United News of Bangladesh

National Security Adviser and High Representative for the Rohingya issue Dr Khalilur Rahman has met senior US officials in Washington and discussed regional political and security issues. Bangladesh's new Ambassador to the US Tareq M Ariful Islam was present at the separate meetings. During his meeting with Allison Hooker, Under Secretary for Political Affairs, she reiterated strong US support for the leadership of Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus and the steps by the interim government in regard to the upcoming elections in February. Ambassador Hooker expressed support to Bangladesh's efforts to resolve the Rohingya issue, said a media release shared by the Chief Adviser’s press wing. Dr Khalilur Rahman thanked the US for announcing $60 million in aid to the Rohingya at the UN International Conference on the Rohingya. Bangladesh making significant efforts to eliminate trafficking: US Dr Khalilur Rahman discussed a broad range of bilateral matters during his separate meetings with Nicole Chulick, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary and Andrew Herrup, Deputy Assistant Secretary. Dr Khalilur Rahman also met with Assistant US Trade Representative Brendan Lynch and discussed follow-up actions regarding recently concluded tariff negotiations. He reiterated Bangladesh's commitment to reduce the trade gap with the US and requested Lynch to consider further reduction in tariffs as the trade gap becomes narrower. US pledges support for Myanmar, Rohingya Lynch assured full consideration of the matter as the tariff agreement gets implemented and trade gaps get reduced.

Bangladesh secured a 20% US tariff rate—comparable to its key apparel-sector competitors such as Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Pakistan and Indonesia, which received rates between 19% and 20%.  As a result, Bangladesh's relative competitiveness in apparel exports remains unaffected, according to Chief Adviser's press wing. By contrast, it said, India received a 25% tariff after failing to reach a comprehensive agreement with the US. “We negotiated carefully to ensure that our commitments aligned with our national interests and capacity,” said Dr Khalilur Rahman, Bangladesh’s National Security Advisor and lead negotiator.  “Protecting our apparel industry was a top priority, but we also focused our purchase commitments on U.S. agricultural products. This supports our food security goals and fosters goodwill with U.S. farming states,” he said.  “Today, we successfully avoided a potential 35% reciprocal tariff. That’s good news for our apparel sector and the millions who depend on it. We’ve also preserved our global competitiveness and opened up new opportunities to access the world's largest consumer market,” Dr Rahman added. Now US could collect over $1 billion in tariffs from Bangladeshi goods: CPD study President Donald Trump today announced new tariff rates—up to 41%—on imports from 70 countries, just ahead of the August 1 deadline for finalising bilateral trade agreements. These agreements extend beyond tariff adjustments to include domestic policy reforms that the Trump administration views as contributing to trade imbalances.  They also address broader economic and national security concerns.  As part of the negotiations, countries were required to make explicit commitments to purchase US goods to help narrow trade deficits. Given the scope of issues involved, the negotiation process has been complex and time-consuming.  Tariff relief was tied not only to reductions in duties on US exports but also to a country’s willingness to address U.S. concerns on non-tariff barriers, trade imbalances, and security matters, said the Chief Adviser’s press wing on Friday. BNP urges US to keep tariffs on Bangladesh at reasonable level President Trump's executive order made clear that each country’s tariff rate would reflect the depth of its commitment across all these areas.

Dr Khalilur Rahman, High Representative on Rohingya Crisis and Matters of Priority to the Chief Adviser, on Friday said Bangladesh would not take any hasty step over Rohingya issue without any proper assessment regarding the emerging situation in Rakhine state of Myanmar. “We’re keeping watch on the emerging situation in Rakhine….. We don’t want to do anything hastily. We’ll not take any step without deep consideration,” he said, joining a discussion here in the capital through a virtual platform. Unity for Bangladesh, a non-profit youth-based voluntary organisation, arranged the discussion titled ‘Rohingya Crisis and Regional Security: Pertinent Considerations of Bangladesh’ at Professor Muzaffar Ahmed Chowdhury Auditorium in Dhaka University in the afternoon. Dr Rahman said the issue is not only a humanitarian matter but also is an issue of the internal security or national security of Bangladesh. “So, we’ll take our next steps following sufficient assessments,” he said.   He said a standoff situation continues in Rakhine state as the Arakan Army has taken control of some 80-85 percent areas of the estate particularly the main lands of Rohingya there has completely gone under the control of the Arakan Army, a non-state actor. Dr Rahman said Bangladesh needs to wait until the final situation in Myanmar. “Our future engagement will depend on the situation that would stand there,” he added. Prof CR Abrar, an expert on migration and refugee issues, stressed the need for making a significant investment in this Rohingya community for their education, health and livelihood and other training in order to make them enable for repatriation to their mother land with dignity and recognition of their identity. Read: Turkey to help Bangladesh resolve Rohingya crisis: Envoy He said Bangladesh needs to choose its allies to educate this community as it is an international responsibility. And all international bodies and communities would be too happy to provide all forms of support to this community for their education, health and training purposes. Noting that what has been done in the name of their education is nothing effective, Prof Abrar said, “If they could stand in a strong position, then both the Arakan Army and Burmese Junta will take them back.”   He said Bangladesh should make a significant departure from this current policy and enable this community so that they can defend them and their rights. “I think our strength (over dealing with the Rohingya issue) will come when we make a significant investment in this community,” said Prof Abrar. Lt Gen (retd) Mahfuzur Rahman, former principal staff officer at the Armed Forces Division, stressed for adopting proper policy to take benefits of the geopolitical and geostrategic advantages. “I think we need to revisit our existing policy,” he said.    He stressed the need for developing Rohingya as human resources and creating leadership among them.    Mahfuzur said Bangladesh missed its opportunity three times from 2017 and 2024 to get a solution to the Rohingya issue and now it is going to miss the fourth opportunity. He said Bangladesh missed the first opportunity by not keeping displaced Rohingya in no man’s land during the 2017 exodus, and the second one in 2022 by refusing the Arakan Army in 2022 when its chief sought humanitarian support and sympathy from Bangladesh and said they would take back Rohingya and the third one in February, 2024 by not taking some Rohingyas to a place inside Myanmar when the Bangladesh-Myanmar border remained unguarded for three weeks following the flee of Myanmar’s Border Guard Police. Read more:Rohingya repatriation: UNGA resolution decides to hold high-level conference in 2025 to propose a time-bound plan Noting that now the National Unity Government is willing to accept Rohingyas, provide their citizenship, the retired general said Bangladesh might miss this opportunity as well. Maj Gen (retd) Nayeem Ashfak Chowdhury, a security analyst, and Dr Saima Ahmed, an international relations teacher in Dhaka University and writer Altaf Parvez also spoke at the discussion presided over by Monzur Moin, the spokesman of the Unity for Bangladesh.

Bangladesh and Canada are enjoying excellent ties now and the countries are getting closer.

The government has appointed Dr Khalilur Rahman, current additional Foreign Secretary and Chief Coordinator for Corona Cell in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as the next High Commissioner of Bangladesh to Canada.