Multiple trains across Bangladesh were cancelled on Tuesday after railway staff went on an indefinite strike for higher pensions and other benefits. Tens of thousands of passengers and freight transport have been impacted in the aftermath of the strike. Saidur Rahman, acting president of the Bangladesh Railway Running Staff and Workers Union, said the decision to strike was taken after …

Originally a relatively small-scale protest among Bangladeshi students over government hiring policies, what started out as an apparently local political conflict quickly grew out of control. Driven by deep-seated annoyance with perceived unfairness in the employment market, the first demonstrations swiftly grew into a larger movement questioning Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s authority. Unrest’s Timeline Tragic death of life resulting from …

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has a long-standing policy of political non-interference in member states’ internal affairs. Despite the events of the previous five years in Myanmar, where the military carried out “clearing operations” against some 1 million civilians belonging to the Rohingya minority, the association remained committed to that theory. This, though, will not be an option …

DHAKA – Bangladeshi State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shahriar Alam said that the country is looking forward to connect and establish road and railway links to ASEAN and China. As the chief guest at a webinar “Bangladesh-China Development Cooperation: Experience Outlook”, Alam said that they have reached out to the Chinese embassy in Dhaka to discuss the possible partnership between …

When Indian Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla was trying to mend a frayed relationship with Bangladesh in Dhaka last week, one of the offers that he made was that of a possible Covid-19 vaccine. Bangladesh, he said, would gain priority access to an Indian-produced vaccine. India’s vaccine diplomacy comes at a time when Bangladesh has made a similar bid to …

United Nation rights chief on Wednesday has expressed alarm that China and Asian nations were using Covid-19 crisis as an excuse to target and tighten censorship and free expression. UN rights chief Michelle Bachelet said in a statement that aside for the tigthened censorship in several countries, there were also arbitrary arrests and detention of people who criticize their government’s …