Following recent political developments and the deployment of security troops and military personnel throughout the nation, particularly in Dhaka, social media is ablaze with rumors of a coup in Bangladesh. However, neither Army Chief Waqar Uz Zaman nor Professor Muhammad Yunus have addressed the rumors, which appear to have picked more steam in the past day.
As protests against Bangladesh’s interim leader, Md. Yunus, continue, it is thought that General Wakar Uz Zaman is at the center of these reported developments.
Rumors that the Army Chief has had enough of the political climate in Bangladesh have been strengthened by reports of army meetings. Additionally, the Army Chief has urged for greater security and alertness throughout the nation and issued a warning against terrorist strikes.
Political observers have concluded that there is some tension between the government and the army chief as a result of General Zaman’s talks with his top aides over the weekend and remarks made by the ruling regime. According to sources, the Army Chief talked about security measures during the discussions in light of the nation’s growing radicalism.
However, the Home Secretary for Bangladesh’s Interim administration, Nasimul Haque Gani, claimed that rumors of a declaration of emergency were “gossip.”
There were allegations in India a few days ago that the Army Chief was nearly overthrown by some of his own men who had pro-Pakistani views. However, General Zaman appears to have a tight hold on the army for the time being.
The Army Chief has repeatedly alluded to Dhaka’s deteriorating law and order situation and increased security.
The general secretary of the student-run Aamar Bangladesh Party, Asaduzzaman Fuad, charged that the Army Chief was planning to form a new interim administration with President Mohammed Shahbuddin.
“You may observe the Army Chief engaging in a new scheme and hosting some alleged meetings. to determine how a new temporary administration can be established under the President. Sheikh Hasina’s slave dog is this president. Should you attempt to govern the nation under Shahabuddin, thousands of Abu Syeds will sacrifice themselves and blow up the cantonment. Mr. Fuad advised against becoming involved in any disputes with Bangladesh. When pro-reform demonstrations in July 2024 turned violent and drove out then-prime minister Sheikh Hasina and her exile in India, student activist Abu Syed was killed.
The rumors of Asaduzzaman Fuad’s detention fueled the idea of a military coup to control the nation’s hardline forces. The AB Party, however, has refuted the arrest rumors.
It is quite ironic. Two days ago, on March 23, the Pakistan Army celebrated Pakistan Day by demonstrating its strength and marching precisely on the parade ground, but the realities show that it is divided on a never-before-seen scale. The army has become a brutal force, with its “counter-terrorism” operations failing to distinguish even women and children from terrorists, aside from almost daily attacks on itself. That is extremely damaging to the forces that carry out such acts as well as awful for the individuals who are affected. What thus accounts for the claims of intense discontent among the lower ranks and, if accurate, demands for the resignation of the Army Chief?
A War of Blood
President Zardari gave the ceremonial speech, and the parade itself was staged with much hoopla, featuring a rather uneasy-looking Prime Minister in the lead. The Army Chief and his associates were behind him. The Army Chief was clearly in authority because the entire seating arrangement could have been switched, and no one would have objected.
Recent assaults on his soldiers, including the Jaffar express hijacking and a string of subsequent strikes in the extremely unstable Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province as well as Balochistan, have raised doubts about the Army’s waning hold. The graph is expected to continue rising this year, with reports from Pakistani think tanks already highlighting 2024 as the worst year on record in a decade for terror attacks. The Army, Frontier Corps, Levies, Constabulary, Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), and Police personnel are among the 255 people who have been killed in 179 instances reported up to March 11.
In a fit of wrath, the Pakistani army followed the same pattern. It turned on the poor people, shooting at groups of people, including children, and capturing people who had peacefully protested for Baloch rights. This includes the gregarious Mehrang Baloch, who is quickly becoming a well-known leader—ironically, as a result of the army’s own actions. She has been accused of terrorism and sedition for organizing a sit-in at a university. However, resentment is rising in Balochistan. Following her arrest, protests broke out in Quetta, and hundreds of people attended the funerals of the deceased. The situation will worsen as the numbers increase.
Absence of Counter-Strategy
Surprisingly, the Pakistani army, which is possibly the most seasoned “terrorist” sponsoring army in the world, appears to have no idea how to combat terrorism within its own borders. In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, it has bombed, strafed, and used artillery on its own people. Journalists were even flown to witness the devastation, as hundreds and hundreds of homes had roofs missing while some 72,000 people left the region. That was in 2016. Any reasonable person would have predicted that, in around three or four years, things would probably get considerably worse. That is the amount of time it takes for resistance groups to reorganize and for an enraged populace to turn against its oppressors.
And it did. Pakistani military can no longer move freely in many regions. Balochistan, which has been treated with colonial disdain, is no exception. However, the true drawback is that these kinds of operations against one’s own people have made the army fighting it less cohesive. In combat against a “enemy,” armies are taught and refined on “honour,” and for their bravery, they are rewarded and revered, especially by their home towns. However, there are no such advantages to fighting civilians and children, and no army man—Pakistani or Indian—will put up with this. This is the main reason the Indian army has the wisdom to fight “one hand behind its back” and has organized outreach programs like “Sadhbhavana,” which consists of a number of projects meant to help people in areas affected by insurgency. It is an operational need as well as a matter of morality.
Absent from Action
The leadership of the Pakistani army is “missing in action.” According to recent reports, the lack of a power source and even basic drinking water has left even a star project like the Gwadar deep sea port in limbo. It is not that the necessary equipment has not come from China. In addition to many other things, Federal Minister for Planning Ahsan Iqbal recently reported that 10,000 Chinese solar panels were delivered in May 2024 and another 5,000 in September as part of a grant-in-aid program. In an attempt to win over the Baloch, China, rather sensibly, also gave money for a large hospital and a desalination plant. That is not working at all. The state itself suffers from a serious power outage even though it supplies Pakistan with natural gas to support its economy.
The important thing to remember is that the Pakistani army is in charge of the Balochistan province. The security forces, in this case the X11 Corps with its two Infantry Divisions and an unspecified number of Pakistani Rangers, a paramilitary group directly under the army’s command in times of crisis, are literally necessary for everything to move. Next are the Frontier Corps’ several thousand soldiers, whose numbers have only grown in the last few months. Despite all of this, MPs claim that Balochistan is not under state control. The statement that “Pakistan’s physical frontiers might be adjusted sooner rather than later” was made on the floor of the house by more than simply Maulana Fazlur Rehman. Former Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah, a dependable government counsel, too shared the viewpoint. To put it another way, the Pakistani army, which not only conducts counterterrorism operations but also controls practically every aspect of the state, including the Strategic Investment Facilitation Council, which is the main organization tasked with “driving” investment into a state that is in decline and a $100 billion economic empire, appears to have failed at every task. The Pakistan Army’s shortcomings are demonstrated by the widespread insurgency, the deteriorating economy, and, if rumors are to be accepted, a sizable contingent of junior officers firing off a letter seeking the resignation of the Army Chief. By the way, the “secret” letter charges the Army Chief with sabotaging the organization and using it for personal gain.
Gone Are the Glory Days Once praised for its professionalism, this army occasionally made its “enemy” envious of its unwavering discipline and high social standing. That is history. The army is now viewed as a bandit force and an oppressor (also in mind that the ISI has been charged with extorting money from companies). Most importantly, the world has taken notice of its horrific violence. The “forgotten war” that has been Balochistan over the past forty years is currently being covered by all of the major press, including the New York Times. While her countrymen are expected to receive the coveted Nelson Mandela Prize, Mehran Baloch is nominated for the Nobel Prize. The world is taking note, and not in a positive way. The irony is that throughout the years, this has only been made possible by the Pakistani army, or more specifically, its leadership. Payback time might be approaching.
Following Israel’s most deadly attacks on Gaza since a ceasefire in January, the relatives of Israeli hostages in Gaza called on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to “end the killing and disappearance of the hostages” on Tuesday.
The Hostages and Missing Families Forum released a statement saying, “The families of the hostages demand a meeting this morning with the prime minister, the defense minister, and the head of the negotiation team, in which they will be assured how the hostages will be protected from the military pressure and how they intend to bring them back.”
“The hostage families will demand that the captives’ disappearance and murder be immediately stopped! Return them first, followed by everything else.
Later Tuesday, relatives of the hostages demanded a demonstration outside Netanyahu’s Jerusalem office.
Israel launched its most severe attacks since the ceasefire started on January 19 and pledged to keep fighting in Gaza until all hostages returned.
“Hostage families have been begging to meet with public officials who are in charge of their loved ones’ destiny. “They have not received any response to their appeals,” the families said in a statement.
“It is now evident that the public officials did not meet with them because they were preparing to blow up the truce, which could result in the death of their loved ones.”
There are still 58 hostages in Gaza, including 34 that the Israeli military claims are killed, out of the 251 that were taken during Hamas’ October 2023 attack that started the conflict.
In an effort to fulfill his campaign pledge to increase transparency regarding the shocking incident in Texas, President Donald Trump intends to make available on Tuesday over 80,000 pages of material pertaining to the 1963 killing of President John F. Kennedy.
On Monday, Trump told reporters, “It is a lot of things, and you will make your own conclusion,” because of the pages.
The US Federal Bureau of Investigation discovered hundreds of new records pertaining to the Kennedy assassination in Dallas after Trump signed an order pertaining to the release shortly after taking office in January.
Lee Harvey Oswald has been identified as the lone shooter responsible for Kennedy’s murder. In the decades that followed, the Justice Department and other federal government agencies reiterated that finding. However, according to studies, a large number of Americans think there was a conspiracy behind his killing.
The core facts of the case—that Lee Harvey Oswald shot Kennedy from a window of a school book deposit warehouse as the presidential procession went by on a Dallas highway—are unlikely to be altered by the new knowledge, according to experts.
Larry Sabato, who wrote a book about the assassination and is the director of the University of Virginia’s Center for Politics, remarked, “People anticipating major things are practically guaranteed to be disappointed.”
According to him, some of the pages might just be the publication of previously published content with a few words removed.
Additionally, Trump has pledged to make public records pertaining to the 1968 assassinations of Senator Robert Kennedy and civil rights activist Martin Luther King, Jr.
Trump has given himself additional time to devise a strategy for those releases.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Trump’s secretary of health and human services, is the nephew of John F. Kennedy and the son of Robert Kennedy. He has stated that he thinks the CIA was involved in his uncle’s killing, a claim the agency has called unfounded.
Kennedy Jr. has also stated, in defiance of official explanations, that he thinks his father was murdered by several gunmen.
The documents may reveal, among other things, that the CIA knew more about Oswald than it has previously revealed. Regarding Oswald’s trips to Mexico City six weeks prior to the killing, there are still unanswered questions. Oswald stopped at the Soviet embassy during the trip.
Trump remarked, “People have been waiting for decades for this.” “It will be incredibly fascinating.”
The injustice done by the West at the UN over Kashmir was highlighted at The Raisina Dialogue – a global multilateral conference held in New Delhi each year. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar did not mince his words as he showed how the United Nations had faltered in its understanding and approach to the issue.
Mr Jaishankar noted that the “longest-standing” illegal occupation of a territory globally after World War II has been experienced by India – in Kashmir. The enitre state of Jammu and Kashmir, which includes Gilgit and Baltistan, called Northern Areas before 1970, had acceded to India in 1947. Pakistan, in a unilateral act of aggression, invaded Jammu and Kashmir and has been illegally occupying parts of the Indian Union since then.
Speaking about Kashmir at the forum today, Mr Jaishankar highlighted the selective approach and application of global rules on issues pertaining to sovereignty and territorial integrity.
As he raised concerns over historical injustices in dealing with certain issues, he batted for establishing a “reformed, strong, and fair” United Nations. Explaining how the UN had greatly erred in not condemning Pakistan’s illegal occupation of parts of Jammu and Kashmir, Mr Jaishankar said that the “attacker” (Pakistan) and the “victim” (India) were clubbed under the same bracket.
We all talk about territorial integrity and sovereignty. We all concur that it is an essential idea. It is the cornerstone of international law. The longest-standing unlawful presence—or, I would say, occupation—of a territory by another nation after World War II concerns India, as we seen in Kashmir,” he stated.
“We then proceeded to the UN, but the invasion was turned into a debate. Thus, the victim and the assailant were treated equally. Which parties were at fault? USA, Australia, Canada, Belgium, and the UK. I apologize, but that one raises some doubts in my mind,” the minister stated.
Global norms and regulations must be applied consistently, according to Mr. Jaishankar, who supports a strong and reformed UN. He declared, “We need a strong UN, but a strong UN requires a fair UN.”
Calling for a new and reformed world system, he stated that “a strong global order must have some basic coherence of principles.” “Look, I do believe that we require both a domestic and an international order. Similar to the necessity for a national society, an international one is also necessary, and those who stand to gain from an absence of order are not limited to large nations. I contend that any nation that takes chances, adopts radical stances, or tests the system will ultimately benefit from the chaos. We have observed in our own neighborhood, after all. It is not necessary to be a large nation to be dangerous. Smaller neighbors of mine have performed admirably. Therefore, we should all first recognize the significance of an order.
Mr. Jaishankar gave another example, omitting Pakistan, of how the West has had a biased perspective: “We (India) have military control to our east – in Myanmar.” They are no-no. To the west, however, we have them even more. Do you know where? To the West, they appear to be fine. It is crucial, in my opinion, to examine how the world has operated over the past 80 years, be truthful about it, and recognize that shareholdings and balances have evolved with time. We must have another discussion. To be honest, we require a different sequence in that regard.
The minister made these remarks at the session on ‘Thrones and Thorns: Defending the Integrity of Nations’ at The Raisina Dialogue today.
Climate activists and Democrats claim that the Trump administration’s decision to cut $20 billion in financing for greenhouse gas reduction initiatives unlawfully appropriates funds intended for renewable energy and transportation for underserved communities.
Lee Zeldin, the administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, had made public his campaign to recover funds from the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund, which Congress allocated during the Biden administration to launch pollution-reduction programs.
Although it provided no specifics, the EPA stated in a statement late on Tuesday that it had retracted the funding, claiming the initiative did not fit with the agency’s aims and raising concerns about possible fraud, waste, and abuse.
It further stated that the FBI and the US Justice Department are examining the operation.
Although the EPA did not specify how it would use the monies, it stated that it would endeavor to utilize them “with strengthened controls” in accordance with the law.
“EPA will not be a wasteful spender in the name of ‘climate equity,’ but rather an outstanding steward of public dollars committed to our primary purpose of preserving human health and the environment,” Zeldin stated.
Under Democratic President Joe Biden, the $20 billion was provided by Congress under the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act. In the face of legal challenges, the EPA has attempted to block funds for environmental justice and climate change under his successor, Republican Donald Trump.
Since it and seven other beneficiaries have been unable to access the monies, the Climate United Fund advocacy group filed a lawsuit against the EPA and Citigroup’s Citibank over the weekend, alleging that they withheld the payments and violated what it described as a legally-binding contractual commitment as an awardee.
During his visit to Mauritius on Tuesday for the National Day celebrations, Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave President Dharambeer Gokhool and First Lady Brinda Gokhool a number of symbolic gifts that showcased India’s rich spiritual and cultural legacy.
The president of Mauritius was presented with Makhana, a nutrient-dense superfood from Bihar, as a tribute to India’s rich agricultural past. This donation was made at a pivotal moment, as the Indian government recently declared in the 2025 Budget that a specialized Makhana Board will be established in Bihar.
By forming farmers into Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) and offering them assistance and training to guarantee they take advantage of government programs, the board hopes to improve makhana production, processing, value addition, and marketing.
PM Modi gave the First Lady a stunning Banarasi saree, a Varanasi traditional masterpiece known for its pricey silk, elaborate brocades, and sumptuous zari work.
A specially made brass and copper pitcher filled with holy water from the Sangam in Prayagraj, which was gathered during the ongoing Mahakumbh, was also given as a gift. This gesture represented the close spiritual and cultural ties that Mauritius and India share.
PM Modi highlighted the close diplomatic and cultural relations between the two countries earlier in the day by attending the Mauritius National Day celebrations as the Chief Guest. The Prime Minister thanked President Gokhool for the cordial welcome and reaffirmed India’s dedication to its long-standing friendship with Mauritius during a special lunch hosted by the president. He characterized the occasion as a representation of the strong and intimate relations between the two nations as well as a meal.
Prime Minister Modi was given a traditional Bihari welcome in Mauritius earlier in the day, with a “geet gawai” event held in his honor.
The traditional Bhojpuri musical group “Geet gawain” represents the rich cultural legacy that women from India’s Bhojpuri belt brought to Mauritius.
“Happy arrival in Mauritius. The Geet-Gawai performance’s profound cultural connection was one of the highlights. PM Modi wrote on X, “It is admirable how the great Bhojpuri language flourishes in Mauritius culture.”
Nearly seventeen years ago, on May 28, 2008, to be precise, Nepal ended a ten-year civil war that had claimed the lives of over 16,000 people by abolishing a Hindu monarchy that had existed for 239 years, with Gyanendra Shah as its king. It was reconstituted as a federal, secular republic with a Hindu majority.
Amid worries about political instability, corruption, a crisis in the cost of living, unemployment, and a lack of economic development, thousands of people—some estimates put the number at over 10,000—staged a campaign on Sunday to reverse the course of history and urge the return of Shah.
As Shah, who had been traveling the country, maybe to gauge the strength of support, stepped out of the Kathmandu airport, the chant “Come King, save the nation…” echoed.
“The nation is unstable. There is a shortage of healthcare and education, exorbitant costs, and unemployment,” 43-year-old teacher and pro-monarchy demonstrator Rajindra Kunwar told AFP. “The public is subject to the law, but politicians are exempt. We therefore require the king.
Having had 13 governments since 2008, Nepal’s “instability” is highlighted.
This is not new, to start.
Most people held the Nepalese monarch in high regard prior to its abolition.
Following Shah’s 2005 takeover of power, that declined. When anti-monarchy demonstrations erupted in 2006, Shah was compelled to cede his recently acquired power to the nascent administration.
However, reverence for the Hindu royalty remained.
Periodically, there were demonstrations demanding the king’s return. The most recent was in 2020, when The Record Nepal reported widespread protests by Hindu and royalist parties, notably in the east, the region from where current Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli hails.
Additionally, in 2023, police in Kathmandu used tear gas on a crowd calling for the restoration of the monarchy.
The fifth-largest Hindu nationalist party in the House, the Rastriya Prajatantra Party, was largely responsible for the resurgence of such sentiments on Sunday.
Gyanendra Shah’s popularity has reportedly grown, according to the Kathmandu Post, but political observers there do not anticipate him regaining power.
Why Does Nepal Now Support the Monarchy?
To put it briefly, the people of Nepal are not happy with their nation as a republic.
According to data from the International Monetary Fund, economic growth has slowed recently. Before dropping to less than 5% last year, real GDP reached a peak of 9% in 2015. Last year, the average consumer price inflation rate was 4.6%.
People who greeted Shah at the airport on Sunday expressed their hope that a change will occur to prevent their nation from getting worse. “We are here to support the king wholeheartedly and to stand by him through thick and thin.” Thir Bahadur, 72, said to The Associated Press.
There are also former anti-monarchists involved.
After protesting to overthrow Shah, 30-year-old carpenter Kulraj Shrestha has changed his views and is now in favor of the monarchy. “The worst issue is that lawmakers are doing nothing because of widespread corruption. I participated in the demonstrations that overthrew the monarchy, but I was wrong, and the country has since fallen much worse. Thus, I have had a change of heart,” he informed AP.
With a record 8,658 complaints submitted in 2024—a 7.4% rise from the previous year—the United States saw a startling uptick in violence and discrimination against Muslims and Arabs. The growing Islamophobia stoked by Israel’s war in Gaza and the protests that followed on campuses is blamed for this worrying trend.
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) reports that since it started gathering data in 1996, the number of complaints received in 2024 was the greatest. With 15.4% of the complaints, employment discrimination was the most common, followed by hate crimes (7.5%), immigration and asylum concerns (14.8%), and discrimination in education (9.8%).
Rights activists have warned about the surge in anti-Semitism, anti-Arab prejudice, and Islamophobia after the October 2023 Hamas attack, which sparked Israel’s catastrophic assault on Gaza. The US-sponsored genocide in Gaza “caused a surge of Islamophobia in the United States for the second year in a row,” CAIR emphasized.
The death of a six-year-old Palestinian American boy, the attempted drowning of a three-year-old Palestinian American girl, the stabbing of a Palestinian American man in Texas, the beating of a Muslim man in New York, and the shooting of two Israeli tourists in Florida who were mistaken for Palestinians are just a few of the alarming instances of violence and harassment against Muslims and Arabs that are highlighted in the report.
Additionally, CAIR said that pro-Palestine protesters calling for an end to US support for Israel were being suppressed on college campuses. Administrators at the university were suspended, resigned, and violently arrested as a result of the protests. Notable events include the arrest of Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian graduate student who was instrumental in planning protests at Columbia University, and the mob attack on pro-Palestinian demonstrators at the University of California, Los Angeles.
Rights activists are alarmed by President Donald Trump’s calls for more measures to quell the protests. “The first arrest of many” is what Trump said on social media about Khalil’s arrest.
“The Trump Administration will not accept it,” he continued, adding that more Columbia and other universities nationwide have students who have participated in pro-terrorist, anti-Semitic, and anti-American activities.
CAIR New York Executive Director Afaf Nasher denounced the arrest of Mahmoud Khalil as a “shocking escalation” that “sets a dangerous precedent and undermines the civil liberties of all.” Rights groups are deeply alarmed by the episode, fearing that it could be the first of many arrests made against pro-Palestinian demonstrators.
Justin Trudeau was photographed leaving Parliament with a chair and his tongue protruding after he resigned as prime minister of Canada.
In a post on X, Brian Lilley, a political columnist for the Toronto Sun, pointed out that it is customary for Canadian legislators to take their seats with them when they depart Parliament.
“Any MP is free to take their chair and seat with them when they depart the Commons. I support this tradition because I think it is fantastic. Still, it is a strange picture of Trudeau taking his. He remarked on X, “Perhaps another indication of an impending election.”
Hours before the announcement of his successor as his party’s leader, Justin Trudeau emphasized the Liberal Party’s “achievements” over the previous ten years in his remarks as he stepped down, according to CBC News.
“I am damn proud of what we have done over these past 10 years for the middle class and the folks working hard to join it,” Justin Nauau stated during his statement at the Liberal Leadership Convention.
Justin Trudeau addressed the gathering as the Liberal Party embarks on a new chapter, saying, “There is a responsibility to ensure that Canada stays the best country on Earth! He asked his followers to continue fighting as hard as they can for Canada in one of his final speeches as Liberal leader and prime minister of Canada.
In response to public outrage over his government’s handling of a housing crisis and growing living expenses, Justin Trudeau resigned on January 6 as both prime minister and leader of the Liberal Party.
Mark Carney, Canada’s prime minister-designate, was chosen on Sunday to guide the Liberal Party of Canada into the upcoming federal elections later this year.
Carney took on this responsibility as Canada tries to avoid a trade war with US President Donald Trump.
He wrote in a post on X, “Thank you. We are strongest when we are united, therefore let us work together to create a stronger Canada.
Leaders News Blog 