The Election Commission has intensified preparations for the West Bengal Assembly elections by reshuffling senior officers and deploying IAS and IPS officers in key poll management roles.
Suspended TMC MLA Humayun Kabir has initiated the construction of a mosque modeled after the Babri Masjid in West Bengal's Murshidabad district, sparking political reactions and debate.
An MBBS student detained by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in West Bengal for alleged terror links has been released after questioning. The student was picked up in Uttar Dinajpur district and questioned in Siliguri before being released. His mobile phone was seized, and he has been asked to be present if summoned again.
Khaleda Zia, the former Prime Minister of Bangladesh and a dominant figure in the country's politics, has died at the age of 80 after a prolonged illness. Her career spanned decades and included periods of both power and controversy.
Bangladesh needed to be clearly told that New Delhi would respond firmly if such rhetoric continued.
A recent report indicates that over 5,000 government schools in India have no students enrolled, with a significant concentration in Telangana and West Bengal. The number of schools with very low enrolment has also increased.
Former Indian envoys reflect on the life and legacy of Bangladesh's former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, highlighting her role in restoring democracy and the complex relationship between India and Bangladesh during her tenures.
Humayun Kabir, recently suspended from the TMC, has launched a new political party, Janata Unnayan Party, and announced candidates for the 2026 assembly elections.
West Bengal's Chief Electoral Officer reports over 10 lakh SIR enumeration forms identified as 'uncollectable' due to absentee voters, duplicates, deaths, or permanent relocation. The special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls is underway with significant BLO involvement.
Khaleda Zia, Bangladesh's former first female prime minister and chairperson of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, has died at the age of 80 after a prolonged illness.
'We kept importing educational models from outside that had no connection to our cultural and intellectual strengths.'
The West Bengal government has transferred over 500 bureaucrats ahead of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The move has drawn criticism from the opposition BJP, who allege it is an attempt to manipulate the electoral process.
A doctor in West Bengal has been arrested in connection with the death of his girlfriend, a medical student. The girlfriend's family alleges foul play, claiming the doctor poisoned her after she insisted on registering their marriage.
Body of Bhabesh Chandra Roy, 58, a resident of Basudebpur village of Dinajpur, about 330 kilometres northwest of Dhaka, was recovered on Thursday night, The Daily Star said quoting police and family members.
Islam was among nine persons arrested by Morigaon police on May 24 in a crackdown on illegal immigrants declared by the Foreigners' Tribunal, but who had been evading deportation.
Holi, the festival of colours, was celebrated across India with traditional fanfare and gaiety.
'Mamata needs to address the anger and resentment among various sections of the Hindu community because low-scale communal violence has always paid richer electoral dividends for the BJP.'
India's fresh restrictions on limiting access to Bangladeshi exports appear to be in response to Dhaka denying certain value-added items from the Northeast to enter that country through the land transit points.
West Bengal Governor C V Ananda Bose has submitted a report to the Union Ministry of Home Affairs expressing concern over the recent riots in Murshidabad district and the threat of "radicalisation" and "militancy". The governor has suggested a series of measures, including the establishment of a commission of inquiry and the deployment of central forces in border districts, and has hinted at the possibility of President's rule under Article 356 if the situation deteriorates further. He has also criticized the state government's response to the violence, alleging a lack of coordination and a failure to prevent the escalation of the situation.
A delegation of the National Commission for Women (NCW), led by its chairman Vijaya Rahatkar, met with riot-affected women in Murshidabad district of West Bengal, assuring them of safety and demanding an NIA probe into the recent communal clashes. The women narrated their harrowing experiences and demanded permanent BSF camps in select areas of the district. The NCW team also visited relief camps in Malda district and assessed the condition of women affected by the violence.
A 17-year-old girl from Bangladesh was arrested by West Bengal Police after the Border Security Force (BSF) apprehended her for illegally crossing the border into India. The girl, who is a resident of Panchagarh district in Bangladesh, claimed that she fled after her family members were threatened by fundamentalists in Bangladesh for being ISKCON devotees. The girl's relatives confirmed that they had received threats and were planning to send her to India to protect her from harm.
Holi was celebrated with pomp and splendor across India on Friday, with people soaking in the festivities by smearing 'gulaal' on each other and exchanging greetings and sweets. Homes and streets wore a colourful look as the revellers splashed colours and feasted on traditional delicacies. Public transport did not ply in the morning in most major cities while metro services started functioning from noon. As Holi coincided with the second Friday prayers during the holy Islamic month of Ramzan, security -- including increased patrolling and picketing -- was beefed up in several states. In Delhi, more than 25,000 security personnel were deployed. Police closely monitored about 300 sensitive areas with CCTV cameras and drones.
The border forces of India and Bangladesh will hold their bi-annual talks next week in New Delhi, with issues such as border fence construction and attacks on BSF personnel and civilians by Bangladeshi miscreants figuring among the discussion points. The 55th Director General-Level Border Coordination Conference between BSF and the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) will be organised at the Border Security Force (BSF) headquarters in New Delhi between February 17-20. The conference will be the first top-level meeting between the two sides after the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government in August last year. Discussions will be held on prevention of attacks on BSF personnel and Indian civilians by Bangladesh-based miscreants/nationals, how to prevent trans-border crimes, construction of a single-row fence, action against Indian Insurgent Groups in Bangladesh, issues related to border infrastructure, joint efforts for effective implementation of the Coordinated Border Management Plan, Confidence Building Measures and other issues.
A brief clash erupted on the India-Bangladesh border near a BSF border outpost on Saturday morning after an altercation between farmers from both countries escalated. The situation was swiftly brought under control following the intervention of the Border Security Force (BSF) and Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB). The incident occurred near the Sukdevpur border outpost area where fencing work was recently paused after the BGB claimed it was being conducted on Bangladeshi territory. The clash began when Indian farmers accused Bangladeshi farmers of stealing crops, which quickly escalated into a verbal argument and then a physical confrontation with both sides throwing stones at each other. The BSF and BGB worked to de-escalate the situation and disperse the farmers, and there have been no reports of injuries. The BSF has requested Indian farmers to avoid getting involved in border disputes and to report any farming-related issues directly to BSF personnel. The BGB has also taken steps to manage the situation on their side of the border. The situation on the border is now under control.
Families of two West Bengal women killed in a stampede at the Maha Kumbh Mela have alleged that they were handed over the bodies without death certificates. They received only a piece of paper mentioning that the body was given to them. The victims, Basanti Poddar and Urmila Bhuniya, were killed in the pre-dawn stampede on January 29. A senior West Bengal minister alleged that "total mismanagement" prevailed in the Maha Kumbh Mela.
Amateur Ham Radio operators have picked up suspicious late-night radio signals in coded Bengali, Urdu and Arabic along the Indo-Bangladesh border in South Bengal over the last two months, raising concerns about possible extremist activities. The signals, which have been detected between 1 AM and 3 AM, are unusual in their pattern and language usage, according to Ham radio operators, who have reported the matter to authorities. The development comes amidst ongoing unrest in Bangladesh and growing anti-India rhetoric in the neighbouring country. Security agencies are investigating the matter, and the Border Security Force (BSF) has acknowledged the seriousness of the situation.
Huge tri-colour-themed banners have been put up along the Kartavya Path while the theme for this year's tableaux that would roll down the boulevard where the annual Republic Day celebrations take place is 'Swarnim Bharat: Virasat aur Vikas', focusing on 75 years of the enactment of the Constitution.
Bangladesh has summoned the Indian High Commissioner in Dhaka over border tensions, accusing India of violating a bilateral agreement by constructing fences at five locations along the Indo-Bangla border. The development comes after Bangladesh officials alleged that India had halted construction of barbed wire fencing due to strong opposition from the Border Guard Bangladesh and local residents.
His family alleged that he died there due to the negligence of a senior physician who despite being on duty was late in attending him.
A lawyer was killed on Tuesday during clashes between the security personnel and followers of a Hindu community leader, who was denied bail and sent to jail by a court in the port city of Chattogram in Bangladesh, police said.
A Bangladeshi court on Tuesday denied bail to prominent Hindu leader Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari, arrested on alleged 'sedition' charges, and sent him to prison, amid protests by community members in the capital Dhaka and the port city of Chattogram.
Police have leveled serious charges, including attempt to murder, assault with intent to outrage the modesty of a woman, and causing grievous hurt, against arrested Trinamool Congress strongman Tajemul Islam in the Chopra flogging case, a senior police officer said on Tuesday.
A retired judge of Bangladesh's Supreme Court was detained from the northeastern frontier with India in Sylhet while he was allegedly attempting to flee the country, the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) said late on Friday.
Officials said the personnel of the force stopped about 120-140 Bangladeshi citizens who were attempting to cross over to the Indian side from multiple locations in the eastern state.
According to the available information, two Hindu leaders, who were incidentally leaders of Hasina's Awami League party, were killed in north-western Sirajganj and Rangpur, Debnath said, adding that the Council was still gathering more information.
The Congress 'Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra', led by Rahul Gandhi, is scheduled to enter West Bengal from Assam on Thursday, amid political ripples within the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) in the state.
'At the right time, people of Bihar will give a befitting response to him and the one who makes him dance to his tunes, the prime minister'
'In the interim, India will be confronted with anti-India feeling because Sheikh Hasina had India's support.' 'We will have to deal with it, but it will not be a permanent phenomenon.' 'There is substantial goodwill towards India which will stand us in good stead.'
Independence Day was celebrated across states and Union territories on Thursday, as several chief ministers announced job schemes while some others vowed their support for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of a Viksit Bharat by 2047.
This is the first cyclone in the Bay of Bengal this pre-monsoon season.
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