"When there is a vacuum, others will come and fill the space," one of four Bangladesh sources, most of them diplomats, told Reuters. Since August, India has handed out fewer than 1,000 medical visas each working day, down from a figure of 5,000 to 7,000, said the sources, who all sought anonymity, citing their terms of employment. In 2023, India issued more than 2 million visas to Bangladeshis, most of them on medical grounds, government data from both countries shows. "The cooperation between China and Bangladesh is not targeted at any third party, nor is it influenced by third-party factors," the spokesperson told Reuters. One of them also attributed the fewer medical visas to the finding that some were being misused by people looking to "try and escape difficult conditions in Bangladesh".

Photo: Malaysian Border Control and ProtectionMalaysian authorities detain a group of Bangladeshis claiming to be a cricket team at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport after discovering that the tournament they were supposedly attending did not exist. Photo: Malaysian Border Control and ProtectionA group of Bangladeshis claiming to be a cricket team has been denied entry into Malaysia after authorities discovered that the tournament they were supposedly there to attend did not exist. The Malaysian Border Control and Protection Agency (AKPS) said that the 15 men were barred from entering the country at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport on Mar 17, local media report. The group claimed to be a cricket team travelling to participate in a competition. The agency warned that strict action would be taken against any individuals or syndicates misusing sports visas for illegal employment or human trafficking.

Dhaka University’s fact-finding committee has named Chhatra League leaders Saddam Hussain and Sheikh Ali Asif Inan among 128 students allegedly behind the violence on campus from Jul 15 to Aug 5 during the Anti-discrimination Movement. The list includes the names of banned organisation Chhatra League's Central President Saddam, General Secretary Inan, and Dhaka University President Mazharul Kabir Shayon. The decision to temporarily expel the students came at an emergency syndicate meeting on Monday, presided over by Vice-Chancellor Prof Niaz Ahmed Khan. Dhaka University formed the fact-finding committee on Oct 8, 2024, to probe the violenceThe committee said it had found evidence of involvement in attacks against over a hundred students of Dhaka University. The list includes names of different university hall leaders of Chhatra League, as well as some outsiders.

This loophole can be plugged by merging the low and medium price tiers, according to an ATMA statement released following the FY 2025-26 pre-budget meeting with the NBR. During the meeting, the NBR Chairman Md Abdur Rahman Khan said he would consider reducing the number of cigarette price tiers to three while simultaneously increasing the prices. However, during this period, the hike in the prices of different tiers of cigarettes ranged between 6-15 percent only. As per the proposal presented by ATMA, for non-filtered bidi, the retail price should be Tk 25 for 25 sticks, and for filtered bidi, the retail price for 20 sticks should be set at Tk 20. Regarding smokeless tobacco, the retail price for 10 grams of Jarda and Gul should be Tk 55 and Tk 30, followed by a 60 percent supplementary duty.

"Two hundred and eighty-nine Chhatra League leaders and activists have been temporarily suspended in connection with the attack on students of Jahangirnagar University during the Anti-discrimination Student Movement. "The Chhatra League activists and leaders who completed their studies will have their certificates suspended. Those who are regular students will be temporarily suspended." He continued: "Nine teachers have been temporarily suspended on charges of involvement in the attack on the university by the Chhatra League and the police during the movement. The initial investigation has found allegations of involvement in the attack against several other teachers.

Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) Chairman Md Monjur Kabir Bhuiyan clarified that there are no plans to establish the Bangladesh Airport Security Force, describing protests by its employees against such a move as baseless. However, according to CAAB, there are no plans to form such a force. Speaking to The Business Standard today (18 March), the CAAB chairman said, "There is no basis for their protest as the issues they raised are baseless. Despite prior communication with officials, protests were initiated without valid reasons. Md Robin Dewan, security officer of the aviation security department at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, told TBS that a Bangladesh Airport Security Force is being formed, with 70% of personnel sourced from the Air Force and only 30% from civilians.

GAIBANDHA, Mar 18: A 60-year-old man has been arrested by the police in Phulchari Upazila of Gaibandha on charges of raping a student in the second grade.The accused, Bisha Sheikh, was arrested on Monday from the remote Char Harichandi village in Erendabari Union, said Phulchari Police Station Officer-in-Charge Khandaker Md Hafizur Rahman.According to locals, the 10-year-old girl, a student of a local madrasa, was playing near her house on Monday afternoon.Sheikh came and lured her away to a cornfield under the pretence of telling her a story.There, he allegedly "covered her mouth and raped her," said the locals. The child later returned home and informed her parents about the incident.As news of the incident spread, outraged villagers detained the old man. Police took Sheikh into custody in the evening when the incident was reported.OC Hafizur said, "The child has been sent for a medical examination and her father has filed a case at the police station." �"bdnews24.com

CHATTOGRAM, Mar 18: A schoolteacher and a child have been killed in two separate road accidents in Chattogram's Mirsharai and Hathazari.The victims were identified as Meera Rani Bhowmik, 55, a teacher at Khaiyachhara High School in Mirsharai, and 4-year-old Bibi Khadija.The accident in Mirsharai occurred at Barotakiya Mazar Gate on the Dhaka-Chattogram Highway around 3:30pm on Tuesday, said Abdullah Al Mamun, chief of Jorarganj Highway Police Station. �"bdnews24.com

Foreign Advisor Touhid Hossain has underlined US Intelligence chief Tulsi Gabbard’s remarks on “persecution, killing and abuse of religious minorities in Bangladesh being a concern for her government” as “a serious statement”. On Tuesday, he said the interim government had already responded to her statement. In response to comments made by the US Director of National Intelligence (DNI), the Chief Advisor’s Office (CAO) expressed deep concern, saying the comments were "not based on evidence”. In a statement on Monday night, the CAO said Gabbard's comments were not based on any evidence or specific allegations that paint an entire nation with a broad and unjustified brush. “This statement is both misleading and damaging to the image and reputation of Bangladesh.”Touhid’s colleague in the advisory council, Finance Advisor Salehuddin Ahmed, said there would be "no problem" in economic relations between the two countries over Gabbard's remarks about "religious minorities being persecuted in Bangladesh and the US's concern over it”.

So all government employees will spend Eid vacation for six days from Mar 28-Apr 2. A leave on Apr 3 would add three more days to the vacation, making it nine consecutive days. Also, the last day for their office before is Mar 27, preceded by the government holiday of Mar 26. So another day off on Mar 27 would add two more days to the total and potentially make it a lengthy time away from office for government employees. The rules stipulate that taking casual leave between two holidays would render the entire period as leave.

Jaya Ahsan, a celebrated actress in both Bengal and India, has won the “Traditional Queen of the Year” award at the Filmfare Glamour & Style Awards ceremony in Kolkata, West Bengal. Jaya took to Facebook and Instagram to break the news, expressing gratitude towards Filmfare for the recognition. Jaya has also been nominated in the Best Actress category at this year’s Filmfare Awards Bangla for her role in “Bhootpori”. Ahsan has also been nominated in the Best Actress category at this year’s Filmfare Awards Bangla for her role in “Bhootpori”. Over the past decade and a half, she has received seven consecutive nominations at the Filmfare Awards Bangla, securing four wins along the way.

He says interim government is committed to protecting human rights amid concerns over attacks on minoritiesChief Advisor Yunus seeks US senator’s help to counter ‘misinformation’ on minority attacksChief Advisor Muhammad Yunus has sought the support of US Senator Gary Peters to counter “misinformation" surrounding recent attacks on minorities in Bangladesh. Senator Peters told Yunus that many Bangladeshi-origin residents in his constituency, including those in Detroit, Michigan, had expressed concerns over recent attacks on minorities. Reassuring the US senator, Yunus said his government is committed to upholding the human rights of every citizen, regardless of race, religion, gender, or social identity. The chief advisor invited Senator Peters to visit different cities and towns across Bangladesh to witness the state of religious harmony firsthand. Senator Peters also enquired about the interim government’s reform initiatives, key commission reports, and plans for free and fair elections.

Officials and employees of the Election Commission (EC), who have been opposing the government’s initiative to transfer control of National Identity Card (NID) services away from the commission, have suspended their “operational halt” programme. The government has decided to establish a separate authority, the “Civil Registration Commission”, to oversee NID services in the country. In response, employees of the EC voiced strong opposition to the proposals, arguing that the NID services should remain under the commission's purview. “It has formally communicated to the government and the consensus commission that NID services should remain under the EC. A 2023 initiative sought to place NID services under the Ministry of Home Affairs' Security Services Division through legislative action.

“[The economy] was on the brink of a pit. The advisor said, "Bangladesh's economy is no longer on the brink. Since taking office, the advisor has consistently spoken of the country’s state of economic distress. The finance advisor now says the economy is turning around as the prices of goods have eased somewhat during the current month of Ramadan. Approval was also given to purchase 50,000 tonnes of non-basmati rice from India for the Directorate General of Food.

Bangladesh strongly condemns any efforts to link the country to any form of Islamist caliphate, the statement readsThe Chief Advisor’s Office (CAO) has responded to US Intelligence chief Tulsi Gabbard’s comments alleging persecution and killing of religious minorities in Bangladesh and that the threat of Islamic terrorists in the country is aimed at establishing an Islamist caliphate. "This obviously affects people of any other religion, other than the one that they find acceptable, and they chose to carry this out with terror and violent ways and means." The CAO said, “Bangladesh is a nation whose traditional practice of Islam has been famously inclusive and peaceful and that has made remarkable strides in its fight against extremism and terrorism. “Gabbard's comments are not based on any evidence or specific allegations that paint an entire nation with a broad and unjustified brush. “Groundlessly linking Bangladesh to the idea of an ‘Islamist caliphate’ undermines the hard work of countless Bangladeshis and their friends and partners around the world who are committed to peace, stability, and progress.