United News of Bangladesh

Bangladesh will participate in the 37th Commonwealth Health Ministers Meeting (37CHMM) to be held on May 17 in Geneva, on the sidelines of the 78th World Health Assembly. Director General of Health Services Dr Namzul Hossain will represent Bangladesh at the meeting, along with senior officials from the country’s Permanent Mission in Geneva, said a media release on Thursday. This will be the first ministerial meeting to be attended by Commonwealth Secretary-General Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey since taking office on April 1. Foreign Adviser stresses civilian, peacekeeper protection at UN Berlin summit Chaired by Lesotho’s Health Minister Selibe Mochoboroane, the meeting will focus on the theme ‘Investing in Health: Sustainable Financing for an Equitable Commonwealth’. The meeting will also follow up on mandates from the 2024 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Samoa and discuss updates from the Commonwealth Advisory Committee on Health.  

The first World Congress on Enforced Disappearances will convene from January 15-16 in Geneva, marking a pivotal step in the global fight to prevent and eradicate this egregious human rights violation. This historic event will bring together governments, victims, civil society organisations that support their daily fight, and international bodies to foster dialogue and chart a collective path forward to end enforced disappearances worldwide, according to a media advisory issued by the UN Treaty Bodies from Geneva. Over the course of the two-day event, panel discussions will be held on topics such as international responsibility for the forcibly disappeared, strengthening search procedures, and protecting victims, rights defenders, lawyers and journalists. Read: BNP lodges complaints with ICT over 2276 crossfires,153 enforced disappearances The Congress, open to the press and the public, is co-organised by the UN Committee on Enforced Disappearances (CED), the UN Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances (WGEID), the UN Human Rights Office, and the Convention Against Enforced Disappearances Initiative (CEDI). The event will take place at the Geneva International Conference Centre (CICG). The Committee on Enforced Disappearances monitors States parties’ adherence to the International Convention for the Protection of all Persons from Enforced Disappearance, which as of to date, has been ratified by 77 States parties. Read: Enforced Disappearances Commission submits report finding Hasina’s involvement, recommends disbanding RAB The Committee is made up of 10 members who are independent human rights experts drawn from around the world, who serve in their personal capacity and not as representatives of States parties.

The government has asked Mohammed Kamrul Islam, Counsellor (Labour wing) at Bangladesh Mission in Geneva, to return home. He has been stand released following the harassment faced by Law Adviser Dr Asif Nazrul in Geneva recently, a source at Expatriates Welfare and Overseas Employment Ministry said on Thursday. Kamrul was accompanying the adviser when the incident occurred before entering the airport. He allegedly remained silent when Asif Nazrul was "harassed." A video went viral on social media that a group of people aggressively confronted Asif Nazrul at Geneva airport while chanting slogans like "Joy Bangla" and "Joy Bangabandhu."

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Saturday (June 17, 2023) surprised passengers of a regular commercial flight of the state-run Biman Bangladesh Airlines. On her way back home from Geneva, she roamed around the fight and exchanged pleasantries with the passengers. Also Read: PM returns home from Switzerland Passengers on the fully packed commercial flight of Biman were pleasantly surprised when she went to their seats and asked about their wellbeing. “Many of them were surprised and astonished having their Prime Minister just beside their seats on the flight,” PM’s speechwriter M Nazrul Islam told UNB. Sheikh Hasina, elder daughter of the Father of the Nation, also obliged their requests for photographs. Also Read: Next general election to be held in time: PM Hasina tells Geneva reception She spoke to children with great affection and took several of them on her lap.  Some of the passengers expressed their opinions to the Prime Minister on various issues, including development of the country in the last 14 and a half years. Also Read: Bangladesh’s economy has a dignified position now: PM

Bangladesh's Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has returned home from Geneva, wrapping up her three-day official visit to Switzerland. A regular flight of Biman Bangladesh Airlines carrying the prime minister and her entourage landed at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport early Saturday (June 17 at 1:55 am). Earlier, the flight took off from Geneva International Airport at 11:50am local time (3:50pm Bangladesh time) on Friday. The Prime Minister exchanged pleasentaries with the passengers in the flight and inquired about their well-beings. Read: PM leaves Geneva for home ending 3-day visit The PM went to Geneva on June 13 to attend the "World of Work Summit: Social Justice for All" held on June 14 and 15 in the Swiss city. She addressed the plenary session of 'World of Work Summit 2023' at Palais de Nations on Wednesday. The ILO's summit is a high-level forum for global voices to address the need for increased, coordinated and coherent action in support of social justice. The summit brought together over a dozen heads of state and government, high-level representatives from the United Nations, other international organizations, and employers’ and workers’ organizations. Read: Next general election to be held in time: PM Hasina tells Geneva reception Hasina also had two separate meetings with President of South Africa Matamela Cyril Ramaphosa and President of Malta Dr George Vella. Besides, she held meetings separately with UNHCR chief Flippo Grandi, Prince Rahim Aga Khan, President of the Swiss Confederation Alain Berset and Director General of International Labour Organisation (ILO) Gilbert F. Houngbo there on the day. After the meeting with Swiss President Berset, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Knowledge and Skills enhancement between Bangladesh and Switzerland was signed. In the evening, the PM attended a dinner with high level dignitaries hosted by the ILO Director General at its headquarters. Read: WTO chief meets PM Hasina, wants Dhaka to reduce subsidies on fisheries On June 15, she joined “A talk at the WEF”, followed by a meeting with WEF founder Prof Klaus Schwab at WEF Office. She also addressed an event on “New Economy and Society in Smart Bangladesh” organised by the World Economic Forum (WEF) there. Besides, Qatar Minister of Labour Dr Ali Bin Samik Al Marri and WTO Director General Dr Okonjo-Iweala separately met her at her place of residence. Hasina also attended a civic reception in the evening. Read more: PM takes regular commercial flight on the way home from Geneva, exchanges pleasantries with passengers

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina left Dhaka for Geneva, Switzerland on Tuesday (June 13, 2023) morning to attend the two-day "World of Work Summit: Social Justice for All" to be held in the Swiss city on June 14-15. A commercial flight of Biman Bangladesh Airlines carrying the prime minister departed Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at 10.01 am. The flight is scheduled to land at Geneva International airport at 5:30 pm local time (9:30 pm Bangladesh Time). On June 14, UNHCR chief Flippo Grandi will call on the prime minister at the bilateral room of Hotel President Wilson. Later the PM will call on President of the Swiss Confederation Alain Berset at Palais de Nations. After the call-on there will be a possibility of signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Knowledge and Skills enhancement between Bangladesh and Switzerland. Read: Work together to sustain national development: PM Hasina tells Awami League members In the afternoon, the prime minister will address the Plenary of 'World of Work Summit 2023' at Palais de Nations. On her arrival there, she will be greeted by ADG and Regional Director of ILO. There will be a red carpet reception and Guard of Honour from the gate to the meeting venue. She will also have a call on with President of Malta Dr. George Vella. Read: PM Hasina wants greater cooperation between Bangladesh and Indian armies In the evening, the PM will attend a dinner with high level dignitaries hosted by the DG ILO at its headquarters. On June 15, she will attend the 'A talk at the WEF', followed by a meeting with founder of WEF Prof Klaus Schwab at WEF Office. There, she will address at the event on "New Economy and Society in Smart Bangladesh" organised by the World Economic Forum. In the evening, WTO DG Dr. Okonjo- Iweala will call on her at Hotel President Wilson. She will also attend a community event in the evening. Read: Volatile global situation likely to worsen further: PM Hasina tells parliament Hasina will leave Geneva at 11am on June 16 and she is expected to arrive in Dhaka in the early hours of June 17. "The World of Work Summit 2023: Social Justice for All" is a high-level forum for global voices to address the need for increased, coordinated and coherent action in support of social justice, according to organisers. It will provide an opportunity to discuss and inform the proposal to forge a Global Coalition for Social Justice, which was welcomed by the Governing Body of the International Labour Office at its 347th Session. A number of high-level guests, including former President of France, Francois Hollande, former President of Panama, Juan Carlos Varela, and the 2014 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Kailash Satyarthi, as well as representatives of employers and workers, will address the conference. Read: President Erdogan and PM Hasina vow to take Dhaka-Ankara ties to new height

The head of the World Trade Organization predicted a “bumpy and rocky" road as it opened its highest-level meeting in 4-1/2 years on Sunday, with issues like pandemic preparedness, food insecurity and overfishing of the world’s seas on the agenda. At a time when some question WTO's relevance, Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala hopes the meeting involving more than 120 ministers from the group's 164 member countries yields progress toward reducing inequality and ensuring fair and free trade. Okonjo-Iweala acknowledged the Geneva-based trade body needs reform but said she was cautiously optimistic that a deal might be reached on at least one of the meeting’s main ambitions like fisheries or COVID vaccines. Also read: FDA restricts J&J’s COVID-19 vaccine due to blood clot risk “The road will be bumpy and rocky. There may be a few landmines on the way,” Okonjo-Iweala said. “We’ll have to navigate those landmines and see how we can successfully land one or two deliverables.” In her opening address, she said a “trust deficit” had emerged over the years following the failure of negotiations known as the Doha Round more than a decade ago. “The negativism is compounded by the negative advocacy of some think tanks and civil society groups here in Geneva and elsewhere who believe the WTO is not working for people," she said. "This is, of course, not true, although we’ve not been able to clearly demonstrate it.” She cited an array of crises facing the world such as the COVID-19 pandemic; environmental crises like droughts, floods and heat waves; and inflationary pressures that have been compounded by food shortages and higher fuel costs linked to Russia's war in Ukraine. She noted higher prices are“hitting poor people the hardest.” “With history looming over us, with that multilateral system seemingly fragile, this is the time to invest in it, not to retreat from it,” Okonjo-Iweala said. “This is the time to summon the much-needed political will to show that the WTO can be part of the solution to the multiple crises, the global commons that we face.” The WTO chief insisted that trade has lifted 1 billion people out of poverty, but poorer countries – and poor people in richer ones – are often left behind. Blockaded ports in Ukraine have impeded exports of up to 25 million tons of grain from the key European breadbasket. Ministers at the meeting will consider whether to lift or ease export restrictions on food to help countries facing a shortage of wheat, fertilizer and other products because of the war in Ukraine. They also will decide whether to increase support for the U.N.’s World Food Program to help needy countries around the world. “I strongly urge the WTO members with the capabilities to commit at MC12 to exempt their donations to the World Food Program from any export restrictions,” said Katherine Tai, the U.S. trade representative, referring to the 12th ministerial conference at the WTO. Okonjo-Iweala hopes the member nations, which make decisions by consensus, also can strike an agreement about whether to temporarily waive WTO’s protections of intellectual property on COVID-19 vaccines. Also read: Yunus for creating social business pharm companies to bring vaccines, medicines to common people The topic has generated months of contentious negotiations. The pharmaceutical industry wants to protect its innovations while advocacy groups say the pandemic's devastation merits an exemption to the usual rules and developing countries say they need better access to vaccines. Some experts and diplomats say two decades of WTO efforts to limit overfishing in the world's seas appears to be as close as it ever has to reaching a deal. The draft text on fisheries aims to limit government subsidies — such as for fuel — to fishing boats or workers who take part in “illegal, unreported and unreported” fishing, or national subsidies that contribute to “overcapacity or overfishing.” Some workers in developing countries could qualify for exemptions. “This agreement is crucial to the 260 million people around the world whose livelihoods depend directly or indirectly on marine fisheries,” Okonjo-Iweala said. “It is also central to the sustainability of our oceans, where the latest studies show close to 50% of stocks for which we have data are overfished.” An umbrella group of nongovernmental groups, “Our World Is Not For Sale,” said over 50 NGOs were stripped of access that they had been previously granted to attend the opening day events. WTO spokesman Daniel Pruzin said that because of “space limitations” at WTO and events inside, “we were unfortunately unable to grant accredited NGOs access, both civil society groups as well as business groups.” He said they would be granted access for the rest of the ministerial starting Monday. The World Trade Organization, created in 1995 as a successor to the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, has seen a slow unraveling — often because U.S. objections have largely hamstrung its dispute-resolution system. The WTO hasn’t produced a major trade deal in years. The last one, reached nearly a decade ago, was an agreement that cut red tape on goods clearing borders and was billed as a boost to lower-income countries.

The Asia-Pacific Regional Forum on conflict prevention and the protection of the human rights of minorities, convened by the UN Special Rapporteur on minority issues Fernand de Varennes, will take place in Geneva on September 7 and 8. The regional forum will bring together around 200 representatives from states, the UN and regional organisations, civil society groups, and minorities. The Asia-Pacific Regional Forum is the third of four regional fora convened in 2021 on preventing conflicts through justice and human rights for minorities. Read: Wau province Governor lauds humane services of Bangladesh peacekeepers Discussions will inform the work and recommendations of the 14th session of the UN Forum on Minority Issues taking place in Geneva in December this year also on the theme of "Conflict Prevention and the Protection of the Human Rights of Minorities." The forum, which meets annually for two working days allocated to thematic discussions, will take place online this year because of the pandemic, said a media release issued from Geneva. Fernand, the special rapporteur on minority issues, is tasked to guide the work of the forum, prepare its annual meetings and report on the thematic recommendations to the Human Rights Council.

Bangladesh Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen has called for stronger policies and support measures for the least developed countries (LDCs). Addressing the opening session of the four-day Asia-Pacific Regional Review Meeting in Geneva on Monday, the Minister, in fact, urged the global community to chalk out a new international support architecture for the LDCs as well as the graduating LDCs. Read: FM to attend series of programs in Switzerland, Netherlands The Asia-Pacific meeting, jointly convened by the Bangladesh government, UN-OHRLLS and UN-ESCAP,  was held in preparations for the Fifth United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries (UNLDC-5) slated for January in Qatar. Speaking at the event, Dr Momen lauded the remarkable progress made by the majority of the LDCs in the Asia-Pacific, particularly in reducing poverty and investing in human resources and infrastructure.  He shared the graduation story of Bangladesh under the dynamic, bold and visionary leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, which has witnessed the per capita income reaching $2,227 and reduction of poverty to 20.5 percent. Rabab Fatima, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Bangladesh to the UN in New York, chaired the opening session, while several top leaders, including Volkan Bozkir, President of the UN General Assembly, Collen Vixen Kelapile, President of the ECOSOC, Eisenhower Mkaka, Foreign Minister of Malawi and Chair of the LDCs, and Faruk Kaymakci, Deputy Foreign Minister of Turkey, spoke at the event.

The 109th International Labour Conference (ILC) has adopted a resolution with a call for timely, affordable and equitable access to Covid-19 vaccines for all people in all countries for the revitalization of the global economy and the world of work. It also called for an inclusive, sustainable and resilient recovery from the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic. Read:Record high 82 million-plus people displaced despite Covid: UN The ‘global call to action’ was adopted after an intense negotiation in the Covid Response Committee of the ILC. Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Bangladesh in Geneva Md Mustafizur Rahman chaired the Committee. Bangladesh also led the Asia and Pacific Group in the negotiation as the coordinator and stressed the need for addressing the specific challenges of the region. Read:Dhaka seeks incentive-based package for sustainable graduation of LDCs The resolution called for ensuring access to vaccines and personal protection equipment for workers, particularly to reduce the health risk of the health workers as well as salaries and allowances of all workers during the pandemic. It also urged the International Labour Organization to play a more effective role in accelerating the support to States to address the increasing inequalities between the developed and the developing countries. Read:Bangladesh elected FAO Council member The resolution emphasized the expansion of the social safety net for recovery from the pandemic with a special focus on women, older persons and migrants.  At the same time, it underscored the need for a gender-balanced, sustainable and people-centred post-pandemic recovery plan.