Reports noted that the interim government has taken steps that curb the democratic rights of indigenous communities, including preventing eminent personalities from attending functions organised by ethnic minorities. Other measures included reduced media coverage and monitoring of the movement of a few ethnic minority leaders1.

Chief Adviser Fakhruddin Ahmed, at the World Economic Forum in Davos on January 26 told reporters that the state of emergency would be “relaxed gradually …”2 Ahmed told the Forum that Bangladesh was facing the challenges of ensuring the access of Bangladeshi products to the markets of developed countries and in adapting to the impact of global warming3.

Meanwhile, the Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) handed the Border Security Force (BSF) a list of 1,626 Bangladeshi criminals reportedly hiding in India, at the three-day high-level meeting between the two border forces concluded in Bogra on January 22. At a post-meeting joint press conference, both sides expressed satisfaction at having reached a consensus on the issues on the agenda, regarding on problems related to the border4.

• 1. “Govt plans curbs on indigenous people’s rights,” New Age, January 26, 2008, at http://www.newagebd.com/2008/jan/26/front.html#5
• 2. “Parties must become accountable first for emergency to relax, CA tells reporters at Davos,” Daily Star, January 27, 2008, at http://thedailystar.net/story.php?nid=20765
• 3. “Help Dhaka face 2 major issues, CA tells WEF,” Daily Star, January 26, 2008, at http://thedailystar.net/archive.php?date=2008-01-26
• 4. “BDR hands BSF list of 1,626 criminals hiding in India,” Daily Star, January 23, 2008, at http://thedailystar.net/story.php?nid=20246