Foreign-Affairs
Bangladesh, Denmark launch action plan to strengthen partnership on green transition
Bangladesh and Denmark on Tuesday launched a joint action plan for realizing the"Sustainable and Green Framework Engagement" that was signed in 2022 in order to strengthen the partnership on climate and green transition between the two countries.
Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Md. Shahab Uddin and Danish Minister for Development Cooperation and Global Climate Policy Dan Jørgensen launched the joint action plan.
With the Joint Action Plan, Bangladesh and Denmark are deepening their partnership towards attaining a more sustainable and green future globally.
Also read: Danish Minister Dan Jørgensen in Dhaka
The focus of the activities of the Action Plan are on Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation, Loss & Damage and Environmental Sustainability, in the framework of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Paris Agreement on Climate Change.
Bangladesh faces external pressures, requires careful macroeconomic management: World Bank
World Bank Vice President for South Asia, Martin Raiser, has reaffirmed the organization’s continued support to help Bangladesh achieve sustainable and inclusive growth.
“Bangladesh faces continued external pressures, which require careful macroeconomic management, but also a deepening of structural reforms to attract more private investment, boost jobs and strengthen resilience against climate shocks,” said Raiser who concluded his two-day visit to Bangladesh on Tuesday.
He said the World Bank stands ready to redouble its support under the new country strategy and accelerated implementation of its large existing portfolio.
Also read: Bangladesh receives $858 mln World Bank fund for agriculture growth, road safety
Raiser visited Bangladesh as part of his current South Asia tour, according to the global lending body.
He met with the Bangladesh Bank Governor, State Minister for Power, Energy, and Mineral Resources, Senior Secretary to the Ministry of Finance, Secretary to Economic Relations Division, and other senior government officials.
They discussed the World Bank’s new country partnership framework for Bangladesh for fiscal years 2023-27 as well as how the World Bank support can be best utilized to help Bangladesh navigate the global uncertainties and increasing climate change impacts.
Also read: Bangladesh, World Bank sign US$ 2.25 billion loan agreement comprising 5 projects
Raiser urged speeding up the pace of implementation of the World Bank-supported projects.
The World Bank and Bangladesh today signed a $191 million financing to strengthen the higher education sector and respond better to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Also read: World Bank approves $1.25bn financing in 3 projects for Bangladesh
The Higher Education Acceleration Transformation Project will support regional and global collaboration, research and innovation in higher education. It will help more women access quality tertiary education.
Sharifa Khan, Secretary, Economic Relations Division, Government of Bangladesh and Abdoulaye Seck, World Bank Country Director for Bangladesh and Bhutan, signed on behalf of Bangladesh and the World Bank, respectively, in presence of Raiser.
Also read: External pressure behind World Bank's withdrawal from Padma Bridge, says PM Hasina urging it to look into future
Danish Minister Dan Jørgensen in Dhaka
Danish Minister for Development and Global Climate Dan Jørgensen arrived in Dhaka on Tuesday.
Additional Foreign Secretary Asad Alam Siam received him at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport.
The visit will focus on engaging in climate change agenda and enhancing partnership between Bangladesh and Denmark in the area of green growth and decent work, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Read: PM Hasina's gift of mangoes for Indian President, Modi, Sonia Gandhi and other dignitaries
Recently, Bangladesh and Denmark signed a grant-based framework agreement of DKK 300 million or approximately Tk 474 crore implementing the bilateral development programme 2023-2028.
The strategic objectives of the framework agreement will be complemented by cross-cutting priorities such as the strengthening of democracy, empowerment of youth and improving gender equality, through empowering women and girls.
The joint action plan was launched in presence of Danish Minister for Development Cooperation and Global Climate Policy Dan Jorgensen.
Read: Letter from 6 members of European Parliament reflects views of signatories, Ambassador tells UNB
The government of the Kingdom of Denmark and the government of Bangladesh have 50 years long history of bilateral cooperation.
During this period, Denmark has been supporting Bangladesh in areas of agriculture, water and sanitation, transport sectors, climate change, human rights and good governance programme, according to a media release.
Read: One in 10 children work to earn a living: ILO
ADB approves $400mn loan to Bangladesh to enhance revenues, reforms, help small businesses
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) on Tuesday (June 14, 2023) approved a $400 million loan to Bangladesh to advance reforms in domestic resource mobilization, improve efficiency and productivity of public spending, and help small businesses – especially women-led businesses – to access low-cost innovative bank financing.
This loan is ADB’s second subprogram of the Sustainable Economic Recovery Program that was launched in October 2021 to support economic recovery after the COVID-19 pandemic.
“This subprogram enables Bangladesh to enhance revenues, promote efficiency and transparency in public spending and public procurement, deepen the reforms of state-owned enterprises, and help small businesses and microentrepreneurs to access low-interest affordable credits from the banking sector,” said ADB Principal Public Management Economist for South Asia, Aminur Rahman.
Read: Danish Minister Dan Jørgensen in Dhaka
“The subprogram, with a strong focus on gender, climate change, and digitization, enables the government to strengthen its efforts to support income generation for the poor and vulnerable,” he added.
The program will enhance income tax collection through the adoption of the new Income Tax Act, reduce tax loopholes, strengthen compliance and enforcement measures, and broaden the country’s tax net.
Transparency and efficiency in public procurement will be enhanced through strengthening electronic procurement and electronic payment systems, while approval of public projects will be facilitated through the newly launched digital system of public project appraisal and approval process, according to ADB.
Read: Letter from 6 members of European Parliament reflects views of signatories, Ambassador tells UNB
The new package supports the launch of innovative financing services by Bangladesh Bank through commercial banks to provide low-cost microcredit using digital channels and e-wallet.
It facilitates bank lending to marginalized and landless farmers, small traders, and low-income earners. Micro and small businesses and women entrepreneurs who do not possess land or property will also be able to access finance based on their trade receipts and other forms of nonfixed collaterals, such as small equipment and machinery.
Promoting gender equality and social inclusion and addressing the climate change agenda in public investment and national budgeting are some of the key activities of this new program.
Promoting gender equality and social inclusion and addressing the climate change agenda in public investment and national budgeting are some of the key activities of this new program.
Read: UN asked to engage more effectively with Myanmar to commence Rohingya repatriation
PM Hasina's gift of mangoes for Indian President, Modi, Sonia Gandhi and other dignitaries
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has sent fresh seasonal mangoes as gifts to Droupadi Murmu, President of India, and Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India.
She also gifted mangoes to Sonia Gandhi, former president of Indian National Congress, and other dignitaries, according to the Indian High Commission in Dhaka.
Read: Letter from 6 members of European Parliament reflects views of signatories, Ambassador tells UNB
As a goodwill gesture, the Bangladeshi Prime Minister had gifted mangoes to Indian dignitaries in the past as well.
This year, the gift baskets carried popular varieties of mango like Himsagar and Langra, originating mainly from the Rajshahi region of Bangladesh, a place popularly known for producing high-quality, delicious mangoes.
Read: FM visiting India to attend G20 development ministers' meeting
The Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi delivered the gifts to the offices of the respective dignitaries.
Letter from 6 members of European Parliament reflects views of signatories, Ambassador tells UNB
Six Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) have urged High Representative/Vice-President of the European Union (EU) Josep Borrell Fontelles to ensure free, fair, and impartial general election – possibly under a polls-time neutral, caretaker government – in Bangladesh.
The MEPs are Ivan ŠTEFANEC (EPP, Slovak Republic), Michaela ŠOJDROVÁ (EPP, Czech Republic), Andrey KOVATCHEV (EPP, Bulgaria), Karen MELCHIOR (Renew, Denmark), Javier NART (Renew, Spain) and Heidi HAUTALA (Greens/EFA, Finland).
Read more: Religious leaders shocked at congressmen's letter to Biden
In a letter to the EU High Representative, the six MEPs also called for ending what they say “violation of human rights, release of Begum Khaleda Zia, and engagement of the government with the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and other major political parties to find out a sustainable and democratic solution to the ongoing crises.”
The Embassy of the European Union in Dhaka, however, sees this letter as the views of the six MEPs who signed the letter.
“I would just note that this letter reflects the views of the 6 MEPs who signed it,” EU Ambassador to Bangladesh, Charles Whiteley, told UNB.
Read: State of Christians in Bangladesh: Archbishop Emeritus Patrick D'Rozario rejects 6 US congressmen’s letter to Biden
EU has strong reasons to stand with the people of Bangladesh as a long-time partner in trade and development cooperation, the signatory MEPs believe.
“Thus, the EU needs not only to remain in constant dialogue with Bangladesh’s authorities on human rights agenda, but also to produce tangible outcomes,” the letter reads.
They mentioned potential measures such as restriction of entry into the EEA zone for those responsible for and complicit in human rights abuses, or regular reminding of the conditions for the GSP+ incentive to which Bangladesh is a bidder may be evaluated.
Read: Exaggeration, inconsistency in Congressmen’s letter: Shahriar Alam
“In this regard, we would appreciate to know more about the results of the EU-Bangladesh Joint Commission and Subgroup on Good Governance and Human Rights and the plans to work on the Bangladeshi authorities on these (and possibly other),” the letter reads.
One in 10 children work to earn a living: ILO
Around 160 million children or almost one in every 10 children worldwide do not attend school and instead work to support their families.
The International Labour Organization (ILO) revealed these shocking figures on Monday in observance of World Day Against Child Labor as a reminder of the critical need to put a stop to this practice.
ILO’s Director-General Gilbert Houngbo said that for the first time in 20 years, child labour is on the rise.
Read: Bangladesh must suspend pilot project to return Rohingyas to Myanmar: UN expert
“Child labour rarely happens because parents are bad, or do not care. Rather, it springs from a lack of social justice,” he said.
Houngbo stressed on Twitter that the “most effective solutions” to the child labour emergency are decent work for adults, so that they can provide for their families, and improved social protection.
He also emphasized that in order to address the main causes of child labor, it is necessary to end forced labor, establish safe and healthy workplaces, for employees to organize and have their views heard, and eliminate discrimination because child labor frequently affects the most vulnerable groups.
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More than half of all children who are forced to child labor—roughly 86.6 million people—live in sub-Saharan Africa, according to research conducted jointly by the ILO and the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF).
Almost 24 per cent of all children in the region, or close to one in four, are in child labour.
Most of those in child labour on the African continent, and indeed worldwide, work in agriculture. The UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said on Monday that agriculture accounts for 70 per cent of child labour globally and that the numbers of youngsters working in the sector are on the rise.
FAO stressed that child labour was three times more prevalent among rural smallholders in farming, fisheries or forestry than in urban areas.
Read: Dhaka seeks global support in pilot Rohingya repatriation project
The agency emphasized that children often assist their parents in producing crops, rearing livestock or catching fish, “mainly for family consumption”, and that while not all this work is considered child labour, “for too many children, their work, particularly in agriculture, goes beyond the limits of safety and well-being and crosses into a form of labour that can harm their health or educational opportunities”.
FAO underscored the need to tackle the issue “from the field right up to the global level, to ensure that children have a childhood”.
FAO has also developed a framework on ending child labour in agriculture, aiming to provide guidance to policymakers, and has supported countries such as Uganda and Cabo Verde in developing prevention policies.
Bengali New Year celebration in Canada's Ottawa
The Bangladesh High Commission in Canada celebrated Bengali New Year-1430 with much enthusiasm on June 11.
The programme was held at the auditorium of the Bangladesh High Commission.
The event was chaired by the High Commissioner, Dr. Khalilur Rahman, and attended by Chandra Arya, Member of the House of Commons, as well as officials of the High Commission and prominent members of the Bangladeshi community living in Canada.
In his welcome speech, High Commissioner Dr. Khalilur Rahman emphasised the non-communal traditions of Bengali culture.
UN asked to engage more effectively with Myanmar to commence Rohingya repatriation
Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen has highlighted ongoing repatriation initiative and stressed that repatriation is the solution of the crisis and expectation of the Rohingyas.
The Foreign Secretary asked the UN to engage more effectively with the Myanmar government to commence early, sustainable and voluntary repatriation of the Rohingyas to Rakhine State.
Also read: Bangladesh seeks stronger support from int'l community for Rohingya repatriation
The United Nations Resident Coordinator (UNRC) in Bangladesh Gwyn Lewis met the Foreign Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Monday.
During the meeting, the UN Resident Coordinator elaborated on the ongoing and projected humanitarian response for the Rohingya crisis.
Also read: Bangladesh must suspend pilot project to return Rohingyas to Myanmar: UN expert
Discussion also focused on the cooperation between Bangladesh and the UN regarding the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), disaster management, and food security, among others.
Also read: UNHCR to look after Rohingya families waiting for repatriation too
Government reiterates its strong commitment to promoting, protecting human rights ahead of UPR
Additional Foreign Secretary Asad Alam Siam has highlighted the government’s strong commitment to promoting and protecting human rights for the citizens despite many challenges.
Siam also underscored government’s willingness to work closely with the CSOs in addressing human rights related issues; and opined that such interaction with the CSOs would be helpful for the Government in finalizing the National Report for the UPR.
Read more: UN asked to engage more effectively with Myanmar to commence Rohingya repatriation
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs organized a Civil Society Consultation on Monday as part of the ongoing process of preparing Bangladesh’s National Report for the 4th cycle of Universal Periodic Review (UPR) scheduled in November 2023.
The Consultation was chaired by the Additional Foreign Secretary Siam.
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A number of representatives from various Civil Society Organizations (CSO) participated in the Consultation, according to MoFA.
Representatives from the CSOs expressed their views on various aspects of economic, social, and Cultural Rights as well as civil and Political Rights in Bangladesh.
Read more: Uphold multilateralism for greater global interest: Momen tells G20 meeting
They also provided feedback and recommendations to be reflected upon the National Report of the 4th cycle of UPR and thanked the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for organizing the Consultation.