Foreign-Affairs
Bangladesh eyes huge Saudi investments
Bangladesh expects huge investments from oil-rich Saudi Arabia, with Riyadh deciding to send a 29-member delegation to Dhaka soon for exploring opportunities in public-private partnership (PPP) projects.
Saudi Arabia finds Bangladesh as a top priority country and is interested in a long-term strategic plan where they will contribute to the economic growth of the country, the Public-Private Partnership Authority (PPPA) of Bangladesh has said in a press release.
Officials of the Saudi Ministry of Investment will come to Dhaka with 29 investors soon and explore investment opportunities in PPP projects.
The Ministry of Shipping in Bangladesh presented three PPP models -- Chattogram Port Authority, Container Terminal-2 of Payra Port Authority, and Container Terminal-2 of Payra Port Authority.
In fact, at a recent virtual conference, the Authority in Bangladesh and the Saudi Ministry of Investment explored the potentials of PPP projects in this country.
At the conference, Ahmad Kaikaus, Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister, highlighted the close ties between Saudi Arabia and Bangladesh.
"It was a new beginning for Bangladesh and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia," he said, lauding Riyadh for selecting Bangladesh for investments.
Sultana Afroz, Secretary and Chief Executive Officer of PPP Authority, chaired the programme.
She gave an overview of PPP projects in Bangladesh, the legal framework and incentives provided by the government to attract investments.
Senior officials, under the leadership of Badr Al Badr, CEO, National Companies Promotion Program (NCPP), attended the event, which was witnessed by Essa Yousef Al Duhalian, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to Bangladesh.
Al Badr nominated Red Sea Gateway Terminal to undertake Patenga Container Terminal Project (if selected by the Bangladesh authority) and other PPP projects related to sea ports in Bangladesh.
A government to government memorandum of understanding between the Ministry of Investment of Saudi Arabia and the PPP Authority, Bangladesh, was signed on 28 October, 2021.
KL to cooperate with Dhaka on agricommodities: Malaysian Minister
Malaysia is looking for a greater collaboration with Bangladesh on trade and investment with particular focus on agricommodities like palm oil, rubber and timber, says visiting Malaysian Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Zuraida Kamaruddin on Friday.
“Bangladesh is a potential country for us to enhance trade relations,” she said, adding that Malaysian companies are keen to inject more investment in these areas.
While talking to a small group of journalists at a city hotel in the evening, Kamaruddin said they want to strengthen their presence in South Asia and beyond showing Malaysia’s clear dominance in agricommodities.
She appreciated the business environment in Bangladesh which is “improving a lot” and described the policies of the government of Bangladesh as “very friendly” for foreign investment.
She said Malaysian palm oil export to Bangladesh grew by 13 per cent in December 2021-January 2022 period and termed this sharp increase “very encouraging.”
Total agricommodity trade export value from Malaysia to Bangladesh in 2021 was RM 846 million.
She said Malaysia is now looking for ways to establish “downstream industries” in Bangladesh for the commodities, which are under her ministry, especially top three commodities - palm oil, rubber and timber.
The minister said Malaysian businesspeople are actively considering setting up joint venture industries in Bangladesh.
To see the near potential we can work on south Asian countries, she said.
She said the growing infrastructure projects, housing projects, furniture and footwear industry in Bangladesh pushed the demand for Malaysian timber and rubber.
So, she said, there can be so many downstream factories here, which will process and use these products.
Bangladesh keen to increase engagement with ASEAN: PM
Terming Bangladesh a geographically contiguous neighbour of the ASEAN, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has expressed her country’s keen interest to further strengthen institutional engagements with the important regional organization.
She sought a more pro-active support from the ASEAN to ensure an "early, safe and dignified" repatriation of the displaced Rohingya people whom Bangladesh temporarily sheltered purely on humanitarian grounds.
The PM said this in her message to President of the Philippines Rodrigo Roa Duterte on the occasion of the 50 years of diplomatic ties between Bangladesh and the Philippines, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Read: General Assembly President lauds Bangladesh’s leadership at UN
Mentioning the phenomenal socio-economic achievements of Bangladesh over the last 50 years, Sheikh Hasina reiterated her commitment to working with the international community to ensure a safe, equitable and sustainable world for the posterity.
President Duterte said, “Bangladesh, having transitioned to one of the most successful economies in the world, will play a greater role in the South Asian region and beyond”.
The two leaders vowed to further strengthen the shared journey of the two friendly countries in the next 50 years and beyond.
Sheikh Hasina recalled with gratitude the early recognition the Government of the Philippines accorded on 24 February 1972 to an independent Bangladesh.
She also fondly recalled the stop-over in Manila by the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on his return journey from Tokyo in 1973 to express his gratitude to the friendly Government and people of the Philippines for their magnanimous gesture.
Both the leaders praised the strong, cooperative and friendly relations that have been nurtured between the two friendly countries in the last five decades, including trade, investment, education, tourism, cultural exchange, people-to-people contacts, etc.
Read:Dhaka issues helpline numbers for Bangladeshis stranded in Ukraine
The two leaders expressed optimism that the two countries would explore newer areas of cooperation for the mutual benefit of the two friendly peoples.
Meanwhile, Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen and his Philippines counterpart Foreign Secretary Teodoro L. locsin, Jr. also exchanged messages on the occasion of the fifty years of bilateral relationship between Bangladesh and the Philippines.
General Assembly President lauds Bangladesh’s leadership at UN
President of the General Assembly (PGA) Abdulla Shahid has applauded Bangladesh’s “remarkable leadership, productive engagement and significant contribution” in recent times in various aspects of the United Nations.
The PGA was talking to Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen at a bilateral meeting held at the UN Headquarters on Thursday.
On 7 June 2021, the United Nations General Assembly elected Abdulla Shahid of Maldives as President of its seventy-sixth session, which runs from September 2021 until September 2022.
Shahid mentioned that Bangladesh is now holding three important positions - President of the UN Women Executive Board, Chair of the Peacebuilding Commission, and co-facilitator of the IMR. “All these signifies Bangladesh’s leadership role at the UN.”
At the outset of the meeting, Momen presented two proposals to the PGA.
These are, according to the Bangladesh Mission at the UN, to organize a high-level event on ‘Review of the implementation of SDGs’ and to take initiative to create a forum of the Finance, Foreign and Development Ministers for developing countries under South-South Cooperation (SSC).
Read:Bangladesh keen to increase engagement with ASEAN: PM
The foreign minister expressed concern on the funding gaps in the implementation of SDG, particularly in view of the Covid -19 pandemic.
Dhaka issues helpline numbers for Bangladeshis stranded in Ukraine
Bangladesh has asked its nationals stranded in Ukraine to contact the country's diplomatic missions in the neighbouring European countries while Poland and Romania came forward to provide temporary shelters for Bangladeshis.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Friday issued helpline numbers for the stranded Bangladeshi nationals to help them get into Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Hungary and Moldova, all bordering Ukraine.
For Slovakia and Hungary, Bangladesh nationals have been asked to get in touch with the Bangladesh Embassy in Austria.
They can reach Rahat Bin Zaman, Deputy Chief of Mission on +43 688 60344492 and Jubayadul H Chowdhury on +43 688 60603068 in Vienna.
For Romania and Moldova, people in distress can get in touch with the Bangladesh Embassy in Romania, Bucharest: (i) +40 (742) 553 809, (ii) Mir Mehedi Hasan (tel & WhatsApp group) +40 (742) 553 809.
For Poland, they can contact the following people at the Bangladesh Embassy in Warsaw -- Md Masudur Rahman, +48 739 527 722: Md Mahbubur Rahman, +48 579 262 403; MST Farhana Yesmin, +48 690 282 561; Billal Hossain, +48 739 634 125; and Md Rabbani, +48 696 745 903.
Poland has "opened its border with Ukraine" to let in Bangladeshi nationals from the neighbouring country in the wake of a Russian invasion.
Bangladesh citizens carrying passports can secure a travel pass at the border to enter Poland without a visa, but they need to carry two colour passport-sized photos with them, the Bangladesh Embassy in Warsaw said in a notification on Friday.
Bangladesh does not currently have an embassy or a consulate in Ukraine. The country's Embassy in Poland only acts as Ukraine's de-facto diplomatic mission.
Read:Poland 'to let in stranded Bangladeshi nationals from Ukraine'
A team from the Embassy in Warsaw will also reach the Poland-Ukraine border on Saturday to assist Bangladeshi citizens wishing to enter Poland. The countries share an over 500km-long border.
Poland 'to let in stranded Bangladeshi nationals from Ukraine'
Poland has "opened its border with Ukraine" to let in Bangladeshi nationals from the neighbouring country in the wake of a Russian invasion.
Bangladesh citizens carrying passports can secure a travel pass at the border to enter Poland without a visa, but they need to carry two colour passport-sized photos with them, the Bangladesh Embassy in Warsaw said in a notification on Friday.
Bangladesh does not currently have an embassy or a consulate in Ukraine. The country's Embassy in Poland only acts as Ukraine's de-facto diplomatic mission.
A team from the Embassy in Warsaw will also reach the Poland-Ukraine border on Saturday to assist Bangladeshi citizens wishing to enter Poland. The countries share an over 500km-long border.
Also read: Go to Romania, Bangladesh tells its nationals in Ukraine
The Embassy also urged the Bangladeshi expats who are in far away areas from the Poland border to observe the situation carefully before moving ahead.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh has advised its citizens who are in the south and southwest of Ukraine to go to Romania.
State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md Shahriar Alam on Friday said the Romanian government will make arrangements for their two-day stay and then arrange for their return to Bangladesh under the supervision of the Bangladesh Embassy in Bucharest.
Earlier, on Thursday, State Minister for Foreign Md Shahriar Alam said that the government would arrange chartered flights to bring back Bangladeshis from Poland if they can safely enter Poland with visa on-arrival on an emergency basis with the support of the Polish government.
“Our first task is to bring our citizens to Poland safely from Ukraine,” he told reporters at his office, adding that they had already talked to the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) and Biman Bangladesh Airlines to that end.
The State Minister had also said they would finalise the modalities of evacuation from Poland and "will talk to foreign airlines too, if needed".
Also read: Bangladesh to arrange evacuation flight from Poland after its citizens’ entry from Ukraine
"Poland will allow Bangladeshis to stay for 15 days upon their arrival from Ukraine and the government of Bangladesh hopes to bring back its citizens much ahead of the 15-day timeline."
The State Minister had also said that the Bangladesh Embassy in Poland "is taking preparations to provide accommodation facilities for Bangladeshis’ stay there until their evacuation". "They (Bangladeshis) need to come to the Polish border from Ukraine making their own arrangements."
An estimated 500 Bangladeshi nationals, including students, are currently stranded in Ukraine.
Go to Romania, Bangladesh tells its nationals in Ukraine
Bangladesh has advised its citizens who are in the south and southwest of Ukraine to go to Romania.
State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md Shahriar Alam on Friday said the Romanian government will make arrangements for their two-day stay and then arrange for their return to Bangladesh under the supervision of the Bangladesh Embassy in Bucharest.
READ: Explosions heard in Kyiv early Friday as Russia presses Ukraine assault
'The Bangladesh Embassy in Romania will issue a more detailed notice shortly," he said.
Assam CM wants Bangladesh's support to use Chittagong Port
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has sought Bangladesh's support to use Chittagong Port.
He made the request during his meeting with Information and Broadcasting Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud Thursday afternoon.
To ensure better use of Chittagong Port by Bangladesh and its neighbouring countries, the port is being upgraded and modernised, Hasan Mahmud said.
The minister is on a week-long visit to India to attend various events, marking the golden jubilee of Bangladesh's independence and birth centenary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
The curtain of the Bangladesh film festival was raised Thursday in Guwahati, with Hasan Mahmud as the chief guest of the opening ceremony.
Parimal Shuklabaidya, minister of the Department of Environment and Forest, Excise and Fisheries of Assam, was present as the guest of honour.
Hasan Mahmud briefly elaborated how the birth centenary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and the golden jubilee of Bangladesh's independence are being celebrated around the world.
Parimal Shuklabaidya emphasised increasing the number of cultural exchange programmes. "People of both countries would come to know each other more closely by exchanging more and more movies."
The cultural soiree was illuminated by various ethnic performances of Assam.
The most enthralling part was the dance performance on the famous songs on Bangabandhu translated into the Assamese language by Manjary Dance Academy and traditional Bihu dance by Assamese artists.
Bangladesh lawmakers Mamtaj Begum and Saimum Sarwar Kamal spoke at the programme.
Actors Ferdows, Apu Biswas and folk artist Fakir Shahabuddin were also present at the show.
Among the list of films selected for screening are "Hasina: A Daughter's Tale," "Zero Degree," "Jalaler Golp," "Bapjaner Bioscope," "Krishnapaksha," "Bhuban Majhi," "Dhaka Attack," "Poramon 2," "Guerilla," "No-Dorai", and "Bhuban Majhi."
Indian High Commission launches Suborno Jayanti Scholarship website
The Indian High Commission in Dhaka has formally launched the Suborno Jayanti Scholarship (SJS) website.
At the invitation of India High Commissioner to Bangladesh Vikram Doraiswami, prominent Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) scholars and Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) alumni joined the event Thursday.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi called for an intensified effort to share openings for education and professionalism in India, "with its brethren in Bangladesh," as an initiative for the year of golden jubilee celebrations of Bangladesh's independence.
Dhaka seeks Delhi's cooperation to resolve pending issues
Bangladesh has sought India’s cooperation in resolving the outstanding issues, especially early completion of water sharing agreement of the common rivers including Teesta.
Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen raised this during his meeting with Indian Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla in New Delhi on Thursday.
Masud enumerated that India is the closest and most important neighbour of Bangladesh and assured his Indian counterpart that the government of Bangladesh is committed to sustaining the momentum of having a friendly relation with India which is based on mutual trust and respect.
He urged his Indian counterpart to extend necessary support to facilitate the early, safe, secure and sustainable repatriation of Rohingyas to their homeland in Myanmar.
Foreign secretary Shringla thanked his counterpart Masud for visiting him in New Delhi and emphasized on the regular interactions at the Foreign Secretary level.
He reiterated India’s commitment in working together to support each other in various platforms including the United Nations.
Read: Govt appoints GR firm “Nelson Mullins” to "deepen" Dhaka-Washington ties
Shringla noted that Bangladesh Mission in Chennai would further facilitate the relations between the two countries especially with the southern states of India.
He also emphasized on the joint celebration of events of bilateral significance as the celebrations of Moitri Dibosh (Friendship Day) in select cities across the globe could successfully project the historic relations between the two countries.
Shringla reiterated the commitment of the Government of India in fast tracking of various projects undertaken under the Indian Line of Credit in Bangladesh.
Foreign Secretary Masud requested the Indian Foreign Secretary to extend his support in completing Shadhinota Sharak and hand over the historic building at 8 Theatre Road, which served as the headquarters of the first Bangladesh Government in 1971, as Bangladesh is celebrating the Golden Jubilee of her independence.
Both the foreign secretaries emphasized on going back to normalcy as COVID situation improved satisfactorily.