foreign-affairs
Bangladesh abstains from a UN vote on Ukraine crisis
Four South Asian countries - Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka and Pakistan - are among 35 abstentions as the U.N. General Assembly voted at an emergency session Wednesday on Ukraine issue.
The vote on the “Aggression against Ukraine” resolution was 141-5, with 35 abstentions.
Read:UN Assembly votes to demand that Russia stop war in Ukraine
The abstentions included China, as expected, but also some surprises from usual Russian allies Cuba and Nicaragua, reports AP.
And the United Arab Emirates, which abstained on Friday’s similar Security Council resolution, this time voted “yes.”
Only Belarus, Syria, North Korea and Eritrea joined Russia in opposing the measure.
Efforts on to ensure safe departure of Bangladeshi ship from Ukrainian port: Russian Embassy
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 stranded at a Ukrainian 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.
Read:Ukraine conflict: Bangladeshi killed in rocket attack on ship
Hadisur Rahman, a citizen of Bangladesh and 3rd engineer of the BSC ship MV Banglar Samriddhi positioned in inner anchorage of Olvia port (Ukraine), was killed in a missile attack.
"The circumstances of the incident are being established," said the Embassy.
For resolving the humanitarian issues arising from the special military operation in Ukraine, including the requests for evacuation of the civilians, the Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation has launched the hotline +7 495 498-34-46, +7 495 498-42-11, +7 495 498-41-09.
Guterres hopes Bangladesh to continue support to UN peace operations
United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres has highly praised the role of Bangladeshi peacekeepers in the UN Missions and hoped that the country would continue to provide more troops to fulfill UN’s future needs in this regard.
Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen who met Guterres at the UN headquarters recently, requested the SG to appoint more Bangladeshi nationals at the high-level positions of the UN peace operations, and also in the position of SRSG (Special Representative of Secretary General) in various UN political missions across the world.
The Foreign Minister briefed the SG about the current situation of the forcibly displaced Myanmar nationals and sought UN’s help to repatriate all Rohingyas to Myanmar.
Read:Withdrawal of sanctions: Momen seeks support of US lawmakers
The Secretary General highly appreciated Bangladesh’s generosity for sheltering 1.1 millions Rohingyas and reiterated UN’s support for returning the forcibly displaced Rohingyas to their homeland in Myanmar.
The SG also applauded Bangladesh’s extraordinary socio-economic development under the visionary leadership of the Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and hoped that Bangladesh would continue to achieve more successes in the coming years, particularity in attaining the SDGs, said the Bangladesh Mission at the UN.
The Foreign Minister also requested the SG to appoint more Bangladeshi nationals at the high-level positions of the UN peace operations, and also in the position of SRSG (Special Representative of Secretary General) in various UN political Mission across the world.
Dr Momen thanked Guterres for meeting him despite his busy schedule due to current Ukraine crisis.
Earlier, the Foreign Minister held a meeting with Dr. Noeleen Heyzer, the newly appointed Special Envoy of the Secretary General on Myanmar, who is currently visiting New York.
During the meeting, Foreign Minister requested Heyzer to engage with all stakeholders including the regional countries to find a durable solution to the Rohingya crisis, particularly by creating a conducive environment in Rakhine state so that the Rohingyas can return to their homes in safety, security and dignity.
He briefed the special envoy on the steps taken by the Bangladesh government to prevent spread of COVID in Rohingya camps, to provide Myanmar-curriculum-based education to Rohingya children in the camps, among others.
He also referred to the new accommodation facility in Bhashan char for 100,000 Rohingya and informed Heyzer that the Rohingya relocated there will have the opportunity to engage in livelihood activities.
Read:Dhaka, Riyadh "dynamic partnership" to reach new height under inspired leadership: Saudi envoy
The Foreign Minister said, in the absence of any hope for return to their homeland, the Rohingyas increasingly have been getting involved in illicit and criminal activities.
He invited Heyzer to visit Cox's Bazar camps and Bhashan char at her earliest convenience.
The Special Envoy expressed her deepest gratitude to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for providing shelter to the Rohingya when they fled Myanmar in 2017 and commended her for her compassion and leadership.
She assured that the Rohingya issue will remain high on her agenda and she would remain deeply engaged with all relevant stakeholders - the regional countries and other international actors, Rohingya leaders and the authorities in Myanmar to find a sustainable solution to this crisis as soon as possible.
Charge d' Affaires, of the Permanent Mission of Bangladesh to the UN Md. Monwar Hossain was present during the meetings.
Withdrawal of sanctions: Momen seeks support of US lawmakers
Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen has reiterated the government's willingness to work closely with the US to find ways to waive sanctions on Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and its officials on a priority basis and sought the US Congress' support.
From February 23 to March 2, Dr Momen paid a visit to New York to attend official meetings at the United Nations.
Read: Sanctions: Bangladesh close to a decision on how it’ll proceed on legal front
During this visit, he held meetings with Congresswoman Grace Meng (D-NY) on February 28 and with Congressman James P McGovern (D-MA), the co-chair of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission, on March 1.
Due to Covid-related protocols, both meetings took place on a virtual platform.
Expressing concern about the recent US sanctions on RAB and its seven current and former senior officials, Dr Momen informed the US lawmakers that Bangladesh had always shown its readiness to deal with specific allegations against RAB members.
He mentioned that RAB has emerged as the most efficient law enforcement agency in Bangladesh over the years, and has been at the forefront of combating terrorism, violent extremism, drug and human trafficking, and other transnational crimes.
Dr Momen acknowledged the strong US humanitarian and political support to Bangladesh in dealing with the Rohingya crisis and sending Covid vaccines.
Also, he requested the US lawmakers to persuade Myanmar in all possible ways to create a safe and secure environment in Rakhine State and take back all the forcibly displaced Rohingya people, temporarily staying in Bangladesh, to their homeland in Myanmar.
The US lawmakers commended Bangladesh's generosity in hosting this huge number of Rohingyas and said that they would continue their efforts in this regard.
Also, the foreign minister briefed the US lawmakers about the impressive socio-economic development that has taken place in Bangladesh under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
Read: Don’t believe wholesale sanctions on Bangladesh warranted: Congressman Meeks
The lawmakers highly appreciated Bangladesh's tremendous development, said the Bangladesh Embassy in Washington.
Dr Momen underscored the importance of further expanding the trade and investment relations between Bangladesh and the US, and deepening the excellent partnership in the coming days.
He invited both lawmakers to visit Bangladesh, along with congressional delegations, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries.
Dhaka, Riyadh "dynamic partnership" to reach new height under inspired leadership: Saudi envoy
Saudi Ambassador to Bangladesh Essa Yussef Essa Al Dulaihan on Wednesday said the "dynamic partnership" and long-standing relations between Bangladesh and Saudi Arabia will further flourish and reach to a new height. "My utmost priority is to work for the betterment of the people of Bangladesh, maintain the good relationship and take it to a new height," he said while briefing the journalists at the new premise of the Saudi Embassy in Dhaka. Every year, the ambassador said, 150,000 Bangladeshis travel to Saudi Arabia in order to perform Hajj.
Read:Saudi FM due in Dhaka Mar 16 to discuss big investment proposals "We hope that, insha'Allah, after getting back to the new normal we will be able to accommodate the Bangladeshi pilgrims like past years," Al Dulaihan said. In terms of manpower export, the Saudi envoy said, solid contacts have been developed between Saudi Arabia and Bangladesh, which benefits Bangladesh economy and the lives of the migrant workers' families as well. The people of Saudi Arabia also deeply acknowledge the contribution of Bangladeshi workers towards the development of the Saudi economy, he said, adding that for both countries, it is a "win-win" situation.
UK donates 1mn more Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine doses to Bangladesh
The United Kingdom has donated 1 million more doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine to Bangladesh to fight off Covid-19.
The vaccine consignment arrived in Bangladesh on February 23, said the British High Commission in Dhaka on Wednesday.
Read: US donates another 10mn doses of Pfizer’s vaccine
While welcoming the vaccines donation from the UK, British High Commissioner to Bangladesh Robert Chatterton Dickson said, “We welcome the arrival of 1 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine from the UK to Bangladesh. This bilateral donation adds to the 4 million doses that the UK donated through COVAX last year.”
He said this support from the UK takes them one step ahead to defeat the pandemic and further strengthens their commitment to stand with the people of Bangladesh to recover faster and build a healthier and prosperous future.
The latest bilateral donation from the UK will reinforce Bangladesh’s fight against the coronavirus pandemic and the country’s economic recovery, the High Commission said.
Prior to this, the UK donated over 4 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine to Bangladesh in December 2021 through COVAX facilities.
Complementing the vaccine donations, the UK’s Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), through its delivery partners, created an enabling environment for the Government of Bangladesh to accelerate and expand the vaccination program as well as reduce the transmission of the infection especially among the low-income people.
Read: Dhaka calls for sharing technology, know-how of Covid-19 vaccine production
This includes support for on-line vaccine registration for the disadvantaged, raising awareness, additional healthcare provider and technician support, training of health workers including vaccinators, and transporting vaccines to the districts as well as to the schools across the country.
Since the pandemic started, the UK government has reprioritised more than £55.9 million to fund Bangladesh’s National Preparedness and Response Plan to tackle COVID-19 including support for the Rohingya refugees and the host communities.
Saudi FM due in Dhaka Mar 16 to discuss big investment proposals
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal Bin Farhan Al Saud will arrive in Dhaka on March 16 to hold talks with government leaders on identifying the potential areas of his country’s big investments in Bangladesh.
He is coming at the invitation of Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen and will have bilateral meeting with him on March 16.
The Saudi foreign minister is likely to meet Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina during his visit apart from other engagements.
Read:Bangladesh shares updated info on continental shelf in Bay with UN
Saudi Ambassador to Bangladesh Essa Yussef Essa Al Dulaihan briefed media at the Embassy on Wednesday highlighting various aspects of the relations including Saudi investors’ desire to invest “extensively” in Bangladesh.
Engineering Dimensions, a Saudi Arabian Enterprise, has confirmed $1.8 billion investment in Bangladeshi, said the envoy.
He said Saudi Arabia is mulling establishing a special economic zone and considering scopes to invest in the construction of rail links connecting Dhaka and Payra port, including the development of Cox’s Bazar as an international tourist destination.
The ambassador said Saudi ACWA Power has already announced to invest $ 600 million to build 700 MW power plant and proposed a total $ 3.5 billion investment in Bangladesh.
He said Saudi Red Sea Gateway Terminal wants to invest $ 1.2 billion in Bangladesh, said the envoy.
Earlier, Public Private Partnership Authority (PPPA) of Bangladesh said the Saudi Ministry of Investment will soon send a delegation to Bangladesh to explore investment opportunities in the PPP projects.
Bangladesh shares updated info on continental shelf in Bay with UN
Bangladesh has presented updated information on the country's continental shelf in the Bay of Bengal to the United Nations (UN).
“This submission is a major achievement for our country, especially at a time when we are pursuing our long-cherished dream to become a developed country by 2041," said Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen while presenting the updated information.
He said Bangladesh’s ability to utilize the living and non-living resources of the ocean will determine the course of its journey in the coming days.
Dr Momen made the presentation to the 21-member Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLCS) during its 54th session in New York on Tuesday.
He was accompanied by Rear Admiral Md. Khurshed Alam, Secretary and Head of Maritime Affairs Unit at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other technical experts from Bangladesh.
Through the presentation, Bangladesh provided scientific and technical data in support of its entitlement to continental shelf beyond 200 nautical milesin the Bay of Bengal.
As per rule, a sub-commission formed for this purpose will examine the data and make recommendations endorsing Bangladesh’s entitlement.
Dhaka, London to hold 1st ever defence dialogue in city Wednesday
Bangladesh and the United Kingdom (UK) will hold a defence dialogue for the first time here on Wednesday where London is looking forward to conducting the growing relationship with Dhaka on a “more strategic basis.”
Both sides think such dialogue would “create opportunities” for broader discussions on bilateral defence and military issues, cooperation in UN peacekeeping, visits, joint exercises, training, workshops, “defence supply and procurement”, and cooperation on capabilities.
READ: Dhaka, London discuss shared priorities ahead of COP26
The dialogue is taking place at a time when there are emerging security concerns in various parts of the world including in Myanmar, Ukraine and Afghanistan.
British High Commissioner to Bangladesh Robert Chatterton Dickson recently said 2021 was a "good year" for Bangladesh-UK defence relations, as a Royal Navy ship sailed to Chattogram after 13 years as part of their Carrier Strike Group deployment (CSG21) to the Indo Pacific region.
The visit highlighted the bilateral defence connections, taking forward again strategic level training provided by the UK to the Bangladesh National Defence College.
“We’re looking forward to talks to put this relationship on a more strategic basis,” said the High Commissioner.
Last week, the fourth of the five C-130 J transport aircraft was delivered to Bangladesh by the UK under a government to government arrangement.
A bilateral meeting was held between Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her British counterpart Boris Johnson on the sidelines of the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Glasgow.
READ: Dhaka, London discuss importance of free polls, vibrant civil society
Following the meeting, Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen told reporters that the UK government is keen to provide five naval ships to Bangladesh, which will help strengthen the country's maritime security.
Bay of Bengal might evolve into a major arena of regional, global strategic contest: Roundtable
President of Bangladesh Institute of Peace and Security Studies (BIPSS) Major General (Retd) ANM Muniruzzaman has said the Bay of Bengal is slowly evolving into a major maritime space which might eventually evolve into a major arena towards regional and global strategic contestations.
While discussing its strategic significance and role of Bangladesh, he highlighted the growing rivalry and sense of contestation towards acquiring even further influence in the strategic sphere.
"Various territorial and extra-territorial entities have been engaging in a number of naval exercises in the maritime region. This extensive level of interest and presence of these entities will introduce further competition and hostilities, which is not conducive towards the sustenance of peace in the region, said Muniruzzaman.
He made the remarks at the BIPSS-Dhaka Tribune Roundtable titled, “The Strategic Significance of The Bay of Bengal and Role of Bangladesh'' which was held at The Westin Dhaka on Monday.
Muniruzzaman said Bangladesh needs to firmly understand and utilise its geo-political relevance in the region.
READ: World order always evolving: Roundtable
"It can establish itself as a bridge between the landlocked countries and the Bay of Bengal, further bolstering its leverage," he said.
The roundtable was attended by diplomats, scholars, security experts, and youth representatives from various disciplines.
The first keynote speaker, Brigadier General Shahedul Anam Khan (Retd), started his presentation with a firm emphasis on the geostrategic implications of the Bay of Bengal on Bangladesh.
He said that the rise of nationalism and protectionism has led to an era of disintegration over the years in the South Asian region while mentioning the practice of not availing the strategic and economic benefits that come with it
Shahedul Anam also talked about the formulation and maybe even plausible alterations of the Indo-Pacific Strategy with relation to the Bay of Bengal and its possible aftermaths for the region.
He highlighted the concept of the Big Brother States and the plausible role of IORA towards dictating the strategic aspects in the region.
Shahedul Anam eventually stretched upon the necessity for cooperation and integration of ideal policy approaches for better mutual benefits and growth.
Focusing on the role of the maritime significance of the Bay of Bengal, the second keynote speaker Rear Admiral Kazi Sarwar Hossain (Retd) talked about the security architecture for the Bay of Bengal and the wider maritime region.
He further illustrated how the Bay of Bengal has evolved as a major strategic construct over the years and how it has garnered major interests from existing and aspiring powers.
Sarwar also highlighted the major marine ecology and biodiversity existent within the Bay of Bengal, the dependence of life and livelihoods through these marine resources, and how these resources can be endangered due to climate change, further introducing non-traditional security threats.
He put forth a few ideas like the formulation of a multilateral form of capable maritime forces and the adoption of comprehensive strategies and usher ideas to reap maximum benefits and mitigate the possibilities of turbulence from the Bay of Bengal as a strategic construct.
The third and final keynote speaker, Parvez Karim Abbasi, Assistant Professor of the Department of Economics at East-West University talked about the underlying factors, interfaces, and different caveats concerning the geo-economic realities of the Bay of Bengal region.
READ: BRI to create partnership linkages: Roundtable
He highlighted the significance of the maritime region, the lack of exploration and exploitation of this 'rather resourceful' basin.
Abbasi expanded upon the highly untapped potential and the promotion of a Blue Economy in the Bay of Bengal, including the trade potential and economic community, the underlying opportunities and challenges, and the policy approaches that ought to be undertaken.