United News of Bangladesh

Bangladesh and Germany on Thursday signed the financial and technical agreements on development cooperation between the two countries. Following the fruitful negotiations of the two governments on May 13-14 this year, the available amount up to EUR 180.807 million (approx. Tk 2265 crore) has been captured in these agreements with up to EUR 45.8 million for technical cooperation and up to EUR 135 million for financial cooperation. Md Shahriar Kader Siddiky, Secretary, Economic Relations Division (ERD), Ministry of Finance of Bangladesh and Achim Tröster, Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to Bangladesh, signed the agreement on behalf of the two governments. The signing ceremony was attended by officials from the government of Bangladesh, the German Embassy in Dhaka, the German Development Bank KfW, the German technical cooperation agencies GIZ and BGR. Read: Germany to support Bangladesh reforms; pledges 600 million Euro for renewable enegery  The cooperation under these agreements will take place in the areas of renewable energy and energy efficiency (up to EUR 50.5 million), sustainable urban development (up to eur 95.5 million), technical and vocational education and training (up to EUR 5.0 million), socially and environmentally sound supply chains, trade and infrastructure (EUR 12 million), protection of biodiversity (up to EUR 6.0 million) and for a project on combating domestic violence against women and children (up to EUR 7.0 million). Germany has been providing financial and technical assistance for the development of Bangladesh since 1972, which amounts today to a total of over 3.5 billion EUR.

Bangladesh and Malaysia have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to promote study, research and teaching of the Bangladeshi students, teachers and researchers in the Malaysian Universities. The MoU was signed between the University Grants Commission (UGC), Bangladesh and Education Malaysia Global Services (EMGS), Ministry of Higher Education on November 27 in Kuala Lumpur. Malaysia is growingly becoming one of the preferred destinations for Bangladeshi students over the years for its quality higher education, said the Bangladesh High Commission in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Nearly 7000 Bangladeshi students are currently studying in Malaysia’s various institutions providing higher education. Navie Tajuddin, Chief Executive Officer of EMGS and Prof Dr S M A Faiz, Chairman of the UGC signed the MoU representing each side. The witness of the MoU exchange ceremony was held on November 28, in presence of Dr Zambry Abd Kadir, Minister of Higher Education, in Putrajaya. The signing ceremony started with remarks by Navie Tajuddin, Chief Executive Officer of the Education Malaysia Global Services (EMGS), Ministry of Higher Education. Prof Dr S M A Faiz, Chairman of the University Grants Commission (UGC), Bangladesh and Md Shameem Ahsan, High Commissioner of Bangladesh to Malaysia, also spoke. While expressing that this signing will pave the way for broader cooperation in the field of education and research, UGC Chairman sincerely thanked the EMGS for their keen interest in Bangladesh and generous support to make it happen. Bangladesh High Commissioner to Malaysia Ahsan congratulated both the friendly countries for formalizing the collaboration and he assured to extend all-out support on the part of the Mission to implement it. He expressed satisfaction, noting that such MoU would open up further opportunities for Bangladeshi students and researchers. Prof Dr Mohammad Anwar Hossen, Member, UGC; Dr Fakhrul Islam, Secretary, UGC, Mohammad Khorshed Alam Khastagir, Deputy High Commissioner were present, among others. Malaysia has created a new model of higher education by combining their Islamic values with the modern education system of the Western world. This model can play a helpful role in shaping higher education in Bangladesh. At the same time, the High Commission said, it is possible to take Bangladesh forward by creating a higher education system by connecting the July Movement's main theme 'Social Justice' by creating an outline of higher education cooperation with Malaysia.

The Embassy of Japan in Bangladesh organized a reporting session for students and teachers who participated in an exchange program in Japan at the residence of Japanese Ambassador to Bangladesh Iwama Kiminori. Ten students, along with two teachers from Playpen School in Dhaka headed to Japan, to take part in an immersive cultural exchange program with the aim of fostering strong bonds and mutual understanding between the two countries.  The delegation stayed with the host families during their visit, and they paid courtesy calls on Hideaki Omura, Governor of Aichi Prefecture and the Mayor of Tokoname City, Tatsuya Ito along with attending various academic and cultural exchange events. U.S. Embassy inaugurates new American corner in Sylhet The exchange program was organized by the Tokoname City Students' International Exchange Conference Association (TSIE), and the Tokoname City Council, with the support by Embassy of Japan in Bangladesh. In Wednesday's reporting session, the delegation members shared their experiences from their visits to Japan. In addition, the senior students who participated in other Japan visit programs also shared their views on people-to-people exchange initiatives by Japan.’

Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus on Wednesday said the interim government would pursue charges of crimes against humanity against the Sheikh Hasina regime at the International Criminal Court (ICC) for the "massacre" during the July-August mass uprising and thousands of cases of enforced disappearances during her nearly 16 years of long stay in power. Prof Yunus conveyed this when ICC Prosecutor Karim A.A. Khan called on him at the State Guest House Jamuna. The ICC Prosecutor said they would like to extend cooperation to Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal, which has issued an arrest warrant against Sheikh Hasina and members of her political party. During the talks, the Rohingya crisis, the situation in Myanmar, humanitarian efforts for the Rohingyas, and the justice and accountability for the atrocities committed during the July-August mass uprising were discussed. Karim Khan backed the Chief Adviser's call to hold a special global conference on the Rohingya crisis. The UN General Assembly has agreed to hold the conference in 2025. He said he hoped a new direction to a sustainable resolution to the crisis would be found from the conference. BNP delegation’s meeting with Dr Yunus in progress The venue, dates, and modalities of the conference will be decided during the first quarter of 2025. The Chief Adviser said the conference would bring all the international stakeholders to a table to seek a durable solution to the crisis, especially the plight of the Rohingyas and their young children in the camps in Bangladesh. "We have to make sure that it does not explode," Prof Yunus said, referring to the young people growing up without hope in the camps. The influx of tens of thousands of more Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh in recent months and the latest developments in Myanmar have triggered concerns in Bangladesh. The Chief Adviser reiterated his recent call for a safe zone inside the Rakhine state of Myanmar to aid displaced people and address the ongoing humanitarian crisis. "The safety of the zone should be guaranteed by the UN. When the fighting stops, people who live in the safe zone can easily return to their localities," he said. The prosecutor informed the Chief Adviser that his office has formally sought an arrest warrant against Min Aung Hlaing, the chief of the Myanmar military government, for crimes against humanity regarding the treatment of the Rohingya minority. Khaliliur Rahman, the High Representative on the Rohingya affairs, Lamiya Morshed, principal coordinator of the SDGs affairs, and Riaz Hamidullah, the additional secretary of the foreign ministry, were also present during the meeting. Earlier, the High Representative on Rohingya Affairs, Khalilur Rahman, hosted a luncheon for Prosecutor Khan and the members of his ICC team. "Bangladesh is among the first Asian signatories to the Rome Statute establishing the ICC, and we look forward to further deepening our cooperation in the coming days," Rahman said.

The U.S. Embassy in Dhaka today inaugurated a new American Corner in Sylhet, marking a significant step in strengthening the partnership between the United States and Bangladesh. The American Corner, a joint initiative between the U.S. Embassy and local Bangladeshi partners, aims to foster greater interaction between local communities and the United States, promote cultural exchange, and deepen people-to-people ties. The new American Corner in Sylhet will serve as a valuable resource hub, providing access to educational materials, cultural programming, and opportunities to learn about American values, ideals, and perspectives. The inauguration event was attended by Bangladeshi and American government officials, alumni of U.S. government exchange programs, educators, students, and members of the local business and artistic communities. Speaking at the opening, Public Affairs Counselor from the U.S. Embassy Stephen Ibelli emphasized the importance of American Corner as a platform for expanding access to the U.S. educational and cultural resources. "This American Space will create lasting opportunities for students and faculty to engage in meaningful, cross-cultural experiences," he said, highlighting the initiative's role in connecting local youth, academics, and young leaders with global opportunities. American Corners are part of a global network of cultural and information centers, run in partnership with local institutions. These centers are dedicated to providing free access to information, promoting study opportunities in the U.S., supporting English language learners, connecting with alumni of U.S. exchange programs, and hosting programs that foster mutual cultural understanding. With the opening of the Sylhet American Corner, the U.S. Embassy is furthering its commitment to empowering young leaders, encouraging cultural exchange, and strengthening the U.S.-Bangladesh partnership through education and collaboration.  

Women and Children Affairs Adviser Sharmeen S Murshid has emphasized the urgent need to reinforce and revise existing strategies to combat gender-based violence (GBV) effectively. Highlighting the shortcomings in achieving goals, the adviser said, “16 Days of Activism raises more questions than it provides answers. We must rethink our approach as violence, both globally and in Bangladesh, continues to rise.” She made the remarks at the inaugural event of the ‘16 Days of Activism’ campaign on Wednesday. The ministry in collaboration with the Local Consultative Group on Women Advancement and Gender Equality (LCG WAGE) and United Nations in Bangladesh officially inaugurated the campaign. Arranged at the Bangladesh International Conference Center, the inaugural event featured a national dialogue on advancing legal frameworks and fostering collaboration to eliminate violence against women and girls. The adviser underlined the critical need for the ministry to establish specialized teams with expertise in gender issues and GBV. “Many ministries experience frequent turnover, which disrupts continuity. A trained individual working on GBV might suddenly be transferred, leaving a gap in expertise. We need stable, specialized teams- comprising sociologists and gender experts who can effectively manage and lead research in this domain.” The event brought together government representatives, civil society organizations, women’s rights advocates, development partners, and private sector stakeholders. They discussed the urgent need to address violence against women as a multidimensional issue and called for increased resources, robust legal measures, strengthened policies and proper implementation of the laws to ensure justice and accountability. Ambassador of the European Union to Bangladesh Michael Miller said they do recognize the landmark directives of the High Court in 2009, but they look to this government in fact, to now adopt and implement the draft sexual harassment prevention bill. “The domestic violence detection and prevention law needs to be amended to international standards,” he said.

International Criminal Court (ICC) on Wednesday expressed its readiness to assist Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) if requested by Bangladesh, ICC’s senior lawyer said on Wednesday. “The ICC has always said that it is available to assist states in terms of technical support, training, and guidance when requested,” said ICC’s senior trial lawyer Essa Mbye Faal while responding to a question at a press briefing. The International Crimes Tribunal is dealing with the cases related to crimes committed during the July-August uprising. “With this level of cooperation, if Bangladesh were to seek assistance, the Office would be more than happy to oblige,” said the ICC lawyer. ICC Prosecutor Karim A.A. Khan KC announced that he is filing an application for a warrant of arrest before Pre-Trial Chamber I of the International Criminal Court in the situation in Bangladesh/Myanmar. ICC to seek arrest warrant for Myanmar military leader Min Aung Hlaing: Prosecutor After an extensive, independent and impartial investigation, his office has concluded that there are reasonable grounds to believe that Senior General and Acting President Min Aung Hlaing, Commander-in-Chief of the Myanmar Defence Services, bears criminal responsibility for the crimes against humanity of deportation and persecution of the Rohingyas, committed in Myanmar, and in part in Bangladesh. “Today’s application draws upon a wide variety of evidence from numerous sources such as witness testimonies, including from a number of insider witnesses, documentary evidence and authenticated scientific, photographic and video materials,” ICC lawyer Faal said, while reading out Khan’s statement. It is now for the judges of the International Criminal Court to determine whether this application meets the necessary standard for the issuance of an arrest warrant, Faal said, quoting Khan as saying. “In the event that the independent judges of the ICC issue the requested warrant, we will coordinate closely with the Registrar of the Court in all efforts to arrest the named individual,” said the ICC Prosecutor. Khan expressed his deep, profound gratitude to the Rohingyas, saying more than a million members of their community have been forced to flee violence in Myanmar. “We are grateful to all those who provided testimony and support to my Office, those that have shared their stories, those that have given us information and material.” In his visits to the Kutupalong refugee camp in Cox’s Bazar over the last three years, including on Tuesday, Khan met with Rohingya women who spoke with clarity and purpose about the need for accountability. “I sat with youth activists who wanted to play their own role in seeking justice. And I spoke with men of all ages including the old and the sick, who were united in demanding to be seen and to have accountability for what befell them. Our work, the work of the International Criminal Court, seeks to vindicate their resilience and their hope in the power of the law,” he said.

Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain on Wednesday called for global collaboration to address rising threats to religious sites and combat disinformation campaigns undermining interfaith unity. Representing Bangladesh at the “United Nations Global Conference on Safeguarding Religious Sites: A Multistakeholder Approach” held in Cascais, Portugal, he reaffirmed Bangladesh's dedication to safeguarding religious sites and fostering interfaith harmony. UNAOC: Dhaka highlights its unwavering commitment to peace, humanity Highlighting acts of unity, the adviser shared how young Muslim students recently protected Hindu temples during a major festival, showcasing the spirit of peaceful coexistence. He said that the government of Bangladesh ensures equal respect for all faiths through inclusive policies, national holidays for diverse religious occasions and transparency via open media access.  

International Criminal Court (ICC) Prosecutor Karim AA Khan on Wednesday announced that he is filing an application for a warrant of arrest against Myanmar's military leader Min Aung Hlaing before Pre-Trial Chamber I. After an extensive, independent and impartial investigation, his office has concluded that there are "reasonable grounds" to believe that Senior General and acting President Min Aung Hlaing, Commander-in-Chief of the Myanmar Defence Services, bears "criminal responsibility" for the crimes against humanity of deportation and persecution of the Rohingya, committed in Myanmar, and in part in Bangladesh. This is the first application for an arrest warrant against a high-level Myanmar government official that his office is filing. Since 14 November 2019, they have been investigating alleged crimes committed during the 2016 and 2017 waves of violence in Rakhine State, Myanmar, and the subsequent exodus of Rohingya from Myanmar to Bangladesh. ICC Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan to visit Bangladesh Nov 25-28; will meet Prof Yunus "My office alleges that these crimes were committed between 25 August 2017 and 31 December 2017 by the armed forces of Myanmar, the Tatmadaw, supported by the national police, the border guard police, as well as non-Rohingya civilians," Khan, who is visiting Bangladesh, said in a statement. Today’s application draws upon a wide variety of evidence from numerous sources such as witness testimonies, including from a number of insider witnesses, documentary evidence and authenticated scientific, photographic and video materials. In collecting this evidence, the office has benefitted from the crucial support of States, civil society partners and international organisations. In particular, the cooperation, the confidence and the steadfast commitment from the Rohingya community, the support of the government of Bangladesh, and excellent cooperation from the United Nations Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar have been essential to advancing this investigation, Khan said. "I wish in particular to express my deep, profound gratitude to the Rohingya. More than a million members of their community have been forced to flee violence in Myanmar," he said, adding that they are grateful to all those who provided testimony and support to his office, those that have shared their stories, those that have given us information and material. Yunus, ICC discuss ways to file crimes against humanity case in July-Aug massacre In his visits to the Kutupalong refugee camp in Cox’s Bazar over the last three years, including just Tuesday, Khan met Rohingya women who spoke with clarity and purpose about the need for accountability. "I sat with youth activists who wanted to play their own role in seeking justice. And I spoke with men of all ages including the old and the sick, who were united in demanding to be seen and to have accountability for what befell them," he said, adding that their work seeks to vindicate their resilience and their hope in the power of the law. Khan said it is now for the judges of the International Criminal Court to determine whether this application meets the necessary standard for the issuance of an arrest warrant.  "In the event that the independent judges of the ICC issue the requested warrant, we will coordinate closely with the Registrar of the Court in all efforts to arrest the named individual," Khan said. When he first travelled to Bangladesh, he announced that they would seek to accelerate their investigations, and they committed to providing additional resources in that effort. "Since then, we have reinvigorated our activities in line with that promise. Today marks a culmination of this renewed focus in relation to this situation," Khan said. He said they will continue this focus in the coming weeks and months as we submit additional applications in this situation. "In doing so, we will be demonstrating, together with all of our partners, that the Rohingya have not been forgotten. That they, like all people around the world, are entitled to the protection of the law," Khan said.

Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain, now in Portugal, has highlighted Bangladesh’s unwavering commitment to peace and humanity. Addressing the 10th Global Forum of the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) Group of Friends high-level meeting in Cascais, he emphasized the nation’s dedication to championing sustainability under the visionary "Three Zeros" roadmap by Chief Adviser Nobel Laureate Prof Muhammad Yunus, which envisions Zero carbon emissions, Zero poverty, and Zero unemployment. The Adviser called for fostering dialogue, leveraging AI responsibly, and ensuring justice, equality, and sustainability for all civilizations. Mentioning about the continuation of genocide in Gaza with impunity, he urged collective efforts to create a future defined by harmony, mutual respect, and cooperation for generations to come. With the theme "United in Peace: Restoring Trust, Reshaping the Future," the forum is taking place from November 25–27 at a critical juncture as the world grapples with rising conflicts, climate change, and growing divisions fueled by hatred. On the sidelines of the forum, the Adviser held discussions with Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares Bueno, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, and Portuguese Foreign Minister Paulo Rangel. The meetings covered a range of topics of mutual interest, including enhancing cooperation in key sectors such as trade, infrastructure, railways, and investment. The leaders also emphasized the importance of strengthening bilateral ties through high-level visits and collaborative initiatives. Key global and regional issues were addressed, including support for resolving the Rohingya crisis, challenges arising from Bangladesh’s LDC graduation, and the dire humanitarian situation caused by Israel’s aggression in Gaza and Lebanon, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The discussions also underscored the need for coordinated efforts in multilateral platforms to tackle shared challenges and promote peace, security, and sustainable development.