Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen
Get ready as major shift taking place in global economy: FM
Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen has laid emphasis on getting prepared with skills, education and infrastructure as a major shift is taking place in the world economy.
"To gain from this change, we’ve to prepare ourselves with skills, education, infrastructure, good governance, and above all goodwill," Dr Momen said.
He laid emphasis on working together in partnership and need to be fully prepared to overcome the challenges and to grip the opportunities ahead.
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"I’m confident that through our collective efforts, strong coordination and hard work, we’ll be able to turn Bangladesh into ‘Sonar Bangla’ as dreamt by Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the Father of the Nation," Dr Momen said.
He was addressing a virtual programme titled "Perspective Plan 2041 and Quest for Development: Golden Bengal as a Label for Nation Branding" held on Thursday night.
Bangladesh Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Dr Md Javed Patwari and Dr Kamal Abdul Naser Chowdhury also spoke at the event.
Bangabandhu's ideals continue to inspire peace and harmony: FM
Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen has said Bangabandhu's policy, his struggle, perseverance and sacrifice will continue to encourage the people, particularly the young generation, to follow his path of peace and harmony.
The foreign minister was addressing a virtual function marking the inauguration of Bangabandhu Corner at Bangladesh Institute of Law and International Affairs ( BILIA) on Thursday.
Read:Countries like Bangladesh need support for vaccine production: FM
Barrister M. Amir-UL Islam, Chairman of Bangladesh Institute of Law and International Affairs (BILIA) and Prof. Dr. Mizanur Rahman, Director of BILIA also spoke.
Dr Momen said that having embraced the ideals of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, his daughter Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina concluded the peace accord in the Chittagong Hill Tracts during her first term more than two decades ago.
She resolved critical issues with neighbours, India and Myanmar through dialogue and discussion by peaceful means, he said.
She also became the ’mother of humanity’ by providing shelter and humanitarian assistance to the 1.1 million hapless and persecuted Rohingya population from Myanmar-which is a unique example of humanity and compassion, he said.
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Dhaka seeks incentive-based package for sustainable graduation of LDCs
Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen on Friday called for an incentive-based and long-term package for the graduating and graduated countries from LDCs as they are at a high risk of sliding back -- both due to the Covid-19 impacts and the loss of LDC specific support measures.
The Foreign Minister said most of the LDCs have limited fiscal buffers and absence of ex-ante insurance schemes against shocks, which make their graduation trajectory highly challenging.
Read:Record high 82 million-plus people displaced despite Covid: UN
Dr Momen was speaking as a keynote speaker at a high-level virtual event on ‘Building Resilience for Sustainable and Irreversible Graduation of the LDCs’ hosted by the Permanent Mission of Bangladesh in New York in collaboration with the Permanent Mission of Canada and the United Nations Office of the High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States (OHRLLS).
He underlined the importance of adequate financing and resources as critical means for LDCs to keep pace with graduation expectations.
Dr Momen emphasised that LDCs need enhanced financing support to mitigate critical deficits in physical and institutional infrastructure and capacity building.
Eisenhower Mkaka, MP, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Malawi and the Chair of the Global coordination bureau of the LDCs, also delivered a keynote speech at the event.
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FM seeks clear roadmap from UN for Rohingya repatriation
Bangladesh has sought a clear roadmap from the United Nations for repatriation of the Rohingyas to Myanmar.
“We provided shelter to the Rohingyas out of humanitarian consideration. However, the solution to the crisis lies in their safe and sustainable repatriation to Myanmar, which couldn’t even be commenced in the last four years. Now UN needs to provide us with a clear roadmap in this regard," said Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen.
Read:Dhaka urges UN to take immediate steps to resolve Rohingya crisis
He made the call at a bilateral meeting with Christine S. Burgener, the Special Envoy of the Secretary General on Myanmar at the Bangladesh Permanent Mission in New York on Wednesday.
During the meeting, the Foreign Minister referred to the negative impacts of protracted presence of the Rohingyas in Cox’s Bazar, particularly for the host community, and stated that if repatriation doesn’t commence soon, it would only deteriorate the overall situation there and create instability in the region and beyond.
He briefed the Special Envoy on Bhashan Char project where the Rohingyas can engage in economic activities and stressed the engagement of UN in providing humanitarian assistance there.
Read: FM's NY Visit: Dhaka to press for early repatriation of Rohingyas
Dhaka urges UN to take immediate steps to resolve Rohingya crisis
Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen has urged the United Nations to take immediate steps to resolve the Rohingya crisis and help these displaced people return to their place of origin in Rakhine State with dignity.
The Foreign Minister also recalled the efforts of the international community, including the General Assembly and the Human Rights Council in keeping the issue of Rohingya alive; while the efforts of the Security Council have always fallen short of concrete action.
He expressed the hope that the Council will fulfill its Charter obligations and take urgent measures to resolve the crisis in Myanmar so that the Rohingya people can return to their homes in safety, security and dignity.
He also urged the regional countries and other stakeholders in playing their due role.
“We’ve always called for international community’s active role in resolving the political aspects of the Rohingya problem; addressing the root causes and most importantly fulfilling their fundamental right to return to their homes in safety, security and dignity,” said the Foreign Minister at a high-level virtual discussion on Tuesday organized by Bangladesh Permanent Mission to the UN in New York.
Also read: FM's NY Visit: Dhaka to press for early repatriation of Rohingyas
UN appreciates Dhaka’s proposal for showcasing women in peacekeeping
The United Nations has welcomed the proposal of Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen to invest in strategic communications showcasing women in peacekeeping in an effort to increase their participation in peacekeeping.
Dr Momen met UN Under Secretary General (Department of Operational Support) Atul Khare in New York on Monday and discussed the issue.
Read:Bangabandhu Lounge opened at Bangladesh Permanent Mission at UN
During the meeting, the Foreign Minister reiterated Bangladesh's commitment to peacekeeping and thanked the Under Secretary General for their support to Bangladesh, especially for including Bangladesh Biman to transport the peacekeepers to the field.
USG Khare expressed his deep appreciation to Bangladesh for their contribution to peacekeeping.
He appreciated Bangladesh for its leadership in implementing the UN's environmental strategy in the field.
Khare also praised Bangladesh's readiness to deploy peacekeepers with enabling assets.
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Railway network connecting Chatak, Sunamganj, Mohanganj sought
Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen has written to Railways Minister Md Nurul Islam Sujan requesting him to take an initiative for bringing Chatak, Sunamganj and Mohanganj areas under a railway network.
Five lawmakers from Sunamganj have recently written a letter to the Railways Minister regarding the expansion of railway network and later the Foreign Minister wrote a separate letter supporting the lawmakers' demand.
"It appeared logical to me what the five lawmakers mentioned," Dr Momen wrote in his letter to the Railways Minister.
Read:Free Hasina Movement: FM recalls difficult days in Boston, NY
Agreeing with the five lawmakers of Sunamganj, the Foreign Minister made a special request to the Railways Minister for connecting Chatak Sadar Dowara Bazar, Sunamganj Sadar to Mohanganj in the railway network, a senior government official told UNB.
He said the current planning Minister MA Mannan also agreed on establishing a rail link with Chatak, Sunamganj and Mohanganj.
The Foreign Minister mentioned that the current government began its work to establish uninterrupted railway networks in each district of the country.
Such initiatives added a new dimension to the country's communication system, he said.
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"I believe it will enrich the overall communication system of the country if Chatak, Sunamganj and Mohanganj are brought under the railway network," Dr Momen mentioned in his letter.
In 2011, the then Railways Minister Suranjit Sengupta announced establishing railway network in Chatak, Sunamganj and Mohanganj.
Later, railway officials visited the sites several times.
Free Hasina Movement: FM recalls difficult days in Boston, NY
Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen on Friday recalled the "very difficult and challenging time" when he had launched a movement in Boston and New York for freeing Sheikh Hasina during the military-backed caretaker government in the country.
"It's a historic day for us. It's a day of much joy for us," he said as the13th anniversary of release of Awami League President and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina from prison was observed on Friday.
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On this day in 2008, Sheikh Hasina was released from the special sub-jail set up on the premises of the Jatiya Sangsad Bbaban after remaining confined there for nearly 11 months.
The Awami League president was arrested from her Sudha Sadan residence at Dhanmondi on July 16, 2007 during the military-backed caretaker government, which assumed power in the political changeover of 1/11 in 2007.
Dr Momen said he was an Adviser to Awami League but AL was in a hostile situation in Boston as many were supporting the military government at that time.
"I remember, I used to drive from Boston to New York in every weekend with my children and continue our movement from New York," he said.
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The Foreign Minister described how he faced many challenges by the "reformists" who favoured minus-2 formula.
Dr Momen also recalled when Sheikh Hasina visited Boston after getting freed from jail.
"I started calling all in New York. I must say they got inspired. Our group in Boston got larger than that of opposing group. Our intention was to protect Sheikh Hasina in a disciplined way," he said adding that current Information Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud accompanied Sheikh Hasina.
Dr Momen said Sheikh Hasina has forgiven them who favoured minus-2 formula and they are in good position now.
In April, the government tried to exile Hasina by barring her return from a vacation in the United States.
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The Foreign Minister said the military-backed government tried its best so that Sheikh Hasina does not return home before her arrest.
"We told her (when she was going to England from the USA) you are daughter of Bangabandhu. You will surely go to Bangladesh, doesn't matter. Then she went to Bangladesh and faced the challenge," Dr Momen said.
The Awami League-led grand alliance saw a landslide victory with a two-third majority in Parliament in the national election of December 29 in 2008 and Awami League President Sheikh Hasina became the Prime Minister for the second term.
Bangladesh to get over 10 lakh AstraZeneca doses from COVAX: FM
Bangladesh will get some 10.8 lakh doses of AstraZeneca vaccine soon under COVAX facility.
These AstraZeneca vaccine doses have been allocated from the COVAX supply, said Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen on Friday.
He said the COVAX programme has not mentioned the source of this supply of AstraZeneca vaccine doses to Bangladesh.
The AstraZeneca vaccine doses will arrive soon, Dr Momen said.
Bangladesh Ambassador to the US conveyed the development to the Foreign Minister.
Bangladesh earlier sought 2 million doses of AstraZeneca vaccine from the US for addressing Bangladesh's immediate needs but the US is yet to reply to that particular request.
Read:Bangladesh receives 2nd shipment of medical supplies from US
Dr Momen said the US is only giving assurances, and he received a letter from the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Thursday which he says a very good in a sense.
Formal announcement over vaccine coproduction soon: FM
Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen on Thursday said they will hopefully be able to make a formal announcement soon on vaccine coproduction in Bangladesh as there has been a progress in the ongoing negotiation.
He, however, said it is up to them (vaccine-manufacturing countries) to choose local pharmaceutical companies for the vaccine coproduction in Bangladesh.
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"They’ll come and see the capacity after necessary inspection and will provide coproduction facilities," Dr Momen told reporters at State guesthouse Padma.
He said there will be no vaccine crisis in the country once coproduction begins. "Hopefully, we’ll become the exporter of vaccines after meeting domestic demand."
Earlier, he attended a programme where Bangladesh Association of Pharmaceutical Industries (BAPI) leaders donated medicines to Palestine Ambassador to Bangladesh Yousef SY Ramadan.