- 5 minutes ago
In this episode of India Today Global, the big focus is on the historic national elections in Bangladesh, the first since the ouster of Sheikh Hasina.
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00:16Hello and welcome, I'm Geeta Mohan and you're watching India Today Global.
00:20Now, it's one of the most important moments in the history of Bangladesh,
00:24India's eastern neighbor with whom India shares the longest border.
00:28Bangladesh voted today since the ouster of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina,
00:32whose government was toppled by a Gen Z movement.
00:35Polling in Bangladesh took place in 299 constituencies.
00:40This is the first national election since the 2024 July Revolution.
00:44This election also ends the 18-month of interim governance led by Muhammad Yunus.
00:51The two major parties which contested is Bangladesh Nationalist Party, that's the BNP,
00:55and 11-party alliance led by the Jamaat-e-Islami and the youth-centric National Citizen Party.
01:03Tariq Rahman of the BNP and Shafiqo Rahman of the Jamaat-e-Islami.
01:07However, the Bangladesh Election Commission cancelled voting in one of the constituencies
01:12after the death of the candidate.
01:15A total of 50 political parties contested in the polls,
01:18with 1,755 candidates and 273 independents.
01:24Sheikh Hasina's party, the Awami League, was banned from contesting elections.
01:29Yunus had termed the day the birthday of New Bangladesh,
01:33urging citizens to vote freely and peacefully.
01:36Meanwhile, voting for the national referendum was also held to decide
01:39if the July Charter will be adopted or not.
01:44For decades, elections in Bangladesh was about two begums
01:48and their strong political families, Khalida Zia and Sheikh Hasina.
01:53But this election sees Awami League banned and Jamaat returning after being banned for years.
01:59An incident of cocktail bomb explosions reported near a polling station in Munshi Ganj district.
02:05According to local officials, several cocktail bombs did explode on the roadside outside the polling station,
02:13spreading fear among voters and residents in the surrounding areas in Munshi Ganjadar.
02:23The presiding officer confirmed the explosion,
02:25stating that law enforcement personnel rushed to the scene immediately after being informed.
02:40And news just coming in, this is again to do with Bangladesh polls.
02:44Tariq Rahman, son of Khalida Zia, of the BNP, he heads the BNP now, is leading in polls.
02:52That's news coming in.
02:53These are early trends, but it's important.
02:56Results are likely to be out by tomorrow afternoon.
02:58Sources in the Bangladesh government say that the new government is likely to take forth by 17th of February.
03:07The ex-Prime Minister Khalida Zia and late Prime Minister Khalida Zia's son
03:13is the frontrunner when it comes to the next Prime Minister of Bangladesh.
03:18Tariq Rahman looks set to become the next Prime Minister.
03:23Indrajeet Kundu, my colleague who is in Dhaka following all the developments
03:27and has covered the election far and wide, joins me for more on this.
03:32Indra, it seems like Tariq Rahman is set to be the next Prime Minister of Bangladesh,
03:38although, like you had said yesterday,
03:41that the voting and the elections is bipolar between BNP and Jamaat.
03:47Well, that's right. It was a bipolar contest and a fierce contest nonetheless.
03:53But as early trends emerge right now and all through the night,
03:58the counting process will continue.
04:00Most in Bangladesh media are now reporting that the BNP is already meeting.
04:04Now, these are unofficial numbers.
04:06The Election Commission hasn't come up with the official numbers
04:08because it will take some time.
04:09It's a tedious process.
04:11The elections have taken place on ballots.
04:14There are 42,000, mind you, election centres or polling booths.
04:19All these numbers will have to be tallied.
04:21So, one can expect a final result by tomorrow morning,
04:26later half of the morning.
04:28But the initial trends now suggest that the BNP is well on course
04:33and might form the new government in Bangladesh.
04:37Right. Indra, stay on with us.
04:39Earlier, you had spoken to Mehdi Ameen,
04:41advisor to BNP chief Tariq Rahman,
04:43who's likely to be the next Prime Minister of Bangladesh.
04:46Let's listen in to what he had to say.
04:51We've met a lot of people in Dhaka
04:53who say that the mood is cheerful, celebratory.
04:57How do you see these polls panning out?
04:59See, people are voting after 18 years.
05:02Of course, there is massive enthusiasm.
05:04It's a festivity.
05:07People believe that for the first time in many years,
05:10they'll be able to express themselves,
05:12choose their own representatives.
05:14BNP being the largest party,
05:16most popular political party,
05:18we believe if it's a free, fair and credible election,
05:21we are on course to win.
05:24Unfortunately, last night,
05:25we saw some sporadic incidents
05:27where our opposition party
05:29tried to capture different polling centres.
05:33We saw how they tried to provoke violence.
05:42There were activities
05:44which violate the electoral integrity and rules,
05:47but we put our trust on the interim government,
05:50on the election commission
05:51and the law enforcement agencies,
05:53and we believe
05:55if we all work together,
05:57pro-democracy stakeholders
05:58ensure peace and coexistence.
06:01If the elections are free and fair,
06:03so you're saying
06:04there's still some amount of anxiety
06:06within the BNP
06:07that there might be
06:09some illegitimate acts
06:11during the poll process?
06:12Last night,
06:13there were clear evidence
06:14of some activities
06:16that took place
06:17that hampers the electoral integrity.
06:20Similar allegations
06:21have come against your party as well.
06:22Some.
06:23There are allegations,
06:25but the evidence,
06:26the proof goes against them.
06:27That's the ground reality.
06:29But,
06:30having said it all,
06:31since this morning
06:32we have seen
06:33volumes of people
06:34in every centre
06:35coming out with passion,
06:36with enthusiasm.
06:37So it's a celebration.
06:39And we believe
06:41if this festivity continues
06:43and if we all work together
06:46to ensure
06:47that credible elections,
06:49people's voice
06:49will be heard
06:50through ballot
06:51and then BNP
06:52will come as winner.
06:53And the first one,
06:54it's a given,
06:55an interesting factor
06:55and perhaps
06:56very crucial as well
06:58is that
06:59you said that BNP
07:00is the biggest,
07:01the largest political party
07:03in Bangladesh right now,
07:04which is in operation.
07:05Your rivals,
07:06the Awami League,
07:07has now been banned.
07:08So they are not participating
07:09in this election.
07:10They aren't.
07:11They are not being allowed.
07:12So will that be
07:14a question mark
07:15on the legitimacy
07:16of these elections?
07:17Not really.
07:18The people of Bangladesh
07:19have rejected Awami League
07:20because of the
07:20human rights violations,
07:21the corruption,
07:22the infosalty disappearances,
07:23extrajudicial killings,
07:24custody of debts,
07:25all the activities
07:25they've done.
07:26So now it's among
07:27the pro-democracy
07:28political parties
07:28and the BNP
07:29remains the most
07:30formidable force
07:30with tremendous support
07:32all across the country.
07:33We are very confident
07:34with the public mandate
07:34we're going to
07:35from the next government.
07:37Against you,
07:37one last question.
07:38Against you,
07:38of course,
07:39is the Jamaat.
07:40The Jamaat itself
07:41was banned a few years back.
07:42The ban has been lifted.
07:44We spoke to the Jamaat,
07:45Amir.
07:45There are certain issues
07:46that the Jamaat speaks of
07:48which seems problematic,
07:49especially women's rights,
07:51you know,
07:51LGBTQ rights,
07:53as far as
07:54Sharia laws are concerned.
07:55Does these things
07:56bother the BNP as well
07:58in the political spectrum?
07:59Well, it bothers the entire country.
08:01BNP remains a political party
08:02which has led women's empowerment.
08:04We believe women
08:05should be empowered,
08:06integrated,
08:07and have the same opportunities
08:09as men
08:09to build a country together.
08:10As opposed to that,
08:12the party that you're referring to,
08:13they've come up with
08:14abusive comments,
08:15cartelling working hours
08:16for the women,
08:18suppressing them.
08:19That doesn't go with
08:19the aspiration of the country.
08:20So this election
08:21is also to make a choice
08:23of which course
08:23Bangladesh is going to go.
08:24A liberal,
08:25inclusive nation,
08:26thriving with gender equality,
08:27or more radicalisation
08:30in terms of how women
08:32will be treated.
08:32So BNP
08:33has been the party
08:36which has always
08:37promoted women's rights.
08:40Sheikh Prasindir Rahman,
08:41Prime Minister of Mkhitaryan,
08:43they all advocated
08:44for women's empowerment.
08:46And that hallmark
08:48is taken forward
08:49by Mr. Tharik Rahman
08:50as well.
08:51And you have heard
08:52about family card,
08:52BNP scheme
08:53for women's empowerment
08:55in every family.
08:56We have come up
08:57with various policies
08:59which will integrate
09:00women more
09:01in the mainstream
09:02of the society
09:03of business,
09:03of politics.
09:05So we take pride
09:06in that
09:06as part of our policies,
09:08as part of our programmes,
09:09and we believe
09:09people will vote for us.
09:12Women will come
09:12in big numbers
09:13to vote for us
09:14because they believe in us.
09:15They put their trust
09:16on BNP.
09:17Mr. Amin,
09:18in your manifesto,
09:19you've also spoken
09:20about mutual trust
09:21and respect
09:21with other nations,
09:23specifically in the neighbourhood.
09:25In that context,
09:26the most obvious question
09:27is the biggest neighbour,
09:28India and Bangladesh
09:29and India,
09:30share an extremely deep
09:32and friendly ties.
09:33But over the past two years,
09:35we've seen massive amounts
09:36of strain
09:37in that relationship.
09:38If the BNP at all
09:39comes to power,
09:40how do you plan
09:42and to rebuild
09:43that relationship?
09:45Of course,
09:45we want a relation
09:47that's thriving
09:49based on equality,
09:50fairness and justice,
09:51a pragmatic
09:51and sustainable relation
09:53where both the nations
09:54are benefited,
09:55the interest and sovereignty
09:56of both the nations
09:57are protected.
09:58It's only in the interest
09:59of both the nations
10:00to forge people-to-people ties,
10:02to enhance connectivity,
10:05for bilateral relations,
10:07for multilateral relations.
10:08So every attempt
10:11should be made
10:11to enhance the ties,
10:13but while ensuring
10:15that the relation
10:16is reciprocal
10:16and the relation
10:18serves the purpose
10:19of both the nations.
10:20When you say reciprocal,
10:21one last point,
10:22then will the presence
10:23of the former prime minister
10:25who is convicted now,
10:26Sheikh Hasina,
10:27in Delhi,
10:28will that have an impact
10:29on the bilateral relationships
10:31between India and Bangladesh?
10:32Of course,
10:33once we form the government,
10:35we'll talk on that
10:36on bilateral level,
10:37based on the aspirations
10:38of the people of Bangladesh,
10:39what the people
10:40of Bangladesh want.
10:40BNP being a pro-people party,
10:43we'll try to reflect
10:45the aspirations
10:46and sentiment
10:47of the people
10:47while we handle
10:49every issue,
10:50including this one.
10:51Confident you're
10:51forming the government?
10:53As long as they like.
10:55Indra,
10:56very briefly,
10:57coming to you,
10:58contrary to reports
10:59and as anticipated,
11:00voter turnout
11:01was actually quite all right
11:02and there was no violence.
11:04Or very little.
11:06Well, that's right.
11:07You know,
11:08sporadic violence,
11:09we still have
11:10the entire night
11:11to bear
11:12when the counting process
11:13takes place.
11:14But as far as
11:14the voter turnout
11:16numbers are concerned,
11:17the exact figure
11:17is yet not out.
11:19But till about
11:202 p.m. this afternoon,
11:22the voting percentage
11:23was 48 percent.
11:25So almost 50 percent.
11:26So one could expect
11:27this to cross 50 percent,
11:29maybe 55 to 60 percent
11:30unofficial numbers
11:32coming in,
11:32but we'll have to wait
11:33for the Election Commission
11:34to come out
11:34with the exact data.
11:36All right.
11:37Keep tracking developments
11:38in Dhaka.
11:38We'll join you
11:39early tomorrow morning
11:41to get a sense
11:42of where Bangladesh
11:43is headed.
11:43Thank you so much,
11:44Indrajeet.
11:47Now,
11:48India Today Global
11:48is where the news is.
11:50From Bangladesh
11:51to Iran,
11:52India Today
11:52had yesterday
11:53brought you
11:54ground report
11:55from Tehran
11:56on how the country
11:57marked its 47th anniversary.
11:59Now,
12:01the people turned out
12:02in large numbers
12:03showing solidarity
12:04as the country
12:05reels under war threat
12:07and sanctions.
12:08Today,
12:08the networks
12:11reporter Sumit Chaudhary
12:13brings to you
12:14a report
12:14from inside Iran's
12:16biggest research
12:17and technology center,
12:18which is popularly called
12:20the Silicon Valley of Iran.
12:26Iran has been facing
12:28these sanctions
12:29for a very long period,
12:31not only on the defense sector,
12:33but also on the civil things.
12:36So right now,
12:36I'm in one of the most important
12:39research center of Iran.
12:40This is the International Research Center,
12:42which is not only providing
12:44the technologies
12:44and for the defense,
12:46but also to the civil populations.
12:49Right now,
12:49I am going to take you inside.
12:51It's one of the most
12:52and largest part,
12:55research center
12:55or the technology center
12:57of Iran.
12:58When there is a whole scenario
13:01of war-like situation
13:02in Iran
13:03and between the U.S.,
13:05that particular time,
13:07what is the condition
13:07in Iran?
13:09How normal life
13:09people have been living?
13:11So we are bringing
13:12all these pictures to you.
13:14First,
13:14I just want to show you
13:15what exactly this is.
13:16This is Padris,
13:18Iran Silicon Valley,
13:21biggest technology hub
13:22of Iran
13:23and India Today Group
13:24is one of the
13:25first channel
13:26which is bringing
13:27all these pictures to you.
13:29Let me show you
13:30what kind of center this is.
13:32This is one of the most prominent
13:34centers, technology hubs
13:36of Iran
13:36and why we are here.
13:39We are here just to show you
13:40what exactly
13:41because when the sanctions
13:42have been put on you
13:43for a very long period,
13:44how will you survive?
13:46So that is the biggest challenge
13:47with the Iranian government
13:48and that's why
13:49the Iranian government
13:50have been working
13:51continuously
13:52on the research part
13:53of this
13:54on a very prominent way.
13:56So today,
13:57we are going to
13:58bring all these pictures
13:59to you
13:59which gives you an idea
14:01how Iran
14:02has been surviving
14:04with all these sanctions
14:05from a very long period.
14:09You can watch
14:10a detailed report
14:11on the developments
14:12in Iran
14:13on India Today Global
14:14but for now,
14:15let's take a look
14:16at some other stories
14:16from across the world
14:17and world at a glance.
14:29Kremlin said
14:30US messenger app
14:31WhatsApp
14:31owned by Meta platforms
14:33Meta.o
14:34has been completely
14:35blocked in Russia
14:36for failing to comply
14:37with local laws.
14:39The move suggesting
14:40Russians turn to
14:41a state-backed
14:42national messenger
14:43Max Instant.
14:45Critics say
14:46Max is a surveillance tool.
14:48Russian authorities
14:49deny this.
14:50The move against
14:52WhatsApp,
14:52Russia's most popular
14:54messenger,
14:54is the culmination
14:55of six months
14:56of pressure
14:57on the US company.
15:03The top executive
15:04at Meta Platforms,
15:05Instagram,
15:06defended the social media
15:07platform's choices
15:08around features
15:09that some company
15:11insiders called
15:11harmful for young users.
15:13Adam Musseri,
15:15the head of Instagram,
15:16is testifying in Los Angeles
15:17as part of a trial
15:18on what plaintiffs call
15:20social media addiction
15:21in children
15:22and young adults.
15:24Meta CEO,
15:25Mark Zuckerberg,
15:26is also expected
15:27to testify
15:27in the coming weeks.
15:34European allies
15:35at NATO
15:36brushed aside
15:36concerns that
15:37the US has stepped
15:38back from its
15:39leadership role
15:40of the world's
15:41biggest security
15:42organization,
15:45leaving them
15:46and Canada
15:47to do the lion's
15:48share of defending
15:49Europe.
15:49US Defense Secretary
15:51Pete Hexeth
15:52did not attend
15:53the gathering
15:53of defense ministers
15:54at NATO headquarters
15:55in Brussels.
15:57His no-show came
15:58after Secretary of State
15:59Marco Rubio
16:00skipped the last
16:01meeting of NATO
16:02foreign ministers
16:03in December.
16:10James Van Der Beek,
16:12a heartthrob
16:12who starred in
16:13coming-of-age dramas
16:14at the dawn
16:15of the new millennium,
16:17shooting to fame,
16:18playing the
16:19titular character
16:20in Dawson's Creek
16:21and in later years,
16:23mocking his own
16:24hunky persona
16:25has died.
16:26He was 48.
16:28Van Der Beek
16:29revealed in 2024
16:30that he was being
16:31treated for
16:32colorectal cancer.
16:38Now,
16:39if Epstein files
16:40are shaking
16:40governments,
16:41forcing resignations,
16:43stripping royalties
16:44of their titles,
16:45then the fiery
16:46showdown between
16:47US Attorney General
16:49Pam Bondi
16:49and lawmakers
16:50leave us guessing
16:51if Socrates
16:52was right about
16:53democracy,
16:54wherein he
16:55criticized democracy
16:55as a system
16:56that prioritizes
16:58popularity over
16:59competence.
17:00Attorney General
17:01Pam Bondi
17:02appeared before
17:03the House Judiciary
17:04Committee
17:04and faced questions
17:05about the Department
17:06of Justice's
17:07handling of the
17:09Epstein fires.
17:10Watch the face-off.
17:12You asked me a question.
17:14Within 40 minutes,
17:16Wexner's name was added
17:17back...
17:18Within 40 minutes
17:18of me catching you
17:19red-handed.
17:20Red-handed?
17:22There was one redaction
17:23out of over 4700.
17:24He's listed as a co-conspirator.
17:26And we invited you in.
17:29This guy has Trump
17:30derangement syndrome.
17:31He needs to get...
17:32You're a failed politician.
17:33You need to...
17:34I want you to watch
17:35the...
17:35Mr. Chairman,
17:36please turn it
17:36to the United States.
17:37We have rules here.
17:38You're obsessed with him.
17:38You're the attorney
17:39general of the United States.
17:39And the rules...
17:40You're obsessed with
17:40Donald Trump.
17:41You have Trump
17:42derangement syndrome.
17:43Mr. Chairman,
17:44I'd like my time
17:44restored.
17:45I'd like my time
17:45restored.
17:46In your district.
17:47In your district.
17:48And you don't even
17:49know about it.
17:50About keeping children
17:51safe from online predators.
17:53Can you tell us
17:55who sent her there
17:56since you don't agree
17:57she should be there?
17:58You know,
17:59instead of talking
17:59about Gerlaine Maxwell
18:00who hopefully
18:01will die in prison,
18:03hopefully will die in prison,
18:04you should be talking
18:05about Irina Zarutska.
18:06I have a couple of other...
18:07Who died on a subway.
18:08Right.
18:09And I absolutely...
18:10You don't talk about that.
18:11I have been talking
18:12about it and actually
18:13helping with these issues.
18:15But we're going to
18:15move back to you.
18:16I bet we are.
18:17Yes, of course,
18:18because you're here
18:19to testify.
18:20That's what the whole
18:21point of this...
18:23Endeavor is.
18:24So, of course,
18:24we're moving back to you.
18:25It is all about you.
18:27It is shocking
18:27that the department
18:28did not redact
18:29the names of Epstein's victims.
18:31But it did redact
18:32the names of their abusers.
18:34How many of Epstein's
18:35co-conspirators
18:36have you indicted?
18:37How many perpetrators
18:38are you even investigating?
18:40You showed it.
18:41I find it.
18:42How many have you indicted?
18:43Excuse me.
18:44I'm going to answer
18:45the question.
18:46Answer my question.
18:47No, I'm going to answer
18:48the question the way
18:48I want to answer the question.
18:50Your theatrics are ridiculous.
18:51No, you're going to answer
18:51the question the way I asked it.
18:52Chairman Jordan,
18:53I'm not going to get
18:53in the gutter with these people.
18:54You can let her filibuster
18:55all day long,
18:56but not on our watch.
18:57Not on our time.
18:59No way.
18:59And I told you about that,
19:01Attorney General,
19:02before you started.
19:02You don't tell me anything.
19:03Yeah, oh, I did tell you
19:04because we saw what you did
19:05in the Senate.
19:06You're not even a lawyer.
19:08Were there any
19:09underage girls
19:10at that party
19:11or at any party
19:12that Trump attended
19:13with Jeffrey Epstein?
19:18This is so ridiculous.
19:20This isn't a game.
19:22These are real people.
19:23You are not interested
19:24in talking
19:25with these officials
19:27who have ties to Jeffrey Epstein.
19:28What does ties mean?
19:29Can you define that?
19:30Across the world,
19:31prominent men
19:32who have been exposed
19:33in the files
19:35have resigned their jobs
19:36in disgrace.
19:37And that's a good first start.
19:39And that same standard
19:40this same standard
19:43should apply here.
19:45And Americans
19:46want accountability.
19:47Who is Chris Malin?
19:48Was the president aware?
19:50Please stop talking.
19:52It is not your time
19:52to ask questions.
19:54It is not your time.
19:55I'm reclaiming my time,
19:56Mr. Chair.
19:57One second.
19:57Time belongs
19:58to the general aide
19:58from Vermont.
19:59Was the president aware
20:00of Secretary Lutnick's
20:02ties to Epstein
20:03when he chose him
20:04to lead the Department
20:05of Commerce?
20:08Was he aware?
20:09Chris Malin
20:10was a Border Patrol agent.
20:11Okay, so I'm going
20:12to conclude
20:13that the president
20:13in fact did know
20:15about his ties
20:16because he was
20:17the next door neighbor.
20:18Shame on you.
20:19Oh, for goodness sakes.
20:21This is pathetic.
20:22This is pathetic,
20:23Mr. Chair.
20:24I am not asking
20:26trick questions here.
20:29Well, it seems
20:30like the Epstein files
20:32is an inconvenient space
20:33for the Trump administration
20:35and this will continue
20:37for some days to come.
20:38But it's time for me
20:39to show a close the show.
20:40Thank you so much
20:41for watching.
20:42Goodbye and take care.
20:43Thank you so much.
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