Latest news with #WestBengalLegislativeAssembly
NDTV
05-08-2025
- Politics
- NDTV
A Year After Hasina's Ouster, Stability Still Eludes Bangladesh
On August 5 last year, Bangladesh's then Prime Minister, Sheikh Hasina, had to leave Dhaka for New Delhi. It was a dramatic and historic moment. Even after a year, instability in Bangladesh has not subsided. We all await, with keen anticipation, the announcement of elections in the country. But what is happening in the country? Which direction will Bangladesh take? What does Trump want? What does China want? How much is Bangladesh's situation under India's control? Last but not least, what does India want? The past year has passed quickly. I still remember August 5, 2024, very clearly. Incidentally, that day, several of us journalists were at the West Bengal Legislative Assembly inside Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's office. It was 2:25 pm when the news broke: Sheikh Hasina had taken off from Dhaka by helicopter toward Delhi, accompanied by her sister Sheikh Rehana. Updates were trickling in at Mamata Banerjee's office by the minute. The Chief Secretary and Director General of Police kept coming into the antechamber for discussions. They were coordinating with Delhi. A huge political upheaval had just taken place in Bangladesh. Muhammad Yunus had become the acting prime minister. Even after a year, Bangladesh remains highly volatile. There is a sense of restlessness in Bangladesh. The Jamaat party has become very active. As August 5 returns to our doorstep, what are we seeking? As an Indian and a Bengali, I only want the people of Bangladesh, irrespective of party or ideology, not to suffer. When there is a fire in a neighbouring country, the fire inevitably flickers and reaches us. Especially for those of us in West Bengal, this situation is undesirable. Most of the India-Bangladesh border runs through West Bengal. So, our immediate demand is that elections be held promptly in Bangladesh. The people must get to exercise their voting rights. A democratically elected government must come to power. India absolutely cannot want any military regime or extremist force to take over the land of Pakistan-Bangladesh, crushing secularism. On June 13 this year, former Bangladesh Prime Minister Khaleda Zia's son Tarique Rahman held a meeting with Yunus in London. Tarique demanded that elections be held immediately. Yunus responded that in 2026, Ramadan would begin in mid-February, and elections cannot be held during Ramadan. Hence, he asked for more time. The joint statement issued after the Yunus-Tarique meeting bore no signatures. This raised serious doubts over how constitutional the BNP's demands were and to what extent Yunus would eventually honour any commitment. Another reason Yunus asked for time is that he is reportedly trying to bring in certain administrative reforms in Bangladesh. When Yunus assumed power, the Bangladesh military had demanded that elections be held within 18 months. The army repeatedly made it clear: maintaining law and order was not their job. The military must counter any sudden defence-related threat, not manage internal unrest. The sensible people of Bangladesh expect that elections will be announced very soon. But the situation is highly complex. Despite being a small country, Bangladesh's geopolitical location has always been vital. Therefore, Bangladesh has now become a battleground for the US and China. Currently, US Charge d'Affaires Tracy Jacobson is posted in Bangladesh. The US State Department and Hillary Clinton had significant roles behind Yunus's rise to power (later, Donald Trump was elected US President again on January 20, 2025). Jacobson has met with representatives from Jamaat, BNP, and other political parties. She is also urging Yunus to hold elections. The US repeatedly reminds Yunus about the ongoing genocide and terrorist activities. They've also reminded Yunus about cracking down on banned organisations like Hizb ut-Tahrir, which murdered bloggers. Yunus has assured a "zero tolerance" policy on terrorism and mass violence. However, as time passes, BNP suspects that Yunus is using "electoral reforms" as a pretext to delay elections. Without the Awami League, the BNP believes it can easily return to power. There is also speculation that if India pressures Yunus to include the Awami League in the electoral process, BNP may agree, and this is being used as a reason to delay elections. Yunus is trying to delay the election to increase the NCP party members. Meanwhile, the US has shown strong interest in Saint Martin's Island, something they have coveted since Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's time. Sheikh Hasina had firmly refused US control over the region. But after Yunus, a US military drill took place there. Now, under Yunus's interim leadership, the fear within both the BNP and Awami League is that the US may strike a deal with Yunus to gain access to the place. Yunus is suspected of trying to build an understanding with the US to increase his tenure and delay the election. On the other hand, both the US and China are extremely active in Myanmar's Rakhine province and Arakan. China seems quite interested in expanding its influence in those regions by using Bangladesh via Pakistan's Rohingya Salvation Army. The ISI chief even visited Dhaka. All these factors have added multiple layers and dimensions to Bangladesh's electoral scenario. Now, if India sides with the US, China may become more hostile toward India. Already, India is tangled with Trump regarding tariffs. That's why India's stance is extremely crucial at this point. Currently, the chances of an Awami League revival seem slim, though in politics, there are no full stops. If elections are held, will Yunus retain power by striking an understanding with the US with support from the Jamaat, or will the BNP emerge victorious? India doesn't know. Since Yunus is in power now, Delhi has had to maintain diplomatic dialogue with him. The new Bangladesh High Commissioner has come to Delhi and presented his credentials to the President. He also met Mamata Banerjee in Kolkata. However, he has avoided press conferences or meetings with journalists. It is unlikely all this could happen without India's consent. Therefore, it is clear that India has an ongoing diplomatic engagement with the Yunus government. There are no reports yet of India initiating talks with the Jamaat. Though Jamaat has expressed interest, India finds it extremely difficult to respond due to domestic political sensitivities. Some diplomatic experts argue: if Ajit Doval could initiate talks with the Taliban in Afghanistan, why not with the Jamaat? Afghanistan, once thought to be under total Pakistani control, has shifted partially toward India's favour. As for BNP, many diplomats believe that if it comes to power, it will lean strongly towards China. Is that why the US prefers Yunus over BNP? Is that also why India maintains diplomatic channels with Yunus? Time will tell. One thing is clear: whatever the outcome, the safety and security of Bangladesh's Hindu minority must not be compromised. The West Bengal assembly elections are scheduled for April-May 2026. If the Bangladesh elections happen before that, it will be beneficial for West Bengal. But if both elections happen simultaneously, and if the Jamaat attacks minority Hindus for political motives, it will turn into a drastic situation in West Bengal, which would be the last thing Mamata Banerjee would want. The BJP could use that as a major issue against Mamata Banerjee in West Bengal. That could trigger an unwanted, bitter wave of religious polarisation in West Bengal and Bangladesh alike, leading to dangerous consequences for both countries. We, the people of both sides, equally dream of preserving the harmonious relationship that both nations have had since the 1971 independence of Bangladesh. Therefore, early elections in Bangladesh are essential.
New Indian Express
28-07-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Do not accept domicile certificate issued by West Bengal govt after July 25 for SIR: Suvendu Adhikari writes to CEC
KOLKATA: Leader of Opposition in the West Bengal Legislative Assembly Suvendu Adhikari has written a letter to Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) of India Gyanesh Kumar, urging him to ensure that no Domicile Certificates issued by the West Bengal Administration issued on or after July 25, 2025, are accepted or considered during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in West Bengal. 'There is apprehension that these applications may involve Rohingya Muslims and illegal Bangladeshi immigrants, potentially supported by the directive to issue Domicile Certificates to facilitate their enrollment in Voter Lists. Given the sensitivity of the matter, I urge the Election Commission to take preventive measures,' he wrote to CEC. In the letter, he claimed that the Chief Minister's Office (CMO), West Bengal recently issued a directive to the District Magistrates (DMs) and Sub-Divisional Magistrates (SDMs) of North 24 Parganas, South 24 Parganas, Nadia, Murshidabad, Birbhum, Malda, North Dinajpur, South Dinajpur and Cooch Behar districts, instructing to issue a large number of Domicile Certificates in these districts, many of which share border with Bangladesh.
The Hindu
25-07-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
West Bengal Governor returns Aparajita Bill to State govt. for reconsideration
Raising concerns over the death penalty provisions in The Aparajita Women and Child (West Bengal Criminal Laws Amendment) Bill, 2024, West Bengal Governor C.V. Ananda Bose has returned the legislation to the State government for further consideration. 'One of the proposed amendments seeks to enhance the punishment for rape under Section 64 of the BNS, 2023, raising it from the existing minimum of 10 years to life imprisonment for the remainder of one's life or death. The Ministry of Home Affairs has termed this change as excessively harsh and disproportionate,' an official of Raj Bhawan, Kolkata, said. The West Bengal Legislative Assembly had unanimously passed the Aparajita Bill on September 3, 2024, introducing stringent punishment in cases involving sexual assault. The Bill was sent to President Droupadi Murmu by the Governor on September 6, 2024. The legislation, which was passed 25 days after the rape and murder of a doctor at R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata, provides for the death penalty in five categories of offences — rape, rape by a police officer or public servant, rape causing death or resulting in a persistent vegetative state, gang rape, and repeat offenders. Raj Bhawan officials pointed out that the Bill proposes to make the death penalty mandatory in cases where the victim dies or is left in a vegetative state under Section 66 of the BNS. 'The Ministry of Home Affairs has raised concerns over the removal of judicial discretion in such cases,' the official said. According to Raj Bhawan, the Bill also proposes to delete Section 65 of the BNS, 2023, thereby eliminating the distinction in punishment for the rape of women under 16 and under 12 years of age. 'The Ministry has observed that the removal of such classification violates the principle of proportionality in sentencing,' the official added. The development comes amid repeated appeals by the Trinamool Congress government urging the Union government to grant assent to the Bill. A delegation of Trinamool Congress MPs met President Droupadi Murmu on February 13, to press for early approval of the legislation. Certain legal experts had described the Aparajita Bill as a knee-jerk response by the West Bengal government.
New Indian Express
24-06-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Are Bengalis not Indian?: CM Mamata questions mistreatment of migrant labour in Rajasthan
KOLKATA: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday expressed her strong discontent and protest to the reported incident in Rajasthan where around 300 migrant workers from Itahar in North Dinajpur district of West Bengal were detained allegedly on suspicion of Bangladeshis. Banerjee stated that she would speak to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on this issue. 'Why are Bengali speaking people being treated so discriminately? Are the Bengali speaking people not the citizens of this country? This is not the first time. Similar incidents happened earlier also. I do not know whether the Prime Minister is aware or not. I will speak to the Prime Minister,' a furious Banerjee said. It is learnt that some 300 migrant workers from Itahar went to Rajasthan for jobs. It was alleged that those workers were detained there. The workers were kept captive in a house on the suspicion that they were Bangladeshis. One of the workers managed to make a phone call to Itahar MLA Mosaraf Hossain and informed him about the incident. Today in the West Bengal Legislative Assembly Hossain informed the chief minister about the incident, following which Banerjee made these remarks.
The Hindu
17-06-2025
- Health
- The Hindu
West Bengal Assembly passes Bill on ‘transparency' in medical costs in private facilities
The West Bengal Legislative Assembly on Tuesday (June 17, 2025) passed a Bill that aims to regulate the cost of treatment in private clinical establishments in the State, and protect patients from unexpected, inflated charges for healthcare. Also Read | Experts call for regulation and standardisation of private healthcare in India The West Bengal Clinical Establishments (Registration, Regulation, and Transparency) (Amendment) Bill, 2025 was tabled on Monday by the Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Chandrima Bhattacharya. The Bill amends the West Bengal Clinical Establishments Act, 2017 with the objective to regulate the licensing process of clinical establishments, increase transparency in their functioning, ensure strict adherence to fixed rates and package rates, and mandate electronic medical record-keeping. No hidden charges The Bill states that 'every clinical establishment must strictly follow fixed rates and charges including the package rates for investigation, bed charges, operation theatre procedures'. Under the amended Bill, privately owned medical facilities will also have to provide proper estimates for treatments not covered under fixed or package rates to the patient and their kin during initiation and through the course of treatment. Hospitals have also been mandated to communicate updated charges and the amount due to the patient and their kin every 24 hours. The amended Bill also prohibits final hospital bills from exceeding the estimates by a percentage specified by the State Health Department. Increased surveillance Additionally, the Bill mandates detailed medical record-keeping of patients in the hospital's electronic software via e-prescriptions, and detailed discharge summaries. 'Clinical establishments will maintain such records and other data in the software as may be notified by the State government from time to time and all such records shall be furnished to the State Government electronically and physically, on demand by the Government,' the Bill states. The Opposition raised concerns over women's safety, and confidentiality. During the debate, the Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in the State Assembly Suvendu Adhikari questioned the lack of specific steps or guidelines in the Bill to improve safety for women doctors, nurses, patients, and guards. 'If e-prescription is introduced, will the confidentiality of the patient's personal information be protected?' Mr. Adhikari said. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislator also raised questions over the 'practicality' of the new charges being communicated to the patient within 24 hours. 'Sometimes it takes more than 24 hours for a patient's health test report to come. So, this specific time frame is not realistic,' Mr. Adhikari said. Minister Chandrima Bhattacharya responded to the LoP's allegations, saying that, going forward, private hospitals would be obliged to inform patients about the cost of treatment in a timely manner, and that the Bill had been introduced to regulate the private healthcare sector. Notably, the West Bengal Clinical Establishment Regulatory Commission, conceptualised and announced by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in 2017, also oversees treatment infrastructure in private clinical establishments across the State. The President of the Association of Hospitals of Eastern India, Rupak Baruah, said that the Bill was a good initiative to bridge misunderstandings between common people and hospitals, but added that 'medical treatment is a dynamic process that does not always adhere to a fixed system'.
