Added on International

A retired major general from Bangladesh who is connected to the 2004 Chittagong arms haul case pays a discreet visit to Guangzhou.

Six months after his early release from a life sentence, former Bangladesh DGFI Director Major General (retd) Rezzakul Haider Chowdhury made a 12-day trip to Guangzhou, China, returning to Dhaka on June 18, 2025. Chowdhury, who was acquitted by the Bangladesh High Court in December 2024 for his role in the notorious 2004 Chittagong arms haul case, is now the focus of renewed speculation about his ongoing activities. The 2004 case involved the seizure of ten truckloads of arms, allegedly destined for Indian insurgents and traced to a Chinese state-controlled company. Bangladeshi intelligence agencies are investigating the purpose of Chowdhury’s recent visit, amid concerns about possible links to regional security dynamics.

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Free speech and expression are still suppressed by the Yunus-led interim government.

An alleged graft case filed by Bangladesh’s Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) against a former vice-chancellor of Begum Rokeya University, Rangpur (BRUR) and several others has reignited concerns over the Yunus-led interim regime’s ongoing efforts to stifle free speech and independent journalism. The accused, including prominent educationist Nazmul Ahsan Kalimullah, are charged with embezzlement and financial irregularities, charges they contest as politically motivated. Since taking power in August 2024, the interim government has been accused of widespread media repression—dismissing over a thousand journalists, forcibly taking over private TV channels, and canceling press accreditations. The International Federation of Journalists’ latest report highlights the mounting challenges faced by Bangladesh’s media, as the regime continues to project a reformist image while deepening its control over the press. The current political climate underscores the fragile state of press freedom and democratic institutions in Bangladesh.

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ICG recognizes that the government of Bangladesh is still interacting with the Arakan Army in Rakhine State, Myanmar.

The International Crisis Group has recommended that Bangladesh continue talks with the Arakan Army regarding informal cross-border assistance, calling it the most feasible option in the ongoing Rohingya crisis. The ICG’s latest report urges improved coordination between Bangladesh’s government and security forces to check the influence of armed Rohingya groups in refugee camps and prevent weapons inflow. It warns that further refugee flight could harm Dhaka’s relationship with the Arakan Army and fuel recruitment into armed factions. The report also stresses the need for sustained international humanitarian aid and cross-border trade to improve conditions in Rakhine, emphasizing that failure to act could worsen the crisis in the region.

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Added on Regional

Three citizens of Bangladesh and a narcotics dealer are arrested  in Tripura.

In a determined effort to curb cross-border crimes, the Border Security Force (BSF) Tripura Frontier has recently apprehended three Bangladeshi nationals for illegal infiltration and an Indian drug peddler in possession of 48 kilograms of ganja. Additionally, BSF personnel seized 275 mobile phones valued at approximately Rs 65 lakhs during a special operation in Sepahijala district. These actions, carried out in coordination with local police and based on specific intelligence, underscore the BSF’s ongoing commitment to tackling smuggling, illegal infiltration, and other criminal activities along the India-Bangladesh border in Tripura.

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According to reports, the British PM declines to meet with Muhammad Yunus, the interim leader of Bangladesh.

In a notable diplomatic snub, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has declined to meet Muhammad Yunus, the Chief Advisor of Bangladesh’s interim government, during Yunus’s four-day visit to the UK. While Yunus did meet with UK National Security Advisor Jonathan Powell, speculation about a meeting with Starmer was dispelled as UK officials confirmed no such plans. The visit has sparked controversy, with large protests by the UK branch of Bangladesh’s Awami League accusing Yunus of undermining Bangladesh’s liberation legacy and demanding his prosecution. Demonstrators greeted Yunus with black flags, slogans, and even hurled shoes and eggs at his convoy. The Awami League’s UK branch also sent a letter to British authorities urging them not to recognize Yunus’s government, citing concerns over political repression and human rights abuses. The episode highlights ongoing tensions and divisions within Bangladeshi politics.

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Are the United States and Bangladesh looking into ways to swiftly sign two important defence agreements?

Bangladesh’s interim government, led by Mohammad Yunus, is reportedly considering the formalization of two critical defence agreements with the United States: the Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreement (ACSA) and the General Security of Military Information Agreement (GSOMIA). While the earlier proposal for a humanitarian corridor to Myanmar’s Rakhine State is no longer being pursued, these agreements are seen as pivotal for strengthening Bangladesh’s military logistics and intelligence-sharing capabilities. The draft forms of ACSA and GSOMIA were broadly agreed upon in March 2022. US officials have highlighted that these frameworks would support Bangladesh’s Forces Goal 2030 by enabling military modernization and improved interoperability with US forces, especially during joint humanitarian and security operations. However, the move could raise concerns among neighboring countries, particularly China—Bangladesh’s main supplier of military hardware—and potentially India, given the regional strategic implications. Bangladeshi officials assure that their armed forces are institutionally prepared for the responsibilities these agreements entail.

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Concerned over UK PM Starmer’s planned meeting with Yunus, the Bangladesh Awami League

The Bangladeshi Awami League has expressed deep concern over UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s reportedly scheduled meeting with Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus.

“The Awami League has today expressed deep concern over UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s reportedly scheduled meeting with Muhammad Yunus, the self-declared Chief Adviser of Bangladesh, warning that any formal meeting lends legitimacy to an unelected and unconstitutional administration,” the Awami League posted on its Facebook page.

A formal letter from the Awami League’s UK branch has been sent to Downing Street, the Speaker of the House of Commons, the King’s Foundation, and the Commonwealth Secretariat, urging British officials not to unwittingly launder Yunus’s administration, just as Bangladesh’s crisis deepens, it added.

Bangladesh’s Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus will be on a bilateral official visit to the United Kingdom from June 10 to 13, 2025.

During the visit, the Chief Adviser is expected to have an audience with King Charles III of the United Kingdom. He is also scheduled to hold a bilateral meeting with the UK Prime Minister during the visit.

Muhammad Yunus recently announced that the general election will be held in the first half of April 2026. The announcement of the election is a major development for Bangladesh politics after the fall of the Sheikh Hasina-led Awami League government in August 2024.

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Elections in Bangladesh are scheduled for April of next year: President Muhammad Yunus

Chief Adviser of Bangladesh’s interim government, Muhammad Yunus, announced on Friday that the country’s next general elections will be held in the first half of April 2026, despite demands from major political parties to hold the polls by December. Addressing the nation on the eve of Eid-ul-Azha, Yunus emphasized the government’s commitment to organizing the most free, fair, and competitive elections in Bangladesh’s history, following extensive consultations and ongoing institutional reforms. However, the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) expressed disappointment at the delayed timeline, reiterating their call for elections by December 2025 due to concerns over Ramadan, student examinations, and weather conditions.

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Turkey and Bangladesh want to build joint defence production plants in Narayanganj and Chittagong.

As Bangladesh continues to procure military hardware from China, it is simultaneously deepening strategic defence ties with Turkey. During a recent visit to Turkey, BIDA Executive Chairman Chowdhury Ashik Mahmud Bin Harun held extensive discussions on establishing defence industrial clusters in Chittagong and Narayanganj. The visit included rare access to the facilities of Turkish defence giant Makine ve Kimya Endustrisi (MKE), with talks focusing on co-production, technology transfer, and capacity building.

This engagement builds on earlier defence acquisitions from Turkey, including MKE howitzers and TRG rocket systems, and signals a shift toward industrial integration. Future collaborations are expected to be formalized through a memorandum of understanding and overseen by a proposed Defence Industrial Working Group. These initiatives fall under the incentives of the Bangladesh Economic Zones Act 2010, underscoring the country’s push for defence self-reliance and strategic diversification.

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Barak Bolchhe!

State

Assam severs financial links with Shyamkanu Mahanta and prohibits him from attending any state functions.

State

The PRO at Tezpur University resigns during a crisis, saying, “Can no longer be part of a system that stifles our voices”.

State

Bengaluru honours Zubeen Garg, an Assamese legend.

Regional

Mizoram CM examines NHIDCL projects and notes the pressing need for road maintenance.

Regional

Since 2022, 3,518 foreign nationals have been arrested in Tripura: Chief Minister Manik Saha.

Regional

Following the “missing” of 4,000 MT of coal, Meghalaya ordered a further inspection.

Regional

Meghalaya considers other states’ transportation models to settle the tourist taxi dispute.

Regional

Despite environmental objections, the centre approves the Oju hydropower project in Arunachal.

State

Students’ requests to award Zubeen Garg with a posthumous honorary doctorate are accepted by Tezpur University.

Regional

Meghalaya: NPP criticises Jharkhand’s imprisonment of minors, charity workers, and a Catholic nun.

State

37 illegal Bangladeshis are pushed back by Assam: Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sharma.

Regional

ASSAM RIFLES SEIZES CONTRABAND ITEMS IN CACHAR DISTRICT, ASSAM

Regional

ASSAM RIFLES CONDUCTS CANCER AWARENESS CAMPAIGN IN KAIMAI, TAMENGLONG DISTRICT

Regional

Imphal East district seizes weapons and ammo, holds militant in manipur.

National

The rich history of the Northeast is on exhibit during PM’s Mementos e-Auction 2025.

Regional

Sushanta Chowdhury, the minister of Tripura, requests the center’s assistance for programs aimed at promoting tourism.