Foreign-Affairs
Asif A. Chowdhury elected World Federation of Consuls Vice President
Asif A. Chowdhury, Honorary Consul for Chile in Bangladesh and Managing Director of Chowdhury Group, has been elected Vice President of World Federation of Consuls (FICAC)-Board of Directors for 2022-2025 term unanimously.
Chowdhury, a renowned businessman and former President of Japan-Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JBCCI), is the first ever Vice President elected from the Asia region in the FICAC.
The voting took place at the 13th World Congress of Consuls organized in Limassol, Cyprus on Monday by FICAC, said a press release.
Chowdhury, also past President and founder Secretary General of Consular Corps in Bangladesh (CCB), held the post of Director of FICAC since 2015.
FICAC is a global network of Consular Associations created to support and improve the status, legitimacy and effectiveness of all consular officers in all receiving States.
FICAC, also called World Federation of Consuls, was founded in Copenhagen on 2 October 1982 by a small group of visionaries led by Consul General Vagn Jespersen of Denmark.
Nikolaos Margaropoulos, Honorary Consul General of Philippines in Greece was elected its President unanimously, and P. Bhaggeria Hon. Consul of Moldova in India was elected Secretary General.
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Bangabandhu corners are not just rooms with pictures, books: Momen
Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen has said Bangabandhu corners at home and abroad should be vibrant places for educating people on the life and principles of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and the dynamic economic development of Bangladesh.
"You will be happy to know that I have set up Bangabandhu corners in all Bangladesh missions abroad. They are not just rooms with pictures and books; they will organise seminars, and workshops on Bangabandhu throughout the year," he said.
The minister was speaking at a function marking the formal inauguration of a Bangabandhu corner at the Sylhet Chamber of Commerce and Industry Monday.
"I am very impressed with the Bangabandhu Corner. However, it needs more resources, more books and videos on Bangabandhu," Momen said.
Directors and members of the Sylhet Chamber of Commerce and Industry were present at the function presided over by its President Tahmin Ahmed.
US Official: Free, fair elections “must include a level playing field for all”
Free and fair elections in Bangladesh “must include a level playing field” for all participants, including political parties, said the US Embassy in Dhaka on Monday on conclusion of US Deputy Assistant Secretary Afreen Akhter’s two-day visit here.
The US official and US Ambassador to Bangladesh Peter Haas met with representatives of Bangladesh's three major political parties – Bangladesh Awami League, Bangladesh Nationalist Party and Jatiya Party.
Before leaving Dhaka, Afreen Akhter had a breakfast meeting with Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen at a city hotel on Monday.
“Absolutely, there is trust and respect for each other,” she said referring to her meeting with political leaders.
Read more: Working closely with civil society for fair elections: Visiting US official
She highlighted the cooperation between Bangladesh and the US in a whole range of areas including health, climate and economic cooperation.
Talking to reporters, Foreign Secretary Masud said they talked about a number of issues and it was “not an election-centric” discussion.
"Our USAID mission is working very closely with the civil society actors across Bangladesh to support their efforts to provide free and fair elections in Bangladesh,” Akhter told reporters at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Sunday.
Read more: Govt to support Election Commission in holding fair election: Law Minister
During her meeting with Secretary (Maritime Affairs Unit) Rear Admiral (Retd) Md Khurshed Alam, the US official discussed maritime security and how they can cooperate with Bangladesh and other forms of maritime cooperation in the region during the meeting.
The Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs (SCA) for Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Bhutan, and the Maldives, as well the Office of Security and Transnational Affairs most recently served as a Senior Adviser to SCA Assistant Secretary Don Lu.
Previously, Akhter was the National Security and Foreign Affairs Adviser to U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen.
Ageing population in Bangladesh is fast growing: UN expert Mahler
United Nations independent expert on the enjoyment of all human rights by older persons Claudia Mahler on Monday began her 11-day visit to Bangladesh focusing on older persons’ rights in specific contexts, including emergency situations related to climate change and forced displacement.
Mahler is visiting Bangladesh (from 7 to 17 November) at the invitation of the government of Bangladesh and will hold discussions in Dhaka, Rangpur, and Chattogram with government representatives, UN presences, civil society organisations working with older persons, academics and older persons.
“Ageing population in Bangladesh is fast growing, becoming one of the emerging issues that has been gradually increasing challenges on health services, family relationships and social security,” she said on Monday.
Mahler will present a full report of her visit to the Human Rights Council in September 2023, according to her office.
Also read: COP27: UN experts for complete integration of human rights standards, principles into negotiations
As of 2019, more than 13 million people living in Bangladesh were aged over 60, representing 8 per cent of the country's total population.
“The 2013 National Policy on Older Persons and the Maintenance of Parents’ Act resulted from this fast-growing age group. I look forward to learning more about the implementation of the policy and the law,” she said.
The independent expert will assess areas of concern such as social security and protection, age discrimination and ageism, abuse and violence against older persons, their living conditions, including housing arrangements and access to adequate health services, and their meaningful participation in the labour force and in public and political space.
The expert will hold a press conference at the end of her visit on November 17 to share her preliminary observations.
Mahler (Austria) was appointed by the UN Human Rights Council as Independent Expert on the enjoyment of all human rights by older persons in May 2020.
Bangladesh wants to boost cooperation with Libya to curb illegal migration
State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md Shahriar Alam has said Bangladesh supports legal migration to other countries and wants to enhance cooperation with Libya in order to curb illegal migration.
He conveyed this to newly appointed Ambassador of the State of Libya in Bangladesh Abdulmutalib S M Suliman.
State Minister Alam thanked the Libyan government for their continued support to the Bangladeshi workers working in Libya.
Read more: Libya seeks joint commission with Bangladesh to expand cooperation
He particularly sought cooperation of Libya in contract farming of Bangladesh agro-entrepreneurs in Libya by leasing land there.
Alam also proposed establishment of collaboration between Bangladesh and Libya in food security area in the backdrop of the current global food crisis.
He said Bangladesh and Libya can celebrate the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations jointly by undertaking different programmes.
Working closely with civil society for fair elections: Visiting US official
US Deputy Assistant Secretary Afreen Akhter has said Washington is working "very closely" with Bangladeshi civil society actors to deliver free and fair elections in the country.
"Our USAID mission is working very closely," she told reporters at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, after her meeting with Secretary (Maritime Affairs Unit) Rear Admiral (Retd) Md Khurshed Alam.
Read more: Bangladesh ambassador presents credentials to Chilean president
The US official said they discussed maritime security and how they can cooperate with Bangladesh and other forms of maritime cooperation in the region during the meeting.
She said they also discussed a range of bilateral issues, including US support for "free and fair" elections in Bangladesh.
"Very exciting to be here to talk about a whole range of issues," said Akhter, who is Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs (SCA) for Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Bhutan, and the Maldives, as well the Office of Security and Transnational Affairs.
Read more: Bangladesh Ambassador to US Imran calls for working unitedly under PM Hasina's leadership
She most recently served as a Senior Adviser to SCA Assistant Secretary Don Lu.
Previously, Akhter was the National Security and Foreign Affairs Adviser to U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen.US Ambassador to Bangladesh Peter Haas was also present.
Bangladesh ambassador presents credentials to Chilean president
Bangladesh Ambassador Sadia Faizunnesa has presented her credentials to Chilean president Gabriel Boric Font at Palacio de La Moneda in Chile's capital Santiago.
Sadia assumed the charge of ambassador of Bangladesh to Brazil on October 17, 2021. She will also serve as Bangladesh's non-resident ambassador to Chile and Bolivia.
Following the presentation of her credentials Friday, the Bangladesh ambassador had a meeting with Gabriel Boric.
Sadia spoke about the friendship between legendary Latin American leader Fidel Castro and Bangladesh's Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
Boric said he was touched when he learned what Fidel Castro said about Bangabandhu in 1973: "I have not seen the Himalayas. But I have seen Sheikh Mujib. In personality and in courage, this man is the Himalayas. I have thus had the experience of witnessing the Himalayas."
The Chilean president lauded the rapid, unprecedented socio-economic progress of Bangladesh, calling the country a role model for developing countries.
Boric also gladly accepted the invitation to visit Bangladesh.
Read more: New Zealand's new envoy presents his credentials to President Hamid
Ambassador Li expects stability in Bangladesh for continued development
Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Li Jiming on Saturday said peace and stability are required for development.
"We hope that this country's social and political stability will be there in place so that its socio-economic development continues," he said.
Ambassador Li also said China does not interfere in the internal affairs of other countries.
He made the remarks while responding to questions at a seminar held in a city hotel.
Read more: India not a strategic rival or competitor for China: Ambassador Jiming
Invited by Bangladesh China Silk Road Forum (BCSRF), he attended the seminar on the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC).
The Ambassador delivered a keynote speech and answered questions from the media.
Dilip Barua, the Chairman of BCSRF and the Secretary General of the Communist Party of Bangladesh (Marxist-Leninist), Rashed Khan Menon, MP, President of the Workers Party of Bangladesh, as well as other members of political parties in Bangladesh and representatives from think tanks also participated in the event.
Ambassador Li introduced the main contents of the report of the Congress, including the achievements of the past five years and the great changes in the past decade of China, the indigenous way to achieve Chinese modernization, and the general plan for the work of China on the new journey.
Read more: Chinese envoy promotes Beijing's brand of international relations
The envoy also shared his thoughts on the Congress, ranging from the importance of a powerful leading core and self-reform for a party, to the significance of theory innovation.
Bangladesh Ambassador to US Imran calls for working unitedly under PM Hasina's leadership
Bangladesh Ambassador to the United States, Muhammad Imran, has urged all to work unitedly under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to build a hunger-and-poverty-free, prosperous Bangladesh, imbued with the spirit of the Liberation War and the ideology of Bangabandhu.
Taking part in a discussion marking ‘National Constitution Day’, Ambassador Imran described it as a historic day for the nation and highlighted its importance.
He paid tributes to Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and said the greatest Bangalee of all time presented the long-awaited Constitution to the newly-independent nation within only 11 months of independence.
The Bangladesh Embassy in Washington DC on Friday observed ‘National Constitution Day’ in a befitting manner.
On this day in 1972, the Constitution of the People's Republic of Bangladesh was adopted by the Constituent Assembly of Bangladesh, and it came into effect on December 16 in the same year.
Read: Career diplomat Muhammad Imran named as Bangladesh ambassador to US
The Embassy arranged a programme at the Bangabandhu Auditorium in the afternoon to commemorate the historic day, said the Embassy.
The programme began with placing of floral wreaths at the bust of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman by Ambassador Imran. Officials and employees of the Embassy were present at that time.
Then the messages from the President and the Prime Minister were read out by Minister (Consular) Mohammad Habibur Rahman and Counsellor (Political-III) Shamima Yeasmin Smrite.
Minister (Economic) Md. Mahadee Hassan also took part in the discussion, while Counsellor Mohammad Moniruzzaman conducted the program.
Bangladesh Deputy High Commission in Kolkata observes National Constitution Day
Bangladesh Deputy High Commission in Kolkata observed the National Constitution Day 2022 Friday.
The programmes of the day included laying a floral wreath at the portrait of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, reading out messages from the president and prime minister of Bangladesh and a discussion session.
Deputy High Commissioner Andalib Elias paid tribute to Bangabandhu remembering his key role in formulating "one of the finest constitutions in the world."