United News of Bangladesh

State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humaiun Kobir on Saturday said Bangladesh wants engagement and a good working relationship with India despite existing challenges, stressing that the door for dialogue will always remain open. "There might be thousands of problems and challenges with India, but the door of dialogue and discussion will always remain open. And that should be kept," he told reporters, noting that India is a neighbour of Bangladesh. The State Minister made the remarks during an exchange of views with leaders of the Electronic Media Journalists Association (EMJA) in Sylhet. Kobir said foreign, economic and security cooperation and policies are intertwined and interrelated for most countries around the world, not just for Bangladesh. "It cannot be isolated from each other. Particularly, for the foreign policy that we have undertaken, it has to be integrated and it must be complementary to each other. From that point of view, foreign policy is not about only foreign relations. There needs to be a strong area of engagement for economic cooperation," he said. Talking about the challenges with India, the State Minister said there are, of course, challenges, as "terrorists" who fled the country after killing people in Bangladesh are staying in India. "If space is given to them (by India), it will go against the sentiments of the people of Bangladesh. It would be pressure to address that. Our foreign policy engagement is based on national interests and driven by people's interests," Kobir said. The State Minister, who has met Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Dinesh Trivedi twice so far, said India must understand the situation. "I met him (envoy)  twice. He is trying, but he gets stuck somewhere." Kobir laid emphasis on stopping former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, stressing that it is irrelevant whether she is using private or public platforms in India. "Providing Hasina space creates a bad precedent," he said. Regarding Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s possible visit to India, Kobir said the possibility of such a visit before the upcoming UN General Assembly session is very slim. "When the time is right, the Prime Minister will be visiting India, but the possibility is very slim before the UNGA as the Prime Minister will be attending the UNGA," he said. The 81st session of the General Assembly will formally open on September 8, with world leaders expected to gather at UN Headquarters in New York later in the month for the annual high-level general debate. India will soon host the BRICS Summit, and an Indian journalist wanted to know whether Bangladesh had communicated whether Prime Minister Tarique Rahman would participate and, if not, who would represent Bangladesh at the summit. "On the participation from Bangladesh side, I have no update to share with you," Spokesperson at the Indian Ministry of External Affairs Randhir Jaiswal told reporters during a regular briefing in New Delhi on Friday. Although the date of the Prime Minister’s proposed India visit has not yet been finalised, bilateral discussions on the matter are underway, State Minister Kobir said. The meeting was arranged after journalists covering the State Minister’s programme on Friday were allegedly harassed. Television journalists in Sylhet on Friday decided to boycott news coverage of the State Minister and the local BNP after several media workers were allegedly harassed by political activists at the Hazrat Shahjalal Shrine. Kobir, visiting Sylhet for the first time since taking office as State Minister, offered prayers at the shrine after Jummah prayers. Responding to various questions, Kobir said the extent of corruption in the energy sector in the past could be understood by looking at the sector’s overall condition. He said the current government is giving the energy sector the highest priority. The State Minister also said discussions are underway on the Mecca Pact and that Bangladesh’s joining the agreement would not be unusual. “Many countries in the world are part of multiple security alliances. Bangladesh will join wherever necessary based on its national interests,” he said. On the purchase of Boeing aircraft, Kobir said no one was pressuring Bangladesh to buy Boeing planes. “Bangladesh is buying Boeing aircraft from the United States because there is a demand for them. More aircraft may be purchased if necessary,” he said.

State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humaiun Kobir on Monday said Bangladesh’s foreign policy has entered a new phase, with the government now focusing on strengthening bilateral and multilateral relations and raising the country’s global visibility and influence. Speaking to reporters at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on his first working day as the State Minister, Kobir said the new responsibility is a continuation of the work he was doing as the Prime Minister’s Adviser on Foreign Affairs. “It is not the first day of work as such. Work is about continuity,” he said, adding that the new assignment requires the government to “hit the ball… ground running.” He said a strategic framework for Bangladesh’s foreign policy has been established over the past six months and that the government would now begin rolling out engagements based on that foundation. “Over the last six months, we have established a strategic framework for our foreign policy. It has a strong, solid foundation now,” Kobir said. “From that, now we will roll out our engagements. And we will… build our relations, bilateral relations, multilateral relations from a position of strength.” He said the government would now focus on putting substantive content into Bangladesh’s bilateral relationships and hoped to take the country’s “visibility, influence… to great new heights.” Kobir said he is already familiar with senior officials at the Foreign Ministry, having worked with them over the past six months. “The assignment is new, but it is an assignment that is an extension of further work in the sphere that I have already been working in,” he said. Expressing confidence in the Ministry and its officials, he said,”Together… we can take Bangladesh, Insha’Allah, into a new horizon.” He said Bangladesh should be recognised as a country with strong soft, medium and other forms of power and influence. ‘I am Bangladeshi’ Asked about reports and social media discussions concerning his British citizenship and whether he had renounced it before assuming the state ministerial position, Kobir responded sharply. “I am Bangladeshi,” he said. “Here, Bangladesh… Bangladeshi… I don’t think there is anybody that will question my Bangladeshism and my stand.” Responding to questions about social media reports, he added, “I come with citizenship, and you talk about netizens! I mean, which netizens?” Kobir also referred to the political period involving Moeen U Ahmed and Fakhruddin Ahmed, asking whether “the heartburn of Moeen U Ahmed, and Fakhruddin” was “acting up again.” He urged media, citizens and political leaders to unite in the national interest. “All people who take a strong stance for the country, patriotic people who are here, those who stand by the country—all of us including the media, the citizens, the political leaders, we will all unite and take this country forward, Insha’Allah,” he said. He then urged reporters to focus on substantive issues related to his ministry. Asked about the Mecca Defense Pact, Kobir said Bangladesh expressed interest in it but indicated that there has been no new development. “No, no, we have expressed interest,” he said. He said Bangladesh’s growing international recognition is creating greater interest among key stakeholders in the Middle East and the wider Muslim world. “Bangladesh is now a country of recognition, and there is interest,” Kobir said. He added that key stakeholders are inviting Bangladesh’s leadership, particularly Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, to participate in discussions and enengagements. Kobir also emphasised the special significance of Mecca for Bangladeshis, saying, “Mecca always holds a special place… Mecca is in the heart of Bangladesh, in the hearts of…”

Bangladesh and the United States (US) on Wednesday emphasised the importance of further strengthening bilateral economic relations by deepening communication and partnerships between the business communities of the two countries. A high-level US business delegation led by US-Bangladesh Business Council President Atul Keshap paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister’s Foreign Affairs Adviser Humaiun Kobir at the Prime Minister’s Office and discussed the issues of mutual interest. During the meeting, they held detailed discussions on further strengthening bilateral trade and investment relations between Bangladesh and the United States, as well as expanding mutual economic cooperation and investment opportunities in Bangladesh. Adviser Kobir welcomed the delegation and said Bangladesh-US relations are long-standing and multidimensional. He said economic cooperation, including trade and investment, can play an important role in further strengthening the bilateral relationship. Highlighting existing opportunities and potential sectors for US investors in Bangladesh, Kobir said the government is committed to ensuring a business- and investment-friendly environment. He said Bangladesh is currently going through a crucial phase of economic transformation, creating new opportunities. The Adviser said, closer partnership with US businesses and investors can make a significant contribution to Bangladesh’s economic growth, job creation, and technology and knowledge exchange. Atul Keshap expressed interest in Bangladesh’s economic potential and investment opportunities, said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He emphasised the need to further expand cooperation between the private sectors of Bangladesh and the United States and expressed the council’s interest in taking the business relationship between the two countries to new heights. They exchanged views on increasing trade and investment, cooperation in the industrial and infrastructure sectors, and opportunities for US investment in energy, technology, the digital economy, healthcare and other promising sectors. The business delegation from the United States is currently visiting Bangladesh to explore opportunities in a number of sectors including energy and technology.  

Prime Minister’s Foreign Affairs Adviser Humaiun Kobir on Saturday said Bangladesh wants cooperation and good working relations with India based on mutual respect despite the challenges that the relationship is facing. "We want cooperation with India, but it must be based on mutual respect. We should have a good working relationship with India," he said while responding to a question during a panel discussion. State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam and Prime Minister’s Adviser on Education Mahdi Amin also spoke, with the discussion moderated by Foreign Secretary Asad Alam Siam. Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Minister Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury, Foreign Minister Dr Khalilur Rahman and BIDA Executive Chairman Chowdhury Ashik Mahmud, among others, spoke at the event. The Adviser said it is the norm of diplomacy to regularise working relationships within the neighborhood, and the government intends to do that. "You know, we've made a visit. We expect visits to Dhaka, and either way, we will build the visibility of a working relationship with India. We intend to do that. But the environment must be conducive to accommodating this approach." Adviser Humaiun Kobir said there are challenges in the relationship, and there has been a "tremendous deficit" in the relationship that they picked up over the last 15 years. "It was one way, and it was not done with the interests of the people of Bangladesh in mind," he said. He, however, said they remain positive, given the recent visit of Foreign Minister Dr Khalilur Rahman to New Delhi. Adviser Humaiun Kobir was part of the visit. The Adviser highlighted the positive mindset of the leadership of both countries, who are committed to moving forward and making progress. "We can do that. And it can be achievable. Of course, there are challenges. There are always challenges. When you have a terrorist who has fled from Bangladesh after killing one and a half thousand people, and who, to date, has shown no remorse and is trying to destabilise the country from over there, of course, there are challenges," Humaiun Kobir said.