Foreign-Affairs
Bangladesh, Qatar sign MoU to boost defence cooperation
Bangladesh and Qatar on Tuesday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for mutual cooperation in the defense sector.
Lt. Gen. Waker-uz-Zaman, Principal Staff Officer, Armed Forces Division, Prime Minister's Office and Lt. Gen. (Pilot) Salem Hamad Aqeel Al Nabit, Chief of the Armed Forces of Qatar signed the MoU on behalf of Bangladesh and Qatar respectively at the headquarters of the Armed Forces of Qatar.
It is expected that Bangladesh's cooperation in the defense sector with Qatar will increase through the signing of this MoU, said the Bangladesh Embassy in Qatar.
Read: Emir of Qatar likely to visit Bangladesh to take ties to new height
The MoU, signed as part of ongoing efforts to increase cooperation in new areas of bilateral relations between Bangladesh and Qatar, will strengthen the cordial and brotherly relations between the two countries, it said.
The meeting held between Waqar-uz-Zaman andLt. Gen. Al Nabit discussed issues of mutual interest.
The MoU signing ceremony was attended by Ambassador of Bangladesh to Qatar Md Jashim Uddin, Embassy Defense Adviser Brigadier General Md Sajjad Hossain and Chief of Qatar's International Military Cooperation Brigadier Abdul Aziz Al Sulaiti.
PM welcomes Meloni to the club
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has congratulated her Italian counterpart Giorgia Meloni on her appointment as the President of the Council of Ministers of the Italian Republic - i.e. prime minister.
"It's indeed a great pleasure to extend my warmest congratulations to you on behalf of the People and the government of Bangladesh on your appointment as the President of the Council of Ministers of the Italian Republic,” she wrote in a letter to Italy's first female prime minister.
Sheikh Hasina also extended heartfelt greetings to the friendly Italian people as they voted for a historic mandate in Meloni's visionary leadership and elected her as their first female leader in the history of Italy, according to a press release of the PMO Tuesday.
“I am confident Italy will find a wider path of economic prosperity under your charismatic stewardship despite all odds and global challenges,” she added.
Read: Togur: The Molasses Made from Watermelon Juice in Bangladesh
Sheikh Hasina said Bangladesh and Italy have enjoyed an excellent bilateral relationship since the independence of Bangladesh. The bilateral relations have grown in many dimensions, with particular focus on people-to-people contact in various forms, trade, investment, and common position on issues of international concern.
“We are keen to further proliferate and strengthen the existing relations in more potential sectors, such as agriculture, ICT, civil aviation, and the manufacturing industry, depending on the factors endowment,” she continued.
“As we celebrate the golden jubilee of the establishment of diplomatic relations, I believe it is high time to revitalize the whole gamut of cooperation. In this regard, I look forward to working closely with you during your time in the office ahead,” said the Bangladesh premier.
Sheikh Hasina invited Meloni to visit Bangladesh at her convenience. She conveyed her best wishes to Giorgia Meloni for her good health and happiness and the continued peace, progress, and prosperity of the friendly people of Italy.
Meloni, leader of a far-right grouping under the banner of the Brothers of Italy, took office on October 22.
Bangladesh Embassy in Saudi Arabia rescues 24 female domestic workers
Twenty-four Bangladeshi female domestic workers have been rescued by the initiative of the Bangladesh Embassy in Saudi Arabia from the city RR.
Saudi Recruiting Agency Maktab Tawasul Alsari illegally detained the female workers for a long time without sending them to work at the homes of the Saudi employers, reads a press release from the embassy on Tuesday.
On information, Bangladesh’s ambassador to Saudi Arabia Mohammad Javed Patwari directed the labor welfare wing of the embassy to rescue them.
The workers were later handed over to the Saudi Female Deportation Center with the help of Saudi law enforcers.
A case has been filed against the accused Saudi recruiting agency and their agency has been closed, it added.
Chinese envoy promotes Beijing's brand of international relations
Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Li Jiming on Tuesday said his country is committed to promoting a new form of international relations, deepening and expanding global partnerships based on equality, openness and cooperation.
"China has always been committed to its foreign policy goals of upholding world peace and promoting common development," he said, highlighting its commitment to broadening the convergence of interests with other countries.
Ambassador Li was speaking at the 56th founding anniversary programme of the Communist Party of Bangladesh (Marxist–Leninist) at Engineer's Institute auditorium.
Amir Hossain Amu, MP, central coordinator and spokesperson of the 14 parties and member of the Awami League advisory council and Dilip Barua, General Secretary of the Communist Party of Bangladesh (Marxist–Leninist), among others, spoke.
The Ambassador said General Secretary President Xi Jinping explained why the CPC could lead Chinese people to prosperity by following Marxism and how the CPC will overcome the present global challenges and succeed to bring peace and development to the world.
"China also strives to create new opportunities for the world with its own development and to contribute its share to building an open global economy that delivers greater benefits to all peoples," said the Chinese envoy.
Ambassador Li said the CPC is ready to strengthen exchanges and dialogue with the CPB-ML and other Marxist political parties, keep in mind respective national conditions, grasp the pulse of the times, and continue to enrich and develop Marxism.
"By doing so, we can enable Marxism to display greater power of truth in the process of jointly building a community with a shared future for mankind," he said.
Emir of Qatar likely to visit Bangladesh to take ties to new height
Emir of Qatar is likely to visit Bangladesh after the FIFA World Cup tournament as he is very keen to take the bilateral relations with Bangladesh to a new height.
The Emir has accepted the invitation from the President of Bangladesh to undertake the visit.
Ambassador of the State of Qatar to Bangladesh Seraya Ali Mahdi Saeed Al Qahtani conveyed it to Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen on Tuesday.
Read: Technologies set to amaze at Qatar Football World Cup 2022
The Ambassador handed over the official acceptance letter from Qatari Emir to the Foreign Minister for onward transmission to the President during a meeting held at Minister Momen's office at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
He handed over a replica of the FIFA World Cup to the Foreign Minister.
Momen expressed satisfaction at the state of excellent bilateral engagements between Bangladesh and Qatar in various fields including political, economic, defense, manpower and trade.
The second Foreign Office Consultations (FOC) in Doha last month took up for discussion many pertinent issues of mutual interests including recruitment of manpower including doctors, nurses, engineers, and technicians to Qatar, enhancing the current 'quota of supply' of LNG to Bangladesh, Bangladesh's willingness to contribute to Qatar's food security through direct supply of food grains and agro-products, enhancing bilateral trade and Qatari investment in SEZs and Hi-tech Parks of Bangladesh and a sustainable solution to the Rohingya crisis.
The Qatari Ambassador responded that Qatar side was satisfied at the outcome of the FOC and both sides were working on the arrangement of the exchange of high level visit between the two countries' leadership.
Recalling his old memories in Qatar and with Qatari leadership, the Foreign Minister appreciated the socio-economic developments that took place in Qatar during the last two decades and Qatar's rapid progress in transforming itself to a modern, developed and forward-looking country.
The Minister also expressed gratitude to Qatar for hosting a large numbers of Bangladeshi nationals in Qatar who have been contributing to the socio-economic development of the two countries.
He stated that Bangladesh has set up 100 Special Economic Zones where Qatari investors could invest and urged the Ambassador to explore the opportunity to invest in various sectors including the LNG and Power sector.
Read:No additional LNG supply from Qatar before 2025: Petrobangla
In reply, the envoy commended Bangladesh's quest for development and peace in its strides for economic emancipation under the capable and courageous leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
The Foreign Minister also appreciated the Qatari leadership for the country's smart preparedness in hosting the World Cup Tournament in Doha in coming November this year.
He expressed hope that the two countries would engage efforts in making the upcoming high level visit successful.
The envoy conveyed his eagerness to work more closely with Bangladesh side in the coming days.
No major damage from Sitrang in Bhasan Char, Cox’s Bazar Rohingya camps: OCHA
No flooding or major damage has been reported so far in the Rohingya camps in Bhasan Char and Cox’s Bazar due to Cyclone Sitrang that made landfall in Bangladesh, says the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
The UN, Red Crescent Movement and national and international NGOs worked closely with district commissioners from low-lying coastal districts to mobilize volunteers for early warning and evacuation.
Read: Dredger capsized during Sitrang: Bodies of 8 workers recovered
Warnings were issued for coastal districts and maritime activities were halted, while more than 219,000 people were evacuated to temporary storm shelters.
Relief operations have started with the distribution of cash and dry food from the government, according to the OCHA.
Read:Cyclone Sitrang aftermath: 10,000 houses in 419 unions damaged, says state minister
Although there is no official request from the government for system-wide international assistance, the humanitarian community is working on the 72-hours needs assessment, as well as coordinating with their respective sectoral line ministries to identify needs to inform the response.
Bangladesh is hosting more than 1.1 million Rohingyas in Bhasan Char and Cox’s Bazar Rohingya camps.
Iran to support Bangladesh in Rohingya repatriation: Envoy
Iranian Ambassador to Bangladesh Mansour Chavoshi said his country will support Bangladesh in safe and dignified repatriation of Rohingyas to their homeland Myanmar.
The Iranian Ambassador expressed his country’s stance when he called on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at her official residence Ganabhaban.
PM’s press secretary Ihsanul Karim briefed reporters after the meeting.
He said that the Ambassador lauded Bangladesh for sheltering Rohingya refugees on humanitarian ground.
They discussed possible avenues of strengthening bilateral relations and boosting trade between the two countries.
The Prime Minister said that both the countries have much potential for expanding and diversifying bilateral trade.
“The two sides may work on trade facilitation measures,” she said.
Referring to the sanctions and counter-sanctions due to Russia-Ukraine war the Prime Minister said the people of the whole world are suffering for this war.
Ambassador at Large M Ziauddin and Principal Secretary Ahmad Kaikaus were present at the meeting.
Nepal will export up to 50 MW electricity to Bangladesh for now, envoy tells PM
Nepal will initially send 40-50 MW electricity to Bangladesh but promised to supply more after a big power project being implemented in the Himalayan nation will be completed, newly appointed Nepalese Ambassador Ghanshyam Bhandari said on Tuesday.
PM’s press secretary Ihsanul Karim told reporters that the diplomat made the comment when he met Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at her official residence—Ganabhaban on Tuesday.
The Nepalese envoy said that his country is currently implementing a mega power plant project.
“After completing that project Nepal will be able to export more electricity to Bangladesh,” Karim quoted the Ambassador as saying.
Bangladesh is eager to buy 500MW electricity from 900MW Upper Karnali hydropower project, which will be developed by India's GMR Group.
Ghanshyam Bhandari also expressed his country’s interest to use Banglabandh Land Port of Bangladesh for trading as this port is located nearer than Burimari port.
He Appreciated Bangladesh’s cooperation towards Nepal, saying that many Nepalese students study in Bangladesh for higher degrees.
Sheikh Hasina congratulated the newly appointed ambassador and assured of cooperation during this term in Bangladesh.
She recalled Nepal’s support to Bangladesh during its Liberation War in 1971 with arms and ammunition to the Freedom Fighters, which she said was very much important for the country.
She emphasised on Bangladesh’s connectivity among the countries in the region, especially with Nepal, Bhutan and India.
She also said that stronger bilateral trade between Bangladesh and Nepal was very important.
The Prime Minister recalled the recent visit of Nepalese President in Bangladesh during Mujib Borsho programme, saying it added impetus to the bilateral relations of the two countries.
She also conveyed her regards to Nepalese President and Prime Minister.
Ambassador at Large M Ziauddin and Principal Secretary Ahmad Kaikaus were present in the meeting.
‘Without accountability, political transition in Myanmar won’t fix Rohingya issue’
State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md Shahriar Alam has said that in the absence of justice and accountability, a political transition in Myanmar will not fix the Rohingya issue.
“That is why, this time around, accountability must be ensured, justice must be delivered, and impunity must not be allowed by the international community to ensure the return of Rohingyas to their homeland Myanmar,” he said.
Alam was speaking at a high-level panel discussion, titled “5 years of the Rohingya Crisis: Renewed Pledges towards Justice and Sustainable Returns”, organised at the UK Parliament by Bangladesh High Commission in London on Monday.
The state minister said each year, under the generous patronage of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Bangladesh spends USD 1.22 billion on food, shelter, health, education and skills development of the Rohingyas. The cost is increasing while international assistance is decreasing, he observed.
After five long years of hosting Rohingyas, it is unjust that only Bangladesh will continue to carry this burden, he said.
“We, therefore, call upon more Commonwealth, OIC members and western countries to join the ICJ case by the Gambia, which will expedite the justice for Rohingyas and facilitate their early return,” Shahriar Alam said.
The state minister commended UK’s diplomatic leadership at the UN Security Council as a penholder on Myanmar and hoped to see the UK explore all available Council tools to enforce accountability, justice and sustainable returns of the Rohingyas.
Speaking on the occasion, Minister of State for the Middle East, South Asia and the United Nations at the UK FCDO, Lord Tariq Ahmad of Wimbledon, paid tribute to Bangabandhu for his lifelong struggle to establish peace and justice and lauded Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for showing “incredible generosity and humanity” to host and protecting over a million Rohingyas.
Lord Ahmad reassured that the UK, as a long-standing friend and partner, would continue support to Bangladesh to find a durable solution to the persisting Rohingya crisis.
Recalling Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s speech at the 75th UNGA, Bangladesh’s High Commissioner to the UK Saida Muna Tasneem said the cost of the prolonged presence of Rohingya on Bangladesh’s society, security, resources, economy, environment and ecology is huge, immeasurable and in some cases irreversible. “So, their repatriation, the only sustainable solution to this crisis, is a must and needs to be expedited by the international community.”
The envoy praised the UK’s recent decision to join the Gambia versus Myanmar case at the ICJ and commended Canada and the Netherlands for their commitment to ensuring justice and redress atrocities committed against the Rohingyas and securing their right of return to their homeland.
UK’s Shadow Minister for Asia and the Pacific Catherine West MP; Chair of UK All-Party Parliamentary Groups on Bangladesh and the Right of the Rohingya Rushanara Ali, MP; Vice Chair of All-Party Parliamentary Groups on Bangladesh and Myanmar Tom Hunt MP; Solicitor General of the Gambia Hussein Thomasi; High Commissioner of Maldives to the UK Dr. Farah Faizal; and High Commissioner of Canada Ralph Edward Goodale spoke on the occasion.
Prof Dr Imtiaz Ahmed, Director, Centre for Genocide Studies, Dhaka University; Tomás Ojea Quintana, former United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar and DPRK; Dr Priya Pillai, Head of Asia Justice Coalition (AJC) Secretariat, Bangkok; Professor Payam Akhavan, ICJ Counsel to the Gambia and ICC Counsel to Bangladesh; Antonia Mulvey, former Investigator to the UN Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on Myanmar and Executive Director of Legal Action Worldwide; Nicholas Koumjiian, Head of the Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar (IIMM) under UNHCR; Maung Tun Khin, President of Burmese Rohingya Organization in the UK; and Hasina Begum, a Rohingya survivor from 2017 "Clearance Operations” participated in a panel discussion.
Members of UK’s House of Lords and the British parliament, academics, professionals, and eminent members from the British-Bangladeshi diaspora attended the event.
Bangladesh-Switzerland bilateral trade exceeds $ 1 billion
Dr. Mohammad Afroz Jalil, Country Manager of Roche Bangladesh Ltd. has been elected President of the Switzerland Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SBCCI) for 2022-2024.Swiss Ambassador to Bangladesh, Nathalie Chuard, conveyed best wishes to SBCCI and shared her experience on Bangladesh and potential business opportunities.
“This year has been significant for both Switzerland and Bangladesh. We are celebrating the 50th anniversary of bilateral relations and our bilateral trade surpassed the $1 billion mark for the first-time last year,” Ambassador Chuard was quoted by the SBCCI as saying.
Terming SBCCI as a member of “ᴛᴇᴀᴍ Switzerland” in Bangladesh, she also said that together much more can be done to strengthen the bilateral economic ties and address questions related to business climate.
Saad Omar Fahim, Director of Clarichem Limited, has been elected Secretary General while Tarun Patwary, Country Manager of Kuehne + Nagel, was elected as treasurer of the bilateral chamber of commerce.
Vice President from the investor group is Abdur Rashid (Country Manager of SGS Bangladesh Ltd.), and Vice President from the agent group is Vidiya Amrit Khan (Director of Tutelar Oil Services Co. Pvt. Ltd.).
The rest of the EC members are Abdul Matin Chowdhury (MD of New Asia Ltd.), Debabrata Roy Chowdhury (Director – Legal, RSA, Corporate Affairs and Company Secretary at Nestlé Bangladesh Limited), Julian A. Weber (CEO, Secure Link Services BD Ltd), Iqbal Chowdhury (CFO - LafargeHolcim Bangladesh Ltd.), Hedayet Ullah (Managing Director, Syngenta Bangladesh Limited), Saiful Islam (Chairman & M.D - Daffodil Trading Ltd), Mohammad Abul Hasnat (CEO - Hasnat Enterprise & Swiss Elegance), and Sontosh Chandra Nath (MD & CEO- Alpha Vision Limited).
The new Executive Committee (EC) was announced at the 11th Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the SBCCI held recently at a city hotel.
At the event, Dr. Jalil shed light on the present global economic situation.
“As we are in a post-pandemic period and Russia-Ukraine war is on, we need to demonstrate our indomitable character,” he said, expressing his commitment to maintain the chamber's vigorous efforts to speed up bilateral trade between Bangladesh and Switzerland.
SBCCI’s advisor Naquib Khan lauded the organization's initiatives and recalled the 50th anniversary of Bangladesh and Switzerland's diplomatic relations. He expressed optimism that bilateral trade will increase in the near future despite all the barriers and difficulties on the international stage.
After the Ambassador's remarks, the chamber's annual operations were presented by Saad Omar Fahim.
Managing Director of New Asia Limited Abdul Matin Chowdhury also spoke.