United News of Bangladesh

A plan to auction more than 100 artifacts recovered from the wreck of the Titanic has drawn opposition from the U.S. government, according to newly unsealed court documents. The items include personal belongings, currency, kitchenware and decorative objects salvaged from the famous shipwreck in the North Atlantic. RMS Titanic Inc., the company that holds exclusive salvage rights to the Titanic site, is seeking to sell the artifacts for the first time. The company had previously agreed that recovered items would only be displayed in museums and traveling exhibitions. Court filings show the Georgia-based firm also proposed a global touring exhibition in four cities, though the locations have not been disclosed. Among the items listed for possible sale are a bronze cherub, a gold nugget necklace and a heart-shaped pendant. The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), which represents American oversight of the wreck site, argued in court documents that the proposed auction would violate legal obligations tied to the salvage agreement. A judge unsealed the filings earlier this month. The government said the company “does not seek the Court’s approval, does not believe that approval is required, and asserts that it is not restricted in its ability to sell” the artifacts. RMS Titanic Inc. did not respond to media requests for comment on Monday. In earlier court submissions, its lawyers argued that the proposed sale would not breach existing agreements or court orders. The dispute marks another chapter in long-running efforts to sell Titanic artifacts. Since 1987, salvage teams have recovered thousands of objects, including sections of the ship’s hull. The company earns revenue mainly by exhibiting them. Over the years, attempts to sell parts of the collection have repeatedly faced opposition from U.S. courts, preservation groups and relatives of victims, especially when items are linked to passengers. However, some artifacts not directly tied to the wreck or recovered by survivors have been sold at high prices in recent years. A life jacket worn by a passenger sold for more than $900,000 in April, while a gold pocket watch linked to the ship’s rescue operations fetched nearly $2 million in 2024. Auction houses say demand remains strong due to the global fascination with the Titanic, which sank in 1912 after striking an iceberg on its maiden voyage from Europe to New York, killing more than 1,500 people. The case also reflects a trans-Atlantic legal dispute over ownership and control of the artifacts. Some of the earliest recovered items were taken to France, where authorities granted ownership rights to the salvaging company. French research institute IFREMER worked with Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution during the wreck’s discovery. Later recoveries were handled under a U.S. District Court in Norfolk, Virginia, which oversees the broader salvage agreement. NOAA argues that all roughly 5,000 recovered items—regardless of where they were initially claimed—should remain part of a single preserved collection under U.S. court conditions. It also says French court terms required the artifacts to remain together and not be sold individually. The company, meanwhile, has argued that the U.S. court does not have jurisdiction over items claimed in France. Experts and ocean explorers have also expressed concern over the proposed auction, saying Titanic artifacts should remain publicly accessible. Ocean scientist Greg Stone said recovery is acceptable if done carefully and with proper archaeological methods, but added he would prefer a nonprofit approach. Law professor Richard Daynard of Northeastern University said the rules are meant to protect the artifacts for public benefit, warning against turning them into private luxury items. “If it’s something where someone can walk through their house and say ‘Yes, I bought this for $5 million and it’s original from the Titanic,’ that’s not a good thing,” he said.

Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen on Sunday (August 13, 2023) conveyed to visiting US congressmen Ed Case and Richard McCormick that there is no scope for reaching any consensus as BNP wants the government to step down. He conveyed the message when the congressmen wanted to know whether there is any way to reach consensus with the opposition. Momen also asked them whether the US government would step down prior to the election there. “Certainly not,” Momen said, adding that, “Will you sit in discussion if there is such a demand? Certainly not.” Read more: Foreign observers are welcome during Bangladesh's upcoming elections: Momen tells Swiss envoy

US Ambassador to Bangladesh Peter Haas today (March 21, 2023) said his country is committed to working with Bangladesh to eliminate corruption – enabling Bangladeshis to enjoy lives of dignity and drawing more international trade and foreign investment. “If Bangladesh can assure citizens and investors that corruption is less prevalent here than in other markets, it will attract more investment and help the country continue on the path of economic growth,” he said.     Ambassador Haas made the remarks at an event, titled “Call to Action Against Corruption Summit”, at a Dhaka hotel, organized by Centre for Governance Studies (CGS) and Center for International Private Enterprises. The US ambassador said corruption exists, to one degree or another, in every corner of the globe, and they are all too familiar with what it looks like.  Read More: Excited to see more Bangladeshi students are choosing US: Peter Haas “It’s trying to get a driver’s license and having to pay ‘speed money’.  It’s knowing that if you want a passport appointment, it’s going to cost you extra.  It’s needing to bribe the right official to register a plot of land you just purchased,” Haas said. Corruption is a parasite that feeds on the resources of a society and drains it of its strength and can devastate every level of business and government, he said.   “Sadly, some notorious scandals have occurred in my own country,” said the US ambassador. Yet, he said, exposing corruption and holding perpetrators accountable have catalyzed economic growth in the United States and elsewhere.   Read More: New US Ambassador Peter Haas arrives in Dhaka “When societies exert such efforts, they prosper. I am confident this can be the case here in Bangladesh, as well, and the United States is eager to help,” he said.    Under President Biden, the US government has established the fight against corruption as a core national security interest, he added.   “We support initiatives that help Bangladeshi businesses meet international standards and regulations, making them more competitive in the global market,” said the envoy.   “By promoting ethical business practices, we can create a more level playing field for businesses of all sizes and encourage more foreign investment,” he added. Read More: Peter Haas nominated next US Ambassador to Bangladesh The US Agency for International Development, USAID, has partnered with Bangladesh’s Registrar of Joint Stock Companies to launch an online registration process for new businesses.   This makes registering new businesses more transparent, faster, and more affordable, Ambassador Haas said. USAID has also worked with the Bangladesh National Board of Revenue to establish authorized economic operators. This endeavour empowers the private sector, instead of the government, to release shipments at ports, he said.   As a result, Haas said, the process has become more transparent and raised the level of trust between the private sector and the government. Read More: Prevent corruption in every sector: President to ACC The US Department of Commerce’s Commercial Law Development Program (CLDP) works with the Private Public Partnership Authority Bangladesh to conduct workshops to improve the legal and business environment of Bangladesh.   CLDP also works with Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) to improve municipal governance by improving fiscal transparency. Under this program, CLDP invited over a DNCC delegation, including the mayor, to Miami in January.   The US Department of Justice trains investigators and attorneys in the Anti-Corruption Commission on topics such as how to investigate and prosecute money laundering, how to use electronic evidence, and how to investigate financial crimes.   “It has also fostered a relationship between Bangladesh’s Financial Intelligence Unit and the International Anti-Corruption Coordination Centre,” Haas said.   Read More: All-pervasive corruption by AL destroys economy: Fakhrul “The United States is committed to holding corrupt officials accountable for their actions. This can take various forms,” said the ambassador.   Just as US laws hold American citizens and businesses accountable for corrupt practices, there are US laws and penalties that apply to non-citizens who use corrupt practices in violation of the laws. “What can the Bangladeshi government do to reduce corruption?  It could think about ways to empower institutions to tackle corruption and promote transparency and accountability in governance and business,” he said.   One idea is to reduce the amount of cash that officials handle by replacing cash-based financial transactions with the government with online transactions, Haas said.   Read More: Power tariff being raised frequently to manage corruption: Fakhrul “Citizens could pay bills, fines, and taxes electronically. Such a process would minimize the opportunity for bureaucrats to overcharge or misplace public funds into their own pockets,” he said.   Haas recognized the important role a vibrant civil society and free media play in investigating and exposing instances of corruption. Bangladesh has many advantages that potential investors would find attractive, he said. “But as American business leaders tell me: multi-national firms have options on where they invest.”   They will choose whichever country has the lowest levels of corruption, the fewest bureaucratic obstacles, the greatest respect for rule of law, and the best logistics infrastructure for their business, he added.   Read More: BNP's complaints about corruption 'laughable': Hasan Mahmud

TikTok would be banned from most U.S. government devices under a government spending bill Congress unveiled early Tuesday, the latest push by American lawmakers against the Chinese-owned social media app. The $1.7 trillion package includes requirements for the Biden administration to prohibit most uses of TikTok or any other app created by its owner, ByteDance Ltd. The requirements would apply to the executive branch — with exemptions for national security, law enforcement and research purposes — and don’t appear to cover Congress, where a handful of lawmakers maintain TikTok accounts. TikTok is consumed by two-thirds of American teens and has become the second-most popular domain in the world. But there’s long been bipartisan concern in Washington that Beijing would use legal and regulatory power to seize American user data or try to push pro-China narratives or misinformation. ByteDance did not immediately respond to a request for comment. It has previously noted that TikTok is incorporated in the U.S. and is bound by American laws. Speaking Friday, CIA Director William Burns said Beijing can “insist upon extracting the private data of a lot of TikTok users in this country and also to shape the content of what goes on to TikTok as well to suit the interests of the Chinese leadership.” “I think those are real challenges and a source of real concern,” Burns told PBS. He declined to take a position on congressional efforts to limit TikTok. Read more: TikTok to take legal action against US government over ban House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., was pushing to include the TikTok provision in the big year-end bill, her office said. Sen. Josh Hawley, a Missouri Republican who authored a version of the TikTok bill that passed the Senate last week, called the government device ban “the first major strike against Big Tech enacted into law.” Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, D-Ill., has co-sponsored legislation to prohibit TikTok from operating in the U.S. altogether. He called the government device ban an appropriate initial step and said there was a “groundswell of support” for wider action. “We’re not just talking about Republicans and Democrats and independents,” said Krishnamoorthi, a member of the House Intelligence Committee. “We’re talking about parents who are concerned broadly about social media and TikTok in particular.”

Adviser to the Prime Minister for Private Industry and Investment Salman F. Rahman has urged the US government to provide preferential market access of Bangladeshi products to the US market. He also sought enhanced US investment in manufacturing and technology transfer, and International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) funding for infrastructural development. Rahman underscored business-to-business and people-to-people contacts as the key elements for enhanced economic cooperation between the two countries, said the Bangladesh Embassy in Washington D.C. on Friday. He reiterated Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s earlier offer of dedicated Economic Zone for the US investors. Also read: Dhaka interested to receive US investment from DFC for infrastructure opportunities The adviser also encouraged the US IT companies to invest in the Hi-Tech Parks by taking advantage of the large pool of freelancers in Bangladesh. State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md. Shahriar Alam stated that continuity of coherent policies under the visionary leadership of Hasina was the key to Bangladesh’s tremendou socioeconomic progress during the past 13 years. They discussed the issues at the second high-level economic consultation between Bangladesh and the United States held at the US Department of State in Washington D.C on Thursday.

PM’s Adviser for Private Industry and Investment Salman F Rahman has sought the assistance from the US government to encourage their vaccine-producing companies to partner with capable pharmaceutical companies in Bangladesh. Recalling the two countries’ close cooperation in combating Covid-19 since the early days of the pandemic, Adviser Rahman stressed scaling up of the global production of the Covid-19 vaccines and other pandemic management equipment to tackle the virus. He also stated that Bangladesh is ready to make necessary investments for the capacity enhancement of pharmaceutical companies for such partnerships. Adviser Rahman and Senior Official for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment of the US Department of State Ambassador Marcia Bernicat discussed ways to have stronger collaboration on Covid-19 front. Bangladesh and the US have expressed willingness to work more closely to fight against the Covid-19 pandemic, including partnership, in vaccine production. Read: Countries like Bangladesh need support for vaccine production: FM

Bangladesh Ambassador to the United States M. Shahidul Islam has called upon the US vaccine producing companies to exercise more openness and transparency in commercial export of vaccines to developing countries.    The Ambassador expressed hope to remain engaged with the US government and the private sector to secure adequate vaccines for the people of Bangladesh.  While appreciating US donation of vaccines to developing countries, the envoy opined that commercial procurement of vaccines will play a more important role in vaccinating a populous country like Bangladesh. He was addressing a virtual town-hall discussion on Tuesday which was participated by officials of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, diplomats from the Embassy of Bangladesh in Washington DC, and representatives from various companies such as Uber, Chevron, General Electric, MetLife, Abbott, Boeing, PepsiCo, Google, Facebook.  President of the U.S.- Bangladesh Business Council Nisha Biswal delivered a welcome speech at the event.   Also read: Biotech's Covid vaccine to get conditional approval for human trials: BMRC

US Ambassador Earl Miller has expressed willingness to work closely with Bangladesh government to follow up the discussion that Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen had in Washington DC with his counterpart and other high dignitaries. 

US President Joe Biden has welcomed the new Bangladesh Ambassador to the United States and expressed his government’s desire to advance common goals and deepen the strong and abiding friendship between the two countries.

US Ambassador to Bangladesh Earl Miller on Thursday said Bangladesh is gaining growing importance within South Asia due to its socioeconomic progress.