United News of Bangladesh

Prime Minister’s Foreign Affairs Adviser Humaiun Kobir on Monday described former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina as an "autocrat, terrorist and killer" who fled to India and is staying there as an "international terrorist," losing her relevance in Bangladesh. "We told (Indian side) she (Hasina) is a terrorist. She is irrelevant to Bangladesh. She doesn't have any room in Bangladesh. She doesn't hold any importance in Bangladesh. People have moved on," the Adviser told reporters at Secretariat. "I would say it's a good start to resetting the conversation," the Adviser said while commenting on the recent visit to India. India keen to strengthen people-centric cooperation with Bangladesh in all domains Bangladesh laid emphasis on making sure that Hasina does not do anything to destabilise the country using the soil of India, he said. "We will continue to seek her extradition through a transparent judicial process. It (extradition request) has been discussed. It will be dealt with through a transparent judicial process," Adviser Humaiun said. He said there would be some challenges as Hasina is still staying there. The Bangladesh side reiterated its request to extradite Sheikh Hasina and former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal to Bangladesh, who have been awarded the death penalty by the International Crimes Tribunal. Foreign Minister Dr Khalilur Rahman met Indian External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar and Oil and Natural Gas Minister Mr. Hardeep Puri in New Delhi on April 8. Prime Minister's Adviser Humaiun and Bangladesh High Commissioner to India Riaz Hamidullah were present at these meetings. They also held a meeting with India's National Security Adviser Ajit Doval following their arrival in India's capital city on April 7. Dhaka eyes goodwill gesture on visa front During the discussions, Minister Jaishankar said Indian visas to Bangladeshis, particularly medical and business visas, would be eased in the coming weeks, Humaiun said. Responding to a question, he  said the Indian side responded positively to resuming medical and business visas. "We hope there will be some goodwill gesture from the Indian side in the coming weeks," said the Adviser. In the discussions in New Delhi, both sides emphasised the importance of advancing bilateral relations between the two countries in various dimensions. They also discussed key regional and international issues. Dr Khalilur said the recently elected BNP government under the leadership of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman would pursue its foreign policy in accordance with the principle of "Bangladesh First" and on the basis of mutual trust, respect, and reciprocal benefit. He thanked the Indian government for apprehending the suspected killers of Shaheed Osman Hadi. Both sides agreed that the arrested individuals will be returned to Bangladesh in accordance with the procedures laid out in the extradition treaty between the two countries. Dr Khalilur expressed thanks to Minister Hardeep Puri for the recent supply of diesel to Bangladesh by India and requested an increase in the volume of diesel and fertilizer supply. Minister Puri indicated that the government of India will consider the request readily and favourably. The two sides also agreed to undertake consultations on key bilateral issues.

The family of self-proclaimed ‘Pir’ Abdur Rahman, also known as Shamim Reza and Jahangir, who was killed in a mob attack at his shrine in Daulatpur upazila of Kushtia, expressed unwillingness to file a case. “We, all family members, have decided not to file a case,” Shamim’s elder brother, retired school teacher Fazlur Rahman, said on Monday morning. “I am old. I cannot afford to deal with these matters,” he added. “After the burial on Sunday afternoon, the family members sat together at night. Police officers were also present. They repeatedly asked us to file a case but we have decided not to proceed,” said Fazlur Rahman. Earlier on Sunday night, Daulatpur Police Station Officer-in-Charge Arifur Rahman said they were waiting for the victim’s family to file a case. When asked again on Monday morning, OC Arifur Rahman said, “I have not heard that they will not file a case. They might come today.” Abdur Rahman, 65, was beaten and hacked to death on Saturday afternoon at a site known as “Shamim Baba’s Darbar Sharif” in Philipnagar Union. According to locals, an old video from 2023 resurfaced, leading to allegations of blasphemy and triggering the attack. Three of his followers—Zubayer, Mohon Ali, and Jamirun Nesa—were also injured in the incident and received treatment at a local hospital.

Indian High Commisioner to Bangladesh Pranay Verma on Monday reiterated India’s willingness to work with the government and the people of Bangladesh to strengthen people-centric cooperation in all domains based on mutual interest and benefit. He paid a courtesy call on Information and Broadcasting Minister Zahir Uddin Swapon and discussed issues of mutual interest. They discussed wide-ranging cooperation in information and broadcasting domain including engagements between media and broadcasting institutions of the two countries.  They agreed to enhance exchange visits of media delegations between the two countries to strengthen people-to-people relations and promote mutual understanding. The High Commissioner proposed various capacity building initiatives for journalists and media professionals under ITEC programme of Government of India. As part of these initiatives, a special training course for women journalists from Bangladesh will soon be organised in India. They also exchanged views on cooperation in films, including organization of film screening and film festivals in each other’s country, as well as collaboration in production and post-production technological support.

Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmad on Monday said India remains Bangladesh’s closest neighbour and its support for the nomination of Bangladesh Foreign Minister Dr Khalilur Rahman as President of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly reflects a cooperative and generous approach. “The current parliament is very vibrant. The opposition party is playing an active role. We need to identify areas of cooperation and take steps to strengthen parliamentary relations,” he said when outgoing Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Pranay Verma paid a courtesy call on the Speaker at his office. The Speaker also recalled that strong bilateral ties between Bangladesh and India were forged during the 1971 Liberation War when India extended all possible support to Bangladesh. During the meeting, Verma said the Parliamentary Friendship Group could play a key role in strengthening ties between the two countries. “Diplomatic relations will move forward through bilateral visits of parliamentary delegations,” he said. The meeting focused on enhancing bilateral relations including economic cooperation, connectivity and people-to-people contacts through constructive engagement. The High Commissioner also congratulated Hafiz Uddin Ahmad on his election as Speaker and presented him with a copy of the Constitution and a memento on behalf of the Government of India. Pranay Varma also paid courtesy call on Deputy Speaker Barrister Kayser Kamal. The Speaker and Deputy Speaker 'expressed interest in promoting deeper exchanges' with the Parliament of India. They discussed possible opportunities for exchanges between Parliamentary committees, capacity building opportunities for Members and officials of Parliament, and mutual visits of Parliamentary delegations, according to the Indian High Commission in Dhaka. The High Commissioner underlined the importance of Parliamentary exchanges and cooperation as a vital part of their efforts to strengthen people-to-people ties between the two countries. He briefed the Speaker and Deputy Speaker on various institutional initiatives taken by the Parliament of India to strengthen and modernize resources and practices. The High Commissioner also had a brief visit to the Parliament Library at the Jatiya Sangsad and exchanged views on potential collaboration between the libraries of the Parliaments of the two countries in areas such as digitization of records and collaborative research. Senior officials of the Indian High Commission, the Parliament Secretariat and other concerned officials were present.

State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaid Islam on Sunday said the situation could deteriorate further, affecting the world, if a solution does not emerge from the US-Iran peace talks. "Every country will be affected - economically, socially, and in every way. We don’t want that at all," she told reporters at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, noting that they want the talks to be expedited and a resolution to be reached. Meanwhile, the State Minister requested Iran to consider facilitating the safe passage of Bangladesh-bound vessels through the Strait of Hormuz. She raised the issue when Ambassador of Iran to Bangladesh Jalil Rahimi Jahanabadi met her.  

German Ambassador Rüdiger Lotz and Swedish Ambassador Nicolas Weeks separately called on Commerce Minister Khandakar Abdul Muktadir on Sunday, with both meetings centered on ways to deepen bilateral trade, investment and economic cooperation between their respective countries and Bangladesh. The meetings, held at the minister's office, underscored Bangladesh's growing importance as a trade and investment destination for European partners. Addressing both envoys, the minister noted that Europe remains a principal destination for Bangladeshi exports and that stronger bilateral trade cooperation could yield mutual benefits. He acknowledged non-tariff barriers with EU member states, adding that the commerce ministry has already initiated discussions with relevant ministries to address these hurdles. During his meeting with the German ambassador, Muktadir invited Germany to invest in Bangladesh's light engineering, textile and leather sectors, pointing out that the government has undertaken wide-ranging measures to foster a business-friendly environment. He stressed that foreign investment is critical to generating employment for the nearly two to 2.2 million new entrants joining the country's workforce each year. Ambassador Lotz expressed Germany's keen interest in strengthening commercial ties with Dhaka. He highlighted his country's willingness to work on market-oriented skill development and emerging market growth, while also calling for a level playing field for business and trade.

Iranian Ambassador to Bangladesh Jalil Rahimi Jahanabadi on Sunday said many ships are waiting in the Strait of Hormuz due to the war situation, and said he was hopeful that they will be able to cross the Strait “very soon”. “Some Bangladeshi ships are also stuck in the Strait of Hormuz. We will cooperate with Bangladesh. We will make arrangements for the release of Bangladeshi ships. The ships will be able to cross the Strait of Hormuz very soon. We will take action in this regard after talking to the Bangladesh government,” said the Ambassador. The Iranian Ambassador made the remarks while speaking as the chief guest at an anti-war crimes exhibition titled 'Remembering the Martyred Students of the Islamic Republic of Iran: Demanding Justice and Accountability for US-Israeli War Crimes' organized by the Revolutionary Students' Council at Dhaka University on Sunday. The Ambassador said the relations between Bangladesh and Iran are good and they consider Bangladesh as a brotherly country. “We have no enmity with Bangladesh.” Regarding the Pakistan-mediated talks between Iran and the United States, the Ambassador thanked Pakistan for arranging the talks, according to a media release. “At the same time, I thank those who have cooperated with us, including Oman."

Saudi Arabia has expressed interest in launching operations of its new airline, Riyadh Air, in Bangladesh, aiming to enhance air connectivity between the two countries. Saudi Ambassador to Bangladesh Dr Abdullah Zafer H. Bin Abiyah expressed the interest at a meeting with Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister Afroza Khanam (Rita) at the latter’s office in the Secretariat here on Sunday. State Minister M. Rashiduzzaman Millat was also present, said a PID handout. During the meeting, the minister underscored the need to improve the services of Saudi airlines for Bangladeshi passengers. In response, the Saudi envoy assured that necessary steps would be taken to enhance service standards in the near future. He expressed Saudi Arabia’s interest in establishing a station and launching operations of Saudi Arabia's second flag carrier, Riyadh Air, in Bangladesh. At the time, the state minister urged Saudi authorities to consider operating flights not only from Dhaka but also from Sylhet and Chattogram, in order to better serve passengers across the country. During the meeting, both sides expressed optimism about further strengthening the longstanding bilateral relations between Bangladesh and Saudi Arabia. Bangladesh emphasized the importance of joint initiatives to develop Bangladesh’s tourism sector with Saudi cooperation.

State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam on Sunday encouraged the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) to explore ‘suitable humanitarian engagement modalities’ in Bhasan Char to further enhance assistance efforts. The State Minister also thanked IFRC and the Bangladesh Red Crescent Society (BDRCS) for their continued contributions to the Rohingya humanitarian response, including healthcare delivery and the provision of safe drinking water in Cox’s Bazar. She received Head of Delegation of the IFRC Alberto Bocanegra at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and discussed areas of cooperation. Bocanegra reaffirmed IFRC’s commitment to deepening collaboration with the government of Bangladesh to strengthen effective humanitarian action, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He expressed his interest in working with the government of Bangladesh to support ongoing efforts to contain and respond to the measles outbreak. He also conveyed IFRC’s readiness to assist the Government in scaling up capacity-building initiatives, enhancing disaster response mechanisms and advancing community resilience programmes in Bangladesh. The State Minister expressed appreciation for the long-standing partnership between Bangladesh and the IFRC, recalling its invaluable humanitarian support since the Liberation War of 1971. She commended IFRC’s prompt response to natural catastrophes, the COVID-19 pandemic and its initiatives in community-based disaster management. She emphasized the importance of harnessing youth volunteerism in disaster preparedness, particularly in early cyclone warning systems and community evacuation efforts. She encouraged IFRC to explore suitable humanitarian engagement modalities in Bhasan Char to further enhance assistance efforts.

Reaffirming Bangladesh’s steadfast support for the just cause of Palestine and the brotherly Palestinian people, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam on Sunday reiterated Bangladesh’s consistent position in favour of a two-State solution, as well as peace and stability in the Middle East. The issues were discussed when Ambassador of Palestine to Bangladesh Yousef Ramadan paid a courtesy call on the State Minister for Foreign Affairs. Both sides also discussed ways to further strengthen bilateral relations between Bangladesh and Palestine, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The State Minister warmly welcomed the Ambassador and conveyed gratitude to the Palestinian leadership for their felicitations to the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) on its victory in the 13th Parliamentary Election and the formation of the government.