Democracy

The event reflects continued activism in Sri Lanka, where economic recovery has not erased memories of the struggle or resolved grievances over state responses.

The path to the Kalash Marriage Bill began five years ago, driven by community leaders and civil society organisations concerned about the erosion of indigenous rights.

Filed under Article 32 of the Constitution on 6 February 2026, the petition seeks to declare Section 44(3) of the DPDP Act – along with Sections 17(1)(c), 17(2), 33(1), and 36 – ultra vires the Constitution.

The court’s intervention offers temporary hope, but without prompt appointments, the institutional safeguards for religious minorities risk remaining on paper.

Bilateral trade reached $129 billion in 2024, with India enjoying a surplus. US agricultural imports from India rose, but concerns persist over subsidised US products undercutting Indian farmers. Agriculture employs about 42 per cent of India’s population, making it politically explosive – as seen in the 2021 farm law protests.

As the countdown to February 12 continues, the question hanging over Bangladesh is whether the interim government can deliver the security and fairness it promised – or whether the country’s most vulnerable citizens will once again pay the price for political change.

This latest edict from Akhundzada, who rarely appears in public and rules from Kandahar, reinforces his absolute authority.

The tariff reduction, confirmed by US President Donald Trump following talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, effectively withdraws additional duties that had pushed levies on some Indian exports as high as 50 per cent.