United News of Bangladesh

The Committee for a Democratic Bangladesh, a non-profit platform of Bangladeshi-Americans, has written to US Ambassador Peter Haas regarding legal issues surrounding Dr. Muhammad Yunus. The letter highlights that employees of Dr. Yunus sued him for unlawfully withholding dues. “Trial court found Dr. Yunus was not paying his own taxes either. He was found guilty and sentenced with jail term. But strangely, Dr. Yunus, even now, faults Sheikh Hasina for his miseries,” the letter reads. The platform requested the US Ambassador to present their views to President Joe Biden. The message was also sent to Senator Hillary Clinton, former President Barack Obama, and the political desk of the US State Department. Foundation behind Magsaysay Award felicitates Prof. Yunus on 40th anniversary of his 'first international honour' The letter claims Dr. Yunus is a beneficiary of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s support. It notes that PM Hasina granted licenses for his microfinance loan program and other ventures, such as Grameen Phone, and Grameen Bank with the Government of Bangladesh, which contributed Tk 500 crores for its initial capitalization. “I think, the President of the United States was overwhelmed by Dr. Yunus’ too powerful American lobby. I feel, the US Government should ask for a UN audit of all ventures controlled by Dr. Yunus. US and CIA must be on the know about 43 attempts to kill Sheikh Hasina,” wrote Khalid Hasan, Convener of Committee for a Democratic Bangladesh, in the letter on behalf of the platform. The letter also references the August 21, 2004, grenade attack intended to assassinate Sheikh Hasina. 14th ‘Social Business Day’ hosted by Prof Yunus concludes in Manila “BNP leader Tarique Rahman together with home minister of BNP Government, conspired and executed a violent grenade attack on a post-demonstration assembly of Awami League leaders and organizers. Sheikh Hasina was saved miraculously,” reads the letter. At least 31 people, including Ivy Rahman, wife of Awami League’s first General Secretary Zillur Rahman, were killed. Most survivors were injured by grenade splinters. The attack aimed to eliminate the leadership of the Awami League. The letter criticizes the lack of action from the US government and the silence of Nobel Peace laureate Dr. Yunus regarding the attack. “Sadly, there was no action by US. They did not ask for resignation of BNP Government. Surprising also was the silence of the Nobel Peace laureate Dr. Yunus. He did not condemn the grenade killing, nor did he console the victim’s family or party,” reads the letter. The Committee emphasizes that the continuation of Sheikh Hasina as Prime Minister is crucial for national development and legal reform. It draws a parallel with America’s fight for independence 200 years ago. “Bangladesh must assert its ‘war of independence ideals’ and put a rein on the Islamic fundamentalists and terrorists. Sheikh Hasina is earnestly pursuing this policy. We must let her continue unabated,” the letter concludes.

Ambassador of the Sultanate of Oman Abdul Ghaffar Bin Abdul Karim Al-Bulushi, in a meeting today, clarified that the temporary ban on recruiting Bangladeshi workers was a result of a regular review by Omani authorities, emphasizing its “apolitical and temporary” nature. During his meeting with Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud, the ambassador also said the issue currently under a review process by an inter-ministerial committee is expected to be resolved soon through effective cooperation and coordination between both sides. Dhaka, Beijing likely to sign around 20 MoUs; announce some dev projects: Hasan Mahmud During the meeting at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, they exchanged views on issues of bilateral and multilateral interests.   The Omani Ambassador thanked the Foreign Minister for granting the meeting at short notice and congratulated him for assuming the charge of the office of Foreign Minister. He apprised him about the recent bilateral engagements between Bangladesh and Oman, including manpower, cooperation on energy, fertilizer, investment etc. Welcoming the decision of the Oman authority, the Foreign Minister thanked the ambassador for the update and appreciated the culture, ethos and foreign policy of the Sultanate of Oman. BNP fails to grasp essence of connectivity: Hasan Mahmud He mentioned that some 8 lakh Bangladeshi workers are engaged in Oman making positive contributions to both of the economies. He reassured that Bangladesh is committed to cooperate, coordinate and to meet any requirements that the Oman authorities may propose to expedite the lifting of the suspension on the work visa. Describing Oman as a trusted friend of Bangladesh, the minister further added that based on the convergence of interests and commonality of values and principles, Bangladesh and Oman have maintained effective cooperation and coordination in the multilateral fora including the UN, OIC, NAM, IORA etc. and take strong positions on major global issues including Gaza. The Foreign Minister urged the Oman Envoy to work together to expand cooperation in the area of trade and investment. Expressing gratitude for all support from MoFA, the Omani Envoy requested the Foreign Minister to extend support to consider buying urea fertilizer from the Sultanate of Oman on G2G arrangement in place of private channel. PM’s China visit very important to expedite development: Hasan Mahmud The envoy also apprised the Foreign Minister about Sultan Haitham bin Tarik’s kind acceptance of the invitation by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to visit Bangladesh at the earliest convenience.

The Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) has proposed an economic assistance of Tk100 crore to train skilled workers in Bangladesh, according to State Minister for Expatriate Welfare and Overseas Employment Shafiqur Rahman Chowdhury. Shafiqur said this following a briefing by a delegation from KOICA on Sunday (July 7) . Korea is excellent dev partner of Bangladesh: PM Hasina The State Minister said that KOICA intends to modernize and enhance the Bangladesh-Korea Vocational Training Center in Chattogram to foster demand-driven skilled manpower. “We appreciate their proposal and have urged everyone concerned to work swiftly towards its implementation," he said. He expressed optimism that KOICA's support will further empower our workforce through these training centers, ensuring they play a pivotal role in skill development. S Korea highlights importance of Economic Partnership Agreement with Bangladesh Among those present were Mohammad Khairul Alam, Additional Secretary of the ministry, Saleh Ahmad Mozaffar, Director General of Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training (BMET), and Taeyoung Kim, Country Director of KOICA.

Bangladesh and China are likely to sign around 20 MoUs and make announcements on inauguration of some development projects during Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s official visit to China that begins on Monday eyeing stronger development and economic cooperation. Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud came up with the updates while briefing the media at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Sunday (July 07, 2024) afternoon. “Bangladesh will seek China's assistance in the areas of investment and trade; financial assistance and repatriation of Rohingyas to their homeland. At the same time, Bangladesh will continue to provide support to China as its friend in the global context,” he said. Hasan expressed optimism that the upcoming visit of the Prime Minister to China will be successful and fruitful. At the invitation of Premier Li Qiang of the State Council, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will pay the visit on July 8-11 which is expected to "outline a new blueprint for practical cooperation" in various fields and provide an opportunity for the two countries to coordinate their positions on regional and international affairs. On the third day of the visit on July 10, the Prime Minister will meet Premier and State Council of China Li Qiang at the Great Hall of the People, Hasan said. A reception will be organized in honor of the Prime Minister at the beginning of the meeting. There the Prime Minister will be given a guard of honor and received with due respect. At the same place, the Prime Minister and State Council of China will hold a bilateral meeting with high-level delegations from the two countries. The MoUs are likely to be signed in presence of the two leaders and inauguration of some projects will be announced. Hasan said there is a possibility of signing MoUs on economic and banking sectors, trade and investment front, digital economy, infrastructure development, assistance in disaster management, construction of 6th and 9th Bangladesh-China Friendship Bridge, export of agricultural products from Bangladesh, disaster management and people-to-people connectivity. The meeting will be followed by a banquet in honor of the Prime Minister, he said. In the afternoon of July 10, the foreign minister said, the Prime Minister will hold a bilateral meeting with President of China Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People. Bangladesh and China will issue a joint statement on the occasion of the visit of the Prime Minister, he said. Earlier on July 9, the Prime Minister will have a meeting with Jin Liqun, President and Chair of the Board of Directors of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank. On the same day, the Prime Minister will participate in the Shangri-La conference titled "Summit on Trade, Business and Investment Opportunities between Bangladesh and China." A business delegation from Bangladesh will visit China to participate in the conference. The Prime Minister will also hold a meeting with Wang Huning, Chairman of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC). She will pay her tribute to the traditional Tiananmen Square. She will also attend a dinner hosted by the Bangladesh Embassy in Beijing. Read more: Unlocking China’s market: Strategies for Bangladesh to enhance exports During the Prime Minister's visit to China, Finance Minister AH Mahmood Ali, the Foreign Minister, Prime Minister's Private Industry and Investment Adviser Salman F Rahman, State Minister for Commerce Ahasanul Islam Titu, State Minister for Power, Energy, and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid, State Minister fort Posts, Telecommunications, and Information Technology Zunaid Ahmed, Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen and other high level government officials will accompany the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister will leave Dhaka at 11am by Bangladesh Biman Airlines special flight and will land at Beijing International Airport at 6pm local time in China on the same day. She will leave China on July 11 in a special Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight and land in Dhaka at 2pm. Bangladesh’s Priorities Responding to a question, Hasan said Bangladesh’s development and economic cooperation will get the priority. He said there will be no agreements but only MoUs will be signed between the two countries. Asked about various Chinese proposals, Hasan said Bangladesh accepts any proposal when it meets Bangladesh’s needs and set parameters. “Any proposal from China is of course encouraging for us but we will take decision later after verification,” he said. Responding to a question on offshore banking, the foreign minister said it is open for all and any individual or company can avail of the opportunity in Bangladesh. Read more: Bangladesh to seek $7 billion fund from China to boost trade in business summit during PM's visit “If any country wants to keep money in our central bank they can but the important issue is that with whom we are comfortable,” he added.  Responding to another question, Hasan said the renewal of the MoU between Bangladesh Awami League and Communist Party of China (CPC) may take place later, instead of during this visit. He said a high-level AL delegation led by a presidium member will go to China later when the MoU can be renewed. Hasan said there is huge trade gap between Bangladesh and China and the two countries will explore ways to export more from Bangladesh lifting non-tariff barriers. He said Bangladesh has deep relations with China and the visit will help strengthen and widen the relations. Responding to a question on Teesta, Hasan said Teesta is a joint river shared with India and they have given a proposal which is good. Breakthroughs in Pragmatic Cooperation Earlier, Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Yao Wen said they will reach an "important consensus" and sign multiple cooperation documents and MoUs in a number of areas during Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s official visit to Beijing. The areas are infrastructure, free trade agreement, and agricultural product exports to China, Southern Bangladesh’s Development, digital economy, disaster prevention, poverty alleviation, clean energy, healthcare, education and cultural exchanges. Through this visit, China said, the two sides will achieve “new breakthroughs in pragmatic cooperation”, bringing more benefits to the people of both countries, said the Ambassador who termed the forthcoming visit a milestone in bilateral relations. Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning on Thursday said this will be Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's first visit to China since her new term began and five years after her last visit to China. During the visit, President Xi Jinping will meet with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Premier Li Qiang will hold a welcoming ceremony and have talks with her. The two prime ministers will attend the signing ceremony of cooperation documents. "Leaders of the two countries will have an in-depth exchange of views on how to deepen traditional friendship and expand mutually beneficial cooperation and on regional and international issues of mutual interest," said the Spokesperson. Prime Minister Hasina will also attend the Summit on Trade, Business and Investment Opportunities between China and Bangladesh, she said. "We have similar visions for development and well-aligned development strategies. Since the establishment of diplomatic relations 49 years ago, the two countries have treated each other with respect and equality, engaged in mutually beneficial cooperation, supported each other on issues concerning our respective core interests, and jointly advanced modernization," said the Spokesperson. She said they have set a good example of friendship and cooperation between developing countries. In recent years, with the strategic guidance and commitment of leaders of our two countries, the two sides have deepened Bangladesh-China strategic cooperative partnership, and had fruitful and practical cooperation in various fields. Read more: PM Hasina’s upcoming visit to boost China-Bangladesh cooperation on bilateral, regional and global issues, says Ambassador "China stands ready to work with Bangladesh through this visit to carry forward the spirit of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, deepen political mutual trust, further synergize development strategies, advance high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, speed up implementing the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative and the Global Civilization Initiative, and elevate our bilateral relations to a new level," said the Spokesperson. The Chinese side said it stands ready to take this visit as an opportunity to further deepen political mutual trust between the two countries, strengthen the synergy of development strategies, consolidate traditional friendship, and work together to realize the Chinese Dream of National Rejuvenation and Bangladesh’s “Vision 2041”.

Bangladesh-India development partnership witnessed a new chapter with the signing of a contract in Chattogram on Saturday for a project for modernistion of city street light system in Chattogram City Corporation area. The project is being implemented with a credit line of US$ 25.71 million (nearly Tk 300 crore) under government of India’s concessional Line of Credit programme. The contract signing ceremony was attended by the Minister of Local Government, Rural Development and Co-operatives of Bangladesh Md Tajul Islam, Mayor of Chattogram City Corporation Md Rezaul Karim Chowdhury, and High Commissioner of India to Bangladesh Pranay Verma. In his remarks at the event, High Commissioner Pranay Verma noted that the project will establish the foundations of a Smart City infrastructure for Chattogram. FAO keen to work for modernisation of agriculture sector He highlighted the importance of the project in the context of the declaration of a Shared Vision for ‘India-Bangladesh Green Partnership for a Sustainable Future’ signed during the recent State visit of Hon’ble Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to India in June 2024. The high commissioner emphasised the efforts being made by both countries to create a framework for introducing environment-friendly approaches in development projects, co-develop energy-efficient measures, enhance energy independence, reduce carbon emissions, improve power transmission efficiency, optimally utilize energy, reduce energy wastage, seek sustainable urban development, set up smart urban infrastructure, and improve quality of urban life. He described the project as a testament to the commitment of both India and Bangladesh to sustainability, and hoped that such collaborations will illuminate the path towards a brighter, greener, and more prosperous future for all. The objective of this project is to replace conventional street lights with eco-friendly, low power consuming LED lights which will also contribute in reducing the carbon footprint of the city, according to Indian High Commission in Dhaka. Policy reformation, modernisation needed for strong financial market: Mashiur With longer lifespan, these lights will also reduce maintenance costs which will translate into cost savings, besides contributing to overall enhancement of the quality of life for Chattogram’s residents with well-lit streets encouraging safer use of public spaces. The project for modernisation of the city street light system for Chattogram is being implemented with a concessional loan of USD 25.71 million from the Government of India, and the scope involves coverage of approximately 460 kms of city streets using 20,600 LED light fittings and other associated technology and equipment. DPDC to implement Tk 20,500-cr modernisation project with Chinese funds

Bangladesh and China will reach an "important consensus" and sign multiple cooperation documents and MoUs in a number of areas during Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s official visit to Beijing on July 8-10, officials said. The areas are infrastructure, free trade agreement, and agricultural product exports to China, Southern Bangladesh’s Development, digital economy, disaster prevention, poverty alleviation, clean energy, healthcare, education and cultural exchanges. Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud will brief the media in detail about the visit at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Sunday afternoon. Describing China as a big development partner, Hasan recently said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s visit to China is very important to expedite Bangladesh’s development journey. At the invitation of Premier Li Qiang of the State Council, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will pay the visit which is expected to "outline a new blueprint for practical cooperation" in various fields and provide an opportunity for the two countries to coordinate their positions on regional and international affairs. During this visit, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will meet with Chinese leaders, sign a number of cooperation documents, and jointly announce major cooperation achievements, Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Yao Wen said while talking to diplomatic correspondents at DCAB Talk. Through this visit, the two sides will achieve new breakthroughs in pragmatic cooperation, bringing more benefits to the people of both countries, said the Ambassador who termed the forthcoming visit a milestone in bilateral relations. Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning on Thursday said this will be Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's first visit to China since her new term began and five years after her last visit to China. During the visit, President Xi Jinping will meet with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Premier Li Qiang will hold a welcoming ceremony and have talks with her. The two prime ministers will attend the signing ceremony of cooperation documents. "Leaders of the two countries will have an in-depth exchange of views on how to deepen traditional friendship and expand mutually beneficial cooperation and on regional and international issues of mutual interest," said the Spokesperson. Prime Minister Hasina will also attend the Summit on Trade, Business and Investment Opportunities between China and Bangladesh, she said. "We have similar visions for development and well-aligned development strategies. Since the establishment of diplomatic relations 49 years ago, the two countries have treated each other with respect and equality, engaged in mutually beneficial cooperation, supported each other on issues concerning our respective core interests, and jointly advanced modernization," said the Spokesperson. She said they have set a good example of friendship and cooperation between developing countries. In recent years, with the strategic guidance and commitment of leaders of our two countries, the two sides have deepened Bangladesh-China strategic cooperative partnership, and had fruitful and practical cooperation in various fields. "China stands ready to work with Bangladesh through this visit to carry forward the spirit of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, deepen political mutual trust, further synergize development strategies, advance high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, speed up implementing the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative and the Global Civilization Initiative, and elevate our bilateral relations to a new level," said the Spokesperson. The Chinese side said it stands ready to take this visit as an opportunity to further deepen political mutual trust between the two countries, strengthen the synergy of development strategies, consolidate traditional friendship, and work together to realize the Chinese Dream of National Rejuvenation and Bangladesh’s “Vision 2041”.

The BNP has congratulated Labour Party leader Keir Starmer on his party’s resounding victory in the UK election and his election as the Prime Minister of the country. Speaking at a press conference at the BNP Chairperson’s Gulshan office, party secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir also hoped that the new British Prime Minister will play a role in restoring democracy in countries that lack it. BNP morally supports the ‘justified’ movements of teachers, students: Fakhrul “The Labour Party has achieved a landslide victory in the UK’s general elections. The chief of the Labour Party, Sir Keir Starmer, has been appointed as the Prime Minister. We congratulate him,” he said. Fakhrul mentioned that BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman has already greeted Keir Starmer on Twitter. “I would like to reiterate from the party's side that we congratulate him again." The BNP Secretary General expressed optimism, stating, "The experience in the UK, where efforts are made to institutionalise democracy, can serve as a guide for him (Starmer) to address the democratic deficits and crises in many countries." BNP sides with teachers in pension row with govt; Rizvi calls movement ‘justified’ He also anticipated that Starmer would be able to overcome the economic and political issues facing Britain under his able leadership. Keir Starmer has become the United Kingdom’s new Prime Minister after his centre-left opposition Labour Party swept to a landslide victory, ending 14 years of Conservative rule. Meanwhile, Fakhrul, on behalf of BNP, congratulated Masoud Pezeshkian for being elected as the new President of Iran. "I hope that Iran will progress under his leadership," he said. BNP postpones Monday’s Chattogram rally   Reformist candidate Masoud Pezeshkian won Iran’s runoff presidential election on Saturday, defeating hard-liner Saeed Jalili. Pezeshkian promised to engage with the West and relax enforcement of Iran’s mandatory headscarf law, amidst years of sanctions and protests that have strained the Islamic Republic.

Speakers at a programme on Friday night laid emphasis on deeper engagement between Bangladesh and Nepal exploring opportunities in the tourism sector, saying sea and mountains can be promoted together. The Nepalese Embassy, Nepal Tourism Board, and Hotel Association Nepal jointly organized Nepal Tourism Promotion Programme under the theme ‘Next Door Nepal: Your Ultimate Travel Destination’. During the event, B2B and networking sessions among hotel, travel, and tour entrepreneurs from Nepal and Bangladesh were held. Nepalese envoy stresses urgent need to preserve, protect entire Himalayan range from onslaught of climate change Speaking on the occasion, Nepalese Ambassador Ghanshyam Bhandari said the excellent neighbourly relations between the two countries were further consolidated by tourism and people-to-people linkages.  

Foreign Minister Dr. Hasan Mahmud, also Joint General Secretary of the ruling Awami League on Friday said that BNP leaders do not understand the essence of connectivity. 'The BNP was also against the submarine cable. No wonder they do not get what regional connectivity is," he said. He made the remarks at an expanded divisional meeting of the Awami League in  Nilphamari on Friday afternoon. Regarding criticism by BNP leaders about connectivity MoU, he said their criticisms do not reflect an understanding of connectivity issues. He questioned whether any country had lost sovereignty due to connectivity with India, and mentioned agreements for electricity import from Nepal as examples of beneficial regional connectivity initiatives. "We are working on economic development in this region with other South Asian countries. BNP neither understands the essence of this connectivity nor the discussions around it," said the Foreign Minister. Regarding internal party dynamics, he urged those feeling disillusioned after consecutive electoral defeats to overcome their frustrations. The Foreign Minister also commented on the weakness of BNP and its international connections post-election, remarking on global endorsements of Sheikh Hasina's government by leaders of 81 countries and international organizations, including the UN, Commonwealth, OIC, EU, and the Commission.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has written to British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and said her government looks forward to working closely with the new Labour government under the able stewardship of Starmer  in further strengthening the long-standing political, economic, climate, and strategic partnerships. “Most importantly, together we would continue to harness the invaluable contributions of more than 700,000 vibrant and enterprising Bangladeshi-British Diaspora to the common good of our two nations,” she said in her congratulatory letter. Bangladesh High Commission in London has sent the letter to the newly elected UK prime minister, said an official. 4 Bangladesh-origin British citizens win UK polls PM Hasina conveyed her heartiest congratulations and that of the government and the people of Bangladesh on Starmer’s party's historic victory in the 4th of July elections in the United Kingdom and his assumption of Office as the prime minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. “This unequivocal mandate clearly testifies to the trust and confidence of the British people in your leadership to take your country to newer heights of progress and prosperity and promote peace globally,” PM Hasina said. PM Hasina took the opportunity to reminisce Bangladesh's founding father Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and his party Awami League's enduring friendship with the Labour Party and its iconic leaders like Sir Harold Wilson, Thomas Williams KC and Lord Peter Shore, during the glorious War of Liberation in 1971 that indeed shaped the Bangladesh-UK relations founded on our common values of democracy, secularism, and inclusive and progressive aspirations. Keir Starmer is officially the new UK prime minister “May I wish you the very best of health, happiness, and success in this high responsibility and peace, progress, and prosperity to the friendly people of the United Kingdom,” the letter reads.