Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen has said they want to see a "free, fair, non-violent and transparent" election and achieve the goal to build a "Smart Bangladesh" ensuring peace and stability. "We want all from the entire world to come and see, and learn from us," he said while talking to journalists after his meeting with a team of European Union (EU) experts at his residence on Wednesday (December 27, 2023) night. Momen, however, said the visiting EU team only listened to him as they wanted to know a few things, but did not make any comment on the election. “They didn't even want to talk to the media.” He said Bangladesh is a democratic country, and there is a very strong Election Commission in place that is taking all necessary steps to hold a fair election. Asked about BNP's allegations to the EU team in a separate meeting, the foreign minister said the government has not arrested anyone on political grounds but arrested those who were involved in “terrorist activities.” Also read: Don’t want to see any proxy war in region; want to show world fair polls: FM He referred to CCTV footage and statements made by some BNP supporters, mentioning who instructed them to carry out arson attacks and vandalism. "Not a single person has been arrested for political reasons . Only criminals have been arrested. We cannot tolerate terrorism," Momen said. The foreign minister said some big countries want Bangladesh to purchase things from them, but Bangladesh does not do so at the cost of sacrificing public interests. "That's why they are unhappy to some extent. But we follow our principles. If you stand by your principles, your dignity will be enhanced," Momen said. Also read: EU polls mission holds meeting with FM Momen, BNP leaders in Sylhet He also talked about Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s desire to build a “Sonar Bangla” and a “Smart Bangladesh.” "We want peace. We want stability. We don't want terrorism. We want freedom of media and freedom of speech. We want the continuation of democracy. We want more job opportunities," Momen told the reporters, referring to Awami League's election manifesto. Before going to Sylhet, Momen also talked to reporters in Dhaka on Wednesday afternoon. Highlighting the importance of peace and stability for greater development, he said they do not want to see any “proxy war” in the region. “Our main goal is that we do not want to see any proxy war here. Problems remain there where we see proxy war despite having resources. Europe has fallen into proxy war and is facing challenges,” he told reporters, noting that there might be efforts to make the countries in the region weaker. Momen said Bangladesh has taken a leadership role in the region and other countries acknowledge this. Read more Cumilla presiding officer show-caused for campaigning in favour of AL candidate Mustafa Kamal

The European Commission has said addressing the root causes of the protracted crisis, including the systematic abuses suffered by the hundreds of thousands of Rohingya remaining in Rakhine State, must remain an international priority. "In this regard, the European Union (EU) fully supports the work of the International Court of Justice," said High Representative/Vice-President Borrell, Commissioner Lenarcic and Commissioner Urpilainen on the 5th anniversary of the Rohingya crisis. The EU continues to advocate for the "safe, sustainable, dignified, and voluntary" return of the Rohingya refugees to their places of origin. The EU also continues to support the work of the Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar to ensure full accountability for the crimes committed against them, reads the statement. On 25 August 2017, the world witnessed the beginning of the forced displacement of more than 750 000 Rohingya people from Rakhine State in Myanmar, fleeing violence and persecution from the Myanmar military. The vast majority of them settled temporarily in the Cox's Bazar District of Bangladesh, whereas others fled across the region. Read: UNHCR seeks more support from international community for Rohingyas Five years later, and despite international efforts and calls on Myanmar to create the conditions for their return to their homeland, the future of the Rohingya remains uncertain, reads the statement. Bangladesh, in particular, has been hosting Rohingyas for decades, and since 2017 has expended considerable effort to ensure their protection and provide shelter and vital humanitarian assistance to almost one million Rohingya refugees. "Whereas the EU will - also through international organisations - continue to support Bangladesh in its fundamentally human and laudable response to the crisis, five years later, the provision of humanitarian assistance alone is reaching its limits," reads the statement. It is necessary to also identify and implement more sustainable interim solutions addressing the humanitarian, development, and peace dimensions of this crisis, pending their return, it said. In this context, the EU will continue to support international dialogue for peace and reconciliation efforts. Appalling crimes, including reported war crimes and crimes against humanity, have been committed against Rohingya and persons belonging to other minorities in Myanmar. "These crimes call for accountability. Today, the same military leadership responsible for the crimes against the Rohingya is leading Myanmar's junta," reads the statement. The EU reiterated its strong condemnation of the 1 February 2021 coup and of the grave human rights violations committed by the Myanmar Armed Forces against all the people of Myanmar since then. The EU expressed its unequivocal support for all the people of Myanmar, including Rohingya and other minorities, and their democratic aspirations.

A delegation of European Parliament's Committee on International Trade began their three-day visit here on Monday. Heidi Hautala, MEP is leading the European Parliament delegation to Bangladesh. Bangladesh and the European Union (EU) will discuss mainly trade related issues during the visit. “They are interested in following trade relations between the EU and Bangladesh which are growing very strongly,” EU Ambassador to Bangladesh Charles Whiteley told reporters after his recent meeting with State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md Shahriar Alam He said the delegation of the Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) will meet different ministers and other organizations. Read:MEPs’ Bangladesh Visit: Trade issues to get priority The EU ambassador said both sides will be looking at GSP regulation, which is their global regulation as they are very committed and interested on the trade front. The State Minister said the delegation will visit privately owned factories and see Bangladesh’s development. Bangladesh is already engaging in the GSP Plus issue which is a rather difficult process and the EU says it is very encouraging to see awareness in Bangladesh. The EU is very happy that the Everything but Arms (EBA) has helped Bangladesh and thanked Bangladesh for the high quality clothing that they get from the country. Bangladesh suggested an extension of the existing DFQF market access for Bangladesh in the European market by nine years beyond the three years of leeway after the graduation. Bangladesh can still enjoy the duty-free quota-free market access after 2026 up to 2029. The EU’s Generalised Scheme of Preferences Plus (GSP+) gives developing countries a special incentive to pursue sustainable development and good governance. Eligible countries have to implement 27 international conventions on human rights, labour rights, the environment and good governance. The State Minister said there will be a wide-ranging discussion with the EU delegation. Bangladesh draws worldwide attention for keeping up its growth momentum despite the global recession triggered by the pandemic and war, he said.

The European Union (EU) is allocating €200,000 (over Tk 19 million) to provide emergency humanitarian assistance to families affected by the flash floods in north eastern Bangladesh. The aid will benefit over 20,000 people in districts affected by the floods, said the EU Embassy in Dhaka on Tuesday. Also read: Bangladesh wants fair prices for its products in European market The EU funding supports the Bangladesh Red Cross Society (BDRCS) in delivering immediate assistance through the provision of drinking water, emergency sanitation, health services, hygiene parcels, and cash assistance in the Sylhet and Sunamganj districts. The aid provides lifesaving support to those most in need, including those living in temporary shelters, the elderly, people with disabilities, children and women. Floods devastated both farmland and cities and both farmers and city dwellers are affected.  The funding is part of the EU’s overall contribution to the Disaster Relief Emergency Fund (DREF) of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC). Disaster preparedness, disaster risk reduction and resilience remain key priority areas for the EU in Bangladesh. Due to its geographical location, the country is prone to seasonal flooding, landslides, and cyclones, said the EU. This makes it one of the world’s most vulnerable countries to the effects of climate change. Also read:EU leaders agree to ban 90% of Russian oil by year-end The EU helps communities at risk from natural hazards, supporting early action in highly flood-prone and cyclone-prone areas. The EU has been working in Bangladesh since 2002, both in disaster preparedness and emergency response activities with a total funding of more than €361 million.

Cabinet Secretary Khandker Anwarul Islam has urged the development partners to join hands with the government to adopt innovative policy in order to provide the poor and vulnerable with the instruments for a sustainable growth. He reminded the audience that social safety nets have played a vital role in containing the socio-economic effects of the Covid-19 pandemic. The Cabinet Secretary was addressing as the chief guest at a workshop on “Lifecycle Based Social Protection Systems in Bangladesh” on Sunday, according to a press release. Also read:Rab is a brand name for peace, don’t malign it: Shahriar It was organized under the leadership of the Cabinet Division and with the technical support of the European Union (EU) Technical Assistance to Support Social Security in Bangladesh (TA SSSR). Around 100 government officials from Cabinet Division and other social protection focal ministries attended the event held at a city hotel. The European Union-funded the workshop under the framework of its budget support programme in the social protection sector, which aims to support the Government of Bangladesh (GoB) to accelerate social security reforms, in line with the spirit of the 2015 National Social Security Strategy (NSSS). This budget support operation amounts to EUR 247 million, as direct tranches to the government, and EUR 6.5 million for technical assistance, to support the Cabinet Division and other ministries to better deliver services and increase the number of citizens reached through social security plans and programmes. Md. Rahat Anwar, additional secretary, Coordination Wing, Cabinet Division and Md Shamsul Arefin, secretary, Coordination and Reforms, Cabinet Division participated in the event as special guests. The technical session, led by Kavim V Bhatnagar, TA SSSR, reviewed the NSSS focus to consolidate social security programmes within a lifecycle framework. In a typical life cycle, ranging from early pregnancy to old age, individuals face different risks and vulnerabilities at different stages. The need for policies to support individuals at each stage of their life, and for social protection strategies to mitigate risks at each stage, said the EU Embassy in Dhaka. It also highlighted the needs for the GoB to address the most important gaps in lifecycle coverage, for the early childhood and the working-age populations. Moreover, the technical presentation explored the possibilities of providing social insurance (unemployment, injury, sickness and maternity) and contributory pension, as envisaged under the National Social Insurance Scheme (NSIS), embedded in the NSSS. With rapidly ageing population of the elderly, the NSSS acknowledges the need to develop a comprehensive pension system that provides a state-guaranteed minimum income for senior citizens belonging to the poor and vulnerable group, while building a contributory pension system for those working age families who want to provide for themselves a higher level of pension income in old age. Syed Saad Hussain Gilani, Chief Technical Advisor, ILO and Syed Moazzem Hussain, Senior Technical Advisor, GIZ presented their recent projects to pilot an employment injury scheme in the formal sector, showing how the NSIS spirit is translated into reality. Also read:US HR report appears to encourage creating a “society of lawlessness”: Dhaka Among the discussants, Dr. Md. Khairuzzaman Mozumder, Additional Secretary, Finance Division highlighted the progressive increment in the national social security budget over the past years and the achievements in the digitalization of beneficiaries’ data and in the number of cash transfers’ beneficiaries paid through G2P. Mohammad Khaled Hasan, joint secretary, Cabinet Division, presented the Beveridge model, which inspired the lifecycle approach embedded in the National Social Security Strategy and presented the way forward for important social protection institutional reforms. Hans Lambrecht, Head of Cooperation (acting) at Delegation of the European Union to Bangladesh highlighted that one of the challenges for delivery pro-poor, inclusive and shock responsive social assistance and social insurance interventions, is the absence of updated and reliable beneficiaries’ data. “For this reason, the EU welcomes with enthusiasm the new MoLE planned project to develop a Labour Information Management System (LIMS), with a module on a digital workers registry. Data are a fundamental asset, which needs to be placed in the hands of the government of Bangladesh to ensure that the social security interventions reach the people in need in the shortest time possible. The EU is ready to support the GoB to accelerate this essential reform.”

European Union (EU) Special Envoy for the Indo-Pacific Gabriele Visentin on Friday said their strategy is all about “cooperation not confrontation.” “So, this strategy is also about scaling up and diversifying our political and economic partnership across the Indo-Pacific. We want to uphold international law and multilateralism,” he told diplomatic correspondents during an interactive session at Jatiya Press Club. He said EU wants to deepen their cooperation with democratic like-minded partners. Diplomatic Correspondents Association, Bangladesh (DCAB) organized the session attended by Deputy Head of Mission of the European Union to Bangladesh Jeremy Opritesco, DCAB President Rezaul Karim Lotus and its General Secretary AKM Moinuddin. Read:Dhaka invites more investments from Seoul The special envoy said the EU’s engagement in the Indo-Pacific is to cooperate whenever possible but to protect whenever necessary.   He claimed that their strategy is inclusive and open to all their partners wishing to cooperate with the EU and it does include China.

The European Union (EU) and twelve other foreign missions in Dhaka have demonstrated their solidarity with Ukraine. The heads of the mission posed for a group photo holding Ukraine's flag which was tweeted and posted on Facebook page on Wednesday.  Read:Rohingya case: Bangladesh assures continued support for The Gambia "EU joins 12 other missions in Dhaka in showing solidarity for the terrible suffering inflicted on the people of Ukraine by Russian aggression, contrary to the UN Charter and international law," EU Ambassador to Bangladesh Charles Whiteley tweeted. Japanese Ambassador to Bangladesh Ito Naoki, while addressing a seminar, expressed concern about the crisis in Ukraine saying that "unilaterally attempt" to change the status quo by force.  "Peace is of utmost importance for the stable development and economic growth of each country, and such a crisis must never happen in Asia and the Pacific region, "he added. Ambassador of Sweden to Bangladesh Alexandra Berg von Linde said Russia’s "aggression" against Ukraine is causing severe human suffering.  "It’s a violation of one of the most fundamental rights of international law - the UN Charter’s prohibition on the use of force against another country," she tweeted.  British High Commissioner to Bangladesh Robert Chatterton Dickson tweeted with the photo and wrote, "Heads of Mission in Bangladesh from 13 countries of the 141 which voted in the UN General Assembly to condemn Russia’s illegal, unprovoked war of aggression against Ukraine." Read:Dhaka, Riyadh agree to develop "comprehensive partnership" "Proud to show our solidarity with Ukraine and Ukrainian people together with 12 fellow Heads of Mission in Dhaka. Civilians are #NotATarget," Ambassador of Switzerland to Bangladesh Nathalie Chuard tweeted.  Deputy Chief of Mission at US Embassy in Dhaka Helen LaFave also joined senior representatives from twelve diplomatic missions in Dhaka to express support for Ukraine in the face of Russia’s unprovoked attack.  "The United States and its partners continue to give urgently-needed security assistance, humanitarian aid, and economic support to the people of Ukraine," said the US Embassy in Dhaka on Thursday.

The newly built Patenga Container Terminal (PCT) in Chattogram is set to start its operation in June, said Chattogram Port Authority Chairman Rear Admiral M Shahjahan. “After the opening of the terminal, it’ll be possible to handle 145 million TEUS containers in a year,” he said. Read: $58 million Patenga Container Terminal approved in principle Shahjahan revealed the information while talking at a views-exchange meeting with Ambassador of the European Union (EU) to Bangladesh Charles Whiteley, Italian Ambassador to Bangladesh Enrico Nunziata and a BGMEA delegation at Chattogram Port Building on Sunday.

Ambassador of the European Union (EU) to Bangladesh Charles Whiteley on Thursday appreciated the government’s “very open approach” towards the foreign observers for the next national election noting that the EU is keen to follow the polls closely. “I would say we very much welcomed the statement by the foreign minister (Dr AK Abdul Momen) the other day where he said Bangladesh would welcome and have an open approach to any foreign observation missions that would wish to come and follow the elections,” he said. Read: No impact on European business interest in Bangladesh, says EU envoy about sanctions The diplomat made the remarks while responding to a question at a programme titled “Meet the Reporters” hosted by the Dhaka Reporters’ Unity (DRU) at its Nasrul Hamid Auditorium. DRU President Nazrul Islam Mithu and General Secretary Nurul Islam Hasib also spoke at the event. The EU envoy said they follow elections closely all around the world and every year they identify 30 priority countries for EU election observation missions. “And so those priorities for 2023 haven't yet been established.” Ambassador Whiteley clearly said the elections are of great interest and they have a very wide ranging relationship with Bangladesh; and that includes engagement in governance and other issues. “I think that shows a very open approach and we're  certainly keen to follow the elections closely with that in mind,” he said, mentioning that they have seen the steps that the government is now taking in terms of the relevant law. Bangladesh is going to have a legal framework for selecting the chief election commissioner and other election commissioners as parliament passed the “Appointment of the Chief Election Commissioner and Election Commissioners Bill-2022" on Thursday. Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Anisul Haq moved the Bill and it was passed by voice vote. Law Minister Anisul Huq placed the Bill in parliament on January 23 seeking to give a legal shield to the current and previous Election Commissions formed through search committees. It was sent to the respective scrutiny committee for deeper examination. Read:Bangladesh one step away to have a law on EC formation Earlier in his opening remarks, the Ambassador said they are often referred to as the development partner in their relations with Bangladesh. “But the relationship isn't just about development. You know, the relationship is far more intense and wide ranging now than the traditional development partner relationship we had for many years.” He said they will celebrate with Bangladesh to commemorate those 50 years and look forward to the coming decades to further deepen the relations and importantly to witness the transition of Bangladesh into developing country status from an LDC status. The Ambassador said there are challenges on the path to transition and he thinks the government is well aware of those challenges.

Ambassador of the European Union (EU) to Bangladesh Charles Whiteley on Thursday said he does not see any sign that the recent decision on sanctions is having an impact on European business interest in Bangladesh or their desire to take that business forward.“I would say business is business, and they (businesses) pay attention to whether they can make money in the country and whether there are  attractive business climates. So, I haven't seen any signs yet that these developments would have an impact on business engagement in Bangladesh,” he said.The EU envoy also said businesses pay attention to the overall picture in a country.Ambassador Whiteley said what matters to businesses is to do their business in a “good, clean and fair way” with a level playing field. “I think that's the primary concern. Sometimes, political developments can have an impact on businesses.” Read: It’s done to alert, not to punish: US envoy about sanctionsThe diplomat made the remarks while responding to a question at a programme titled “Meet the Reporters” hosted by the Dhaka Reporters’ Unity (DRU) at its Nasrul Hamid Auditorium. DRU President Nazrul Islam Mithu and General Secretary Nurul Islam Hasib also spoke at the programme. One of the reporters sought the Ambassador's comments on the letter written by Ivan Stefanec, a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) to Josep Borrell, High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy.In reply, Ambassador Whiteley said the fact is that the letter came from an individual MEP, not from the European Parliament as a whole. “It's not coming from the European Union Commission. It's not coming from the European Union Council. I’ve full respect for the rights of individual MEPs to write their letters.”He, however, declined to comment on the allegations about why this letter may have been written. “All I can say is that this is a democratically elected MEP, choosing to highlight what he considers his concerns about Bangladesh with our High Representative.”The Ambassador said that is a perfectly normal procedure when they have a parliament with over 700 MEPs which is engaged on issues around the world. “So, it's not an unusual thing to happen.”The envoy mentioned that it is no surprise that an individual member of European Parliament would write such a letter.“I’ve no information about what you're talking about in terms of who may have supported the writing of that letter. But he's written in his capacity as an individual Member of the European Parliament to our High Representative,” he added. Read: Momen writes to Blinken seeking removal of sanctionsThe Ambassador said when they get a letter it is their practice to always reply to that letter. “So, I'm sure the High Representative will be replying in due course.”He did not comment on the sanctions imposed by the US saying that is a matter for the United States “But of course, we as you know, follow these developments closely. We, as the European Union, conduct our own policy on human rights and have our own engagement. So, I wouldn't comment further on how the US chooses to conduct its foreign policy.”The Ambassador said the EU expressed concerns about several human rights issues in Bangladesh, including an annual Human Rights Report, which is freely available online.The European Parliament itself has adopted resolutions in the past on the human rights situation in Bangladesh, he said, adding that, “I think most recently, in 2018.”