Foreign-Affairs
Prolonged presence of vast Rohingyas in Bangladesh "not tenable" in any consideration, Momen says in New York
Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen has said prolonged presence of 1.2 million displaced Rohingya population in Bangladesh is "not tenable" in any consideration.
The Foreign Minister referred to the negative impacts of impasse in repatriation of the displaced Rohingyas, leading to various security challenges for Bangladesh and the region.
“Bangladesh is a small country – with high population density and is also already overburdened with other critical challenges of its own,” Momen said while speaking at a discussion in New York on February 23.
Referring to the recently adopted Security Council resolution, the Foreign Minister called for urgent and coordinated actions involving all stakeholders to achieve the deliverables proposed in the Council resolution and other General Assembly Resolutions on Rohingya.
He particularly stressed the importance of the leadership of ASEAN countries.
Foreign Minister Momen held the high-level interactive dialogue on the Rohingya crisis with participation of key members States (Brunei Darussalam, Canada, Djibouti, Egypt, The Gambia, Indonesia, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, Senegal, Singapore, Thailand, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States of America) and the European Union and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).
Canada wants agro collaboration with Bangladesh, says visiting minister
Canada is keen to collaborate with Bangladesh in the agriculture sector particularly in the development of food storage and small-scale farmers.
Canadian Minister of International Development Harjit S Sajjan expressed this interest during a courtesy call on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at the her official residence Ganabhaban.
PM’s Speechwriter Md Nazrul Islam briefed reporters after the meeting.
According to the spokesperson the visiting Canadian minister appreciated the development of Bangladesh in agriculture and education.
The minister also praised Hasina for developing a large agro-farm inside her residence complex
The premier called upon the Canadian entrepreneurs to make investment in agro-processing industry and others in the special economic zones of Bangladesh.
She said Bangladesh is now setting up 100 special economic zones throughout the country. Canadian investors can make investments there.
She said her government puts emphasis on the development of the agro-processing industry to export processed foods alongside meeting the local demand.
Noting that Bangladesh is a small country with a large population, the PM said her government has been trying to boost farm production significantly in a small area in order to feed the local people and export the surplus food or assist other countries with food.
She said Bangladesh became successful as its scientists have been able to develop many high yielding varieties of crops.
A huge number of lands which once used to remain fallow in the country, particularly its southern region, have been brought under cultivation thanks to the development of varieties which are tolerant of saline and drought, she added.
About her government’s steps to promote small farmers, Hasina said the government provides them with subsidies to irrigation, agriculture appliances and agricultural mechanisation, and assists them under many other programmes.
She said the government has introduced a micro-saving programme and so, the small farmers can save their money and also take loans from it.
In irrigation, the government now puts importance to rainwater harvesting and use of surface water instead of underground water for the sake of conservation of nature, she added.
About the Rohingya issue, the PM sought cooperation from the development partners over repatriation of displaced Rohingya people to their motherland.
She, however, sought their assistance to develop more areas in Bhashan Char, island in Noakhali, to relocate more Rohingyas from Cox’s Bazar for their temporary shelter.
PM Hasina said Bangladesh developed the Bhashan Char island with its own fund to arrange a better living condition for Rohingyas. A good number of Rohingya have already been shifted to Bhashan Char.
If the area with better living conditions can be expanded there, more Rohingyas can be relocated from Cox’s Bazar, she said, seeking help from the donors in this regard.
The PM said some of the Rohingyas have got involved in various crimes like human and drug trafficking and internal conflicts in Cox’s Bazar.
She said an inhuman environmen exists in camps for women particularly children and adolescent girls. If they go to Bhashan Char, they will get a decent environment.
Talking about climate change, Hasina said Bangladesh is mainly emphasizing the adaptation and mitigation to fight the impacts of climate changes. The problems induced by climate changes are being addressed by local solutions, she said.
She said the government focuses on minimizing damages of lives and livelihood during natural disasters.
In this context, she mentioned that cyclone shelter centres, cyclone-resilient houses and greenbelts were built on the coastal area.
Turning to education, the premier said her government is putting importance to the development of skilled manpower alongside general education to create scopes for self-employment and increase remittance outflow exporting skilled labour to foreign markets.
PM's Principal Secretary M Tofazzel Hossain Miah, Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen and Canadian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Lilly Nicholls were present.
UNGA Resolution on Ukraine: 32 countries including Bangladesh, India and China abstain
The UN General Assembly has adopted a resolution that demands Russia leave Ukraine.
Thirty-two countries including Bangladesh, India, China, Pakistan and Sri Lanka abstained from voting while seven countries including Russia voted against the resolution.
A total of 141 countries voted in favour of the resolution.
The U.N. General Assembly approved the non-binding resolution Thursday that calls for Russia to end hostilities in Ukraine and withdraw its forces, sending a strong message on the eve of the first anniversary of the invasion that Moscow's aggression must stop, reports AP.
The resolution, drafted by Ukraine in consultation with its allies, passed 141-7, with 32 abstentions.
Read more: China calls for Russia-Ukraine cease-fire, peace talks
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said the vote was more evidence that not only the West backs his country.
“This vote defies the argument that the global south does not stand on Ukraine’s side," Kuleba said. "Many countries representing Latin America, Africa, Asia voted in favor.”
The General Assembly has become the most important U.N. body dealing with Ukraine because the Security Council, which is charged with maintaining international peace and security, is paralyzed by Russia’s veto power. General Assembly resolutions are not legally binding, unlike Security Council resolutions, but serve as a barometer of world opinion.
The seven countries voting against Thursday's resolution were Belarus, Nicaragua, Russia, Syria, North Korea, Eritrea and Mali, which has developed close military ties with Russia. Amendments proposed by Belarus would have weakened or stripped much of the language but were resoundingly defeated.
The vote was slightly below the highest total for the five previous resolutions approved by the 193-member world body since Russia sent troops and tanks across the border into its smaller neighbor on Feb. 24, 2022. That tally, in an October resolution against Russia’s illegal annexations, won approval by 143 countries.
Foreign ministers and diplomats from more than 75 countries addressed the assembly during two days of debate, with many urging support for the resolution that upholds Ukraine’s territorial integrity, a basic principle of the U.N. Charter that all countries must subscribe to when they join the world organization.
The war has killed tens of thousands on both sides and has reduced entire Ukrainian cities to ruins and its impact has been felt worldwide in higher food and fuel costs and rising inflation.
Venezuela’s deputy ambassador addressed the council on behalf of 16 countries that either voted against or abstained on almost all of five previous resolutions on Ukraine: Belarus, Bolivia, Cambodia, China, Cuba, Eritrea, Equatorial Guinea, Iran, Laos, Mali, Nicaragua, North Korea, St. Vincent, Syria, Venezuela and Zimbabwe.
French, German embassies in Dhaka install Ukrainian flag in front of their shared embassy building
The French and German embassies in Dhaka on Thursday evening installed a Ukrainian flag in front of their shared embassy building on Madani Avenue, Baridahara.
As February 24, 2023 would mark one year since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the two embassies installed the Ukrainian flag to commemorate the day.
Both Ambassador of France to Bangladesh Marie Masdupuy and German Ambassador Achim Troster spoke on this occasion.
One year ago Russia “brutally invaded” Ukraine, resulting in a disastrous war with millions of displaced people in need of emergency humanitarian aid and civil protection, said the Embassy of France.
Canadian Minister Sajjan to visit Bangladesh; Meeting with Momen Feb 27
Canadian Minister of International Development and Minister responsible for the Pacific Economic Development Agency Harjit S. Sajjan will begin his four-day visit to Bangladesh on Friday.
The Canadian government announced that he will travel to Bangladesh, the Philippines and Qatar from February 24 to March 5, 2023.
In Bangladesh and the Philippines, he will also visit Canada-funded projects and meet with development and humanitarian partners and beneficiaries.
He will discuss potential areas of cooperation aligned with Canada’s recently announced Indo-Pacific Strategy and, in Bangladesh, Canada’s strategy to respond to the Rohingya and Myanmar crises.
Minister Sajjan will have meeting with Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen at State guesthouse Padma on February 27, Ministry of Foreign Affairs Spokesperson Seheli Sabrin told reporters on Thursday.
Bangladesh hopes that the visit will help enhance bilateral cooperation between the two countries.
In the Philippines, he will be accompanied by Rechie Valdez, Member of Parliament for Mississauga—Streetsville.
During his visit, Minister Sajjan will engage with various officials on shared priorities such as climate action, food security, green and inclusive growth, disaster response and readiness, and advancing gender equality.
While in Qatar, Minister Sajjan will take part in the Fifth United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries, at which he will highlight Canada’s partnerships that aim to reduce poverty and advance sustainable development in least developed countries.
“Our world is facing the effects of climate change and food insecurity, as well as increasing humanitarian needs. I look forward to working with my counterparts and many partners over the coming days to discuss how we can continue to work together to effectively address these shared priorities," said Sajjan.
Canada is a long-standing development partner of Bangladesh.
Current programming supports mutual priorities in the areas of gender equality, including the empowerment of women and girls; health, including sexual and reproductive health and rights; and skills training and support to the ready-made garment sector.
Pranay Verma reaffirms India's commitment to development partnership, cooperation with Bangladesh
Dhaka, Feb 23 (UNB) -Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Pranay Verma on Thursday reaffirmed India's commitment to development partnership and cooperation with Bangladesh to scale up bilateral trade and investment, and promote people-to-people exchanges.
He underlined sustained ongoing efforts on both sides to strengthen connectivity and trade infrastructures at our land ports and to gradually decongest and facilitate smoother movement of goods and people across the border.
The High Commissioner visited the Petrapole-Benapole Integrated Check Post (ICP) at the India-Bangladesh border on 23 February 2023.
During the visit, he met senior officials from both sides and discussed various issues related to border management, trade facilitation and infrastructure development.
The Petrapole-Benapole border is a crucial gateway for trade between India and Bangladesh, with over 70 percent of the land-based bilateral trade passing through this land port.
The border has been operational round the clock since August 2017.
Given the importance of Petrapole-Benapole ICP to the movement of passengers, a new Passenger Terminal Building with modern amenities was inaugurated in September, 2021.
A second Passenger Terminal Building is also under construction to cater to growing cross-border movement of passengers.
Russia a tested friend; no adverse impacts on existing relations: MoFA Spokesperson
Bangladesh has said it does not think that there will be any adverse impact on Bangladesh-Russia existing friendly relations over a single issue, noting that the two countries are working jointly on many fronts.
“Russia is Bangladesh’s tested and long term friend with its special role during Bangladesh’s War of Liberation. We are working jointly on many areas. Our understanding is so good that we don’t think a single issue will adversely impact the existing bilateral and friendly relations,” Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Seheli Sabrin told reporters on Thursday.
She said the issue related to barring a sanctioned ship into Bangladesh was a six-week old issue but the Bangladesh Ambassador was called to the Russian Foreign Ministry on February 21.
The Spokesperson said Bangladesh is maintaining good relations with all the countries as it is a trade-dependent country.
Bangladesh earlier sought a detailed report from its ambassador in Moscow to know what exactly was discussed with the Russian foreign ministry.
Bangladesh Ambassador to Russia Kamrul Ahsan was summoned to the Russian foreign ministry following Bangladesh's decision to ban Russian ships (sanctioned) from calling at Bangladeshi ports, reported Russia's state-owned news agency TASS on Tuesday.
Read more: Russia keen to further cooperation with Bangladesh and other grain-importing countries
"We drew the attention of the head of the diplomatic mission to the reports about the decision of his country's authorities to ban Russian ships carrying cargoes for Bangladesh from calling at Bangladeshi ports," the Russian agency reported quoting the Russian foreign ministry.
"This step runs counter to the traditionally friendly character of bilateral relations and can have a negative effect on the prospects for our cooperation in various spheres."
Last week, the Russian Embassy in Dhaka told TASS that 69 Russian ships (sanctioned) had been barred from calling at Bangladeshi ports.
However, according to the embassy, this step did not mean that Bangladesh had banned imports of Russian goods.
Later, Russian foreign ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said Bangladesh had made this decision under the threat of US secondary sanctions, according to a TASS report.
In January, Bangladesh told the Russian side that they could send any ship, except the sanctioned ones, carrying equipment for the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant.
Bangladesh hoped that Russia would now send non-sanctioned ships carrying the required materials.
In view of the government's directive not to allow 69 mother vessels of 7 banned Russian companies to enter the port of Bangladesh, Deputy Foreign Minister of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia invited Ambassador Kamrul Ahsan for a discussion on February 21.
At the meeting, the Russian side requested Bangladesh to take into account the historical friendly relations between Bangladesh and Russia in taking various steps.
The Ambassador also requested to convey the concern of Russia to the concerned authorities of Bangladesh.
During the discussion, the Ambassador highlighted the economic slowdown caused by the Corona and Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Besides, he also highlighted the position of Bangladesh in relation to the government's directive not to allow 69 Russian mother vessels to enter the port of Bangladesh.
New study shows a single two-gram oral dose of azithromycin at normal birth can reduce 33% maternal sepsis, deaths
A recent multicountry study called Azithromycin Prophylaxis in Labor Use Study (A-PLUS) has found that a single dose of two-gram azithromycin antibiotic taken orally during vaginal delivery, commonly known as normal delivery, can significantly reduce the risk of maternal sepsis or death.
Sepsis is a severe medical condition that occurs when the body responds excessively to an infection, which can result in multiple organ failures and death.
The findings of the study have recently been published in the New England Journal of Medicine.
The study was conducted by the Global Network for Women's and Children's Health Research of the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) of which icddr,b is a partner.
The A-PLUS trial enrolled women in labour from Bangladesh, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Guatemala, India, Kenya, Pakistan, and Zambia.
Between September 2020 and August 2022, 29,278 women were randomised to receive either azithromycin or a placebo.
The risk of maternal sepsis or death was 33% lower in the azithromycin group compared to the placebo (look-alike dummy, which does not contain the study drug) group.
The difference in the outcome was mainly due to the lower occurrence of sepsis in the azithromycin group than in the placebo group.
Additionally, women receiving azithromycin were less likely to develop infections, including endometritis (infection of the lining of the womb), wound infections, and urine infections.
Women receiving azithromycin also had fewer hospital readmissions and unscheduled healthcare visits compared to the placebo group.
The findings from interim analysis of the study were so impactful that one of the trial sites (Democratic Republic of the Congo) stopped enrolling new participants early to ensure that as many women as possible could benefit as soon as possible.
However, the study could not find azithromycin to have any impact on neonatal sepsis or death. It is also to be noted that azithromycin has been in use for caesarean delivery to prevent and manage infections.
The Bangladesh site of the study was co-led by Dr Rashidul Haque, an Emeritus Scientist and Sk Masum Billah, an Associate Scientist at icddr,b and Dr William Petri at the University of Virginia, USA.
Commenting on the implication of the study Dr Haque said that in Bangladesh, where about two out of three deliveries are normal, a single dose of two-gram azithromycin given during labour as a preventive measure can help saving many lives.
He hopes that healthcare providers and policymakers will consider using azithromycin as a preventive measure during vaginal deliveries.
These findings have the potential to change clinical practice by providing a safe, effective and low-cost approach to reduce the global burden of maternal sepsis and death, said Diana W. Bianchi, M.D., director of NIH’s Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), the primary funder of the trial.
“We urgently need effective strategies to prevent pregnancy-related infections, which account for roughly 10% of maternal deaths worldwide.”
The study also found that azithromycin was not associated with an increased risk of adverse events. The researchers hope that their findings will inform the development of new strategies to prevent maternal sepsis and death.
This multi-site study was conducted by NICHD's Global Network for Women's and Children's Health Research and was co-funded by NICHD and the FNIH, with support to FNIH provided by a grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
‘Language Movement like a lighthouse for the nation’: Bangladesh Embassy in Washington observes Feb 21
The Bangladesh Embassy in Washington DC observed “Mohan Shaheed Dibosh” and the International Mother Language Day on Tuesday by paying tributes to the martyrs of the 1952 Language Movement.
The Embassy arranged an elaborate program to commemorate the supreme sacrifice of the language heroes who laid down their lives to establish Bangla as the state language.
The day-long program started with placing of a floral wreath at the altar of the Shaheed Minar by the Bangladesh Ambassador on the embassy premises at one-minute past zero hour.
The immortal song composed on ‘Amar Ekushey’ — " Amar Bhaiyer Rakte Rangano Ekushey February, Ami Ki Bhulite Pari” — was played at that time. Embassy officers and employees and members of their families were also present on the occasion.
Also read: Sri Lanka marks International Mother Language Day
In the morning, the Ambassador hoisted the national flag at half-mast in front of the Chancery in the presence of the Embassy officials and employees. A ‘Probhat Pheri’ was arranged to commemorate the day.
A floral wreath was also placed at the bust of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman at the Bangabandhu Corner of the Embassy to pay deep respect to the Father of the Nation.
Dhaka seeks detailed report from its ambassador in Moscow
Bangladesh has sought a detailed report from its ambassador in Moscow to know what exactly was discussed with the Russian foreign ministry.
"We sought a detailed report from our ambassador. We are going to analyse what was discussed," State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md Shahriar Alam told reporters at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Wednesday.
Bangladesh Ambassador to Russia Kamrul Ahsan was summoned to the Russian foreign ministry following Bangladesh's decision to ban Russian ships (sanctioned) from calling at Bangladeshi ports, reported Russia's state-owned news agency TASS on Tuesday.
Shahriar said they came to know that many other bilateral issues were discussed, not just a specific issue.
He said: "You know a complex situation has been created amid the Ukraine-Russia war."
"Bangladesh maintained its position in terms of voting patterns in the UN General Assembly (UNGA) and there will be another resolution in the GA. We are considering it. But we will let you know officially tomorrow (Thursday) regarding yesterday's meeting in Moscow," Shahriar added.
"We drew the attention of the head of the diplomatic mission to the reports about the decision of his country's authorities to ban Russian ships carrying cargoes for Bangladesh from calling at Bangladeshi ports," the Russian agency reported quoting the Russian foreign ministry.
"This step runs counter to the traditionally friendly character of bilateral relations and can have a negative effect on the prospects for our cooperation in various spheres."
Last week, the Russian Embassy in Dhaka told TASS that 69 Russian ships (sanctioned) had been barred from calling at Bangladeshi ports.
However, according to the embassy, this step did not mean that Bangladesh had banned imports of Russian goods.
Later, Russian foreign ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said Bangladesh had made this decision under the threat of US secondary sanctions, according to a TASS report.
In January, Bangladesh told the Russian side that they could send any ship, except the sanctioned ones, carrying equipment for the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant.
Bangladesh hoped that Russia would now send non-sanctioned ships carrying the required materials.