United News of Bangladesh

The Commonwealth Ministerial Group on Guyana (CMGG) was convened virtually on Tuesday evening with Foreign Adviser Md. Touhid Hossain in the chair. The meeting was also attended by the foreign ministers and representatives from Antigua and Barbuda, Canada, Guyana, Jamaica, South Africa, and the United Kingdom. During the virtual meeting the foreign affairs and international cooperation minister of Guyana presented the recent updates on the status of the dispute over the Essequibo region between Venezuela and Guyana to the members. The Group reiterated its firm and steadfast support for the ICJ process as the appropriate and lawful means to address the matter under international law. Bangladesh reaffirmed its unequivocal support to the preservation of the territorial integrity, and sovereignty of Guyana. Ministers and representative of Antigua and Barbuda, Canada, Guyana, Jamaica, South Africa, and the United Kingdom also reaffirmed their commitment towards the sovereign rights of Guyana. After an exhaustive discussion, the group agreed to issue a concluding statement where the group appreciated Guyana’s restraint and adherence to the international law. During the virtual meeting, the ministers expressed condolences on the passing of Sir Shridath Surendranath Ramphal, the longest serving and second Commonwealth Secretary-General, for his exemplary global leadership, his pivotal role in the coordination of international opposition to apartheid in South Africa, his visionary advocacy for the rights of small states, and his tireless work to bring nations together. The Commonwealth secretary general appreciated and thanked the foreign adviser of Bangladesh for chairing the meeting with due expertise and diligence, said a message received here.

The Chinese Embassy in Bangladesh on Tuesday donated food packages in Feni district to support the people affected by the recent floods as they recover and rebuild. The donation ceremony was held at Bathania Government Primary School in Chagalnaiya Upazila, Feni district, where food packages were distributed to flood-affected residents on the first day. The Embassy staff, together with local government officials, visited the homes of affected families to offer their condolences and support. On the same day, the Embassy also delivered 300 food packages to the Bangladesh Army through the Feni district administration for distribution to those impacted by the floods. This donation marks the second phase of the Chinese Embassy's direct aid to the flood-hit areas of Feni, said the Embassy. The first phase, completed between August 25 and 30, saw over 6,000 people receiving ready-to-eat meals and drinking water. In the second phase, a total of 1,300 food packages will be distributed, benefiting more than 5,000 individuals. Since the recent floods struck Bangladesh, the Chinese government and people have stood in solidarity with those affected, responding swiftly to provide assistance. Along with direct food donations to the flood-hit areas, the Chinese Embassy in Bangladesh contributed $20,000 to the Chief Advisor’s Relief Fund on August 25. The Red Cross Society of China also donated $100,000 in emergency humanitarian aid to the Bangladesh Red Crescent Society.

Adviser for Foreign Affairs Md Touhid Hossain on Tuesday expressed gratitude to the government of Turkiye for providing humanitarian aid to the flood victims in Bangladesh. He also apprised the visiting Turkish delegation of the current situation of Rohingyas who took shelter in Bangladesh and sought Turkiye’s continued support to keep the issue alive in all international forum to resolve this crisis. A Turkish delegation led by Ambassador Korhan Karakoc, Director General for Humanitarian and Technical Assistance, Ministry of Foreign Affairs is visiting Bangladesh to coordinate Turkiye’s humanitarian aid to support flood affected people in Bangladesh. The visiting Turkish delegation along with the Ambassador of Turkiye to Bangladesh, Ramis Sen, had a courtesy meeting with the Adviser for Foreign Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Ambassador Korhan Karakoc congratulated Touhid Hossain on his assumption of office as the Adviser for Foreign Affairs, and apprised him of Turkiye’s ongoing initiatives for assisting the flood affected communities in Bangladesh. Ambassador Korhan Karakoc also expressed interest to visit the Rohingya camps in Bangladesh. Reiterating Turkiye government’s continued support for the Rohingyas, the Turkish delegation briefed about the activities of the Turkish Hospital at the Rohingya Camp in Cox’s Bazar and sought Bangladesh’s assistance to improve quality of services provided by this hospital. The Adviser assured them of extending necessary support for the Turkish Hospital at the Rohingya camp.

US Embassy Chargé d'Affaires (CDA) Helen LaFave met with Health and Family Welfare Adviser Nurjahan Begum today. The meeting took place at 10:00 AM at the Health Adviser’s office in Dhaka. During the meeting, the Health Adviser expressed her hope for US assistance in providing medical treatment and rehabilitation for those injured in the anti-discrimination movement. Helen LaFave stated that the United States is interested in working on medical treatment, rehabilitation, and mental health support for the injured. She also mentioned that USAID is willing to work on dengue prevention and improve public health at the grassroots level. The US government agency CDC briefed the Health Adviser on its efforts in Bangladesh, including reducing lead and arsenic pollution, emergency preparedness during epidemics, and public health initiatives. The meeting was attended by Mohammad Mamunur Rashid, Joint Secretary of the Health Services Division of the Ministry of Health; Carrie Rasmussen, USAID Bangladesh Deputy Mission Director; James Gardiner, Economic Officer of the US Embassy; and Nelly Kadosh Daniel, Country Director of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain on Tuesday said the government would prevent any fresh entry of the Rohingyas, noting that around 8,000 Rohingyas recently entered Bangladesh, fleeing armed conflict in Myanmar’s Rakhine state. “I have information that about 8,000 Rohingyas have entered Bangladesh. There will be a serious discussion about this within the next two-three days,” he told reporters at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Adviser said he will discuss the issue with the Home Adviser and it can even be discussed at the Council of Advisers. Bangladesh, in principle, has decided not to welcome any fresh entry though he said it is painful to say in such a way. “We need to try and prevent it,” he said, adding that it is difficult to seal off any border. Hossain said the border with Myanmar has been sealed off, but acknowledged the difficulty of completely securing the frontier. Addressing questions on repatriation, Hossain suggested the need for a communication channel with the Arakan Army, the rebel group that currently controls most of Rakhine state, to facilitate the return of the Rohingyas. “I think this is the way forward, but we have to assess how much can be done at the state level,” he said. Earlier, Interim Government Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus sought United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi’s support for the “dignified and voluntary” return of more than one million Rohingya people, who live in camps in Bangladesh, to their homeland in Myanmar. High Commissioner Grandi had a conversation with Chief Adviser Prof Yunus over the phone on Monday to congratulate him on his assumption of the leadership of the Interim Government of Bangladesh. The UNHCR chief requested the Chief Adviser to attend a meeting on the Rohingya crisis on the sidelines of the upcoming UN General Assembly meeting in New York. Grandi informed the Chief Adviser that he plans to visit Bangladesh in October this year. Seven years ago, on 25 August 2017, some 700,000 Rohingya men, women and children were forced to flee Myanmar and seek protection in Bangladesh.

Ambassador of Nepal to Bangladesh Ghanshyam Bhandari on Tuesday reaffirmed the commitment of his government to work with the interim government for the benefit of the people of both countries. The Ambassador congratulated Adviser for Foreign Affairs Md Touhid Hossain on his new appointment and referred to the congratulatory messages of the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Nepal and their good wishes to the Chief Adviser and Adviser for Foreign Affairs. During a courtesy meeting, the Adviser thanked the Government of Nepal for their good wishes and highlighted the spirit of the recent students-led revolution in Bangladesh. The Adviser expressed satisfaction with the excellent bilateral relations between Bangladesh and Nepal and hoped for increased engagements to further enhance these ties, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Referring to the long-standing excellent relations between the two countries and the strong people-to-people ties, Ambassador Bhandari mentioned that the existing bilateral mechanisms are meeting on a regular basis. Both sides exchanged views on collaboration on sectors of mutual interests including trade, connectivity, energy and education. Both sides recognized the significance of strengthening regional cooperation through SAARC and BIMSTEC.

Outgoing Kuwaiti Ambassador Faisal Mutlaq Aladwani on Tuesday  said Kuwait will recruit more human resources including skilled workers from Bangladesh in its effort to boost ties with the South Asian country. The Ambassador made the assurance when he paid a farewell call on Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus at the State Guest House Jamuna in Dhaka. Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus praised the envoy, saying he was a "wonderful friend of Bangladesh" and hoped that he would continue to play this role in the coming days. The Chief Adviser said Bangladesh hoped to build up "a closer relationship with Kuwait". The outgoing Ambassador said more than 300,000 Bangladeshis work in the Gulf emirate and his country was keen to recruit more from Bangladesh, said the Chief Adviser’s press wing. "We want to recruit more doctors, nurses and engineers," he said, adding more than 5,000 Bangladeshi troops were also serving in Kuwait. Collaboration on economic engagement, defence, the Rohingya crisis, Palestinian issue and energy cooperation were highlighted during the meeting. The Chief Adviser thanked Kuwait for its support to the Rohingya humanitarian responses. He also sought greater cooperation in energy and investment between Bangladesh and Kuwait.

Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus has highly appreciated the “benevolent decision” of President of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to pardon the 57 Bangladeshi nationals who were jailed over expressing solidarity with the recent student-mass revolution through demonstrations in a few cities in the Gulf country. “We are, indeed, profoundly touched by your empathy and understanding,” Prof Yunus said, expressing deepest gratitude in a letter written to the President of the UAE Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan on Tuesday. In this context, Prof Yunus expressed the government’s full respect for the laws of the UAE and renewed its commitment to brief and educate its nationals on the local laws and cultures of the host countries before their departure from Bangladesh, according to the Chief Adviser’s press wing. Chief Adviser urges media to fearlessly hold interim government accountable “Your magnanimous decision to annul their sentences has been met with profound relief and appreciation in particular by the families of those involved and by our broader countrymen in Bangladesh as well as our community in the UAE in general,” said the Chief Adviser. Prof Yunus said this act of clemency, following their telephone conversation, not only exemplifies UAE President’s compassionate leadership but also serves as a conduit for strengthening the enduring bond of fraternity between the two nations. “I extend my heartfelt thanks for your gracious decision, which will further solidify the bonds of fraternity and friendship between our nations,” said the Chief Adviser. Rohingya repatriation: Prof Yunus seeks UNHCR's support He said they look forward to continue strengthening the bilateral relations and to working together for the mutual benefit of the people. Prof Yunus wished the UAE President good health, happiness, a long life and continued peace, progress and prosperity for the brotherly people of the United Arab Emirates.  

Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus on Tuesday told top editors of the country that he wants the media to function with full freedom, and write without any hesitation if the interim government makes any mistake. The Daily Star Editor Mahfuz Anam and Chief Adviser’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam said this to reporters in separate briefings at the state guest house Jamuna and Foreign Service Academy respectively. Deputy Press Secretaries Mohammad Abul Kalam Azad Majumder and Apurba Jahangir were also present at the second briefing held at the Foreign Service Academy. Chief Adviser Yunus will attend 79th UNGA this month, Foreign Affairs Adviser confirms “It’s very important. He (Chief Adviser) requested us to write without any hesitation,” Anam said, noting that now they have truly found a media-friendly government. “We are very delighted,” he added. Quoting the Chief Adviser, his Press Secretary Alam said Prof Yunus reiterated that he believes in media freedom and the interim government wants to see a vibrant media landscape. During the meeting with the editors, Prof Yunus expressed his firm belief in the power of free press and urged the media to be vocal and transparent in their coverage. The Chief Adviser also stressed the importance of establishing a national consensus and unity through writings. He encouraged the editors to remain unflinching in pointing out mistakes in all aspects of government operations. 79th UNGA big opportunity for Prof Yunus to share his govt's broader plans: Kugelman Repressive clauses of the Digital Security Act and Cyber Security Act were also discussed while the editors proposed an immediate suspension of these clauses, particularly those used to suppress journalists, with a commitment to reform them over time. The editors collectively emphasised the need for constitutional reforms, including the empowerment of local governments. They also brought up the reformation of autonomous bodies like the Anti-Corruption Commission, Human Rights Commission, and Election Commission to transform them into truly pro-people organisations. They especially talked about the Election Commission so that elections in the future can be a true reflection of the voters’ will.   There was a suggestion for forming a committee to explore further constitutional reforms, including judicial independence and police reform, to ensure a stronger democratic framework in the country. Mahfuz Anam said there was discussion on making BTV, BSS and Bangladesh Betar autonomous so that journalists there can work professionally. Shafiqul Alam said there were suggestions for removal of black laws. Prothom Alo Editor Matiur Rahman, The New Age Editor Nurul Kabir, Daily Jugantor Editor Saiful Alam, The Business Standard Editor Enam Ahmed, and Kalbela Editor Santosh Sharma, among others, were present at the meeting.    

All 57 Bangladeshis who were earlier convicted by the Federal Court of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have been pardoned today by Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, president of the UAE. Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus disclosed this at a meeting with editors of media outlets. “All are pardoned. We are very happy,” The Daily Star Editor Mahfuz Anam told reporters following the meeting, giving Prof Yunus full credit for his personal initiative. Earlier on August 28, Prof Yunus made a request to the UAE President regarding this issue. “It was a big challenge for us,” Chief Adviser’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam told reporters on Tuesday, expressing the government’s satisfaction over the achievement. He said they are in touch with the Bangladesh Embassy in UAE and concerned departments regarding the next stage of the process. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Dhaka is also following up the matter. In line with the top directive, Chancellor Dr Hamad Al Shamsi, UAE Attorney General, has issued an order to halt the implementation of the sentences and commence procedures to send them back. The Attorney General also called on all residents of the UAE to respect the country’s laws, stressing that the right to express opinions is protected by the state and its legal framework, according to Gulf News. He highlighted that the state provides lawful means for expressing views, ensuring this right does not turn into actions that could harm the interests of the nation and its people. In July, a court in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) jailed 57 Bangladeshi nationals for holding protests in the Gulf country against the previous government in Bangladesh. Three Bangladeshis were sentenced to life, 53 others to 10 years in prison, and one to 11 years for “gathering and inciting riots” during protests.