foreign-affairs
Historic 7th March observed in New Delhi
Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi has paid homage to Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman marking his historic 7th March speech in 1971.
Bangladesh High Commissioner to India Muhammad Imran hoisted the national flag at chancery premises and led the members of the mission to place a floral wreath at the portrait of Bangabandhu at the chancery building.
Read: PM leaves Dhaka for Abu Dhabi
Describing the historic 7th march speech of Bangabandhu as one of the best speeches in the world, High Commissioner Imran said the speech inspired freedom loving people to converse under a single umbrella against the suppression, oppression, discrimination of the then Pakistani autocrat roller.
Bangabandhu’s historic speech was one of the most inspirational speeches in world diplomacy apart from giving directives to the oppressed humanity to unite to free the Bengali nation, he added.
We voted for peace, says FM on Bangladesh’s abstention from UN resolution on Ukraine
Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen has said that Bangladesh abstained from the UN General Assembly vote on a resolution over the Ukraine crisis for the sake of peace.
“We voted for peace,” he said, adding that the resolution was not meant for stopping the war but apparently to blame somebody.
Read:Hadisur’s body kept in Ukraine, 5 youths still in detention centre: FM
Four South Asian countries - Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka and Pakistan - were among 35 abstentions as the UN General Assembly voted at an emergency session Wednesday on the Ukraine issue. The vote on the “Aggression against Ukraine” resolution was 141-5, with 35 abstentions.
The abstentions included China, as expected, but also some surprises from usual Russian allies Cuba and Nicaragua.
"If you read the resolution wording, it’s not a call for stopping the war but to blame someone apparently," said Dr Momen while responding to a question at a media briefing at the state guesthouse Padma on Sunday.
He said Bangladesh is a country for peace.
"We want peace. We don't want war anywhere in the world. We said we’re deeply concerned about the war. So, we expect the UN charter to be followed by all," he said.
The foreign ninister said the dispute should be resolved through discussion and dialogue.
“We said we’ve enough confidence in the UN Secretary General and that he should take an initiative to resolve this dispute through dialogue and discussion peacefully. We upheld this position in the UN,” Momen said.
Few days ago, Bangladesh urged restraint by all parties and to immediately resume diplomatic efforts and dialogue in order to settle all disputes by peaceful means, and refrain from taking any action that may endanger international peace and stability.
Read:28 Bangladeshi crew to return home soon: FM
Unlike Security Council resolutions, General Assembly resolutions are not legally binding, but they do have clout in reflecting international opinion.
Under special emergency session rules, a resolution needs approval of two-thirds of those countries voting, and abstentions don’t count.
Bangladesh, UAE to boost cooperation during PM's visit
Bangladesh and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are likely to sign four to five MoUs during Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's upcoming visit to the Gulf nation to further strengthen the bilateral relations.
“This visit will play an important role in keeping the labor market intact and creating new avenues of investment in Bangladesh to strengthen the economic relations,” Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen told the media at state guesthouse Padma on Sunday afternoon.
He said Bangladesh wants to enhance trade and investment between the two countries through more collaboration.
Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen, Secretary (East) Mashfee Binte Shams and senior officials at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs were also present.
Also read: Govt plans to improve life of stranded Biharis in Bangladesh:PM
Before the media briefing, the foreign minister had a meeting with relevant ministers and PM's Private Industry and Investment Adviser Salman F Rahman at the same venue to review the investment proposals that came from the UAE and Saudi Arabia.
Hasina is scheduled to leave for UAE on Monday as the two countries eye to elevate the relationship to a comprehensive partnership with deeper political engagement. She will return home on March 12.
She is going to the UAE at the invitation of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, ruler of Dubai and vice-president of the United Arab Emirates and will also attend a programme at “Expo 2020 Dubai” on March 8 marking the International Women’s Day, said the Foreign Minister.
The prime minister has agreed to visit the UAE with the intention of highlighting the image of the country and its achievements in the economic sector including empowerment of women in Bangladesh, Momen said.
Trade and commerce; investment, manpower and cooperation in other potential areas including renewable energy will be discussed during the visit.
He said during the last financial year, about 30,000 workers from Bangladesh went to the UAE. “We hope that this number will increase in the future.”
In terms of bilateral trade with the UAE, Momen said the imports and exports volume stood around US$ 2 billion but the trade deficit now stands at US$ 1.5 billion.
“The main reason is that we import fuel from them. This visit will be important to increase the volume of our exports to that country. That is why the two countries will discuss ways to establish the direct shipping line,” said the foreign minister.
Hadisur’s body kept in Ukraine, 5 youths still in detention centre: FM
Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen has said the body of engineer Md Hadisur Rahman has been preserved in Ukraine and efforts are underway to bring back the body home.
“The body has been kept in a safe place in Ukraine,” he told reporters at a media briefing at state guesthouse Padma on Sunday, adding that it might take time to bring it to Bangladesh.
The Foreign Minister also said 28 crew members of Bangladeshi ship "Banglar Samriddhi" are now in Bucharest, Romania. “They stayed at a hotel there last night.”
Md Hadisur Rahman, 47, third engineer of Banglar Samriddhi, was killed in a rocket attack on the Bangladesh Shipping Corporation (BSC) vessel stranded at a Ukraine port.
The 28 other crew members of the ship had safely reached Romania from war-ravaged Ukraine and they will soon return home.
Expressing deep condolences to the near and dear ones of deceased Hadisur Rahman, the Russian Embassy in Dhaka on Thursday said the Russian side "bends every effort" to ensure safe departure of the Bangladeshi ship from the port.
The Command of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, relying on the objective monitoring data, has repeatedly stated that, during the retreat, the Ukrainian nationalists open indiscriminate fire and deliberately capture hostages, use them as a “human shield”, resorting to the well-known terrorists’ tactic, said the Embassy.
The BSC ship was positioned in the inner anchorage of Olvia port (Ukraine), when Hadisur was killed due to a missile attack. "The circumstances of the incident are being established," said the embassy.
Read:Efforts on to ensure safe departure of Bangladeshi ship from Ukrainian port: Russian Embassy
28 Bangladeshi crew to return home soon: FM
Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen on Saturday said 28 crew members of Bangladeshi ship "Banglar Samriddhi" will soon return home as they have safely crossed the border leaving war-ravaged Ukraine.
“They’ll soon return to Bangladesh,” he told reporters at a programme held in the Jatiya Press Club.
Bangladesh Ambassador to Poland Sultana Laila Hossain said the 28 crew members were on the way to Romania from Moldova and scheduled to reach there within few hours.
The government has made necessary arrangements for their return as their relatives are eagerly waiting to get reunited at home.
Earlier, the crew had been taken to a relatively safe place from the ship that came under attack leaving its third engineer dead on Wednesday.
The Foreign Minister, however, could not tell about the progress over bringing back the body of Engineer Hadisur Rahman who was killed during a rocket attack on the ship.
Expressing deep condolences to the near and dear ones of deceased Hadisur Rahman, the Russian Embassy in Dhaka on Thursday said the Russian side "bends every effort" to ensure safe departure of the Bangladeshi ship from the port.
The Command of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, relying on the objective monitoring data, has repeatedly stated that, during the retreat, the Ukrainian nationalists open indiscriminate fire and deliberately capture hostages, use them as a “human shield”, resorting to the well-known terrorists’ tactic, said the Embassy.
The BSC ship was positioned in the inner anchorage of Olvia port (Ukraine), when Hadisur was killed due to a missile attack.
Also read: Trying to shift stranded sailors from Ukraine to Romania, says Foreign Secy
Bangladesh 50 at British Museum: An event to remember
The golden jubilee of Bangladesh's independence was marked by the Bangladesh High Commission in the UK and the borough of Camden with an event at the British Museum in London recently.
This is the first time that Bangladesh's independence has been celebrated at the British Museum, the High Commission said in a press release on Saturday.
As part of the event, the British Museum was illuminated in the colours of Bangladesh’s national flag -- red and green.
Speaking on the occasion, Bangladesh High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Saida Muna Tasneem, said that "50 years ago, the people of Bangladesh made supreme sacrifice and shed blood to earn our freedom and independence under the charismatic leadership of Father of the Nation, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, who founded Bangladesh as a democratic, secular, progressive and inclusive people’s republic".
READ: PM opens Bangabandhu Military Museum
"Today, Bangladesh’s emergence as one of Asia’s most prosperous and resilient nations under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina continues to be guided by our 1971 War of Liberation values," she said.
Expressing deep gratitude towards the enterprising British-Bangladesh community in the UK, the High Commissioner said "the British-Bengali Community built the most invincible overseas front of the Bangladesh War of Liberation in 1971 and continues to remain the strongest pillar of connectivity and historic friendship between our two commonwealth nations".
Govt will take necessary steps on financial transactions involving Russian projects: Foreign Secy
The government will take necessary steps, specifically on financial transactions involving Russian projects though, as of now, it seems okay, the foreign secretary has said.
"Things depend on the situation. The situation may turn complicated if there are more sanctions on (Russian) banks or SWIFT, or the big companies,” Masud Bin Momen told reporters at the foreign ministry on Friday.
The US, UK, European Union and G7 countries already imposed harsh sanctions against many Russian banks and oligarchs since Moscow’s attacks on Ukraine.
Global payments messaging network SWIFT, meanwhile, asked Bangladesh's banks to suspend transactions with seven Russian lenders.
Asked whether the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant project will be affected, Masud Momen said it is not clear yet as the sanctions now see initial days.
Read:Trying to shift stranded sailors from Ukraine to Romania, says Foreign Secy
“We have discussed the impacts. We held meeting with the stakeholders Thursday. We will hold more meetings to assess the impacts,” he said.
The FS said the government is also assessing the possible impacts on the exports and imports, the projects where Russia is involved.
“We will soon determine the necessary measures. At this moment, we are not facing any problem. Everything will depend on the situation in the coming days.”
Masud said the Russian side is still trying to ascertain who is responsible for the rocket attack on Bangladeshi ship 'Banglar Samriddhi' stranded at a port in war-torn Ukraine.
“They have also expressed their deep condolences over the death of a Bangladeshi sailor in the attack. They claimed that they didn't do it," he said.
However, it is very difficult to ascertain who is doing what from where and which side in a ‘Fog of War’, he added.
But the Russian side has assured Bangladesh of informing Dhaka on what exactly happened.
Masud also said efforts are underway to bring 28 crew of Bangladeshi ship "Banglar Samriddhi" to Romania from war-ravaged Ukraine.
Asked whether there is any communication with the Ukrainian side, he said Ukraine's priorities are different now.
"They are now more engaged in saving the territory. So it may not be possible for them to answer all our questions.”
Masud said around 600 Bangladeshis safely left Ukraine and are now in Poland while there are 100 Bangladeshis staying in Ukraine.
Read:Bangladeshi crew in Ukraine: Govt trying to evacuate them to Poland, says Shahriar
"However, many of them may have families in Ukraine or have Ukrainian spouses. So, they may not be at risk," he added.
There are some pockets where a few Indians are staying, Bangladesh came to know.
Bangladesh has also requested the Indian Mission in Ukraine to help the two or four Bangladeshis if they are there, said the foreign secretary.
Stating that the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine is a matter of concern for the whole world, he said fuel prices have increased the most in ten years in the last few days.
“There will be huge pressure on oil, gas and fuel. Inflation is going on the rise in many European countries at the moment. So everyone is still worried about it," he said, adding that war is not desirable for anyone.
Trying to shift stranded sailors from Ukraine to Romania, says Foreign Secy
Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen on Friday said efforts are underway to bring 28 crew of Bangladeshi ship "Banglar Samriddhi" to Romania from war-ravaged Ukraine.
Talking to reporters at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, he also said around 600 Bangladeshis have so far reached Poland from bordering Ukraine fleeing the strife.
Read:Bangladeshi crew in Ukraine: Govt trying to evacuate them to Poland, says Shahriar
In a video message earlier on Thursday, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md Shahriar Alam said the Bangladeshi crew members had already been taken to a relatively safe place from the ship that came under attack leaving its third engineer dead on Wednesday.
The ship had also been declared abandoned.
The government initially tried to move the crew members to Warsaw, Poland.
The sailors are also carrying with them the body of deceased Hadisur Rahman, a 47-year-old Bangladesh national.
The state minister said the government, in consultation with the Shipping Ministry, will bring back the 28 sailors along with the body of the third engineer if they can safely leave Ukraine.
Bangladesh Ambassador to Poland Sultana Laila Hossain talked to the captain of the ship.
10 diplomats visit Bhasan Char
A delegation of diplomats stationed in Dhaka visited Bhasan Char and witnessed the facilities there Thursday.
Ambassador of the European Union to Bangladesh Charles Whiteley and South Korean Ambassador to Bangladesh Lee Jang-keun were among the ten diplomats who visited the island in Hatiya, Noakhali.
Senior officials of Bangladesh's foreign ministry accompanied them.
"Insightful visit to Bhasan Char where 23,000 Rohingya refugees now live; good opportunity to see firsthand the infrastructure, livelihood opportunities, health and education services that are being put in place," Ambassador Whiteley tweeted.
Canadian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Lilly Nicholls, German Ambassador Achim Tröster, Swedish envoy Alexandra Berg von Linde, Norwegian Ambassador Espen Rikter-Svendsen, Danish envoy Winnie Estrup Petersen, and US Embassy Chargé d’Affaires Helen LaFave were also part of the delegation.
The diplomats were taken to Bhasan Char by a Bangladesh Air Force helicopter.
'Indo-Japan projects with Bangladesh in northeast to be game-changer'
Indo-Japan partnership projects with Bangladesh in northeast India will be a game-changer while connectivity and collaboration with Bangladesh will be key factors, experts say.
As Bangladesh moves out from least developed country (LDC) status and more interest is being generated in Japanese companies on doing business in the country.
Challenges in attracting Japanese companies to northeast India exist.
Market linkages, developing skilled human resources and ensuring security are key factors.
However, connectivity and joint projects between northeast India and Bangladesh with Japanese collaboration can be a unique selling point.
This was highlighted at the second India-Japan intellectual web dialogue "Development of India's North Eastern Region and Neighbourhood: India-Japan Collaboration for Fostering Entrepreneurship and People Connectivity" organised by Asian Confluence in partnership with the Embassy of Japan in India.
Japanese Ambassador to India Suzuki Satoshi said: "The comprehensive collaboration between India and Japan provides the landlocked North East with access to the Bay of Bengal and access to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, which plays a key role in unleashing enormous potential of growth and prosperity based on better access to the Indian Ocean."
Smita Pant, joint secretary (Bangladesh, Myanmar) at India's external affairs ministry, highlighted all the initiatives underway in services – being augmented based on the hard infrastructure connectivity initiatives.
With abundant produce and strategic locational advantage, northeast India can be a major player in India's international trade with neighbours, particularly in the area of agriculture trade, she said.Yui Nakamura from Sasakawa Peace Foundation highlighted the need to build more cultural infrastructure to bring higher awareness of the diversity and cultural nuances of the region.
The Asian Confluence curated dialogue saw vibrant exchanges chaired by Asian Confluence Governing Council Member and former Chairman Asian Development Bank Rajat Nag.
Specific product ideas such as buckwheat, bamboo, spices, shitake mushroom, medicinal plants, skill development, language training courses, and matching with educational institutions were discussed.
Kazuhide Sugimoto, a leading grower of mushrooms, made a presentation at the dialogue.
KN Kumar, chairman of Meghalaya Farmers Commission, who spoke about specific initiatives on buckwheat in his area.
"The attempt in this dialogue has been to not only highlight and promote further narratives of cooperation but also matchmaking to forge concrete collaborations on specific products by connecting entrepreneurs and opinion leaders from Japan, India and our neighbours from Bangladesh," said Sabyasachi Dutta, executive director of Asian Confluence.
The dialogue had wide participation from several universities and colleges across many Indian states, Bangladesh, Myanmar and Japan and is expected to be followed up by a third round at the end of the year or early next year.