A top delegation of Bangladesh led by Prime Minister Shiekh Hasina has flown to Marrakech in Morocco today to participate in the high level segments of the 22nd Conference of Parties.

Thirty-seven heads of states are expected to attend this year&rsquo;s COP22, which is deemed significant for the execution of the landmark Paris Agreement signed last year.

Bangladesh is part of the Least Developed Countries and as such is arguing for Loss and Damage finance to be agreed, Saleemul Huq, senior fellow at the International Institute of Environment and Development in London told WION. The member states are pushing for negotiations on the topic till the actual filing of the report.&nbsp;

On Suday, Bangladesh&rsquo;s foreign minister Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali told reporters that Dhaka would highlight &quot;the initiatives and measures undertaken by the government in tackling the menaces of climate change.&quot;

The COP22 is deemed a major event as the industrialised countries, including the United States and Russia, had failed to come to a consensus until the Paris Agreement. The member states refused to oblige to the targets stipulated at the Kyoto Protocol in 1997 to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions by five per cent.

Last year in Paris however, all member states including the United States appeared to be happy with the outcome.

&quot;There is a new concept that Paris has brought, which is called INDC, Intended Nationally Determined Contribution. This means rather than anybody telling another country how they should reduce their carbon or greenhouse gas, each country say this is what I am going to do,&quot; said Atiq Rahman, renowned Bangladeshi climate scientist and executive director of Bangladesh Centre for Advanced Studies.

&quot;Bangladesh has already achieved that, we said we are going to reduce 5 per cent of our total greenhouse gas [by 2030], but if you can give us the finance we can reduce up to 15 per cent,&rdquo; he told WION.

The <a href="http://(http://www4.unfccc.int/ndcregistry/PublishedDocuments/Bangladesh%20First/INDC_2015_of_Bangladesh.pdf" target="_blank">INDC</a>&nbsp;issued by Bangladesh&rsquo;s ministry of environment and forests states: &quot;An unconditional contribution to reduce GHG emissions by 5 per cent from Business as Usual (BAU) levels by 2030 in the power, transport and industry sectors, based on existing resources.

Among its contributions Bangladesh also states: &quot;A conditional 15 per cent reduction in GHG emissions from BAU levels by 2030 in the power, transport, and industry sectors, subject to appropriate international support in the form of finance, investment, technology development and transfer, and capacity building.&quot;

The <a href="http://www.greenclimate.fund/-/climate-resilient-infrastructure-mainstreaming-in-bangladesh?inheritRedirect=true&amp;redirect=%2Fprojects%2Fbrowse-projects" target="_blank">Green Climate Fund</a> of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change has raised $10.4 billion of which it has received 27 projects worth $1.2 billion. One of the projects worth $80 million belongs to Bangladesh.&nbsp;

Under the project titled &quot;Climate-resilient infrastructure mainstreaming in Bangladesh&quot; the country will construct 45 new cyclone shelters, renovate 20 existing cyclone shelters and develop infrastructure to safeguard people in the coastal belts.

The Paris Agreement is significant, as it will establish the rules of the game. &quot;Various committees will be formed. They will be working in tandem to decide how to do best mitigation,&quot; said Rahman.

&quot;Lastly the best technology would have to be used by all so that we don&rsquo;t have to produce as much greenhouse gas. So all those will have to be taken on board and this is what&#39;s going to happen step by step starting in Marrakech,&rdquo; Rahman told WION.

Experts tell WION that mitigation from the most polluting industrialised countries can reduce the burden of adaptation for developing countries like Bangladesh and make the world more sustainable.&nbsp;

They have also expressed concerns about the future of the Agreement in light of the remarks made by the US President-elect Donald Trump, who said that he finds climate change to a hoax perpetrated by China to take down the US manufacturing industries and threatened to quit the Paris Agreement.&nbsp;

A source who works with Trump&#39;s transition team for international energy and climate policy told Reuters on Tuesday, &quot;It was reckless for the Paris Agreement to enter into force before the election.&quot; Reuters has reported that Trump is seeking quick ways to withdraw the United States from a global accord to combat climate change.

(WION) 
&nbsp;

Least developed countries, including Bangladesh say mitigation from the most polluting industrialised countries will reduce burden on them

A top delegation of Bangladesh led by Prime Minister Shiekh Hasina has flown to Marrakech in Morocco today to participate in the high level segments of the 22nd Conference of Parties. Thirty-seven heads of states are expected to attend this year’s COP22, which is deemed significant for the execution of the landmark Paris Agreement signed last year. Bangladesh is part of the Least Developed Countries and as such is arguing for Loss and Damage finance to be agreed, Saleemul Huq, senior fellow at the International Institute of Environment and Development in London told WION. The member states are pushing for negotiations on the topic till the actual filing of the report. On Suday, Bangladesh’s foreign minister Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali told reporters that Dhaka would highlight "the initiatives and measures undertaken by the government in tackling the menaces of climate change." The COP22 is deemed a major event as the industrialised countries, including the United States and Russia, had failed to come to a consensus until the Paris Agreement. The member states refused to oblige to the targets stipulated at the Kyoto Protocol in 1997 to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions by five per cent. Last year in Paris however, all member states including the United States appeared to be happy with the outcome. "There is a new concept that Paris has brought, which is called INDC, Intended Nationally Determined Contribution. This means rather than anybody telling another country how they should reduce their carbon or greenhouse gas, each country say this is what I am going to do," said Atiq Rahman, renowned Bangladeshi climate scientist and executive director of Bangladesh Centre for Advanced Studies. "Bangladesh has already achieved that, we said we are going to reduce 5 per cent of our total greenhouse gas [by 2030], but if you can give us the finance we can reduce up to 15 per cent,” he told WION. The INDC issued by Bangladesh’s ministry of environment and forests states: "An unconditional contribution to reduce GHG emissions by 5 per cent from Business as Usual (BAU) levels by 2030 in the power, transport and industry sectors, based on existing resources. Among its contributions Bangladesh also states: "A conditional 15 per cent reduction in GHG emissions from BAU levels by 2030 in the power, transport, and industry sectors, subject to appropriate international support in the form of finance, investment, technology development and transfer, and capacity building." The Green Climate Fund of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change has raised $10.4 billion of which it has received 27 projects worth $1.2 billion. One of the projects worth $80 million belongs to Bangladesh. Under the project titled "Climate-resilient infrastructure mainstreaming in Bangladesh" the country will construct 45 new cyclone shelters, renovate 20 existing cyclone shelters and develop infrastructure to safeguard people in the coastal belts. The Paris Agreement is significant, as it will establish the rules of the game. "Various committees will be formed. They will be working in tandem to decide how to do best mitigation," said Rahman. "Lastly the best technology would have to be used by all so that we don’t have to produce as much greenhouse gas. So all those will have to be taken on board and this is what's going to happen step by step starting in Marrakech,” Rahman told WION. Experts tell WION that mitigation from the most polluting industrialised countries can reduce the burden of adaptation for developing countries like Bangladesh and make the world more sustainable. They have also expressed concerns about the future of the Agreement in light of the remarks made by the US President-elect Donald Trump, who said that he finds climate change to a hoax perpetrated by China to take down the US manufacturing industries and threatened to quit the Paris Agreement. A source who works with Trump's transition team for international energy and climate policy told Reuters on Tuesday, "It was reckless for the Paris Agreement to enter into force before the election." Reuters has reported that Trump is seeking quick ways to withdraw the United States from a global accord to combat climate change. (WION)

Bangladesh to negotiate Loss and Damage finance at COP22

One security personnel was killed and four members of the security forces at the Hazrat Shahjalal International airport in Dhaka were injured after an assailant tried to stab them, the police said.

Reasons for the attack, which took place around 6:30 pm, could not be known immediately but the attacker claims to be a cleaning staff at the airport, said Abdus Salam, additional superintendent of the police at the Uttara Crime Zone in Dhaka.

&quot;This does not appear to be work of any militant outfit,&quot; Salam told WION.

The attacker has been arrested and the injured have been taken to Kurmitola General Hospital in the cantonment area.

The attacker was identified as Shihab hailing from Rajshahi in the northern district of Bangladesh.

His statements are incoherent and he appears to be mentally disturbed, said Salam.

The deceased, Shohag Ali, 28, was a member of the Ansar security force.

Two members of the Armed Police Battalion and two of the Ansar security force have been injured in the attack. &nbsp;

Security has been beefed up at the Dhaka airport since October last year following warnings by diplomatic missions and internal intelligence agencies about terror threats in the country.

In July, terrorists attacked Dhaka&#39;s upscale restaurant Holey Artisan Bakery in which 20 people including 17 foreigners were killed.

(WION)

Police said that the attacker claimed to be a cleaning staff at the airport

One security personnel was killed and four members of the security forces at the Hazrat Shahjalal International airport in Dhaka were injured after an assailant tried to stab them, the police said. Reasons for the attack, which took place around 6:30 pm, could not be known immediately but the attacker claims to be a cleaning staff at the airport, said Abdus Salam, additional superintendent of the police at the Uttara Crime Zone in Dhaka. "This does not appear to be work of any militant outfit," Salam told WION. The attacker has been arrested and the injured have been taken to Kurmitola General Hospital in the cantonment area. The attacker was identified as Shihab hailing from Rajshahi in the northern district of Bangladesh. His statements are incoherent and he appears to be mentally disturbed, said Salam. The deceased, Shohag Ali, 28, was a member of the Ansar security force. Two members of the Armed Police Battalion and two of the Ansar security force have been injured in the attack. Security has been beefed up at the Dhaka airport since October last year following warnings by diplomatic missions and internal intelligence agencies about terror threats in the country. In July, terrorists attacked Dhaka's upscale restaurant Holey Artisan Bakery in which 20 people including 17 foreigners were killed. (WION)

Attack at Dhaka airport kills 1, injures 4

As the United States&nbsp;goes to the polls in two days, Bangladesh hopes that the next US administration would relax its protectionist measures to encourage higher consumer spending in its retail economy.

Despite the South Asian country strengthening its ties with China, security and strategic experts in Bangladesh hope that the US would make room for the Bangladeshi economy to prosper with more trade preferences and less political prejudice.

Bangladesh is of &quot;deep strategic interest&quot;&nbsp;for the United States from a security perspective. With attacks waged by militant outfits on locals and foreigners by Jamaatul Mujahideen Bangladesh and Ansar Al Islam in affiliation with Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and Al-Qaida in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) respectively, the US plays a key role in helping Dhaka combat terrorism.

Climate Change

Bangladesh is one of the most vulnerable countries to climate change and despite the US being the largest emitter of greenhouse gases,&nbsp;it has shown little responsibility in the area, observers said.

&ldquo;The US has to show minimum responsibility. If it doesn&rsquo;t then it would be disastrous,&rdquo; Dr Atiq Rahman, the executive director of Bangladesh Centre for Advanced Studies, told WION.

Very little about climate change has been discussed during the US presidential election but Dhaka expects the US to take&nbsp;some responsibility in mitigation and finance.

Trade and investment

Bangladeshi exports to the US stand at $6.22 billion and remittances have earned Bangladesh $2.4 billion in the&nbsp;financial year 2015-16. According to Bangladesh&rsquo;s central bank, the United States is the third-largest remitting nation after the UAE and Saudi Arab.

Industrialists hope that the next US president will provide Bangladesh greater market access by reducing tariffs on garment supplies. Bangladesh is one of the highest tariff payers in the US for its garment products, at 15.41 per cent.

Bangladesh also wants the US to reinstate the Generalised System of Preferences. The GSP&nbsp;is a preferential tariff system provided by developed countries to developing countries&nbsp;

The US had scrapped the GSP after Bangladesh experienced the horrifying Rana Plaza factory disaster in April 2013.

&ldquo;After the unfortunate Rana Plaza incident, we have with commendable speed met the targets that [were] set on us,&rdquo; said former state minister for foreign affairs Abul Hasan Chowdhury.

However, Bangladeshi industrialists hope Trump does not become the next president.

&quot;There are concerns about increased protectionist measures if Trump comes to power. We don&rsquo;t know how far it will go, we don&rsquo;t know what his chances are, but obviously his presidency will be damaging for emerging markets like Bangladesh,&rdquo; said Syed Nasim Manzur, who is the president of Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce and Industries, Dhaka.

Manzur, also the managing director of Apex Footwear Limited, is one of the largest Bangladeshi suppliers of leather goods to global markets including the US. He bemoaned that suspension of GSP had raised manufacturing costs.

&ldquo;We are hoping for an administration that will revive spending in the US retail economy because that will then prop up demand for Bangladeshi products in the US market,&rdquo; he said while speaking to WION.

Security and strategy

With Bangladesh and China entering into a strategic partnership in which China would be providing $24.45 billion in financial assistance to 27 development projects and another $13.6 billion in joint ventures, security and strategic experts say it would be interesting to see how the United States plays its cards.

&ldquo;So far the US has not offered any huge investment prospect that would match the type that we have been offered by China,&rdquo; says Muhammad Shahiduzzaman, professor of International Relations at the University of Dhaka.

The US has also been wary of China being involved so much in the Bay of Bengal or around the vicinity of Bangladesh&rsquo;s territorial waters.

Additionally, most of Bangladesh&rsquo;s arms deals have gone to China and very recently to Russia.

But experts want Bangladesh to keep a balanced geopolitical relationship with countries around the world for its economic prosperity.

The US has very deep partnership with India not only in economy but also in security, says Prof Shahiduzzaman. &ldquo;It would be Bangladesh&rsquo;s responsibility to act with India in a manner where these two powers would accommodate our relationship with China in clear economic terms,&rdquo; he said.

Bangladesh is looking forward to an economic buildup, which would require that &ldquo;we treat our relationships on the question of mega projects with a clear degree of utility in terms of maximizing our ability to develop the infrastructure,&rdquo; he said.

The country has had a better relation with the Clinton administration and the democrats but for a country like Bangladesh where United States is the biggest market for readymade garments and also for other areas of export, it cannot undermine the republicans in anyway if they come to power, say experts.

As regards Bangladesh&rsquo;s preference towards the presidential candidates, Rahman believes, Bangladesh en masse is supporting Hillary Clinton. The country has been against Donald Trump for spewing a litany of sexist and racist slurs.

(WION)

Industrialists hope that the next US dispensation will provide Bangladesh greater market access by lowering tariffs on garment supplies

As the United States goes to the polls in two days, Bangladesh hopes that the next US administration would relax its protectionist measures to encourage higher consumer spending in its retail economy. Despite the South Asian country strengthening its ties with China, security and strategic experts in Bangladesh hope that the US would make room for the Bangladeshi economy to prosper with more trade preferences and less political prejudice. Bangladesh is of "deep strategic interest" for the United States from a security perspective. With attacks waged by militant outfits on locals and foreigners by Jamaatul Mujahideen Bangladesh and Ansar Al Islam in affiliation with Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and Al-Qaida in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) respectively, the US plays a key role in helping Dhaka combat terrorism. Climate Change Bangladesh is one of the most vulnerable countries to climate change and despite the US being the largest emitter of greenhouse gases, it has shown little responsibility in the area, observers said. “The US has to show minimum responsibility. If it doesn’t then it would be disastrous,” Dr Atiq Rahman, the executive director of Bangladesh Centre for Advanced Studies, told WION. Very little about climate change has been discussed during the US presidential election but Dhaka expects the US to take some responsibility in mitigation and finance. Trade and investment Bangladeshi exports to the US stand at $6.22 billion and remittances have earned Bangladesh $2.4 billion in the financial year 2015-16. According to Bangladesh’s central bank, the United States is the third-largest remitting nation after the UAE and Saudi Arab. Industrialists hope that the next US president will provide Bangladesh greater market access by reducing tariffs on garment supplies. Bangladesh is one of the highest tariff payers in the US for its garment products, at 15.41 per cent. Bangladesh also wants the US to reinstate the Generalised System of Preferences. The GSP is a preferential tariff system provided by developed countries to developing countries The US had scrapped the GSP after Bangladesh experienced the horrifying Rana Plaza factory disaster in April 2013. “After the unfortunate Rana Plaza incident, we have with commendable speed met the targets that [were] set on us,” said former state minister for foreign affairs Abul Hasan Chowdhury. However, Bangladeshi industrialists hope Trump does not become the next president. "There are concerns about increased protectionist measures if Trump comes to power. We don’t know how far it will go, we don’t know what his chances are, but obviously his presidency will be damaging for emerging markets like Bangladesh,” said Syed Nasim Manzur, who is the president of Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce and Industries, Dhaka. Manzur, also the managing director of Apex Footwear Limited, is one of the largest Bangladeshi suppliers of leather goods to global markets including the US. He bemoaned that suspension of GSP had raised manufacturing costs. “We are hoping for an administration that will revive spending in the US retail economy because that will then prop up demand for Bangladeshi products in the US market,” he said while speaking to WION. Security and strategy With Bangladesh and China entering into a strategic partnership in which China would be providing $24.45 billion in financial assistance to 27 development projects and another $13.6 billion in joint ventures, security and strategic experts say it would be interesting to see how the United States plays its cards. “So far the US has not offered any huge investment prospect that would match the type that we have been offered by China,” says Muhammad Shahiduzzaman, professor of International Relations at the University of Dhaka. The US has also been wary of China being involved so much in the Bay of Bengal or around the vicinity of Bangladesh’s territorial waters. Additionally, most of Bangladesh’s arms deals have gone to China and very recently to Russia. But experts want Bangladesh to keep a balanced geopolitical relationship with countries around the world for its economic prosperity. The US has very deep partnership with India not only in economy but also in security, says Prof Shahiduzzaman. “It would be Bangladesh’s responsibility to act with India in a manner where these two powers would accommodate our relationship with China in clear economic terms,” he said. Bangladesh is looking forward to an economic buildup, which would require that “we treat our relationships on the question of mega projects with a clear degree of utility in terms of maximizing our ability to develop the infrastructure,” he said. The country has had a better relation with the Clinton administration and the democrats but for a country like Bangladesh where United States is the biggest market for readymade garments and also for other areas of export, it cannot undermine the republicans in anyway if they come to power, say experts. As regards Bangladesh’s preference towards the presidential candidates, Rahman believes, Bangladesh en masse is supporting Hillary Clinton. The country has been against Donald Trump for spewing a litany of sexist and racist slurs. (WION)

Bangladesh wants next US administration to lower trade barriers

Singapore&#39;s senior minister for defence and foreign affairs, Mohamad Maliki Bin Osman, visited his Bangladeshi counterpart Shahriar Alam in Dhaka this week to discuss counter-terrorism efforts between the two countries among other bilateral issues.

Singapore has deported at least 37 Bangladeshi workers after the country&#39;s internal security department found incriminating materials linking them to jihadist ideologies.

Last May, the security department detained eight Bangladeshis suspected of being members of &quot;Islamic State in Bangladesh&quot;.&nbsp;

Singaporean investigators said members of the terror outfit intend to join Islamic State in Iraq and Syria. &quot;However, as they felt that it would be difficult for them to make their way to Syria, they focused their plans instead on returning to Bangladesh to overthrow the democratically-elected government through the use of force, establish an Islamic State in Bangladesh and bring it under ISIS&#39; self-declared caliphate,&quot; says a press release issued by the Singapore&#39;s ministry of home affairs.

Bangladeshi authorities however, said they have not found link of the group with any of the existing terror outfits in the country.

&quot;We didn&#39;t get any connection with those who were deported from Singapore with the killers in our country,&quot; Monirul Islam, chief of Bangladesh&#39;s Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime told WION.

He continued, &quot;They were workers in Singapore. They have been working there for a long time. Some of them have stayed there for three to eight years. Before going to Singapore they were not radicals. We think it was someone from Singapore who played a key role in radicalising these people. &quot;

Investigators told WION that members of Neo Jamaatul Mujahideen Bangladesh have been waging attacks in the country by pledging their allegiance to Islamic State while another group Ansar Al Islam with affiliation to Al Qaida in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) has been carrying out attacks in the home soil.

At least 30 people, including atheist bloggers, academicians, clerics of Hindu, Buddhist and Christian faiths, an LGBT activist&nbsp;and&nbsp;and policemen have been killed in machete attacks across Bangladesh since 2013.

Last July, Bangladesh experienced the deadliest terror attack in which 20 civilians including 17 foreign nationals were killed at an upmarket restaurant in Dhaka. Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack.

(WION) 
&nbsp;

Singapore has deported at least 37 Bangladeshi workers after finding incriminating materials linking them to jihadist ideologies

Singapore's senior minister for defence and foreign affairs, Mohamad Maliki Bin Osman, visited his Bangladeshi counterpart Shahriar Alam in Dhaka this week to discuss counter-terrorism efforts between the two countries among other bilateral issues. Singapore has deported at least 37 Bangladeshi workers after the country's internal security department found incriminating materials linking them to jihadist ideologies. Last May, the security department detained eight Bangladeshis suspected of being members of "Islamic State in Bangladesh". Singaporean investigators said members of the terror outfit intend to join Islamic State in Iraq and Syria. "However, as they felt that it would be difficult for them to make their way to Syria, they focused their plans instead on returning to Bangladesh to overthrow the democratically-elected government through the use of force, establish an Islamic State in Bangladesh and bring it under ISIS' self-declared caliphate," says a press release issued by the Singapore's ministry of home affairs. Bangladeshi authorities however, said they have not found link of the group with any of the existing terror outfits in the country. "We didn't get any connection with those who were deported from Singapore with the killers in our country," Monirul Islam, chief of Bangladesh's Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime told WION. He continued, "They were workers in Singapore. They have been working there for a long time. Some of them have stayed there for three to eight years. Before going to Singapore they were not radicals. We think it was someone from Singapore who played a key role in radicalising these people. " Investigators told WION that members of Neo Jamaatul Mujahideen Bangladesh have been waging attacks in the country by pledging their allegiance to Islamic State while another group Ansar Al Islam with affiliation to Al Qaida in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) has been carrying out attacks in the home soil. At least 30 people, including atheist bloggers, academicians, clerics of Hindu, Buddhist and Christian faiths, an LGBT activist and and policemen have been killed in machete attacks across Bangladesh since 2013. Last July, Bangladesh experienced the deadliest terror attack in which 20 civilians including 17 foreign nationals were killed at an upmarket restaurant in Dhaka. Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack. (WION)

Singapore and Bangladesh officials discuss counter-terrorism efforts in Dhaka meeting

A Dhaka metropolitan court on Tuesday indicted seven people, including a Bangladeshi Nationalist Party leader and his brother, for the murder of Italian citizen Cesare Tavella at the capital diplomatic enclave in Gulshan in September 2015. &nbsp;

The court has fixed November 24 for the start of the trial. &nbsp;

Fifty-year-old Tavella, an aid-worker, was shot dead by armed men on September 28, 2015.&nbsp;

&ldquo;We found the perpetrators of the killings,&rdquo; Monirul Islam, chief of Bangladesh&rsquo;s Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime told WION.&nbsp;

Apart from BNP leader MA Quayum and Abdul Matin, the five other accused are: Tamjid Ahmed Rubel, Russell Chowdhury, Minhajul Arefin, also known as Bhagne Russell, Shakhawat Hossain Sharif, and Sohel alias Bhangari Sohel.

Five of the seven accused in the case have been arrested. BNP leader Quayum, who provided arms and money to the attacker, and Sohel are absconding. &nbsp;

&ldquo;The person who provided the money and arms and gave the order to kill the foreign national was Quayum. He is still absconding. The chargesheet was submitted against seven persons,&quot; said Islam.&nbsp;

Tavella&rsquo;s murder was one of the first attacks made on foreign nationals residing in Bangladesh. &nbsp;

Following the attack on Tavella, the British and Australian High Commissions and the American Embassy issued warnings of further attacks on foreign nationals and security was subsequently beefed up.

On July 1, 2016, nine Italians were among the 20 who were hacked to death in Dhaka&#39;s upscale Holey Artisan Bakery in one of the worst terror attacks in Bangladesh.&nbsp;

Bangladesh has been rattled by resumption of militant attacks since 2013. Political analysts have time and again said that the terror attacks have resurfaced as a result of a void in the democratic process.

(WION)

Bangladeshi Nationalist Party leader MA Quayum is accused of providing money and arms to Tavella's attackers

A Dhaka metropolitan court on Tuesday indicted seven people, including a Bangladeshi Nationalist Party leader and his brother, for the murder of Italian citizen Cesare Tavella at the capital diplomatic enclave in Gulshan in September 2015. The court has fixed November 24 for the start of the trial. Fifty-year-old Tavella, an aid-worker, was shot dead by armed men on September 28, 2015. “We found the perpetrators of the killings,” Monirul Islam, chief of Bangladesh’s Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime told WION. Apart from BNP leader MA Quayum and Abdul Matin, the five other accused are: Tamjid Ahmed Rubel, Russell Chowdhury, Minhajul Arefin, also known as Bhagne Russell, Shakhawat Hossain Sharif, and Sohel alias Bhangari Sohel. Five of the seven accused in the case have been arrested. BNP leader Quayum, who provided arms and money to the attacker, and Sohel are absconding. “The person who provided the money and arms and gave the order to kill the foreign national was Quayum. He is still absconding. The chargesheet was submitted against seven persons," said Islam. Tavella’s murder was one of the first attacks made on foreign nationals residing in Bangladesh. Following the attack on Tavella, the British and Australian High Commissions and the American Embassy issued warnings of further attacks on foreign nationals and security was subsequently beefed up. On July 1, 2016, nine Italians were among the 20 who were hacked to death in Dhaka's upscale Holey Artisan Bakery in one of the worst terror attacks in Bangladesh. Bangladesh has been rattled by resumption of militant attacks since 2013. Political analysts have time and again said that the terror attacks have resurfaced as a result of a void in the democratic process. (WION)

Cesare Tavella murder: Court indicts seven, to start trial from Nov 24

Bangladesh has increased its vigilance across the borders with Myanmar following counter-attacks by Myanmar&rsquo;s security forces on Monday after terrorists killed nine border police officials, Colonel Zillur Rahman, director of operations at Border Guard Bangladesh told WION.

&ldquo;We are alert. We have increased our patrol activities,&rdquo; said Col&nbsp;Rahman.

Myanmar&rsquo;s security forces killed eight suspected attackers on Monday in raids across Maungdaw, in retaliation for&nbsp;both&nbsp;the killing of nine members of the country&rsquo;s police and seisure of a large stash of weapons and ammunition a day before, reported Reuters.

The region, home to Myanmar&rsquo;s Rohingya Muslim population, is close to the border shared with Bangladesh, where many Rohingya members have become&nbsp;refugees due to repression and ethnic cleansing of the community in the Buddhist-majority country.

Reuters reported more than 100 people were killed on Sunday in clashes between Rohingya and ethnic Rakhine Buddhists, making the incident the bloodiest since 2012. At least 300 Rohingya Muslims were killed and thousands sought shelter in Bangladesh after a sectarian clash set off by the rape and killing of a Buddhist woman in 2012.

&ldquo;It is not happening all of a sudden. There has to be a political objective behind this. I find this ominous because it is a concern for both countries,&rdquo; said Rashed Zaman, a professor of International Relations at the University of Dhaka.

Separatist groups, such as Rohingya Solidarity Organisation, carried out attacks in August at a border outpost in Bangladesh and looted arms and ammunition.

&ldquo;Smuggling of drugs and weapons will have border implications,&rdquo; Zaman tells WION, adding that this will create tensions in the bilateral relation between the two countries. Attacks&nbsp;by Buddhist nationalists on the Rohingya population in the past have&nbsp;resulted in pushback of thousands of the minority group into Bangladesh.

Buddhist nationalists in Myanmar classify stateless Rohingyas as illegal immigrants from Bangladesh, even while members of the community say they have lived in Myanmar for generations. In August, Aung San Suu Kyi&rsquo;s government formed an advisory committee headed by former UN Secretary General&nbsp;Kofi Anan to alleviate sectarian tension in the Rakhine State.&nbsp;

(WION) 
&nbsp;

Deaths resulting due to recent sectarian tensions in Myanmar have raised fears of border crossings into neighbouring Bangladesh

Bangladesh has increased its vigilance across the borders with Myanmar following counter-attacks by Myanmar’s security forces on Monday after terrorists killed nine border police officials, Colonel Zillur Rahman, director of operations at Border Guard Bangladesh told WION. “We are alert. We have increased our patrol activities,” said Col Rahman. Myanmar’s security forces killed eight suspected attackers on Monday in raids across Maungdaw, in retaliation for both the killing of nine members of the country’s police and seisure of a large stash of weapons and ammunition a day before, reported Reuters. The region, home to Myanmar’s Rohingya Muslim population, is close to the border shared with Bangladesh, where many Rohingya members have become refugees due to repression and ethnic cleansing of the community in the Buddhist-majority country. Reuters reported more than 100 people were killed on Sunday in clashes between Rohingya and ethnic Rakhine Buddhists, making the incident the bloodiest since 2012. At least 300 Rohingya Muslims were killed and thousands sought shelter in Bangladesh after a sectarian clash set off by the rape and killing of a Buddhist woman in 2012. “It is not happening all of a sudden. There has to be a political objective behind this. I find this ominous because it is a concern for both countries,” said Rashed Zaman, a professor of International Relations at the University of Dhaka. Separatist groups, such as Rohingya Solidarity Organisation, carried out attacks in August at a border outpost in Bangladesh and looted arms and ammunition. “Smuggling of drugs and weapons will have border implications,” Zaman tells WION, adding that this will create tensions in the bilateral relation between the two countries. Attacks by Buddhist nationalists on the Rohingya population in the past have resulted in pushback of thousands of the minority group into Bangladesh. Buddhist nationalists in Myanmar classify stateless Rohingyas as illegal immigrants from Bangladesh, even while members of the community say they have lived in Myanmar for generations. In August, Aung San Suu Kyi’s government formed an advisory committee headed by former UN Secretary General Kofi Anan to alleviate sectarian tension in the Rakhine State. (WION)

Bangladesh tightens security as ethnic tensions fuel in Myanmar's border region

India and Bangladesh have agreed to install a single row fencing across the borders between the two countries to reduce cattle smuggling and cut down border killings, a meeting this week between directors general of security forces of the two countries concluded.

Killings of unarmed Bangladeshi civilians remain unresolved despite efforts to improve bilateral issues between India and Bangladesh. According to the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), at least 23 civilians have been killed between May and October.

&quot;The numbers represent only 15 to 20 percent of those killed,&quot; says Kirity Roy, secretary of Indian human rights organisation Banglar Manabadhikar Suraksha Mancha (MASUM). Eighty to 85 per cent people are Indian citizens killed by India&#39;s Border Security Force, he tells WION.

Almost all the killings are associated with cattle smuggling that operate out of a nexus between people of Bangladesh and India in connivance with the BSF, says Roy. But the killings take place when there is a fallout with the security force.

Bangladesh and India in the past couple of years have settled adverse possession of lands where nearly 37,000 people have been residing in 111 Indian enclaves inside Bangladesh and another 14,000 people have been living in 51 Bangladeshi enclaves inside India.

In August last year, the two countries agreed to resolve the adverse possessions by swapping the enclaves. In a development, the Bangladeshi authorities last month enlisted 10,500 members of the enclaves into its voting database and said smart ID cards will be issued to them soon, local news agency bdnews24.com reports.

Despite the resolutions related to the border issues being carried out, recurrent killing of unarmed Bangladeshi civilians hinder the bilateral relation between the countries. The two countries share a bilateral trade of US $6 billion, more than 90 per cent of which is Indian exports to Bangladesh.

Ninety-five per cent of the killings are related to cattle smuggling, said Major General Aziz Ahmed, director general of Border Guard Bangladesh at a press briefing on Friday.

The killing of 15-year-old Felani Khatun in 2015 in BSF firing stirred protests across Bangladesh and prompted the trial of a BSF trooper in Indian court. Felani was returning to her home in Bangladesh with her father from India. BSF trooper Amiya Ghosh, who was charged with her killing in 2011, was acquitted last year after facing trial in two phases for inconclusive and insufficient evidence against him.&nbsp;

&quot;Bangladesh government and BGB have confirmed us to cover all international boundaries through single row fencing,&quot; KK Sharma, director general of Border Security Force told reporters after the conclusion of directors general-level meeting on October 4.

&ldquo;We should have joint efforts to curb issues like trans-border crimes, cattle smuggling, arms smuggling [and] human trafficking and also drugs that goes into Bangladesh,&rdquo; said Major General Aziz Ahmed, director general of Border Guard Bangladesh.

&ldquo;Now that border demarcation has taken place, there is a desire to avoid any further border killings,&rdquo; Farooq Sobhan, former Bangladesh high commissioner to India told WION.

In 2010, the BSF and BGB signed agreements to introduce non-lethal weapons like pump action guns and rubber bullets to contain border intrusion. At a press briefing on Friday, General Ahmed told reporters that most of the civilians who are killed at the borders are targetted at eyes, head and chest leading up to their deaths.

(WION) 
&nbsp;

Border killings associated with cattle smuggling remain a thorny issue between the two neighbours

India and Bangladesh have agreed to install a single row fencing across the borders between the two countries to reduce cattle smuggling and cut down border killings, a meeting this week between directors general of security forces of the two countries concluded. Killings of unarmed Bangladeshi civilians remain unresolved despite efforts to improve bilateral issues between India and Bangladesh. According to the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), at least 23 civilians have been killed between May and October. "The numbers represent only 15 to 20 percent of those killed," says Kirity Roy, secretary of Indian human rights organisation Banglar Manabadhikar Suraksha Mancha (MASUM). Eighty to 85 per cent people are Indian citizens killed by India's Border Security Force, he tells WION. Almost all the killings are associated with cattle smuggling that operate out of a nexus between people of Bangladesh and India in connivance with the BSF, says Roy. But the killings take place when there is a fallout with the security force. Bangladesh and India in the past couple of years have settled adverse possession of lands where nearly 37,000 people have been residing in 111 Indian enclaves inside Bangladesh and another 14,000 people have been living in 51 Bangladeshi enclaves inside India. In August last year, the two countries agreed to resolve the adverse possessions by swapping the enclaves. In a development, the Bangladeshi authorities last month enlisted 10,500 members of the enclaves into its voting database and said smart ID cards will be issued to them soon, local news agency bdnews24.com reports. Despite the resolutions related to the border issues being carried out, recurrent killing of unarmed Bangladeshi civilians hinder the bilateral relation between the countries. The two countries share a bilateral trade of US $6 billion, more than 90 per cent of which is Indian exports to Bangladesh. Ninety-five per cent of the killings are related to cattle smuggling, said Major General Aziz Ahmed, director general of Border Guard Bangladesh at a press briefing on Friday. The killing of 15-year-old Felani Khatun in 2015 in BSF firing stirred protests across Bangladesh and prompted the trial of a BSF trooper in Indian court. Felani was returning to her home in Bangladesh with her father from India. BSF trooper Amiya Ghosh, who was charged with her killing in 2011, was acquitted last year after facing trial in two phases for inconclusive and insufficient evidence against him. "Bangladesh government and BGB have confirmed us to cover all international boundaries through single row fencing," KK Sharma, director general of Border Security Force told reporters after the conclusion of directors general-level meeting on October 4. “We should have joint efforts to curb issues like trans-border crimes, cattle smuggling, arms smuggling [and] human trafficking and also drugs that goes into Bangladesh,” said Major General Aziz Ahmed, director general of Border Guard Bangladesh. “Now that border demarcation has taken place, there is a desire to avoid any further border killings,” Farooq Sobhan, former Bangladesh high commissioner to India told WION. In 2010, the BSF and BGB signed agreements to introduce non-lethal weapons like pump action guns and rubber bullets to contain border intrusion. At a press briefing on Friday, General Ahmed told reporters that most of the civilians who are killed at the borders are targetted at eyes, head and chest leading up to their deaths. (WION)

Indo-Bangla relations: Security forces pledge to curb cross-border crimes, agree to new fencing

Bangladeshi security forces killed eleven members of an Islamist militant group on Saturday blamed for the Dhaka cafe massacre in July.&nbsp;

The eleven militants, believed to be from the Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) were killed in three separate raids in Gazipur and Tangail, on the outskirts of the capital, Dhaka.&nbsp;

&quot;Eleven extremists were killed. They are all members of the neo-JMB (Jamayetul Mujahideen Bangladesh),&quot; interior minister Asaduzzaman Khan said, referring to the outlawed group that killed 22 mostly foreign hostages at the cafe in July.

&ldquo;We haven&rsquo;t been able to identify the suspects individually,&rdquo; said Sanwar Hossain, additional deputy commissioner of Counter-Terrorism and Transnational Crime. One of killed was Akash, who police suspect, had been working as an organiser for the neo JMB. The members were killed in a gunfight at Aparkhola in Gazipur district, just outside Dhaka, after they rejected an offer to surrender.

The operation was followed by another raid on militant hideouts by Bangladesh&#39;s Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), in which another four militants were shot. Explosives, AK 22 assault rifles, 7.65mm pistol, Jihadi books and four laptops were recovered during another raid at Gazipur carried out by the Rapid Action Battalion, said Mahiul Islam, a squad commander with the Rapid Action Battalion.

&ldquo;As of this evening, the total threat level has dropped by 99 percent. They do not have any more operational strength,&rdquo; Hossain told WION.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina during an address to the Hindu community at a Puja Mandop in Dhaka said her government will show no sympathy for terrorism in the country and vowed to clamp down on them.

In August, police killed Tamim Chowdhury, a Canadian citizen of Bangladesh origin who has been heading the neo JMB and was a mastermind behind the July attack at the Dhaka&rsquo;s upmarket restaurant Holey Artisan Bakery.

The siege at the cafe in Dhaka&#39;s posh Gulshan neighbourhood was the deadliest in a series of assaults claimed by Islamist groups which have blighted Bangladesh in the last three years.

The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the attack, posting photos of the carnage as it happened and pictures of the attackers holding IS flags online.

The home minister told reporters that Syed Ziaul Haque, the leader of another outlawed extremist group called Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT) would soon be arrested.

&quot;He is under our surveillance. He&#39;ll be arrested anytime,&quot; Khan said.

The ABT, also known as Ansar al-Islam, is linked with Al-Qaeda in the Indian subcontinent and has been blamed for a series of murders of atheist and secular bloggers who were critical of Islam.

(WION) 
&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Bangladesh's police claimed significant success against the militants after having reduced them to minimal operational strength

Bangladeshi security forces killed eleven members of an Islamist militant group on Saturday blamed for the Dhaka cafe massacre in July. The eleven militants, believed to be from the Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) were killed in three separate raids in Gazipur and Tangail, on the outskirts of the capital, Dhaka. "Eleven extremists were killed. They are all members of the neo-JMB (Jamayetul Mujahideen Bangladesh)," interior minister Asaduzzaman Khan said, referring to the outlawed group that killed 22 mostly foreign hostages at the cafe in July. “We haven’t been able to identify the suspects individually,” said Sanwar Hossain, additional deputy commissioner of Counter-Terrorism and Transnational Crime. One of killed was Akash, who police suspect, had been working as an organiser for the neo JMB. The members were killed in a gunfight at Aparkhola in Gazipur district, just outside Dhaka, after they rejected an offer to surrender. The operation was followed by another raid on militant hideouts by Bangladesh's Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), in which another four militants were shot. Explosives, AK 22 assault rifles, 7.65mm pistol, Jihadi books and four laptops were recovered during another raid at Gazipur carried out by the Rapid Action Battalion, said Mahiul Islam, a squad commander with the Rapid Action Battalion. “As of this evening, the total threat level has dropped by 99 percent. They do not have any more operational strength,” Hossain told WION. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina during an address to the Hindu community at a Puja Mandop in Dhaka said her government will show no sympathy for terrorism in the country and vowed to clamp down on them. In August, police killed Tamim Chowdhury, a Canadian citizen of Bangladesh origin who has been heading the neo JMB and was a mastermind behind the July attack at the Dhaka’s upmarket restaurant Holey Artisan Bakery. The siege at the cafe in Dhaka's posh Gulshan neighbourhood was the deadliest in a series of assaults claimed by Islamist groups which have blighted Bangladesh in the last three years. The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the attack, posting photos of the carnage as it happened and pictures of the attackers holding IS flags online. The home minister told reporters that Syed Ziaul Haque, the leader of another outlawed extremist group called Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT) would soon be arrested. "He is under our surveillance. He'll be arrested anytime," Khan said. The ABT, also known as Ansar al-Islam, is linked with Al-Qaeda in the Indian subcontinent and has been blamed for a series of murders of atheist and secular bloggers who were critical of Islam. (WION)

Bangladeshi police kill eleven members of Islamist group blamed for Dhaka cafe attack

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Zee News Rajasthan

Editor

Saad Hammadi

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