foreign-affairs
Bangladesh pavilion turns point of attraction in Hague Embassy Festival
Dhaka, Sept 4 (UNB) - Bangladesh pavilion was the point of interest among the visitors and drew a huge crowd at 'Embassy Festival-Lifting Global Culture', an annual event held in The Hague recently with more than 50,000 visitors.
Bangladesh briefs Lithuania over Rohingya situation, seeks support
Dhaka, Sept 4 (UNB) – Bangladesh has briefed Lithuania on the crisis faced by Bangladesh with the forcibly displaced Rohingya nationals from Myanmar and called the Lithuanian side to extend necessary support with a view to resolving the crisis.
BRI not only for China’s interest but also for countries along Belt & Road: China
AKM Moinuddin, Back from Xinjiang, China
Dhaka, Sept 3 (UNB) – China has said the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), proposed by Chinese President Xi Jinping, is not only for the development of China but it is also an answer for the common destination of human being through stronger partnership and broader connectivity among countries along the Belt and Road.
Describing massive development in the largest region Xinjiang, China has also said they have made a lot of achievements in terms of social stability in the region that the international media should see with an eye of “objective understanding”.
“We’ve made a lot of achievements. Terrorism, separatist and religious extremist ideas, these aren’t only the problems of China but these are also the common problems all over the world,” Vice Director of the Information Office of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region Ailit Shaliyefu told UNB.
He said China is making the best use of Xinjiang’s geographic advantages and its role as a window of westward opening-up to deepen communication and cooperation with Central, South and West Asian countries.
Xinjiang works as a key transportation, trade, logistics, culture, science and education centre, and a core area on the Silk Road Economic Belt.
During Xi’s historic visit, Bangladesh formally joined the 'Belt and Road Initiative', a drive which has already drawn the close attention of the world.
Responding to a question, the senior Chinese official said the global problems of separatists, religious extremists and terrorism could be solved under the framework of common destination of human being.
UN HR expert says Facebook’s ‘terrorism’ definition too broad
Dhaka, Sept 3 (UNB) - An independent expert appointed by the UN’s Human Rights Council has written to Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg to express concerns about the company’s overly broad definition of terrorism.
The expert also expressed concerns about the apparent lack of a comprehensive human rights-based approach to the policies governing access to and use of its platform.
The Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism Fionnuala Ni Aolain said Facebook’s definition equates all non-state groups that use violence in pursuit of any goals or ends to terrorist entities.
“The use of overly broad and imprecise definitions as the basis for regulating access to and the use of Facebook’s platform may lead to discriminatory implementation, over-censoring and arbitrary denial of access to and use of Facebook’s services,” said Ni Aolain.
Facebook defines terrorist entities as: “Any non-governmental organization that engages in premeditated acts of violence against persons or property to intimidate a civilian population, government, or international organization in order to achieve a political, religious, or ideological aim.”
Company policy prohibits terrorists from using Facebook’s services, and it uses detection technology and employs an ever-growing team of moderators assisted by a counter-terrorism team of 200 people to find and remove content from its platform, according to a statement UNB received here from Geneva on Monday.
“The use of such a sweeping definition is particularly worrying in light of a number of governments seeking to stigmatize diverse forms of dissent and opposition – whether peaceful or violent – as terrorism,” said Ni Aolain.
“The definition is further at odds with international humanitarian law as it qualifies all non-state armed groups party to a non-international armed conflict as terrorists, even if these groups comply with international humanitarian law.”
The Special Rapporteur expressed concern at the lack of clarity about the methods by which Facebook determines when a person belongs to a particular group and whether the respective group or person are given the opportunity to meaningfully challenge such determination.
The absence of any independent processes of review, oversight and monitoring of Facebook’s actions is also highly problematic, she added.
Ni Aolain called on Facebook, as well as any other companies facing similar challenges, to adopt the model definitions of terrorism and incitement to terrorism developed by the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism.
She welcomed Facebook’ openness to a dialogue with her mandate with a view to promoting greater compliance with these standards.
The expert recommended that other companies hosting third-party content be guided by the recommendations issued by and consider entering into a continued dialogue with her mandate and other relevant United Nations human rights mechanisms.
Rohingya issue not there in Bimstec Summit agenda: SG
Dhaka, Sept 3 (UNB) – Bimstec Secretary General Shahidul Islam on Monday said there was no scope to formally discuss the Rohingya issue in the 4th Bimstec Summit held in Kathmandu on August 30-31 as no Member State of the regional body proposed it.
“The Rohingya issue was not included in the agenda of the Summit. So, there was no scope for holding discussions on it,” he said while responding to a UNB question at a post-Summit press conference held at its headquarters.
The Secretary General said there was no proposal or request from any country to include or not to include the Rohingya issue in the agenda.
Shahidul said Nepal prepared the agenda of the Summit as its host which was circulated among the Member States and accepted by all.
He said the Summit was held after a long gap with the hope to strengthen regional cooperation through Bimstec.
“We feel that Bangladesh and Myanmar have shown diplomatic maturity by not raising the issue (Rohingya),” Shahidul said adding that nobody denied the existence of the problem.
He expressed optimism that Bangladesh and Myanmar who remain engaged can resolve the issue.
The Bimstec Secretary General said it is possible to work on the issues on which Member States have a clear consensus.
He mentioned that progress on areas where Member States have consensus should not suffer for the areas where there is lack of consensus. “We will continue make progress on trade investment, connectivity, energy and technology. These should go on.”
Shahidul said the Member States want to continue collaboration though there are differences of opinion in some areas.
He said the Bimstec Secretariat has full confidence in the sagacity and diplomatic maturity demonstrated by the Member States.
The Secretary General said if the Member States can maintain this level of maturity no issue can impede the progress of Bimstec.
Responding to a question on conclusion of Free Trade Area (FTA) negotiations, he said trade negotiations can be very difficult negotiations, and it takes time to get results.
He said the Bimstec leaders renewed their commitment to an early conclusion of the FTA negotiations and expect to conclude trade and goods component within 2019.
They directed the Bimstec Trade and Economic Ministerial Meeting (TEMM) and its subsidiary bodies, including the Trade Negotiating Committee (TNC), to expedite the finalisation of all related agreements on the Bimstec FTA as early as possible, according to the Summit Declaration.
They expressed their satisfaction on the progress of negotiations on the Agreement on Trade in Goods and the Agreement on Customs Cooperation, and also directed the respective ministries and agencies to participate regularly in TNC meetings.
The Member States agreed to revitalise the activities of Bimstec Business Forum and Bimstec Economic Forum to further strengthen government-private sector cooperation for the promotion of trade and investment and task the Expert Group on Bimstec Visa Matters to continue negotiations for the finalisation of the modalities for the Bimstec Visa Facilitation.
The Bimstec Secretary General termed the Summit a very successful one as it reviewed the achievements of past 20 years.
He said they will prepare a follow-up chart on the basis of the Summit Declaration.
UN demands release of 2 Reuters journalists
Dhaka, Sept 3 (UNB) – The United Nations has expressed disappointment over Myanmar’s court decision saying two Reuters journalists should be allowed to return to their families and continue their work as journalists.
Bangladesh briefs Belarus on Rohingya issue; seeks support
Dhaka, Sept 3 (UNB) – Bangladesh has briefed Belarus the situation of the forcibly displaced Rohingyas from Myanmar, now living in Bangladesh, and called for their support for resolving the crisis.
Myanmar now seeking donation to resolve Rohingya crisis
Dhaka, Sept 2 (UNB) – Though Myanmar apparently delaying Rohingya repatriation process, it is now seeking donation through its missions abroad to give what it says a helping hand in resolving the Rakhine State issue.
Bangladesh-India border talks begin Monday
Dhaka, Sept 2 (UNB) - Director General-level border talks between Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and Indian Border Security Force (BSF) will formally begin at BSF Camp Chhawala in New Delhi on Monday.
2 staff in BD’s Riyadh Mission suspended
Dhaka, Sept 2 (UNB) – Bangladesh Embassy in Riyadh has suspended two of its staff following media reports over the torture of a Bangladeshi housemaid.