controversial remarks on women, Jamaat-e-Islami chief Shafiqur Rahman appeared to strike a conciliatory tone, asserting that safeguarding women’s security and dignity would be among his party’s foremost priorities if it comes to power, local media reported. The statement comes just days after Rahman sparked outrage through a post on X, where he alleged that women being pushed out of their homes in the name of modernity were being exposed t…
New Delhi, Feb 4 (IANS) Two days after an anti-graft body raised concerns over political violence and attacks on minorities, a human rights organisation has flagged the rising political and mob violence ahead of Bangladesh’s February 12 general election, according to media reports. It pointed at the increase in mob violence and lynching, terming these as “extremely alarming”, reported Bangladesh’s The Daily Star on Wednesday, quoting Human Rights Support Society (HRSS).Data collected fro…