Bangladesh | Pakistan

UNITED NATIONS: Bangladesh’s Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman was elected president of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) for its 81st session (2026–2027) on Tuesday, defeating Cyprus’s candidate Andreas S. Kakouris in a tightly fought vote that underscores the continuing importance of regional consensus-building within the global body. Rahman secured 99 votes in the 193-member UNGA, while Kakouris received 91 votes. There were no abstentions. The required majority for the election was 96 votes. How the election works The president of the UNGA is elected annually by the 193 member states, with each country holding one equal vote. According to the UN’s Rules of Procedure, the election is conducted by secret ballot unless members agree otherwise, and a candidate must obtain a simple majority of those present and voting to win. While the process is formally competitive, it is shaped in practice by a long-standing principle of geographical rotation, under which the presidency alternates among regional gro...

A rare albino buffalo in Bangladesh — nicknamed “Donald Trump” for its distinctive blond tuft — has been ​spared from Eidul Azha sacrifice after a ‌last-minute government intervention, a Home Ministry official said on Wednesday. The nearly 700-kg animal had already been sold for ritual ​slaughter when authorities stepped in, citing security ​concerns after a surge of public interest ahead ⁠of Thursday’s festival. Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed ordered the ​buffalo be spared, the buyer refunded, and the animal ​moved to the national zoo in Dhaka. “At the last moment, the decision was taken to spare the buffalo from sacrifice due ​to security concerns and the unusual level of ​public interest,” a ministry official said. What began as a routine ‌Eid ⁠purchase quickly turned into a nationwide curiosity after videos went viral. Crowds gathered at the farm, with visitors travelling from far afield to see its blond ​fringe and calm ​demeanour. Farm owner ⁠Ziauddin Mridha said the name came from his younger brother, ...

Hundreds of people in India’s border region with Bangladesh have fled to the frontier, police said Wednesday, after the government ordered the construction of detention centres for undocumented Bangladeshi migrants and Rohingya refugees. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu-nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) swept to power in West Bengal state in early May with a hardline policy to “detect, delete and deport” illegal migrants. India’s right-wing have long argued that illegal migration is a national security threat, and warned of changing demography in India’s border states. West Bengal government’s last week ordered the setting up of “holding centres” for “apprehended foreigners”, singling out both Bangladeshis and Rohingya. The decision has fuelled anxiety among West Bengal’s roughly 35 million Muslims, many of whom share linguistic and cultural ties with neighbouring Bangladesh. Indian police officer Shirshendu Pati, from the Swarupnagar Police Station about 10 kilometres from the Bangladesh bo...

An albino buffalo in Bangladesh returned to its farm after authorities stopped its planned sacrifice

ISLAMABAD - A high-level delegation of senior civil servants from Bangladesh visited the Federal Constitutional Court of Pakistan on Tuesday and held detailed discussions on constitutional governance, judicial reforms, and institutional cooperation with Chief Justice Amin-ud-Din Khan and other judges of the court.

Spinner Taijul Islam took six wickets to lead Bangladesh to a 78-run win over Pakistan in the second Test and clinch a famous 2-0 series win on Wednesday. Pakistan, who started the fifth day on 316-7 while chasing a record 437, were bowled out for 328 in the first session in Sylhet after Mohammad Rizwan hit a valiant 94. It was Bangladesh’s first Test series win at home against Pakistan and a second successive sweep after their 2-0 triumph on Pakistani soil in 2024. Wicketkeeper Rizwan kept Pakistan in the hunt for an unlikely win with a 166-ball stay after the visitors had slumped to 162-5 on day four. Rizwan put on an eighth-wicket partnership of 54 with overnight partner Sajid Khan, who made 28. Taijul broke through to dismiss Sajid for his 18th Test five-wicket haul and Shoriful Islam had Rizwan caught in the next over to end Pakistan’s resistance. Taijul took the final wicket of Khurram Shahzad to return figures of 6-120 and trigger Bangladesh celebrations. The left-arm spinner also took 3-67 during Paki...

Bangladesh are three wickets away from a famous Test series win at home after spinner Taijul Islam took 4-113 to rattle Pakistan despite a rearguard by the opposition batters on Tuesday. Pakistan ended day four on 316-7, needing another 121 runs for victory in what would be a record chase of 437 on the fifth and final day in Sylhet. Mohammad Rizwan, on 75, and Sajid Khan, on eight, were unbeaten at the close of play. Left-arm spinner Taijul struck key blows, including Babar Azam for 47 and Salman Agha on 71, to keep Bangladesh in the hunt for their first-ever Test series win over Pakistan at home. Pakistan’s Mohammad Rizwan plays a shot during the fourth day of the second Test cricket match between Bangladesh and Pakistan at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium in Sylhet on May 19, 2026. — AFP Bangladesh, who won the opener of the two-match series, also closed in on back-to-back Test series victories over Pakistan —having whitewashed them 2-0 on Pakistani soil in 2024. Pakistan slumped to 162-5 and were h...

ISLAMABAD - A twelve-member delegation of Senior Civil officers from the Government of Bangladesh on Monday visited the National Institute of Public Administration (NIPA), Islamabad, as part of a foreign study tour programme aimed at promoting professional exchange and enhancing cooperation in the fields of public administration and.

Veteran batter Mushfiqur Rahim hit a glittering century as Bangladesh set Pakistan an imposing target of 427 to win the second Test after another commanding day for the hosts on Monday. Bangladesh posted 390 all out in their second innings on day three with Mushfiqur, who made 137, and Litton Das, who hit 69, putting together 123 runs for the fifth wicket. The 39-year-old Mushfiqur rolled back the years as he scored his 14th Test century, surpassing Mominul Haque’s record of 13 for Bangladesh. Pakistan openers Azan Awais and Abdullah Fazal survived the last two overs of the day without scoring before bad light ended play. The visitors will need a record chase to level the two-match series after Bangladesh won the opener. Bangladesh’s Taijul Islam plays a shot during the third day of the second Test match between Bangladesh and Pakistan at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium in Sylhet, Bangladesh on May 18, 2026. — AFP West Indies currently hold the record for the 418 they scored to beat Australia in Anti...

Opener Mahmudul Hasan Joy struck a fluent half-century after the bowlers dominated to put Bangladesh firmly in command of the second Test against Pakistan on Sunday. Bangladesh, who lead the two-match series 1-0, closed day two on 110-3 in their second innings, leading by 156 runs in Sylhet. Joy, who fell for a duck in the first innings, responded with 52 off 64 balls before falling to pace bowler Mohammad Abbas. Tanzid Hasan fell cheaply for four off quick bowler Khurram Shahzad, who later took down Mominul Haque for 30 in the final over of the day, while captain Najmul Hossain Shanto remained unbeaten on 13. Earlier, left-arm spinner Taijul Islam and speedster Nahid Rana took three wickets each to bowl Pakistan out for 232, giving Bangladesh a 46-run first innings lead. Babar Azam’s 68, which included 10 fours, was the only significant resistance from the visitors. Pace spearhead Taskin Ahmed removed overnight openers Abdullah Fazal and Azan Awais early and spinner Mehidy Hasan Miraz dismissed skipper Shan ...

Litton Das struck a century to rescue Bangladesh from a top-order collapse, as the hosts posted 278 in their first innings of the second and final Test against Pakistan on Saturday. Pakistan reached 21-0 at stumps in reply with Azan Awais on 13 and Abdullah Fazal on 8 in Sylhet. Batting at number six, Litton struck 16 fours and two sixes in his 159-ball 126, his sixth Test century, after Bangladesh had been reduced to 116-6 after lunch. Pakistan, trailing 1-0 in the two-match series after a 104-run defeat in Mirpur, opted to bowl and the decision immediately paid off. Opener Mahmudul Hasan Joy fell for a duck, edging Mohammad Abbas to second slip off the second ball of the match. Pakistan’s Mohammad Abbas (3R) celebrates with teammates after taking the wicket of Bangladesh’s captain Najmul Hossain Shanto during the first day of the second Test cricket match between Bangladesh and Pakistan at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium in Sylhet on May 16, 2026. —Photo by Munir UZ ZAMAN / AFP Debutant Tanzid Hasa...

Sardar Saleem Haider Khan has said that Pakistan and Bangladesh share deep-rooted commonalities, including religion, culture, and values.

Pace bowler Nahid Rana claimed five wickets as Bangladesh trumped Pakistan by 104 runs in a rain-hit first Test on Tuesday after a thrilling fifth day of batting collapses. Chasing 268 for victory in Dhaka, Pakistan were 119-3 before they fell to 163 all out in the final session with debutant Abdullah Fazal scoring a valiant 66. Bangladesh now hold a 1-0 lead in the two-match home series. The Test win was Bangladesh’s first against Pakistan on home soil and their third overall. The 23-year-old Fazal put on 51 runs with Salman Agha, who made 26, to raise Pakistan’s hopes of victory before Rana rattled the opposition with career-best figures of 5-40. Rana, 23, made an impact with his pace and reverse swing and his final spell of 4.5 overs got him four wickets for just 10 runs to turn the match on its head. “Very happy — proud of all the guys, the way we played,” Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto said. “We have been working hard the last few months and slowly we are getting better at Test cricket — that’s...

Skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto hit an unbeaten half-century as Bangladesh extended their lead by 179 runs on the rainy fourth day of the first Test against Pakistan on Monday. The hosts were 152-3 in their second innings, with Shanto on 58 not out alongside Mushfiqur Rahim on 16, when stumps were drawn for the day at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Dhaka. Bangladesh lost their openers early after resuming on their overnight score of 7-0, with Mahmudul Hasan Joy trapped leg before off Mohammad Abbas for five. Shadman Islam was then caught at gully by Pakistan’s Saud Shakeel off Hasan Ali for 10, leaving the hosts reeling at 23-2. Shanto came to the rescue, joining hands with Mominul Haque (56) to steady the innings. The left-handed pair, who had tormented Pakistan with a record 170-run third wicket stand in the first innings, added 70 runs off 122 balls to take Bangladesh to lunch at 92-2. Pakistan had chances to make further inroads but Mohammad Rizwan failed to hold on to Mominul’s catch. The af...

Australia will use the upcoming white-ball tours of Pakistan and Bangladesh to test their depth after naming squads featuring three potential debutants, selectors said on Monday. All-rounder Liam Scott has been included in the ODI squads for Pakistan and Bangladesh, with Victoria batter Ollie Peake joining him in the Pakistan squad. T20 specialist Joel Davies has been included in the squad for three T20Is in Chattogram, Bangladesh, starting on June 17. Mitchell Marsh will captain all squads, with Australia to play three ODIs against Pakistan in Rawalpindi and Lahore from May 30 before travelling to Bangladesh for three ODIs in Dhaka in the run-up to the T20 series. “It’s always exciting to see new players get an opportunity to play international cricket and be a part of the national team,” selector George Bailey said in a statement. “The blend of experienced players coupled with new or returning players will provide a nice mix for these subcontinent tours.” Fast bowlers Billy Stanlake and Riley Meredith retur...

Mehidy Hasan Miraz claimed five wickets to give Bangladesh a slender lead after Pakistan debutant Azan Awais hit 103 on a rain-hit third day of the first Test on Sunday. Pakistan made 386 all out in response to Bangladesh’s first innings total of 413 in Dhaka. Bangladesh closed the day on 7-0 in their second innings to increase their lead to 34 runs, after bad light ended play with Mahmudul Hasan Joy unbeaten on two and Shadman Islam yet to score. left-handed Azan, who resumed on 85, completed his hundred off 153 balls to become the 14th Pakistani and sixth player overall to score a century on debut against Bangladesh. He became pace bowler Taskin Ahmed’s 50th Test wicket after captain Najmul Hossain Shanto caught the opener at slip. “It’s a very blessed feeling for me because I know it’s my debut match and I performed really well for my country,” a visibly moved Azan said. “When I was going in to bat, I was a little nervous, but I performed very well for my team.” Pakistan lost wickets at regular intervals b...

Pakistan and Bangladesh have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to strengthen bilateral cooperation against drug trafficking and narcotics abuse, the Ministry of Interior said on Saturday. The development came during Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi’s visit to Dhaka, where he met his Bangladeshi counterpart Salahuddin Ahmed, according to the ministry. It said that Naqvi and Ahmed signed the MoU on behalf of their respective governments, adding that both also agreed to set up a secretary-level joint working group between their ministries. Under the MoU, both countries will fully cooperate to prevent the illegal transportation and smuggling of narcotics, while joint efforts will be made to “curb the growing trend of drug abuse and eliminate its negative impacts”, the ministry said. It was also agreed that a joint strategy will be formulated to dismantle narcotics sale and supply networks. The relevant agencies of both countries will exchange timely intelligence and information regarding drug traffickers a...

Pakistan Test captain Shan Masood has expressed confidence in the bowling attack as the national side prepares to face Bangladesh in the first Test of the two-match series in Mirpur on Friday. The Green Shirts are visiting Bangladesh for a Test series after being whitewashed on home soil by the Bengal Tigers in August 2024. The visitors had won the two-match series by 10 wickets and six wickets respectively in Rawalpindi. Addressing the pre-series press conference on Thursday, Masood said, “We are fully focused on this series and the challenge of playing Bangladesh in their own conditions.” He also put the weight on the home side’s “quality in all departments”. Masood said that the team is looking forward to “testing” itself against its hosts. “We have selected a well-balanced squad that can perform in different conditions. The players have experience of playing in seam-friendly as well as spin-friendly environments, so we are confident about the options available to us,” he said. “In Test cricket, taking 20 ...

Bangladesh recorded 227 child deaths since March in one of its worst outbreaks of measles in decades, with the number of suspected cases reaching nearly 35,000, government data showed on Wednesday. One of the hardest hit areas is Kurukpata in the Chittagong Hill Tracts, home to Indigenous communities, which border war-torn Myanmar. Children in these rural areas are often left out of vaccination coverage, and some families avoid vaccination programmes due to fear. “The most affected area of Chittagong Hill tracts is Kurukpata, one of the remotest parts of Bangladesh,” district health chief Sheikh Fazle Rabbi told AFP, saying more than 80 children had been treated for measles. Local Kurukpata council head Kratpung Mro said the cases were unusually high. “Communication from Kurukpata is difficult,” he said. “People, mostly farmers, are among the poorest and cannot afford even boat or motorcycle fares to reach the hospital.” Kratpung Mro said the government should “launch awareness programmes and bring Indigenous...

India named veteran politician Dinesh Trivedi as its next high commissioner to Bangladesh on Monday, in a rare appointment of a non-foreign service officer as New Delhi seeks to reset ties with its eastern neighbour. Ties between the countries soured after a popular uprising forced Bangladesh’s long-serving Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to flee to New Delhi in 2024, where she remains. Trivedi’s appointment highlights India’s push to rebuild trust with Bangladesh as it faces stiff competition from China for influence and business. Trivedi, 75, a former railways and health minister, joined Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in 2021 from a regional party in West Bengal, a border state that plays a key role in India’s ties with Bangladesh and where Modi has been seeking to expand his party’s influence in ongoing local elections. “He is expected to take up the assignment shortly,” India’s Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement about Trivedi. Relations between the two countries beg...