Foreign-Affairs
Dr Ali Riaz elected AIBS President
Distinguished Professor Dr Ali Riaz has been elected as the president of the American Institute of Bangladesh Studies (AIBS).
Rohingya: Malaysia urged to end raids, detention amid COVID-19
Rohingya Women Development Network (RWDN) and Fortify Rights on Tuesday said the government of Malaysia should end arbitrary arrests and detention of refugees and migrants.
RWDN and Fortify Rights interviewed 13 Rohingya refugees in Malaysia who described the ongoing risk of arrest and the effects of restrictions on movement and access to livelihoods.
“Malaysia should stop arresting and detaining all refugees,” said Sharifah Shakirah, founder and Director of RWDN in Malaysia.
“Instead, the government should provide basic protections to refugees and migrants during this global crisis to prevent the spread of the virus.”
On June 14, the Malaysian Health Ministry reported that a 67-year-old man from India died on June 12 from COVID-19 at the Bukit Jalil Immigration Detention Center (IDC), located outside of the capital, Kuala Lumpur. The ministry reports at least 735 cases of COVID-19 in IDCs across Malaysia.
On June 14, Health Director-General Datuk Dr. Noor Hisham Abdullah reported the death during a press briefing, saying: "He was found unconscious at the center . . . He was confirmed dead on Friday [June 12] and a COVID-19 test returned positive.”
During an earlier press briefing on May 26, Dr. Noor Hisham Abdullah acknowledged the IDCs as “high-risk areas” for the spread of COVID-19.
UN rights chief urges countries to confront legacy of slavery, colonialism
Michelle Bachelet, the chief of UN human rights, urged countries to address today’s systemic racism and “centuries of violence and discrimination” through reparations and other processes.
5 Bangladeshi doctors died of coronavirus in KSA
At least five Bangladeshi physicians died of coronavirus while serving their duties in different hospitals and clinics across the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to date.
386 Bangladeshis return home from Saudi Arabia on special flight
A total of 386 Bangladeshi nationals, who were stranded in Saudi Arabia amidst the ongoing shutdown of flights over the coronavirus pandemic, returned home by a special flight of Biman Bangladesh Airlines on Sunday night.
COVID-19 vaccine: Bangladesh to get priority if China develops vaccine
China has said Bangladesh will get priority in terms of cooperation and support if they can successfully develop vaccine for the coronavirus.
BAF helicopters sent to UN peacekeeping mission in CAR
Bangladesh Air Force (BAF) dispatched three armoured versions of their Russian-made MI-171SH helicopter to MINUSMA, the UN peacekeeping mission in Central African Republic (CAR), for the first time.
Refugees: UN recognises generosity, humanity of host countries
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has recognised the generosity and humanity of host communities and countries towards refugees that often struggle with their own economic and security concerns.
WB provides Bangladesh over $1 bn to create quality jobs
The World Bank has approved $1.05 billion for three projects to help Bangladesh create quality jobs and accelerate economic recovery from the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic as well as build resilience to future crises.
Rohingyas: UN agencies invited to visit Bhasan Char to assess situation
Bangladesh has invited the UNHCR together with other UN agencies to undertake a protection visit to the Bhasan Char island to ascertain the humanitarian situation and any immediate needs of the refugee population.