United News of Bangladesh

Bangladesh and the Maldives have reaffirmed their longstanding friendship, underscoring the strong people-to-people ties and close cooperation that have formed the foundation of their bilateral relationship over the years. During the first official visit of Foreign Minister Dr Khalilur Rahman to Malé from July 25 to 27, the two countries reviewed their existing bilateral cooperation and discussed opportunities to further strengthen collaboration in areas of mutual interest, including health, education, trade and investment, tourism, labour and human resource development, and cooperation in regional and multilateral fora. The two countries also exchanged views on regional and international developments and reaffirmed their shared commitment to enhancing cooperation in support of the mutual interests and prosperity of both nations. Foreign Minister Dr Khalilur attended the 61st Independence Day Parade of the Republic of Maldives on Sunday at Republic Square in Malé as the special guest of the Government of Maldives. He was received at the venue by Maldives Foreign Minister Iruthisham Adam. The parade featured a ceremonial march-past and impressive displays by various branches of the Maldives National Defence Force, showcasing the country's discipline, heritage and national pride on the occasion of the 61st anniversary of the Independence of the Republic of Maldives. Following the parade, Dr Khalilur attended a vibrant cultural programme highlighting the rich traditions and cultural heritage of the Maldives. The Independence Day celebrations concluded with a spectacular fireworks display, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Monday. He also planted a Christina (Syzygium campanulatum) tree at Lonuziyaarai Park in Malé under the Five Million Trees Project launched by President Dr Mohamed Muizzu.  

Foreign Minister Dr Khalilur Rahman arrived in the Maldives on Saturday to pay an official visit, which is seen as a ‘significant milestone’ in further strengthening the longstanding and cordial relations between Bangladesh and the Maldives. “The visit sets the stage for enhanced cooperation in the years ahead,” said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Maldives. Dr Khalilur was received by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Maldives, Iruthisham Adam, and senior officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Foreign Minister is visiting the Maldives from July 25-27 as a ‘special guest’ of the government of Maldives to attend the celebrations marking the 61st anniversary of the Independence of the Republic of Maldives.

Foreign Minister Dr Khalilur Rahman on Thursday called upon ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) participants to collectively support efforts to create conducive conditions in Myanmar to facilitate repatriation of more than 1.3 million Rohingyas to their homeland in Rakhine State. "The Rohingyas are not stateless people by circumstance - they are stateless by design. It is a political failure demanding a political solution,” he said while addressing the 33rd ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) Ministerial meeting in Manila, Philippines. Referring to his upcoming Presidency of the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly, the Foreign Minister stressed that global challenges must be resolved through dialogue and diplomacy. Adviser to the Prime Minister Humaiun Kobir was also present at the meeting Bangladesh is hosting the Rohingyas for nearly a decade that placed significant social, economic, environmental and security burdens on Bangladesh, a senior official told UNB. The official said Bangladesh keeps urging the international community and key regional actors to intensify diplomatic efforts and engagement to facilitate the early repatriation of the Rohingyas to Myanmar. Dr Khalilur called on all states to exercise maximum restraint in addressing maritime disputes. Addressing climate change challenges, the Foreign Minister noted that Bangladesh remains committed to promoting enhanced regional cooperation in disaster preparedness and early warning systems. Highlighting the opportunities and risks associated with artificial intelligence and emerging technologies, he proposed exploring a regional technology governance framework that reflects the region's unique geopolitical and developmental realities. The Foreign Minister held bilateral meetings with the Foreign Ministers of Singapore, Sri Lanka and Australia and the Vice President of European Commission. In the meetings, wide range of bilateral and multilateral issues including trade and investment, tourism, humanitarian assistance, reciprocal support in multilateral fora were discussed. The ministers congratulated Foreign Minister Dr Khalilur on his election as President of 81st UN General Assembly and assured him of their cooperation during his tenure. Indian External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar on Thursday met Foreign Minister Dr Khalilur and exchanged pleasantries on the margin of ASEAN Regional Forum Foreign Ministers Meeting. "Foreign Minister of Bangladesh Dr. Khalilur Rahman and Minister of External Affairs of India Dr. S. Jaishankar greeted each other in Manila on the margin of ASEAN Regional Forum Foreign Ministers Meeting," said an official at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. During his meeting with Dr Khalilur, Singapore’s Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan said Singapore and Bangladesh share a longstanding friendship anchored in mutual respect, shared interests, and strong people-to-people ties. “We discussed how we can deepen bilateral cooperation and work together in ASEAN to create new opportunities for growth and development in Bangladesh and across the wider Indian Ocean region,” he said after the meeting. Dr Khalilur met with Sri Lanka's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism, Vijitha Herath. The two Ministers discussed strengthening Bangladesh-Sri Lanka bilateral relations, expanding trade and investment, enhancing regional cooperation, and reaffirming their shared commitment to multilateralism, as well as peace, stability, and prosperity in the region. Dr Khalilur on Wednesday held a series of high-level bilateral engagements with his counterparts from the US, Russia, China and Pakistan on the sidelines of the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) Foreign Ministers’ meeting in Manila, highlighting Bangladesh’s continued efforts to strengthen diplomatic relations with key international partners. During the meetings, the Foreign Minister exchanged views on issues of mutual interest, including economic cooperation, trade and investment opportunities, and matters of shared concern on the global stage, a diplomatic source told UNB. Dr Khalilur is leading the Bangladesh delegation to the 33rd ASEAN Regional Forum Foreign Ministers’ meeting and the 50th Anniversary of the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation of Southeast Asia.

Foreign Minister Dr Khalilur Rahman on Wednesday held a series of high-level bilateral engagements with his counterparts from the US, Russia, China and Pakistan on the sidelines of the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) Foreign Ministers’ meeting in Manila, highlighting Bangladesh’s continued efforts to strengthen diplomatic relations with key international partners. During the meetings, the Foreign Minister exchanged views on issues of mutual interest, including economic cooperation, trade and investment opportunities, and matters of shared concern on the global stage, a diplomatic source told UNB. Dr Khalilur is leading the Bangladesh delegation to the 33rd ASEAN Regional Forum Foreign Ministers’ meeting and the 50th Anniversary of the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation of Southeast Asia. Adviser to the Prime Minister for Foreign Affairs Humaiun Kobir accompanied the Foreign Minister in the meetings. These meetings covered a broad spectrum of bilateral relations, including trade, investment, energy and connectivity, as well as regional and international issues, said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. During these meetings, the Bangladesh side underlined that the ‘Bangladesh First’ policy will guide Bangladesh’s external relations.  

Welcoming newly appointed representatives of PPD, WFP and IOM, Foreign Minister Dr Khalilur Rahman on Thursday underscored Bangladesh’s interest in deepening cooperation with their organizations across shared development and humanitarian priorities, and wished them success in their assignments. Three newly appointed heads - Professor Joseph Akinkugbe Adelegan, Executive Director of the Partners in Population and Development (PPD) Secretariat; Coco H. Ushiyama, Country Representative of the World Food Programme (WFP) Bangladesh; and Dr. Laura Nicole Tomm-Bonde, Chief of Mission of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) Bangladesh, presented their credentials to the Foreign Minister at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. All three newly appointed representatives congratulated Foreign Minister Dr Khalilur on his election as president of the eighty-first session of the United Nations General Assembly.  They expressed their appreciation for Bangladesh’s long-standing partnership with their respective organizations and reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthening cooperation with the Government of Bangladesh in advancing shared priorities. During the meeting with Prof Adelegan, the Foreign Minister appreciated the important role of PPD in promoting reproductive health, family planning, maternal and child health, and expressed confidence that PPD would further strengthen its contribution to sustainable development and population-related initiatives. In his meeting with Ushiyama, the Foreign Minister commended WFP’s long-standing partnership with Bangladesh in the areas of food security, nutrition, school feeding, and humanitarian assistance.  He appreciated WFP’s continued support for the Forcibly Displaced Myanmar Nationals and the affected host communities in Cox’s Bazar and Bhasan Char and underscored the importance of sustained international support for the Rohingya response. With Dr. Tomm-Bonde, the discussion focused on how Bangladesh and IOM could work more closely to strengthen public education and market-relevant skills for prospective migrants, improve data systems throughout the migration cycle, expand safe and regular pathways, and prevent irregular migration through awareness campaigns.  The Foreign Minister appreciated IOM’s contribution to implementation of the Global Compact for Migration, the humanitarian response for the Rohingyas in Cox’s Bazar, and assistance to Bangladeshi nationals stranded in crisis-affected countries.  Dr. Tomm-Bonde thanked the Foreign Minister for the warm reception, praised Bangladesh’s leadership in advancing safe, orderly and regular migration.

Newly appointed Chief of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Bangladesh Dr Laura Tomm Bonde on Thursday reaffirmed IOM’s readiness to support Bangladesh in enhancing regular migration pathways and advancing whole-of-government and regional approaches to climate mobility. Presenting her credentials to Foreign Minister Dr Khalilur Rahman, she talked about climate-induced displacement and disaster risks stemming from Bangladesh’s exposure to climate shocks such as floods, cyclones, droughts, and salinity intrusion. “I sincerely welcome Dr Laura Tomm Bonde to Bangladesh as the Chief of Mission and look forward to continuing the strong partnership between the Government of Bangladesh and IOM,” said the Foreign Minister. Dr Bonde assumes her role at a pivotal time, as Bangladesh navigates diverse migration dynamics from expanding opportunities for safe and regular labour migration to hosting over one million Rohingyas who fled violence in Myanmar, one of the largest protracted displacement situations globally. A Canadian citizen, Dr Bonde previously served as IOM Chief of Mission in Mozambique for six and a half years, said the UN agency. “The overall migration landscape in Bangladesh is highly dynamic and presents both opportunities and challenges,” said Dr Bonde. “I look forward to working closely with the Government to ensure that the migrants’ rights are protected and that migration contributes meaningfully to sustainable development through well governed and inclusive migration systems,” she added. The new IOM Chief of Mission reaffirmed the Organization’s continued commitment to supporting the Government of Bangladesh across the full migration cycle, including strengthening safe and regular labour migration, enhancing health and pre-departure services, reinforcing border governance, and supporting protection and reintegration for vulnerable migrants. She underscored IOM’s continued prioritization of the Rohingya response, delivering life-saving assistance and supporting affected host communities in Cox’s Bazar.  

Foreign Minister Dr Khalilur Rahman on Saturday said the government is fully committed to implementing deep, structural reforms to improve the ease of doing business stressing that the government holds the political will and strategic vision to make Bangladesh the most competitive investment destination in South Asia. "Our government possesses the political will, the strategic vision, and the unwavering commitment to make Bangladesh the most competitive investment destination in South Asia," he said while describing the local business community as primary strategic partners. Speaking at the high-level conference titled “Roadmap for Trade, Growth & Economic Diplomacy 2026: Navigating Risks, Leveraging Resilience” in a city hotel, the Foreign Minister and President-elect of the 81st UN General Assembly said they view every foreign ambassador, not just as a diplomat, but as a crucial partner of their development. 
 "We view every business leader here, not just as an investor, or a taxpayer, but a stakeholder in our national success," he added. Organised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in collaboration with the Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA), the conference brought together senior government leaders, heads of diplomatic missions, development partners, and representatives from the private sector to chart a forward-looking agenda for Bangladesh’s economic engagement. Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Minister Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam, Prime Minister’s Foreign Affairs Adviser Humaiun Kobir, Prime Minister’s Adviser on Education Mahdi Amin, BIDA Executive Chairman Chowdhury Ashik Mahmud and Foreign Secretary Asad Alam Siam, among others, spoke at the event. The Foreign Minister said they must remain connected. "We must remain in dialogue. We must get feedbacks from you.... work with us as we rebuild trust and unlock the true vibrant potential of Bangladesh." Today, faced with the energy crisis and developments in the international trade, finance and technology, Foreign Minister Dr Khalilur said Prime Minister Tarique Rahman also has a clear vision to transform the challenges to new opportunities with three key goals: stabilise, reform and elevate. "We need to convert his vision into concrete action as it comes to our work on economic and trade diplomacy," he said. As the new government begins its work, Dr Khalilur said they have before them the challenge of redesigning their international economic engagements against the backdrop slowing global economic and trade growth, geopolitical tensions, trade policy uncertainties, calamites rising trade barriers and structural shifts in supply chains. Moreover, the ongoing energy crisis has added a new layer of complications, he said. "We are not immune to these developments, which have crucial implications for our approaches to overall policy making, in general, and economic diplomacy, in particular," said the Foreign Minister. This is the very reason why the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA) decided to organise today's event that brings together our partners and stakeholders for open and purposeful deliberations with a view to helping informed policymaking, he said. "The challenges we face are critical. The growth prospects in our major markets remain in the positive territory but at a moderate level. This is likely to translate into sluggish consumer demand, which will affect our exports to these markets," Dr Khalilur said. He said they will need to compete ever more fiercely in order to maintain and expand our export position. Secondly, he said, financial markets and institutions are increasing affecting production of goods and services. "Trade flows have become increasingly susceptible to movements in interest rates or changes in investor sentiments," Dr Khalilur said. Countries like Bangladesh find it harder to raise capital, pay significantly higher borrowing costs and remain acutely vulnerable to swings in market sentiment, said the Foreign Minister. While advanced economies are able to borrow at roughly 1-4%, the rate for emerging developing countries range typically from 6-12% or even higher. "Thus, our access to affordable and secure financing remains significantly restricted," the Foreign Minister said. Like many other developing countries, Bangladesh remains acutely susceptible to factors such as currency volatility, shifts in risk-taking appetite and financial volatility, said the Foreign Minister. Thirdly, he said, climate vulnerability has introduced another difficulty in access to finance. According to UNCTAD, which recently carried out an Investment Policy Review of Bangladesh, some climate-vulnerable countries are paying an extra 20 billion dollar annually in interest due to their climate risk. "External debt and climate crisis are become intertwined," said the Foreign Minister. Fourthly, he said, the ongoing energy crisis has already caused them to spend more on imported fuel. "Increased fuel prices directly affect our cost of production and competitiveness." "By taking away critical funding that would have gone for development activities, we are likely to witness second round effects of the crisis in the form of reduced funding for development in the years to come," the Foreign Minister said. The International Energy Association opined that the scope of the current energy crisis could be larger than that of the twin oil shocks of the 1970s, which was a major cause for the 1980s to become a lost decade of development for many developing countries. The Foreign Minister said trade tech, which is the intersection of trade, investment and technology, is fast redefining the global economy and trade by making cross border transactions quicker and more efficient through the increasing use of innovations like AI, Internet of Things, Blockchain and 5G. "This poses both a challenge and an opportunity depending on how quickly and effectively countries can take advantage of the fast moving Trade Tech landscape," he said. The conference featured three thematic sessions: 1. The Policy Compass – Advancing Trade & Investment, focusing on policy predictability, market access, and investor confidence, 2 Capital for Growth – Finance, Commerce and Trade, addressing financing reforms and investment mobilisation, 3 The New Stage - Government Policy, AI, Creative Industries and Sport, exploring emerging growth sectors and diversification opportunities. The “Roadmap for Trade, Growth & Economic Diplomacy 2026” was held at a critical juncture of global transitions, risks and uncertainties. The event aims to foster greater coordination between policy and implementation, enhance Bangladesh’s economic diplomacy, and build stronger partnerships with the international community.

Attaching importance of parliamentary diplomacy as a complementary mechanism to traditional diplomacy, Bangladesh and Russia have expressed interest for cooperation on international parliamentary forums to widen understanding, engagement, and multilateralism. Both the sides discussed about the formation of parliamentary friendship groups in their respective parliaments. Will rely on your help, support on both bilateral, UNGA fronts: FM tells Russian counterpart Foreign Minister Dr Khalilur Rahman held an official meeting in Moscow with Deputy Speaker of the Senate of the Russian Federation Konstantin Kosachev on June 9 and discussed the issues. Foreign Minister Dr Rahman is on a three-day official visit to Russian Federation at the invitation of his Russian counterpart. Adviser on Foreign Affairs to Prime Minister Humaiun Kobir was present at the meeting. The Foreign Minister is scheduled to return home on Thursday, a senior official told UNB. The Russian Deputy Speaker congratulated Bangladesh on holding the landmark general elections in February this year and subsequently the formation of the new government of led by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman. During the meeting, they discussed enhancing legislative cooperation, digital transformation, capacity building, and parliamentary diplomacy in parliamentary affairs, said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Wednesday. Foreign Minister Dr Khalilur highlighted Bangladesh’s ongoing efforts toward digital transformation including e-Parliament initiatives, digital legislative services, and citizen engagement platforms. Both sides agreed to explore opportunities for cooperation and knowledge sharing with Russian parliamentary institutions including cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, and legislative research.  They also discussed enhancing professional exchange programmes, exchange of parliamentary delegations, and capacity-building opportunities.  The Foreign Minister invited a parliamentary delegation from Russia to visit Bangladesh.

Bangladesh is in discussion with Russia to enhance manpower, sending up to 100,000 workers within the next year. Foreign Minister Dr Khalilur Rahman made a proposal to the Russian authorities on Monday who agreed to work on it expeditiously. Currently, nearly 10,000 Bangladeshis are working in Russia, said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The two sides are expected to complete necessary formalities in this regard soon. Earlier in his bilateral meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, the Foreign Minister discussed to increase bilateral trade volume and requested Russian government for duty free quota free (DFQF) market access to Bangladesh’s products and urged steps for fast-track registration process for Bangladeshi products. He requested Russia in invest in special economic zones and Hi-Tech parks in Bangladesh including in emerging sectors such as light-to-heavy engineering, food and agro-processing, petrochemicals, steel manufacturing, IT, etc.    Dr Khalilur requested Russia to support Bangladesh for concluding an FTA between Bangladesh and Eurasia Economic Commission (EEC).  Currently, EEC has five members namely Russia, Belarus, Armenia, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan. In addition, both sides agreed that the trade volume between Bangladesh and Russia is well below the potential. Foreign Minister Dr Khalilur emphasised the prospect of rapidly increasing Bangladeshi exports, particularly readymade garments and pharmaceuticals to the Russian market. In this regard, the Russian side welcomed the proposal to host a business delegation from Bangladesh in the coming weeks. The issue of cooperation in the area of technology, particularly artificial intelligence (AI), came up prominently during the visit. The Foreign Minister proposed that a delegation on the application of AI in agriculture and health should visit Bangladesh, to which the Russian authorities readily agreed.  The Russian authorities also expressed interest in assisting Bangladesh in preparing its national AI policy and establishing institutions of excellence in AI in Bangladesh. Dr Khalilur held an official bilateral meeting with Foreign Minister of Russian Federation Sergey Lavrov in Moscow on Monday. The two leaders discussed the entire gamut of bilateral relations and their wider engagement and cooperation in the regional and international forums including the United Nations.  Both leaders recollected their friendship began four decades ago when they were representatives of their respective countries to the United Nations. Foreign Minister Dr Khalilur recalled the historic contribution of the former USSR during Bangladesh’s Liberation War. The former USSR was one of the first countries to recognize Bangladesh. Both the Foreign Ministers looked forward to the 55th anniversary of their diplomatic relation in 2027. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov reiterated their vows to widen and strengthen bilateral relations with Bangladesh. He warmly congratulated Bangladesh Foreign Minister for being elected as the President of the 81st Session of the UNGA.  Foreign Minister Dr Khalilur thanked Russia for its support to his UNGA Presidency candidature. During the meeting, the two leaders took stock of bilateral cooperation in sectors and areas such as industry, power & energy, agriculture, research & technology, culture, education, tourism, transport and defence and resolved to expand and deepen cooperation in these areas.  He sought Russian support for Bangladesh to be an official member of BRICS and Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) to which Russian Foreign Minister replied positively. Thanking the government of Russia for the fuel loading of the first unit of Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant, the Bangladesh Foreign Minister requested Russian Foreign Minister to extend full support in expediting the commissioning of the second unit as planned.

Bangladesh and Russia will hold talks on bilateral and international issues in Moscow on June 8 as Foreign Minister Dr Khalilur Rahman is set to pay a three-day official visit to Russia. Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova announced the official visit by Bangladeshi Foreign Minister. However, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Dhaka is yet to make an official announcement. At the invitation of Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Foreign Minister of Bangladesh Khalilur Rahman will pay an official visit to Russia on June 7-9, said the Russian side. On June 8, the ministers will hold talks on current bilateral and international issues, said the Spokesperson. A special emphasis will be placed on our interaction at the UN as Khalilur Rahman has been elected President of the 81st Session of the UN General Assembly, the Russian said said. The ranking Bangladeshi guest’s programme also includes meetings with top officials from the Federation Council, Rosatom State Corporation, and a number of other organisations, according to the Russian Embassy in Dhaka.