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Business Standard
4 days ago
- Politics
- Business Standard
Yunus acted without consulting parties: Ex-Indian envoy on Bangladesh polls
Former High Commissioner of India to Bangladesh Veena Sikri said that the announcement of elections in the first half of April, next year by Muhammad Yunus, Chief Adviser to the interim government of Bangladesh is "controversial" and said the decision was taken without consulting the parties. Sikri told ANI a day earlier, "I think this announcement is controversial due to some reasons -- some political parties have opposed it, even BMP themselves wanted it earlier by December. He has taken this decision without consulting the parties. He has talked about reforms, but he is not a constitutional government, so there is no reason for such a government to do reforms" The former envoy said the neighbouring country must have early elections and that the Bangladesh Army has yet to react to the announcement. "They must have early elections, and then the elected government will look at what reforms they want. The Army has not said anything so far about the decision. The most important thing is how the elections will be conducted, as he cannot head the caretaker govt because in his govt there are political party representatives, including representatives of Islami Andolan Bangladesh." On June 6, the Bangladesh interim government announced that the national election would be held in the first half of April 2026. "I am announcing to the countrymen today that the next national elections will be held sometime in the first half of April 2026. Based on this announcement, the Election Commission will provide you with a detailed roadmap for the elections in due course", said Muhammad Yunus, Chief Adviser to the interim government of Bangladesh, in an address to the nation through state television, BTV, on the eve of Eid-ul-Azha. The announcement of the national election is a major development for Bangladesh politics after the fall of the Sheikh Hasina-led Awami League government in August 2024.
India Gazette
4 days ago
- Politics
- India Gazette
"Yunus has taken this decision without consulting parties": Former High Commissioner of India on elections in Bangladesh
New Delhi [India], June 8 (ANI): Former High Commissioner of India to Bangladesh Veena Sikri said that the announcement of elections in the first half of April, next year by Muhammad Yunus, Chief Adviser to the interim government of Bangladesh is 'controversial' and said the decision was taken without consulting the parties. Sikri told ANI a day earlier, 'I think this announcement is controversial due to some reasons -- some political parties have opposed it, even BMP themselves wanted it earlier by December. He has taken this decision without consulting the parties. He has talked about reforms, but he is not a constitutional government, so there is no reason for such a government to do reforms' The former envoy said the neighbouring country must have early elections and that the Bangladesh Army has yet to react to the announcement. 'They must have early elections, and then the elected government will look at what reforms they want. The Army has not said anything so far about the decision. The most important thing is how the elections will be conducted, as he cannot head the caretaker govt because in his govt there are political party representatives, including representatives of Islami Andolan Bangladesh.' On June 6, the Bangladesh interim government announced that the national election would be held in the first half of April 2026. 'I am announcing to the countrymen today that the next national elections will be held sometime in the first half of April 2026. Based on this announcement, the Election Commission will provide you with a detailed roadmap for the elections in due course', said Muhammad Yunus, Chief Adviser to the interim government of Bangladesh, in an address to the nation through state television, BTV, on the eve of Eid-ul-Azha. The announcement of the national election is a major development for Bangladesh politics after the fall of the Sheikh Hasina-led Awami League government in August 2024. (ANI)
Times of Oman
26-05-2025
- Politics
- Times of Oman
"Question about Yunus resigning was complete drama to divert attention," says former Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh
New Delhi: Former High Commissioner of India to Bangladesh Veena Sikri on Sunday claimed that the speculation about Bangladesh interim government's Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus resigning was "complete drama" to distract from the statement of Bangladesh Army chief about conducting elections. "The question about Muhammad Yunus resigning was a complete drama. He had no intention of resigning at all, and in fact, he never said himself that he would resign," the former High Commissioner told ANI. Saying that on May 21, Bangladesh army chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman had held discussions with other army officers in which they insisted on conducting elections at the end of 2025. "It was just a drama meant to divert attention away from what the army chief and all the army officers had said to him. On the 21st of May, the army chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman had invited all the army officers and the discussion was held with all the army officers and then he came out with five points and in those five points there was one very clear point that the army is insisting that elections must be held in Bangladesh by the end of this year," she said. She said that earlier, after the ousting of Sheikh Hasina, it was the Army General who agreed that Yunus could be sworn in as head chief advisor, but the interim government has no authority to do reform. "This is only an interim government and not even a caretaker government. They have no authority to do reform, do they have authority to change the constitution, they have no such authority," she said. Earlier on May 24, Yunus quashed all rumours about his resignation or leaving the country, as an unscheduled meeting of the Advisory Council was held on Saturday, after the National Economic Council meeting. The meeting discussed the three primary responsibilities--elections, reforms, and justice--assigned to the interim government. "The interim government will listen to the statements of political parties in this regard and clarify the government's position," the Advisory Council said in a statement after the meeting. The meeting was held at the Planning Commission in the Sher-e-Bangla Nagar area of the capital under the chairmanship of Chief Advisor Professor Muhammad Yunus. The meeting discussed in detail how the normal working environment is being disrupted and doubts and suspicions are being created in the public mind by making various unreasonable demands, motivated and extra-judicial statements and programs in the discharge of these responsibilities, the statement said. "The Advisory Council believes that greater unity is needed to keep the country stable, advance the election, justice and reform work and permanently prevent the arrival of dictatorship in this country," it added. The statement said that the interim government will listen to the statements of political parties in this regard and clarify the government's position. Several political parties, including Former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia's Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), have been demanding parliamentary elections by December. However, the National Citizens Party (NCP), a new party led by students who led to the ouster of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, wants fundamental reforms before the elections. The interim government, led by Muhammad Yunus, is allegedly supporting the NCP. The BNP activists have taken up a protest in front of Jamuna, the residence of the Chief Adviser, in Dhaka, demanding the removal of two student advisers from the interim government's cabinet.
India Gazette
19-05-2025
- Business
- India Gazette
"Response to deliberate trade disruptions": Ex-High Commissioner Sikri on India's trade restrictions with Bangladesh
New Delhi [India], May 19 (ANI): India's decision to impose port restrictions on certain goods imported from Bangladesh is a reciprocal response to deliberate actions by Dhaka's interim regime to harm bilateral trade, said the former High Commissioner of India to Bangladesh, Veena Sikri. 'Under Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, for the last 15 years, India has granted full access to Bangladesh's commodities in India. Completely free market access except for items like tobacco and alcohol, despite the fact that we don't have a bilateral FTA or anything. But we have seen that in the last eight months, since Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was forced to leave Dhaka and the regime, which is not even a legitimate regime, it's just an interim regime led by Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus, they have arbitrarily been restricting the movement of goods between India and Bangladesh,' Sikri told ANI on Sunday. She noted that Bangladesh's attempts to source imports from countries like Pakistan, Turkey, the USA, and China were aimed at demonstrating reduced dependence on India. 'They wanted to show that they're not dependent on India... They were trying to get imports of these goods from other countries like Pakistan. Turkey, even the USA, even China... India was patient for a little while, but when we saw that Bangladesh was doing this deliberately. In a move aimed at harming the bilateral trade between India and Bangladesh, India has now taken reciprocal measures,' Sikri added. She highlighted that global market conditions, with low demand, make it challenging for Bangladesh to find alternative markets, exacerbating the impact of India's restrictions. 'I think it's difficult at this time for Bangladesh to find other markets because of the world situation; the market demand is fairly low at this time,' says former High Commissioner of India to Bangladesh Veena Sikri. Sikri also raised concerns about emerging narratives in Bangladesh, stating, 'Here are many maps floating around in Bangladesh by all the Islamist parties, the Jihadis - they're talking about the greater Bangla and they're talking about including (Indian) North East... In that sense, he (Chief Adviser of Bangladesh, Muhammad Yunus) is trying to say that I want to promote relations with Northeast India. This is the old BBIN (Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, and Nepal) that he's trying to promote, but at the same time, he's harming the exports and imports from Northeast India.' She expressed optimism that India's Northeastern states would leverage this situation to become more self-reliant and boost local manufacturing. 'I think our northeastern states will now become more Atmanirbhar and develop their manufacturing,' said the former High Commissioner. Earlier on Saturday, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry imposed immediate land port restrictions on the import of several categories of goods from Bangladesh, following a directive issued by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT). According to the Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI), India's restrictions on imports from Bangladesh via land ports will impact goods worth USD 770 million, accounting for nearly 42 per cent of total bilateral imports. The move limits the entry of products such as ready-made garments and processed foods to specific seaports, an official press release by the Ministry stated and is widely viewed as a response to Bangladesh's recent curbs on Indian yarn, rice, and other goods, along with its decision to impose a transit fee on Indian cargo, marking a shift from previously cooperative trade relations. Under the new directive, all kinds of ready-made garments from Bangladesh can now only be imported through Nhava Sheva and Kolkata seaports, with entry through land ports no longer permitted. (ANI)
India Today
24-04-2025
- Politics
- India Today
No handshake, gate opening at Attari-Wagah border during flag-lowering ceremony
2:14 Pakistani journalist Mona Alam faced strong criticism from former ambassador Veena Sikri after calling for an investigation into the Pahalgam attack to examine Pakistan's involvement.
