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Voter Turnout Likely to Exceed 55pc

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  Voter Turnout Likely to Exceed 55pc, Says Touhid Hossain Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain has expressed optimism that voter turnout in the 13th National Parliamentary Election, scheduled for 12 February, will exceed 55 percent. He made the remarks on Sunday while responding to journalists’ questions at the closing session of an election-focused training workshop in Dhaka. The two-day programme was organised for members of the Diplomatic Correspondents Association Bangladesh (DCAB) with support from the Media Resources Development Initiative (MRDI). Asked whether the government could hold the election smoothly amid reports that Awami League leaders based in India were campaigning for a ‘No’ vote in the referendum, Touhid Hossain said many were advocating ‘No’ without fully understanding the issue. He reiterated that the government wants the ‘Yes’ vote to succeed. He said the government has spent more than a year preparing reform proposals through various commissions and i...
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ICC to Ensure Pakistani-Origin Players Receive Indian Visas

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ICC to Ensure Pakistani-Origin Players Receive Indian Visas

Political tensions between India and Pakistan have long affected cricketing relations between the two countries. As a result, Pakistani cricketers—or players of Pakistani origin representing other nations—often face heightened scrutiny and lengthy procedures when applying for Indian visas.

Ahead of the upcoming T20 World Cup, several players of Pakistani origin from the England and USA teams encountered such visa-related complications. In response, the International Cricket Council (ICC) has stepped in to address the issue.

According to Indian news agency PTI, the ICC is working to secure Indian visas for 42 cricketers and officials of Pakistani origin representing various countries.

The matter came into focus last week when USA pacer Ali Khan, who is of Pakistani origin, claimed that India had denied him a visa. He said that visa applications for himself and three other USA players of Pakistani origin—wicketkeeper-batter Shayan Jahangir, pacer Ehsan Adil, and leg-spinner Mohammad Mohsin—had been rejected.

Following this, USA Cricket issued a statement confirming that the ICC was handling the Indian visa process on their behalf.

Reports also emerged that India had initially not issued visas to three England players of Pakistani origin—spinners Adil Rashid and Rehan Ahmed, and pacer Saqib Mahmood. However, it was later confirmed that all three players have since received their visas.

In addition, PTI reported that Pakistani-origin members of the Netherlands team have been granted visas, while Team Canada staff member Shah Saleem Jaffer has also received clearance. Visa processes are currently underway for Pakistani-origin players and officials from teams in the United Arab Emirates, USA, Italy, and Canada. Visa interview dates for these teams have been scheduled for early next week, which is considered the final stage of the process.

The deadline for visa issuance has been set for January 31. Throughout the process, the ICC has remained in regular contact with Indian High Commissions in different countries to ensure that the remaining applications are processed swiftly and smoothly.

The ICC has received assurances that all pending visas will be issued within the stipulated timeframe. If everything proceeds as planned, the ICC is confident that all teams will be fully prepared from a logistical standpoint before the tournament begins on February 7.

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