Pioneer In Short
MEA names Dhaka mission head
India on Monday appointed Dinesh Trivedi, a senior BJP leader and former Union minister, as its next High Commissioner to Bangladesh, signalling a strategic push to reset bilateral ties. Trivedi, a former railway minister under Manmohan Singh, will succeed Pranay Verma, who is moving to Brussels as India’s envoy to the European Union and Belgium. His appointment is notable as he is not from the Indian Foreign Service, a rare choice for the role. Relations between New Delhi and Dhaka deteriorated after former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina fled to India in August 2024 amid mass protests. Dhaka has since sought her extradition following a death sentence by a tribunal, a request India has not accepted.
Ties have shown signs of recovery under the new Government led by Tarique Rahman, with renewed diplomatic engagement focusing on trade, energy and connectivity.
Recent talks involving Bangladesh Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman and Indian officials underscored efforts to stabilise relations. Trivedi’s political experience is expected to support New Delhi’s outreach at a sensitive moment in regional diplomacy.
MP tiger death toll hits 25
A sub-adult tiger was found electrocuted and its carcass dumped in a farm well in Seoni district, pushing the number of big cat deaths in Madhya Pradesh to 25 since January, forest officials said Monday. The tiger, estimated to be 1.5-2 years old, was killed in a revenue area under the South Seoni forest division, according to Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (Wildlife) L Krishnamoorthy. A postmortem was conducted under National Tiger Conservation Authority guidelines. Evidence of electrocution-including burnt wires and electrical materials-was recovered about 50 metres from the well. Sub-divisional forest officer Yogesh Kumar Patel said the carcass was dumped after the animal was killed. The well’s owner has been arrested, while others are being questioned. A Rs 10,000 reward has been announced for information.
The carcass was discovered on April 26 by farm labourers. Officials said the first tiger death this year occurred on January 7 in Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve.
Wildlife activist Ajay Dubey termed the incident “alarming,” alleging possible poaching and lapses in patrolling. Recent deaths, including cub fatalities at Kanha Tiger Reserve, have heightened concern over tiger conservation in the state.
