United News of Bangladesh

 The government has appointed A.T.M. Rokebul Haque as the next Ambassador of Bangladesh to Italy. He will be replacing Ambassador Md. Monirul Islam in this capacity, said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Sunday. A.T.M. Rokebul Haque, a career diplomat belonging to the 20th batch of BCS (Foreign Affairs) cadre, joined Bangladesh Foreign Service in 2001. Currently, he is serving in the ministry as Director General of South Asia Wing, a position he has been holding since August 2021. Just prior to the ongoing assignment, he was the Deputy High Commissioner at Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi. In his illustrious diplomatic career, Rokebul Haque has also served in different capacities in Bangladesh missions in Islamabad, The Hague, and New York (Permanent Mission to the UN). During his stint at NYPM, he used to cover gender, human rights and other social issues like health, youth and children. He successfully chaired and facilitated a couple of UNGA resolutions including Bangladesh’s signature resolution on the Cultural of Peace. At the Headquarters, he worked in important positions like Director of the Foreign Secretary’s Office as well as in wings such as Americas and Administration. Rokebul Haque completed his Masters in Economics from the University of Dhaka. He also undertook several professional training courses both at home and abroad.  

The Secretary General of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC), Indra Mani Pandey, has extended his heartfelt congratulations to Narendra Modi, on his historic re-election as the Prime Minister of India for the third consecutive term. This historic feat underscores the immense trust and confidence of the people of India in his dynamic and visionary leadership, he said. Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi has been a steadfast advocate of forging regional cooperation in Bay of Bengal region through BIMSTEC, aimed at enhancing regional security, connectivity, sustainable development and people-to-people contacts, said the BIMSTEC Secretary General. The BIMSTEC embodies India’s both “Neighborhood First” and “Act East” policies. The Secretary General is confident that, under Prime Minister Modi's leadership, India, a founding member of BIMSTEC, shall continue to support the BIMSTEC in all its endeavours towards realizing the vision of security and growth for all in the Bay of Bengal region. The BIMSTEC Secretariat is looking forward to working earnestly and closely with the government of India, under the Leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, towards realization of the vision of BIMSTEC as enshrined in its Charter. The BIMSTEC, which was founded on 06 June 1997, brings together 7 countries of the Bay of Bengal region: Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand. It pursues regional cooperation in the following 7 sectors: Agriculture and Food Security; Connectivity; Environment and Climate Change; People to People Contact; Science, Technology and Innovation; Security; and Trade, Investment and Development.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday attended the oath-taking ceremony of her Indian counterpart Narendra Modi who took office for the third consecutive term after winning the general election. She joined the oath-taking ceremony at the Rashtrapati Bhavan with her daughter Saima Wazed. Top leaders from Sri Lanka, the Maldives, Bhutan, Nepal, Mauritius, and Seychelles are also expected to attend the swearing-in ceremony of Modi. PM Hasina reiterates Dhaka's interest to import hydro electricity from Bhutan: FM Hasan The event was witnessed by a record over 8,000 dignitaries, according to Indian sources. The leaders will later attend a banquet hosted by President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan. "Welcome to India": Banners featuring PM Hasina and Modi seen across Delhi For the oath-taking ceremony,  New Delhi has been put under a tight multi-layered security measures. PM Hasina meets veteran BJP leader Advani during official visit to India  

Forty-five Bangladeshi nationals who were imprisoned in Myanmar's Rakhine and whose citizenship were verified, returned home on Sunday by Myanmar Naval Ship UMS Chin Dwin. At the same time, 134 Myanmar Border Guard (BGP) and other members who were forced to cross the border into Bangladesh due to conflict in Rakhine state were sent back to Myanmar. Myanmar ship UMS Chin Dwin with 45 Bangladeshis departed from Sittwe port on Saturday ( June 8 morning) and arrived at Cox's Bazar and left Bangladesh with 134 Myanmar soldiers and others on Sunday.

The second Bangladesh Circular Economy Summit will be held in Dhaka on June 11 in an effort to accelerate the momentum circularity in the apparel and textile industries of the country. Bangladesh Apparel Exchange (BAE) in collaboration with the GIZ Bangladesh and in association with the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Bangladesh will host the Summit. After the formal opening ceremony, four plenary sessions, three panel discussions and one breakout session will be held in an effort to make the shift from linear model to circular shift in the apparel and textile industries of Bangladesh. Jahangir Kabir Nanak, Minister of Textiles & Jute, will be the chief guest at the opening session. Siddiqur Rahman, former President of BGMEA; Thijs Woudstra, Deputy Head of Mission, Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Bangladesh; and Jan Janowski, Deputy Head of Mission, Embassy of Germany in Bangladesh will be joining as special guests. The four plenary sessions will be on ‘Formalizing the Informal Jhoot Sector’, ‘Closing the Loop of Textile Waste’, ‘Circular Design: Reality vs Challenges’ and ‘Transparency & Traceability in Circularity’. The presentation on ‘EU Due Diligence and Legislations on Circularity’ will be given by Charles Whiteley, Head of the Delegation, Delegation of the European Union in Bangladesh;  while the presentation on ‘Market Incentives for Eco-design: The Case of Eco-modulation’ will be given by Professor Harri Kalimo, Co-Director of the 3E (Environment, Economy and Energy) Research Center, Brussels School of Governance. Another presentation on ‘A National Circular Textile Roadmap for Bangladesh’ will be given by Patrick Schroeder, Senior Research Fellow, Chatham House. There will be also one breakout session ‘Mapping the Way for RMG Circularity’ also at the summit to be organized by the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Bangladesh. Mostafiz Uddin, founder and CEO of Bangladesh Apparel Exchange (BAE) said circularity becomes an important aspect of fashion sustainability. "The objective of the Bangladesh Circular Economy Summit is to accelerate the momentum circularity in the apparel and textile industries of the country,” he said. Irma Van Dueren, Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to Bangladesh, said: “By combining Bangladesh's strong RMG industry with the Netherlands’ circular economy knowledge, we can create a win-win situation. Bangladesh benefits from a more sustainable production process, and the Netherlands gains a valuable partner in its circularity journey.” Dr. Michael Klode, Project Manager, Programme for Sustainability in the Textile and Leather Sector (STILE), GIZ, said, “Climate targets for 2030, decarbonization goals in 2025, graduation from LDC in 2026/2029, it all sounded far away. But it is around the corner. Getting ready for approaches towards a Circular Economy is a matter of consciousness towards Climate goals, but also a matter of business goals and competitiveness.”

A 50-year-old Bangladeshi man was reportedly shot and killed by members of the Indian Border Security Force (BSF) along the Burichang upazila border in Cumilla this morning. The victim, Mohammad Anwar Hossain, a resident of Mirpur village in Bakshimul union, was identified as the son of the late Charu Miah. Bangladeshi cattle trader injured in BSF firing in Benapole Local Union Parishad Chairman Abdul Karim said that Anwar was shot by the BSF at the Jamtala border around 8:30 am. "His body remains near the barbed wire fence," Karim said, noting that Anwar went to the border to “illegally bring sugar.” Officer-in-Charge (OC) Abul Hasnat of Burichang Police Station confirmed the incident. Discussions are ongoing regarding the repatriation of the body through a flag meeting, he stated. Two Bangladeshi youths shot dead by BSF near Tetulia border

Bangladesh has called for strong support from ASEAN Member States to help Bangladesh become its Sectoral Dialogue Partner. At the 31st Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) Regional Forum senior officials’ meeting (SOM) held in Vientiane, Lao People’s Democratic Republic on Saturday, Director General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Md Rais Hasan Sarower made the call. Highlighting the critical role of ASEAN in resolving the Rohingya crisis, Rais emphasized the need for stronger and more effective cooperation from ASEAN leaders and ARF Member States to ensure the safe, sustainable, and dignified return of forcibly displaced Myanmar nationals from their temporary shelter in Bangladesh to their homeland in Myanmar. Drawing on the foreign policy dictum of the Father of the Nation, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, "Friendship to all, malice towards none," Director General Rais reiterated Bangladesh’s commitment to and continued support for ARF activities aimed at promoting collective security, peace, and shared prosperity. On the sidelines of the 31st ARF SOM, Rais held bilateral meetings with Michelle Chan, Deputy Secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Australia, and Astanah Abdul Aziz, Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN and discussed issues of mutual interest. The 31st ARF SOM was chaired by Thongphane Savanphet, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lao PDR, said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Saturday. Senior officials at the level of foreign secretaries and ambassadors from 27 ARF Member States participated in the meeting.

A mourning meeting was held on Saturday in Bogura in memory of the martyred president of Iran Ebrahim Raisi this afternoon.  Member of Parliament of Bogra Sadar-6 constituency Ragebul Ahsan Ripu was present as the chief guest in the event organized by Emamiya Jankalyan Foundation of Bogura. Huzzatul Islam Wal Muslimin Shahabuddin Mashayekhi Rad, Bangladesh representative of Al Mustafa International University of Iran, was present as an international guest in the event. President Shahabuddin expresses shock over deaths of Iranian President, FM in helicopter crash Former dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences of Dinajpur Haji Mohammed Danesh University of Science and Technology, Professor Dr. ATM Rezaul Haque. Bogura Govt Azizul Haque College History Department Head Professor Md Ramzan Ali Akand and Bogra Press Club General Secretary Md Amjad Hossain Mintu. Mir Siddiqur Rahman, former General Manager of Agriculture Department of Rajshahi Sugar Mill were present as the guests of honor on the occasion. Speakers at the event said that Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi was a humanitarian. He was not only popular with the people of Iran, but he became popular with the people of the whole world. He worked to establish peace in the world, worked for the oppressed people of the whole world, including Palestine. Especially Muslim countries. PM Hasina expresses deep condolences over deaths of Iranian President, Foreign Minister The speakers said that various countries and nations of the world mourned the martyrdom of the Iranian president. In Bangladesh, the martyrdom of Iran's President Ayatollah Seyyed Ibrahim Raisi and his travel companions was observed on May 23.

A total of 394 officer cadets of 154 Regular Course and 137 Technical Graduate Course, including 39 from 10 friendly countries, passed out from the portals of Indian Military Academy (IMA), Dehradun, Uttarakhand on Saturday. The officer cadets displayed inspiring enthusiasm, putting up an excellent show of marching to military tunes of ‘Sare Jahan Se Achha’ and ‘Kadam Kadam Badhaye Ja’ with perfection and pride. General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Northern Command Lt Gen MV Suchindra Kumar reviewed the passing out parade. On the occasion, the reviewing officer presented the following awards: Bangladesh Medal for the Officer Cadet standing First in the Order of Merit from Foreign Country was presented to foreign officer Cadet Mohammad Nur Kutubul Alam, Bangladesh, according to Press Information Bureau of India. Coveted award of the Sword of Honour & Gold Medal for the Officer Cadet standing First in the Order of Merit were presented to Academy Under Officer Praveen Singh. The Silver Medal was presented to Academy Cadet Adjutant Mohit Kapri, while the bronze medal was given to Battalion Under Officer Shaurya Bhatt. Silver Medal for the Officer Cadet standing First in the Order of Merit from Technical Graduate Course was presented to Officer Cadet Vinay Bhandari. Chief of the Army Staff Banner was awarded to Kohima Company for standing Overall first amongst 12 companies for the Spring Term 2024. Lt Gen MV Suchindra Kumar congratulated the officer cadets on the successful completion of their training and complimented them and the instructors for the excellent parade as well as the crisp & synergised drill movements, indicating high standards of training and discipline imbibed by the young officer cadets. “The parade is the culmination of your training and the commencement of professional career. This is a moment that comes once in your lifetime and shall be an inspiration for all future endeavours. The pledge that you take and the vows that you make to your nation are sacred and shall precede all your commitments, henceforth. The fact that you stand proud and strong today is testimony to the hard work and labour that you have put in to become an officer. The IMA is an elite institution that has harnessed your potential and has equipped you with all the knowledge and attributes befitting an officer,” the Reviewing Officer told the officer cadets. The Reviewing Officer reiterated that the Indian Army is proud to have the best soldiers in the world, who have the wisdom derived from combat and years of operational experience. He urged the officer cadets to always lead with honour; serve with distinction; and inspire those around with unwavering commitment to duty. On the rapidly changing dynamics of combat, the Reviewing Officer stated that technological transformation has been continuously impacting the character of modern wars. He emphasised that the use of space, cyber & cognitive domains in warfare are contemporary realities, and information warfare, drones, autonomous systems, exploitation of electro-magnetic spectrum and man-machine teaming are the new normal. He said these domains are being refined with every passing day with the use of disruptive technologies, thereby increasing the complexities of wars. Describing it as the wars of ideas, intellect, and innovation, he urged the officer cadets to always be prepared & at the forefront to meet these challenges. “Remember the adage that it is the person behind the machine who matters the most. Physical fitness, mental agility, critical thinking, technical prowess, and a swift response to fluid situations will be the key to your success,” he said. After reviewing the parade, Lt Gen MV Suchindra Kumar laid wreaths and offered floral tributes at the War Memorial, IMA to pay homage to the brave alumni of the prestigious training academy. The ‘Pipping Ceremony’, where the officer cadets don the ranks of Commissioned Officers, was carried out by their parents and loved ones.

Member States of the D-8 Organization for Economic Cooperation on Saturday condemned in the strongest terms the “brutal and inhuman” Israeli aggression against the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip as well as in the occupied West Bank including East Jerusalem. They demanded an immediate, permanent and unconditional ceasefire, the cessation of the Israeli aggression on the Palestinian people in Gaza, according to a joint declaration issued after the meeting. The Foreign Ministers of the Member States of the D-8 Organization for Economic Cooperation and the Heads of Delegations from the People’s Republic of Bangladesh, Arab Republic of Egypt, Republic of Indonesia, Islamic Republic of Iran, Malaysia, Federal Republic of Nigeria, Islamic Republic of Pakistan, and the Republic of Türkiye gathered in İstanbul on at the invitation of Hakan Fidan, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Türkiye, as an expression of their unified position in condemning the brutal Israeli aggression against the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip and in the West Bank, including Al-Quds Al-Sharif. Social Welfare Minister Dr Dipu Moni led the Bangladesh delegation at the extraordinary meeting. Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Türkiye Hakan Fidan will also hold bilateral talks on the sidelines of the meeting, according to a media. Acknowledging the devastating impacts of the brutal Israeli aggression on Palestinian economy and infrastructure, as well as its damage to regional peace, stability and prosperity; they -Call on all States to ensure Israel to strictly comply with the provisional measures ordered by the International Court of Justice, thereby, immediately halt its military offensive, and any other action in the Rafah Governorate, which may inflict on the Palestinian group in Gaza conditions of life that could bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part; to withdraw from Rafah and provide the conditions for safe, immediate and unhindered humanitarian access through the Rafah crossing, as well as safe and unhindered provision at scale of urgently needed basic services and humanitarian assistance throughout the Gaza Strip; and to take effective measures to ensure the unimpeded access to the Gaza Strip of any commission of inquiry and other fact-finding missions or other investigative bodies mandated by competent organs of the United Nations, -Call on all States, particularly in view of the ongoing genocide and grave violations of International Law and international humanitarian law on the ground, to exert diplomatic, political, economic and legal pressure and take all necessary measures with a view to stopping all the crimes committed by occupying Israeli forces against Palestinian civilians. -Call on all States to support, intervene and/or contribute to the legal processes before the international legal mechanisms/tribunals to ensure accountability for grave violations of International Humanitarian Law and International Law committed against the Palestinian People, -Demand that all countries stop supplying weapons and ammunitions to Israel that are used by its army and extremist settlers to kill the Palestinian people and destroy their homes, hospitals, schools, mosques, churches and all their properties; -Call for efforts to provide protection for Palestinian civilians and to form a practical and effective international protection mechanism for this in implementation of the resolutions of the Security Council and the United Nations General Assembly on the protection of the Palestinian people, including Resolution 904 (1994), and the United Nations General Assembly Resolution A/RES-10/21, dated 27 October 2023, and the report of the UN Secretary-General in this regard, -Demand complete lifting the Israeli siege on Gaza, including through opening of all available land border crossings and allowing the entry of international humanitarian aid convoys, including food, medicine and fuel into the Gaza Strip without any hindrance, -Reaffirm our categorical rejection, by all means, to any attempt at forcibly displacing, expelling or transferring the Palestinian people from their land, and Call for unconditional return to their homes and lands of displaced Palestinians, -Commend the role of the UNRWA in serving the Palestinian refugees and invite all States and the international community to continue supporting it to execute its historic mandate and responsibility with its irreplaceable and indispensable role in providing aid and services to Palestinian people, -Emphasize the obligation for Israel to implement its responsibilities as the occupying power, and to stop all illegal Israeli measures that perpetuate the occupation, especially all settlement activities including the building and expansion of illegal settlements, the confiscation of lands, and the displacement of Palestinians from their homes, -Affirm the State of Palestine’s full sovereignty over Al-Quds Al-Sharif, its eternal capital, its rejection and standing against any Israeli decisions or measures aimed at changing its character, being null and void and illegal under the international law and the relevant UN Resolutions, -Condemn the Israeli attacks on the holy sites in Al-Quds, and Israel’s illegal measures that violate freedom of worship, and stress the necessity of upholding unchanged the historic status quo in the holy sites in word and in practice, and that of the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque/Al-Haram Al-Sharif, -Condemn strongly the Israeli actions to escalate the war by provoking regional countries as well as targeting the Embassy of Iran in Damascus through unjustifiable attacks. -Deplore the killing of more than 100 journalists and in excess of 200 humanitarian aid workers from several countries at the hands of Israel since October 2023. -Emphasize the need for the international community to act immediately to implement the two-state solution in a way that meets all the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, especially their right to their independent, sovereign and contiguous State along the lines of June 4, 1967, with East Jerusalem as its capital, in accordance with UN resolutions, -Acknowledge the need for a guarantee mechanism so that when a final settlement is reached, its provisions could be implemented in full and in a sustainable fashion, -Affirm the unwavering support of D-8 Member States to the struggle of the Palestinian people to realize their inalienable rights, the full membership of Palestine in the United Nations and all the resolutions related to the Palestinian Cause in international fora, -Hail the recent decisions of a group of countries to recognize the State of Palestine as an endeavour for the sake of peace in the region, and Call on all the States that have not yet recognised the State of Palestine to do so as a requirement of peace, international law, justice and conscience, -Call on the United States of America to lift its veto on the full membership of Palestine in the UN as an independent and sovereign State, -Urge our Palestinian brothers and sisters to unite in their struggle to achieve their objectives, and Call on Palestinian factions to expedite the completion of national reconciliation, -Support all efforts towards empowering the Palestinian economy as well as rebuilding Gaza following the withdrawal of Israeli forces, -Commend the role of the Arab Republic of Egypt, the Chairman in Office, in providing and facilitating entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza, support all the steps it takes to confront the consequences of the brutal Israeli aggression on Gaza and recent invasion of the Palestinian city of Rafah; -Commend the Government of the Republic of Türkiye for gathering and hosting the Extraordinary Meeting of the D-8 Council of Ministers on the situation in Gaza and appreciate the role of the meeting to further concretize the bonds of fraternity, cooperation and solidarity among the Member Countries. -Task the D-8 Secretary General to facilitate consultation to follow up the elements contained in the Joint Declaration as well as the organization of the consequent meeting of the Council on Gaza. The member States also sought immediate implementation of the relevant UN Resolutions, particularly UN Security Council Resolution 2728 (2024) which demand immediate ceasefire in Gaza Strip, as well as for providing humanitarian and medical aid and relief, providing fuel, water, electricity and shelter, and full humanitarian access through all possible means for the unhindered and adequate delivery of urgent assistance to the Gaza Strip; and call for compliance with UNSC Resolution 2720 (2023) demanding immediate, safe and unhindered delivery of humanitarian assistance to the Gaza Strip, and the establishment in Gaza of a UN mechanism for that purpose.