India withdraws transshipment facility for Bangladesh days after Yunus' 'landlocked' remarks
New Delhi, Apr 9 (PTI): India has withdrawn the transshipment facility it extended to Bangladesh for exporting various items to the Middle East, Europe and various other countries except Nepal and Bhutan.
The move came days after head of Dhaka's interim government Muhammad Yunus made a controversial statement in China saying India's northeastern states, which share a nearly 1,600-km border with Bangladesh, are landlocked and have no way to reach the ocean except through his country.
The comments did not go down well in New Delhi.
"The transshipment facility extended to Bangladesh had over a period of time resulted in significant congestion at our airports and ports," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said.
"Logistical delays and higher costs were hindering our own exports and creating backlogs," he said.
Jaiswal said the transshipment facility has been withdrawn with effect from April 8.
Bangladesh has been using several Indian ports and airports for sending its exports to Middle East, Europe and many other countries.
"To clarify, these measures do not impact Bangladesh exports to Nepal or Bhutan transiting through Indian territory," Jaiswal said at his weekly media briefing.
Yunus and Prime Minister Narendra Modi held talks in Bangkok on the sidelines of the BIMSTEC summit on April 4.
However, the Indian side was upset over Dhaka's version of the meeting between Yunus and Modi, especially attacks on minorities and the extradition request for Hasina.
People familiar with the matter described the version as "mischievous and politically motivated", especially the aspects relating to attacks on minorities and Dhaka's request for extraditing former premier Sheikh Hasina.
Yunus' press secretary Shafiqul Alam, in a Facebook post, on Saturday said the chief adviser raised with Modi Bangladesh's request for the extradition of Hasina and the "response was not negative".
The characterisation of the Indian prime minister's remarks regarding the relationship with Yunus and the previous Bangladesh government were "inaccurate", the people said.
New Delhi has not so far responded to the request made by Bangladesh's interim government last year for the extradition of Hasina.
India-Bangladesh relations nosedived dramatically after Yunus failed to contain attacks on minorities, especially Hindus, in that country.
Hasina has been living in New Delhi since she fled Dhaka in August last year.
In the meeting in Bangkok on Friday, Modi conveyed to Yunus India's deep concerns about the safety of Bangladesh's Hindus and other minorities.
"The prime minister urged that rhetoric that vitiates the environment is best avoided," an Indian readout of the meeting said.
PM Modi underlined India's concerns related to the safety and security of minorities in Bangladesh, including Hindus, and expressed his expectation that the government of Bangladesh would ensure their security.
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UDF leaders see local body poll trends as pointer to 2026 Assembly elections in Kerala
Thiruvananthapuram (PTI): Buoyed by the strong performance of the Congress-led UDF in the local body polls, KPCC president Sunny Joseph said on Saturday that the front's results indicated the people had rejected the LDF government.
According to early trends, the UDF was leading in more grama panchayats, block panchayats, municipalities and corporations than the LDF.
The local body polls were held in two phases in the state earlier this week.
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Speaking to reporters here, Joseph said the people of Kerala had extended their support to the UDF.
"We could expose the LDF government’s anti-people stance and the people understood it. The LDF’s fake propaganda was rejected by the people. The UDF is moving towards a historic victory," he said.
He said a united effort, proper preparations, good candidate selection and hard work had resulted in the Congress and the UDF’s victory in the elections.
Asked about the prospects in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, Joseph said the party was studying the matter and would comment later.
LDF convenor T P Ramakrishnan said the results would be closely examined.
According to him, the government had done everything possible for the people.
"Why such a verdict happened will be examined at the micro level. People’s opinion will be considered and further steps will be taken," he said.
He added that decisions would be taken after analysing the results. "If any corrective measures are required, we will initiate them and move forward," he said.
AICC leader K C Venugopal said the results showed that people had begun ousting those who, he alleged, were responsible for the loss of gold at Lord Ayyappa’s temple.
"This trend will continue in the Assembly elections as well. It is an indication that the people are ready to bring down the LDF government," he said.
Venugopal said the UDF had registered victories even in CPI(M) and LDF strongholds.
"I congratulate all UDF workers for their hard work. Congress workers and leaders worked unitedly," he said.
Referring to remarks made by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan against the Congress on polling day, Venugopal said the voters had responded through the verdict.
"I do not know whether the chief minister understands that the people are against him. Otherwise, he does not know the sentiment of the people. The state government cannot move an inch further," he said.
He said the results indicated a strong comeback for the UDF in Kerala.
Asked whether the Sabarimala gold loss issue had affected the LDF in the local polls, Venugopal said the CM and the CPI(M) state secretary did not take the issue seriously.
"We took a strong stand on the matter. The BJP played a foul game in it," he alleged.
On the BJP's role in the local body elections, Venugopal alleged that the party operated with the CPI(M) 's tacit support.
"The CPI(M) supported the central government on issues such as PM-SHRI, labour codes and corruption in national highway construction. The CPI(M) is facing ideological decline, and the state government’s policies are against the party’s own decisions," he said.
Meanwhile, LDF ally Kerala Congress (M) leader Jose K Mani said the party could not win all the wards it had expected in the elections.
He congratulated winners from all parties and said the party would closely examine the losses and identify shortcomings. "Later, we will take corrective measures," he added.
Senior Congress leader and MP Rajmohan Unnithan said the trends in the local body elections indicated that the UDF would return to power in the 2026 Assembly elections.
"We will win 111 seats as in 1977 and return to power in 2026. The anti-government sentiment of the people is reflected in the elections," he said.
Unnithan said the people were disturbed and unhappy with the present government.
"The trend indicates the end of the LDF government," he added.
CPI(M) MLA M M Mani said the people had shown ingratitude towards the LDF despite benefiting from welfare schemes.
"After receiving all welfare schemes and living comfortably, people voted against us due to some temporary sentiments. Is that not ingratitude," he asked.
Mani said no such welfare initiatives had taken place in Kerala earlier.
"People are receiving pensions and have enough to eat. Even after getting all this, they voted against us. This is what can be called ingratitude," he said.
Muslim League state president Panakkad Sayyid Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal said the results were beyond expectations.
"The outcome points towards the Secretariat in Thiruvananthapuram, indicating that a change of government is imminent. We are going to win the Assembly election," he said.
