United News of Bangladesh

Special Envoy for International Affairs Lutfey Siddiqi on Tuesday said Bangladesh’s graduation from LDC status is a chance to build a new kind of competitiveness, one based on value, skills, quality and fairness. “This platform connects government, private sector and partners to shape the next chapter of our economic development, matching growth with dignity and sustainability,” he said while speaking as the chief guest at a programme. The Ministry of Commerce, Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA), International Labour Organisation (ILO) and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) launched the Resilient Supply Chains for Sustainable Trade and Investments Platform at the BIDA auditorium. The platform aims to strengthen Bangladesh’s trade and investment ecosystem, ensuring sustainable, inclusive growth as the country prepares for graduation from Least Developed Country (LDC) status. BIDA Executive Chairman Chowdhury Ashik Mahmud Bin Harun said, "Let’s set a clear roadmap and hold ourselves accountable, so by the end of 2026, we know exactly where we stand. This platform is about real progress, not just conversation." Commerce Secretary Mahbubur Rahman as Bangladesh prepares for LDC graduation; they are advancing regulatory reforms and aligning the trade and investment policies with global best practices. “Our goal is to create a stronger, more competitive environment for both domestic and cross-border investment, ensuring sustainable growth and decent work for all,” he said. Country Director, ILO Bangladesh Max Tuñón said supply chains are ultimately about people, the workers and entrepreneurs who drive Bangladesh’s economy forward.  “This platform is our opportunity to build joint solutions that put dignity and opportunity at the centre, making a real difference in everyday lives as Bangladesh transitions beyond LDC status." Resident Representative UNDP Bangladesh Stefan Liller said they are now poised to formally launch a platform for pooling their efforts to make the future growth of Bangladesh greener and more inclusive. “This platform will serve as a hub for collaboration and knowledge sharing. It will help in aligning investments, production and trade to environmental sustainability and social safeguards." Both UN agencies emphasised their appreciation for the close partnership with BIDA and the Ministry of Commerce, and called for more actors, including other UN agencies to join the platform network. The UN agencies acknowledged the major support received from the country's development partners, including Team Europe and Global Affairs Canada. The platform will act as a hub for policy dialogue, capacity building, and knowledge sharing, driving policy coherence, supply chain development, and public-private partnerships. This initiative supports Bangladesh’s LDC graduation by promoting international labour standards, inclusive growth and decent work.

Deputy Country Director of Agence Française de Développement (AFD) Bangladesh Cecilia Cortese has reiterated France’s unwavering commitment to supporting climate action, biodiversity preservation and resilient communities. “This partnership reflects our shared responsibility to protect the Sundarbans, a vital shield for millions and a sanctuary for irreplaceable wildlife,” she said while launching the Conservation and Restoration Initiatives in the Sundarbans Region (CRIS) project on Monday. The Bangladesh government, through the Bangladesh Forest Department (BFD) under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), together with IUCN Bangladesh, officially launched the project. The initiative, led by national authorities and implemented by IUCN Bangladesh, receives financial support from the French Development Agency/Agence Française de Développement (AFD). The launch was marked by the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between BFD and IUCN Bangladesh, followed by the grant financing agreement between AFD and IUCN Bangladesh. This EUR 3 million grant represents AFD’s first direct support to biodiversity conservation in Bangladesh and lays the foundation for a long-term partnership with MoEFCC. The Sundarbans, home to exceptional biodiversity and a critical source of protection and livelihood for more than six million people, is under increasing pressure from human activity and the accelerating impacts of climate change. To address these challenges, the CRIS project will strengthen biodiversity conservation, climate resilience, and sustainable livelihoods in the region through an integrated, science-based approach, according to AFD. Activities will be implemented by IUCN Bangladesh in close collaboration with BFD, with AFD supporting the effort as a development partner. The overall ambition of CRIS is to contribute to improved conservation and sustainable management of the Sundarbans, while supporting local communities through effective restoration practices. The project will deliver four key outcomes - risk-informed conservation and restoration plans developed for the Sundarbans Region; improved biodiversity conservation in Sundarbans through faunal inventory and management plan development; enhanced ecological resilience through restoration and sustainable management of Sundarbans Impact Zone; and improved knowledge management and stakeholder collaboration. Chief Conservator of Forests Md Amir Hosain Chowdhury said the government of Bangladesh is committed to protecting the Sundarbans in line with national and international goals. “This project will help us restore degraded areas and work more closely with communities,” he said. Country Representative of IUCN Bangladesh Bipasha Hossain underscored the need for strong coordination and science-based action to secure the future of the Sundarbans. She said the Sundarbans is a fragile ecosystem and a lifeline for millions of people. “Through CRIS, we want to bring scientific evidence, traditional knowledge and community experience together.” The CRIS project will conduct climate-risk assessments, hydrological studies, socioeconomic research, faunal surveys and community-based ecological restoration.

Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus on Tuesday (November 18) said a record number of young people would cast their first ballots in the upcoming national election, as they had been unable to vote in the three rigged general elections held under the previous autocratic regime. He said the Awami League would not be able to participate in the election because its activities have been banned and its registration has been suspended by the Election Commission. “It is a historic moment for all of us. The young people who filled the walls of Dhaka and other cities with graffiti and drawings during the uprising will now come to vote,” the Chief Adviser said when Dutch Vice-Minister for International Cooperation Pascalle Grotenhuis called on him at the State Guest House Jamuna. They discussed Bangladesh’s democratic transition. The Chief Adviser reaffirmed his government’s commitment to holding a ‘free, fair, credible and festive’ election in the first half of February. During the meeting, they discussed expanding cooperation in a range of areas, including agriculture, trade and investment, technology, youth development, and the potential of a social business fund for young and women entrepreneurs. Bangladesh Election: EC to launch mobile app for postal balloting Tuesday The visiting Dutch Vice Minister praised Bangladesh’s election preparations, noting that the interim government had only a few months to get ready for the vote. Pascalle Grotenhuis also commended Bangladesh’s newly enacted labour laws, saying they would help attract more Dutch and European investment. The sweeping reforms, approved by the cabinet earlier this month, were signed into law by the President on Monday. She said the Netherlands plans to sign a Memorandum of Understanding on Public-Private Partnership with Bangladesh’s investment authorities, said the Chief Adviser’s press wing. She expressed hope that the MoU would be signed soon, paving the way for increased Dutch investment in Bangladesh. It’s an election to save country, work with honesty, Prof Yunus asks DCs “For 50 years, Bangladesh and the Netherlands were development partners. Now we want to transform this into an equitable partnership in politics, trade, and investment,” she said. The minister added that Dutch companies that have long purchased goods from Dhaka are now looking to invest and become working partners in Bangladesh.

Another 170 Bangladeshi nationals returned home from Libya on Tuesday. They arrived at Dhaka at 6:10 am on Burak Air chartered flight, according the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The repatriation was coordinated by the Bangladesh Embassy in Libya, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment, and the International Organization for Migration (IOM). The returnees had been staying in Libya illegally. Most of the returnees had entered Libya with the intention of traveling illegally to Europe via human traffickers.Many had experienced abductions and abuse during their stay. Another 174 Bangladeshis return home from Libya Officials from the foreign ministry and the IOM welcomed the returnees at the airport and requested them to share their difficult experiences to raise public awareness. Each returnee received travel allowances, food supplies, basic medical care, and temporary shelter from the IOM. The joint efforts of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Bangladesh Embassy in Libya, the Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment, and the IOM continue to ensure the safe return of Bangladeshis detained in various centers in Libya.      

All criminal proceedings need to meet international fair trial standards, said Human Rights Watch on Tuesday after former prime minister Sheikh Hasina and ex-home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan were sentenced to death by the International Crimes Tribunal for crimes against humanity. Both were prosecuted in absentia, not represented by counsel of their choosing, and sentenced to death, raising serious human rights concerns, it said. “There is enduring anger and anguish in Bangladesh over Hasina’s repressive rule, but all criminal proceedings need to meet international fair trial standards,” said Meenakshi Ganguly, deputy Asia director at Human Rights Watch. “Those responsible for horrific abuses under the Hasina administration should be held to account after impartial investigations and credible trials.” Victims of grave rights violations committed under the Hasina government need justice and reparations through proceedings that are genuinely independent and fair, she said. “Ensuring justice also means protecting the rights of the accused, including by abolishing the death penalty, which is inherently cruel and irreversible,” Meenakshi added. While Indian authorities should support accountability efforts in Bangladesh, any extradition request should allow for the individuals sought to contest the extradition in legal proceedings in India that meet due process standards, said HRW. No one should be extradited if they would face a trial abroad that does not meet international fair trial standards and could result in the death penalty, it added. Following the guilty verdicts, Bangladesh’s Foreign Ministry called on the Indian government to turn over former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, citing an extradition agreement between the two countries. The International Crimes Tribunal of Bangladesh on November 17, found Sheikh Hasina, the former prime minister, and Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, the former home minister, guilty of crimes against humanity during the violent suppression of student-led protests in 2024. Both were prosecuted in absentia, not represented by counsel of their choosing, and sentenced to death, raising serious human rights concerns, said the rights body. The Bangladeshi authorities committed serious human rights violations during the three weeks of protests in July and August 2024 that toppled the Hasina government. The protests and crackdown resulted in about 1,400 deaths, mostly protesters shot dead by security forces, according to a United Nations report. Fiercely abolitionist Amnesty International condemns death penalty for Hasina While those responsible for abuses should be appropriately held to account, the prosecution failed to meet international fair trial standards, including for a full opportunity to present a defense and question the witnesses against them, and the right to be represented by counsel of one’s choosing, it added. Concerns over the fairness of the trial are exacerbated by the death sentences. The evidence against Hasina included audio recordings of conversations with officials in which she appeared to order the use of lethal weapons, it said. While a government-appointed defense lawyer for Hasina and Khan, who received no instructions from the defendants, could cross-examine witness, he did not produce any witnesses to counter the allegations. Trials in absentia fundamentally undermine the right to a fair trial as set out in article 14 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), which is crucial to a legitimate legal process. The UN Human Rights Committee, which monitors compliance with the ICCPR, has stated that to guarantee defendants’ rights, “all criminal proceedings must provide the accused with the right to an oral hearing, at which he or she may appear in person or be represented by counsel and may bring evidence and examine witnesses.” The need for justice and accountability for serious rights violations by the Hasina government, including enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, and torture, is critical, Human Rights Watch said. However, Bangladesh authorities have a long history, including under the Hasina government, of bringing politically motivated cases, including before the International Crimes Tribunal, to arbitrarily arrest and detain, unfairly prosecute, and in some cases carry out death sentences against political opponents. Tribunal proceedings during Hasina’s rule repeatedly failed to meet international fair trial standards and imposed the death penalty. Human Rights Watch opposes the death penalty in all circumstances because of its inherent cruelty. While the Yunus government has not abolished the death penalty, it amended the International Crimes (Tribunals) Act in November 2024 to bring provisions on command responsibility and crimes against humanity closer to the ICC’s Rome Statute. The amendments specifically list enforced disappearances as a crime. However, further amendments in 2025 gave the tribunal broad authority to prosecute and dismantle political organizations, which could be used to violate international standards of due process and freedom of association, it said. Media urged to avoid airing Hasina's statements The Yunus government should adopt measures to ensure that the fundamental rights of the accused are protected, Human Rights Watch said. The Bangladeshi government should ensure equal access to constitutional remedies for all defendants, and to impose a moratorium on the death penalty with a plan to abolish it altogether. The government should respond to any demonstrations in accordance with the UN Basic Principles on the Use of Force and Firearms by Law Enforcement Officials, Human Rights Watch said. Awami League leaders should discourage violence by party supporters opposing the tribunal verdict.

Commenting on the Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal's verdict, Amnesty International’s Secretary General Agnès Callamard has said this was not a fair trial and the victims of July 2024 deserve far better. She said Bangladesh needs a justice process that is scrupulously fair and fully impartial beyond all suspicion of bias and does not resort to order further human rights violations through the death penalty, that her organisation fiercely opposes and campaigns to abolish globally. 'Only then can genuine and meaningful truth, justice and reparations be delivered," said Callamard while responding to Monday's decision by Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal to sentence former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal to death after convicting them in absentia of crimes against humanity, The Amnesty International’s Secretary General said those individually responsible for the egregious violations and allegations of crimes against humanity that took place during the student-led protests in July and August 2024 must be investigated and prosecuted in fair trials. "However, this trial and sentence is neither fair nor just. Victims need justice and accountability, yet the death penalty simply compounds human rights violations. It’s the ultimate cruel, degrading and inhuman punishment and has no place in any justice process," she said. More than 1,400 people were killed and thousands injured between July and August 2024. "Justice for survivors and victims demands that fiercely independent and impartial proceedings, which meet international human rights standards are conducted. Instead, this trial has been conducted before a court that Amnesty International has long criticized for its lack of independence and history of unfair proceedings," Callamard said. Further, the unprecedented speed of this trial in absentia and verdict raises significant fair trial concerns for a case of this scale and complexity, she said. UN rights body regrets Hasina’s death sentence, calls verdict important for victims "Although Sheikh Hasina was represented by a court-appointed lawyer, the time to prepare a defence was manifestly inadequate. Such unfair trial indicators are compounded by reports that defence cross examination of evidence deemed to be contradictory was not allowed," Callamard said. Justice for survivors and victims demands that fiercely independent and impartial proceedings, which meet international human rights standards are conducted, she said. Amnesty International opposes the death penalty in all cases without exception, regardless of the nature or circumstances of the crime; guilt, innocence or other characteristics of the individual; or the method used by the state to carry out the execution.    

The Russian Navy vessel Gremyashchy arrived at Chattogram Port on Monday for a five-day goodwill visit aimed at strengthening naval cooperation between Bangladesh and Russia. According to the ISPR, the ship was received at the port by the Chief Staff Officer of the Commander Chattogram Naval Area. A navy band performed as part of the traditional welcome ceremony, which was attended by senior officials of the Bangladesh Navy and the Russian military attaché stationed in Dhaka. Before docking in Chattogram, the visiting vessel was escorted in Bangladesh waters by the Bangladesh Navy ship BNS Umar Farooq. During the visit, the ship’s commanding officer and the Russian military attaché, along with a delegation, will pay courtesy calls on the Commander Chattogram Naval Area, the Commander BN Fleet, the Area Superintendent of Dockyard, and the chairman of the Chattogram Port Authority. Indices rise in both Dhaka, Chattogram stock exchanges Officers and sailors from the Gremyashchy are scheduled to lay a wreath at Redkin Point at the Bangladesh Naval Academy and tour naval bases, ships, the BN Asha Alo School for children with special needs, as well as several cultural and historic sites in Chattogram. Members of the Bangladesh Navy will also visit the Russian ship. Officials said the visit will provide personnel from both navies the opportunity to exchange professional experience and strengthen operational understanding. The Russian Navy has conducted similar goodwill visits to Bangladesh in the past. The Gremyashchy is scheduled to depart Bangladesh on November 21.  

The United Nations human rights body on Monday said they "regret" the imposition of the death penalty, which they oppose in all circumstances but described the verdict as an important moment for victims of the grave violations committed during the suppression of protests last year. “The handing down of verdicts today by the International Crimes Tribunal against former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and the former Home Minister in Dhaka on charges of crimes against humanity is an important moment for victims of the grave violations committed during the suppression of protests last year," said Ravina Shamdasani, Spokesperson for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) on Monday in Geneva. She said while they were not privy to the conduct of this trial, they have consistently advocated for all accountability proceedings, especially on charges of international crimes, to unquestionably meet international standards of due process and fair trial. "This is particularly vital when, as was the case here, the trials have been conducted in absentia and led to a capital punishment sentence," said the Spokesperson. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk hopes Bangladesh will move forward with a comprehensive process of truth-telling, reparation and justice as the pathway to national reconciliation and healing. Hasina, Asaduzzaman sentenced to death; Mamun gets 5 years jail "This should include meaningful and transformative security sector reform, respecting international standards, to ensure that these violations and abuses are never repeated," said the Spokesperson. She said the Office stands ready to support the government and people of Bangladesh in these endeavours. The High Commissioner calls for calm, and for all to exercise restraint in response to these developments, said the Spokesperson.      

India has noted the verdict announced by the International Crimes Tribunal of Bangladesh concerning former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and said they will always engage constructively with all stakeholders. “As a close neighbour, India remains committed to the best interests of the people of Bangladesh, including in peace, democracy, inclusion and stability in that country,” said India’s Ministry of External Affairs in a statement on Monday. The India ministry said they will always engage constructively with all stakeholders to that end. Bangladesh on Monday urged the government of India to immediately hand over former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, both convicted already, to its authorities. "This is also an obligation for India under the existing extradition treaty between the two countries," said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a statement. Hasina, Asaduzzaman sentenced to death; Mamun gets 5 years jail The International Crimes Tribunal-1  on Monday sentenced former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal to death in a case filed over crimes against humanity committed during last year’s July-August mass uprising. "It would be a grave act of unfriendly conduct and a travesty of justice for any other country to grant shelter to these individuals convicted of crimes against humanity," said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in its statement.  

Bangladesh on Monday urged the government of India to immediately hand over former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, both convicted already, to its authorities. “I understand they need to be brought back. We will let India know our position officially. Certainly, an official letter will be sent,” Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain told reporters at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, noting that Dhaka will write to New Delhi officially. Acknowledging that India did not reply to Bangladesh’s extradition request for Hasina, Hossain said the situation is different now as the trial is completed and they are punished. "This is also an obligation for India under the existing extradition treaty between the two countries," said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a statement before the briefing. The International Crimes Tribunal-1 on Monday sentenced former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal to death in a case filed over crimes against humanity committed during last year’s July-August mass uprising. "It would be a grave act of unfriendly conduct and a travesty of justice for any other country to grant shelter to these individuals convicted of crimes against humanity," said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in its statement. Asked what would be the ministry’s role if India does not reply, the Foreign Affairs Adviser said he will not give any answer on any speculation. When his attention was drawn to media reports, he said the media will do their assessment but there is no scope for the government to speculate. “We will do our official work.” Meanwhile, India said it noted the verdict announced by the International Crimes Tribunal of Bangladesh concerning former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and said they will always engage constructively with all stakeholders. “As a close neighbour, India remains committed to the best interests of the people of Bangladesh, including in peace, democracy, inclusion and stability in that country,” said India’s Ministry of External Affairs in a statement on Monday. The India ministry said they will always engage constructively with all stakeholders to that end. The International Crimes Tribunal-1 on Monday sentenced Hasina and Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal to death in a case filed over crimes against humanity committed during last year’s July-August mass uprising. The tribunal found all three accused guilty of the charges brought against them. Sheikh Hasina was sentenced to death on two counts of crimes against humanity. Asaduzzaman Khan was awarded the death penalty on one charge. Former Inspector General of Police Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun, who testified as a state witness in the case, was sentenced to five years in prison. As Sheikh Hasina and former minister Asaduzzaman Khan fled the country amid the massive movement on August 5 last year only former IGP Mamun was present at the dock during the delivery of the judgment.