Two packed trains rammed into each other in&nbsp;Bangladesh&nbsp;on Tuesday, killing at least 16 people and injuring nearly 60 others, police said.

Three coaches were sent crashing off the tracks at Mondobhag station in the town of Kasba when a Dhaka-bound train and a locomotive bound for Chittagong collided.

"At least 16 people have been killed. And another 58 were injured. We have sent the injured to different hospitals in the region," local police chief Anisur Rahman told AFP.

Cranes and other lifting gear were brought in to rescue trapped passengers, many of whom were asleep when the early morning crash took place.

"There was a loud noise, then I saw the train was completely ripped apart," one injured passenger told Somoy TV.

"All the people around me were crying. There was blood everywhere. Some people had broken hands and legs," another told the broadcaster.&nbsp;

"My son was with me. I still don't know what happened to him," the man added.

Hayat Ud Doula Khan, a government official in the district, said the Dhaka-bound Turna Nishitha train, hit the Chittagong-bound Udayan Express at about 3:00 am as the Udayan was about to go through Mondobhog station.

Khan told AFP that the Turna Nishitha should have waited outside the station to let the other train pass and that an investigation had been started. A&nbsp;Bangladesh&nbsp;railway official told reporters faulty signals could be to blame.

"Three coaches were badly mangled and the victims are from these coaches," Khan said, adding that train services out of Dhaka had been halted because of the accident.

Train accidents are common in&nbsp;Bangladesh&nbsp;and are often caused by poor signalling or other rundown infrastructure.

According to the Shipping and Communication Reporters Forum (SCRF), a private media research group, between January 1 and June 30 this year, at least 202 rail accidents took place in the South Asian country of 168 million people where some of the track is a century old.

In June, a train plunged into a canal after the bridge it was crossing gave way. Five people were killed and 100 injured.

The SCRF said pedestrians using mobile phones while crossing tracks, negligence by railway employees and poor maintenance of lines and bridges were the main cause of crashes.

Two packed trains rammed into each other in Bangladesh on Tuesday, killing at least 16 people and injuring nearly 60 others, police said. Three coaches were sent crashing off the tracks at Mondobhag station in the town of Kasba when a Dhaka-bound train and a locomotive bound for Chittagong collided.

Two packed trains rammed into each other in Bangladesh on Tuesday, killing at least 16 people and injuring nearly 60 others, police said. Three coaches were sent crashing off the tracks at Mondobhag station in the town of Kasba when a Dhaka-bound train and a locomotive bound for Chittagong collided. "At least 16 people have been killed. And another 58 were injured. We have sent the injured to different hospitals in the region," local police chief Anisur Rahman told AFP. Cranes and other lifting gear were brought in to rescue trapped passengers, many of whom were asleep when the early morning crash took place. "There was a loud noise, then I saw the train was completely ripped apart," one injured passenger told Somoy TV. "All the people around me were crying. There was blood everywhere. Some people had broken hands and legs," another told the broadcaster. "My son was with me. I still don't know what happened to him," the man added. Hayat Ud Doula Khan, a government official in the district, said the Dhaka-bound Turna Nishitha train, hit the Chittagong-bound Udayan Express at about 3:00 am as the Udayan was about to go through Mondobhog station. Khan told AFP that the Turna Nishitha should have waited outside the station to let the other train pass and that an investigation had been started. A Bangladesh railway official told reporters faulty signals could be to blame. "Three coaches were badly mangled and the victims are from these coaches," Khan said, adding that train services out of Dhaka had been halted because of the accident. Train accidents are common in Bangladesh and are often caused by poor signalling or other rundown infrastructure. According to the Shipping and Communication Reporters Forum (SCRF), a private media research group, between January 1 and June 30 this year, at least 202 rail accidents took place in the South Asian country of 168 million people where some of the track is a century old. In June, a train plunged into a canal after the bridge it was crossing gave way. Five people were killed and 100 injured. The SCRF said pedestrians using mobile phones while crossing tracks, negligence by railway employees and poor maintenance of lines and bridges were the main cause of crashes.

Bangladesh: 16 dead after train collision

At least 13 people were killed in Bangladesh and India after cyclone Bulbul lashed coastal areas this weekend, though prompt evacuations saved many lives and the worst was over, officials said on Sunday.

At least 13 people were killed in Bangladesh and India after cyclone Bulbul lashed coastal areas this weekend, though prompt evacuations saved many lives and the worst was over, officials said on Sunday. Five of the six victims in Bangladesh were killed by falling trees, including a 52-year old woman who had spent the night in a shelter. She returned home on Sunday and was killed when a tree crashed onto her house. Another victim, a 60-year old fisherman, had refused to evacuate. Some 30 people were injured and around 6,000 homes were partially or fully damaged, Bangladeshi authorities said. Two fishing boats have not yet returned and relatives have been unable to contact the roughly 36 men on board, added Anwar Uddin, a local public representative in the southern Bhola district. No major damage was immediately reported in camps in southeast Bangladesh where hundreds of thousands of refugees from neighbouring Myanmar are living. In India`s state of West Bengal, seven people were killed, Javed Khan, the state`s minister for disaster management told reporters on Sunday evening. India`s meteorological department said the cyclone was expected to weaken but warned fishermen not to venture into the sea for the next 12 hours. Some 2 million people from all of Bangladesh`s 13 coastal districts huddled in about 5,558 shelters on Saturday night. Outside, wind speeds rose to between 100 and 120 km per hour (62-75 mph), and some low-lying coastal areas were flooded. Jetties collapse Two jetties constructed on the Hatania Doania river collapsed on Sunday after Cyclone Bulbul hit Namkhana area in South 24 Parganas. "Two jetties at the Hatania Doania river got damaged after Cyclone Bulbul hit Namkhana area in South 24 Parganas," a district official said. Jetties are built so that a channel to the river and ocean stays open for navigation purposes as well as to prevent streams from meandering naturally. At least seven persons have died and 4.65 lakh people have been affected due to Cyclone Bulbul in the state, West Bengal`s Department of Disaster Management and Civil Defence said. Also, extensive damage to Sunderbans forests has been reported and a detailed assessment is being done, the department had said. The severe cyclonic storm Bulbul had wreaked havoc in West Bengal`s South 24 Parganas region on Sunday. Due to the speedy winds, several trees were uprooted and roads were blocked forcing the administration to carry out road clearance work. The deep depression weakened into a depression over southeast Bangladesh and adjoining south Tripura at 05:30 am on Monday, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD). It will weaken into a low during the next six hours, IMD stated in its latest update over cyclone `Bulbul`.The deep depression over coastal Bangladesh and neighbourhood lay centred at 5:30 pm on Sunday about 170 km east-northeast of Sunderban National Park. Electricity and piped water supply services in Odisha, which were affected by severe cyclone Bulbul, are expected to be completely restored in several districts of Odisha by November 12, Office of the Special Relief Commissioner said on Sunday. (With inputs from agencies)

13 dead, fishermen missing after cyclone Bulbul lashes Bangladesh, India

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/united-nations-chief-urges-myanmar-to-ensure-safe-return-of-rohingya-259659">Myanmar faced accusations</a> of genocide in a landmark lawsuit filed by Gambia at the U.N.'s top court on Monday over the Southeast Asian nation's treatment of Rohingya Muslims, Gambia's government said.

Gambia said it was acting on behalf of the 57-nation Organisation of Islamic Cooperation in bringing the case against Myanmar before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague.

The lawsuit accuses mainly Buddhist Myanmar of breaching the 1948 U.N. Genocide Convention through a brutal military campaign targeting the Rohingya minority in Rakhine state.

Watch:

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The 2017 crackdown forced 740,000 Rohingya to flee over the border into sprawling camps in Bangladesh, in violence that United Nations investigators say amounts to "genocide".

"The Gambia is taking this action to seek justice and accountability for the genocide being committed by Myanmar against the Rohingya," Justice Minister Abubacarr Tambadou said in a statement.

The court is expected to hold its first hearings in December on Gambia's request for urgent interim measures "to protect the Rohingya against further harm", Gambia's lawyers Foley Hoag said in a statement, describing the case as "historic".

Human Rights Watch hailed the move by the tiny west African state, saying it was the "first judicial scrutiny" of Myanmar's alleged crimes against the Rohingya.

Param-Preet Singh, associate international justice director at HRW, said the court's "prompt adoption of provisional measures could help stop the worst ongoing abuses" in Myanmar.

The lawsuit asks the ICJ to "order Myanmar to cease and desist from its genocidal acts, to punish the perpetrators, and to provide reparations for the Rohingya victims," Gambia's justice ministry said.

It said Myanmar had failed to meet its obligations to prevent and to punish genocide, accusing it of "wanton acts of violence and malicious degradation with the specific intent of state actors to destroy the Rohingya as a group".

'Stepped up'

Mainly-Muslim Gambia said it had "stepped up" to file the case on behalf of the rest of the OIC. Tambadou is a former genocide prosecutor at the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda and has visited <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/nearly-400-rohingya-return-to-myanmar-from-bangladesh-embassy-says-259097">Rohingya camps in Bangladesh</a>.

Other legal attempts to bring Myanmar to justice over allegations of crimes against the Rohingya have so far stalled.

The prosecutor for the International Criminal Court,&nbsp;a separate tribunal from the ICJ that investigates war crimes,&nbsp;launched a preliminary investigation into Myanmar in 2018 but no charges have been filed yet.

U.N. investigators have also called on the U.N. Security Council to refer Myanmar to the Hague-based ICC or to set up a tribunal, like for the former Yugoslavia and Rwanda, but again no action has yet been taken.

The ICJ was set up in 1946 after World War II to adjudicate in disputes between U.N. member states.

It normally deals with issues of international law such as border disputes, but sometimes rules on alleged breaches of U.N. conventions such as those on terrorism or genocide.

The ICJ previously dealt with a genocide case when Bosnia brought a lawsuit against Serbia over the conflict in the former Yugoslavia in the 1990s.

That case ended in 2007 with Serbia being held to have failed to prevent genocide during the 1995 Srebrenica massacre and of failing to cooperate with war crimes tribunals.

Myanmar faced accusations of genocide in a landmark lawsuit filed by Gambia at the U.N.'s top court on Monday over the Southeast Asian nation's treatment of Rohingya Muslims, Gambia's government said.

Myanmar faced accusations of genocide in a landmark lawsuit filed by Gambia at the U.N.'s top court on Monday over the Southeast Asian nation's treatment of Rohingya Muslims, Gambia's government said. Gambia said it was acting on behalf of the 57-nation Organisation of Islamic Cooperation in bringing the case against Myanmar before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague. The lawsuit accuses mainly Buddhist Myanmar of breaching the 1948 U.N. Genocide Convention through a brutal military campaign targeting the Rohingya minority in Rakhine state. Watch: The 2017 crackdown forced 740,000 Rohingya to flee over the border into sprawling camps in Bangladesh, in violence that United Nations investigators say amounts to "genocide". "The Gambia is taking this action to seek justice and accountability for the genocide being committed by Myanmar against the Rohingya," Justice Minister Abubacarr Tambadou said in a statement. The court is expected to hold its first hearings in December on Gambia's request for urgent interim measures "to protect the Rohingya against further harm", Gambia's lawyers Foley Hoag said in a statement, describing the case as "historic". Human Rights Watch hailed the move by the tiny west African state, saying it was the "first judicial scrutiny" of Myanmar's alleged crimes against the Rohingya. Param-Preet Singh, associate international justice director at HRW, said the court's "prompt adoption of provisional measures could help stop the worst ongoing abuses" in Myanmar. The lawsuit asks the ICJ to "order Myanmar to cease and desist from its genocidal acts, to punish the perpetrators, and to provide reparations for the Rohingya victims," Gambia's justice ministry said. It said Myanmar had failed to meet its obligations to prevent and to punish genocide, accusing it of "wanton acts of violence and malicious degradation with the specific intent of state actors to destroy the Rohingya as a group". 'Stepped up' Mainly-Muslim Gambia said it had "stepped up" to file the case on behalf of the rest of the OIC. Tambadou is a former genocide prosecutor at the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda and has visited Rohingya camps in Bangladesh. Other legal attempts to bring Myanmar to justice over allegations of crimes against the Rohingya have so far stalled. The prosecutor for the International Criminal Court, a separate tribunal from the ICJ that investigates war crimes, launched a preliminary investigation into Myanmar in 2018 but no charges have been filed yet. U.N. investigators have also called on the U.N. Security Council to refer Myanmar to the Hague-based ICC or to set up a tribunal, like for the former Yugoslavia and Rwanda, but again no action has yet been taken. The ICJ was set up in 1946 after World War II to adjudicate in disputes between U.N. member states. It normally deals with issues of international law such as border disputes, but sometimes rules on alleged breaches of U.N. conventions such as those on terrorism or genocide. The ICJ previously dealt with a genocide case when Bosnia brought a lawsuit against Serbia over the conflict in the former Yugoslavia in the 1990s. That case ended in 2007 with Serbia being held to have failed to prevent genocide during the 1995 Srebrenica massacre and of failing to cooperate with war crimes tribunals.

Myanmar faces genocide lawsuit at International Court of Justice over treatment of Rohingya Muslims

The death toll from <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/13-dead-fishermen-missing-after-cyclone-bulbul-lashes-bangladesh-and-india-261260">a cyclone that barrelled into the coasts of Bangladesh and India</a> has risen to 24, authorities said Monday, as the two nations assess the scale of devastation wreaked by the powerful storm.

Bangladesh carried out one of its biggest-ever evacuation drives, moving some 2.1 million people to cyclone shelters specially built to minimise casualties from such storms, which can claim thousands of victims.

Cyclone&nbsp;Bulbul, packing winds of up to 120 kilometres per hour&nbsp;when it hit late Saturday, killed 12 people in Bangladesh,&nbsp;11 from falling trees, and 12 in India's West Bengal and Odisha states.

Five others remain missing after a fishing trawler sank in squally weather near Bangladesh's southern island of Bhola, district administrator Masud Alam Siddiqui told AFP.

Watch: Cyclone lashes Bay of Bengal

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Bangladesh's junior minister for disaster management Enamur Rahman told AFP&nbsp;Bulbul&nbsp;left a trail of destruction, damaging some 10,000 mud, tin and bamboo homes and 200,000 hectares (494,000 acres) of crops.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/a-dozen-dead-fishermen-missing-after-cyclone-bulbul-lashes-bangladesh-and-india-261227">The cyclone weakened</a> as it tracked inland.

The Sundarbans, the world's largest mangrove forest which straddles the two nations and is home to several endangered species, shielded the coast from the storm's full impact, officials added.

In India, nearly 120,000 evacuated people were returning home as the cyclone weakened, authorities said. Coastal crops in Odisha were also extensively damaged, officials told the Press Trust of India.

Bangladesh's low-lying coast, home to 30 million people, and India's east are regularly battered by cyclones that have claimed the lives of hundreds of thousands of people in recent decades.

While the storms' frequency and intensity have increased, partly due to climate change,&nbsp;the death tolls have come down because of faster evacuations and the building of thousands of coastal shelters.

The death toll from a cyclone that barrelled into the coasts of Bangladesh and India has risen to 24, authorities said Monday, as the two nations assess the scale of devastation wreaked by the powerful storm.

The death toll from a cyclone that barrelled into the coasts of Bangladesh and India has risen to 24, authorities said Monday, as the two nations assess the scale of devastation wreaked by the powerful storm. Bangladesh carried out one of its biggest-ever evacuation drives, moving some 2.1 million people to cyclone shelters specially built to minimise casualties from such storms, which can claim thousands of victims. Cyclone Bulbul, packing winds of up to 120 kilometres per hour when it hit late Saturday, killed 12 people in Bangladesh, 11 from falling trees, and 12 in India's West Bengal and Odisha states. Five others remain missing after a fishing trawler sank in squally weather near Bangladesh's southern island of Bhola, district administrator Masud Alam Siddiqui told AFP. Watch: Cyclone lashes Bay of Bengal Bangladesh's junior minister for disaster management Enamur Rahman told AFP Bulbul left a trail of destruction, damaging some 10,000 mud, tin and bamboo homes and 200,000 hectares (494,000 acres) of crops. The cyclone weakened as it tracked inland. The Sundarbans, the world's largest mangrove forest which straddles the two nations and is home to several endangered species, shielded the coast from the storm's full impact, officials added. In India, nearly 120,000 evacuated people were returning home as the cyclone weakened, authorities said. Coastal crops in Odisha were also extensively damaged, officials told the Press Trust of India. Bangladesh's low-lying coast, home to 30 million people, and India's east are regularly battered by cyclones that have claimed the lives of hundreds of thousands of people in recent decades. While the storms' frequency and intensity have increased, partly due to climate change, the death tolls have come down because of faster evacuations and the building of thousands of coastal shelters.

Cyclone Bulbul kills 24 in Bay of Bengal

India defeated Bangladesh by 30 runs in the third and final T20I to win the series 2-1 in Nagpur on Sunday.

Deepak Chahar's sensational six-wicket haul, including a hat-trick and half-centuries by Shreyas Iyer (62 off 33) and K L Rahul (52 off 35) &nbsp;secured India's first T20 series win at home this season.

Shreyas Iyer revealed that skipper Rohit Sharma gave a pep-talk to all team-mates and that proved as a motivation to win the match. Chasing 175 for the win, Bangladesh was bundled out for 144, giving the Men in Blue a win by 30 runs.&nbsp;

Deepak Chahar proved the main destructor as he scalped six wickets in the match.

"Yeah, we were feeling the pressure. We know they are a good side and there is no team that you can underestimate in the shortest format. And in the previous two games we saw that they played a mesmerising brand of cricket," Iyer told reporters.

"We were going little lethargic at the start, but once they started going, Rohit recalled all players inside the circle, he gave us a pep talk and after that, all of us got determined to win the match," he added.

Earlier in the match, Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul's knocks of 62 and 52, respectively enabled India to post a score of 174/5 in the allotted twenty overs.&nbsp;

Iyer said that he would like to give himself credit for playing the knock he did and changing the complexion of the game.

"Yes, I would say that. The over in which I hit three sixes changed the momentum of the match. Otherwise, we would have got 150 and that would have been a really tough total to difficult on this wicket. Yeah, I would give my self a credit. It was important for one of the top three batters to stay at the crease till the 15th over," Iyer said.

"There is a lot of competition going on in the side, but I personally feel, I compete with myself. When you say this position is empty in the batting order, I say to myself that I can bat any position and today`s innings showed that I can play under pressure situations," he added.

Mohammad Naim played an 81-run knock to give Bangladesh a glimmer of hope in the match, but his dismissal at the hands of Shivam Dube ended the Bangla Tigers' hopes of going away with a victory. Iyer revealed the two turning points in the match in his opinion. He lauded both Deepak Chahar and Dube.

Chahar took six wickets in the match and he created the record for scripting best bowling figures in a T20I match. He also became the first Indian to take a hat-trick in the shortest format of the game. While Dube took three wickets in the match.

"There were two turning points in the game. First, Deepak Chahar coming in and getting two wickets pretty quickly and second, Shivam Dube getting that two back to back wickets to change the match," Iyer said. India and Bangladesh will now face each other in the two-match Test series and the first game will be played from November 14-18.&nbsp;

(With inputs from ANI)

India defeated Bangladesh by 30 runs in the third and final T20I to win the series 2-1 in Nagpur on Sunday. Deepak Chahar's sensational six-wicket haul, including a hat-trick and half-centuries by Shreyas Iyer (62 off 33) and K L Rahul (52 off 35) secured India's first T20 series win at home this season.

India defeated Bangladesh by 30 runs in the third and final T20I to win the series 2-1 in Nagpur on Sunday. Deepak Chahar's sensational six-wicket haul, including a hat-trick and half-centuries by Shreyas Iyer (62 off 33) and K L Rahul (52 off 35) secured India's first T20 series win at home this season. Shreyas Iyer revealed that skipper Rohit Sharma gave a pep-talk to all team-mates and that proved as a motivation to win the match. Chasing 175 for the win, Bangladesh was bundled out for 144, giving the Men in Blue a win by 30 runs. Deepak Chahar proved the main destructor as he scalped six wickets in the match. "Yeah, we were feeling the pressure. We know they are a good side and there is no team that you can underestimate in the shortest format. And in the previous two games we saw that they played a mesmerising brand of cricket," Iyer told reporters. "We were going little lethargic at the start, but once they started going, Rohit recalled all players inside the circle, he gave us a pep talk and after that, all of us got determined to win the match," he added. Earlier in the match, Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul's knocks of 62 and 52, respectively enabled India to post a score of 174/5 in the allotted twenty overs. Iyer said that he would like to give himself credit for playing the knock he did and changing the complexion of the game. "Yes, I would say that. The over in which I hit three sixes changed the momentum of the match. Otherwise, we would have got 150 and that would have been a really tough total to difficult on this wicket. Yeah, I would give my self a credit. It was important for one of the top three batters to stay at the crease till the 15th over," Iyer said. "There is a lot of competition going on in the side, but I personally feel, I compete with myself. When you say this position is empty in the batting order, I say to myself that I can bat any position and today`s innings showed that I can play under pressure situations," he added. Mohammad Naim played an 81-run knock to give Bangladesh a glimmer of hope in the match, but his dismissal at the hands of Shivam Dube ended the Bangla Tigers' hopes of going away with a victory. Iyer revealed the two turning points in the match in his opinion. He lauded both Deepak Chahar and Dube. Chahar took six wickets in the match and he created the record for scripting best bowling figures in a T20I match. He also became the first Indian to take a hat-trick in the shortest format of the game. While Dube took three wickets in the match. "There were two turning points in the game. First, Deepak Chahar coming in and getting two wickets pretty quickly and second, Shivam Dube getting that two back to back wickets to change the match," Iyer said. India and Bangladesh will now face each other in the two-match Test series and the first game will be played from November 14-18. (With inputs from ANI)

India vs Bangladesh, 3rd T20I: Team was under pressure, Rohit Sharma's pep talk motivated us, says Shreyas Iyer

Swvl, an Egyptian startup with an app to book bus tickets, plans to launch operations in the Philippines, Indonesia and Bangladesh by the end of next year, a senior official said.

The startup, which operates buses along fixed routes and allows customers to reserve and pay for them using its app, began operations in Egypt in 2017. Swvl has since launched in Pakistan and recently moved its headquarters to Dubai.

"By the end of next year, we want to be in more cities, a city is a market for us. We are planning to open in Manila, Jakarta and Dhaka," Shahzeb Memon, Swvl Pakistan's general manager told Reuters on Monday in a phone interview from Karachi.

The company, which has raised $80 million in funding so far, launched its services in August in the Pakistani cities of Karachi, Lahore and the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi. It plans to invest $25 million in the country to create 10,000 jobs and hopes to attract half a million customers by 2021, Memon said.

The company, however, has already run into regulatory hurdles.

Last week, a provincial government in Pakistan issued notices to the startup and another similar service saying they were operating without route permits and no-objection certificates from the government.

Swvl Pakistan responded with a statement saying the company always carried out its business in a lawful manner and was committed to complying with the region's laws.

Swvl says its service targets existing ride-hailing users and aims to create transportation options for a large and growing middle class in Asian cities.

Swvl's services are 30 per cent-40 per cent&nbsp;cheaper than using a car, Memon said.

Swvl, an Egyptian startup with an app to book bus tickets, plans to launch operations in the Philippines, Indonesia and Bangladesh by the end of next year, a senior official said.

Swvl, an Egyptian startup with an app to book bus tickets, plans to launch operations in the Philippines, Indonesia and Bangladesh by the end of next year, a senior official said. The startup, which operates buses along fixed routes and allows customers to reserve and pay for them using its app, began operations in Egypt in 2017. Swvl has since launched in Pakistan and recently moved its headquarters to Dubai. "By the end of next year, we want to be in more cities, a city is a market for us. We are planning to open in Manila, Jakarta and Dhaka," Shahzeb Memon, Swvl Pakistan's general manager told Reuters on Monday in a phone interview from Karachi. The company, which has raised $80 million in funding so far, launched its services in August in the Pakistani cities of Karachi, Lahore and the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi. It plans to invest $25 million in the country to create 10,000 jobs and hopes to attract half a million customers by 2021, Memon said. The company, however, has already run into regulatory hurdles. Last week, a provincial government in Pakistan issued notices to the startup and another similar service saying they were operating without route permits and no-objection certificates from the government. Swvl Pakistan responded with a statement saying the company always carried out its business in a lawful manner and was committed to complying with the region's laws. Swvl says its service targets existing ride-hailing users and aims to create transportation options for a large and growing middle class in Asian cities. Swvl's services are 30 per cent-40 per cent cheaper than using a car, Memon said.

Egyptian transport start-up Swvl targets Philippines, Bangladesh after launching in Pakistan

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday spoke to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee regarding the ''situation arising out of Cyclone Bulbul and assured her of all possible help from the centre''.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday spoke to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee regarding the ''situation arising out of Cyclone Bulbul and assured her of all possible help from the centre''. "Reviewed the situation in the wake of cyclone conditions and heavy rain in parts of Eastern India. Spoke to West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee regarding the situation arising due to Cyclone Bulbul. Assured all possible assistance from the Centre. I pray for everyone`s safety and well-being," Modi`s tweeted on Sunday morning. Reviewed the situation in the wake of cyclone conditions and heavy rain in parts of Eastern India. Spoke to WB CM @MamataOfficial regarding the situation arising due to Cyclone Bulbul. Assured all possible assistance from the Centre. I pray for everyone’s safety and well-being. — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) November 10, 2019 × As per the India Meteorological Department (IMD), cyclonic storm Bulbul lay centred about 75 km east-northeast of Sundarban National Park in West Bengal. IMD`s recent tweet read, "The cyclone is likely to weaken into a deep depression over coastal Bangladesh and adjoining south and north 24 Parganas districts of West Bengal during next six hours." As per IMD`s hourly bulletin released at 7:00 am, the weather agency stated that the `severe` cyclonic storm Bulbul has weakened into a cyclonic storm and lay centred at 05:30 hours of today, over Bangladesh and adjoining coastal West Bengal, reported news agency ANI. IMD has further predicted light to moderate rainfall with isolated heavy spells of rainfall likely to continue over the south and north 24 Parganas and Nadiya districts in West Bengal during the next three hours. "Squally wind speed 35-45 kmph gusting to 55 kmph is likely to prevail over northwest Bay of Bengal off West Bengal coast during the next six hours," said IMD in its advisory. The cyclone had made landfall around 8.30 pm on Saturday 60 kilometres east of Sagar Island and 100 kilometres south of Kolkata. (With inputs from ANI)

Cyclone Bulbul: PM Modi speaks to Mamata Banerjee, assures help

At least 13 people were killed in Bangladesh and India after <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/cyclone-bulbul-home-minister-assures-west-bengal-government-of-all-possible-help-261178">cyclone Bulbul lashed coastal areas</a> this weekend, though prompt evacuations saved many lives and the worst was over, officials said on Sunday.

Five of the six victims in Bangladesh were killed by falling trees, including a 52-year old woman who had spent the night in a shelter. She returned home on Sunday and was killed when a tree crashed onto her house.

Another victim, a 60-year old fisherman, had refused to evacuate.

Some 30 people were injured and around 6,000 homes were partially or fully damaged, Bangladeshi authorities said.

Two fishing boats have not yet returned and relatives have been unable to contact the roughly 36 men on board, added Anwar Uddin, a local public representative in the southern Bhola district.

No major damage was immediately reported in camps in southeast Bangladesh where hundreds of thousands of refugees from neighbouring Myanmar are living.

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In India's state of West Bengal, seven people were killed, Javed Khan, the state's minister for disaster management told reporters on Sunday evening.

India's meteorological department said the cyclone was expected to weaken but warned fishermen not to venture into the sea for the next 12 hours.

Some 2 million people from all of Bangladesh's 13 coastal districts huddled in about 5,558 shelters on Saturday night. Outside, wind speeds rose to between 100 and 120 km per hour (62-75 mph), and some low-lying coastal areas were flooded.

Wind speeds have now come down to between 70 and 80 kph (43-50 mph), authorities said.

"It may take a couple of days to get a normal situation," Enamur Rahman, junior minister for disaster management and relief, told Reuters.

About 1,200 predominantly domestic tourists were stuck on St. Martin's Island, part of the Cox's Bazar district, Rahman said. "All of them will be rescued," he said.

The <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/six-dead-36-fishermen-missing-after-cyclone-bulbul-lashes-bangladesh-261166">cyclone</a> season in the Bay of Bengal can last from April to December. In 1999 a super-cyclone battered the coast of India's Odisha state for 30 hours, killing 10,000 people.

At least 13 people were killed in Bangladesh and India after cyclone Bulbul lashed coastal areas this weekend, though prompt evacuations saved many lives and the worst was over, officials said on Sunday. Five of the six victims in Bangladesh were killed by falling trees, including a 52-year old woman who had spent the night in a shelter. She returned home on Sunday and was killed when a tree crashed onto her house. Another victim, a 60-year old fisherman, had refused to evacuate. Some 30 people were injured and around 6,000 homes were partially or fully damaged, Bangladeshi authorities said. Two fishing boats have not yet returned and relatives have been unable to contact the roughly 36 men on board, added Anwar Uddin, a local public representative in the southern Bhola district. No major damage was immediately reported in camps in southeast Bangladesh where hundreds of thousands of refugees from neighbouring Myanmar are living. × In India's state of West Bengal, seven people were killed, Javed Khan, the state's minister for disaster management told reporters on Sunday evening. India's meteorological department said the cyclone was expected to weaken but warned fishermen not to venture into the sea for the next 12 hours. Some 2 million people from all of Bangladesh's 13 coastal districts huddled in about 5,558 shelters on Saturday night. Outside, wind speeds rose to between 100 and 120 km per hour (62-75 mph), and some low-lying coastal areas were flooded. Wind speeds have now come down to between 70 and 80 kph (43-50 mph), authorities said. "It may take a couple of days to get a normal situation," Enamur Rahman, junior minister for disaster management and relief, told Reuters. About 1,200 predominantly domestic tourists were stuck on St. Martin's Island, part of the Cox's Bazar district, Rahman said. "All of them will be rescued," he said. The cyclone season in the Bay of Bengal can last from April to December. In 1999 a super-cyclone battered the coast of India's Odisha state for 30 hours, killing 10,000 people.

Dozen dead, fishermen missing after cyclone Bulbul lashes Bangladesh and India

About a hundred thousand people have been evacuated from the low-lying coastal areas of Bangladesh even as cyclone Bulbul made landfall between West Bengal and southern Bangladesh last night.

Two deaths -- one in Odisha and the other in West Bengal -- have been reported so far.

The severe cyclonic storm made landfall with a maximum sustained speed of 110 to 120 kilometre per hour and it is now on course to make landfall near the Sunderbans.

According to the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), cyclone Bulbul is set to weaken gradually as it moves into Bangladesh.

Two ports have been put on highest alert while authorities have also cancelled a nationwide school test.

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IMD: Landfall process started. Wall cloud region is entering into land. It's very likely to move northeastwards, weaken gradually&amp;cross WB - Bangladesh Coasts b/w Sagar Islands (WB) and Khepupara (Bangladesh), across Sunderban delta during next 3 hrs as a Severe Cyclonic Storm. <a href="https://t.co/vSZ26ox8ij">https://t.co/vSZ26ox8ij</a>
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Heavy rains lashed the coasts of West Bengal and Odisha yesterday. In Kolkata, one man was killed when a tree fell on him.

In Odisha, one person died due to wall collapse.

Earlier in the day, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said that the administration was prepared to tackle the situation.&nbsp;

Over 50000 people were evacuated from the coastal areas of West Bengal while around 4000 were moved to safer places in the neighbouring state of Odisha.

Flight operations had been suspended in Kolkata since 6:00pm last evening to 6:00am today morning. &nbsp;There is no report on the resumption of flight services so far.&nbsp;

Fishermen were asked not to venture into the rough seas.

Ten diving and medical teams were also kept ready by the navy for rescue and relief efforts in Odisha and West Bengal.

About a hundred thousand people have been evacuated from the low-lying coastal areas of Bangladesh even as cyclone Bulbul made landfall between West Bengal and southern Bangladesh last night.

About a hundred thousand people have been evacuated from the low-lying coastal areas of Bangladesh even as cyclone Bulbul made landfall between West Bengal and southern Bangladesh last night. Two deaths -- one in Odisha and the other in West Bengal -- have been reported so far. The severe cyclonic storm made landfall with a maximum sustained speed of 110 to 120 kilometre per hour and it is now on course to make landfall near the Sunderbans. According to the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), cyclone Bulbul is set to weaken gradually as it moves into Bangladesh. Two ports have been put on highest alert while authorities have also cancelled a nationwide school test. IMD: Landfall process started. Wall cloud region is entering into land. It's very likely to move northeastwards, weaken gradually&cross WB - Bangladesh Coasts b/w Sagar Islands (WB) and Khepupara (Bangladesh), across Sunderban delta during next 3 hrs as a Severe Cyclonic Storm. https://t.co/vSZ26ox8ij — ANI (@ANI) November 9, 2019 × Heavy rains lashed the coasts of West Bengal and Odisha yesterday. In Kolkata, one man was killed when a tree fell on him. In Odisha, one person died due to wall collapse. Earlier in the day, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said that the administration was prepared to tackle the situation. Over 50000 people were evacuated from the coastal areas of West Bengal while around 4000 were moved to safer places in the neighbouring state of Odisha. Flight operations had been suspended in Kolkata since 6:00pm last evening to 6:00am today morning. There is no report on the resumption of flight services so far. Fishermen were asked not to venture into the rough seas. Ten diving and medical teams were also kept ready by the navy for rescue and relief efforts in Odisha and West Bengal.

2 dead as cyclone Bulbul makes landfall between West Bengal and southern Bangladesh

Cyclone Bulbul lashed Bangladesh overnight, killing six people and leaving relatives in a desperate search for 36 missing fishermen, though prompt evacuations saved many lives and the worst was over, officials said on Sunday.

Some 30 people were injured and around 6,000 homes were partially or fully damaged, authorities said.

Five of the six victims were killed by falling trees, including a 52-year old woman who had spent the night in a shelter. She returned home on Sunday and was killed when a tree crashed on her house. Another victim, a 60-year old fisherman, had refused to evacuate.

Two fishing boats have not yet returned and relatives have been unable to contact the men on board, said Anwar Uddin, a local public representative in the southern Bhola district.

No major damage was immediately reported in camps in southeast Bangladesh where hundreds of thousands of refugees from neighbouring Myanmar are living.

Some 2 million people from all of Bangladesh's 13 coastal districts huddled in about 5,558 shelters on Saturday night. Outside, wind speeds rose to between 100 and 120 km per hour&nbsp;and some low-lying coastal areas were flooded.

Wind speeds have now come down to between 70 and 80 kph, authorities said.

"It may take couple of days to get a normal situation," Enamur Rahman, the junior minister for disaster management and relief, told Reuters.

About 1,200 predominantly domestic tourists were stuck at the Saint Martin island in the Cox's Bazar district, Rahman said.

"All of them will be rescued," he said.

The cyclone season in the Bay of Bengal can last from April to December. In 1999, a super-cyclone battered the coast of India's Odisha state for 30 hours, killing 10,000 people.

India's eastern states of West Bengal and Odisha have received heavy rainfall since early Saturday and there were reports of hundreds of trees being uprooted.

Cyclone Bulbul lashed Bangladesh overnight, killing six people and leaving relatives in a desperate search for 36 missing fishermen, though prompt evacuations saved many lives and the worst was over, officials said on Sunday.

Cyclone Bulbul lashed Bangladesh overnight, killing six people and leaving relatives in a desperate search for 36 missing fishermen, though prompt evacuations saved many lives and the worst was over, officials said on Sunday. Some 30 people were injured and around 6,000 homes were partially or fully damaged, authorities said. Five of the six victims were killed by falling trees, including a 52-year old woman who had spent the night in a shelter. She returned home on Sunday and was killed when a tree crashed on her house. Another victim, a 60-year old fisherman, had refused to evacuate. Two fishing boats have not yet returned and relatives have been unable to contact the men on board, said Anwar Uddin, a local public representative in the southern Bhola district. No major damage was immediately reported in camps in southeast Bangladesh where hundreds of thousands of refugees from neighbouring Myanmar are living. Some 2 million people from all of Bangladesh's 13 coastal districts huddled in about 5,558 shelters on Saturday night. Outside, wind speeds rose to between 100 and 120 km per hour and some low-lying coastal areas were flooded. Wind speeds have now come down to between 70 and 80 kph, authorities said. "It may take couple of days to get a normal situation," Enamur Rahman, the junior minister for disaster management and relief, told Reuters. About 1,200 predominantly domestic tourists were stuck at the Saint Martin island in the Cox's Bazar district, Rahman said. "All of them will be rescued," he said. The cyclone season in the Bay of Bengal can last from April to December. In 1999, a super-cyclone battered the coast of India's Odisha state for 30 hours, killing 10,000 people. India's eastern states of West Bengal and Odisha have received heavy rainfall since early Saturday and there were reports of hundreds of trees being uprooted.

Six dead, 36 fishermen missing after cyclone Bulbul lashes Bangladesh

Cyclone Bulbul has made landfall in West Bengal, according to the reports 4 people have died. No major damage was reported in camps in southeast Bangladesh where hundreds of thousands of refugees from neighbouring Myanmar are living. The Indian Prime Minister has assured all possible assistance to the West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

Cyclone Bulbul weakens near Bangladesh, death toll rises to 4

A very severe category cyclone Bulbul is set to arrive at the Bangladesh coasts on Saturday midnight. 
 
To deal with the severe storm, Army teams have been deployed in the coastal region of Satkhira, Dhaka Tribune reported. 
 
According to the Inter-Service Public Relations Directorate (ISPRD) of Bangladesh, the Army was deployed on Saturday to combat the tropical storm. 
"All coastal infantries of the Bangla army are prepared to take immediate action to provide all kinds of assistance during and post cyclonic destruction," ISPRD statement read. 
 
Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Saturday said the cyclone 'Bulbul' is likely to weaken gradually and move northeastwards and cross West Bengal and Bangladesh coasts between Sagar Island and Khepupra. 
 
"Cyclone Bulbul's present intensity is 125-135 kmph, gusting to 150 kmph. It is likely to weaken gradually and move northeastwards and cross West Bengal-Bangladesh coasts between Sagar Island (WB) and Khepupra (Bangladesh)," the IMD said.

A very severe category cyclone Bulbul is set to arrive at the Bangladesh coasts on Saturday midnight. To deal with the severe storm, Army teams have been deployed in the coastal region of Satkhira, Dhaka Tribune reported.

A very severe category cyclone Bulbul is set to arrive at the Bangladesh coasts on Saturday midnight. To deal with the severe storm, Army teams have been deployed in the coastal region of Satkhira, Dhaka Tribune reported. According to the Inter-Service Public Relations Directorate (ISPRD) of Bangladesh, the Army was deployed on Saturday to combat the tropical storm. "All coastal infantries of the Bangla army are prepared to take immediate action to provide all kinds of assistance during and post cyclonic destruction," ISPRD statement read. Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Saturday said the cyclone 'Bulbul' is likely to weaken gradually and move northeastwards and cross West Bengal and Bangladesh coasts between Sagar Island and Khepupra. "Cyclone Bulbul's present intensity is 125-135 kmph, gusting to 150 kmph. It is likely to weaken gradually and move northeastwards and cross West Bengal-Bangladesh coasts between Sagar Island (WB) and Khepupra (Bangladesh)," the IMD said.

Cyclone Bulbul approaching Bangladesh's coastal area Satkhira

Bangladeshi President Md&nbsp;Abdul Hamid will pay a three-day "goodwill" visit to Nepal from November 12 to 15, the Himalayan nation's Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed. 
 
"At the invitation of the President of Nepal Bidya Devi Bhandari, the President of the People's Republic of Bangladesh Md. Abdul Hamid is paying an official goodwill visit to Nepal from November 12 to 15, 2019," a release from the ministry stated. 
 
The release also outlined that the President of Bangladesh will be accorded a ceremonial welcome at the Tribhuvan International Airport upon his arrival. 
 
During the three-day visit, the Bangladeshi President will meet his Nepali counterpart, as well as the Vice President, Prime Minister, Chairperson of 
the National Assembly and Minister for Foreign Affairs of Nepal. 
 
Hamid is also slated to hold engagements with other Nepali political leaders. 
 
"While in Nepal, the President of Bangladesh will also visit Pokhara and the historical, archaeological and cultural sites in the Kathmandu Valley," the release added.

Bangladeshi President Md Abdul Hamid will pay a three-day "goodwill" visit to Nepal from November 12 to 15, the Himalayan nation's Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed.

Bangladeshi President Md Abdul Hamid will pay a three-day "goodwill" visit to Nepal from November 12 to 15, the Himalayan nation's Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed. "At the invitation of the President of Nepal Bidya Devi Bhandari, the President of the People's Republic of Bangladesh Md. Abdul Hamid is paying an official goodwill visit to Nepal from November 12 to 15, 2019," a release from the ministry stated. The release also outlined that the President of Bangladesh will be accorded a ceremonial welcome at the Tribhuvan International Airport upon his arrival. During the three-day visit, the Bangladeshi President will meet his Nepali counterpart, as well as the Vice President, Prime Minister, Chairperson of the National Assembly and Minister for Foreign Affairs of Nepal. Hamid is also slated to hold engagements with other Nepali political leaders. "While in Nepal, the President of Bangladesh will also visit Pokhara and the historical, archaeological and cultural sites in the Kathmandu Valley," the release added.

Bangladeshi President Abdul Hamid to visit Nepal from November 12-15

Bangladesh authorities have evacuated around 100,000 people from the country's low-lying coastal villages and islands with Cyclone Bulbul set to slam into the country later on Saturday, officials said.

The Meteorological Department has asked local authorities and two ports to raise their highest alert, as the cyclone is expected to unleash a storm surge as high as seven feet&nbsp;in coastal districts.

Bulbul, packing a maximum wind speed of 120 kilometres per hour, is on course to make landfall near the Sundarbans, the world's largest mangrove forest, which straddles Bangladesh and part of eastern India and is home to the endangered Bengal tigers.

The cyclone is expected to hit the Bangladesh coast at around 8 pm (1400 GMT), disaster management secretary Shah Kamal told AFP, adding there are plans to evacuate some 1.5 million people before that.

Authorities have suspended a nationwide school test, cancelled the holidays of officials posted in coastal districts and called off a traditional fair that draws tens of thousands of people in the Sundarbans.

Operations at the country's two major ports,&nbsp;Mongla and Chittagong,&nbsp;have been suspended, Kamal said.

Some 55,000 volunteers have been mobilised to go door to door and alert people about the storm.

Bangladesh's low-lying coast, home to 30 million people, is regularly battered by powerful cyclones that leave a trail of devastation in their wake.

Hundreds of thousands of people have been killed over the last few decades in cyclones, whose frequency and intensity have increased.

Bangladesh has, however, improved its preparedness in recent years, cutting the number casualties since Cyclone Sidr killed more than 3,000 people in 2007.

In May this year, Fani became the most powerful storm to hit the country in five years, but just over a dozen people were killed.

Bangladesh authorities have evacuated around 100,000 people from the country's low-lying coastal villages and islands with Cyclone Bulbul set to slam into the country later on Saturday, officials said.

Bangladesh authorities have evacuated around 100,000 people from the country's low-lying coastal villages and islands with Cyclone Bulbul set to slam into the country later on Saturday, officials said. The Meteorological Department has asked local authorities and two ports to raise their highest alert, as the cyclone is expected to unleash a storm surge as high as seven feet in coastal districts. Bulbul, packing a maximum wind speed of 120 kilometres per hour, is on course to make landfall near the Sundarbans, the world's largest mangrove forest, which straddles Bangladesh and part of eastern India and is home to the endangered Bengal tigers. The cyclone is expected to hit the Bangladesh coast at around 8 pm (1400 GMT), disaster management secretary Shah Kamal told AFP, adding there are plans to evacuate some 1.5 million people before that. Authorities have suspended a nationwide school test, cancelled the holidays of officials posted in coastal districts and called off a traditional fair that draws tens of thousands of people in the Sundarbans. Operations at the country's two major ports, Mongla and Chittagong, have been suspended, Kamal said. Some 55,000 volunteers have been mobilised to go door to door and alert people about the storm. Bangladesh's low-lying coast, home to 30 million people, is regularly battered by powerful cyclones that leave a trail of devastation in their wake. Hundreds of thousands of people have been killed over the last few decades in cyclones, whose frequency and intensity have increased. Bangladesh has, however, improved its preparedness in recent years, cutting the number casualties since Cyclone Sidr killed more than 3,000 people in 2007. In May this year, Fani became the most powerful storm to hit the country in five years, but just over a dozen people were killed.

Bangladesh evacuates 100,000 as Cyclone Bulbul approaches

India and Bangladesh will jointly produce two separate films based on Bangladesh's Liberation War and on the country's founding father Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Information and Broadcasting Minister <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/javadekar-urges-kejriwal-to-find-solutions-to-mitigate-pollution-and-stop-blame-game-259508">Prakash Javadekar</a> said on Tuesday.

Speaking to media after meeting his Bangladeshi counterpart Hasan Mahmud in Dhaka, Javadekar said, "We are planning and progressed much to jointly produce two films, one on the story of the liberation of Bangladesh and (the other) on Bangabandhu."

The two leaders also discussed the impact of DD India, which is now telecast in Bangladesh, as well as Bangla TV, which now airs across India.

Javadekar said he has invited Mahmud to India to take the cooperation in this regard forward.

Javadekar is on a two-day visit to Bangladesh to attend the 15th meeting of the Governing Council of South Asia Cooperative Environment Programme (SACEP).

India and Bangladesh will jointly produce two separate films based on Bangladesh's Liberation War and on the country's founding father Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar said on Tuesday.

India and Bangladesh will jointly produce two separate films based on Bangladesh's Liberation War and on the country's founding father Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar said on Tuesday. Speaking to media after meeting his Bangladeshi counterpart Hasan Mahmud in Dhaka, Javadekar said, "We are planning and progressed much to jointly produce two films, one on the story of the liberation of Bangladesh and (the other) on Bangabandhu." The two leaders also discussed the impact of DD India, which is now telecast in Bangladesh, as well as Bangla TV, which now airs across India. Javadekar said he has invited Mahmud to India to take the cooperation in this regard forward. Javadekar is on a two-day visit to Bangladesh to attend the 15th meeting of the Governing Council of South Asia Cooperative Environment Programme (SACEP).

India, Bangladesh to jointly produce film on Bangabandhu: Prakash Javadekar

Acid attacks on women have declined dramatically in Bangladesh in recent years as tough laws and the closer monitoring of chemical sales have cut down the grisly crime, officials and activists said Monday.

According to Acid Survivors Foundation (ASF), there have been just eight such attacks this year, well down on the 494 cases reported in 2002 when new laws were enacted.

"It is a very good result, but our work hasn't finished yet," said Samanta Lal Sen, a prominent plastic surgeon and ASF trustee.

"We'll celebrate when the number of attacks will come down to zero," he told AFP.

The crime first emerged in the 1990s, with scores of spurned or jilted men throwing sulphuric or nitric&nbsp;acid in the faces of women who rebuffed their advances to "spoil them" for anyone else.

Victims are left with severely disfigured faces, including damaged eyes and skin. In many cases, parts of the face are lost completely.

Survivors also face being made social outcasts,&nbsp;especially in the rural areas of the conservative country that is home to 168 million people.

Officials and experts attributed the declining rate to a coordinated social, legal, and administrative campaign.

"The main reason is that we have enacted tough laws to fight the crime," Bangladesh's home minister Asaduzzaman Khan told AFP.

In 2002 the state enacted a law that threatened the death penalty for anyone convicted of an acid attack.

According to ASF, since then at least 14 people have been sentenced to death, while nearly 700 others have been arrested and 338 jailed.

Minister Khan said a massive public awareness campaign and strict monitoring of the sale of dangerous chemicals also contributed to the decrease.

The government and local charities have also moved to remove the stigma for victims. Since its establishment in 1999, the ASF has worked with nearly 4,000 survivors of acid violence.

In one of the most recent attacks, a man was arrested in the Bangladeshi capital Dhaka for throwing acid at his ex-wife and her daughter.

Another survivor, Mosammat Jamila, told AFP she was happy that the number of acid attacks had come down to single digits.

"I never want to hear that the life of another girl is ruined like me. I don't want anyone to go through the nightmares that I suffer," she said through tears.

Acid attacks on women have declined dramatically in Bangladesh in recent years as tough laws and the closer monitoring of chemical sales have cut down the grisly crime, officials and activists said Monday.

Acid attacks on women have declined dramatically in Bangladesh in recent years as tough laws and the closer monitoring of chemical sales have cut down the grisly crime, officials and activists said Monday. According to Acid Survivors Foundation (ASF), there have been just eight such attacks this year, well down on the 494 cases reported in 2002 when new laws were enacted. "It is a very good result, but our work hasn't finished yet," said Samanta Lal Sen, a prominent plastic surgeon and ASF trustee. "We'll celebrate when the number of attacks will come down to zero," he told AFP. The crime first emerged in the 1990s, with scores of spurned or jilted men throwing sulphuric or nitric acid in the faces of women who rebuffed their advances to "spoil them" for anyone else. Victims are left with severely disfigured faces, including damaged eyes and skin. In many cases, parts of the face are lost completely. Survivors also face being made social outcasts, especially in the rural areas of the conservative country that is home to 168 million people. Officials and experts attributed the declining rate to a coordinated social, legal, and administrative campaign. "The main reason is that we have enacted tough laws to fight the crime," Bangladesh's home minister Asaduzzaman Khan told AFP. In 2002 the state enacted a law that threatened the death penalty for anyone convicted of an acid attack. According to ASF, since then at least 14 people have been sentenced to death, while nearly 700 others have been arrested and 338 jailed. Minister Khan said a massive public awareness campaign and strict monitoring of the sale of dangerous chemicals also contributed to the decrease. The government and local charities have also moved to remove the stigma for victims. Since its establishment in 1999, the ASF has worked with nearly 4,000 survivors of acid violence. In one of the most recent attacks, a man was arrested in the Bangladeshi capital Dhaka for throwing acid at his ex-wife and her daughter. Another survivor, Mosammat Jamila, told AFP she was happy that the number of acid attacks had come down to single digits. "I never want to hear that the life of another girl is ruined like me. I don't want anyone to go through the nightmares that I suffer," she said through tears.

Tough laws sharply reduce Bangladesh acid attacks on women

Bangladesh defeated India by seven wickets in the first T20I at the Arun Jaitley stadium here on Sunday. 
 
The visitors have now taken a 1-0 lead in the three-match T20I series. This was their first-ever victory over India in the shortest format of the game. 
 
Chasing a decent target of 149 runs, Bangladesh's Liton Das was sent back to the pavilion in the very first over, bowled by Deepak Chahar. Mohammad Naim was then joined by Soumya Sarkar on the field. 
 
Both played brilliantly and struck regular boundaries, forming a 46-run partnership. However, their partnership was broken by Yuzvendra Chahal as he got hold of Naim (26). Naim's dismissal brought Mushfiqur Rahim out on the field. 
 
The duo kept the scoreboard running and provided their side with some momentum. They took visitors over the 100-run mark but soon after Khaleel Ahmed bowled Sarkar (39) in the 17th over. 
 
In the next over, bowled by Chahal, Krunal Pandya dropped Rahim's easy catch. Bangladesh brought the match to a point where they needed 22 runs from 12 balls with Rahim and Mahmudullah on the field. 
 
Khaleel Ahmed conceded 18 runs in the 19th over with Rahim smashing four boundaries in the over. Mahmudullah then struck a six in the last over and handed Bangladesh a massive victory. Rahim played an unbeaten knock of 60 runs during the chase. 
 
Earlier, after being sent to bat first, India suffered a major blow as Rohit Sharma was dismissed in the very first over of the innings. Sharma (9) was given LBW on the Shafiul Islam's delivery. 
 
However, despite early dismissal, Sharma managed to become the highest run-getter in the shortest format of the game as he has now 2,452 runs. Shikhar Dhawan's was then joined by KL Rahul on the field. 
 
Both added 26 runs on the board before Rahul (15) gave away an easy catch to Mahmudullah off Aminul Islam's delivery in the seventh over. Shreyas Iyer was the next batsman and played a quick knock of 22 runs off 13 balls before getting caught by Mohammad Naim on Aminul Islam's ball. 
 
Rishabh Pant then came out to bat and played cautiously with Dhawan. Both formed a 25-run partnership. However, in the 15th over, due to miscommunication Dhawan was run-out on 41 runs. 
 
Shivam Dube then took the field but failed to leave a mark as he was caught and bowled by Afif Hossain in the next over. 
 
The fall of wickets did not stop as Pant (27) too was sent back to the pavilion in the 19th over. Washington Sundar and Krunal Pandya then took the charge and helped India set a respectable total on the board. 
 
The second T20I between both teams will be played on November 7 in Gujarat.

Bangladesh defeated India by seven wickets in the first T20I at the Arun Jaitley stadium here on Sunday. The visitors have now taken a 1-0 lead in the three-match T20I series.

Bangladesh defeated India by seven wickets in the first T20I at the Arun Jaitley stadium here on Sunday. The visitors have now taken a 1-0 lead in the three-match T20I series. This was their first-ever victory over India in the shortest format of the game. Chasing a decent target of 149 runs, Bangladesh's Liton Das was sent back to the pavilion in the very first over, bowled by Deepak Chahar. Mohammad Naim was then joined by Soumya Sarkar on the field. Both played brilliantly and struck regular boundaries, forming a 46-run partnership. However, their partnership was broken by Yuzvendra Chahal as he got hold of Naim (26). Naim's dismissal brought Mushfiqur Rahim out on the field. The duo kept the scoreboard running and provided their side with some momentum. They took visitors over the 100-run mark but soon after Khaleel Ahmed bowled Sarkar (39) in the 17th over. In the next over, bowled by Chahal, Krunal Pandya dropped Rahim's easy catch. Bangladesh brought the match to a point where they needed 22 runs from 12 balls with Rahim and Mahmudullah on the field. Khaleel Ahmed conceded 18 runs in the 19th over with Rahim smashing four boundaries in the over. Mahmudullah then struck a six in the last over and handed Bangladesh a massive victory. Rahim played an unbeaten knock of 60 runs during the chase. Earlier, after being sent to bat first, India suffered a major blow as Rohit Sharma was dismissed in the very first over of the innings. Sharma (9) was given LBW on the Shafiul Islam's delivery. However, despite early dismissal, Sharma managed to become the highest run-getter in the shortest format of the game as he has now 2,452 runs. Shikhar Dhawan's was then joined by KL Rahul on the field. Both added 26 runs on the board before Rahul (15) gave away an easy catch to Mahmudullah off Aminul Islam's delivery in the seventh over. Shreyas Iyer was the next batsman and played a quick knock of 22 runs off 13 balls before getting caught by Mohammad Naim on Aminul Islam's ball. Rishabh Pant then came out to bat and played cautiously with Dhawan. Both formed a 25-run partnership. However, in the 15th over, due to miscommunication Dhawan was run-out on 41 runs. Shivam Dube then took the field but failed to leave a mark as he was caught and bowled by Afif Hossain in the next over. The fall of wickets did not stop as Pant (27) too was sent back to the pavilion in the 19th over. Washington Sundar and Krunal Pandya then took the charge and helped India set a respectable total on the board. The second T20I between both teams will be played on November 7 in Gujarat.

T20I: Bangladesh trounce India, Mushfiqur shines

Bangladesh said Sunday plans to relocate thousands of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/united-nations-chief-urges-myanmar-to-ensure-safe-return-of-rohingya-259659">Rohingya living in overcrowded refugee camps</a> to a remote island were "uncertain" after authorities failed to gain support from UN agencies.

Dhaka had wanted to begin its long-held plan this month to move 100,000 people to the mud-silt island of Bhashan Char, amid growing frustration with the presence of the squalid tent settlements in its southeastern border towns.

Bangladesh has said thousands of Rohingya families have volunteered to relocate, with some 3,500 of the Muslim minority due to be moved between mid-November to February during calm seas.

But the plan was&nbsp;in doubt as the U.N. has not supported the relocation so far, Bangladesh disaster management and relief minister Enamur Rahman told AFP.

"This has become uncertain," Rahman said of the relocation to the island, which takes around three hours to reach by boat.

"They (U.N. agencies) still haven't agreed to the relocation plan."

Aid agencies including the UN refugee agency UNHCR, the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) and the World Food Program (WFP), which held meetings with the government, told him the island was "isolated" and "flood-prone".

The agencies set out a list of conditions that had to be met, including a regular shipping service between the islet in the Bay of Bengal and the mainland, Rahman added.

The organisations provide humanitarian aid to the nearly one million Rohingya in the vast camps, including 740,000 who fled a military crackdown in Myanmar in August 2017.

"We won't do anything forcefully," he said, adding that at least two ships were set to ply the waters between the site and the mainland.

A U.N. official told AFP on Sunday that "U.N. agencies cannot support a move for which (they) have no technical information".

Dhaka is due to hold another round of talks with the agencies on Wednesday, Rahman said.

Global activist group Fortify Rights said last month it interviewed <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/nearly-400-rohingya-return-to-myanmar-from-bangladesh-embassy-says-259097">14 Rohingya at three camps</a>, including some who appeared on lists of refugees allegedly willing to go, and found none had been consulted "and all opposed it".

Other groups have also expressed misgivings about moving people to the island, which is regularly hit by devastating cyclones.

Bangladesh said Sunday plans to relocate thousands of Rohingya living in overcrowded refugee camps to a remote island were "uncertain" after authorities failed to gain support from UN agencies.

Bangladesh said Sunday plans to relocate thousands of Rohingya living in overcrowded refugee camps to a remote island were "uncertain" after authorities failed to gain support from UN agencies. Dhaka had wanted to begin its long-held plan this month to move 100,000 people to the mud-silt island of Bhashan Char, amid growing frustration with the presence of the squalid tent settlements in its southeastern border towns. Bangladesh has said thousands of Rohingya families have volunteered to relocate, with some 3,500 of the Muslim minority due to be moved between mid-November to February during calm seas. But the plan was in doubt as the U.N. has not supported the relocation so far, Bangladesh disaster management and relief minister Enamur Rahman told AFP. "This has become uncertain," Rahman said of the relocation to the island, which takes around three hours to reach by boat. "They (U.N. agencies) still haven't agreed to the relocation plan." Aid agencies including the UN refugee agency UNHCR, the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) and the World Food Program (WFP), which held meetings with the government, told him the island was "isolated" and "flood-prone". The agencies set out a list of conditions that had to be met, including a regular shipping service between the islet in the Bay of Bengal and the mainland, Rahman added. The organisations provide humanitarian aid to the nearly one million Rohingya in the vast camps, including 740,000 who fled a military crackdown in Myanmar in August 2017. "We won't do anything forcefully," he said, adding that at least two ships were set to ply the waters between the site and the mainland. A U.N. official told AFP on Sunday that "U.N. agencies cannot support a move for which (they) have no technical information". Dhaka is due to hold another round of talks with the agencies on Wednesday, Rahman said. Global activist group Fortify Rights said last month it interviewed 14 Rohingya at three camps, including some who appeared on lists of refugees allegedly willing to go, and found none had been consulted "and all opposed it". Other groups have also expressed misgivings about moving people to the island, which is regularly hit by devastating cyclones.

Bangladesh Rohingya island relocation 'uncertain' after United Nations doubts

Do we work in this or I wait till the IPL, bookie Deepak Aggarwal asked Shakib Al Hasan

As concerns over pollution in the national capital continues to grow, Bangladesh`s players were seen training wearing marks at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Friday.

Bangladesh and India are all set to play the first T20I of the three-match series here in Delhi on Sunday, November 3.

The <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/feeling-breathless-delhi-ncr-residents-complain-as-air-quality-turns-hazardous-259171">air quality in Delhi </a>continues to deteriorate and it has slipped into the `severe` category in several places across the city.

This has led many to urge the BCCI to shift the match from Delhi.

When ANI contacted the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), a source replied: "It is up to the players, if they want to use the mask they can, it is their choice".

On Thursday, Bangladesh's batsman Liton Das was seen training with a mask on, while others like Mushfiqur Rahim and Mustafizur Rahman were seen without masks.

But on Friday, the situation seems to have changed as many Bangladesh players opted to train with masks.

However, when Liton Das was asked why he chose to wear a mask during training, the batsman replied: "I had some personal problem that`s why I was wearing it. I was not feeling well".

India's stand-in skipper Rohit Sharma also downplayed pollution concerns in Delhi on Thursday.

"I have just landed and didn`t get the time to see/assess what it`s like in Delhi. The information I have is that the match is scheduled for November 3 and it will happen on the same day," he had said.

Earlier, the<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/sourav-ganguly-takes-charge-as-president-of-board-for-control-of-cricket-in-india-257654"> BCCI President</a> Sourav Ganguly confirmed the match will go on as planned in the national capital.

"We have spoken to Delhi authorities in the last two days. They are expecting the match to go through but it was already scheduled so we could not cancel it at the last minute. We came in on October 28 and it was too late to do anything because a lot of preparations go in matches; tickets, crowd, and everything. So it is not possible to cancel things in the last minute," Ganguly had said.

As concerns over pollution in the national capital continues to grow, Bangladesh`s players were seen training wearing marks at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Friday.

As concerns over pollution in the national capital continues to grow, Bangladesh`s players were seen training wearing marks at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Friday. Bangladesh and India are all set to play the first T20I of the three-match series here in Delhi on Sunday, November 3. The air quality in Delhi continues to deteriorate and it has slipped into the `severe` category in several places across the city. This has led many to urge the BCCI to shift the match from Delhi. When ANI contacted the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), a source replied: "It is up to the players, if they want to use the mask they can, it is their choice". On Thursday, Bangladesh's batsman Liton Das was seen training with a mask on, while others like Mushfiqur Rahim and Mustafizur Rahman were seen without masks. But on Friday, the situation seems to have changed as many Bangladesh players opted to train with masks. However, when Liton Das was asked why he chose to wear a mask during training, the batsman replied: "I had some personal problem that`s why I was wearing it. I was not feeling well". India's stand-in skipper Rohit Sharma also downplayed pollution concerns in Delhi on Thursday. "I have just landed and didn`t get the time to see/assess what it`s like in Delhi. The information I have is that the match is scheduled for November 3 and it will happen on the same day," he had said. Earlier, the BCCI President Sourav Ganguly confirmed the match will go on as planned in the national capital. "We have spoken to Delhi authorities in the last two days. They are expecting the match to go through but it was already scheduled so we could not cancel it at the last minute. We came in on October 28 and it was too late to do anything because a lot of preparations go in matches; tickets, crowd, and everything. So it is not possible to cancel things in the last minute," Ganguly had said.

Delhi T20I: Bangladesh players train with masks as air quality drops in national capital

Environmentalists and residents in New Delhi urged authorities to shift the upcoming India-Bangladesh Twenty20 match to a different venue as air pollution remained at the most severe level in the Indian capital for the second day running on Wednesday (October 30).

As pollution plagues Delhi, calls grow to shift India-Bangladesh T20 match

Around 400 <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/the-rohingya-refugee-crisis-in-key-dates-245472">Rohingya refugees</a> have voluntarily returned to Myanmar from Bangladesh, Myanmar's embassy there said Thursday, but with previous repatriation attempts having failed Dhaka was yet to verify the claim.

Bangladesh is home to nearly a million Rohingya including 740,000 who fled a military crackdown in Rakhine state in August 2017 that the U.N. has called ethnic cleansing.&nbsp;

Myanmar's embassy posted photos on Facebook that purported to show "46 more voluntary returnees" being "warmly received" in Myanmar, taking the total number going back to 397 in an unspecified timeframe.

There was no immediate comment on the embassy statement from the Bangladeshi refugee commissioner and Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen said Dhaka would verify the claims.

But in a statement on Wednesday, Bangladesh's foreign ministry said the return of a "handful" of refugees did "not testify (to) any improvement of the ground reality in Rakhine".

Rohingya leaders have refused to return without guaranteed security and citizenship, which they are currently denied in Myanmar, and previous attempts to repatriate the Muslim minority fell flat when no-one turned up.

Since then, however, Bangladesh has imposed an internet blackout on the vast, squalid camps in the country's south-east that house the refugees, and has announced plans to surround them with barbed-wire fences.

Authorities also want to move thousands of refugees to an island in the Bay of Bengal beginning next month despite concerns for their safety from rights groups.

Around 400 Rohingya refugees have voluntarily returned to Myanmar from Bangladesh, Myanmar's embassy there said Thursday, but with previous repatriation attempts having failed Dhaka was yet to verify the claim.

Around 400 Rohingya refugees have voluntarily returned to Myanmar from Bangladesh, Myanmar's embassy there said Thursday, but with previous repatriation attempts having failed Dhaka was yet to verify the claim. Bangladesh is home to nearly a million Rohingya including 740,000 who fled a military crackdown in Rakhine state in August 2017 that the U.N. has called ethnic cleansing. Myanmar's embassy posted photos on Facebook that purported to show "46 more voluntary returnees" being "warmly received" in Myanmar, taking the total number going back to 397 in an unspecified timeframe. There was no immediate comment on the embassy statement from the Bangladeshi refugee commissioner and Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen said Dhaka would verify the claims. But in a statement on Wednesday, Bangladesh's foreign ministry said the return of a "handful" of refugees did "not testify (to) any improvement of the ground reality in Rakhine". Rohingya leaders have refused to return without guaranteed security and citizenship, which they are currently denied in Myanmar, and previous attempts to repatriate the Muslim minority fell flat when no-one turned up. Since then, however, Bangladesh has imposed an internet blackout on the vast, squalid camps in the country's south-east that house the refugees, and has announced plans to surround them with barbed-wire fences. Authorities also want to move thousands of refugees to an island in the Bay of Bengal beginning next month despite concerns for their safety from rights groups.

Nearly 400 Rohingya return to Myanmar from Bangladesh, embassy says

A Bangladeshi opposition leader was sentenced to three years in prison for allegedly giving death threats to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at an event last year.

A Chittagong court awarded in absentia the prison sentence to Giasuddin Quader Chowdhury, the vice-chairman of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP).

The court also slapped a fine of 5,000 Bangladeshi takas on the BNP leader with an additional three-month prison term for failure to pay the fine, Additional Public Prosecutor Sameer Das Gupta was quoted by bdnews24 as saying.

On May 29 last year, Chowdhury had allegedly said at a function that Hasina's fate would turn out to be "worse" than that of her father and country's founder Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, who was assassinated in 1975.

The next day, ruling Awami League general secretary of Fatikchhari unit, Nazimuddin Muhuri, had filed a case in the court against the BNP leader for his alleged comments, court sources told The Dhaka Tribune.

The court had issued an arrest warrant against Chowdhury on May 31 of that year.

Chowdhury is the younger brother of Salauddin Quader Chowdhury, who was executed in 2015 in connection with his role in war crimes committed in 1971 during the Liberation War.

A Bangladeshi opposition leader was sentenced to three years in prison for allegedly giving death threats to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at an event last year. A Chittagong court awarded in absentia the prison sentence to Giasuddin Quader Chowdhury, the vice-chairman of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP).

A Bangladeshi opposition leader was sentenced to three years in prison for allegedly giving death threats to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at an event last year. A Chittagong court awarded in absentia the prison sentence to Giasuddin Quader Chowdhury, the vice-chairman of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP). The court also slapped a fine of 5,000 Bangladeshi takas on the BNP leader with an additional three-month prison term for failure to pay the fine, Additional Public Prosecutor Sameer Das Gupta was quoted by bdnews24 as saying. On May 29 last year, Chowdhury had allegedly said at a function that Hasina's fate would turn out to be "worse" than that of her father and country's founder Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, who was assassinated in 1975. The next day, ruling Awami League general secretary of Fatikchhari unit, Nazimuddin Muhuri, had filed a case in the court against the BNP leader for his alleged comments, court sources told The Dhaka Tribune. The court had issued an arrest warrant against Chowdhury on May 31 of that year. Chowdhury is the younger brother of Salauddin Quader Chowdhury, who was executed in 2015 in connection with his role in war crimes committed in 1971 during the Liberation War.

Bangladesh opposition leader jailed over alleged death threats to Prime Minister

India will be hosting Day-Night Test match in Eden Gardens of Kolkata, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) chief Sourav Ganguly confirmed on Tuesday.&nbsp;

After Bangladesh agreed to play the Test match, Ganguly has termed the development as the beginning of something special in Indian cricket.

"I'm pleased to announce that our long-term partner BCB has graciously agreed to play a Day-Night Test match. This is the beginning of something special in Indian cricket," BCCI's official website quoted Ganguly as saying.

"It is a priority for the newly elected office bearers and members of Apex Council to take Indian cricket forward. For me as former Captain of India and as the current president of BCCI, Test cricket is of utmost priority and we at BCCI will leave no stone unturned to bring this format back to its feet," he added.

This step comes as the first major decision taken by the newly elected BCCI Chief, Sourav Ganguly.&nbsp;

Former Indian Cricket Captain, Ganguly, took over as the BCCI president and is set to serve for the next 10 months.&nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
The second Test between both the teams will be played as a day-night Test match at Eden Gardens, beginning from November 22.

Ganguly's move comes out as an optimistic step towards restoring the popularity of the game among the masses, hoping that this step will bring the crowd into the stadiums.

"In this effort of ours, Day-Night Test cricket is a huge step forward and we believe it will bring back the crowd into stadiums and a whole lot of young children to the sport," said Ganguly.

"I am extremely honoured that the Eden Gardens will host the inaugural Day-Night Test match and the Cricket Association of Bengal will create a spectacle for everyone to watch," he said.

"I thank the Bangladesh Cricket Board President Nazmul Hassan and his team for accepting our request on such short notice. I also thank India Captain Virat Kohli for his co-operation," he added.

BCCI secretary Jay Shah called it a 'great day' and added that it is their first step towards the idea of revolutionizing Test cricket.

"It is a great day for Indian cricket. India will host Bangladesh in our first-ever Day-Night Test match at Eden Gardens. Sourav, myself&nbsp;and our team had an idea of revolutionizing Test cricket and this is our first step towards it," Shah said.

"It was very important to start the process now since India does not play a lot of Test matches after the Bangladesh series. We thank the Bangladesh Cricket Board for accepting our request for a Day-Night Test match on such short notice," he added.

Nazmul Hassan, president, BCB, said both the cricket governing bodies, BCB and BCCI,&nbsp;share a bond that is strengthened by a very long history of friendship.&nbsp;

Hassan also expressed his contentment towards having Ganguly as the BCCI President.&nbsp;

"The BCB and the BCCI share a very long history of support, co-operation and friendship. Ours is a bond of strength and it is very heartening and reassuring for the BCB to have someone like Ganguly as BCCI President who has been an integral part of this journey," Hassan said.

"On that note, I am pleased that we have had a frank and constructive discussion with the players and Team Management. I have received a positive response about playing the Day-Night Test in view of the BCB-BCCI relationship," he added.

Strike by cricketers in Bangladesh's main domestic league had cast doubt on their tour to India which is set to start on November 3.&nbsp;

The strike ended with the top tier cricketers receiving payments almost double and an increase in other expenses.&nbsp;

India will be hosting Day-Night Test match in Eden Gardens of Kolkata, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) chief Sourav Ganguly confirmed on Tuesday.

India will be hosting Day-Night Test match in Eden Gardens of Kolkata, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) chief Sourav Ganguly confirmed on Tuesday. After Bangladesh agreed to play the Test match, Ganguly has termed the development as the beginning of something special in Indian cricket. "I'm pleased to announce that our long-term partner BCB has graciously agreed to play a Day-Night Test match. This is the beginning of something special in Indian cricket," BCCI's official website quoted Ganguly as saying. "It is a priority for the newly elected office bearers and members of Apex Council to take Indian cricket forward. For me as former Captain of India and as the current president of BCCI, Test cricket is of utmost priority and we at BCCI will leave no stone unturned to bring this format back to its feet," he added. This step comes as the first major decision taken by the newly elected BCCI Chief, Sourav Ganguly. Former Indian Cricket Captain, Ganguly, took over as the BCCI president and is set to serve for the next 10 months. The second Test between both the teams will be played as a day-night Test match at Eden Gardens, beginning from November 22. Ganguly's move comes out as an optimistic step towards restoring the popularity of the game among the masses, hoping that this step will bring the crowd into the stadiums. "In this effort of ours, Day-Night Test cricket is a huge step forward and we believe it will bring back the crowd into stadiums and a whole lot of young children to the sport," said Ganguly. "I am extremely honoured that the Eden Gardens will host the inaugural Day-Night Test match and the Cricket Association of Bengal will create a spectacle for everyone to watch," he said. "I thank the Bangladesh Cricket Board President Nazmul Hassan and his team for accepting our request on such short notice. I also thank India Captain Virat Kohli for his co-operation," he added. BCCI secretary Jay Shah called it a 'great day' and added that it is their first step towards the idea of revolutionizing Test cricket. "It is a great day for Indian cricket. India will host Bangladesh in our first-ever Day-Night Test match at Eden Gardens. Sourav, myself and our team had an idea of revolutionizing Test cricket and this is our first step towards it," Shah said. "It was very important to start the process now since India does not play a lot of Test matches after the Bangladesh series. We thank the Bangladesh Cricket Board for accepting our request for a Day-Night Test match on such short notice," he added. Nazmul Hassan, president, BCB, said both the cricket governing bodies, BCB and BCCI, share a bond that is strengthened by a very long history of friendship. Hassan also expressed his contentment towards having Ganguly as the BCCI President. "The BCB and the BCCI share a very long history of support, co-operation and friendship. Ours is a bond of strength and it is very heartening and reassuring for the BCB to have someone like Ganguly as BCCI President who has been an integral part of this journey," Hassan said. "On that note, I am pleased that we have had a frank and constructive discussion with the players and Team Management. I have received a positive response about playing the Day-Night Test in view of the BCB-BCCI relationship," he added. Strike by cricketers in Bangladesh's main domestic league had cast doubt on their tour to India which is set to start on November 3. The strike ended with the top tier cricketers receiving payments almost double and an increase in other expenses.

Bangladesh agrees to play Day-Night Test match: Sourav Ganguly

Bangladesh police arrested a Rohingya man with $5 million of methamphetamine pills in their biggest narcotics haul this year, officials said Monday.

Special police staged a raid on a beach in the Cox's Bazar district on the border with Myanmar on Sunday following a tip that a trawler carrying the drugs would land there, a spokesman said.

The spokesman said 800,000 pills were found in sacks in the trawler and one Rohingya suspect was detained while several others escaped.

Some 740,000 Rohingya Muslims flooded across the border after a Myanmar military clampdown in August 2017 and drug dealing has become a growing problem in the refugee camps in Cox's Bazar where they live.

The seizure was the biggest made this year of the methamphetamine pills, known as yaba, which have become a popular drug among young people in the nation of 168 million.

Since a crackdown was launched last year, more than 500 suspected drug traffickers -- including at least 25 Rohingya -- have been shot dead by police and security forces. 
&nbsp;

Bangladesh police arrested a Rohingya man with $5 million of methamphetamine pills in their biggest narcotics haul this year, officials said Monday. Special police staged a raid on a beach in the Cox's Bazar district on the border with Myanmar on Sunday following a tip that a trawler carrying the drugs would land there, a spokesman said.

Bangladesh police arrested a Rohingya man with $5 million of methamphetamine pills in their biggest narcotics haul this year, officials said Monday. Special police staged a raid on a beach in the Cox's Bazar district on the border with Myanmar on Sunday following a tip that a trawler carrying the drugs would land there, a spokesman said. The spokesman said 800,000 pills were found in sacks in the trawler and one Rohingya suspect was detained while several others escaped. Some 740,000 Rohingya Muslims flooded across the border after a Myanmar military clampdown in August 2017 and drug dealing has become a growing problem in the refugee camps in Cox's Bazar where they live. The seizure was the biggest made this year of the methamphetamine pills, known as yaba, which have become a popular drug among young people in the nation of 168 million. Since a crackdown was launched last year, more than 500 suspected drug traffickers -- including at least 25 Rohingya -- have been shot dead by police and security forces.

$5 million drug haul as Rohingya detained in Bangladesh

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) sources said that the first T20I match between India and Bangladesh will be held as scheduled at Arun Jaitley Stadium here despite air quality in Delhi deteriorating post-Diwali.

"We had taken permission from Delhi Pollution Control Committee and they gave November 3 as clear day so we decided to fix the Delhi venue after their consultation," BCCI sources said.

When asked what would happen if the situation worsened the BCCI source said, "As of now everything is fixed and I don't see any change in plan."

The morning after Diwali, the air quality in Delhi dipped to the 'very poor' category according to the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR).

An AQI between 0 and 50 is considered 'good', 51 and 100 'satisfactory', 101 and 200 'moderate', 201 and 300 'poor', 301 and 400 'very poor', and 401 and 500 'severe'.

The most polluted locations post-Diwali are Delhi University (North Campus), Pusa, Rohini-Punjabi Bagh, Wazirpur, Jahangirpuri, DTU and Bawana.

Poor air quality has been a concern in Delhi. In December 2017, Sri Lanka players find it difficult to breathe during the Test match in Delhi and even wore masks while fielding.

Bangladesh will be playing three-T20I and two Test matches in India. The first T20I will be played in Delhi on November 3.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) sources said that the first T20I match between India and Bangladesh will be held as scheduled at Arun Jaitley Stadium here despite air quality in Delhi deteriorating post-Diwali.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) sources said that the first T20I match between India and Bangladesh will be held as scheduled at Arun Jaitley Stadium here despite air quality in Delhi deteriorating post-Diwali. "We had taken permission from Delhi Pollution Control Committee and they gave November 3 as clear day so we decided to fix the Delhi venue after their consultation," BCCI sources said. When asked what would happen if the situation worsened the BCCI source said, "As of now everything is fixed and I don't see any change in plan." The morning after Diwali, the air quality in Delhi dipped to the 'very poor' category according to the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR). An AQI between 0 and 50 is considered 'good', 51 and 100 'satisfactory', 101 and 200 'moderate', 201 and 300 'poor', 301 and 400 'very poor', and 401 and 500 'severe'. The most polluted locations post-Diwali are Delhi University (North Campus), Pusa, Rohini-Punjabi Bagh, Wazirpur, Jahangirpuri, DTU and Bawana. Poor air quality has been a concern in Delhi. In December 2017, Sri Lanka players find it difficult to breathe during the Test match in Delhi and even wore masks while fielding. Bangladesh will be playing three-T20I and two Test matches in India. The first T20I will be played in Delhi on November 3.

India-Bangladesh T20I to be held in Delhi as planned despite poor air quality

The principal of a religious school in Bangladesh was among 16 people sentenced to death on Thursday (October 24) for the murder of a teenage girl who refused to withdraw a complaint of sexual harassment against him, the public prosecutor said.

Bangladesh sentences 16 to death for killing teenager in harassment case

Vice-President Venkaiah Naidu on Friday met with the different world leaders on the sidelines of the 18th session of the Non-Aligned Movement summit in Baku.

VP Naidu met with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, Nepalese Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli and the Bangladeshi PM Sheikh Hasina.

Naidu is leading the Indian delegation at the 18th Summit of Heads of State and Government for the two-day summit.

Earlier in the day, Naidu was welcomed by Azerbaijanian President Ilham Aliyev upon his arrival in the country.

On Thursday, VP Naidu interacted with the Indian community in Baku and appreciated their crucial role in enhancing links between India and Azerbaijan.

Meanwhile, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met Deputy Foreign Minister of Kenya, Ababu Namwamba and Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Tilak Marapana on the sidelines of the ongoing summit.

The theme for the summit is "upholding the Bandung principles to ensure concerted and adequate response to the challenges of the contemporary world".

India is a founding member of NAM, which is one of the largest gatherings of world leaders.

Vice-President Venkaiah Naidu on Friday met with the different world leaders on the sidelines of the 18th session of the Non-Aligned Movement summit in Baku. VP Naidu met with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, Nepalese Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli and the Bangladeshi PM Sheikh Hasina.

Vice-President Venkaiah Naidu on Friday met with the different world leaders on the sidelines of the 18th session of the Non-Aligned Movement summit in Baku. VP Naidu met with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, Nepalese Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli and the Bangladeshi PM Sheikh Hasina. Naidu is leading the Indian delegation at the 18th Summit of Heads of State and Government for the two-day summit. Earlier in the day, Naidu was welcomed by Azerbaijanian President Ilham Aliyev upon his arrival in the country. On Thursday, VP Naidu interacted with the Indian community in Baku and appreciated their crucial role in enhancing links between India and Azerbaijan. Meanwhile, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met Deputy Foreign Minister of Kenya, Ababu Namwamba and Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Tilak Marapana on the sidelines of the ongoing summit. The theme for the summit is "upholding the Bandung principles to ensure concerted and adequate response to the challenges of the contemporary world". India is a founding member of NAM, which is one of the largest gatherings of world leaders.

Vice-President Naidu meets world leaders on sidelines of 18th NAM summit

16 People Sentenced To Death In Bangladesh As Court Rules In A Murder Case Of A 19-Year Old Girl. Major development in Bangladesh and one which has caught the attention across the world.

Gravitas: Bangladesh Court Awards Death Penalty To 16

A court in Bangladesh on Thursday sentenced 16 people to death for the murder of Nusrat Jahan Rafi after she protested against sexual abuse by the principal of a madrasa.

18-year-old Nusrat, residing in the small town of Feni, was set on fire on April 6 two weeks after she registered a complaint against sexual abuse by the principal, reported BD News 24.

The principal, Siraj-Ud-Doula, who reportedly orchestrated the attack is among those sentenced.

Feni Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal Judge Mamunur Rashid handed down the verdict.

On April 6, Nusrat was tricked into coming on top of the roof of the madrasa where the perpetrators set her on fire after she refused to withdraw the case. 
 
She was taken to a hospital later,&nbsp;however, she succumbed to her injuries on April 10.

Nusrat's brother Mahmudul Hasan Noman filed a case on April 8 against eight people.

The incident shocked the entire country and led to a series of protests against the oppression of woman and girls.

A court in Bangladesh on Thursday sentenced 16 people to death for the murder of Nusrat Jahan Rafi after she protested against sexual abuse by the principal of a madrasa.

A court in Bangladesh on Thursday sentenced 16 people to death for the murder of Nusrat Jahan Rafi after she protested against sexual abuse by the principal of a madrasa. 18-year-old Nusrat, residing in the small town of Feni, was set on fire on April 6 two weeks after she registered a complaint against sexual abuse by the principal, reported BD News 24. The principal, Siraj-Ud-Doula, who reportedly orchestrated the attack is among those sentenced. Feni Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal Judge Mamunur Rashid handed down the verdict. On April 6, Nusrat was tricked into coming on top of the roof of the madrasa where the perpetrators set her on fire after she refused to withdraw the case. She was taken to a hospital later, however, she succumbed to her injuries on April 10. Nusrat's brother Mahmudul Hasan Noman filed a case on April 8 against eight people. The incident shocked the entire country and led to a series of protests against the oppression of woman and girls.

Bangladesh court sentences 16 people to death in Nusrat Jahan Rafi's murder case

A Bangladeshi court sentenced a senior opposition figure to five years in jail Tuesday for evading taxes on the sale of a car he imported when his party was last in office.

The opposition in the South Asian country has long complained that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's ruling Awami League party -- which tightened its grip on power following elections last year -- is seeking to muzzle dissent.

Harunur Rashid, who has emerged as a prominent voice in parliament, was found guilty of evading taxes on Monday after he sold a car he had bought duty-free in 2005 when his Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) was in government.

He was sentenced to five years in jail and fined five million taka by a court in Dhaka "for selling the duty-free car illegally, depriving taxes to the government", court inspector Ashikur Rahman told AFP.

The owner of a private television channel who bought the car was also sentenced to two years in jail.

There was no immediate comment from the BNP, the largest opposition party, whose leader and two-time former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia was last year jailed for 10 years on graft charges.

Rashid, also a joint secretary of the BNP, earlier this month met with the deputy leader of the Awami League in an attempt to secure bail for Zia, saying she needed medical treatment abroad.

His own conviction comes weeks after Hafizuddin Ahmed, another senior BNP figure, was arrested under contentious digital security laws on charges of spreading anti-state propaganda.

He was later granted bail.

The BNP said the arrest was carried out to "muzzle" Ahmed as he was planning to speak out against a water-sharing accord Bangladesh recently signed with India.

A former army colonel, who was reportedly a member of Zia's security team, was also arrested on the same charges.

In recent years tens of thousands of opposition activists have been arrested for various acts.

At a general election in December which was marred by allegations of widespread fraud and ballot stuffing, the Awami League tightened its grip on power, with the BNP managing to win only seven seats.

Hasina last month launched a sweeping anti-graft crackdown, arresting prominent members of her own party and sacking the influential heads of its student and youth wings.

Hasina said the drive was necessary to prevent a repeat of the January 2007 coup by the powerful military, which said tackling corruption was one of its key goals.

A Bangladeshi court sentenced a senior opposition figure to five years in jail Tuesday for evading taxes on the sale of a car he imported when his party was last in office.

A Bangladeshi court sentenced a senior opposition figure to five years in jail Tuesday for evading taxes on the sale of a car he imported when his party was last in office. The opposition in the South Asian country has long complained that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's ruling Awami League party -- which tightened its grip on power following elections last year -- is seeking to muzzle dissent. Harunur Rashid, who has emerged as a prominent voice in parliament, was found guilty of evading taxes on Monday after he sold a car he had bought duty-free in 2005 when his Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) was in government. He was sentenced to five years in jail and fined five million taka by a court in Dhaka "for selling the duty-free car illegally, depriving taxes to the government", court inspector Ashikur Rahman told AFP. The owner of a private television channel who bought the car was also sentenced to two years in jail. There was no immediate comment from the BNP, the largest opposition party, whose leader and two-time former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia was last year jailed for 10 years on graft charges. Rashid, also a joint secretary of the BNP, earlier this month met with the deputy leader of the Awami League in an attempt to secure bail for Zia, saying she needed medical treatment abroad. His own conviction comes weeks after Hafizuddin Ahmed, another senior BNP figure, was arrested under contentious digital security laws on charges of spreading anti-state propaganda. He was later granted bail. The BNP said the arrest was carried out to "muzzle" Ahmed as he was planning to speak out against a water-sharing accord Bangladesh recently signed with India. A former army colonel, who was reportedly a member of Zia's security team, was also arrested on the same charges. In recent years tens of thousands of opposition activists have been arrested for various acts. At a general election in December which was marred by allegations of widespread fraud and ballot stuffing, the Awami League tightened its grip on power, with the BNP managing to win only seven seats. Hasina last month launched a sweeping anti-graft crackdown, arresting prominent members of her own party and sacking the influential heads of its student and youth wings. Hasina said the drive was necessary to prevent a repeat of the January 2007 coup by the powerful military, which said tackling corruption was one of its key goals.

Bangladesh jails key opposition lawmaker for graft

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