United News of Bangladesh

A vibrant ‘Ilish Fest’ celebrating Bangladesh’s national fish, hilsa, was held at the Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi on Saturday. The event, held at the ‘Maitri’ Auditorium of the High Commission, brought together prominent Indian politicians, diplomats, civil society representatives, academics, journalists and cultural personalities. During the festival, prominent Indian personalities unveiled the book ‘A Fish Called Ilish’, published in Dhaka. The event centred on hilsa, which is deeply rooted in Bengali heritage, culture and culinary traditions. It also provided an opportunity to showcase Bangladesh’s rich cultural heritage and hospitality, with guests enjoying a variety of hilsa dishes alongside traditional Bangladeshi cuisine. The guests appreciated not only the distinct taste of Bangladeshi hilsa but also the emotions, traditions and cultural values associated with the fish. Former Indian Minister of State for External Affairs and noted journalist M.J. Akbar, former diplomat and politician Mani Shankar Aiyar, human rights activist and social thinker Syeda Hameed, former Indian ambassador Ronen Sen, eminent sociologist Ashis Nandy and other distinguished personalities attended the programme. The guests praised the taste of Bangladeshi hilsa and the overall organisation of the festival. The event also highlighted Bangladesh’s heritage, culture and hospitality, while guests expressed hope that such initiatives would contribute to further strengthening the friendly ties between the peoples of Bangladesh and India. Speaking after the book launch, Bangladesh High Commissioner to India Md Riaz Hamidullah said hilsa was closely linked to Bangladesh’s identity. He said the fish was deeply intertwined with the country’s social and economic fabric. The High Commissioner also noted that Bangladesh has five hilsa sanctuaries and that the government has taken various initiatives to increase hilsa breeding and production. These efforts have contributed to increased conservation and production of the fish, he said. Officials of the Bangladesh High Commission were present at the event.

State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam has said that Bangladesh is committed to ensuring that persons with autism and disabilities are not merely recipients of support, but active participants in education, employment, economic life and society. She made the remarks at a high-level event titled “Accelerating Global Action on Autism: The Global Autism Advocacy Coalition from Commitment to Implementation,” held at UN Headquarters on the sidelines of the 81st session of the UN General Assembly on September 25. Welcoming the initiative, the State Minister highlighted its focus on strengthening national systems, evidence-based solutions, workforce development, innovation, and investment to advance autism inclusion and support. She stressed that international cooperation should strengthen sustainable national capacity and ensure persons with autism have access to appropriate opportunities, said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Saturday. The event was organized by Qatar, Qatar Foundation, WHO, UNICEF, and Autism Speaks, with ministers and high-level representatives from several countries in attendance.

Bangladesh and the United States have signed a strategic agreement on civil nuclear cooperation, marking a new step in bilateral cooperation in the peaceful use of nuclear technology. Prime Minister’s Adviser for Science and Technology Rehan Asad signed the agreement on behalf of Bangladesh while US Secretary Jacob Helberg signed it on behalf of the US on September 25, the BNP media cell said in a post on its verified Facebook page. During US Special Envoy for South and Central Asia Sergio Gor's recent visit, Washington  proposed a memorandum of understanding on civil nuclear cooperation with Bangladesh. On August 3, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam said Bangladesh views the US proposal on civil nuclear cooperation positively, stressing that any engagement with Washington will be considered if it serves the interests of the people of Bangladesh. She said the government's approach remains “positive”, and any bilateral agreement with the United States will be considered based on Bangladesh's national interest.

Bangladesh and Brazil have emphasised the importance of regular exchange of high-level visits and discussed ways to expand mutually beneficial cooperation in new and emerging areas, as well as to further deepen people-to-people and institutional linkages between the two countries.                   State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humaiun Kobir met Mauro Luiz Iecker Vieira, Foreign Minister of Brazil, on the sidelines of the United Nations meetings in New York on September 25. During the meeting, the two sides discussed a range of issues of mutual interest and expressed satisfaction at the growing momentum in Bangladesh-Brazil relations. They exchanged views on further strengthening bilateral cooperation, particularly in the areas of trade and investment, economic engagement, and South-South Cooperation.

While not keen to stake out a formal position on the matter, the United States would like to see Bangladesh and India work towards resolving their differences over former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, calling it a ‘major irritant’ in ties between the two neighbours. A senior US State Department official outlined the Trump administration’s position on various issues concerning South Asia during an “on-background” briefing in New York on Thursday (embargoed until 10:30am, September 25, US time). The briefing was conducted on the condition that the official’s name be withheld. The briefing, titled “US Policy in Support of a Stable, Prosperous and Sovereign South Asia,” was held at the New York Foreign Press Center. It was attended by journalists from Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Sri Lanka. A Bangladeshi journalist mentioned Hasina’s intention to return to Bangladesh by December and specifically asked about the US position on it. The senior official declined to be drawn into the matter, before adding: “We understand that it remains a major irritant in the India-Bangladesh relationship, and so we hope that they can work together to find a resolution.” She then called for better relations between India and Bangladesh. “We hope to see better, we encourage better relationships between both sides. And that’s what we support,” she said. Another Bangladeshi journalist asked directly whether the US supports lifting the ban on the Awami League, as well as Hasina returning to Bangladesh and participating in the political process. But the question drew a terse response: “That’s for the Bangladeshi government to decide.” The official said Washington had not specifically weighed in on what should happen with Hasina, while encouraging better relations between India and Bangladesh. “But we have not weighed in specifically on what we think should happen with Hasina. But I will just say in general, we hope to see better – better – we encourage better relationships between both sides. And that’s what we support,” she said. The official also described the current Bangladesh-US relationship as “very strong”, saying Washington was focused on working with the elected government to advance goals aimed at making Bangladesh “stronger and more secure, and more prosperous.” “We will not weigh in on the domestic political ongoing discussions inside of Bangladesh, but I will say is that our relationship with Bangladesh, our relationship with the BNP, is in a very, very healthy place,” the US official said. “We continue to work with the elected government, and that’s who we’re focusing on, advancing the goals that are going to make Bangladesh stronger and more secure, and more prosperous, as well as the United States. And so I think we’re not going to weigh in on political domestic ongoing discussions, but our relationship right now with the U.S. and Bangladesh is very strong,” the official added. Counterterrorism Efforts On Bangladesh-related counterterrorism concerns, the official said al-Qaida was a terrorist organisation and that Washington would work with any country on counterterrorism efforts, but declined to comment specifically on a recent UN Security Council sanctions monitoring report because the official had not seen its details. “I don’t know the details of that report, but I can just say in general al-Qaida is a terrorist organization, and we will work with any country to make sure we help them on counterterrorism,” the official said. The United States is not asking Bangladesh to choose between major powers but wants to provide alternatives, particularly in sensitive sectors such as critical infrastructure and telecommunications, the senior US State Department official said. “We’re not saying you have to pick this or that, but we want to be able to present them with alternatives that we think are safer and better for their resiliency and better for their sovereignty,” the official said at the on-background briefing on US policy in South Asia. The official said Bangladesh is in a difficult geopolitical position and Washington understands that countries cannot always be forced to choose between major powers. “However, there are key areas that we do feel they need to make a choice, and those are things like critical infrastructure. These are things like telecom. These are sensitive parts of their system,” the official said. The United States, the official said, wants to help Bangladesh uphold its sovereignty and protect its systems by presenting alternatives in such sensitive sectors. The official said Chinese companies, which Washington views as backed by the Chinese Communist Party, can sometimes be difficult to compete with because of their pricing. “That’s where we have resources, like the DFC and others, and working with our like-minded friends to make sure we can push alternatives,” the official said. US-India Cooperation in Indian Ocean The official also outlined growing US-India cooperation in the Indian Ocean, saying Washington and New Delhi were looking at ways to pool resources and work together in countries including Sri Lanka, the Maldives and Mauritius. The cooperation would focus on maritime security, combating illegal fishing, human trafficking and narcotics trafficking, as well as strategic and digital infrastructure. The official said the United States and India had overlapping interests despite their respective “America First” and “India first” policies. “We both have a strategic interest, and that’s where — and this is something the Secretary — I think you were at his press conference when we were in New Delhi. But America has an America First policy, India has an India first policy, but that doesn’t mean our interests do not align quite a lot,” the official said. The official said Washington and New Delhi were also looking at ports and next-generation digital infrastructure, including 6G standards. Trump-Tarique Contact           Asked about possible future meetings between US President Donald Trump and Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, the official referred to the White House on the president’s schedule. The official, however, noted that Trump had met Foreign Minister Dr Khalilur Rahman briefly during the week, while US Secretary of State Marco Rubio had also met him in Manila during an ASEAN-related engagement. “Those touchpoints have been happening, and I can’t tell you what’s on the schedule coming up, but I imagine there’ll be more opportunities for them to meet,” the official said.

State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam has reiterated Bangladesh’s call for an independent, sovereign and viable State of Palestine on pre-1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital, and for Palestine’s full membership in the United Nations. Shama Obaed attended the High-Level Ministerial Meeting of the Global Alliance for the Implementation of the Two State Solution, held at the UN Headquarters in New York on the sidelines of the 81st session of the UN General Assembly on September 24. State Minister Shama Obaed called for accelerated implementation of UNSCR 2803 arrangements with clear accountability and Palestinian ownership, protection of UNRWA’s mandate and sustained funding, prevention of forced displacement and demographic change in Gaza and an end to settlement expansion.

Bangladesh and Russia signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on cultural cooperation in St Petersburg on Thursday, aiming to expand collaboration in cultural exchange, heritage preservation, arts and culture, museums, archaeology and creative industries. The MoU was signed between the Ministry of Cultural Affairs of Bangladesh and the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation on the sidelines of the ongoing 12th St Petersburg International United Cultures Forum. Cultural Affairs Minister Nitai Roy Chowdhury signed the MoU on behalf of Bangladesh. The agreement also emphasised further strengthening the long-standing friendly relations between Bangladesh and Russia through expanded cultural cooperation. Earlier, Myanmar’s Minister for Religious and Cultural Affairs U Tin Oo Lwin paid a courtesy call on Cultural Affairs Minister Nitai Roy Chowdhury. During the meeting, the two ministers held discussions on archaeological artefacts, Buddhist heritage, cultural ties and shared historical characteristics of the two countries. During the forum, Nitai Roy will give a special interview to Russia’s international media outlet Sputnik International. In the interview, he will highlight Bangladesh’s rich thousand-year-old cultural heritage, archaeological resources, Bengali New Year and various folk festivals, the diverse cultures of ethnic communities in the hills and plains, and the multifaceted traditions of Bengali music. On the second day of the forum on Friday, the cultural affairs minister will deliver the keynote address at a thematic session titled “Folk Artisan Craftwork Rebooted.” He will highlight Bangladesh’s folk art, the revival of handicrafts and the global potential of traditional handicrafts. Russian President Vladimir Putin is expected to attend the plenary session of the forum on Friday afternoon. Nitai Roy is scheduled to return home on September 28.

Bangladesh and Trinidad and Tobago signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in New York on Wednesday to establish a bilateral consultation mechanism between the two countries. State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humaiun Kobir and Minister of Foreign and CARICOM Affairs of Trinidad and Tobago SM Sobers, MP, signed the MoU on behalf of their respective countries. During the meeting, Kobir expressed Bangladesh’s strong desire to deepen its friendly relations with Trinidad and Tobago. He hoped that the MoU would provide a platform to regularly review bilateral relations. The state minister sought Minister Sobers’ support for an early technical meeting involving relevant entities identified by the Trinidad and Tobago side, including the National Gas Company, Atlantic LNG, Phoenix Park Gas Processors and an appropriate ammonia/fertiliser producer, along with relevant Bangladeshi counterparts. He congratulated Trinidad and Tobago on its election as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council for the 2027–2028 term. Drawing attention to the Rohingya crisis, Kobir said Bangladesh continues to host more than 1.2 million forcibly displaced Rohingyas from Myanmar amid declining humanitarian funding and continuing instability. Bangladesh seeks Trinidad and Tobago’s constructive support, including during its Security Council tenure, for sustained international engagement and the safe, voluntary, dignified and sustainable repatriation of the Rohingyas to their homeland, Myanmar, he said. Both sides expressed confidence that the MoU signed would mark the transition from a traditionally friendly relationship to a more structured, substantive and action-oriented partnership between Bangladesh and Trinidad and Tobago.

The governments of Bangladesh and Sweden, in partnership with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), have reaffirmed their collective commitment to strengthening the role of midwives in primary healthcare and expanding access to quality sexual and reproductive health and maternal and newborn care. The commitment came at an event held on the margins of the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly, titled “From Commitment to Action: Integrating Midwifery into Primary Health Care to End Preventable Maternal and Newborn Deaths”, held on Thursday. The event also highlighted Bangladesh’s recent commitment to strengthening its health workforce by creating 25,000 midwifery posts, underscoring the importance of midwives in saving lives. The discussions brought together government leaders, including Prime Minister of Bangladesh Tarique Rahman, his wife Dr Zubaida Rahman, cardiologist and vice president of the Ziaur Rahman Foundation, Sweden’s Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard, and senior representatives from United Nations agencies, civil society organisations and development partners. Participants shared experiences and lessons learned on midwifery education, deployment, governance and financing, and explored opportunities for sustained investment in the health workforce. “Every woman should have access to a skilled professional midwife as part of her primary health care team, close to where she lives. For Bangladesh, this means deploying midwives nationwide, strengthening communities, health services and referral pathways, and connecting citizens through a modern digital health system,” said Prime Minister Tarique Rahman. “Together these steps will help us build a healthy, thriving Bangladesh and this is how we move from commitment to action,” he said. Sweden reaffirmed its commitment to advancing sexual and reproductive health and rights and strengthening health systems and the health workforce. “Investing in midwives is not only an investment in health. It is an investment in dignity, equality, opportunity and our common future. It means safer pregnancies, safer births. More mothers and newborns surviving and thriving. Midwives save lives. Let’s continue to invest in them,” said Maria Malmer Stenergard. UNFPA welcomed Bangladesh’s commitment to creating and deploying 25,000 professional midwifery posts across its primary healthcare system. Bangladesh is a champion of the UNFPA Midwifery Accelerator initiative, which seeks to strengthen political commitment and investment in midwifery. Over 50 countries have joined the initiative and developed Maternal and Newborn Health Acceleration Plans, with dozens actively coordinating priority actions through 2030. “Midwives bring hope, life, and vital care to women when they need it most. Amid a critical global health worker shortage, Bangladesh's investment in midwives is an investment in humanity. When we equip and empower these frontline heroes, we build a safer, healthier world for every mother and child,” said UNFPA Executive Director Diene Keita.

Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, secretary-general of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), met Dr Khalilur Rahman, president of the United Nations General Assembly, on the sidelines of the 81st session of the UN General Assembly in New York. The OIC secretary-general congratulated Khalilur Rahman on assuming his duties as president of the General Assembly. The two sides discussed ways to strengthen cooperation and coordination between the OIC and the United Nations and exchanged views on key regional and international issues, including the Palestinian cause, security and stability, combating Islamophobia and hate speech, and supporting the Sustainable Development Goals. UNGA President Khalilur Rahman commended the OIC's role as an important UN partner in promoting international peace and security, fostering dialogue and intercultural understanding, and addressing common challenges. He also reaffirmed his commitment to continued cooperation and coordination with the OIC General Secretariat.