Bangladesh govt suspends mobile networks along borders with India citing security reasons
Dhaka: The Bangladesh government has suspended mobile networks along the borders with India, citing security reasons "in the current circumstances", a move that will affect around 10 million users in the area, according to media reports.
The operators suspended the networks on Monday within one kilometres of the borders with India, the Dhaka Tribune reported.
The Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC), in its order to telecommunications service providers- Grameenphone, Teletalk, Robi and Banglalink- on Sunday, said network coverage in the border areas should be suspended until further notice for the sake of the country's security in the current circumstances , it said.
A high-level meeting of the government took this decision, following which the instructions were issued, BTRC Chairman Jahurul Haque was quoted as saying by bdnews24, declining to give further explanations.
A BTRC official was quoted as saying in the Dhaka Tribune that around 2,000 base transceiver stations have been closed that would affect around 10 million users in 32 districts that share border with India and Myanmar.
According to the report, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal and Foreign Minister A K Abdul Momen expressed ignorance over the government's decision. I do not have any such information. Let me know about it first and then I will comment, Kamal said.
Brig Gen (retd) S M Farhad, secretary general at the Association of Mobile Telecom Operators of Bangladesh, said, mobile network operators in Bangladesh are compliant with government regulations; accordingly, the directive on border network coverage has already been implemented.
This decision will certainly have an impact since a large segment of citizens in the border areas will be out of the range of the internet, voice and other services. The Bangladesh government's directive came days after the Indian government passed the controversial Citizenship Amendment Act.
According to the law, members of Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi and Christian communities who have come from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan till December 31, 2014 following religious persecution there will get Indian citizenship.
Reacting to the protests erupting in India over the CAA, Foreign Minister Momen on December 22 voiced concern that any "uncertainty" in India is likely to affect its neighbours.
He said that Bangladesh has requested New Delhi to provide a list of Bangladeshi nationals living illegally in India, "if any", to be repatriated. He had also cancelled his visit to India beginning December 12, hours before he was to arrive in New Delhi.
However, diplomatic sources in New Delhi had said that Momen and Home Minister Khan cancelled their visits to India over the situation arising out of the passage of the controversial Citizenship Bill in Parliament.
Bangladesh was learnt to have been upset following the roll out of the NRC in Assam around four months ago even though India conveyed to it that the issue was an internal matter of the country.
The NRC has been prepared to identify genuine Indian citizens living in Assam since March 24, 1971, or before, and identify illegal Bangladeshi migrants in the state.
Out of 3.3 crore applicants, over 19 lakh people were excluded from the final NRC published on August 30.
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Prominent temples in UP closed during lunar eclipse
Lucknow (PTI): Prominent temples across Uttar Pradesh, including the Ram temple in Ayodhya, Kashi Vishwanath temple in Varanasi, Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi temple and the Vindhyavasini temple in Mirzapur, were closed on Tuesday in view of the lunar eclipse and will reopen in the evening after rituals.
According to Kashi Vishwanath temple authorities, the lunar eclipse will be visible in India and observed between 3.27 pm and 6.47 pm.
In keeping with religious scriptures, temples will observe ‘Sutak Kaal’, the inauspicious period preceding and during the eclipse, during which regular rituals and darshan are restricted.
The Shri Kashi Vishwanath Temple Trust in Varanasi said that as per tradition, the temple gates are closed before the commencement of the eclipse. Following this custom, the temple doors were shut at 4.30 am.
After the conclusion of the eclipse, rituals related to ‘moksha’ (conclusion of the eclipse) would be performed in accordance with scriptures, followed by purification ceremonies.
The temple was scheduled to reopen for devotees after 7.15 pm.
In Ayodhya, the Ram Temple was closed from 9 am onwards due to the Sutak Kaal hours prior to the eclipse.
Temple sources said the Mangala Aarti at 4.30 am and the Shringar Aarti at 6.30 am were conducted as per schedule.
‘Bal Bhog’ was offered to Ram Lalla at 8.15 am. After the Shringar Aarti, darshan was allowed from 6.30 am to 9 am. The temple doors were then closed and were to reopen after evening aarti, with darshan available from 8.30 pm to 11 pm, Ram temple trust officials said.
In Mathura and Vrindavan, most temples closed early for morning darshan and were scheduled to reopen after the eclipse ended around 7 pm.
However, the historic Dwarkadhish Temple followed its regular schedule and remained open during the eclipse.
Rakesh Tiwari, media in-charge of the temple, said that in the Pushtimarg tradition, Lord Krishna is worshipped in his child form and devotees believe they must remain with the deity during difficult times.
The Banke Bihari Temple in Vrindavan opened early at 5.15 am and closed at 8.30 am.
According to a press release issued by the temple’s high-powered committee, it was scheduled to reopen for evening darshan at 7 pm and close at 10 pm.
At the Shri Krishna Janmasthan in Mathura, the temple opened at 5 am for Mangala Aarti and closed at 6 am for darshan.
Kapil Sharma, secretary of the Shri Krishna Janmasthan Seva Sansthan, said the temple would reopen for evening darshan at 8 pm and close at 9 pm.
The Radha Rani Temple in Barsana was also scheduled to reopen at 7 pm for evening darshan and close at 9 pm, Madhav Krishna Goswami, sewayat of the temple, said.
In Mirzapur, the Vindhyavasini Temple remained closed in the morning in view of the eclipse.
Bhanu Pathak of the Vindhya Panda Samaj, said the temple doors were shut from 3.15 pm to 8 pm during the Sutak and eclipse period.
After completion of rituals and aarti, devotees will be allowed to offer prayers.
Temple authorities across the state appealed to devotees to adhere to the revised schedules and cooperate with the arrangements made in view of the eclipse.
