DHAKA, 05 December 2022, (TON): Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen said "the business communities of both Bangladesh and India should draw close and play their due role in fostering mutual prosperity and economic advancement of their peoples."

He said “time is ripe for the Indian business community to focus more on Bangladesh and take advantage of its economic growth, cheaper cost and huge consumer base."

Momen said “both the governments are sincerely exploring the avenues to further facilitate their trade and investment relations and have agreed to introduce negotiations on a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement.”

DHAKA, 05 December 2022, (TON): Visiting US Assistant Secretary, for the Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration, Julieta Valls Noyes said "the United States, together with its international partners, will not allow the Rohingyas to become a forgotten crisis."

She made the comment after meeting with the UN agencies which are working on the ground.

Noyes thanked all the partners who work tirelessly to improve conditions for and to advance the rights of Rohingyas.

US Assistant Secretary Noyes will also meet government officials to express US's gratitude for their generosity in hosting Rohingya and other refugees fleeing the worsening humanitarian crisis in Myanmar.

By S. Sultan
The emergence of Bangladesh in 1971 in the name of Bengali nationalism signaled the departure of “political Islam” or Islam-based state ideology of the Pakistani period (1947–71) soon after its emergence, Bangladesh adopted the four-pronged state ideology of nationalism, democracy, socialism and secularism. However, not long after the emergence of the nation-state, Islam re-emerged as an important factor in the country, both socially and politically. It is noteworthy that most Bangladeshi Muslims suffer from a tremendous identity crisis. They are not sure which comes first—their loyalty toward Islam or toward Bangladesh. It seems, after the failure of the “socialist-secular-Bengali nationalist” Mujib government in 1975, his successors realized the importance of political Islam to legitimize their rule; hence, the rapid Islamization of the polity.
Since Bangladesh is the third-largest Muslim country in the world (after Indonesia and Pakistan), it is only natural to assume that Islam plays an important role in molding its politics and culture. Around 90 percent of the population is Muslim the abysmal failure of Mujibism to alleviate poverty and restore law and order eventually led to the Islamization of the polity. Mujib, on the one hand, promoting the idea that secularism “did not mean the absence of religion,” was giving generous state patronage to madrassa education and, on the other hand, religion for his government “was a shadow, the ghost of the past one did not know how to deal with.
Hasina’s regime (1996–2001) demonstrated no inclination towards secularism and opposition to Islamization. However, the second term (2009–2014), in coalition with the leftist parties, witnessed a major shift in its governance style—from acceptance of Islamization towards the process of secularization. The regime restored secularism as a state ideology, however, paradoxically retained Islamic phrase and provision of state religion in the constitution. Driven by the ideology of secularism, the regime is reported to have been so desperate to “de-Islamize Bangladesh” that some scholars have marked it as an emergence of “ultra-secularism”, “violent secularism”, or “authoritarian secularism”.
Deviating from her father’s later approach, Sheikh Hasina in her second term of premiership began to shrink the religious (Islam’s) space in the Majoritarian Muslim state—a situation Islam phrased as ‘minority Islam’ in Muslim majority Bangladesh.” Apart from the replacement of secularism in the Islamic provisions of the constitution, the regime consciously adopted political measures to pave the way for a secular Bangladesh. The rise of assertive secularism in the beginning of the 2010s by the Hasina’s regime has made a serious confrontation between pro-Islamist and pro-secularist people. Once again secularism has been established arbitrarily and without any consensus of the people.
When khalida Zia was in power from 2001 to 2006, the BNP introduced various measures that benefitted Islamist parties and conservative Madrassahs. In its campaign for the 2008 elections, which it lost, the BNP used the slogan “save Islam and the country”.
At the beginning of its tenure, the AL pushed secularization in the state. In 2011, it passed a National Women Development Policy that was fiercely opposed by Islamist actors and reinstated secularism into the constitution both of these moves were protested by the hitherto unknown Hefazat-e-Islam, an orthodox Deobandi movement rooted in the country's Qawmi Madrassahs.
Hefazat-e-Islam was set up by a cleric, Shah Ahmad Shafi, in 2010. In 2009, when the Sheikh Hasina government came up with reforms including inheritance rights for women, Shah Ahmad Shafi’s Hefazat protested against these reforms. This resulted in the law being watered down by the Bangladesh government.
Gupta said it is this new conservative force, which the Sheikh Hasina government had flirted with in the past, which has become her government’s own Frankenstein. “The Hefazat-e-Islam, the force behind the current protest, are the new Islamist conservative force in Bangladesh with which Sheikh Hasina’s government has flirted with at some point…But it’s a mistake that all democratic governments make in trying to control one set of extremists. They often play with the other set that looks less worse than the other (but) in the course of time, they all become Frankenstein”.
Sheikh Mujeeb-ur-Rehman was also a pro Islamist leader and introduced many Islamic movements and reforms in Bangladesh in his era (1971-75). During the era of Khaleda Zia, in her terms, Islam and its policies were made compulsory and implemented all over the state. Sheikh Hasian Wajid, during her term Bangladesh wanted to bring some reforms which were opposed by Hefazat-e-Islam which created clash between government and the religious scholars of the state. Moreover the AL pushed secularization in the state in 2011 soon after coming into power. These actions of AL made people of Bangladesh to think as it is against Islam and Sheikh Hasina as an anti Islam.
The Bangladesh national party (BNP) lost its most of worth due to boycott in elections in 2014. The imprisonment of its party leader; Begum Khaleda Zia since 2018 has developed sympathies in the general masses. BNP is likely to give tough fight AL in forthcoming elections in 2023. AL’s leader sheikh hasina wajed is on weaker end due to direct link with India and anti Islamic sentiments.Another reason is the close collaboration of sheikh hasina with Indian government and its policies, which depicts the anti Islamic sentiments towards Bangladeshi people as India is anti-Islamic state.

By TON Nepal
A reasonable number of young candidates won the first-past-the-post (FPTP) elections for the federal Parliament is something to be noted and showed a complete spilt result of Nepal national election. However, without a little representation of factually marginalized groups like women, Dalits and Janajatis. Only one Dalit candidate has won under the FPTP system. A total of 16 Dalit candidates will be represented after factoring in PR seats.
Although the Nepali Congress-led ruling alliance may preserve office in Kathmandu. Though, the trends propose a spilt political entity with voters declining to give a conclusive mandate to any party. The CPN-UML, the main opposition group, too will have a substantial presence in the federal parliament. The impressive performance of the pro-monarchy Party and the party of young activists set up in June this year, show the presence of extremely competitive electoral space. This increase of political views and the successful conduct of an election under a contentious constitution foretells healthy for Nepal.
Thereafter, Dalits will contain 5.8 percent of the 275-member federal lower house, even as they make up 13.8 percent of the nationwide populace. Similarly, just eight women have been chosen through the FPTP system thus far. Forget that there are more women than men in the country; even the constitutional requirement of 33 percent women’s representation in Parliament is probable to be disobeyed by abusing procedural dodges. The total depiction of Janajatis will be slightly better with 24 percent representation against the national population of 38 percent however still far from satisfactory.
The parties unsuccessful to field more candidates from marginalized groups under the FPTP structure mostly because of the faith that such candidates cannot success elections. There is some truth to it. Women and members of the conventionally marginalized communities often absence the kind of money and muscle power that, as seasoned male politicians bring to the election table. They are thus at a disadvantage right from the get go.
Yet the results of recent elections also show the fast-changing constituency is more than willing to vote for clean and skilful candidates, regardless of their racial, masculinity or socio-economic credentials. The power of money and muscle, which have traditionally been contributory in defining electoral outcomes in Nepal, is obviously on the decay. The major parties are thus fast running out of reasons not to give tickets to promising candidates from the marginalized groups.
This occurrence can also be seen as an extension of lack of interior democracy values in political parties. Again, their top echelons are filled with upper-caste men who are hesitant to trust either women or members of other racial communities with important duties. Yet they all talk fair, as is evident in their high manifestos promising a more “comprehensive and impartial” Nepal. In reality, they continue to view the idea of representation and affirmative politics through the lens of racialism rather than as a matter of conviction which is quite evident in the Nepal National election.
No political party that keeps away large sections of the society from important decision-making posts can be termed a democratic outfit; equitable representation is the bedrock of democracy. The hope again is that a third of the parliamentarians who have made it to the house for the very first time will lead this fight for more inclusiveness in all state organs, and in the political parties they represent. It should now be their responsibility to enact (and push for the implementation of) affirmative action policies to remove the traditional barriers members of the marginalized communities face on their quest for greater political representation. Only then will the national Parliament be a truly vibrant place for discussion of competing ideas and visions.

WASHINGTON, 04 December 2022, (TON): Prince William greeted US President Joe Biden at Boston’s waterfront, the final day of a visit by British royals trying to focus attention on tackling environmental issues.

William and his wife, Kate, attempted to keep the spotlight on climate and other causes they champion on their first overseas trip since taking on the titles of Prince and Princess of Wales after the death of Queen Elizabeth in September.

In the middle of their US visit, however, Netflix Inc released a trailer for an upcoming documentary series about William’s younger brother, Harry, and his American wife, Meghan, reviving talk about rifts in the royal family.

JEDDAH, 04 December 2022, (TON): Iran on Saturday began construction on a new nuclear power plant in the country’s southwest, Iranian state TV announced, amid tensions with the US over sweeping sanctions imposed after Washington pulled out of the country’s nuclear deal with world powers.

The announcement also comes as Iran has been rocked by nationwide anti-government protests that began after the death of a young woman in police custody and have challenged the country’s theocratic government.

Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Iranian of Kurdish origin, died on Sept. 16 after her arrest in Tehran for an alleged breach of the country’s dress code for women.

ISTANBUL, 04 December 2022, (TON): State media reported “Sweden has extradited a convicted member of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party to Turkiye as Ankara presses Stockholm for further steps in return for its membership in NATO.”

Mahmut Tat, who was sentenced to six years and 10 months in jail for PKK membership in Turkiye, fled to Sweden in 2015 but his asylum request was rejected.

Tat arrived in Istanbul on Friday night having been detained by Swedish police, the Anadolu news agency reported.

RIYADH, 04 December 2022, (TON): According to an official report “Saudi authorities arrested 14,133 people in one week for breaching residency, work and border security regulations.”

From Nov. 24 to 30, a total of 8,148 people were arrested for violations of residency rules, while 3,859 were held over illegal border crossing attempts, and a further 2,126 for labor-related issues.

The report showed that among the 377 people arrested for trying to enter the Kingdom illegally, 51 percent were Yemeni, 37 percent Ethiopian, and 12 percent were of other nationalities.

DHAKA, 04 December 2022, (TON): Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will inaugurate 30 projects and lay the foundation stones of four others in Chittagong.

The prime minister will inaugurate and lay foundation stones of the projects alongside joining a rally organized by Awami League's Chittagong North and South district units at the historical Railway Polo Ground in the city.

Earlier on March 28, 2012, PM Hasina had delivered a speech as the chief guest at a grand rally of the 14-party alliance at the same venue, which means she is returning to address a rally once again after 10 years.

MOSCOW, 04 December 2022, (TON): Russia is likely planning to encircle the Donetsk Oblast town of Bakhmut with tactical advances to the north and south, Britain’s defense ministry said on Saturday.

The capture of the town would have limited operational value but it can potentially allow Russia to threaten Kramatorsk and Sloviansk, the ministry added in a daily intelligence update.

The ministry said “there is a realistic possibility that Bakhmut’s capture has become primarily a symbolic, political objective for Russia.”