How does one explain the fact that the administration of U.S. President Joe Biden has made Bangladesh a focus of its democracy promotion efforts by dangling the threat of visa sanctions against officials who undermine free elections while staying silent on the undeclared martial law situation in Pakistan, where mass arrests, disappearances and torture have become political weapons? The short answer is that U.S. promotion of democratic rights has long been selective, with geopolitical considerations often dominant. The pursuit of moral legitimacy for the cause of democracy promotion has also contributed to making sanctions the tool of choice for U.S. policymakers. In the case of Bangladesh, the Biden administration is seeking to leverage two other factors: that close relatives of many Bangladeshi politicians live in the U.S. or Britain, including Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's son who holds an American green card; and that the bulk of Bangladesh's exports go to the West, with the U.S. the top destination. Few can object to what Secretary of State Antony Blinken says is the U.S. goal: that Bangladesh's next election in early 2024 is free and fair. However, his threat to withhold visas from individuals "responsible for, or complicit in, undermining the democratic election process" is hardly conducive to the promotion of this aim. If anything, it is likely to prove counterproductive. Hasina, daughter of the country's independence leader and first head of state, contends that the U.S. is pursuing a strategy of regime change in her country. "They are trying to eliminate democracy and introduce a government that will not have a democratic existence," she told parliament in April. "It will be an undemocratic action." Leading a secular government since 2009 that Bangladesh's Islamists detest, Hasina has given the country political stability and rapid economic growth, although the global economic fallout from the Ukraine war is now weighing on the country's finances. Bangladesh's impressive growth trajectory stands in stark contrast to the chronic political and economic turmoil seen in Pakistan, which today is teetering on the brink of default. Yet while Bangladesh was excluded from the Summits for Democracy convened in 2021 and earlier this year by Biden, Pakistan was invited both times though it did not attend either. While continuing to reward Pakistan by prioritizing short-term geopolitical considerations, the Biden administration has been criticizing democratic backsliding in Bangladesh. In 2021, it designated Bangladesh's elite Rapid Action Battalion and six of its current and former leaders as complicit in, or engaged in, serious human rights abuses in relation to the country's war on drugs, effectively freezing all their assets in the U.S. In December, Peter Haas, the U.S. ambassador to Bangladesh, insolently demanded that the authorities investigate a deadly clash between police and members of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, which is the country's largest opposition party and has allied itself with radical Islamist parties. More recently, Blinken told Bangladeshi Foreign Minister Abdul Momen of his "concerns about violence against, and intimidation of, the media and civil society," according to a State Department statement. Blinken's wielding of the visa-sanctions stick is clearly aimed at members of Hasina's government, including law enforcement and other security officials, although the announcement of the new policy also mentioned members of opposition parties. But sanctioning foreign officials usually serves no more than a symbolic purpose while hampering diplomacy. It can also have unintended consequences. Earlier this month, Beijing rebuffed Washington's request for a meeting in Singapore between U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Gen. Li Shangfu, his Chinese counterpart. Beijing cited Li's presence on a U.S. sanctions list to which he was added five years before his appointment in March as defense minister. It could even be argued that U.S. sanctions against Min Aung Hlaing, the commander-in-chief of the Myanmar military, alongside three other senior commanders, contributed to the coup that ousted the country's civilian government in 2021, as the generals may have felt they had little to lose personally by going ahead. Added sanctions since then have only exacerbated Myanmar's internal situation and driven the country closer to China. From Myanmar and Iran to Belarus and Cuba, U.S. sanctions have failed to bring about political change. The relative decline of American influence and the ongoing shift in global power from the West to the East are making U.S.-led sanctions less and less effective. However, with the West still controlling the global financial architecture and the dollar remaining the world's primary reserve currency, sanctions are still an attractive option for American policymakers. The new hard line toward Dhaka makes little sense. The Hasina government could be a significant partner in the U.S. war on terror and in improving Asian security. Instead, bilateral relations are under strain. No one from the Biden administration even met with Hasina when she visited Washington last month for discussions with the World Bank and International Monetary Fund. While in Singapore this month, Austin declared that America "will not flinch in the face of bullying or coercion" from China. But bullying and coercion are also unlikely to advance U.S. interests in Bangladesh. In fact, bullying the world's seventh-most populous country, far from helping to promote a free and fair election, is more likely to revive painful memories of how the U.S. looked the other way in 1971 as the Pakistani military brutally resisted Bangladesh's efforts to achieve independence from Islamabad, slaughtering up to 3 million people. What is Washington really after now? Source: asia.nikkei.com

People from urban areas are buying honey from the market but many may not have seen bees’ everyday. We must remember that all depend on the survival of bees but the irony is that bees and other pollinators, such as butterflies, bats, hummingbirds, are under threat from human activities. Nearly 90% of the world’s wild flowering plant species depend, entirely, or at least in part, on animal pollination, along with more than 75% of the world’s food crops and 35% of global agricultural land. To raise awareness of the importance of pollinators, the threats they face and their contribution to sustainable development, the UN designated 20 May as World Bee Day. Bees and other pollinators are fundamental for the health of ecosystems and food security. They help maintain biodiversity and ensure the production of nutritious food. There is no doubt that bees are under threat. Present species extinction rates are 100 to 1,000 times higher than normal due to human impacts. Close to 35 percent of invertebrate pollinators, particularly bees and butterflies, and about 17 percent of vertebrate pollinators, such as bats, face extinction globally. If this trend continues, nutritious crops, such as fruits, nuts and many vegetable crops will be substituted increasingly by staple crops like rice, corn and potatoes, eventually resulting in an imbalanced diet. One of the career or business opportunities can be apiculture. Bee keeping or apiculture is the maintenance of bee colonies, commonly in man-made beehives. Honey bees in the genus Apis are the most commonly kept species but other honey producing bees such as Melipona stingless bees are also kept. Beekeepers (or apiarists) keep bees to collect honey and other products of the hive: beeswax, propolis, bee pollen, and royal jelly. Pollination of crops, raising queens, and production of package bees for sale are other sources of beekeeping income. Bee hives are kept in an apiary or "bee yard". The keeping of bees by humans, primarily for honey production, began around 10,000 years ago. Georgia is known as the "cradle of beekeeping" and the oldest honey ever found comes from that country. The 5,500-year-old honey was unearthed from the grave of a noblewoman during archaeological excavations in 2003 near the town Borjomi. Ceramic jars found in the grave contained several types of honey, including linden and flower honey. Domestication of bees can be seen in Egyptian art from around 4,500 years ago; there is also evidence of beekeeping in ancient China, Greece, and Maya. To promote beekeeping in India we have the National Bee Board and National Beekeeping and Honey Mission. Khadi & Village Industries Commission also promotes activities related to bees in the country. At KVIC through its Central Bee Research & Training Institute (CBRTI), 15 State Beekeeping Extension centers (SBEC), 100 registered institutions, Cooperatives and State Khadi and Village Industries Boards undertake training programs throughout the country. Few training includes Diploma in Beekeeping (6 months) for which required qualification is B.Sc (Biology/ Agri. / Forestry). There are other courses for which required academic qualification is either 10th pass or even without academic qualifications. Source: e-pao.net

In a world filled with diverse societies and factions, I felt that today, when the whole world has become a global village, it is important to foster harmony and integration with freedom and respect for each other’s religions and languages. There is no doubt that throughout history, the birth of religions and languages has been essential for the needs of time and society. They have played and continue to play significant roles in shaping our lives. However, in the 21st century, where humanity has reached a stage where its life and challenges are intertwined, a shared language is necessary to effectively communicate with one another. In addition, religion should be kept personal to an individual, as the less its influence on society, the more societies can progress beyond the boundaries of a particular religious group. Certainly, this does not mean that all languages should be eradicated, but the idea is that a shared language should be learned by everyone. It does not imply the elimination of all religions either. If religion remains confined to personal faith, it is better for both individuals and society. Religion’s intrusion into personal and social life creates various problems. English has already developed as a shared language in almost all countries worldwide, so why not make it compulsory for everyone to learn a second or third language? This way, people can come closer to one another. Humanity can progress further with increased mutual understanding. However, the lovers of regional languages are reluctant to accept this idea. They fail to understand that everything cannot remain the same in this changing world. The pace of change cannot be slowed down. Similarly, religious factions also pose a threat to unity and change. They do not want people to freely interact and express their thoughts with one another. Therefore, we have trapped ourselves in our own compartments. In multicultural societies, where freedom is for everyone, we have started isolating ourselves from one another. Our customs, clothing, lifestyle, traditions, and values should not isolate us from one another. Religion should be our character and behavior, apart from which we should go beyond food, clothing, language, traditions, and customs. Humanity as a whole should be considered as siblings. Nothing should be above humanity, not religion, language, country, or community. It should be shared by all of us. Our sorrows and joys should be shared. Only then can we make this Earth more beautiful. Source: khalsavox.com

Kashmir is all set to host a G20 meeting this month, at the summer capital Srinagar. The G-20 delegates will assemble together to discuss the open challenges related to socio-economic issues in the valley. It will be an amazing moment for people to witness an international meeting for the first time in Kashmir. The heart of the valley ‘Srinagar’ will be a perfect spot for the G-20 junction. The valley has been given a makeover like a “bride”. Many areas are being beautified and redeveloped for the arrival of the dignitaries. Graffiti art is being plastered all over blank walls and streets to express cultural diversity and scenic beauty. Flags are being painted to showcase unity and strength among people. It is good news that delegates would be visiting famous tourist spots including”Gulmarg” which pops in the top list of the most popular resort of the world. Therefore, the current administration making efforts for the beautification and maintenance of the Srinagar to Gulmarg roadway from where the delegates shall travel. The beauty will leave a long-lasting effect in their minds. They will not only admire the beauty of Kashmir but also help in boosting our economy through tourism. The twenty countries will definitely try to bring in new changes so that we can progress in the future. It is good news that the smart city project is walking hand in hand with the G-20 event. It is like icing on the cake. Srinagar a commercial city required a makeover for a long time but no attention has been paid. With the advent of the LG administration, arrangements have been made to strengthen the preparations for G-20 under the smart city project. Lal Chowk, (a business hub) and ancient Srinagar will replicate to modern places like Delhi, Chandigarh, etc. People will have a Mumbai or Delhi feeling while shopping in bazaars. More new markets will be set up to improve the appearance of the city. It will be a great experience for people as well as the tourists. The G20 meeting in Kashmir is hope for thousands of unemployed youth and will create new job avenues and investment opportunities in the near future. It will also focus on development in different regions. It is a golden chance for talented youth to show their skills and willpower to delegates from different countries. This is a time to prove our mettle in front of the world. These 20 delegates will help to take our skills to the next level. They will give a face-value response to the valley. Tourism, Handicrafts, Art, etc will be noticed by them. Everyone has to be prepared for the event so that we can reap its fruit. Source: Good Morning Kashmir

Despite resistance from Pakistan and China, New Delhi’s decision to host a meeting of Group of 20 or G20 countries in Srinagar, is set to be a game-changer not only for the economy of the valley, but a diplomatic victory for India. For people of Kashmir, who have seen violence for the last more than three decades, hosting the G20 summit is a matter of great pride. The G20 summit is a global signal that Kashmir is open for business. Notably, this is for the first time after the abrogation of Articles 370 and 35-A, Jammu and Kashmir will be hosting an international event during which it can showcase its stunning beauty, its rich culture and extraordinary tourism potential to the rest of the world which in turn could trigger a virtuous economic cycle of greater investment, growth and employment generation. Handicrafts and tourism destinations of Kashmir will be highlighted on the global platform after the successful culmination of the grand event scheduled from May 22-25. When Delhi hosted 1982 Asian Games, it turned a sleepy provincial city into a national engine of growth, and it is hoped the G20 summit will similarly transform Srinagar. The Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) has rightly said that this event “will give a massive boost to the economy of the region.” The G-20 has emerged as the world's premier intergovernmental forum, comprising both developed and developing countries. The bloc accounts for roughly two-thirds of the world population and 80% of world trade. While Pakistan had lobbied its allies in G20, like Saudi Arabia Turkey and indeed China, to stop the meeting in Srinagar, only Beijing is likely ignore the Srinagar meeting, like in the case of Arunachal Pradesh. Around 50 delegates had participated in the G20 meeting in Arunachal Pradesh and the government is expecting a similar response to the event in Srinagar that will be an opportunity for India to refute Pakistan’s claims of human rights violations in Kashmir. The government will hope to convey to the world through the high-profile event that normalcy has returned in the Union Territory (UT). India which took over the presidency of the G20, an economic cooperation bloc comprised of 19 countries and the European Union, in December of last year, shocked Pakistan and China by choosing Srinagar as the venue for the working committee meeting as part of the G-20 summit. By objecting to a normal G-20 meeting Pakistan seeks to play to the gallery back home and divert attention from political instability and the appalling state of the economy. Once the G20 summit ends and tourism takes off, it will amplify the earlier-stated multiplier effect and generate jobs. These new jobs will lead to higher consumption. In turn, this will boost business confidence and lead to greater investment. India has invited delegates from six to seven non-G20 member countries, five to six foreign based non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and tourism secretaries from 12 States/Union Territories which have large potential of tourism to attend G20 pre-summit on Tourism Working Group (TWG) in Srinagar. Significantly, some Islamic countries are among the non G20 foreign nations whose representatives have been invited for the pre-summit to send strong message to China and Pakistan which are opposing holding of meeting in Srinagar. To make the event beautiful and historic, Srinagar city has been converted into a smart city with famous Dal Lake decorated like a bride and the shikaras (boats) present in the Lake being decorated with new colours. Srinagar city these days presents a festive look unlike the past when it was in news for violence. G20 summit hoardings can be seen all over the place and everything is being renovated. The credit for this goes to Lt Governor Manoj Sinha and his team, who have been tirelessly working to make Kashmir a hub of economic activities for the last almost three years.  When Manoj Sinha took over as L-G of J&K amid the Covid-19 pandemic and other uncertainties in August 2020, he had said only objective of his administration was to accelerate the economic development of the Union Territory and make it multi-dimensional. Almost three years down the line the L-G can proudly boast of his achievements. Earlier this year Kashmir got its first foreign investment, with Dubai’s Emaar Group due to build a $60 million shopping and office complex. Emaar, builder of the world’s tallest tower, the Burj Khalifa, is Dubai’s largest listed developer. The Dubai government owns a minority stake in the developer through its sovereign wealth fund. Working within the tenets of financial prudence, transparency, and accountability, the Jammu and Kashmir government is moving ahead the agenda of all-round development in the region. The UT is witnessing a huge increase in the number of start-ups by the youth. E-commerce, horticulture, agriculture, the food industry and crafts are some of the major sectors in which these start-ups have been started. Unemployment remains one of the major concerns for the government but new start-ups by the local youth will not only promote local business but also generating employment for hundreds of youngsters. Kashmir is a virgin valley and there is a scope for many start-ups to come up here. Having a virgin market means an opportunity and start-ups are the main builders of any country or state, so having so many start-ups would generate employment and push us for growth. The handholding of youngsters by the L-G administration is done through training as well as providing them with a one-time grant by the government. Source: Rising Kashmir

It has been a while now since India released a list of upcoming G-20 meetings, it will host as this year’s president of the group of top economies. The list states a tourism working group meeting in Srinagar, the summer capital of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir, in May. The meeting will mark the first major international event in the region since August 2019. The purpose of hosting the meetings at various locations across India suggests the country aims to showcase its geographical diversity and cultural richness to the world. It also provides an opportunity for different regions to showcase their development and investment potential to attract foreign investment and boost their local economies. It held G-20 tourism meetings in the states of Gujarat and West Bengal earlier this year and has scheduled another in the state of Goa in June. A similar historical event in Jammu and Kashmir also suggests that New Delhi wants to give a clear-cut message that the region is stable, peaceful and ready to engage globally after the revocation of its statehood in 2019. The move is also aimed at improving the image of the region and encouraging tourism and investment in the area. While India’s understanding and narrative of the situation, on its face value is backed by the recent developments suggesting a return to normalcy in Kashmir. The militant violence has subsided to an extent, despite the targeted killings of Hindus. Tourism figures for the region broke records last year, although tourism is mostly domestic and experts relate the rise to the post-Covid phenomenon. Investors are coming, too. In March, an Emirati property company also announced a $60 million project to build a shopping mall and offices in Srinagar. However, on the other front, things changed drastically with improvement in the overall situation in the region. India, by taking Pro-people initiatives, and plans to overhaul the fanatics of narratives spurred before abrogation is on its deathbed. As the situation in Jammu and Kashmir remains complex, and there are ongoing challenges in promoting peaceful dialogue and reconciliation in the region. After taking suitable steps the enemy engaged in Kashmir got a foul. Now the security and safety of the citizens improved resulting in new opportunities of possibilities. All this made people of the region happy and more happiness is expected to come in the shape of G-20. This has immensely reopened the paradise to the world. Further to it, the region is very happy under the governor’s rule, as it has served the best form of governance as was not expected. It comes in bad times with good results. It had left no criticism because it had conducted three tire elections first time in the region to ensure democracy at the gross root level to the people of Jammu and Kashmir. The upcoming G-20 meeting to be held in the region is to be seen as an extension of India’s efforts to display its influence on global economies and suggest that the world stands by its side. Purposefully or otherwise, a loud and clear message will be delivered across the border, tremors of which can be felt within recent communications of the country. While Pakistan has failed to gather an audience for its concerns, India remains unchallenged and straightforward with regard to its policy on Jammu and Kashmir. The clear-cut foreign policy of keeping the country’s interests first, accompanied by economic manoeuvring. India has successfully held their viewpoint on Kashmir before the world platform. Holding such meetings make India stronger politically, economically and strategically in the realm of the international forum of leadership. Domestically the rhetoric of attracting foreign investments in the region following the G-20 meeting has picked up the pace. While the meeting has other purposes on the table, India truly aspires to attract foreign investments in the region from the major economies of the world. Taking a positive approach by conducting G-20 meeting in the vale will make the global community acquainted with the peace, and stability in the region claimed by India to the world community so far. This will also be helping India in isolating Pakistan at the international corium with regard to Jammu and Kashmir. So far, so good, people of the region are engaged in welcoming the event of G-20 meetings and are hopeful of a positive outcome for a long time. Source: greaterkashmir.com

Capitals worldwide, regardless of their distance from Kyiv, are feeling the reverberations of the war in Ukraine, which has impacted not only global political and financial systems but also common people everywhere. Ukraine is a key contributor of grain, edible oil and fertilisers to the world’s supply chains and Russia is a major exporter of natural gas and crude oil. Shortages of these items are leading to falling stock markets, rising prices, public discontent and even political upheaval. Vladimir Putin’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine reminds us that realism remains the bedrock of inter-state relations and that “might” is still “right”. His reckless nuclear sabre rattling has not only brought us perilously close to the brink of World War III but also resulted in widespread collateral damage. Economic sanctions may not have killed globalisation but as countries seek alternate sources of food, energy, commodities and arms, polarisation and realignments are underway. The casus belli of this conflict can be discussed endlessly but it has two essential facets. First, is Putin’s argument that a Ukrainian nation does not exist, because “it is an inalienable part of Russia’s history, culture and spiritual space.” Such revanchist claims are made by hegemonic states to camouflage their quest for dominance and are echoed in China’s “Nine-dash line” in the South China Sea, its occupation of India’s Aksai Chin and blatant claims on Arunachal Pradesh. On the other hand, Putin accuses the US and Europe of bad faith, citing the assurance given to a worried Gorbachev that NATO would advance “not an inch eastward”. This solemn undertaking was allegedly violated when NATO enlisted, in the next decade, 10 former Warsaw Pact members. With Finland as the latest entrant, NATO is now, 31-strong and Russia feels truly cornered. Notwithstanding this, there was as little justification for Russia’s aggression on a sovereign neighbour as there is for the West to egregiously fuel the ongoing conflict by a sustained supply of weaponry to Ukraine. This conflict has posed a dilemma for New Delhi, which remains engaged with Russia and China in the BRICS format as well as in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), while also partnering with the US in the Quad and Malabar groupings. To add complexity, India simultaneously holds presidencies of the G20 and SCO. Astute statesmanship will be required if India is to eke advantage from this “tightrope walk” while maintaining “strategic autonomy”. Russia, in the wake of its bungled invasion, was badly in need of friends when China came to its rescue. With Xi Jinping now firmly in Putin’s corner, China will not countenance a Russian setback. The consequent relegation of Moscow to a “junior partner” gives Beijing great leverage and fetters Russia’s capacity to pursue independent relations with other states, especially India. Given the rapid decline of Russia’s capability/reliability as a defence supplier and our parlous security environment, India’s decision-makers should worry. The recent Poonch ambush shows that despite multiple ongoing domestic crises, the Pakistan army-ISI combine remains undeterred and persists with cross-border terrorism. Of equal concern should be the stonewalling of Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh’s demarche about the “violation of existing agreements” by his Chinese counterpart, Li Shangfu. For New Delhi to stand firm against this dual-threat it needs to undertake a re-appraisal of its policies and accord priority to “power-balancing” as well as “technology acquisition” on its diplomatic agenda. The Quad and Malabar groupings, whose membership includes Japan and Australia, are a manifestation of the convergence of US and Indian strategic interests. Although these forums appear to be serving a useful military-diplomatic purpose, their overall impact has been underwhelming. While China’s frequent intimidatory messages to Quad nations indicate that it sees this grouping as a potential impediment to its hegemonic grand plan, the Quad members — barring the US — have shown nervousness and trepidation in their responses. Quad meetings go to great lengths to emphasise that the grouping has no security implications and is not an “Asian NATO”. It is time for India to motivate its Quad partners to evolve a meaningful charter and agenda and to invest the grouping with substance — and teeth. In this context two new US initiatives deserve mention. In September 2021, Australia, the UK and US announced the formation of a trilateral security pact, AUKUS. Under it, the US and Britain apart from sharing many advanced technologies with Australia would also assist it in acquiring a nuclear attack submarine (or SSN) force. Apart from basing the US and UK’s SSNs in Australia, Project SSN-AUKUS envisages training Australian crew in nuclear operations, sale of 3 Virginia-class SSNs and delivery of the first UK-built SSN to Australia in the late 2030s. SSN-AUKUS brings into stark relief the complete absence of any similar offer of training, military technology or hardware, by the US to India. This is despite warm bilateral ties, a “strategic partnership”, the “historic and path-breaking” Indo-US civil nuclear deal and a host of defence-related agreements. Perhaps it was to address this stasis in Indo-US relations that an Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technologies (iCET) was announced in May 2022 by Joe Biden. It remains to be seen if iCET results in significant sales or transfer of technology to India or ends up as an addition to the “alphabet soup” of Indo-US agreements. India, a nuclear-weapon state and space power, also fields the world’s fourth-largest military. And yet, the lackadaisical performance of its military-industrial complex has rendered it abjectly import-dependent for weaponry. While “atmanirbharta” is a laudable quest, technology has long gestation periods and we should draw useful lessons from China. In a single-minded campaign since the 1960s, China has employed reverse engineering, coercion, and even blatant theft to acquire military technology from the USSR and the West. It is time for India to adopt a ‘whole of government’ approach so that trade, commerce, and diplomacy can be synergised, to leverage the acquisition of military technology that will make us truly atmanirbhar in the long run Source: indianexpress.com