November 2023 – Page 785 – Safir News Agency

How India-Bangladesh Rail Link Will Cut Short Agartala-Kolkata Journey

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How India-Bangladesh Rail Link Will Cut Short Agartala-Kolkata Journey

PM Modi hailed the inauguration of the Cross Border Rail Link as a “historic” moment

New Delhi:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Bangladeshi counterpart Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday jointly inaugurated three projects via virtual mode, including a key rail link between Tripura’s Nischintapur and Gangasagar in Bangladesh.

The other two projects inaugurated by PM Modi and his Bangladesh counterpart are the 65-km Khulna-Mongla Port Rail Line and Unit 2 of the Maitree Super Thermal Power Plant in Bangladesh’s Rampal.

The cross-border rail project near Tripura’s capital Agartala and Akhaura in Bangladesh is expected to boost cross-border trade, and significantly reduce the travel time between Agartala and Kolkata via Dhaka. When fully completed, the cross-border rail link will cut the travel time from Kolkata to Agartala from 36 hours to 12 hours.

PM Modi hailed the inauguration of the Cross Border Rail Link as a “historic” moment.

“It is a matter of joy that we have come together again to celebrate the successful cooperation between India and Bangladesh. Our relationship is touching new highs. Together, we have achieved in the last nine years what has not been achieved in decades,” Prime Minister Modi said.

The projects are important for India’s Look East Policy and will also boost connectivity to the northeast which is heavily dependent on the narrow Chicken’s Neck or Siliguri Corridor. They are also a testament to India’s commitment to the region around the Bay of Bengal with organizations like the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) which has its secretariat in Bangladesh.

‘First Rail Link Between Northeast, Bangladesh’

During the inauguration of the Agartala-Akhaura Rail Link, PM Modi highlighted the impact of these projects, especially during the pandemic with oxygen trains. “This is the first rail link between the northeast and Bangladesh,” he was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.

“We have focused especially on infrastructure, connectivity and in the last nine years, we have started three new bus services. We have connected Dhaka, Shillong, Agartala, Guwahati and Kolkata. In the last nine years, we have started three new railway services. From 2020, we started container and parcel services,” he added.

“In the last nine years through Chittagong and the Mongla Port, we have connected the northeastern states of India. Our connectivity initiative worked as a lifeline during the Covid pandemic,” Prime Minister Modi said.

“In the last nine years, four new immigration check posts have been opened on the India-Bangladesh border and our bilateral trade has nearly tripled. The journey of these nine years has made us reach the inauguration of the Agartala Akhaura Railway Link and it is a historic moment,” he added.

‘Firm Cooperation Between Countries’

Sheikh Hasina said the relationship between Bangladesh and India is anchored in history culture language and both countries share values of secularism, democracy, and countless other commonalities.

She added that Bangladesh attaches the highest importance to its relationship with India with a focus on connectivity, trade, and commerce. She expressed gratitude to the government of India for its significant contribution to these sectors and also extended Diwali greetings.

“The joint inauguration of these projects manifests the firm friendship and collaboration between our two countries. I would like to thank you PM Modi for his warm hospitality during my visit to New Delhi in September 2023 to attend the G20 Leaders’ Summit. I express my heartfelt gratitude for your commitment to strengthening the bonds of friendship between our two countries,” Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said.

“I would like to thank the Government of India for jointly producing the biopic on the Father of the Nation of Bangladesh Bangabandhu ‘Sheikh Mujibur Rehman – Mujib: The Making of a Nation’. I would like to extend my deep appreciation and thankfulness to Shri Narendra Modi,” she added.

“Our collaboration in the connectivity and power sector stands out as a shining example of our cooperation,” she said at the inauguration event.

India and Bangladesh ties are crucial for India’s Act East Policy and these projects have also laid the groundwork for more cooperation and opening of passenger and freight routes between India and Bangladesh and also for alternative supply routes for northeastern states

India

Women’s development is our priority: CM Yogi Adityanath

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Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said that all government initiatives are now reaching marginalized populations.

Published Date – 09:25 PM, Thu – 19 October 23

Women’s development is our priority: CM Yogi Adityanath

Lucknow: Highlighting the government’s commitment to women’s development, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said that all government initiatives are now reaching marginalized populations.

The double engine government’s agenda is dedicated to the welfare of villages, poor, farmers, youth, and women.

Chief Minister underscored the government’s unwavering commitment to the advancement of women during the Nari Shakti Vandan program held at Seth Phool Chand Bangla PG College.

The CM said, “Over the past nine and a half years, we’ve witnessed the emergence of a new India where there is no discrimination against anyone on the basis of caste, religion, or gender. Women are being brought forward by ensuring their participation.” The Chief Minister inaugurated and laid the foundation stone for 214 development projects worth Rs 177.29 crore on the occasion. CM Yogi also engaged with the beneficiaries of government schemes, distributing certificates to them.

Addressing the gathering, he said, “Uttar Pradesh is now free from riots, and the spirit of joy permeates the celebration of festivals across the state.” CM Yogi highlighted the remarkable transformation witnessed in the country over the past nine and a half years, specifically noting significant changes within Uttar Pradesh during the last six and a half years.

“Today we are seeing a new India under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, from where discrimination based on factors such as caste, creed, religion, region, language, or gender has been entirely eliminated. Now work is being done with the spirit of ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas, and Sabka Prayas.’ New schemes are being made for those who need special encouragement.” The Chief Minister emphasized the development-focused approach of the double engine government, highlighting the progress being made across various sectors such as roads, drinking water, and sports facilities.

“We want the daughters of Hathras district to advance in the same way as the daughters of Western Uttar Pradesh excelled at the Asian Games. Our government has decided to appoint the daughters who won gold medals at the Asian Games as Deputy SP.” The Chief Minister asserted, “To eliminate any distinction between sons and daughters, our government has raised the grant provided through the Mukhyamantri Kanya Sumangala Scheme from Rs 15,000 to Rs 25,000 starting next year.”

BJP President Bhupendra Singh Choudhary, Minister for Women and Child Development Baby Rani Maurya, Social Welfare Minister Aseem Arun, Hathras MP Rajveer Singh, Rajya Sabha MP Geeta Shakya, District Panchayat President Seema Upadhyay, and a large number of people from the district and its regions were present at the event.

Editorial: Surveillance Republic

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Privacy is not the singular concern of journalists or social activists but of every citizen

Published Date – 11:30 PM, Wed – 1 November 23

In the thick of the election season, yet another snooping scandal, reflecting the new age authoritarianism, has hit the country, raising questions over the conduct of the NDA government. After the Pegasus surveillance scam that left many questions unanswered, now comes another unsavoury episode, this time targeting the iPhones of opposition leaders, journalists and social activists. They all have received a notification from Apple warning them about ‘state-sponsored’ attackers who are remotely trying to compromise their phones. An alarming aspect of the threat notification is that the snoopers are likely to target these individuals because of who they are or what they do. In other words, the critics of the government come under the surveillance radar. The breach of the right to privacy and data vulnerability are back in focus now, with several opposition leaders raising the hacking alarm after receiving the messages on their iPhones. Though these warning messages are not unique to India but have been issued globally, the seriousness of the matter cannot be overlooked. The Centre must clear the air on the allegations of unauthorised surveillance. The attackers backed by governments go after specific individuals and their devices, based on their identity or activities. Such attacks are very different from the ones carried out by regular cybercriminals, who usually target a large number of users for financial gain. At present, there is no judicial oversight of the surveillance operations carried out by the government. There is not even a parliamentary oversight, which is unusual for a country that takes pride in its democratic values.

Privacy is not the singular concern of journalists or social activists but of every citizen. After much prevarication and several false starts, Parliament had, in August, passed the Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Bill but several concerns of the privacy activists remain unaddressed. The key among them is the sweeping powers that it gives to the government agencies in all aspects; accessing personal data in the interest of a loosely defined public interest, exempting government departments in the future from the guardrails of the law and total control over the appointment of the Data Protection Board — an adjudicatory body that will deal with privacy-related grievances and disputes. In 2021, the revelations that governments around the world were using military-grade spyware, Pegasus, from an Israeli company called NSO to eavesdrop on private conversations sent shockwaves. Pegasus can switch on a target’s phone camera and microphone, as well as access data on the device, effectively turning the phone into a pocket spy. In October that year, the Supreme Court set up a technical committee to probe the matter. The fact that the Centre chose not to cooperate with the probe by the Supreme Court-appointed technical committee indicates that it has a lot to hide from the public.

Middle East

Hezbollah to Gaza fighters: Your blood will drown Israel

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File photo of the Lebanese resistance movement of Hezbollah’s fighters

The Lebanese resistance group of Hezbollah has written an open letter to resistance fighters in the Gaza Strip, which has come under a brutal Israeli war, expressing certainty about the Israeli regime’s eventual defeat.

“Your blood will drown this old and weak temple of Israel, which is on its final breath,” read the letter dated Wednesday.

(This item will be updated.)

Wenger To Visit India From November 19 To 23, Confirms AIFF President

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Arsene Wenger To Visit India From November 19 To 23, Confirms AIFF President

FIFA’s chief of Global Football Development Arsene Wenger is all set to visit India from November 19 to 23, AIFF president Kalyan Chaubey has said. The former Arsenal manager had met with Chaubey and AIFF secretary general Shaji Prabhakaran in August in Australia and discussed about the setting up of a central academy in the country. Taking to his X (formerly Twitter) account, Chaubey thanked FIFA president Gianni Infantino for his keen interest in Indian football and confirmed Wenger’s India visit dates.

“A big thank you to FIFA President Gianni Infantino for his keen interest in #IndianFootball. Via his office, we now have confirmation on Arsene Wenger’s India visit from 19-23 Nov. I wish to bring in ISL, ILeague club owners & football NGOs for a spl session hosted by @IndianFootball,” he wrote.

Earlier, Wenger had opened up on his desire and inspiration to work alongside AIFF on a talent development project and hoped to give joy to Indian children with football education.

“I’d say that India is a sporting country, and I’m hopeful that we can bring great joy to children in India and have fun by playing football,” he had told AIFF.

“I’m confident because I believe that success is linked to education. We want to give the opportunity to educate young people to watch football in India.” Wenger also praised AIFF, terming the organisation as highly focused and motivated.

“The AIFF is highly focused and motivated to help us do that. I think we will do a great job together.

“I met the president and the secretary general in Australia at the Women’s World Cup, and I must say I was impressed by their motivation and their capacity to organise what we want to do,” he had said.

Wenger also felt that the population of over 1.4 billion people is sure to give India a vast pool of footballing talent.

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

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