United News of Bangladesh

India has reiterated that the ongoing situation in Bangladesh is its “internal matter” and hoped that the country would return to normalcy soon. "India considers the ongoing situation in the country to be an internal matter of Bangladesh. We are hopeful that the situation will return to normal soon," Spokesperson at the Indian Ministry of External Affairs Randhir Jaiswal told reporters on Thursday. He said that as a close neighbour, India shares very warm and friendly ties with Bangladesh. The MEA Spokesperson also said they deeply appreciate Bangladesh’s efforts to help Indian students and its nationals. Responding to a question, he confirmed that they received diplomatic communication from the Bangladesh side protesting the remarks made by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. Earlier, Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud confirmed that the issue was communicated with the Indian government. "With due respect to (West Bengal) Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, I would like to say we have excellent relations with her. We have deep relations. But her remarks created confusion to some extent, and there is scope to be misled,” Hasan said. On Friday too, the Ministry of External Affairs, India described the situation as an “internal affair of Bangladesh.” The high commission of India in Dhaka is in touch with local authority for the safety of their nationals in Bangladesh, said the MEA spokesperson last Friday in New Delhi. He said they remain committed to provide all possible assistance to Indian nationals in Bangladesh. There are around 8,500 students and 15,000 Indian nationals living in Bangladesh. The MEA spokesperson also said, they are aware of the measures taken by local authorities. The government of India issued an advisory for Indian nationals including their students who are living in Bangladesh. Helpline numbers remain operative 24 hours for the safety and assistance if required. The Indian high commission in Dhaka will provide updates regularly.  

The United States has said its Embassy in Dhaka remains operational and they authorized the "voluntary departure of nonemergency personnel" and their family members. "The embassy does remain open to provide consular and other services to United States citizens who are in Bangladesh," said the US Department of State Spokesperson Matthew Miller. He said that safety and security of US citizens are obviously their first priority. US State Department’s “false claim” of two deaths sparks criticism; senior journalists question objectivity "We encourage any U.S. citizen who is worried about their safety and security, has concerns, anything they want to discuss, to contact our embassy," Miller said during a regular briefing at the US Department of State on July 24. Miller said they have made their concerns clear about the ongoing security situation in Bangladesh. "We announced the other day that we are exploring all options to ensure the safety of our personnel in Dhaka," the US State Department spokesperson said. Peacekeepers play essential role in promoting peace, security globally: US State Department Expressing optimism over the return of normalcy in the country soon, Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud on Tuesday said the current situation does not warrant foreign mission officials to leave Bangladesh. “The situation will get back to normalcy within a couple of days. No situation is prevailing in the country that they (foreigners) need to leave Bangladesh,” he told reporters while responding to a question at a media briefing at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

A fake social media profile using the name of Italian Ambassador in Dhaka, Antonio Alessandro, has been removed, officials have confirmed.  Earlier, the Italian Ambassador reported that a fake profile has been created on X (formerly Twitter) in his name.  The Italian government informed that whatever message appeared from such a profile is not attributable to Ambassador Alessandro. Some protest related photos and messages were shared from that fake account.  While all necessary steps have been taken to request the removal of the fake social media profile, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Italian Republic is thankful to the competent authorities in Dhaka for assuring the protection of Ambassador Alessandro and the staff of the Embassy, according to a diplomatic communication seen by UNB.

Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi has protested a news article with false information, titled “Indian students flee Dhaka amid violent clashes, PM Sheikh Hasina airlifted,” published online as well as a related post on the X handle of India Today NE on July 21, 2024. "We request all the news outlets, including the India Today NE, to remain vigil and ensure objective and balanced reporting taking account of the sensitivity of the issue," reads a rejoinder sent by the Bangladesh High Commission.  Shaban Mahmood, Minister (Press) sent the rejoinder to the media outlet on behalf of the High Commission on July 22.  While the article was premised on misleading information in more detail, the X post reads: “Amidst this chaos, reports confirmed that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was airlifted from her residence in Dhaka. Her current whereabouts remain unknown.” Read more: It's your internal affair but we are with you: Diplomats to govt Although both the article and the post were subsequently taken down within a few hours, the misinformation on the status of the Government of Bangladesh went viral within a short span of time, and triggered huge confusion and anxiety among people at home and abroad, the rejoinder reads. "On behalf of the High Commission of Bangladesh, I express my sheer disappointment at the aforesaid erroneous article and post. As you are well aware, our country is going through a challenging time due to the ongoing student protests," reads the rejoinder.  “This kind of misinformation and reporting based on rumour at the time of such critical moment of any country may misguide the people and even add fuel to the crisis and turn the situation into more chaotic,” said the High Commission.  Moreover, such kind of reporting, without gauging the sensitivity, does not only negatively affect the people and the society at large, but also puts the credibility of any news outlet in question.  On July 21, 2024, the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of Bangladesh delivered a historic verdict on reforming the quota system in the public service employment.  Read more: Diplomats witnessing destruction in Dhaka were stunned: Foreign Minister The court ordered 93% of the government jobs to be allocated on a merit-based system, which has been the demand of the students.  While welcoming the order of the apex court of the country, the Government of Bangladesh has also taken a slew of measures to ensure safety and security of the people and property, said the High Commission.  With this, the situation has significantly improved, and it is expected that normalcy will return soon, it said.

"It's very clear that China has entered a new era under President Xi Jinping. Reform is the hallmark of this new era and President Xi Jinping is the helmsman of reform, spearheading China's development, modernization and reform in the 21st century," said host Mushahid Hussain Sayed, former chairman of Pakistan's Senate Defense Committee on CGTN's show Global South Voices. The fifth episode focuses on the just-concluded third plenary session of the CPC 20th Central Committee. Guests analyze the key takeaways from this meeting, how China's reform benefit the world as well as the misunderstandings towards China's reform process. Masood Khalid, former Ambassador of Pakistan to China, focused on the key points of the recent plenary session, particularly China's path of reform and its people-centered approach. He stated, "If you look at China's progress, it is incremental and definite. It has achieved what can be described as the transformation of China over the last 40 years and the transformation of the world’s economy. This plenum was important. I think the most interesting thing I found was the emphasis on the word 'reform,' particularly the deepening of reforms. The word 'reform' has been used countless times in this document. This shows the clarity of the Chinese leadership in terms of the future trajectory that China wants to follow and the clear timelines provided, aiming for a high-standard socialist market economy by 2035." Jack Perry, chairman of the 48 Group Club in the UK, has deep ties with China. His grandfather, also named Jack Perry, is renowned as the "Icebreaker" of Sino-British relations. In 1953, Jack Perry, then chairman of the London Export Corporation, led a group of British business people to break the Western world's blockade of the newly established People's Republic of China. Overcoming numerous obstacles, they initiated trade exchanges with China. The following year, 48 British companies aspiring to engage in trade with China founded the "48 Group of British Traders with China," which was renamed the "48 Group Club" in 1991. Growing up immersed in this environment, Perry recognized that China's uniqueness lies in its ability to "say what it means and do what it says." When China sets a plan, it follows through with determination and achieves results. In his view, China possesses a vision that extends "beyond the next 30 years." As a business representative, he sees great potential in collaborating with Chinese enterprises. In the past, the West's arrogance led to many missed opportunities. However, China has now caught up, leading the way in many fields such as infrastructure and biopharmaceuticals, and has genuinely contributed to the development of Western countries. Therefore, he urges Western companies to pay more attention to China's reforms and innovations, as this will be mutually beneficial. Actually, to the Global South countries, the fruits of China's reform are not confined to China but shared by all. Gerald Mbanda, founder of Africa China Review, said that China's development depends on itself, not plunder and occupation. He gave the example that during the COVID-19 pandemic, China was the first country to provide vaccines to China. On the other hand, he said bluntly: "I see that China is pursuing high-quality development, but with human face and a human heart." As China's international influence grows, China's image continues to be misunderstood by the international community. The international environment of China's reform and opening up has also undergone major changes as China's economic size has grown and its voice has increased. Some countries have misunderstood and prejudiced China's reform and development, and even deliberately smeared it. Dhaka, Beijing elevate their relations to a "comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership" On the U.S.'s China strategy, Victor Gao, vice president of the Center for China and Globalization (CCG) believes that the U.S. is suffering from the "Tonya Harding Syndrome." Tonya Harding is a figure skating champion. She does not want to see Nancy Kerrigan taking her place. So, her associates knocked or whacked the kneecap of Nancy Kerrigan, putting her out of competition. The U.S. currently seems to be exactly employing this kind of "any means necessary" approach in its strategy towards China. But it is impossible for the U.S. to wipe out China in global competition. Instead, "China is the mega-trend. China is here to stay. China is committed to peace and stability and working with all countries as equals."

Diplomats stationed in Dhaka have described the situation centring the quota reform movement as Bangladesh's internal affair, but reiterated their commitment to stand beside Bangladesh, according to Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud. "It's your internal affair but we are with you," Hasan Mahmud quoted diplomats as saying during their visit to some of the sites of the devastation in the capital on Wednesday. He said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs sent a note to foreign missions in Dhaka requesting not to make any comments to media which the diplomats followed accordingly. "Today, they (diplomats) didn't want to talk to media. That's why we did not invite the media during their visit to affected sites," Hasan said. The foreign minister also thanked the media as they did not encourage the diplomats to make comments this time. "In the past, the diplomats were encouraged to talk when such a situation took place," he observed. The diplomats got "stunned" seeing the destruction at state-run television BTV, metro rail and Bridges Division building. Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen, Diplomats from India, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Maldives, Myanmar, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Palestine, Russia, China, Japan, Türkiye, Germany, Italy, Spain, Egypt, Brunei, Algeria and Argentina were present.

Diplomats stationed in Dhaka on Wednesday visited some of the devastated and affected sites in the city and were “stunned” by the scale, Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud said on Wednesday. “They were stunned. Many of them (diplomats) said this is a shame. Many of them shared this feeling. All of them said ‘we are with you; it is your internal affair but we are with you,’” the minister, who accompanied the diplomats, told reporters at state guesthouse Padma in the evening. Though they had plans to visit all the devastated areas, due to severe traffic congestion, the diplomats could visit three sites: BTV, metro rail station, and the Bridges Division. “Seeing these (destruction) with their own eyes, they were shocked. I am also shocked,” Hasan said, describing the attacks carried out by “BNP-Jamaat and militant groups.” He said this is something beyond imagination. “I don’t know whether you have visited those places including BTV. You will be shocked, too.” The foreign minister said he has seen a news report claiming that the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has stopped allowing in workers from Bangladesh. This is false, he said. “This is absolutely bogus. It is not justified to release such a report without proper verification. Such sensitive report should be released through proper verification,” he said, adding that the relevant director general at the Foreign Ministry talked to the UAE Ambassador in Dhaka. “They conveyed to us that no such decision has been taken.” Hasan said there were demonstrations in the UAE and Saudi Arabia and there were arrests there following their local laws. Around 54 persons were punished in the UAE. The foreign minister said there were protests in front of the Bangladesh mission in Los Angeles, USA where “Pakistani expatriates” were involved. “The BNP-Jamaat clique took support from the Pakistani community there,” he added. Hasan said representatives from 49 foreign missions including 23 Ambassadors and High Commissioners visited the devastated sites in Dhaka today. The High Commissioner of Pakistan was among them, he added. Responding to a question, the foreign minister said they have enough evidence and footage, and after going over them, steps will be taken. “We have enough evidence and footage. We are strongly committed to take legal steps against them,” he said. Responding to another question, the foreign minister said no UN vehicle was used during patrols over the last few days. “I am making it clear. These (vehicles) were given to UN peacekeeping missions on rent but the logo was not removed. Now the logo has been removed.” Earlier, during the diplomatic briefing, the foreign minister said that BNP-Jamaat activists and militant groups created anarchy mainly in Dhaka, and assured diplomats of restoring normalcy.

The United States has welcomed the release of Reverend Dr Hkalam Samson from prison in Myanmar after he served more than a year of a six-year sentence on military-led, manufactured charges.  Rev. Dr Samson is a prominent, well-respected religious leader whose courageous work includes advocating for freedom of religion or belief for all.  “We are pleased that he is finally able to return home to his family and continue his important work,” said Matthew Miller, US Department of State Spokesperson. US concerned by telecom disruptions in Bangladesh “While we welcome this news, we reiterate our calls for the military regime to end its repression of, and violence against, religious actors, communities, and sites and houses of worship in Burma (Myanmar),” he added. Miller said the regime has continued to imprison political actors, democratically elected officials, human rights defenders, and members of civil society.  “We continue to urge the military regime to immediately release the many individuals it has unjustly detained, cease its violence against civilians, allow unhindered humanitarian access, and respect the people of Burma’s aspirations for inclusive, representative democracy,” Miller said in a statement.

The United States has said they remain deeply concerned by the reports of ongoing telecommunications disruption across the country.  “We remain deeply concerned by reports of ongoing telecommunications disruptions across the country which limit the ability of people in Bangladesh, including American citizens there, to access critical information,” Spokesperson at the US Department of State Matthew Miller told reporters at a regular briefing on July 23.  He said that is something they have spoken out against in other countries, and they speak out against it when it comes to Bangladesh as well. “We will continue to make those concerns known.” Earlier, Miller said they continue to closely follow developments in Bangladesh and called for calm and de-escalation. US Senate majority leader weighs in on Bangladesh protests The US said they support “peaceful assembly and peaceful protests” but in all cases, they ought to be carried out peacefully. The government said it is working overnight to fully restore internet services as broadband internet was restored in some areas on a priority basis. The attackers torched and vandalised important government establishments, including key point installations like national data centre and optical fibre causing nationwide internet connectivity disruption. Now a peaceful environment prevails in the country and public and private offices were reopened on Wednesday (11am to 3pm) amid relaxation of curfew. Expressing optimism over return of normalcy in the country soon, Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud on Tuesday said the situation will get back to normalcy within a couple of days.

Top US Democratic Senator Chuck Schumer has weighed in on the situation surrounding the quota protests in Bangladesh. In a post on his handle on X, formerly Twitter, around 9am Bangladesh time on Tuesday, Schumer wrote: “I am closely observing the situation in Bangladesh with deep concern. The right to peaceably assemble and protest is a cornerstone of a democratic society. Violent repression of the student protest is wrong and will only lead to more unrest.” Schumer is the current Senate Majority Leader, i.e. the senior most member of the side that has the majority in the U.S. Senate, the upper house of the US parliamentary chamber, and is effectively the most powerful member of the Senate. He is the highest -ranking US politician to have spoken out on the unrest in Bangladesh.