United News of Bangladesh

Bangladesh High Commissioner to the UK Saida Muna Tasneem has received the prestigious “Diplomat of the Year 2022 Award” from  world-famous Diplomat Magazine, UK , for her ‘outstanding contribution to climate diplomacy.’ The award was handed over to the High Commissioner by the Editor of the Diplomat Magazine, London recently at an annual gala diplomatic event at London’s Biltmore Mayfair in the presence of over 250 London-based diplomats, said the High Commission on Thursday. Also read:Saida Muna Tasneem receives ‘Woman of the Decade in Public Life, Diplomacy Award’ The Diplomat Award of the Year is an annual award given out by Diplomat Magazine UK based on nominations and votes cast by UK-based envoys of more than 165 countries who maintain resident missions in London.

Bangladesh High Commissioner to the UK Saida Muna Tasneem has briefed the Uk's all-party parliamentary group (APPG) about the inconveniences caused by the country's travel ban that has put Bangladesh among the nations on its "red list." She said the decision would seriously hurt the bilateral trade in the apparel, food and beverage sectors and also emergency medical treatments. On April 2, the UK said it would put Bangladesh, Kenya, Pakistan and the Philippines on its travel "red list," banning entry to people arriving from those countries unless they are Britons or Irish. The high commissioner, during a recent virtual meeting with the APPG on Bangladesh, raised two issues including the UK's travel "red list," and the protracted Rohingya crisis. Also read: Covid-19 in Bangladesh: 95 more die with infection rate falling to 15.07pc Praising the British government's role on the Rohingya issue especially as the pen-holder at the UN Security Council, she called upon the APPG to keep the issue of the sustainable and dignified return of the Rohingyas back to Myanmar high on its agenda at the British Parliament. She took great pride in the extraordinary achievements and contributions made by the enterprising expatriate Bangladeshis in the UK in enhancing the shared prosperity of both countries. "The government of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina looks forward to further intensifying Bangladesh's bilateral trade, investment, climate and digital innovation partnership with a post-Brexit 'Global Britain," Muna said. Also read: 14-day institutional quarantine mandatory for travellers from European countries: CAAB The virtual meeting was held to mark the 50th anniversary of Bangladesh's independence. Chaired by Rushanara Ali, MP, chairman of the APPG on Bangladesh and UK's trade envoy to Bangladesh, the meeting was also attended by the vice-chairs of the parliamentary group including Bob Blackman MP, Rupa Huq MP, Afzal Khan MP, Khalid Mahmood MP, Tony Llyod MP, and Geraint Davies MP. Rushanara said, "As a British-Bangladeshi, I am extremely proud to mark the 50th anniversary of Bangladesh's independence. I pay tribute to all those who sacrificed their lives for our freedom and independence. We are forever indebted to them." Also read: Fully vaccinated people can travel safely again, CDC says APPG vice-chairs Bob Blackman, MP, and Geraint Davies, MP, praised Bangladesh for its sustained growth and progress over the past 50 years. Other members of the APPG including Khalid Mahmood, MP, praised Bangladesh's climate leadership.

Bangladesh High Commissioner to the UK Saida Muna Tasneem, who also represents the country on the Board of Governors of the Commonwealth, has reaffirmed her government's commitment to upholding media freedoms within the Commonwealth and beyond.  “The government of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will continue to work closely with the UK, Namibia and our Commonwealth fraternity to continually uphold and improve media freedom nationally,  globally and within the Commonwealth," she said. The High Commissioner made the remarks at a virtual event organised by the British Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and High Commission of Namibia, on ‘Media Freedom in the Commonwealth’ on Wednesday in London. The event was co-hosted by the UK and Namibia at the advent of the World Press Freedom Day Conference 2021 scheduled to be hosted in Windhoek, Namibia on April 29 to May 3 in collaboration with the UNESCO.   Reflecting on the theme of this year’s World Press Freedom Day, “Information as a Public Good”, the High Commissioner paid her tributes to journalists all around the world including those who lost their lives in the line of duty. She called upon the Commonwealth to support sustainability and economic viability of news and media houses across the Commonwealth especially in developing countries during the Covid crisis, enhanced transparency of internet companies, and greater media and information literacy among young people to ensure information is indeed delivered as ‘public good’. High Commissioner Tasneem also briefed the Commonwealth meeting on wide-ranging initiatives and reforms undertaken by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s government towards rapid liberalization, privatization and expansion of Bangladesh’s print, electronic and digital media industry over the past decade. The High Commissioner said apart from promoting an exponential growth in private electronic and digital media in Bangladesh, specially the internet-based news portals and TV channels leveraging media freedom and freedom of expression, the present government also created the country’s first journalists’ welfare trust to support special needs of journalists and their family members, and commissioned two wage boards to enhance their pay and salary packages by more than sixty percent since 2013.   Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland QC and High Commissioners of a number of Commonwealth countries, spoke on the occasion. The meeting was co-chaired by Head of Media Freedom at the UK FCDO Mr Kanbar Hussein and High Commissioner of Namibia to the UK Linda Scott.  

Bangladesh High Commissioner to the UK Saida Muna Tasneem has expressed the hope that British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will visit Bangladesh soon on the occasion of 50 years of Bangladesh-UK diplomatic relations.

Bangladesh High Commissioner to the UK and the Permanent Representative to International Maritime Organisation (IMO) and International Mobile Satellite Organisation (IMSO) Saida Muna Tasneem has been unanimously elected as the Vice-Chair of the 26th Assembly of IMSO for the biennial 2021-2022

Climate Vulnerable Forum (CVF) Thematic Ambassador for Vulnerability Saima Wazed Hossain has called for CVF-COP26 resilience action plan to address climate change and mental health challenges.

Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen has laid emphasis on building bridges between Bangladesh and the talented Bangladeshi young force in foreign countries, specially in the UK and engaging them for expediting development efforts in Bangladesh.

Bangladesh High Commissioner to the UK Saida Muna Tasneem has said Bangladesh looks forward to creating greater collaboration and connectivity between the Commonwealth and its Climate Vulnerable Forum (CVF) Presidency.

Bangladesh High Commissioner to the UK Saida Muna Tasneem has expressed deep condolences at the sudden death of expatriate Bangladeshi-British eminent physician Dr Abdul Mabud Chowdhury.