United News of Bangladesh

The Commonwealth countries have set the agenda and tone for the upcoming Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in November this year. They discussed about the challenging time the global community is currently going through amid the erosion of rules-based order and undermining of international norms set by the international institutions. Foreign Minister Dr Khalilur Rahman led the Bangladesh delegation, comprised of the Advisor to the Prime Minister for Foreign Affairs Humaiun Kobir and other officials,to the 26th Commonwealth Foreign Affairs Minister’s Meeting (CFAMM) held on March 8 at Lancaster House in London. Delegates from 56 Commonwealth Nations attended the meeting. In his deliberation, he highlighted the free, fair, participatory and peaceful election that just held couple of weeks back. The Foreign Minister expressed his proudness to have been a true representative of the people of Bangladesh in the CFAMM and conveyed how Prime Minister Tarique Rahman is consolidating the Commonwealth values of good governance through injecting extraordinary humility in politics and brilliant ideas in governance. He expressed heartiest gratitude to the Commonwealth Secretariat for sending a high-power Commonwealth Observer Group who observed the election on the ground all-across the country and their post-election report highly commended the spectacular accomplishment of an extraordinary election for nearly 13 million voters. Highlighting on the importance of the multilateralism, he called upon concrete actions to confront existential global challenges, particularly climate change and growing economic uncertainty, according to Bangladesh High Commission in London. Rohingya Crisis In the afternoon session, the Foreign Minister raised the unbearable burden Bangladesh is shouldering in hosting over 1.2 million forcefully displaced Rohingya minorities from Myanmar for nearly one decade already, while the fresh arrivals still continue. Bhutan, Nepal discuss ways to strengthen ties with Bangladesh

The 22nd Commonwealth Games' 2022, the biggest sports carnival of the Commonwealth countries, set to begin early hours of Friday (Bangladesh time) at the Alexander Stadium in Birmingham amid a colorful opening ceremony.Some 6500 athletes and officials from 72 countries will participate in the 12-day sports festival of the Commonwealth Games, which was introduced in 1930 as the British Empire Games.A 50-member contingent will represent Bangladesh in seven disciplines of sports --Athletics, Boxing, Gymnastics, Swimming, Weight-lifting, Wrestling, and Table Tennis. Also read: SAFF U-20 Championship: Bangladesh to play Maldives on FridayCountry's famed weight-lifter Mabia Akther Simanta, who clinched the gold medals in the last two SAFF Games, is scheduled to carry the national flag during the march past of the opening ceremony of the Birmingham Games.Bangladesh will start their campaign on the very first day of the games (Friday) in four disciplines of sports--Boxing, Swimming, Gymnastics and Table Tennis.Bangladesh gymnastics team will start their campaign first at 9 am local time at the Birmingham arena, in the men's team event and preliminary round of the men's singles. Three gymnasts --Shisir Ahmed, Abu Sayed Rafi and Ali Kader Haque--will represent Bangladesh in the events .The first round of the Men's Table Tennis competition will also begin on Friday at the same time. Mufdradul Khair Hamza, Ramhin Loon Boom, Rifat Mahmud Sabbir and Muhtasim Ajmed Hridoy will participate in the events. Also read: Sri Lanka to host Asia Cup in UAE, ACC confirmsThe preliminary round of the swimming competition will also begin on Friday at 10:30 pm at the Sandwell Aquatics Centre there. swimmer Mahmud-Un Nabi Nahid will compete in 50-meter butterfly while Marium Akhter in the 50-meter breaststroke.Three boxers will take to the ring on the day. Hossain Ali, Suro Krishna Chakma and Salim Hossain will fight in their respective events.

FBCCI President Sheikh Fazle Fahim on Monday urged the Commonwealth countries from the Asia-Pacific to Africa region to come to Bangladesh with investment to tap the potentials of the growing South Asian economy.