A Dhaka court today placed bomb expert Mukit alias Boma Maulana, the mastermind of cocktail attacks on the premises of the Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions Judge Court, on a four-day remand in a case filed under Special Power Act of Lalbagh police station. Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Zaki Al Farabi passed the order as police produced him before the court and pleaded to place on four-day remand. Earlier, on December 25, a team of Lalbagh Division of DB arrested him from Chawkbazar area in Old Dhaka. According to the DB, the arrested Boma Maulana collected gunpowder and made about 400 bombs from October 27 to December 16. Later, these bombs were delivered to different areas of the capital. Jubo Dal President Sultan Salahuddin Tuku supplied gunpowder to make bombs. "They (bomb attackers) were rewarded if pictures of vandalism or arson attack were sent to London. One of the bombs supplied by Maulana was detonated on the premises of the Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions Judge Court," the DB added.   Source: BSS

Ex-Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan, his wife and many of his political aides are now banned from traveling abroad. But Khan, who himself imposed travel bans on opposition leaders while in power, stays defiant. Pakistan's government has slapped a travel ban on former Prime Minister Imran Khan, officials said on Friday. His wife, Bushra Bibi, and hundreds of his political aides have also been banned from traveling abroad, the officials added. Khan, 70, was ousted in a no-confidence vote in parliament last year and faces a number of legal challenges. His arrest on May 9 triggered a wave of violent protests — in which at least nine died — that subsided only after he was released on bail on a Supreme Court order three days later. More than 7,000 of his supporters have been arrested in a crackdown over the past couple of weeks. Khan reacted to the travel ban with a defiant statement on Twitter, saying he welcomed the move to put him on the so-called Exit Control List (ECL), as he had no plans to take trips abroad and would anyway rather take holidays in Pakistan. During the period it was in power from 2018 to 2022, Khan's government also imposed travel bans on several opposition leaders. Accusations of army involvement Members of Khan's Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party have blamed his arrest on the army, with which Khan has been at loggerheads for many months. Many also say the coalition government under Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif stands to benefit if Khan is found guilty, as that would bar him from taking part in future elections, possibly forever. A general election is due this year. The protests and controversy over Khan come as Pakistan is in the grips of a long-running economic crisis that has caused food prices to soar. The country of 231 million is also facing an ongoing threat of attacks by Islamist militants. Criticism over trials in military courts The government has said those who attacked military installations in protests after Khan's arrest will face summary trials in Pakistan's military courts, a move that has met with wide criticism from local and international rights groups. Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah Khan said on Friday that at least 33 people had so far been handed over to the military. Several government ministers have said that a ban on Khan's party is also being considered, something that might contribute to further political chaos in the country.

India has placed its first order for indigenous air to air missiles, in a move that will cut dependency on Russia for munitions and give the bulk of its fighter jets a combat edge that was missing during the Balakot air engagements with Pakistan. The order worth Rs 2,971 crore for ASTRA MK-I Beyond Visual Range (BVR) Air to Air Missile (AAM) was signed with Bharat Dynamics Limited for an undisclosed number of missiles. These will be fitted onboard Su 30 MKI fighter jets of the Indian Air Force as well as the naval MiG 29K/KUB carrier borne combat aircraft. Developed by Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO), Astra MK1 out ranges the current set of Russian origin air to air missiles being used by the air force that were found wanting during an aerial faceoff in the aftermath of the Balakot air strikes in 2019. In the counter strike attempt, Pakistan Air Force F 16s equipped with US supplied AIM 120 missiles could lock on and fire at Indian Sukhoi 30 MKIs from across the border. While the Sukhois were not hit as they performed evasive manoeuvres, the Indian jets could not strike back on the F 16s as they remained out of range.   The DRDO developed missile has a range of over 100 km, giving the air force extended time to take on threats from across the border. These missiles are set to progressively replace all Russian imports of long range air to air missiles in the future and further variants are being developed that will take its target range to beyond 200 km. Besides, the Astra will be integrated onboard the Tejas Light Combat Aircraft Mk1A that is currently under production by Hindustan Aeronautics NSE 0.22 % Limited (HAL NSE 0.22 %) as well as future indigenous fighter jets. It is however unlikely to be integrated with Rafale fighter jets in the immediate future due to technical reasons. "Till now, the technology to manufacture missile of this class indigenously was not available. The project embodies the spirit of 'Atmanirbhar Bharat' and will help facilitate realising our country's journey towards self-reliance in Air to Air Missiles," Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said after the signing. Designed to specifications of the air force, the missile is capable of Beyond Visual Range as well as Close Combat engagement and is dependent on indigenous sources for vital content like its seeker, propulsion, motor and data links. "The advantage of having your own missile of this class is that none of your adversaries are aware of its characteristics - how the missile behaves, what frequencies it uses or its limitations. It can also be improved or upgraded in-house, whenever the need arises," officials aware of the development process told ET. They added that the signing was a big landmark as it will pave the way for a range of air to air missiles in the future that will no longer need to be imported. They explained that major characteristics like guidance and propulsion have now been fully designed and productized, paving the way for similar missiles of different ranges.   Source: The Economic Times

India faces the continued risk of inflation but is better placed than many developed and developing countries to face the situation, Chief Economic Advisor V Anantha Nageswaran said on Tuesday, adding that the risk of stagflation in the economy was rather low.   “Stagflationary risk to India is quite low compared to other countries,” he said at a media briefing after the release of FY22 and January-March GDP data. “India’s problem in handling inflation is not an isolated case. However, it is better placed than other nations as the fiscal and monetary authorities have both taken steps to alleviate the pressure,” Nageswaran said. Stagflation is the phase when an economy faces moderation in GDP growth as well as high inflation.   India’s real GDP grew by 8.7 per cent for the year ending March 31, 2022 compared with a contraction of 6.6 per cent for the same period last year. For the January-March quarter, the economy grew 4.1 per cent.   Nageswaran said that except contact services like hospitality, tourism and leisure, all other sectors had bounced back to register a strong recovery compared to pre-pandemic levels and that the economy primarily showed strong growth in FY22 on the back of exports and government spending.   When asked about the precarious fiscal situation in FY23, Nageswaran said that inflation may lead to nominal GDP for the year being higher than the budgeted 11.2 per cent, which will help keep the fiscal deficit in check.   Speaking about the headwinds for the economy, primarily due to global conditions, Nageswaran said that high global prices of commodities with significant import dependency was a concern with regard to items like crude oil, edible oil, fertiliser, metals, etc. Among other headwinds, he listed tightening of monetary policies in most countries, supply chain bottlenecks, delays and shortage of key inputs and potential global recession with an impact on export growth for India.   “Balancing growth, inflation, fiscal and current deficits and the external value of the currency will be the continuing policy focus this financial year,” Nageswaran said.   Source: Business Standard

The bill titled "Appointment of the chief election commissioner and election commissioners Bill-2022" was placed today (Sunday) in the Jatiya Sangsad as the next commission should be formed under the new law.   Law Minister Anisul Haq placed the bill in the House with Speaker Dr Shirin Shrmin Chaudhury in the chair.   According to Article 118 (1) of the Constitution, the bill will give a legal shield to the appointments of the Chief Election Commissioner and election commissioners to form the EC.   The proposed legislature is likely to be passed in the ongoing session of parliament and new election commissioners will be appointed in line with the new law.   The tenure of the incumbent KM Nurul Huda led election commission will expire on February 14.   The cabinet approved the draft of appointing CEC and other election commissioners on January 17—the day the ruling Awami League led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina held dialogue with President Abdul Hamid at the Bangabhaban on formation of the next EC. Placing the bill, the law minister said the bill has been proposed to form a six-member search committee for recommending the names of qualified persons who will be eligible for appointing the CEC and ECs under the commission.   The search committee includes a supreme court appellate division justice, and a high court division justice both are nominated by the chief justice, Comptroller and auditor general, Bangladesh Public Service Commission Chairman and other two noted persons nominated by the President.   The search committee will seek recommendations to different political and professional bodies to provide their nominations, according the proposed bill.   After placing of the proposed law, the law minister proposed to send the bill to the parliamentary standing committee on the respective ministry for scrutiny and submit it before the House within next seven days. Source: BSS AH

As violence by Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan's (TLP) supporters continues to rage in Lahore and other cities, Pakistan's Punjab government has placed more than 100 clerics of the outlawed group on the list of terrorism and sectarianism suspects. A top official of the Punjab Home Department confirmed that the decision has been taken on the recommendation of the District Intelligence Committees. He said over 100 TLP clerics have been placed on the Fourth Schedule under the Anti-Terrorism Act, the News International reported. According to him, the number of Fourth Schedulers could be increased as the Home Department is receiving recommendations from all deputy commissioners of the province. Sources claimed that their assets have been frozen under the law and their national identity cards and bank accounts have been blocked. Additionally, their names would be placed on the Exit Control List (ECL) by the Interior Ministry. The Fourth Schedule is a list on which suspects of terrorism and sectarianism are placed under the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) 1997. The names of Fourth Schedulers are referred to the local police and law-enforcement agencies for effective monitoring. If a Fourth Scheduler wants to move somewhere, he has to inform the nearby police station. The assets of the clerics would be probed by the Counterterrorism Department. Furthermore, the Home Department has asked to freeze all properties owned by the TLP. "After this letter, the TLP would not be able to sell properties including seminaries, agriculture land, etc," said the official. "Sealing of offices of the banned TLP would be decided by the Ministry of Interior," said the official, adding that all DCs have been directed to restrain the movement of TLP workers towards Islamabad. TLP has recently been banned by the Pakistan government after violent protests following the arrest of their chief Saad Hussain Rizvi in Lahore on April 12. TLP Pakistan is a hardline religious group with a massive following across Pakistan. Recently, clashes broke out between TLP supporters and law enforcers. On Sunday, the city of Lahore became a battleground as workers of the recently banned party and policemen clashed. TLP workers also took 11 policemen hostage, who were later released after the first round of talks with the government. The government is currently engaging in talks with the workers of the TLP after a clash with the police in Lahore on Sunday. The deadlock between the government and TLP over the ongoing protests across the country continued, as the banned party demanded the resignation of Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed, the expulsion of the French ambassador to Pakistan, and the immediate release of the party chief Syed Saad Hussain Rizvi as well as the workers.

Four suspended policemen have been taken on a second phase of four-day remand by Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) in a case filed over the murder of Major (retd) Sinha Md Rashed Khan. The four policemen are assistant sub-inspector Litan Miah and constables Safanur Karim, Kamal Hossain and Abdullah Al Mamun. A team of Rapid Action Battalion took them from the district jail around 11:00am for further questioning, said jail superintendent Md Mokammel Hossain. Senior Assistant Superintendent of Police Khairul Islam, also investigation officer of the case, said the four accused were placed on four-day remand on August 24. Earlier, RAB remanded three other members of the police, former officer-in-charge (OC) of Teknaf Model Police Station Pradeep Kumar Das, inspector Liaquat and ASI Nandadulal, for questioning. Among them, Pradeep was remanded for 15 days in four phases and Liaquat and Nandadulal Rakshit for 14 days in three phases. Although Liaquat and Nandadulal made confessional statements under section 164, Pradeep did not agree. They are all in jail now. Eight people, including three members of APBN, have so far made confessional statements. Meanwhile, Additional Divisional Commissioner (Development) of Chattagram Division Mohammad Mizanur Rahman said the committee formed by the Home Ministry to probe the murder will submit a report to the ministry by September 7. Major (retd) Sinha was killed in police firing at Baharchhara police check-post on July 31. Sharmin Shahriar Ferdous, elder sister of Sinha, filed the case with Cox’s Bazar Senior Judicial Magistrate’s Court on August 5. Source: UNB AH

The court has granted seven-day remand for prime accused Asadul Haque in connection with the attempted murder case of Ghoraghat Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Wahida Khanam. The other two accused in this case are Nabirul Islam and Santu Kumar. On Sunday afternoon Asadul was produced before the court of Dinajpur senior judicial magistrate Maniruzzaman. The Investigation Officer sought for 10-day remand and the court granted for seven days. On Saturday afternoon Asadul was taken to Rangpur Medical College Hospital due to breathing problem. Asadul was not present on Friday when the other two accused were produced before the press conference of RAB-13. Meanwhile, the case of attempt to kill UNO Wahida Khanam and her father Omor Ali was transferred to the Detective Branch. On Wednesday midnight the miscreants attacked the UNO and her father at her official residence at Ghoraghat under Dinajpur district. Later they were admitted to Rangpur medical College Hospital for treatment. As the condition of Wahida deteriorated she was airlifted to Dhaka. Currently she is undergoing treatment at National Institute of Neurosciences Hospital in the capital after a successful critical operation there. AH

The court has granted seven days remand for Majnu who is accused in raping a female student of Dhaka University at Kurmitola in the capital. The court of Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Sarafuzzaman Ansari granted the seven days remand on Thursday. Earlier Detective Branch (DB) Police Inspector Abu Siddiq appealed for 10-day remand before the court. Mentionable, the DU student was raped on Sunday evening at Kurmitola area when she got down from the university bus. She was also physically assaulted. Then she reached at her destination boarded on an auto rickshaw after 10 pm. At around 12 am she was taken to the emergency department of Dhaka Medical College Hospital. Then she was admitted to One-stop Crisis Center (OCC) there. On Monday (January 6) morning father of the student filed a case with Cantonment police station accusing unknown person. Police later collected evidences after identifying the crime spot. Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) arrested accused Majnu on Wednesday morning from Shewra area in the capital. RAB sources said, Majnu confessed about his involvement in the rape incident in primary interrogation. Majnu was handed over to DB police on Wednesday evening. AH

Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner Asaduzzaman Mia informed that the cocktail that exploded on a police vehicle at Malibag mor was placed there earlier. He delivered the information on Monday while visiting the explosion injured rickshaw puller Lal Mia at Dhaka Medical College Hospital on Monday. The DMP Commissioner said, the exploded cocktail at Malibag was stronger than normal cocktail. It was an improvised cocktail. He said, after the incident Counter Terrorism Unit and Bomb Disposal team visited the spot. They collected the evidences. At the primary stage it seems to us that the cocktail was placed on the police vehicle earlier. Mentionable, an explosion occurred on a pick up van of police and caught fire at 8:53 pm at Malibag mor area in the capital. Assistant Sub Inspector Rasheda Akter, rickshaw puller Lal Mia and a pedestrian were injured in the incident. AH