Yang Xiaokun, Special Representative for Human Rights of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China, on Tuesday met Foreign Secretary Ambassador Masud Bin Momen and discussed on multilateral human rights discourse and also on possible areas of cooperation. Earlier, on 13 March, China and Bangladesh held first-ever official consultations on multilateral human rights issues in Dhaka. Yang Xiaokun led the Chinese delegation, while Toufiq Islam Shatil, Director General (United Nations Wing), Ministry of Foreign Affairs, led Bangladesh side. Also Read: China says AUKUS on ‘dangerous path’ with nuclear subs deal The wwo sides exchanged views on their national human rights philosophy and achievements, ongoing developments, and mutual cooperation on human rights in the UN multilateral framework. They discussed ways and means to further enhance the existing cooperation in a number of areas in the human rights domain, especially under the auspices of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva. Two sides also discussed the situation of forcibly displaced Rohingya people. Also Read: China denies hidden motives after hosting Iran-Saudi talks China and Bangladesh expressed their principled position of maintaining strong adherence to the Charter of the United Nations and expressed willingness to continue such consultations in the future with the view to enhance multilateral cooperation.    

The first consular consultations between Bangladesh and the UAE were held in Abu Dhabi Wednesday. The Bangladesh delegation was led by Ambassador Mashfee Binte Shams, secretary (east) of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA). Senior officials from the ministry, representatives from the Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment, and officials of the Bangladesh Embassy in Abu Dhabi, as members, joined the consultations. The UAE delegation was led by Faisal Essa Lutfi, assistant undersecretary, Consular Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, of the UAE. Read more: MoU on ‘e-visa’ inked between Bangladesh-UAE They discussed consular issues related to Bangladesh nationals living and working in the UAE as well as their welfare. It also covered the area of easing the visa renewal process, regularisation of over-stayers, cooperation in the area of combating human trafficking, and money laundering. It was decided that a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to form the legal framework for a joint consular committee would be concluded soon for holding such meetings on a regular basis on a larger scale with wider participation and broader agenda.