Bangladesh Ambassador to Belgium and Head of Mission to the European Union, Mahbub Hassan Saleh, has addressed what he called “a wave of disinformation campaign” over rights issues during a “Briefing on the Human Rights Situation in Bangladesh” in Brussels. The session was hosted by Fabio Massimo Castaldo, Member of the European Parliament, with participation of Michael Polak, a barrister and lawyer for victims of enforced disappearances, human rights expert Abbas Faiz, Ambassador Saleh, and Tasneem Khalil, editor in chief of Netra News. On the issue of cancelling the registration of rights organization Odhikar – whose claim of 61 victims in its report “Assembly of Hefajat-e Islam Bangladesh and Human Rights Violation” was heavily contested by mainstream media as “half-truth, biased and one-sided presentation” – Ambassador Saleh referred to financial irregularities on part of the NGO, as clarified by concerned authorities. “The move that caused the closure of Odhikar stemmed from financial irregularities – the organization’s refusal to submit their report of financial audit,” explained the ambassador. In reference to that particular Odhikar report, the ambassador said, “The 2013 report, immediately afterwards that drive, claimed 61 people were killed by the security forces. They were repeatedly requested to provide the names (of victims), but till date they have not done that.” Leading national media outlets later came up with independent investigations, finding that Odhikar “blew up” the number of casualties. At the time, several leading rights activists questioned the neutrality of Adilur Rahman Khan, secretary of Odhikar. Ambassador Saleh said, “Adilur was the deputy attorney general during the BNP-Jamaat regime (2001-2006). So trying to portray him as an ‘independent, civil society individual’ is grossly incorrect. He has a definitive political alignment with a particular political party.” In response to the Bangladeshi ambassador, Tasneem Khalil said he was abducted and tortured in 2007, when the country was ruled by the military-backed caretaker government. Offering a lesson of history, the ambassador said, “I am surprised that none of the speakers mentioned a single word about August 15, 1975, and August 21, 2004. In 1975, on August 15, the country’s founding father Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, along with 18 family members, was brutally assassinated, and the successive military regime introduced indemnity ordinance to protect the killers and rewarded them with diplomatic jobs.” Read more: Diplomats don’t have the power to put anyone in power: Information Minister “The current PM was not allowed to return to her country for six years. She lived as a refugee. When she returned, she was not allowed to go inside her parents’ house; she prayed on the streets for her deceased family members… I believe she also has human rights,” he added. “In 2004, Sheikh Hasina was the opposition leader, and during a rally in the capital, a grenade attack was launched to kill her and her party colleagues… 23 were killed as they formed a human shield to protect her. I believe, for the sake of fairness, these incidents also need to be referred to by the speakers as you discuss a particular situation in Bangladesh. Unfortunately, that was not the case,” the ambassador said. Khalil, in his speech, claimed that the “problem of enforced disappearance was not there” between the return of democracy and when Awami League assumed office in 2009. It should be mentioned that Bangladesh saw a surge in terror activities during the BNP-Jamaat government in 2001-2006. A US Embassy cable to Washington in 2008, from former ambassador to Bangladesh James Moriarty, deemed Tarique Rahman “a symbol of violent politics”. Read more: UN reminds Bangladesh of commitments to free expression, peaceful assembly

After masterminding two consecutive victories for Bangladesh against India and securing an ODI series win, Mehidy Hasan Miraz expressed his newfound confidence as a batter. In the second match of the series, Bangladesh beat India by five runs. Mehidy was the cornerstone of this win, as he struck his maiden ODI ton batting at number eight. Mehidy and Mahmudullah Riyad's 148-run seventh-wicket partnership enabled Bangladesh to post a challenging total of 271 runs. "It was an amazing moment for me. I never thought I would hit a century in this match, but I did it," Mehidy said. "I always work with our batting coach. And before getting into the national team, I was a batter during my age-level cricket and got guidance from our local coaches. I feel that the team management now trusts me as a batter." Bangladesh were stuttering at 69/6 before Mehidy and Mahmudullah put on a resilient 148-run partnership. Read more: Mehidy Miraz achieves 2 milestones with blazing century against India "We didn't have much in our mind," Mehidy said. "We wanted to stay calm and strict on our plan, and it helped us post a big total." It was Bangladesh's second ODI series win over India after 2015. The final match of the ODI series is scheduled for December 10 also at Chattogram. Both teams will then shift their focus to the two-match Test series, with the first match starting on December 14 in Chattogram and the second Test on December 22 in Dhaka. Read more: Bangladesh escape Rohit scare to seal ODI series win against India

With two more deaths from dengue recorded in 24 hours till Wednesday morning, the official death toll from the mosquito-borne disease rose to 260 this year.During this period, 253 more patients, including 130 in Dhaka city, were hospitalised, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS). Read more: Dengue menace to continue till mid-November: ExpertsA total of 1,171 dengue patients, including 683 in the capital, are now receiving treatment at hospitals across the country.The DGHS has recorded 59, 449 dengue cases and 58,018 recoveries so far this year.

Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Li Jiming had a farewell meeting with Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the capital Wednesday. During the meeting, the foreign minister expressed his deepest condolences and heartfelt sympathies over the death of the former president of China Jiang Zemin. Momen appreciated Jiming's efforts and contributions to strengthening Bangladesh-China ties. Also, he recalled the visits of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman to China in 1952 and 1957 and referred to Bangabandhu's impression of the "New China," in his book "Amar Dekha Naya Chin" on his 1952 visit. The foreign minister lauded the support of the Chinese government and the Chinese ambassador in addressing the Covid-19 pandemic in Bangladesh, particularly for the gift of over 5 million doses and for opening the commercial supply line of 77 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines to Bangladesh at the most critical time of the pandemic, and good progress of the China-assisted mega projects in Bangladesh. Both sides exchanged views on regional and multilateral issues of mutual interest, including cooperation in different multilateral fora on SDGs, climate change, and South-South cooperation. Read more: Shahriar bids farewell to Li Jiming Reiterating Bangladesh's position on the "One China Policy," the foreign minister said Bangladesh shares the vision for a free, open, peaceful, secure, and inclusive Indo-Pacific, based on international law and with shared prosperity for all. He hoped that China would continue to extend support towards the repatriation of the Rohingyas from Bangladesh to Myanmar at an early date for peace and security in the region.    

Riding on another heroics of Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Bangladesh sealed an ODI series win against India on Wednesday at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium, beating the visitors by five runs. Rohit Sharma came back to bat despite sustaining a blow that required him to visit a hospital and scored a 27-ball fifty to give Bangladesh a real scare. In the last three overs, India needed 40 runs. Mustafizur Rahman recorded a maiden over in the 48th over against Mohammad Siraj. Mahmudullah Riyad conceded 20 runs off the 49th over, with Rohit hitting him for two sixes as two catches were dropped by Ebadot Hossain and Anamul Haque Bijoy. Mustafizur came to bowl the 50th over and defended 20 runs despite Rohit smashing him for two fours and one six. It was the second straight win for Bangladesh in the series. Bangladesh won the first match by one wicket. On both occasions, Mehidy was the hero for Bangladesh. India began with a major setback in reply to Bangladesh's 271 as their opener, Rohit, was injured during Bangladesh's innings and was unable to start the innings. Virat Kohli and Shikhar Dhawan were dismissed within the first three overs of the innings. To recover from the early loss of Virat and Shikhar, Shreyas Iyer took the responsibility of leading India. He paired up with Washington Sundar, Lokesh Rahul, and Axar Patel to steady the ship after the initial damage. Despite Washington and Lokesh being unable to provide the needed support, Axar scored an impressive 56 runs off 56 balls. The fifth-wicket partnership between Axar and Shreyas proved fruitful as they added more than 100 runs and brought India back into contention. However, Mehidy sent Shreyas back to the pavilion for 82 runs. By the 43rd over, India were reduced to 207/7. This was when Rohit made a surprising comeback to the field to join Deepak Chahar after Shakib Al Hasan dismissed Shardul Thakur. The Indian captain gave his all but failed to win the match as his team managed to score 266 for nine and lost the match by five runs. For Bangladesh, Ebadot Hossain took three wickets; Mehidy and Shakib bagged two wickets each.     Earlier, despite a poor performance by the top and middle orders, Mehidy and Mahmudullah powered Bangladesh to 271 runs. While Mahmudullah scored 77, Mehidy was not out for 100 off 83 balls— his best ODI innings— with eight fours and four sixes. After Bangladesh lost six wickets for 69 runs within 18 overs, Mehidy and Mahamudullah staged a remarkable recovery of 148 runs off 165 balls. Before their heroics, Siraj and Umran Malik gave Bangladesh a hard time after they elected to bat first. Also, Siraj put Bangladesh under pressure early on by taking the wickets of Anamul Haque Bijoy and Liton Das in quick succession. Umran then removed Najmul Hossain Shanto with a lethal 151kmph ball. Washington Sundar then poured more misery on Bangladesh by taking the wickets of Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim, and Afif Hossain. When Bangladesh seemed to be heading toward collapse, Mehidy and Mahmudullah joined forces and rescued their team. Mehidy attacked the Indian bowling most in the last five overs when Bangladesh scored more than 60 runs — at an average exceeding 11. For India, Washington bagged three while Siraj and Umran shared four wickets among them. The final match of this series will be played on December 10 in Chattogram.

UN Resident Coordinator in Bangladesh Gwyn Lewis Wednesday said they remind Bangladesh of its commitments, as a UN member state, to "free expression, media freedom, and peaceful assembly" among others written in the Declaration as the country is coming closer to its national election next year. "We reaffirm the UN's full support to Bangladesh in upholding its commitments," she said in a media statement celebrating Human Rights Day 2022 which falls on December 10. Gwyn Lewis said: "Ours is a shared humanity rooted in universal values. A threat to the rights of one person is a threat to the whole of society." "Celebrating Human Rights Day is an opportunity to reflect on what they have in common with each other and what that binds them together." Read more: Gwyn Lewis of Ireland appointed UNRC in Bangladesh International Human Rights Day is the day on which the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, entitling everyone, regardless of race, colour, sex, religion, political or other views to inalienable rights. "This year we have seen the consequences of crises driven by the Covid-19 pandemic, the devastating Ukraine war and climate change that have disproportionately impacted the most vulnerable across the world, impeding their access to basic services, to be protected and their right to live in peace," said Gwyn Lewis. Read more: Climate-impacted countries like Bangladesh need financial, tech support: UN Resident Coordinator Remembering the Declaration that says that "all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights," the UN in solidarity with all Bangladeshis, recommits itself to upholding the core values of dignity, equality and liberty, including thought and conscience.  

The US Embassy in Bangladesh on Wednesday issued an alert for its citizens living here asking them to avoid demonstrations and exercise caution in the vicinity of any large gatherings. “U.S. citizens should practice vigilance and remember that demonstrations intended to be peaceful can turn confrontational and escalate into violence.  Review personal security plans; remain aware of your surroundings, including local events; and monitor local news stations for updates,“ it said in a statement. The next general election in Bangladesh is anticipated to be held before or during January 2024, and political party rallies and other election-related activities have already commenced, it added. Read more: US Trade Show in Dhaka to demonstrate “commitment to support Bangladesh”  “Political rallies and demonstrations may be held with increasing frequency or intensity as the general election draws nearer.  Two of Bangladesh’s largest political parties have announced rallies in different areas of Dhaka for December 10, 2022, “ said the statement.

Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Bangladesh Lee Jang-keun on Wednesday said the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties will be a "springboard" to take Bangladesh-South Korea relations to a new height. Stressing that 2023 will be a milestone to elevate Bangladesh-South Korea partnership to a new height with a series of events, Ambassador Lee wished "wide and active participation" of the citizens of the two countries. "Let’s celebrate it together, let’s make it together and let’s work together for the brighter future of the Korea-Bangladesh ties," he said. The Ambassador was speaking at an event unveiling the 50th anniversary logo which signifies the friendship between Bangladesh and South Korea.  Read more: Dhaka, Seoul to explore untapped potential for brighter future: Ambassador The government of the Republic of Korea and the People’s Republic of Bangladesh unveiled the official logo for the 50th anniversary of Korea-Bangladesh diplomatic relations in 2023 at the award-giving ceremony of the logo design contest at the premise of the Korean Embassy. Through this event officially a year-long celebration of the 50th diplomatic anniversary began.  Mashfee Binte Shams, Secretary (East), Ministry of Foreign Affairs, joined the occasion as the chief guest and congratulated the winners. Saber Hossain Choudury, MP,  Ryu Young-oh, President of the Korean Community in Bangladesh, among others, were present. Korea recognized the newly independent Bangladesh in May 1972 and established consular relations in September 1973 and finally diplomatic relations in December 1973. "It is from today that we'll start the year-long celebration of our diplomatic anniversary. There will be many programs and events for the next one year to celebrate our anniversary. Today this ceremony is the start and the first official ceremony for the celebration," said Ambassador Lee. Sharing the three goals or wishes he is having in mind to celebrate this diplomatic year, the envoy said, "First, I wish to document the story and history of our relations during the past five decades." He hoped that this anniversary is not just for the government but for all the people of Korea and Bangladesh. "I do wish that all Bangladesh and Korean people will actively join in our celebration. And it is the very reason why we have implemented this logo design contest," he said. The Ambassador said he is planning to work closely with the Korean community in Bangladesh in line with the celebration. "Already, the Korean community in Bangladesh declared the first week of March as Korean Week and plans to host several celebration events. There will be K-pop performances, a business fair and Korea Cup Golf Tournament," he said. Read more: South Korea opens infrastructure cooperation center in Dhaka

Despite a poor performance by the top and middle orders, Mehidy Hasan Miraz's maiden ODI hundred and Mahmudullah Riyad's effective knock guided Bangladesh to an impressive total of 271 runs in the second ODI against India in the three-match series in Mirpur. While Mahmudullah fell for 77, Miraz was not out, scoring 100* off 83 balls—his best innings in the format—with 8 fours and 4 sixes.  After Bangladesh lost six wickets for 69 runs within 18 overs, Miraz and Mahamudullah staged a remarkable partnership of 148 runs off 165 balls, propelling team Bangladesh to a challenging total of 260 runs. Their invaluable contribution gave Bangladesh a realistic chance of winning the match. Read more: Bangladesh win toss, batting first in 2nd ODI vs India Before Miraz and Mahamudullah's heroics, Mohammad Siraj and Umran Malik gave Bangladesh a difficult start to the innings after they elected to bat first. Thanks to their efforts with the ball, Bangladesh found themselves in a very precarious situation, requiring an unlikely recovery to set a decent total. Siraj put Bangladesh under pressure early on by taking the wickets of Anamul Haque Bijoy and Liton Das in quick succession. Umran then delivered a lethal 151 kmph fast ball, which Najmul Hossain Shanto failed to connect with, resulting in his off-stump being destroyed. Washington Sundar then compounded Bangladesh's misery by taking the wickets of Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim, and Afif Hossain, with the latter going for a golden duck. This triple-strike gave India a huge advantage and left Bangladesh on the back foot. When Bangladesh seemed to be heading for a disastrous collapse, Miraz and Mahmudullah combined forces and rescued their team from the cliff edge. They put on an impressive partnership of 148 runs until Umran bowled a short-pitched delivery, which Mahmudullah failed to connect properly with and plucked a dolly to the wicket-keeper. Read more: 2nd ODI: Bangladesh struggle against dominant Indian bowlers Mahmudullah eventually closed off the innings with 77 off 96 balls, featuring seven boundaries, despite his poor form in the first match, leading to many questions being asked of him. Nevertheless, Bangladesh coach Russell Domingo showed faith in his batter's abilities, believing that Mahmudullah could deliver when it mattered most. Miraz continues to amaze the fans with his batting ability. He was the hero of Bangladesh in the first match that Bangladesh won from a lost position, and now he saved the Tigers from a batting collapse that looked inevitable at one point. Mehidy Hasan Miraz was most aggressive against Indian bowling in the last five overs, when Bangladesh scored more than 60 runs at an average of more than 11. Miraz managed to reach his first One-Day International century thanks to his attacking display, and Bangladesh got a total of 271 to challenge a strong Indian batting lineup. For India, Washington bagged three wickets, while Siraj and Umran shared four wickets between them.

Bangladesh are suffering a batting collapse, losing 6 wickets for just 69 runs, in 18 overs while batting first in the second ODI against India at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium on Wednesday (December 07, 2022). Mohammad Siraj bagged two wickets, while Umran Malik took one and Washington Sundar got the crucial breakthrough by removing Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim, and Afif Hossain who scored a duck. Anamul Haque Bijoy was the first one to fall, as he was trapped LBW by Mohammad Siraj after facing a series of fuller deliveries, hitting two boundaries and scoring 11 off 9 balls. Read: Bangladesh win toss, batting first in 2nd ODI vs India Mohammad Siraj scalped the wicket of Bangladesh captain Liton Das with a well-executed good length inswinger, smashing his middle stumps. Liton made 7 runs off 23 balls, failing to get into a rhythm in the middle. Umran Malik sent Bangladesh into further turmoil as he removed Najmul Hossain Shanto with a 151 kmph fast delivery. Shanto might have anticipated a short delivery, yet it was not to be as he went for a drive to the cover unsuccessfully, losing his off-stump in the process. Bangladesh had come into the second match of the series looking to win it and take the lead, after narrowly winning the first game against India on December 06, 2022 by one wicket at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium. However, this batting collapse might bring a result that the Bangladeshi fans at Mirpur are not expecting at all. Read: BAN vs IND: Tigers eye second consecutive win