Awami League alleges widespread persecution of minorities across Bangladesh since August 2024

Posted on by Vividh Bharathi

Dhaka, Sep 4 (IANS) Bangladesh’s Awami League on Friday alleged that religious minorities across the country have faced widespread discrimination and persecution since August 2024, including job dismissals, denial of promotions, restrictions on government employment, and the seizure of homes, land and businesses.

Citing the recent killing of retired Hindu teacher Ganapati Chakraborty and his entire family in Rangpur city, the Awami League said that the ruling Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) government’s inaction following the incident reflects a broader pattern of persecution of religious minorities that has continued since the period of the previous Muhammad Yunus-led interim government.

“It is extremely unfortunate that since August 5, 2024, religious minorities across the country have faced dismissals from employment, denial of promotions, undeclared restrictions on entering government service, and various forms of oppression and persecution, including the seizure of homes, land, and businesses,” read a statement issued by Awami League on its social media platform X.

“The recent killing of the entire family of retired teacher Ganapati Chakraborty in Rangpur, together with the subsequent actions of the government and the Home Minister, proves that the principal architects behind the persecution that has continued since August 5 are the present communal government and its communal state system. Various religious organisations and human rights organisations in Bangladesh have already expressed deep concern over the matter,” it added.

The Awami League also hit out at Bangladesh’s Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed over his remarks that a large part of the land belonging to Dhakeshwari Temple in Dhaka was occupied by the party.

He made the remarks during an event held at the Osmani Memorial Auditorium in the capital on Thursday on the occasion of Janmashtami.

“I inspected the land of Dhakeshwari Temple in 1996 as a member of the Standing Committee related to the Land Ministry. At that time, it was seen that about two and a half acres of the property was under the control of the government. The rest of the property was in the possession of the Awami League,” Bangladesh’s ‘Daily Sun’ newspaper quoted Ahmed as saying.

Condemning the Home Minister’s remarks, the Awami League dismissed the statements as “false”, while calling on the government to ensure the religious rights and public security of all people in the country instead of spreading misinformation.

–IANS

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US Commerce Secy Lutnick urges AI-IP balance at G20

Chapel Hill (North Carolina), Sep 2 (IANS) US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick has urged G20 nations to protect intellectual property (IP) while allowing artificial intelligence (AI) to flourish, warning that countries which fail to safeguard the rights of both domestic and foreign innovators could lose investment and economic opportunities.

Opening the G20 Innovation Ministerial in North Carolina’s Chapel Hill, Lutnick said that governments faced complex questions over how existing patent and copyright frameworks should apply to rapidly developing AI systems.

“Artificial intelligence is gonna change how we invent. It’s gonna change how we create how companies compete and how entire industries operate,” he told delegates.

Lutnick said protecting intellectual property and encouraging AI development should not be treated as competing objectives.

“You can protect intellectual property and promote AI innovation, but that’s the tricky part. We have to find a way to do both things together,” he added.

“So there are two sides of the same innovation ecosystem.”

A functioning intellectual property framework, he said, could protect innovators and creators while preserving opportunities for AI competition and commercialisation.

“That balance matters because private investment will drive technological progress,” Lutnick said.

He described AI as a powerful tool for expanding human ingenuity, but acknowledged that it was raising new questions about traditional approaches to invention.

The challenge extended to patents as well as copyright, he said.

“Copyrights protect authors, they protect artists and innovators and creators and existing laws provide important foundations that AI technologies are going to continue to develop,” he added.

Lutnick called on governments to determine how doctrines such as fair use and fair dealing would apply to AI-related activities.

The answers, he said, would depend on the facts and circumstances faced by individual economies.

“We have to figure out and recognise the interaction between copyright and AI, and that’s gonna raise complex questions across all of our jurisdictions,” he added.

The Commerce Secretary also underlined the importance of trade secret protections, saying they fostered research, development and competitive markets.

He urged countries to provide reciprocal intellectual property protection and effective remedies when rights were violated.

“You have to protect your own. But if you’re going to protect your own, you have to protect others coming into your market. It has to be both,” he said.

“And if you don’t do both, you’ll be left with less opportunity than you would otherwise have.”

Lutnick said the broader challenge was not to choose between protecting innovation and accelerating it, but to accomplish both goals together.

“We need frameworks that protect creators and inventors whose ingenuity drives our economies without creating the barriers that prevent the next generation of innovators,” he added.

“Getting that balance right could allow AI to boost investment, productivity, scientific discovery, manufacturing and economic growth across G20 economies,” Lutnick said.

He added that the ministerial would discuss policies aimed at promoting innovation, accelerating scientific discovery, strengthening supply chains and building confidence in emerging technologies.

The US had proposed statements reflecting those priorities, including support for private sector-led standards, domestic manufacturing and intellectual property rights.

The G20 brings together 19 countries, the European Union and the African Union.

India is a member of the grouping and held its presidency in 2023, when the African Union was admitted as a permanent member.

–IANS

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DMK to boycott INDIA bloc meeting, cites Congress ‘betrayal’ post Tamil Nadu polls

Chennai, June 4 (IANS) Tamil Nadu’s Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) on Thursday announced that it will not participate in the INDIA bloc meeting scheduled to be held in New Delhi on June 8, citing resentment within the party over what it described as the Congress “betrayal” following the recent Tamil Nadu Assembly elections.

In a strongly worded statement, the DMK said it had been invited to attend the meeting of the India bloc partners but had decided to stay away in deference to the sentiments of its cadre, who remain deeply hurt by developments involving the Congress after the Assembly polls.

The party reiterated its long-standing commitment to defending democracy, secularism and the rights of states, and said it had consistently opposed policies and measures that it believed undermined these principles. It listed issues such as the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET), constituency delimitation, the implementation of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), the functioning of the Election Commission, the “One Nation, One Election” proposal, amendments to the Waqf Act, and changes to the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) among matters on which it had taken a firm stand.

According to the DMK, it has pursued these issues through democratic means, including debates in Parliament, interventions in legislative bodies when in power, public campaigns and legal action whenever necessary.

The party also highlighted its role in the formation and functioning of the INDIA bloc, describing itself as one of the grouping’s central pillars from its inception.

It noted that DMK President M.K. Stalin had been a prominent voice on issues of national importance and that the party’s contributions to the opposition alliance were well recognised by fellow member parties.

However, the statement said that the feelings of party workers could not be ignored in the wake of what it termed the Congress party’s conduct after the Tamil Nadu elections. As a result, the DMK has chosen not to attend a meeting in which Congress will be a participant, it said.

Despite its decision to boycott the June 8 gathering, the DMK stressed that it remains committed to raising its voice on matters affecting national interests and would continue to express its views on issues discussed by the opposition bloc and other political parties.

–IANS

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Candidates across India laud PM Modi’s Rozgar Mela initiative, express happiness over receiving appointment letters

New Delhi, Jan 24 (IANS) Candidates across India celebrated as appointments began under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s flagship ‘Rozgar Mela’ initiative.

One of the recipients from Maharashtra’s Nagpur, told IANS: “There was a Staff Selection Commission (SSC) General Duty (GD) vacancy, and I was selected for the CRPF. Our library instructor guided us and informed us about filling out the application form.”

In Delhi, another candidate who received job appointment letter, told IANS crediting his family’s support for his success, saying, “Behind my success, there is immense support from my family. They helped me succeed, and I have received many of their blessings. All thanks to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for organising this employment fair and giving us appointment letters.”

Chandigarh saw several candidates celebrating their job letter appointments.

One such candidate from Chandigarh, told IANS, “After completing Class 12, I had a strong passion to serve the country and wanted to join the Army. I had cleared most stages there, but the final selection could not happen due to age limits. So, I prepared for SSC GD and eventually got selected through it.”

Another candidate praised the ‘Rozgar Mela’ Yojana, told IANS, “The employment fair (Rozgar Mela Yojana) is a very good initiative. Any student who works hard gets selected here. During his tenure, many young people have received jobs, and this scheme has been excellent for them.”

Candidates hailing from Chandigarh also shared details of their job letter appointments and told IANS: “I have been selected for the CISF as a Constable. My training will start from February 16 in Deoli, Rajasthan,” one such candidate said, while another candidate added, “I have been selected for the ITBP. My brother has been selected for the CISF, and I wanted to join there as well. I got this opportunity through the employment fair, and I am very happy.”

In Bihar’s Patna, one candidate, who was selected as a Rifleman in the Assam Rifles for 2025 expressed his enthusiasm, saying, “Today, on January 24, 2026, I have been invited to the employment fair held at Urja Auditorium in Patna to receive my appointment letter. I am very happy and will perform my duties with honesty and dedication.”

Another Patna candidate described the experience as life-changing experience, told IANS: “I am very happy. I am happier than I have ever been in my life. It feels really great. My family is also very happy. I can truly feel it.”

The Rozgar Mela initiative continues to provide a platform for India’s youth to secure government employment, supporting their aspirations and contributing to nation-building.

Rozgar Mela Yojana is a flagship initiative by the Narendra Modi-led Union government designed to accelerate recruitment into various government departments and organisations in “mission mode”.

It serves as a bridge for job seekers to directly receive appointment letters and join the public workforce.

Earlier on Saturday, during the 18th edition of the employment fair held on Saturday, more than 61,000 job appointment letters were distributed to young candidates across various government departments and organisations.

–IANS

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