All Indian visa application centres in Bangladesh will remain closed until further notice after unrest in the neighbouring country forced Sheikh Hasina to resign as Prime Minister and flee the country. The online portal to apply for Indian visa now has a message, “All IVACs will remain closed till further notice, due to unstable situation. Next application date will be informed through SMS & It is requested to pick up the passport on the next working day.”

This comes a day after New Delhi evacuated non-essential staff and their families from its High Commission and consulates in Bangladesh amid the volatile situation in the country. Indian diplomats, however, remain in the country and the missions are functional, sources in the government have said.

India has a high commission in Bangladesh capital Dhaka and consulates in Chittagong, Rajshahi, Khulna and Sylhet.

Massive protests against the Sheikh Hasina-led Awami League government in Bangladesh have forced the 76-year-old leader to resign as Prime Minister and flee to India.

An interim government backed by the Army is in the process of being formed. Nobel peace prize winner and Grameen Bank founder Muhammad Yunus will lead the caretaker government.

Addressing the Parliament on the neighbourhood situation, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has said that there are nearly 19,000 Indian nationals in Bangladesh of which 9,000 are students. Many of the students, he said, returned to India after the protests broke out. He has said the government is in close contact with the Indian community there. He has also said the government is monitoring the situation regarding minorities living in Bangladesh.

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor today said that Vinesh Phogat is “tired of fighting”, shortly after the wrestler announced her retirement following the shock exit from the Paris Olympics 2024 on Wednesday.

In a post in Hindi on X, Mr Tharoor said, “This girl is tired of this system… This girl is tired of fighting.”

इस सिस्टम से पक गई है ये लड़की
लड़ते-लड़ते थक गई है ये लड़की…#SorryVinesh! https://t.co/PkAGIqv1HW pic.twitter.com/59N38rT3Lx

— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) August 8, 2024

Ms Phogat, heartbroken over her disqualification, announced her retirement from wrestling today.

“Wrestling won the match against me, I lost… My courage is all broken, I don’t have any strength now. Goodbye Wrestling 2001-2024. I will forever be in your debt,” she wrote in Hindi on X.

Vinesh Phogat was disqualified from the Paris Olympics for being 100 grams overweight, hours before she was to take on the US’ Sarah Ann Hildebrandt in the historic 50-kg freestyle gold medal match.

She had scripted history by becoming the first Indian woman wrestler to reach the gold medal bout in her category on Tuesday night and was assured of at least a silver medal.

The 29-year-old grappler, who usually competes in the 53 kg category, had moved down to the 50 kg weight class for the Paris Olympic Games.

Shortly after her disqualification, Prime Minister Narendra Modi called her “a champion among champions” and urged her to “come back stronger”.

“Today’s setback hurts. I wish words could express the sense of despair I am experiencing. At the same time… you epitomise resilience. It has always been your nature to take challenges head-on. We are rooting for you,” he posted on X.

Vinesh Phogat Demands Olympic Silver

Vinesh Phogat has decided to file an appeal in the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) against her disqualification from the Paris Olympics.

Ms Phogat, who is a three-time Olympian and has won gold medals in both the Asian and Commonwealth Games, has asked for a joint Olympic silver to be given to her.

The verdict is expected to be given today.

An ad-hoc division of the CAS has been set up in Paris for resolution by arbitration of any disputes arising during the Olympic Games or during a period of 10 days preceding the opening ceremony.

Cuban wrestler Yusneylis Guzman Lopez, who lost to Ms Phogat in the semifinals, replaced her in the final against Ms Hildebrandt.

Ms Hidebrandt won the bout to claim gold and the Indian wrestler is now banking on the CAS to be a joint silver medallist with Ms Lopez.

Jack Karlson became an internet sensation as the subject of the “Succulent Chinese Meal” viral clip. 

​Jack Karlson became an internet sensation as the subject of the “Succulent Chinese Meal” viral clip.