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Amid bilateral frictions, PM Modi and Bangladesh CA Yunus exchange Bakrid greetings

Amid bilateral frictions, PM Modi and Bangladesh CA Yunus exchange Bakrid greetings

First Post08-06-2025
PM Modi and Bangladesh's Chief Adviser of the Interim Government, Professor Muhammad Yunus, extended warm greetings to each other on the auspicious occasion of Eid al-Adha (Bakrid). read more
Amidst a period of heightened bilateral tensions, a significant exchange of goodwill took place as Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bangladesh's Chief Adviser of the Interim Government, Professor Muhammad Yunus, extended warm greetings to each other on the auspicious occasion of Eid al-Adha (Bakrid).
PM Modi, in his letter dated June 4, 2025, conveyed heartfelt wishes on behalf of the people and Government of India. 'Eid Mubarak!' the letter began, emphasising that the 'holy festival is an integral part of the rich and diverse cultural heritage of India and is celebrated with immense joy and fervour by millions of people of Islamic faith across the country.'
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Responding to the Indian Prime Minister's message, Professor Muhammad Yunus, in his letter dated June 6, 2025, expressed deep appreciation for the 'thoughtful message, kind greetings and warm wishes on the occasion of Eid-ul-Azha, which reflects the shared values between our two countries.' He reciprocated the greetings, conveying his 'warmest greetings to you, and through you, to the people of India on this auspicious occasion.'
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'Trump is speaking nonsense against India & Modi is silently listening': Congress slams govt over US' latest tariff threat
'Trump is speaking nonsense against India & Modi is silently listening': Congress slams govt over US' latest tariff threat

Economic Times

time21 minutes ago

  • Economic Times

'Trump is speaking nonsense against India & Modi is silently listening': Congress slams govt over US' latest tariff threat

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So much for Ab ki Baar Trump Sarkar. So much for BJP MPs hailing Narendra Modi as India's trumpcard.""Despite all the hugs, all the handshakes, all the high-decibel bromance — 'My friend Dolaand' has delivered yet another jolt. What has come of the much-vaunted front-row seat for our EAM at his inauguration? Or for the PM being one of the first to land at the White House?""Tariffs are being slapped. Negotiations are going nowhere. But Asim Munir, the man whose invective was the backdrop for the Pahalgam terror attacks, gets lunch at the White House."This is what happens when foreign policy becomes about image-building, not national interest, he a fresh trade threat against India, Trump on Monday said he will "substantially" raise US tariffs on New Delhi, accusing it of buying massive amounts of Russian oil and selling it for big week, the Trump administration slapped a 25 per cent duty on all Indian goods. The US president also announced a penalty for buying "vast majority" of Russian military equipment and crude oil, but no mention was made in the notification."India is not only buying massive amounts of Russian Oil, they are then, for much of the Oil purchased, selling it on the Open Market for big profits," Trump said in a social media post on Monday."They don't care how many people in Ukraine are being killed by the Russian War Machine. Because of this, I will be substantially raising the Tariff paid by India to the USA," he its reaction, India said it will take all necessary steps to safeguard and promote national interest and that the implications of the tariffs are being import of crude oil from Russia has risen from 0.2 per cent of total purchases before the Russia-Ukraine war to 35-40 per cent. New Delhi is the largest buyer of Russian oil after August 1, Trump signed an Executive Order titled 'Further Modifying The Reciprocal Tariff Rates', raising tariffs for over five dozen countries, including a steep 25 per cent for executive order, however, did not mention the 'penalty' that Trump had said India will have to pay because of its purchases of Russian military equipment and House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, in an interview to Fox News Sunday, stated that President Trump has said very clearly that 'it is not acceptable for India to continue financing" the Ukraine war by purchasing oil from week, Trump mounted a sharp attack on India and Russia for their close ties and said the two countries can take their "dead economies down together", a remark which prompted New Delhi to say that India is the world's fastest-growing major that the US has a massive trade deficit with India, Trump had said that while 'India is our friend, we have, over the years, done relatively little business with them because their tariffs are far too high, among the highest in the world, and they have the most strenuous and obnoxious non-monetary Trade Barriers of any country."Also, they have always bought a vast majority of their military equipment from Russia, and are Russia's largest buyer of energy, along with China, at a time when everyone wants Russia to stop the killing in Ukraine — All things not good!' 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Sheikh Hasina completes a year in exile in India as Bangladesh plans election in 2026
Sheikh Hasina completes a year in exile in India as Bangladesh plans election in 2026

The Hindu

time23 minutes ago

  • The Hindu

Sheikh Hasina completes a year in exile in India as Bangladesh plans election in 2026

A year after then Prime Minister of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina fled Dhaka and arrived in India, she remains in regular contact with Awami League party leaders in Bangladesh and in exile around the world. Her exact whereabouts in the present and political future, however, remain a mystery, as New Delhi has discouraged her and her supporters from overt political activity. On July 23 this year, at least five Awami League ministers due to hold a press conference at Delhi's Press Club, put off their public appearance, ostensibly after India's Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) intervened. The Indian government has provided Ms. Hasina a well-guarded home in central Delhi. Her daughter Saima Wazed, who was the Regional Director of the World Health Organization's (WHO) South-East Asia Region until she was asked to proceed on indefinite leave due to court cases in Bangladesh last month, also lives in Delhi. On all questions from journalists, the MEA has declined to give details. '[Ms. Hasina] had come here at a short notice for safety reasons, as she continues to be,' spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in October 2024, a statement he maintains. Ms. Hasina now faces a number of charges over corruption, human rights violations and even war crimes during her tenure, making her return to Dhaka unlikely at present. Meanwhile, after saying he would not stop the Awami League from standing for elections expected to be held in mid-February 2026, Bangladesh interim government's Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus has banned the erstwhile ruling party and its students' wing, making it impossible for them to participate. Recorded messages In the past year, Ms. Hasina has sent out a number of recorded audio messages for her supporters, and, on one occasion, addressed a live 'rally' for supporters in Dhaka. The rally ended in extreme violence, as student groups now in power in the country attacked her family home and her father Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's memorial museum at Dhanmondi, burning most of the interiors down. 'Demolishing a building can only destroy a structure but couldn't erase the history,' Ms. Hasina said in her address on February 5. But since then, Ms. Hasina's political speeches have been more muted, as the Modi government began to increase its engagement with the Yunus administration, and after a demarche from Dhaka reportedly requested her to tone down activities. 'Comments attributed to former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina have been made in her individual capacity in which India has no role to play. Conflating this with the Government of India's position is not going to help add positivity to bilateral relations,' the MEA said in a statement a few days later. Even so, Ms. Hasina's stay in India will continue to be a sore point between Dhaka and Delhi, one year after her dramatic flight here. On August 5, 2024, as police in Dhaka failed to stop massive protests, led by student leaders onto the main roads leading to her home, Ganabhaban, Bangladesh Army chief General Waker-uz-Zaman is believed to have told Ms. Hasina that there was no safe option left but to escape by helicopter to the airbase in Dhaka, after which she was escorted onto a Bangladesh Air Force C-130 Hercules flight. The flight landed that afternoon at the Hindon airbase on the outskirts of Delhi, for a stop that was meant to be temporary. Sources said Ms. Hasina had already applied to the United Kingdom for asylum, something the U.K. had in the past granted to other leaders from Bangladesh and Pakistan who had fled there. However, the same evening, after hours of delay, the U.K.'s newly elected Labour government headed by Prime Minster Keir Starmer — who was already on the back foot over major anti-immigrant violence — decided to turn down her request. Sore point After National Security Adviser Ajit Doval drove into Hindon airbase to discuss the matter, the C-130 was sent back to Dhaka, and Ms. Hasina was invited to stay in Delhi. The decision mirrored that of the Indira Gandhi government in 1975, that gave Ms. Hasina and her sister refuge after the brutal assassination of their father, mother and most of their family members. Ms. Hasina eventually returned to Dhaka in 1981, and continued her father's political struggle, eventually being elected to power in 1996, and four times again from 2009-2024. However, another return to her country, active politics, or power appear a distant dream at present.

Durai Vaiko requests PM to facilitate return of Indians forcibly conscripted by Russian Army
Durai Vaiko requests PM to facilitate return of Indians forcibly conscripted by Russian Army

The Hindu

time23 minutes ago

  • The Hindu

Durai Vaiko requests PM to facilitate return of Indians forcibly conscripted by Russian Army

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