A 10-member delegation representing various communities and civil society organisations from Manipur left for New Delhi on Thursday to seek the Centre's intervention on the Census and National Register of Citizens (NRC) issue, even as the state government ordered educational institutions to shut down amid escalating agitation.&nbsp;The delegation, which includes SM Jalal (president, AMMOCOC), Gaikhiam Thaimei (vice-president, RNYOM), Serto Kom (president, Kom Union Manipur) and Dr K Heera Kabui (president, Kabui Union), said it would push for dialogue rather than confrontation with the Centre. Members plan to meet Union ministers, BJP leaders and Intelligence Bureau officials, and are seeking an audience with Home Minister Amit Shah. "We want a discussion, not a confrontation, and seek an understanding on these issues while keeping the interests of the people of Manipur in mind," Kom said, stressing that citizen identification through the NRC must precede the state's pending delimitation exercise.&nbsp;The visit follows a separate trip to Delhi by a team of MLAs and Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla, as pressure builds on the Centre to address the issue.&nbsp;<h2>Shutdown Paralyses Valley Districts</h2>&nbsp;The Manipur government ordered all schools, colleges and universities across the state closed from August 20 to 23, citing law and order concerns as a 48-hour general strike called by the Campaign for Just and Fair Delimitation (JFD) wound down. Authorities also cancelled appointments of Census enumerators, supervisors and field trainers in Lilong, Imphal West.&nbsp;The JFD, a Meitei organisation, wants the Census conducted only after an NRC is implemented, arguing this is needed to identify undocumented migrants who arrived after 1951. Kuki organisations have pushed back, accusing Meiteis of using the NRC demand to brand their entire community as illegal immigrants. JFD secretary Longjam Ratankumar Singh said the protest would escalate into a boycott of government institutions from Thursday, with sit-ins and torch rallies planned.&nbsp;Markets, schools and transport were disrupted across five valley districts—Imphal West, Imphal East, Kakching, Thoubal and Bishnupur—with clashes reported between protesters and security forces in Imphal East and Imphal West. Separately, the North Indigenous Women's Organisation staged its own sit-in at Sekmai demanding NRC implementation.&nbsp;State spokesperson Sapam Ranjan said Manipur would press the Centre to postpone the Census until the NRC process is complete, noting the assembly had passed resolutions to this effect in 2022 and 2024. Former CM N. Biren Singh said he received a "positive response" from Shah on the matter during a recent meeting.&nbsp;Census 2027's house-listing phase is officially scheduled to begin in Manipur on September 1, with self-enumeration available from August 17-31.

Kuki organisations have pushed back, accusing Meiteis of using the NRC demand to brand their entire community as illegal immigrants.

A 10-member delegation representing various communities and civil society organisations from Manipur left for New Delhi on Thursday to seek the Centre's intervention on the Census and National Register of Citizens (NRC) issue, even as the state government ordered educational institutions to shut down amid escalating agitation. The delegation, which includes SM Jalal (president, AMMOCOC), Gaikhiam Thaimei (vice-president, RNYOM), Serto Kom (president, Kom Union Manipur) and Dr K Heera Kabui (president, Kabui Union), said it would push for dialogue rather than confrontation with the Centre. Members plan to meet Union ministers, BJP leaders and Intelligence Bureau officials, and are seeking an audience with Home Minister Amit Shah. "We want a discussion, not a confrontation, and seek an understanding on these issues while keeping the interests of the people of Manipur in mind," Kom said, stressing that citizen identification through the NRC must precede the state's pending delimitation exercise. The visit follows a separate trip to Delhi by a team of MLAs and Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla, as pressure builds on the Centre to address the issue. Shutdown Paralyses Valley Districts The Manipur government ordered all schools, colleges and universities across the state closed from August 20 to 23, citing law and order concerns as a 48-hour general strike called by the Campaign for Just and Fair Delimitation (JFD) wound down. Authorities also cancelled appointments of Census enumerators, supervisors and field trainers in Lilong, Imphal West. The JFD, a Meitei organisation, wants the Census conducted only after an NRC is implemented, arguing this is needed to identify undocumented migrants who arrived after 1951. Kuki organisations have pushed back, accusing Meiteis of using the NRC demand to brand their entire community as illegal immigrants. JFD secretary Longjam Ratankumar Singh said the protest would escalate into a boycott of government institutions from Thursday, with sit-ins and torch rallies planned. Markets, schools and transport were disrupted across five valley districts—Imphal West, Imphal East, Kakching, Thoubal and Bishnupur—with clashes reported between protesters and security forces in Imphal East and Imphal West. Separately, the North Indigenous Women's Organisation staged its own sit-in at Sekmai demanding NRC implementation. State spokesperson Sapam Ranjan said Manipur would press the Centre to postpone the Census until the NRC process is complete, noting the assembly had passed resolutions to this effect in 2022 and 2024. Former CM N. Biren Singh said he received a "positive response" from Shah on the matter during a recent meeting. Census 2027's house-listing phase is officially scheduled to begin in Manipur on September 1, with self-enumeration available from August 17-31.

Kuki organisations have pushed back, accusing Meiteis of using the NRC demand to brand their entire community as illegal immigrants.

Manipur Delegation heads to Delhi as NRC protests force school closures

The aftermath of the recent hotel fire in Tarapith had barely begun to settle when another tragic blaze struck the city. A severe fire broke out at Hotel Shikha Inn near Mirza Ghalib Street in New Market in the early hours of Wednesday, claiming nine lives and leaving several others injured.The fire is believed to have started around 1:45 am after an air conditioner burst. It quickly spread to four rooms of the hotel, trapping several guests inside. Five fire engines and the police and Disaster Management. Department personnel rushed to the spot and brought the blaze under control. Police have since cordoned off the area around the hotel.Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/nine-killed-six-injured-in-massive-fire-at-kolkata-hotel-1787107135582">Kolkata hotel fire: Bangladeshi nationals seeking medical treatment among killed</a>The fire department confirmed that nine people were rescued in an unconscious condition and taken to Medical College Hospital (MCH), Kolkata, where they were declared dead. The deceased comprise six men, two women and one male child. Some of the victims were Bangladeshi nationals who had come to Kolkata for medical treatment. Another six people fell ill due to smoke inhalation and have been admitted to hospital.Locals said many guests managed to climb onto the roof to escape the flames. However, the nine who were found unconscious apparently never woke up from their sleep and are believed to have succumbed to smoke inhalation.The hotel owner remains untraceable. The manager has been detained by New Market police station for questioning as investigations continue.

The fire is believed to have started around 1:45 am after an air conditioner burst. It quickly spread to four rooms of the hotel, trapping several guests inside. Five fire engines and the police and Disaster Management.

The aftermath of the recent hotel fire in Tarapith had barely begun to settle when another tragic blaze struck the city. A severe fire broke out at Hotel Shikha Inn near Mirza Ghalib Street in New Market in the early hours of Wednesday, claiming nine lives and leaving several others injured. The fire is believed to have started around 1:45 am after an air conditioner burst. It quickly spread to four rooms of the hotel, trapping several guests inside. Five fire engines and the police and Disaster Management. Department personnel rushed to the spot and brought the blaze under control. Police have since cordoned off the area around the hotel. Also read | Kolkata hotel fire: Bangladeshi nationals seeking medical treatment among killed The fire department confirmed that nine people were rescued in an unconscious condition and taken to Medical College Hospital (MCH), Kolkata, where they were declared dead. The deceased comprise six men, two women and one male child. Some of the victims were Bangladeshi nationals who had come to Kolkata for medical treatment. Another six people fell ill due to smoke inhalation and have been admitted to hospital. Locals said many guests managed to climb onto the roof to escape the flames. However, the nine who were found unconscious apparently never woke up from their sleep and are believed to have succumbed to smoke inhalation. The hotel owner remains untraceable. The manager has been detained by New Market police station for questioning as investigations continue.

The fire is believed to have started around 1:45 am after an air conditioner burst. It quickly spread to four rooms of the hotel, trapping several guests inside. Five fire engines and the police and Disaster Management.

Severe fire at Hotel Shikha Inn in Kolkata’s New Market claims nine lives

West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari has ordered a thorough investigation into the death of former Deputy Speaker and five-time TMC MLA Asish Banerjee, saying authorities must examine whether he faced any threats before his death. Adhikari said he personally spoke with Banerjee's family, who confirmed the veteran leader had maintained a good rapport with local BJP workers and police. The Chief Minister also recalled receiving a personal message from Banerjee after his government assumed office earlier this year.Adhikari directed officials to scrutinise the handwritten note recovered from the scene, along with call records and other evidence, as part of the probe. He voiced concern that "corrupt elements" within the TMC "might have threatened him," a pointed remark that has added a fresh political edge to the case.Banerjee, 74, was found dead on Sunday morning inside a TMC party office adjacent to his residence in Hattalapara, Rampurhat, in Birbhum district. Police said both doors to the room were locked from the inside, and the body was recovered after family members and independent witnesses alerted authorities. He was sent for post-mortem examination at Rampurhat Medical College, and investigators are working to verify the authenticity of a purported one-page note found near the body.In the note, Banerjee is said to have firmly denied any wrongdoing in connection with the Tarapith-Rampurhat Development Authority, where he served as chairperson, stating he never sat on the tender committee, signed cheques, or approved plans. He reportedly described entering politics as "the biggest mistake" of his life and wrote that "no one is responsible for my death."Banerjee's family has pushed back on the suicide theory. His brother, Prasanta Banerjee, said the family had dinner with him the night before and saw no signs of distress, and demanded a proper investigation into the circumstances.The death has also opened up a bitter blame game within the TMC itself, between the party's official leadership and the rebel faction led by Ritabrata. Ritabrata's camp, which rushed to Rampurhat after learning of Banerjee's death, blamed alleged corruption and "organised loot" over the past 15 years for creating a backlash that engulfed even TMC leaders who had stayed personally clean. Ritabrata said "innocent politicians had to bear the responsibility" for the actions of a handful of people, adding that Banerjee had repeatedly tried to warn the "Kalighat" leadership that "what was happening was not right," but was ignored. He also recalled Banerjee's distress over unresolved requests to regularise the services of attendants appointed during his tenure as deputy speaker.The Mamata camp hit back forcefully. TMC MLA Kunal Ghosh alleged Banerjee had been unable to cope with the fear of social stigma and had been subjected to humiliation, saying "even if it was suicide, it was the result of instigation," and demanded action against those responsible for allegedly provoking him. Ghosh further claimed Banerjee had been pressured into joining the rebel camp after the TMC's poor showing in the 2026 Assembly elections, insisting the veteran leader had actually wanted to remain with the Mamata-led party. The rebel camp, in turn, has portrayed Banerjee's association with it as stemming from his own disillusionment with the party's functioning and concerns over corruption.The competing claims have turned Banerjee's death into a fresh flashpoint in the TMC's internal battle. Mamata Banerjee said the leader had been "repeatedly maligned, falsely accused and subjected to relentless pressure," while TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, mourning a leader who had devoted decades to public service with "honesty, dignity and simplicity," alleged a sustained smear campaign against him under the new BJP administration. Referring to the purported suicide note, Abhishek said the pain caused by such vilification could not be ignored and urged those involved to reflect on the consequences of their words and actions, adding, "Political battles will come and go. But once a life is lost, it can never be brought back."Banerjee represented Rampurhat continuously from 2001 until losing the 2026 Assembly election by over 24,000 votes. He had held ministerial portfolios including agriculture and school education, and served as Deputy Speaker from 2021 until TMC's defeat this year. He is survived by his wife and son. Police say further details are expected once the post-mortem and forensic examination of the note are complete.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">Former Bengal DY speaker found dead at TMC office Purported suicide note recovered by Birbhum police. Asish Banerjee was a 5-time MLA from Rampurhat, Birbhum<a href="https://x.com/JyotsnaKumar13?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JyotsnaKumar13</a> gets you more with <a href="https://x.com/ShreyaG9401?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ShreyaG9401</a> <a href="https://t.co/vPT4toIzkX">pic.twitter.com/vPT4toIzkX</a>&mdash; WION (@WIONews) <a href="https://x.com/WIONews/status/2088946582322589708?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 16, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

West Bengal CM Suvendu Adhikari has ordered a thorough probe into former Deputy Speaker Asish Banerjee’s death amid questions over a purported suicide note and internal TMC blame game.

West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari has ordered a thorough investigation into the death of former Deputy Speaker and five-time TMC MLA Asish Banerjee, saying authorities must examine whether he faced any threats before his death. Adhikari said he personally spoke with Banerjee's family, who confirmed the veteran leader had maintained a good rapport with local BJP workers and police. The Chief Minister also recalled receiving a personal message from Banerjee after his government assumed office earlier this year. Adhikari directed officials to scrutinise the handwritten note recovered from the scene, along with call records and other evidence, as part of the probe. He voiced concern that "corrupt elements" within the TMC "might have threatened him," a pointed remark that has added a fresh political edge to the case. Banerjee, 74, was found dead on Sunday morning inside a TMC party office adjacent to his residence in Hattalapara, Rampurhat, in Birbhum district. Police said both doors to the room were locked from the inside, and the body was recovered after family members and independent witnesses alerted authorities. He was sent for post-mortem examination at Rampurhat Medical College, and investigators are working to verify the authenticity of a purported one-page note found near the body. In the note, Banerjee is said to have firmly denied any wrongdoing in connection with the Tarapith-Rampurhat Development Authority, where he served as chairperson, stating he never sat on the tender committee, signed cheques, or approved plans. He reportedly described entering politics as "the biggest mistake" of his life and wrote that "no one is responsible for my death." Banerjee's family has pushed back on the suicide theory. His brother, Prasanta Banerjee, said the family had dinner with him the night before and saw no signs of distress, and demanded a proper investigation into the circumstances. The death has also opened up a bitter blame game within the TMC itself, between the party's official leadership and the rebel faction led by Ritabrata. Ritabrata's camp, which rushed to Rampurhat after learning of Banerjee's death, blamed alleged corruption and "organised loot" over the past 15 years for creating a backlash that engulfed even TMC leaders who had stayed personally clean. Ritabrata said "innocent politicians had to bear the responsibility" for the actions of a handful of people, adding that Banerjee had repeatedly tried to warn the "Kalighat" leadership that "what was happening was not right," but was ignored. He also recalled Banerjee's distress over unresolved requests to regularise the services of attendants appointed during his tenure as deputy speaker. The Mamata camp hit back forcefully. TMC MLA Kunal Ghosh alleged Banerjee had been unable to cope with the fear of social stigma and had been subjected to humiliation, saying "even if it was suicide, it was the result of instigation," and demanded action against those responsible for allegedly provoking him. Ghosh further claimed Banerjee had been pressured into joining the rebel camp after the TMC's poor showing in the 2026 Assembly elections, insisting the veteran leader had actually wanted to remain with the Mamata-led party. The rebel camp, in turn, has portrayed Banerjee's association with it as stemming from his own disillusionment with the party's functioning and concerns over corruption. The competing claims have turned Banerjee's death into a fresh flashpoint in the TMC's internal battle. Mamata Banerjee said the leader had been "repeatedly maligned, falsely accused and subjected to relentless pressure," while TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, mourning a leader who had devoted decades to public service with "honesty, dignity and simplicity," alleged a sustained smear campaign against him under the new BJP administration. Referring to the purported suicide note, Abhishek said the pain caused by such vilification could not be ignored and urged those involved to reflect on the consequences of their words and actions, adding, "Political battles will come and go. But once a life is lost, it can never be brought back." Banerjee represented Rampurhat continuously from 2001 until losing the 2026 Assembly election by over 24,000 votes. He had held ministerial portfolios including agriculture and school education, and served as Deputy Speaker from 2021 until TMC's defeat this year. He is survived by his wife and son. Police say further details are expected once the post-mortem and forensic examination of the note are complete.

West Bengal CM Suvendu Adhikari has ordered a thorough probe into former Deputy Speaker Asish Banerjee’s death amid questions over a purported suicide note and internal TMC blame game.

West Bengal CM orders probe as TMC MLA's death sparks political standoff between rival camps

A 23-year-old man from West Bengal’s North 24 Parganas district, who was working as a security guard in Bengaluru, has been arrested on suspicion of maintaining contact with a member of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), police said.&nbsp;The accused, identified as Asaful Mallik, allegedly made voice calls to a TTP member and sent him audio recordings, according to the Hebbagodi police.&nbsp;Mallik, a native of North 24 Parganas in West Bengal, had been residing near APC Circle in Jigani on the outskirts of Bengaluru. Mallik was employed as a security guard with a private firm in the Bommasandra Industrial Area of the state capital.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/telangana-cm-revanth-reddy-accuses-brs-leaders-of-using-black-magic-to-usurp-power-occult-charges-not-new-in-politics-1786884046815">Telangana CM Revanth Reddy accuses BRS leaders of using ‘black magic’ to usurp power; occult charges not new in politics</a><h2>Arrest based on tip-off</h2>&nbsp;Police said the arrest was made on Tuesday following a tip-off from an informant. Officers from the Hebbagodi police station tracked down Mallik and took him into custody as part of the operation.&nbsp;&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-middle-east-commander-visits-uss-lincoln-amid-iran-war-gaza-and-lebanon-tensions-1786882278296">US top commander visits USS Lincoln amid Iran war, Gaza and Lebanon tensions</a><h2>‘He wanted to take revenge for Muslims’&nbsp;</h2>&nbsp;During interrogation, police said Mallik told investigators that he harboured anger towards the Pakistan Army over what he believed were atrocities committed against mosques and the public in Pakistan.&nbsp;He also reportedly expressed anger over the Israel-Palestine conflict, alleging that the Pakistan Army was supporting Israel instead of aiding Palestinian Muslims. According to police, Mallik said he had decided that he would “take revenge” on behalf of Muslims if they faced any problems in India as well.&nbsp;Investigators are continuing to question Mallik to determine the extent of his contact with the TTP and whether any wider network was involved. Further details are awaited, as the probe continues.

Asaful Mallik reportedly expressed anger against  the Pakistan Army which he said was supporting Israel in the Israel-Palestine conflict instead of aiding Palestinian Muslims. He said that he would “take revenge” on behalf of Muslims if they faced any problems in India as well. 

A 23-year-old man from West Bengal’s North 24 Parganas district, who was working as a security guard in Bengaluru, has been arrested on suspicion of maintaining contact with a member of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), police said. The accused, identified as Asaful Mallik, allegedly made voice calls to a TTP member and sent him audio recordings, according to the Hebbagodi police. Mallik, a native of North 24 Parganas in West Bengal, had been residing near APC Circle in Jigani on the outskirts of Bengaluru. Mallik was employed as a security guard with a private firm in the Bommasandra Industrial Area of the state capital. Also Read: Telangana CM Revanth Reddy accuses BRS leaders of using ‘black magic’ to usurp power; occult charges not new in politics Arrest based on tip-off Police said the arrest was made on Tuesday following a tip-off from an informant. Officers from the Hebbagodi police station tracked down Mallik and took him into custody as part of the operation. Also Read: US top commander visits USS Lincoln amid Iran war, Gaza and Lebanon tensions ‘He wanted to take revenge for Muslims’ During interrogation, police said Mallik told investigators that he harboured anger towards the Pakistan Army over what he believed were atrocities committed against mosques and the public in Pakistan. He also reportedly expressed anger over the Israel-Palestine conflict, alleging that the Pakistan Army was supporting Israel instead of aiding Palestinian Muslims. According to police, Mallik said he had decided that he would “take revenge” on behalf of Muslims if they faced any problems in India as well. Investigators are continuing to question Mallik to determine the extent of his contact with the TTP and whether any wider network was involved. Further details are awaited, as the probe continues.

Asaful Mallik reportedly expressed anger against &nbsp;the Pakistan Army which he said was supporting Israel in the Israel-Palestine conflict instead of aiding Palestinian Muslims. He said that he would “take revenge” on behalf of Muslims if they faced any problems in India as well.&nbsp;

Security guard arrested in Bengaluru over alleged links to Pakistani Taliban

Bangladesh has once again pulled forward the clock on its commercial life. As of Thursday, shops, markets and malls across the country must shutter by 8 p.m., an hour earlier than before, part of a widening set of emergency conservation rules meant to squeeze a few more megawatts out of a grid that simply does not have enough to go around. Hospitals, pharmacies and food vendors are spared. Nearly everyone else is not.&nbsp;It is a strikingly familiar scene. Only months ago, during the height of regional turmoil triggered by the Iran conflict, Dhaka ordered an even stricter curfew on commerce, forcing businesses closed by 6 p.m. That the country finds itself repeating the exercise says less about a single bad week and more about a structural vulnerability that a distant war keeps exposing.&nbsp;<h2>A crisis built on two points of failure</h2>&nbsp;The immediate trigger is mechanical rather than political. A fire last month at an LNG terminal operated by the American firm Excelerate Energy knocked out roughly half the country's import capacity; the facility only resumed partial operations this week. Around the same time, rough seas prevented at least two LNG carriers from offloading their cargo at Bangladesh's terminals, compounding the shortfall just as demand was already outrunning supply.&nbsp;The numbers tell the story starkly. The power sector needs more than a billion cubic feet of gas daily; it is currently receiving around 700 million. With national electricity demand near 18,000 megawatts against a supply capped closer to 13,000, the arithmetic of blackout was almost inevitable. Rural areas outside Dhaka have borne the brunt, with some regions reporting outages stretching eight to ten hours a day, worsened by an ongoing heatwave.&nbsp;<h2>When the grid fails, so does patience</h2>&nbsp;The human cost is visible in ways that go beyond inconvenience. Frustration has spilled into open confrontation in several districts, with reports of vandalism and arson targeting electricity infrastructure in areas including Saidpur, Nilphamari and Kushtia. Utility workers report being harassed, and in some cases threatened, while attempting to collect overdue bills. The Bangladesh Palli Bidyut Association, which manages rural power cooperatives, has formally asked police to patrol substations and grid stations.&nbsp;The economic toll is just as tangible. Shrimp farmers, whose product makes Bangladesh the world's second-largest exporter of the crustacean, describe watching oxygen levels collapse in their ponds each time aerators lose power. The textile and garment sector, the backbone of the national economy, is similarly exposed to an unreliable grid. For an economy this dependent on continuous production cycles, prolonged load-shedding is not a nuisance; it is a direct threat to export competitiveness.&nbsp;<h2>The geopolitical undercurrent</h2>&nbsp;Bangladesh imports more than 90 percent of its oil and roughly 30 percent of its gas, a dependency that leaves its energy security hostage to global markets far beyond its control. The conflict centred on Iran rattled shipping routes, spiked fuel and LNG prices, and injected volatility into precisely the supply chains Dhaka relies on to keep the lights on. A country with thin domestic reserves and heavy import exposure has almost no buffer when that volatility hits.&nbsp;That exposure has pushed Bangladesh back toward an old, complicated relationship: its energy lifeline to India. The two countries are connected by the India-Bangladesh Friendship Pipeline, commissioned in 2017, under which New Delhi is committed to supplying 180,000 metric tonnes of diesel annually under a fifteen-year arrangement. Dhaka has now asked India to increase those flows, a request delivered directly to Indian High Commissioner Dinesh Trivedi by Bangladesh's energy minister, Iqbal Hassan Mahmood. India has already shipped more than 30,000 tonnes of diesel to Bangladesh since the spring, when the Iran-linked disruptions first began rippling through South Asian energy markets.&nbsp;This quiet cooperation is notable precisely because political relations between the two nations have been anything but smooth. New Delhi's decision to shelter former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina after her 2024 ouster has remained a persistent irritant for the government of Tarique Rahman, and Hasina's recent public remarks from Delhi, her first since fleeing Dhaka, have only sharpened tensions. Energy interdependence, it seems, is proving more durable than diplomatic goodwill. Bangladesh needs India's diesel regardless of how it feels about India's guest.

Bangladesh imports more than 90 percent of its oil and roughly 30 percent of its gas, a dependency that leaves its energy security hostage to global markets far beyond its control. A country with thin domestic reserves and heavy import exposure has almost no buffer when that volatility hits.

Bangladesh has once again pulled forward the clock on its commercial life. As of Thursday, shops, markets and malls across the country must shutter by 8 p.m., an hour earlier than before, part of a widening set of emergency conservation rules meant to squeeze a few more megawatts out of a grid that simply does not have enough to go around. Hospitals, pharmacies and food vendors are spared. Nearly everyone else is not. It is a strikingly familiar scene. Only months ago, during the height of regional turmoil triggered by the Iran conflict, Dhaka ordered an even stricter curfew on commerce, forcing businesses closed by 6 p.m. That the country finds itself repeating the exercise says less about a single bad week and more about a structural vulnerability that a distant war keeps exposing. A crisis built on two points of failure The immediate trigger is mechanical rather than political. A fire last month at an LNG terminal operated by the American firm Excelerate Energy knocked out roughly half the country's import capacity; the facility only resumed partial operations this week. Around the same time, rough seas prevented at least two LNG carriers from offloading their cargo at Bangladesh's terminals, compounding the shortfall just as demand was already outrunning supply. The numbers tell the story starkly. The power sector needs more than a billion cubic feet of gas daily; it is currently receiving around 700 million. With national electricity demand near 18,000 megawatts against a supply capped closer to 13,000, the arithmetic of blackout was almost inevitable. Rural areas outside Dhaka have borne the brunt, with some regions reporting outages stretching eight to ten hours a day, worsened by an ongoing heatwave. When the grid fails, so does patience The human cost is visible in ways that go beyond inconvenience. Frustration has spilled into open confrontation in several districts, with reports of vandalism and arson targeting electricity infrastructure in areas including Saidpur, Nilphamari and Kushtia. Utility workers report being harassed, and in some cases threatened, while attempting to collect overdue bills. The Bangladesh Palli Bidyut Association, which manages rural power cooperatives, has formally asked police to patrol substations and grid stations. The economic toll is just as tangible. Shrimp farmers, whose product makes Bangladesh the world's second-largest exporter of the crustacean, describe watching oxygen levels collapse in their ponds each time aerators lose power. The textile and garment sector, the backbone of the national economy, is similarly exposed to an unreliable grid. For an economy this dependent on continuous production cycles, prolonged load-shedding is not a nuisance; it is a direct threat to export competitiveness. The geopolitical undercurrent Bangladesh imports more than 90 percent of its oil and roughly 30 percent of its gas, a dependency that leaves its energy security hostage to global markets far beyond its control. The conflict centred on Iran rattled shipping routes, spiked fuel and LNG prices, and injected volatility into precisely the supply chains Dhaka relies on to keep the lights on. A country with thin domestic reserves and heavy import exposure has almost no buffer when that volatility hits. That exposure has pushed Bangladesh back toward an old, complicated relationship: its energy lifeline to India. The two countries are connected by the India-Bangladesh Friendship Pipeline, commissioned in 2017, under which New Delhi is committed to supplying 180,000 metric tonnes of diesel annually under a fifteen-year arrangement. Dhaka has now asked India to increase those flows, a request delivered directly to Indian High Commissioner Dinesh Trivedi by Bangladesh's energy minister, Iqbal Hassan Mahmood. India has already shipped more than 30,000 tonnes of diesel to Bangladesh since the spring, when the Iran-linked disruptions first began rippling through South Asian energy markets. This quiet cooperation is notable precisely because political relations between the two nations have been anything but smooth. New Delhi's decision to shelter former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina after her 2024 ouster has remained a persistent irritant for the government of Tarique Rahman, and Hasina's recent public remarks from Delhi, her first since fleeing Dhaka, have only sharpened tensions. Energy interdependence, it seems, is proving more durable than diplomatic goodwill. Bangladesh needs India's diesel regardless of how it feels about India's guest.

Bangladesh imports more than 90 percent of its oil and roughly 30 percent of its gas, a dependency that leaves its energy security hostage to global markets far beyond its control. A country with thin domestic reserves and heavy import exposure has almost no buffer when that volatility hits.

Blackout diplomacy: How the Iran War left Bangladesh in the dark

Barely 48 hours before Independence Day, an interception on the India-Bangladesh border has ignited a major espionage investigation in West Bengal after a suspected Pakistani operative was caught carrying a map and photographs of Fort William- the Indian Army's Eastern Command headquarters.&nbsp;Officers from the state's Special Task Force arrested the man, identified as Rana Rauf Khalid (alias Wahab Alam), along with an associate, Mohammad Ijaz, late Tuesday night in Habra, a border town in North 24 Parganas. The two were reportedly heading toward an unfenced stretch of the frontier along Jessore Road, apparently attempting to cross into Bangladesh, when STF personnel intercepted them.<h2>Fort William material at the centre of the probe</h2>The arrest has escalated into a wider security investigation because of what the two men were allegedly carrying: a map and photographs of Fort William, the historic garrison in Kolkata that now serves as headquarters for the Army's Eastern Command. Investigators are working to trace the origin of the material and its intended purpose.&nbsp;"One of the important aspects being examined is how the map and photographs of Fort William came into the possession of the accused, and whether these were part of any information-gathering activity," the STF official said.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iran-challenges-trump-s-hormuz-claim-says-tehran-controls-strait-not-us-1786622171668">Iran challenges Trump’s Hormuz claim; says Tehran controls strait, not US</a><h2>Wiped phones and a cross-border digital trail</h2>Mobile phones seized from the two men are said to contain social media exchanges and contact numbers linking to Pakistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. Some data had reportedly been deleted before the arrest, and reconstructing it has become a priority for investigators trying to map out the men's contacts and communications.&nbsp;The STF is also examining whether the pair had collected information on troop movements and infrastructure near the Petrapole and Ghojadanga border crossings- both considered sensitive points along the India-Bangladesh frontier- &nbsp;and whether their activities tie into a larger network active in the run-up to August 15. Officials stressed the investigation remains preliminary, with military intelligence units now involved.<h2>A trail from Faisalabad to Kathmandu to Topsia</h2>Investigators say Rauf is originally from Faisalabad, Pakistan, and moved to Kathmandu around 12 years ago to work as a wood-carving craftsman. It was there he is believed to have met Ijaz, a furniture trader from Kolkata's Topsia area.&nbsp;According to the STF, Rauf entered India six times over the years via the open, visa-free Indo-Nepal border, staying at Ijaz's Topsia residence for two- to three-month stretches each time. Investigators allege Ijaz helped him secure fake Aadhaar and voter ID documents during these visits, and that Rauf used the time to attempt recruiting young Indians for an as-yet-unspecified purpose.&nbsp;Officials say "confidential documents" recovered from the two men are being examined, though their contents haven't been made public. The STF is also probing Rauf's suspected links to Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence, citing alleged contact with ISI officials at the Pakistani High Commission in Kathmandu.&nbsp;After the arrest, Rauf was taken to Habra hospital for a routine medical check-up. Both men were subsequently produced before a court in Barasat, which remanded them to 14 days of police custody.No confirmed link to earlier Purba Burdhaman case&nbsp;The arrest follows the STF's detention of another suspect, Hamim Mondal — allegedly linked to Jaish-e-Mohammed — from a housing complex in Purba Burdhaman on July 30. Mondal is accused of conducting reconnaissance near Chinar Park in New Town, Kolkata, where Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari resides, allegedly tracking his rallies and appearances to map security vulnerabilities.&nbsp;Investigators say no connection has been established between Rauf and Mondal so far, treating the two cases as separate threads for now.

A suspected Pakistani spy was arrested near the India-Bangladesh border with reconnaissance material linked to Fort William, while security agencies probe his alleged connections with Pakistan's ISI.

Barely 48 hours before Independence Day, an interception on the India-Bangladesh border has ignited a major espionage investigation in West Bengal after a suspected Pakistani operative was caught carrying a map and photographs of Fort William- the Indian Army's Eastern Command headquarters. Officers from the state's Special Task Force arrested the man, identified as Rana Rauf Khalid (alias Wahab Alam), along with an associate, Mohammad Ijaz, late Tuesday night in Habra, a border town in North 24 Parganas. The two were reportedly heading toward an unfenced stretch of the frontier along Jessore Road, apparently attempting to cross into Bangladesh, when STF personnel intercepted them. Fort William material at the centre of the probe The arrest has escalated into a wider security investigation because of what the two men were allegedly carrying: a map and photographs of Fort William, the historic garrison in Kolkata that now serves as headquarters for the Army's Eastern Command. Investigators are working to trace the origin of the material and its intended purpose. "One of the important aspects being examined is how the map and photographs of Fort William came into the possession of the accused, and whether these were part of any information-gathering activity," the STF official said. Also Read: Iran challenges Trump’s Hormuz claim; says Tehran controls strait, not US Wiped phones and a cross-border digital trail Mobile phones seized from the two men are said to contain social media exchanges and contact numbers linking to Pakistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. Some data had reportedly been deleted before the arrest, and reconstructing it has become a priority for investigators trying to map out the men's contacts and communications. The STF is also examining whether the pair had collected information on troop movements and infrastructure near the Petrapole and Ghojadanga border crossings- both considered sensitive points along the India-Bangladesh frontier- and whether their activities tie into a larger network active in the run-up to August 15. Officials stressed the investigation remains preliminary, with military intelligence units now involved. A trail from Faisalabad to Kathmandu to Topsia Investigators say Rauf is originally from Faisalabad, Pakistan, and moved to Kathmandu around 12 years ago to work as a wood-carving craftsman. It was there he is believed to have met Ijaz, a furniture trader from Kolkata's Topsia area. According to the STF, Rauf entered India six times over the years via the open, visa-free Indo-Nepal border, staying at Ijaz's Topsia residence for two- to three-month stretches each time. Investigators allege Ijaz helped him secure fake Aadhaar and voter ID documents during these visits, and that Rauf used the time to attempt recruiting young Indians for an as-yet-unspecified purpose. Officials say "confidential documents" recovered from the two men are being examined, though their contents haven't been made public. The STF is also probing Rauf's suspected links to Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence, citing alleged contact with ISI officials at the Pakistani High Commission in Kathmandu. After the arrest, Rauf was taken to Habra hospital for a routine medical check-up. Both men were subsequently produced before a court in Barasat, which remanded them to 14 days of police custody. No confirmed link to earlier Purba Burdhaman case The arrest follows the STF's detention of another suspect, Hamim Mondal — allegedly linked to Jaish-e-Mohammed — from a housing complex in Purba Burdhaman on July 30. Mondal is accused of conducting reconnaissance near Chinar Park in New Town, Kolkata, where Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari resides, allegedly tracking his rallies and appearances to map security vulnerabilities. Investigators say no connection has been established between Rauf and Mondal so far, treating the two cases as separate threads for now.

A suspected Pakistani spy was arrested near the India-Bangladesh border with reconnaissance material linked to Fort William, while security agencies probe his alleged connections with Pakistan's ISI.

Pakistani spy held near India-Bangladesh border with Fort William recon material; ISI links under probe

Two years after a young doctor's rape and murder at Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College and Hospital convulsed West Bengal, the case has claimed its most politically significant scalp yet. Nirmal Ghosh, a former Trinamool Congress MLA from Panihati, was arrested in Odisha on Thursday, accused of orchestrating a hurried, unauthorised cremation that the victim's family says was designed to destroy evidence.&nbsp;Ghosh was brought back to Bengal by a Barrackpore Police Commissionerate team after evading investigators for days following an FIR lodged against him at Khardah police station. His son, Tirthankar Ghosh, had already been arrested in an earlier phase of the investigation in July.<h2>What the Family Alleges</h2>The FIR, filed by the father of the victim- referred to as Abhaya- centres on the chaotic hours after the 31-year-old postgraduate trainee's body was discovered at RG Kar on August 9, 2024. The complaint alleges that Ghosh, along with two local municipal councillors, forced entry into the family's home, intimidated relatives, and had the body driven to the Panihati crematorium without giving the family time to grieve or the chance to consent.&nbsp;The family maintains the cremation was rushed specifically to prevent a second post-mortem examination- one they believe could have surfaced forensic evidence contradicting the official account of the crime. Investigators have flagged several irregularities that lend weight to that suspicion:&nbsp;<ul><li>&nbsp;The doctor's body was third in the queue at the crematorium, yet was moved to the front without explanation.</li><li>&nbsp;The cremation certificate carries no signature from any family member.</li><li>Instead, Sanjib Mukherjee — a neighbour the family did not know — reportedly signed the document as the informant.</li></ul>Ghosh now faces charges including criminal trespass, wrongful restraint, criminal intimidation, causing disappearance of evidence, trespass on burial places, criminal conspiracy, and preparing a false record as a public servant, carrying a potential sentence of up to seven years. Two other named accused, former Panihati Municipality councillors Somnath Dey and Sanjib Mukherjee, were already in police custody earlier in the week.<h2>The Politics Behind the Arrest</h2>Suvendu Adhikari, West Bengal's Chief Minister after BJP's rise to power, has used the RG Kar case to reinforce the party's political messaging around justice for "Abhaya," the pseudonym given to the murdered doctor. He announced a fresh probe into the case at the request of the victim's mother, Ratna Debnath, who is now a BJP MLA, ordering a special investigation and a separate probe into the alleged mishandling of the cremation. Central to his allegations was the claim that the victim's body, originally third in the crematorium queue at Natagarh Kadamtala, was abruptly moved to first position and cremated in unusual haste, with cremation charges left unpaid by the family. Adhikari framed this as part of a broader commitment, declaring the government's resolve to fight for justice and recalling the emotional weight of August 9, 2024, the day the doctor's body was found.

Former TMC MLA Nirmal Ghosh has been arrested in Odisha in connection with the alleged hurried cremation of the RG Kar rape-murder victim. The case raises fresh questions over possible evidence tampering, irregularities in the cremation process and the events following the doctor's death.

Two years after a young doctor's rape and murder at Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College and Hospital convulsed West Bengal, the case has claimed its most politically significant scalp yet. Nirmal Ghosh, a former Trinamool Congress MLA from Panihati, was arrested in Odisha on Thursday, accused of orchestrating a hurried, unauthorised cremation that the victim's family says was designed to destroy evidence. Ghosh was brought back to Bengal by a Barrackpore Police Commissionerate team after evading investigators for days following an FIR lodged against him at Khardah police station. His son, Tirthankar Ghosh, had already been arrested in an earlier phase of the investigation in July. What the Family Alleges The FIR, filed by the father of the victim- referred to as Abhaya- centres on the chaotic hours after the 31-year-old postgraduate trainee's body was discovered at RG Kar on August 9, 2024. The complaint alleges that Ghosh, along with two local municipal councillors, forced entry into the family's home, intimidated relatives, and had the body driven to the Panihati crematorium without giving the family time to grieve or the chance to consent. The family maintains the cremation was rushed specifically to prevent a second post-mortem examination- one they believe could have surfaced forensic evidence contradicting the official account of the crime. Investigators have flagged several irregularities that lend weight to that suspicion: The doctor's body was third in the queue at the crematorium, yet was moved to the front without explanation. The cremation certificate carries no signature from any family member. Instead, Sanjib Mukherjee — a neighbour the family did not know — reportedly signed the document as the informant. Ghosh now faces charges including criminal trespass, wrongful restraint, criminal intimidation, causing disappearance of evidence, trespass on burial places, criminal conspiracy, and preparing a false record as a public servant, carrying a potential sentence of up to seven years. Two other named accused, former Panihati Municipality councillors Somnath Dey and Sanjib Mukherjee, were already in police custody earlier in the week. The Politics Behind the Arrest Suvendu Adhikari, West Bengal's Chief Minister after BJP's rise to power, has used the RG Kar case to reinforce the party's political messaging around justice for "Abhaya," the pseudonym given to the murdered doctor. He announced a fresh probe into the case at the request of the victim's mother, Ratna Debnath, who is now a BJP MLA, ordering a special investigation and a separate probe into the alleged mishandling of the cremation. Central to his allegations was the claim that the victim's body, originally third in the crematorium queue at Natagarh Kadamtala, was abruptly moved to first position and cremated in unusual haste, with cremation charges left unpaid by the family. Adhikari framed this as part of a broader commitment, declaring the government's resolve to fight for justice and recalling the emotional weight of August 9, 2024, the day the doctor's body was found.

Former TMC MLA Nirmal Ghosh has been arrested in Odisha in connection with the alleged hurried cremation of the RG Kar rape-murder victim. The case raises fresh questions over possible evidence tampering, irregularities in the cremation process and the events following the doctor's death.

Former TMC MLA Nirmal Ghosh arrested in RG Kar cremation cover-up case

Author

Zee News Rajasthan

Editor

Shreya Ghosh

Home

Live Tv

Latest

World

India

Business

Entertainment

Sports

Opinions

Videos

Photos

Gravitas

Lifestyle

Science

Tech

Rajasthan News in Hindi: In-depth coverage of Rajasthan Crime, Political News, Education, Rajasthan Weather Update and Latest Rajasthan News on Zee News Rajasthan.