United News of Bangladesh

After weathering a "testing time" in its relations with Bangladesh, India is now willing to engage with the new government in Bangladesh by gradually reactivating all the bilateral mechanisms, pursuing a relationship that keeps 'people at the center' of everything. "We weathered a testing time (Interim regime)," Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri told a visiting Bangladesh media delegation at the Ministry of External Affairs, noting that they now see a "strong" government in place in Bangladesh with a strong people's mandate. He said the new government in Bangladesh is perfectly capable of conducting its work domestically and internationally. The Indian Foreign Secretary said they are getting down to reactivating all tools of bilateral relations and contacts are being made at various levels. Bangladesh and India have over forty bilateral mechanisms including on water, trade, border management, and consular issues. MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, Joint Secretary (Bangladesh & Myanmar) B. Shyam, Diplomatic Correspondents Association, Bangladesh (DCAB) President AKM Moinuddin, and General Secretary Emrul Kayesh were also present at the interactive session held on Monday. Members of the media delegation wanted to know about a range of issues including visas, energy, connectivity, LoC projects, water sharing, the status of Dhaka's request for extradition of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and suspects in the Sharif Osman Hadi killing case and regional cooperation - SAARC and BIMSTEC issues. Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said they look forward to a 'constructive, positive, pragmatic, and forward-looking' relationship with Bangladesh, stressing that there is a vast menu of activities underway to engage meaningfully. Bangladesh and India are scheduling a series of meetings in the coming weeks and months as they seek to re-engage following a period of strained relations during the interim government that took office after the fall of the Awami League administration on August 5, 2024. Most of these mechanisms remained dormant during the interim government. After the formation of the government by BNP, India demonstrated positive gestures to improve relations. Bangladesh resumed issuing all categories of visas. India has yet to fully resume visas for Bangladeshis. Misri has not made a specific comment on this but said that India is working on the matter and it will be known in the coming days. Asked about the Bangladesh-India Ganga/Ganges Water Treaty, which is expiring in December this year, he said the Joint River Commission will be discussing these issues. "We have the JRC... we will have to engage in a timely and constructive manner. We have three decades of successful cooperation (Ganga Treaty)," he said. Bangladeshi experts say the treaty needs to be ‘reviewed and reformed comprehensively’ before going for a renewed treaty by engaging economists, urban planners, sociologists, and environmentalists in the planning, as Dhaka shares the ‘risk’ of not sharing it appropriately. “MoFA (Ministry of Foreign Affairs) has to do a lot of homework and data sharing is key. We need to keep in mind that the situation in 1996 and 2026 is not the same. This can't be seen only from engineering or diplomatic prisms; they should include economists, urban planners, and sociologists in the planning,” international affairs expert Prof Shahab Enam Khan told UNB. There were also trade restrictions on both sides during the interim government, and political rhetoric played out negatively on both sides. The situation began changing after the elections in February. Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman visited India recently. Misri said Bangladesh and India have more than 4,000 kilometers of border and share 54 transboundary rivers."We want to progress and modernise our economic partnership with Bangladesh," he said. He agreed that bilateral relations faced challenges during the period of the interim government and that they could not be improved despite efforts. However, now that Bangladesh has an elected government, India is re-engaging with Bangladesh. "Meetings are being scheduled. Results will be known in the coming weeks and months," Misri said. An official of the Bangladesh foreign ministry said a BGB-BSF level meeting will be held in late May. Misri said the present world situation demands more cooperation among neighbouring countries, and India and Bangladesh have been working towards this end. India's energy cooperation with Bangladesh - whether power or diesel - today is benefiting the people of Bangladesh, he said, assuring continued support in this regard. Asked about the trade restrictions, Misri said India stands ready to take forward the discussions as the livelihoods of people in both countries are affected. Trade will be something that will come up first in the discussions, he said, adding that "We want mutual benefits on both sides." Asked about the projects under the Indian Line of Credit (LOC), Misri said Bangladesh has reviewed the LOC projects and both sides will discuss the projects that Bangladesh prioritises and India will consider financing accordingly, he said. Asked if the victory of the BJP in West Bengal elections will work positively for the signing of the Teesta deal, he said foreign policy operates from the capital. Asked how India looks at the BNP government's initiatives in activating SAARC while maintaining relations with Pakistan, Misri said it is up to Bangladesh how it maintains relations with other countries. However, India hopes that Bangladesh does not do anything that negatively affects the positive agenda of India. Misri rejected the notion that India engineered elections in Bangladesh and stressed that the bilateral relationship has always been people-centric and will always be so. Responding to allegations that India maintained close ties with the Awami League, Misri said, “We have always worked with the government elected by  people.” He said people of a country may not be happy with any government but a foreign country cannot do anything about it. The Indian FS said the relationship is built with the country, people, and the government, not with a particular political party. "We have always respected people's desire in Bangladesh," he said. India reiterated its intent to work closely with the people and the government of Bangladesh to strengthen people-centric cooperation in all domains, aligned with their respective national development priorities and based on mutual interest and mutual benefit. India emphasised the need to leverage the geographical proximity between the two countries into tangible economic opportunities and wants to develop future-oriented economic engagement. As the two largest economies of the region and close neighbours with a focus on building connectivity, India and Bangladesh are uniquely positioned to lead regional economic integration and build resilient and future-ready supply chains. India reaffirmed the shared commitment to unlock new avenues of cooperation and elevate the economic partnership with Bangladesh to the next level. On April 6, outgoing Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Pranay Verma paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister Tarique Rahman and discussed bilateral engagement with a focus on people-centric cooperation in multiple domains aligned with the national development priorities of the two countries. The discussions focused on enhancing cooperation in a wide range of areas including public health, financial inclusion, women‘s empowerment, rural development, bilateral trade and investment, ease of doing business, technology partnerships, and power and energy cooperation. The High Commissioner underlined that India-Bangladesh cooperation should transform their geographical proximity into new opportunities by strengthening economic and connectivity linkages and by enhancing cultural and people-to-people exchanges. He conveyed India’s intent to work together with the Government and the people of Bangladesh in a positive, constructive, and forward-looking manner based on mutual interest and mutual benefit.

Vote counting is underway across four Indian states—West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Assam—along with the union territory of Puducherry, in a set of elections seen as a crucial political barometer ahead of India’s 2029 general election. The results are being closely watched as an early test of support for Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The party is aiming to retain control in Assam while expanding its presence in southern states, particularly Tamil Nadu and Kerala. However, the sharpest focus remains on West Bengal, where the BJP is attempting to unseat the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) in what is widely seen as a closely contested race. The campaign in the state has been marked by controversy, particularly over revisions to electoral rolls that led to the removal of millions of voters. Counting is expected to continue throughout the day, with early trends likely to emerge within hours. For the BJP, West Bengal represents a long-standing political objective dating back to the late 1980s, when leaders such as L. K. Advani and Atal Bihari Vajpayee identified the state as a key ideological frontier. A victory here would not only secure a major eastern stronghold but also signal the party’s transformation into a truly pan-Indian force. The state holds particular ideological significance due to its legacy of intellectual liberalism, leftist politics and strong regional identity. A win for the BJP would validate years of political mobilisation and organisational expansion, reinforcing Modi’s dominance. West Bengal has emerged as the central battleground among the states that voted in April. After 15 years in power, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and her TMC are facing what is seen as their toughest challenge yet from an ascendant BJP. The stakes extend beyond the state. A BJP victory could reshape the political landscape in eastern India, while a TMC win would underscore the resilience of regional parties against central authority. The contest has been further intensified by a controversial voter roll revision that excluded nearly three million potential voters, alongside high turnout, polarised campaigning, strong welfare-focused politics and tightly contested exit polls—factors that have made West Bengal the most closely watched race in the current election cycle. Source: BBC

Indian High Commisioner to Bangladesh Pranay Verma on Monday reiterated India’s willingness to work with the government and the people of Bangladesh to strengthen people-centric cooperation in all domains based on mutual interest and benefit. He paid a courtesy call on Information and Broadcasting Minister Zahir Uddin Swapon and discussed issues of mutual interest. They discussed wide-ranging cooperation in information and broadcasting domain including engagements between media and broadcasting institutions of the two countries.  They agreed to enhance exchange visits of media delegations between the two countries to strengthen people-to-people relations and promote mutual understanding. The High Commissioner proposed various capacity building initiatives for journalists and media professionals under ITEC programme of Government of India. As part of these initiatives, a special training course for women journalists from Bangladesh will soon be organised in India. They also exchanged views on cooperation in films, including organization of film screening and film festivals in each other’s country, as well as collaboration in production and post-production technological support.

Indian legendary singer Asha Bhosle, whose versatile voice captivated generations of music lovers, breathed her last at Mumbai’s Breach Candy Hospital on Sunday. She was 92. Her death marks the end of an era in Indian music. Beyond her unparalleled contribution to cinema, the veteran singer also built a substantial financial legacy over a career spanning several decades. Estimated Net Worth According to OneIndia, Asha Bhosle had an estimated net worth of Rs 200-250 crore. Her earnings were largely driven by her long and prolific career in the Indian music industry, where she recorded thousands of songs across multiple languages. Career Earnings Over Decades Asha Bhosle began her journey at a time when playback singers were not paid royalties, especially in the early years of the industry. Despite this, her extensive body of work ensured a consistent income. Singing in a wide range of genres, from classical and ghazals to cabaret and pop, she remained in demand across generations. Her collaborations with leading composers and filmmakers resulted in some of Hindi cinema's most iconic songs, further strengthening her financial standing over time. Business Ventures Beyond Music Apart from her singing career, Asha Bhosle also explored her passion for food by launching an international restaurant chain called Asha's. The brand, founded in Dubai in 2002, expanded across several countries, including the UAE, Kuwait, Bahrain, and the United Kingdom, with outlets in cities like Birmingham and Manchester. Real Estate Holdings Reports suggest that the singer owned properties worth approximately Rs 80-100 crore. Her real estate portfolio included premium residential properties in Mumbai and Pune, along with a luxury apartment that she later sold. Global Performances And Continued Popularity Even in later years, Asha Bhosle remained active on the global stage, performing live in cities across Dubai, Trinidad, the United States, and Canada.

Bangladesh on Tuesday expressed optimism that Foreign Minister Dr Khalilur Rahman’s  “goodwill visit” to India will lay an important foundation for elevating cooperation between the two countries to a more fruitful and sustainable level in the future. The Indian Ministry of External Affairs, however, described Dr Khalilur’s trip as an “official” visit and outlined his engagements in New Delhi in detail. “It is hoped that this visit will lay an important foundation for elevating cooperation between Bangladesh and India to a more fruitful and sustainable level in the future,” Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs SM Mahbubul Alam told reporters at the ministry. FM’s India Visit: Dhaka to push key bilateral concerns in talks with Delhi Describing it as a “goodwill visit” to India, he said the Foreign Minister left for New Delhi in the afternoon en route to Mauritius to participate in the Indian Ocean Conference, scheduled to be held from April 10 to 12. The Foreign Minister arrived in New Delhi on Tuesday  is scheduled to hold meetings with Indian External Affairs Minister (EAM) Dr S Jaishankar, National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, and Petroleum, Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri and Commerce & Industry Minister Piyush Goyal during the “stopover” in New Delhi. In these meetings, the MoFA spokesperson said Bangladesh will emphasise stability and the continued development of bilateral relations based on dignity, mutual trust and respect, and shared interests. India warmly welcomed Foreign Minister Dr Khalilur on his arrival in New Delhi. "India and Bangladesh share warm and historic ties anchored in strong people to people relations. The visit will further bolster India Bangladesh partnership," said Indian External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal. From New Delhi, Foreign Minister Khalilur is likely to fly to Mauritius on the same flight on Thursday morning as his Indian counterpart, Jaishankar, to attend the 9th Indian Ocean Conference.

Ranveer Singh’s latest film ‘Dhurandhar: The Revenge’ continued its strong run at the box office, collecting over Rs 575 crore in India within six days of release. The film earned Rs 56.55 crore on Tuesday, taking its total domestic collection to Rs 575.67 crore (net), according to trade tracker Sacnilk. The gross collection in India stood at around Rs 687.43 crore. Internationally, the film has already crossed Rs 231.57 crore, pushing its worldwide gross collection close to Rs 919 crore. The Hindi version contributed the largest share on Tuesday with Rs 52 crore, while the Telugu version added Rs 3.10 crore, continuing strong regional support. The film opened with Rs 102.55 crore on March 19, followed by Rs 80.72 crore on March 20 and Rs 113 crore on March 21. On March 22, it earned Rs 114.85 crore across 21,633 shows in India. Collections dipped to Rs 65 crore on the first Monday after release. Trade analyst Taran Adarsh said the film is also performing well overseas despite restrictions in Gulf countries. It has been released on about 3,000 screens abroad  one of the widest overseas releases for a Hindi film. Earlier, paid previews on March 18 earned Rs 43 crore from 12,735 shows despite some cancellations. Director Aditya Dhar apologised for technical issues affecting certain regional shows, saying the team was working to ensure smooth screenings. Source: NDTV

Fuel prices in India increased on Friday, with premium petrol and industrial diesel becoming more expensive due to ongoing conflicts in the Middle East. According to oil marketing companies, the price of premium petrol went up by about 2.30 Indian rupees per litre, while industrial diesel saw a much bigger jump of around 22 rupees per litre. The new prices took effect immediately. The rise in fuel costs is linked to instability in the Middle East, which has been affecting global oil markets and supply. Higher industrial diesel prices are expected to impact key sectors such as manufacturing, transport and power generation. This could lead to higher production and delivery costs, and eventually push up the prices of everyday goods, local media reported. However, the government downplayed the increase in premium petrol prices, saying it would have limited impact as only a small portion — around 2 to 4 percent — of consumers use this type of fuel.

India’s massive outsourcing industry, valued at around $300 billion, is facing growing uncertainty as artificial intelligence (AI) threatens to reshape its traditional business model. In recent weeks, Indian technology stocks have fallen sharply, with the Nifty IT index dropping about 20% this year and wiping out billions of dollars in investor wealth. The decline began even before fresh geopolitical tensions, largely driven by concerns that AI could disrupt the labour-intensive services that underpin the sector. For over three decades, India’s IT industry has created millions of white-collar jobs and helped build a strong middle class, boosting demand for housing, cars and lifestyle services in cities like Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Gurugram. However, fears intensified after new AI tools—such as one launched by Anthropic—claimed they could automate key tasks in legal, compliance and data management. Industry leaders have since warned that AI could significantly reduce demand for entry-level jobs, with some predicting up to half of such roles may disappear. Despite the concerns, major Indian IT firms say the risks are being overstated. They argue that while AI will change how services are delivered, it will also open new opportunities, especially in consulting and system modernisation. Analysts say the industry is likely to shift away from routine maintenance work toward higher-value advisory roles, which may reduce steady revenue streams. Some forecasts suggest slower growth in the coming years, with potential stagnation after 2031 in a worst-case scenario. Others remain optimistic. Firms like JPMorgan and HSBC believe IT companies will play a key role in helping businesses adopt AI, rather than being replaced by it. Infosys also says AI could create more jobs than it eliminates, particularly in emerging fields like AI engineering. Still, the transition may be difficult. AI-related revenue remains relatively small, and overall industry growth is expected to stay modest. Hiring is also likely to slow. Additional challenges include rising US visa costs and ongoing global uncertainties, which could increase operating expenses for Indian firms. Experts say while AI will bring long-term benefits, the sector is likely to face short-term disruptions as it adapts to a rapidly changing technological landscape. With inputs from BBC

Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed on Monday said two suspects in Hadi murder case who were arrested in India will be brought back to Bangladesh under the existing extradition treaty between the two countries. “The Home Ministry has already taken steps regarding the arrest of the two accused while the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been requested to take necessary measures to bring them back in line with the the extradition agreement,” said the minister. He made the remarks while talking to reporters after attending a district law and order committee meeting in Cox’s Bazar, his first such meeting in his home district after assuming office. Efforts on to bring back 2 Hadi murder suspects held in India: IGP Salahuddin Ahmed also said a list of drug traders is being prepared in a highly professional manner. “The list will not be made public as doing so could create political influence and lead to possible errors,” he said. Incidents of mob violence will not be allowed in the country and all terrorists and extortionists will be brought under the law to ensure good governance, said Salahuddin. The minister also announced measures to restore discipline in the tourism sector of Cox’s Bazar. He said illegal permanent and temporary structures set up on the sand dunes along the sea beach will be removed within a week and the tourist areas will be kept clean. He further said CCTV cameras will be installed at important points in the town to improve the law and order situation. Among others, lawmakers Shahjahan Chowdhury and Lutfur Rahman Kajol, Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Abdul Mannan, Superintendent of Police ANM Sajedur Rahman and Cox’s Bazar district BNP general secretary Shamima Ara Swapna were present.  

India clinched a record third T20 World Cup title with a commanding 96-run win over New Zealand on Sunday at the Narendra Modi Stadium, thrilling over 86,000 fans. After losing the toss, India batted first and posted a massive 255-5. Opener Sanju Samson starred with a 46-ball 89, his third consecutive fifty, while Abhishek Sharma smashed a rapid 52 off just 21 balls. The pair’s blazing start helped India reach 92-0 in the power play, equaling the highest in T20 World Cup history. Ishan Kishan also contributed a quick fifty, with India crossing 200 by the 15th over. Shivam Dube’s 26 not out ensured India finished past 250. In response, New Zealand never threatened. Tim Seifert hit a 26-ball 52 with five sixes, but India’s bowlers dominated. Jasprit Bumrah took 4-15, including a hat-trick chance, while Axar Patel claimed 3-27. Varun Chakravarthy and Kishan contributed with key wickets and catches as New Zealand were bowled out for 159 in 19 overs. Samson’s 89 became the highest individual score in a men’s T20 World Cup final, earning him player of the tournament for 321 runs at an average of 80.25. Bumrah, named player of the match, celebrated his 40th T20 World Cup wicket, the most by any pacer. India, which previously won in 2007 and 2024, became the first team to successfully defend a T20 World Cup title and the first to lift the trophy on home soil. Suryakumar Yadav joined MS Dhoni and Rohit Sharma as Indian captains to claim the trophy, marking another historic day for Indian cricket.