Latest news with #Latitude
The Hindu
a day ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Sheikh Hasina Needs to Step Back From Bangladesh Politics: Sreeradha Datta
Published : May 29, 2025 15:14 IST - 12 MINS READ In this episode of Latitude, host Nirupama Subramanian spoke to Sreeradha Datta, a professor of international relations at O.P. Jindal Global University who specialises in South Asia. Datta discusses developments in Bangladesh where Muhammad Yunus, the Chief Advisor, conveyed through a representative a few days ago that he was going to step down because of non-cooperation by various stakeholders. While the 84-year-old Yunus has since stepped back from the decision, the uncertainty continues amid reports that differences have developed between him and the Bangladesh army. Datta also discusses India-Bangladesh relations and what can be done to restore the bilateral ties that existed before Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's ouster in August 2024. Edited excerpts: What do you make of this sudden announcement by Muhammad Yunus that he wished to quit, and then, equally quickly, his withdrawal of that decision? Was this just a trial balloon, a pressure tactic, or did he really mean it seriously? I would think it's actually a mix of all those three basic factors. Yes, there were a lot of different variant voices, at times divisive voices, also and different stakeholders who had a different point of view. Also, there was a problem of the road map for the elections. We've seen the BNP [Bangladesh Nationalist Party] and others [who] want early elections in December. The student leaders, the Jamaat-e-Islami, they want elections to be deferred because clearly their ground is not ready for it as yet. And the question of the reforms, which Dr. Yunus himself said in his early days, that anything from one year to three years, so it was kept widely open then. He's frustrated, he's exasperated, he's not happy trying to do this. But I think that all party meeting which took place two days ago was basically putting faith on him because at this point of juncture, if he steps down, this would be political mayhem again. All the stakeholders agreed that the best way forward is Professor Yunus. And I think that's what he mentioned yesterday, that he's not going to stay beyond June 30 next year. The BNP and the military have been demanding elections by December this year. Would they be happy about this extended timeline to June 30, 2026? The BNP is certainly because they know this is a good time for them. There's a huge wave in their favour at this point in time, which they don't want to miss out on. But again, he has mentioned reforms. The basic reform everybody agrees on is the electoral reform. The election commission has already got the voters' list out, where people can address the anomalies. But for these reforms to take shape, you would need all-party consensus. Many of the reform reports have been accepted by the interim government. But now they have to have a process where everybody is on board with it. And there is an opinion that an elected government is best suited for this purpose. Should Yunus not be really concentrating on holding the election? These reforms are best addressed by an elected government. Where is this coming from? If you recall, Bangladesh between 2006 and 2008 had a similar interim period when it was a caretaker government. At that point in time, there has been opinion among many Bangladeshis that many reforms that the nation needed weren't undertaken, the systemic problems that Bangladesh has. Similarly, now I have spoken to some of the advisors who talked about the very deep-rooted systemic problems that need to be addressed. But I don't think it's possible to address them overnight. The opinion of Yunus and some who back him suggests that, suppose it went to election straight away, the country was going to go back to the same chaos, the same mayhem of not being able to address the systemic problems. My argument is that even if you do bring in very strong reforms, what is to say a political party that has an overwhelming majority in the parliament is not going to come and overrule all of that. It's a political culture that needs to be addressed, and it can't be done just through paper. Also Read | BNP and Jamaat's London huddle stirs political pot in Bangladesh When Yunus said he wanted to quit because he was not being allowed to govern, what was actually happening on the ground in Bangladesh? What we saw immediately in the aftermath of the August 5 uprising, we've seen different stakeholders suddenly jump in. Students were the front face of that movement. Now, often we've seen when students campaign for change, the whole country awakens to the fact that if we all go to the streets in masses, we want to get our wishlist done. So we've seen all kinds of people on the road in that particular mood that we can do this through street power. I think Yunus gave them too much space, essentially because he felt the previous regime wasn't engaging, especially the youth. But at the same time, when we suddenly see a lot of these Islamist elements suddenly out and voicing - maybe at a political level, they probably have absolutely no space, but this social space was sadly too much. Those elements, their street power is immense. These Islamist elements, hopefully have absolutely zero electoral presence. But this street power, their social power is a lot. He seemed to suggest there were differences between the army and the interim administration. What really is that relationship? I would think they don't have to be on the same page on every issue. The main controversy which we saw in the public domain is on the humanitarian corridor. Can you please explain this humanitarian corridor? This is basically a space they wanted to create on the common border where Bangladesh would provide material, food, and essential items for the people of the Rakhine region who didn't even have gas to cook their food on in the aftermath of the earthquake and the huge, violent situation that continues to exist there. The army chief reacted to that because clearly this is a strategic decision. The army needed to be consulted. And I don't think the consultation process actually happened. So I think then the media advisor said, no, we've not decided on anything as yet. This is a matter of discussion going on at this point of time. 'In Bangladesh, despite the social media angst about India, every political stakeholder and any urban Bangladeshi will tell you that India is a neighbour that they will have to work with.' Has this crisis blown over? Are things now going to be easy for Yunus? It's very difficult to say that about Bangladesh. They're extremely given to emotions and histrionics. But largely, I would say, especially the political stakeholders, I think they do understand that it's important to have stability here because otherwise nobody wins. For their own sake, they will ensure. But again, there's always this particular element in Bangladesh about Islamists being given a very open hand suddenly. We've seen many decisions, people being released from prison. We don't know which way the narrative was going to be taken by those kind of elements. What are they doing to reign in these Islamists? No, I don't think one sees that really. These elements are part of not necessarily just Hefazat[-e-Islam Bangladesh], but many small groups who were also been accused of terror attacks in the past. They are the ones who are out on the street now. Suddenly, Bangladeshi friends that I speak to said we've never seen these kinds of elements. They said, we ourselves, we don't know who they are and where they have suddenly emerged from. There's a kind of very black hole here about their presence. If they do not have popular support, why is the interim administration reluctant to crack down against them? We've been wondering ourselves when we discuss Bangladesh as to why we don't see the interim come down much more sharply on them. We've seen huge violence against minorities. The interim government, the student leaders have constantly denounced it and said that we'll try and do whatever we can, but we've still seen huge outbreaks happening constantly. I think they probably thought the more they go against them, there'll be more such elements rising to the surface. So it was best to not give them too much of importance. The army has spoken about holding an inclusive election—an indirect demand that the Awami League should be allowed to take part. But the Awami League has been banned. How does this get resolved? This was going to be a tricky point, always. The BNP has said that our military should be there as a multi-party because their argument is that this is exactly what was happening during our military's time—that the BNP was not allowed to vote. But I wish the judiciary, the legal proceedings would have been far more hastened. What they've done is a ban on Awami League activities till the criminal procedures are not [completed]. So why could they not initiate? The entire nation was behind that, they would support the legal process to be initiated. It's a historical party, the largest political party of Bangladesh. So you can't keep them out for long. But this is a difficult position because who comes as the opposition leader, as the opposition political party? That middle ground is completely been vacuum at this point of time. If the Awami League were allowed to participate in the coming election, how would it perform? There is a very basic 25-28 per cent strength of voters who have always backed the Awami League. They continue to be there. Even if they may lose some supporters, there would still certainly be a ground support for the Awami League. It doesn't have to be in the name of a particular leader but as a political party. On the whole, voters vote on a different psychology that even if the Awami League did what they did, it is still better than a religious or a more conservative political party. There will be a vast wave of support for the BNP because they've been saying some very responsible things at this point of time. How active is Sheikh Hasina herself in party matters? She is in India in exile. In the initial days and months, we saw Sheikh Hasina relay a lot of messages and phone conversations being released by party members, because she was constantly in touch with them. But in the last couple of weeks, months, I've not heard much. I don't think she thinks she needs to rebuild. She thinks the party exists because every time she's publicly spoken, she's always said that I'm coming back. So she thinks the party is fine. I don't think she's doing any kind of a reality check. Also Read | India comments on treatment of Hindus in Bangladesh but must know its treatment of Muslims has repercussions: Debapriya Bhattacharya Is there a chance that she has a political future in Bangladesh if she goes back? Actually, I doubt that. I would think the best way to keep the Awami League there strongly is if she steps back and lets other leaders take forward. But the misdeeds of Sheikh Hasina are far too much, far too high. I don't think that after what she did, especially with the students, unarmed students, and the kind of bloodbath that we saw, I don't think she would be excused by anyone there, even people who have supported Awami League. I want to come to relations with India. Is there any attempt by Delhi to re-establish ties with the Yunus government, apart from the meeting between Prime Minister Modi and Professor Yunus during the BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) meeting? I wouldn't think so. India's very deliberately keeping quiet. Some basic communication is open, but it wouldn't want to do anything beyond that. Yunus hasn't helped the case either. A lot of the pronunciations about the north-east, about Lalmonirhat, about China, about Pakistan hasn't gone down well. Apart from the communal violence issues and the fact that we hated anybody who would oust Sheikh Hasina. We don't support the interim [government] at all. We think it's not a legitimate government. And then we don't like Yunus also because of what Sheikh Hasina's opinion about him is. How have India's restrictions on Bangladeshi exports gone down in Bangladesh? That message has been very clearly conveyed: what is emanating from Bangladesh is not something that India is very happy to hear. But I recall a BBC interview where Yunus talks about how now he says India is the most important neighbour. I've heard from every political entity in Bangladesh—not one of them has ever said that India is not important to us. But the noises that have come out from Bangladesh haven't endeared them to us. There is no doubt in Bangladesh, despite the social media angst about India, every political stakeholder and any urban Bangladeshi will tell you that India is a neighbour that they will have to work with. Can India really hope to pick up this relationship with an elected government after so much bad blood? Let's face it, in a situation like this, the problems are faced both by Indians and Bangladeshis, but Indians have the capacity, a larger capacity, to absorb the issue and move on with it. Bangladesh has the perception that the Awami League was able to sustain itself because India supported it. So there are youth groups who are very angsty about India on these issues. But I've always argued that India and Bangladesh are destined to work together. That's how it should be because the cost of non cooperation is so very high for both. Just that India has a capacity to absorb it and move along; it will hurt Bangladesh much more. So it will be in Bangladesh's interest also once an elected government comes in place to reach out. But the basic thing is that security parameters are going to be safe with every political entity. For India that's the basic red line that if that is not addressed, nothing matters. Nirupama Subramanian is an independent journalist who has worked earlier at The Hindu and at The Indian Express.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Aeromexico partners with Latitude by Brightwell to transform passenger refunds and reimbursements
ATLANTA, May 27, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Brightwell, a leading-edge software solution designed to simplify the complexities of international payments, is proud to partner with Aeromexico to transform the airline's refund and reimbursement process. By leveraging Brightwell's digital refund solution, Latitude, Aeromexico is streamlining payouts, reducing operational costs, and enhancing passenger satisfaction. Aeromexico is committed to delivering a seamless travel experience, from booking to arrival. Now, with Latitude by Brightwell, the airline is modernizing its refund and reimbursement process—ensuring passengers receive funds quickly and conveniently while reducing strain on internal teams. With Latitude, Aeromexico passengers will receive a convenient Aeromexico-branded link that allows them to access their refund or reimbursement in faster than traditional methods via the payment method of their choice. This launch aligns with the Department of Transportation's mandate for issuing prompt, hassle-free passenger refunds. Providing a network of destinations spanning 93 cities in Mexico, the Americas, Europe, and Asia, Aeromexico chose Latitude because of Brightwell's unmatched expertise in travel payments. With a proven track record of solving cross-border payout complexities, Brightwell ensures airlines can meet passenger expectations for fast, hassle-free refunds while reducing the burden on customer service teams. "Aeromexico is dedicated to elevating the passenger journey towards an extraordinary experience," said Aeromexico's VP of Treasury, Emilio Ramos Ruiz. "Brightwell makes that easier with refunds that are convenient for agents and passengers, regardless of country or currency. The fully-branded user experience helps our passengers trust that they are making the right choice to fly with us and that any disruptions will be resolved quickly." Brightwell launched Latitude in 2024 to help businesses like Aeromexico streamline payments and enhance customer satisfaction. By digitizing the refund process, Latitude reduces costly manual operations, minimizes chargebacks, and accelerates payouts—allowing airlines to build stronger customer relationships and drive repeat bookings. "Aeromexico's move to bring on Latitude shows just how critical fast, seamless refunds have become in the travel industry," said Larry Hipp, CEO of Brightwell. "By cutting out the friction of cross-border payments and delivering a fully branded experience, Latitude helps turn what used to be a difficult process into a real moment of service — strengthening passenger trust and making Aeromexico stand out as a leader in global travel." To learn more about Latitude, visit About Brightwell Driven by a passion for financial inclusion and empowerment, Atlanta-based financial technology company Brightwell is living out its mission to create products that help people and businesses send money securely across the globe. Brightwell's suite of cross-border payment products is simple to use, easy to integrate, and designed to help customers achieve measurable results. Processing and securing billions of dollars each year, Brightwell's products are trusted by businesses of all sizes – from startups to Fortune 500. Brightwell media contact: marketing@ Brightwell is a technology provider and not a bank or other regulated financial institution. All regulated services associated with Latitude are provided by The Bancorp Bank. Terms and conditions apply. About Aeromexico About Aeromexico Grupo Aeromexico, S.A.B. de C.V., is a holding company with subsidiaries engaged in commercial and cargo aviation in Mexico, training, assistance, and maintenance, as well as the control of its passenger loyalty program: Aeromexico, Aeromexico Connect, Aeromexico Cargo, Aeromexico Formacion, Aeromexico Servicios and Aeromexico Rewards. The company is Mexico's global airline and has its main hub at Mexico City International Airport. Its destinations network features 21 countries and 93 cities nationally and internationally, including Mexico, the United States, Canada, Central America, South America, Asia, and Europe. The Group's operating fleet is comprised of Boeing 787 and 737 jet airliners and Embraer 190 models. Aeromexico is also a founding member of the SkyTeam airline alliance, an alliance which serves over 160 countries with 18 SkyTeam airline partners. Aeromexico media contact: amcomunicacioncorporativa@ View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Brightwell
BBC News
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Choirmaster Gareth Malone to conduct 100 Latitude Festival-goers
Music fans at a major festival have been invited to join a celebrity choirmaster in a performance on the main Malone OBE previously organised a choir of 150 at Latitude at Henham Park near Southwold, Suffolk in year he will conduct 100 attendees on the final day of the festival, which is expected to welcome more than 40,000 people between 24 and 27 49-year-old, best known for appearing on BBC Two's The Choir, said returning to Latitude felt "incredibly special". He said: "I can't wait to work with a brand-new group of voices and create something extraordinary together. "This is truly a one-time-only performance - a celebration of unity, music, and the incredible atmosphere of Latitude."The choir, which will be created "entirely on-site", will be rehearsed over three days of the festival prior to the Sunday performance, starting with an initial meeting with Malone on Thursday, 24 July. The choirmaster has previously led acclaimed musical projects including the Military Wives Choir, whose debut single topped the UK charts, and the All Star Choir's Wake Me Up for BBC Children in Need. He was awarded an OBE in 2012 in recognition of his services to music and founder and managing director Melvin Benn said: "Gareth Malone's return to Latitude after a decade is something we are all eagerly anticipating. "His ability to bring people together through music is unparalleled and we know that this performance will be a highlight of the festival." Follow Suffolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
Metro
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Metro
The little trick that will get you into this Summer's best music festivals free
Festival season is here, with hundreds of thousands of music lovers set to head to city centres, parks and farms across the country from now until September. That's if you've been able to get a ticket. Demand is the first barrier for the most popular events, but even if you're first in the queue, price is potentially a bigger issue. As with everything, ticket prices have continued to rise. Last year Glastonbury was £355. This year those who managed to get a ticket were forking out £18.50 more at £373.50. The Isle of Wight Festival has increased by £15 to £285 this year and even one-day events can go past £100. However, if you're flexible or willing to put in some graft, then you can cut these prices –potentially getting in for free! Let's start with the freebies, which are available to volunteers. Most major UK festivals, small and large, offer free spots for those who'll work. That could be pouring pints at a bar or checking tickets at the gates, through to staffing help desks or litter picking. In return for a shift each day, you'll get free entry and often a food token. If it's a camping event there's usually a separate secure area to stay, too. On day festivals you can usually be done by 8pm so you can enjoy the headline performers. At longer events, you'll hopefully be able to switch shifts so you can see your favourite acts. Just be prepared to get there early for training and to work at least one night. Some will require you to stay on a day or two after to operate the clean-up. You will have to part with some cash upfront, but as long as you turn up for your shifts you'll get that refunded after the event – though watch out for some small admin fees that won't be returned by some organisers. Of course, some of these ships have already sailed. You've no chance of Glastonbury this year, or even the big-name dayers from the likes of Charli XCX and Stevie Wonder. But you can still pick up a free ticket to Leeds, Latitude and Boomtown, as examples. Many of the opportunities come via charities, so you'll also be helping to promote and raise funds for those causes. Ones to check include Oxfam, WaterAid, Charity Concierge and My Cause UK. Others come via commercial businesses, like Festaff and Hotbox Events. See their websites for details and application forms. But for those who don't want to work for their ticket, or don't have the time to commit to extra days off, all is not lost. I'd suggest you look for cheaper tickets at fan-to-fan resale sites such as Twickets and Tixel. The closer you get to an event, anyone who has to offload their ticket could get desperate and start listing it at a lower price. With Twickets you can even bid what you're prepared to pay. More Trending If you're really flexible, I'd also keep an eye on seat-filling sites including Central Tickets and Show Film First, which list cheap or free tickets for non-sold events a few days before they happen, for a small admin fee. You might also be able to pick up local tickets via sites such as Groupon and LivingSocial, though I haven't seen as many of these in recent years as I used to. View More » Failing that, and you have to pay full price, you can get around 5% back on Ticketmaster gift cards purchased from apps such as HyperJar, Cheddar or JamDoughnut, which would at least cover some of those booking fees. MORE: Run, don't walk! The Nespresso travel tumbler everyone's obsessed with has returned MORE: What are the changes to the Assisted Dying bill and how will MPs vote? MORE: Get the most out of your garden with this wild-life friendly garden range at Dunelm
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
5 big names coming to Suffolk this summer
Summer certainly feels like it is just around the corner following recent hot and sunny weather. There are many events planned to take place across Suffolk from June until August, with big names expected at some of them. Here are five celebrities coming to the county this summer. Ed Sheeran will be playing at Portman Road in July (Image: Charlotte Bond)When: Friday, July 11 until Sunday, July 13 The global superstar is returning home with three concerts set to take place at Portman Road stadium. It comes ahead of the release of his new album Play in September which sees the singer explore new musical ground through collaboration with artists across the world. READ MORE: Marvin Humes will be at Summer Soul Vibes in Ipswich (Image: PA)When: Friday, July 11 The JLS member is headlining the first night of Summer Soul Vibes at Venue16 in Ipswich. Summer Soul Fest will also be running on Saturday, July 12, with headliner Soul II Soul and other acts like Kenny Thomas and The Ipswich Soul Collective. The Welsh singer has previously performed in Suffolk (Image: Gregg Brown)When: Friday, August 3 The Delilah singer is making his return to the county with a performance after the races at Newmarket Racecourse. He previously visited the site in 2021 to mark the celebration of his 80th birthday. READ MORE: 7 major events and things to do in Suffolk in May Sting performed in Thetford Forest last year (Image: Sonya Duncan)When: Friday, July 26 The former Police singer is headlining the first night of Latitude at Henham Park, near Southwold. Other headliners for the three-day festival include Fat Boy Slim and Snow Patrol. Sugababes will be performing at Newmarket Nights (Image: PA)When: Saturday, August 23 Natasha Bedingfield, who is known for hits like Unwritten, will kick of post-race celebrations at Newmarket Racecourse. She will be followed by girl group Sugababes with the original line-up of Mutya Buena, Keisha Buchanan and Siobhan Donaghy.
