Dhaka, Jan 25: The interim government in Bangladesh led by Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus, already facing global scrutiny for its ongoing treatment of the minorities, especially Hindus, is now drawing flak over keeping under wraps the visit of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) Director General Major General Mohammad Ashraful Islam Siddique to India, next month.

The country’s media outlets have slammed the current regime for not revealing details about Siddique’s New Delhi visit for a border conference between the Director Generals of BGB and the Border Security Force (BSF), scheduled to take place in New Delhi mid-February.

Reacting to reports published by the local media about the scheduled border conference, the BGB stated that there is “no secrecy here” and “no attempt” being made to maintain secrecy.

“The news published in some media outlets in the country under the title ‘BGB chief’s India visit shrouded in secrecy, a storm of criticism on social media’ has come to the attention of the BGB. The news is tarnishing the image of the BGB and also creating confusion in the public mind,” read a statement issued by the Border Guard Bangladesh on its social media page.

“At a time when the BGB is currently playing a role in solidarity with the people at the border, there is a possibility that such negative posts will create confusion in the minds of everyone,” it added.

The force mentioned that representatives from other relevant ministries and agencies of Bangladesh will also attend the meeting alongside the BGB.

The February 17-21 meeting will take place as tensions continue to escalate along the international border, especially after the recent clashes at Sukhdevpur in West Bengal’s Malda district.

Villagers on the Indian side have regularly complained about attacks by armed criminals from across the border and their crops also being stolen or destroyed by Bangladeshis.

The Eastern Command of the BSF has, meanwhile, commenced ‘Ops Alert’ along the 4,096 km Indo-Bangladesh Border (IBB) ahead of the Republic Day.

Patrolling has been intensified, and border domination is being carried out both during the day and night.

According to a statement released by the Headquarters, Special Director General, BSF, in Kolkata, the ‘Ops Alert’ has been initiated to prevent any untoward incident ahead of the country’s 76th Republic Day, keeping in mind the changed scenario in Bangladesh.

On January 13, the Bangladesh Acting High Commissioner to India, Nural Islam, was summoned by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) to the South Block and conveyed that India has observed all protocols and agreements between the two governments and between the Border Security Force and Border Guard Bangladesh with regard to security measures at the border, including on fencing.

India conveyed its expectation that all earlier understandings will be implemented by Bangladesh and that there will be a cooperative approach to combating cross-border crimes.

“India reiterated its commitment to ensuring a crime-free border by effectively addressing the challenges of cross-border criminal activities, smuggling, movement of criminals and trafficking. Barbed wire fencing, border lighting, installation of technical devices and cattle fences are measures for securing the border,” the MEA had stated.

Sydney, Jan 25: Homes have been destroyed and thousands of people said it is too late to evacuate as large out of control bushfires burn in Western Australia (WA).

Authorities in WA on Saturday morning warned residents of towns near two bushfires burning in the state’s southwest that it is too late to leave due to fire impacting evacuation routes.

One of the fires near the town of Arthur River, 190 km southwest of Perth, burned through over 11,000 hectares of land on Friday amid hot and windy conditions. The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) reported on Saturday that two houses had been destroyed by the fire, with fears for more.

Residents of Arthur River and surrounding towns have been told it is too late to leave and to seek shelter at home.

“Leaving now will put your life in danger,” the emergency warning from the Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES) said. “You must shelter before the fire arrives, as the extreme heat will kill you before the flames reach you.”

A lower-level warning for the wider region advised residents to prepare to evacuate. A separate fire near Bremer Bay, a popular tourist destination on the state’s south coast, also prompted a warning that it is too late to leave.

“Do not try to leave or enter this area in a vehicle or on foot. If you cannot shelter in a solid structure, you need to stay in an open space, away from vegetation, such as the beach,” the DFES said.

Warnings have been downgraded for a 40,000-hectare bushfire burning in WA’s sparsely-populated central region, over 300 km east of Perth, with people in the area advised to monitor conditions.

WA has been affected by a severe heatwave for several days, with temperatures across the state exceeding 40 degrees Celsius.

Washington, Jan 24: US President Donald Trump has told reporters that Russia “should want to make a deal” with Ukraine to end the “horrible war” and emphasised he would meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin immediately.

“So, I think Russia should want to make a deal. Maybe they want to make a deal. I think from what I hear, Putin would like to see me. We’ll meet as soon as we can. I’d meet immediately. Every day we don’t meet soldiers who are being killed in the battlefield,” Trump said during an Oval Office signing ceremony.

Trump described the conflict as one of the deadliest conflicts since World War II, emphasising that millions of lives have been lost on battlefields and farmlands, and that millions of soldiers are being killed.

While virtually addressing the World Economic Forum (WEF), Trump said, “Our efforts to secure a peace settlement between Russia and Ukraine are now hopefully underway. It’s so important to get that done, millions of soldiers are being killed. Nobody has seen anything like it since World War II. They are laying dead all over the fields, farmlands… It’s time to end it.”

He added, “I really would like to be able to meet with President Putin soon and get that war ended. That’s not from the standpoint of economy or anything else. It is from the standpoint of millions of lives that are being wasted. Beautiful, young people are being shot on the battlefield. I have seen pictures of what has taken place and it is a carnage. We really have to stop that war, that war is horrible.”

When asked whether Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is open to negotiating, Trump responded: “He’s lost a lot of soldiers, and so has Russia,” before adding, “But Russia has lost more.”

Earlier this week, Trump posted on Truth Social that he would impose high tariffs and further sanctions on Russia if Putin fails to end the war in Ukraine.

President Trump on Thursday said peace efforts between Russia and Ukraine are “hopefully” underway while speaking virtually at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

“Our efforts to secure a peace settlement between Russia and Ukraine are now hopefully underway,” the US President said while speaking virtually at the forum in Davos on Thursday.

“It’s so important to get that done,” the President added.

“That is an absolute killing field. Millions of soldiers are being killed.”

And as the Russia-Ukraine war enters into its fourth year, Western officials assess Russia’s incremental gains along the frontline add as many as 1,500 deaths and injuries a day, and the toll nears 700,000 casualties for the war, according to the UK Defence M<inistry. And US officials estimated about a year ago that some 70,000 Ukrainian soldiers had been killed and nearly twice that number wounded.

Trump’s remarks came even though he vowed to end the war on the first day of his administration.

Trump missed that deadline, though the media previously reported that the US President is trying to set up a call with Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss a potential in-person meeting.

He repeated his desire to meet the Russian President while speaking on Thursday: “I really would like to be able to meet with President Putin soon to get that war ended.”

Trump however was critical of Putin while speaking with reporters in the Oval Office on Monday, saying the Russian leader is “not doing so well.” Those remarks are a departure from the typically complimentary rhetoric Trump has for the Russian strongman.

He added that he believes Ukraine “is ready to make a deal”.

The US President said he would seek the assistance of Chinese President Xi Jinping to secure peace in Ukraine.