foreign-affairs
BGMEA stands beside Turkey earthquake victims with humanitarian aid
The Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) has stood beside Turkey with humanitarian aid to express solidarity with those affected by the recent devastating earthquakes and alleviate their sufferings.
BGMEA donated warm clothing including blankets and sweaters for the earthquake victims of Turkey who are going through immense misery in harsh winter conditions after losing their homes and belongings in the disaster.
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BGMEA President Faruque Hassan handed over the donation to Turkish Ambassador-designate to Bangladesh Ramis Şen at the embassy in Dhaka on February 20.
Former Vice President of BGMEA Moshiul Azam Shajal, Director of BGMEA Mohiuddin Rubel and Commercial Counsellor of the embassy Kenan Kalayci were also present on the occasion.
BGMEA President Faruque Hassan said, “We are saddened and shocked at the loss of valuable lives in Turkey and Syria in a series of massive earthquakes. We would like express our deepest condolences for the dead and sincere sympathy for those who lost their loved ones in the disaster as well as for the injured.”
“We cannot bring back those whom we have lost in the earthquakes, but we can join hands and work together with what we have to alleviate the immense sufferings of the earthquake victims.”
The BGMEA President assured the Turkish Ambassador that BGMEA would stand beside the people of Turkey and provide more support in their hour of need.
Read more: Death toll rises to 8 from new Turkey-Syria earthquake
Ekushey observed in Canberra with wider participation of Bangladesh community, foreigners
Ekushey has been observed in Canberra with the wider participation of the Bangladesh community and foreigners.
Around 100 participants including ACT Ministers, Ambassadors, representatives from government offices, multilingual community groups and Bangladeshi diaspora assembled at dawn and spontaneously joined the Probhat Fery with flowers, festoons and banners singing the song of Ekushey “Amar bhaier rokte rangano ekushe February, ami ki bhulite pari”.
Australian dignitaries, including the Australian Capital Territory Minister for Health and Minister for Families and Community Rachel Stephen-Smith, Minister for Environment and Minister for Heritage Rebecca Vasarotti, Shadow Minister for multicultural Affairs Peter Cain, Indian High Commissioner, representatives from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) and from the Department of Home Affairs and above all Bangladesh community members passionately attended the Probhat Fery at the cusp of dawn, said a press release.
Probhat Fery was organised for the fifth consecutive year around Manuka Oval that ended at a makeshift Shaheed Minar at Telopea Park.
After the walk, the ministers and other dignitaries paid their homage to the language heroes by placing floral wreaths at the altar of the Saheed Minar.
The High Commissioner recalled the extraordinary leadership of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman throughout the language movement to the struggle for freedom and the War of Liberation.
He stated that each of the more than 7,000 languages spoken by humanity is a living repository of knowledge that carries within it a unique expression of thinking and feeling.
Read more: Great Language Martyrs’ Day, International Mother Language Day observed in Seoul
He emphasised on revitalising dying languages and raising awareness of protecting languages.
The dignitaries underscored the significance of Ekushey in securing respect for mother tongue and for linguistic diversity and multiculturalism.
The speakers praised Bangladesh in the global campaign for securing honour for all languages and promoting multiculturalism.
Later, the High Commissioner hoisted the national flag at half-mast at the Chancery premises.
The messages of the President, Prime Minister, Foreign Minister and State Minister for Foreign Affairs were read out.
A Special munajat was also offered for the salvation of the departed souls of the language martyrs and for a peaceful, inclusive and prosperous Bangladesh.
The evening programme for the Bangladesh community commenced with a discussion session on the significance of Ekushey and International Mother Language Day.
The discussion session was followed by a colourful cultural program with songs, dance and recitation of poems that enthralled the audience.
Like previous years, the temporarily installed “Shaheed Minar” at the Telopea Park will remain in place till 24 February 2023 for public viewing and reflection.
The programme generated interest among locals and the High Commissioner was live on ABC Radio Canberra speaking on the significance of Ekushey and the unique way of celebration by the High Commission.
Great Language Martyrs’ Day, International Mother Language Day observed in Seoul
The great Language Martyrs’ Day and International Mother Language Day was observed in a befitting manner in Seoul on Tuesday with the participation of the international community and expatriate Bangladeshi nationals living in the Republic of Korea.
On this occasion, the Embassy in collaboration with the Korean National Commission for UNESCO (KNCU) organized a programme at the KNCU premises in Seoul.
Senior officials from the Korean National Commission for UNESCO, Ambassadors and other diplomats from different embassies, members of civil society, members of different social and cultural organizations and the representatives of the leading print and electric media took part in the event.
During the event, Bangladesh Ambassador Delwar Hossain delivered opening remarks and the Secretary General of the Korean National Commission for UNESCO Dr Kyung Koo Han delivered welcome remarks.
Ambassador Delwar Hossain paid profound tribute to the language martyrs of 1952.
Read more: International Mother Language Day: Tribute from UN in Bangladesh in many languages
He also recalled with deep reverence the outstanding contribution of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in organizing the Language Movement in 1952 and subsequently steering the nation to independence in 1971.
He highlighted the background of International Mother Language Day and the initiatives taken by the government of Bangladesh for the protection and promotion of mother languages and culture of minor ethnic communities in the country.
The Secretary-General of KNCU Dr Han referred to the commonality in the history of the two countries’ struggle to preserve the dignity of their respective mother languages.
He underscored the need for concerted international efforts in the promotion and protection of the mother languages and cultural heritages.
The envoys of India, Indonesia and Sierra Leone and the President of the Joint Board of South and North Korea for the Compilation of Gyeoremal-keunsajeon delivered keynote speeches highlighting the initiatives of their respective governments in the promotion of multilingualism and multiculturalism.
The keynote speech session was followed by a colourful cultural programme.
The performers from Bangladesh, India, Korea and Colombia enthralled the audience through their performances portraying the rich linguistic & cultural heritage of their respective countries.
Ambassador Delwar Hossain hoisted the national flag at half-mast at the Embassy premises with the presence of Embassy officials and the expatriate Bangladeshis.
A one-minute silence was observed to honor the language martyrs followed by an offering of special prayer for the salvation of the departed souls of language martyrs and for the continued peace and prosperity of the country. Following this, the Embassy officers read out the messages of the President, Prime Minister, Foreign Minister and Hon’ble State Minister for Foreign Affairs. Then, a documentary on the great Language Martyrs’ Day and International Mother Language Day was screened. Discussions were held on the historic background and significance of the day.
Earlier, at the first hour of the day, Ambassador Delwar Hossain paid homage to the language martyrs by placing floral wreaths at Shaheed Minar established at the Multicultural Park in Ansan city.
UL Solutions delegation meets BGMEA President
A delegation of UL Solutions, a leading safety science company, has met with BGMEA President Faruque Hassan and discussed possible collaboration in providing safety solutions and services to garment factories in Bangladesh.
The delegation from UL Solutions, led by Charan Singh, Senior Director, Regional Operations, also included Golam Sarwar, Country Manager, UL Bangladesh, Sharif Mollah, Business Development Manager, Emerging Markets, and Rashed Ahmed, Head of Business, UL Bangladesh.
BGMEA Director Neela Hosna Ara was also present at the meeting held at BGMEA Complex in Uttara, Dhaka on February 20.
They discussed how UL Solutions support Bangladeshi garment factories in remaining up to the mark in terms of industry safety requirements.
The discussion also focused on how UL Solutions could support the factories in maintaining compliance with regulations and standards and reducing environmental impacts of their operations.
UL Solutions delivers testing, inspection and certification services, together with software products and advisory offerings that support customers’ product innovation and business growth.
International Mother Language Day: Tribute from UN in Bangladesh in many languages
In a video published on February 21, on the United Nations in Bangladesh official Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube accounts, the UN Resident Coordinator in Bangladesh, Gwyn Lewis, together with the staff of the UN in Bangladesh, representing various foreign and indigenous languages of different states and parts of the country wished the people of Bangladesh a happy International Mother Language Day.
On the same day, the UN Resident Coordinator in Bangladesh Gwyn Lewis and UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) Officer-in-charge Dr Susan Vize wrote an op-ed on the importance of International Mother Language Day and its legacy.
"On 21 February, we mark International Mother Language Day, a celebration of the world’s linguistic and socio-cultural diversity. We are particularly honoured to mark this day here in Bangladesh as the 21st February is also a worldwide tribute to the people of Bangladesh who have courageously fought for recognition of the Bangla language.”
“Embracing and protecting our linguistic diversity must be reinforced by not allowing anyone to use language as a tool to provoke conflicts and any forms of discrimination.
“It is important to respect all languages: big and small, widely and less spoken, indigenous and foreign.
Read more: Making Bangla UN's official language involves huge money: Shahriar Alam
“The diversity of languages is vital in intercultural dialogue to build inclusive societies”
“On behalf of the staff of the UN in Bangladesh, representing foreign and indigenous languages of different states and parts of the country from Teknaf to Panchagarh we wish the people of Bangladesh a happy International Mother Language Day. The day the country courageously fought for, and the legacy of which should not be forgotten," Gwyn Lewis and Susan Vize said in the op-ed on International Mother Language Day published on 21 February.
Making Bangla UN's official language involves huge money: Shahriar Alam
State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md Shahriar Alam on Tuesday said that Bangladesh would renew its efforts for making Bangla one of the official languages of the United Nations when the global body will go through a greater reform.
Read more: Ambassador Lee visits Matarbari Coal-powered Plant to observe South Korean company’s construction work
He said there is huge involvement of funds in the process, and it needs to think whether spending such a huge amount of money every year will be logical at this moment though they have the love, respect and desire for Bangla to become UN’s official language.
“We thought about it and worked on it. We estimated around five to six years ago that it will require Tk 800 crore annually,” Shahriar told reporters after attending a programme at Foreign Service Academy marking the International Mother Language Day.
He hoped that Bangladesh will have that capacity but at this moment, opinions might not be there in favour of such a plan.
The United Nations has six official languages — Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish.
Earlier in February 2021, Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen said there is no opposition from the member countries to Bangla as another official language of the United Nations, but the UN has said it does not have money to fund it.
The UN authorities have said they would need $600 million per year for making a new official language functional in the UN system, he said.
Bangla should be named an official United Nations language to reflect the vast number of its speakers and its heritage in literature and history, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina told the UN General Assembly in 2010.
“Since Bangla [also known as Bengali] is spoken by nearly 300 million people worldwide, has a rich history in literature, history and in other fields. Our Parliament adopted a resolution requesting the UN to declare Bangla as one of its official languages,” she said. “I fervently appeal to you all for acceptance of our very legitimate request.”
Ambassador Lee visits Matarbari Coal-powered Plant to observe South Korean company’s construction work
South Korean Ambassador to Bangladesh Lee Jang-keun has visited the project site in Matarbari Coal-powered Plant to observe the work being done by 75 Korean engineers and to encourage them.
He was briefed on the progress by project managers, listened to the challenges faced by the South Korean firm POSCO E&C, and discussed solutions to overcome them.
During the visit on Monday, Ambassador Lee said that South Korean companies are actively involved in major infrastructure projects in Bangladesh, including Taeyoung E&C’s involvement in the Bhandal Juri water supply project and Samsung C&T’s role in the construction of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport’s Terminal 3.
Despite the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic during the launch of these projects, they have received high commendation from Bangladesh authorities for their punctuality and high-quality outputs, he added. South Korean companies are anticipated to expand their operations in major infrastructure construction projects in Bangladesh.
The Matarbari Coal-fired Power Plant project is expected to improve electricity supply in the region, thus supporting economic development of Bangladesh and well-being of the people, said the South Korean Embassy in Dhaka on Tuesday.
According to the South Korean corporation, POSCO E&C, the construction of the coal-fired power plant is on schedule and 95.9% of the construction has been completed as of February 2023.
The Matarbari Ultra Super Critical Coal Fired Power Plant Project involves building a coal-fired power plant with the capacity of generating 1,200 megawatts (MW) of power and affiliated facilities over a period of seven years with the funding provided by JICA.
Japan’s Sumitomo, Toshiba, and IHI are collaborating as a consortium to implement the project, with POSCO E&C subcontracted to construct the major part of the plant.
As part of its commitment to supporting the region’s economy, POSCO E&C has employed some 4,000 local workers daily on average.
Despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the construction of the coal-powered plant began in March 2020 and proceeded without delay.
In order to meet the completion target, POSCO E&C has worked day and night without day-offs since the project inception, said the South Korean Embassy.
It is anticipated that the first unit of the Matarbari coal-powered plant will start commercial production in January 2024, with the second unit following in July of the same year.
Bangladesh wants "more inclusive, equitable" world that respects every language
State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md Shahriar Alam today reiterated Bangladesh’s commitment towards a “more inclusive and equitable” world, where every language is valued and respected.
“Our world is incredibly diverse, with people from different cultures and linguistic backgrounds living and working together. However, this diversity can sometimes lead to misunderstandings and conflicts, which can create division and tension,” he said.
“It is crucial that we work towards creating cultural and linguistic harmony. May the spirit of February 21 be transfused among all,” he added.
Shahriar Alam was speaking at a programme on the occasion of Language Martyrs’ Day and International Mother Language Day.
Bangladeshi expats in Los Angeles donate for Turkey's earthquake victims
Bangladesh Association of Los Angeles (BALA) has donated essential goods and cash to the earthquake-hit people of Turkey.
The expat association made the donation at a recent virtual meeting presided over by its president Syed M Hossain Babu while it was attended, among others, by Maqsuda Yasmin, Zayedul Mahmud Jami, Rabeya Zahid, Dr. Mohammad Sirajullah, Zillur Rahman Niru,
The association leaders expressed their gratitude to all members and non-members who extended their hand of cooperation to make the proposed donation a reality.
BSF hands over body of Bangladeshi youth it shot dead after 4 days
Indian Border Security Force (BSF) on Monday handed over the body of a Bangladeshi youth who was shot dead by its members on Friday.
A team of Hakimpur Police Station with the help of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) members received the body of the youth around 5:30 pm and handed it over to his family, said Abu Sayem Miah, in-charge of the police station.
Earlier in the day, a flag meeting was held between Border Guard of Bangladesh (BGB-20) Battalion and Indian Border Guard Force (BSF-6)1 Battalion at the Main Pillar area of the border, regarding the handing over of the body.
Shahabul Hossain Babu, 24, son of Abul Hossain of Dharanda village under Hakimpur upazila, was shot dead by Indian Border Security Force (BSF), along the Hili land port in Dinajpur on Friday night, locals on the Bangladesh side said.
Md Rafiqul Islam, a ward councilor of Hakimpur municipality, said Babu accompanied by others crossed into the Indian territory along the Hili border on Friday night.
"We heard sounds of two rounds of bullets from the Indian side and subsequently came to know that Babu was shot dead by the BSF,” he said.
Read more: 2 Bangladeshis shot dead in BSF firing in Lalmonirhat