Foreign-Affairs
'Your father was Bangladesh’s voice abroad': Momen to Ted Kennedy, Jr
Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen has said that late US Senator Edward M. "Ted" Kennedy was Bangladesh’s voice abroad during the Liberation War, even as the then-administration in Washington was supporting the Pakistani military government to perpetrate a genocide in the then East Pakistan.
“Your father stood against this. He was the largest voice. He became a friend of Bangladesh. We have a lot of respect for him. We are very much thankful to him,” said Momen, while welcoming the late Kennedy's son, Ted Jr, and his family members at the Foreign Service Academy for a reception on Tuesday.
Ted Kennedy, Jr., and his family members joined a dinner hosted by foreign minister Momen and Selina Momen in honour of the visiting members of the Kennedy family at the Foreign Service Academy.
Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment Minister Imran Ahmad, LGRD and Cooperatives Minister Md Tazul Islam, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md Shahriar Alam, Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen, US Ambassador to Bangladesh Peter D Haas, editors, among others, joined the dinner.
Sharing his experiences working with Senator Kennedy, the foreign minister said he learned two things from him.
“He (the late Kennedy) always said democracy is never perfect and it is an evolving process. I really liked that,” Momen recalled.
Yet democracy is the best form of governance till today, Momen said, quoting late US Senator Kennedy.
The foreign minister said another thing he learned from Kennedy was to help and work for the deprived people of the world. “These two things I keep in my heart.”
Read more: Ted Kennedy Jr. meets PM Hasina along with his family
Kennedy Jr uses platform honouring his father to call for more inclusive societies
Ted Kennedy Jr, son of the late US Senator and champion of Bangladeshi freedom Edward M. "Ted" Kennedy, on Tuesday said that societies across the world need to be more inclusive towards individuals with disabilities.
“There are billions of people with disabilities living around the world and the issue touches every family, whether it’s in America or in Bangladesh. People with disabilities have the same rights and opportunities in society as everyone else, and we need to work together to establish an inclusive society for all,” Kennedy said, at a seminar titled ‘Disability Inclusion: A Right, Not a Privilege’ at the EMK Center in Dhanmondi.
It wasn't lost on anyone that the venue added something special to the occasion - the EMK Center takes its name from none other than the late Ted Kennedy, and was originally established on the Dhaka University campus where as a young senator in February 1972, he delivered his rousing "Brothers in Liberty" speech.
Read more: Ted Kennedy conferred with 'Friend of Bangladesh' medal posthumously
Marking the 10th anniversary of its operations in Bangladesh, EMK Center, in association with the US Embassy in Dhaka, organised the seminar on Tuesday, which was also joined by US Ambassador to Bangladesh Peter Haas.
Russia keen to further cooperation with Bangladesh and other grain-importing countries
Russia is committed to expanding cooperation with grain-importing countries, including Bangladesh, based on the principles of mutually beneficial partnership, said the Russian Embassy in Dhaka.
Stable growth in Russian crops supplies, even against the backdrop of
instability in the global food market fuelled by counterproductive sanctions,
demonstrates that commitment, said the Embassy in a media release on Tuesday.
Read more: Russia shipping nuclear power plant equipment to Bangladesh
September 2022 saw a G2G (government to government) contract between Russian and Bangladesh government agencies for the supply of 5 lakh tonnes of wheat.
Out of this amount, 2.17 lakh tonnes have already been shipped, supplemented by 2.43 lakh tonnes secured through private deals.
As of November 1, 2022, the shipments of Russian wheat to Bangladesh have totaled to 4.6 lakh tonnes, with the 4.4 times increase from 105,000 tonnes a year earlier, according to the Russian Embassy.
Read more: Russia to suspend UN-brokered grain deal with Ukraine
According to the Russian Grain Union, from October 1 to October 23, 2022, Russia exported 4.13 million tonnes of wheat, which is 57% higher than in the same period last year.
October 2021 saw the overall wheat export of 2 million 637 thousand tonnes.
On October 28, 2022, the Russian Foreign Ministry issued an official statement indicating, that Russia is ready to export about 30 million tonnes of grain, primarily wheat, by the end of 2022, and to increase deliveries up to 50 million tonnes in the light of the rich harvest this year.
About 10.5 million tonnes of grain (77% wheat) have already been dispatched to Asia (62%) and Africa (33%).
Saudi Arabia assures assistance in commercial supply of LNG to Bangladesh
Saudi Arabia has assured its assistance in the commercial supply of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) to Bangladesh on an emergency basis.
The Saudi assurance came during the 14th meeting of the Joint Economic Commission of the two countries held from October 30 to 31 in its capital Riyadh.
The Saudi delegation in the meeting also assured its assistance after Bangladesh requested investment in the Eastern Refinery Unit 2 project.
read more: Political stability, good incentives attract Saudi companies to invest in Bangladesh: Saudi Envoy
Two Memorandum of Understandings (MoUs) were signed between the two countries during the meeting on mutual cooperation in recruitment, training of naval professionals, and increasing trade.
During the meeting, the two countries agreed to form a task force to enhance energy cooperation between Saudi Arabia and Bangladesh. It was decided to hold regular meetings of the task force on cooperation in the energy sector at convenient times for the two countries.
In the meeting, discussions were held regarding the construction of 1000 MW solar power and 730 MW gas power plant in Bangladesh by Saudi ACWA Power.
Read more: Saudi delegation to visit Bangladesh soon to discuss energy cooperation: Envoy
In the meeting, a memorandum of understanding was signed between the Bangladesh Ministry of Shipping and the Ministry of Communications and Information in Saudi Arabia to increase mutual cooperation in all possible fields including recruitment, and training of the maritime professionals of the two countries.
Bangladesh Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Mohammad Javed Patwary signed the MoU on behalf of Bangladesh and Deputy of Maritime Transport Abdul Rahman M Al Thunayen signed on behalf of Saudi Arabia.
In the meeting, another MoU was signed between the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce & Industries (FBCCI), and the Federation of Saudi Chambers and Commerce to form a Joint Business Council to increase trade. The MoU was signed by FBCCI Vice President Md Habib Ullah and his Saudi counterpart Vice President of the Federation of Saudi Chambers Tariq bin Muhammad Al-Haidari.
Read More: Dependence on LNG import to continue, more terminals to be set up: Energy Advisor
An agreement was made between the Health, Education and Family Welfare Division of Bangladesh and the Saudi Ministry of Health To sign an expedited MoU for an 'Executive Program' for the recruitment of professionals from Bangladesh in the Saudi health sector.
Besides, a consensus was made on the signing of another MoU aiming to increase effective bilateral support in all fields of science and education between the education ministries of the two countries.
Economic Relations Division Secretary Sharifa Khan led the Bangladesh delegation during the meeting while Saudi Vice Minister of Human Resources and Social Development for Labor Dr. Abdullah Abuthnain led the Saudi delegation.
Read More: Nasrul Hamid now hopes power supply situation will improve from Nov
The next meeting of the Joint Economic Commission will be held in Dhaka.
Ted Kennedy conferred with 'Friend of Bangladesh' medal posthumously
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday conferred the "Friend of Liberation War" honour posthumously on the late US Senator Edward M. “Ted” Kennedy, Sr for his great contribution to Bangladesh's War of Liberation.
"Today I am highly delighted to hand over the Friend of Liberation War Honour, conferred posthumously on Edward M. “Ted” Kennedy, Sr to his able son Edward M. “Ted” Kennedy, Jr," she said while joining a dinner hosted in honour of the visiting Ted Kennedy, Jr and his family members at a city hotel this evening.
Hasina recalled with gratitude the great contributions of late senator Edward M. Kennedy, Sr during the War of Liberation and afterwards.
She mentioned that Kennedy took a bold stand against the genocide committed by the Pakistani army against innocent Bangalees, despite the then-US government’s role favouring Islamabad.
Read: Edward Kennedy Jr’s message at Bangabandhu Memorial Museum visitors’ book
The prime minister also mentioned that Ted Kennedy also criticised the US policy to supply arms to Pakistan, and boldly called on the US government to stop American military and economic aid to Pakistan till the end of the war.
She also recalled that Kennedy visited the refugee camps in India's West Bengal in August 1971. Indeed, Kennedy not only visited the camps, he also authored a report on the refugee crisis in the border areas, after an estimated 10 million people fled the fighting in what would eventually become Bangladesh.
In December 1971, Ted Kennedy, the young senator with a famous family name, strongly criticised the Nixon administration's support for Pakistan and its ignoring of "the brutal and systematic repression of East Bengal by the Pakistani army".
Read: Visiting Ted Kennedy hopes US-Bangladesh relation will continue to thrive
In February 1972, Kennedy flew to independent Bangladesh and delivered a memorable speech at the University of Dhaka, where the Pakistan army's killing spree had commenced hardly a year earlier, saying: "We are brothers in liberty, and no man, no policy, no government can change that fact."
Kennedy served as a US senator for Massachusetts for 47 years till his death in 2009. In the course of his career he came to be known as "The Lion of the Senate."
UN Special Rapporteur will assess rights violation in trafficking during official visit to Bangladesh
UN Special Rapporteur Siobhán Mullally will assess the human rights issue of trafficking in persons during a ten-day official visit to Bangladesh that began on Monday.
“I will pay particular attention to the main challenges to ensuring the human rights of victims, and effective prevention of trafficking,” Mullally said.
The Special Rapporteur’s will present a comprehensive report of her visit to the UN Human Rights Council in June 2023.
A particular concern will be the risks of trafficking in the labour migration context, as well as risks faced by refugees, asylum seekers and stateless persons, she said.
Trafficking for purposes of sexual exploitation and concerns in relation to child trafficking for all forms of exploitation will also be examined, as will climate-related displacement and increased risks for those directly affected, particularly women and girls in rural areas, and indigenous peoples.
“Measures to combat impunity for trafficking in persons, and ensure effective investigations, with participation of victims, including through child friendly justice procedures, will be examined,” she said.
The special rapporteur will travel to Dhaka, Cox’s Bazar and Sylhet. She will meet representatives of government agencies, as well as UN officials, law enforcement bodies, members of civil society organisations and survivors.
The special rapporteur will hold a press conference to share her preliminary observations on November 9.
Visiting Ted Kennedy hopes US-Bangladesh relation will continue to thrive
Visiting Edward M Kennedy Jr, son of late US Senator Edward M Kennedy and nephew of late US President John F Kennedy, said on Monday that he hopes the relationship between Bangladesh and the United States will continue to grow.
Referring to a banyan tree planted by his father on the Dhaka University campus in 1972, he said the banyan tree is the symbol of a strong relationship between the two countries.
"I just visited the banyan tree at the University of Dhaka, which was planted by my father after the independence war in 1972 as a symbol of the USA-Bangladesh relationship," he told a gathering on the campus.
Read: Bangladesh's Liberation War deeply moving for us: Kennedy Jr
“The tree has been still growing up and so is the relationship between the two countries since the last 50 years,” said Kennedy Jr., also known as Ted Kennedy.
He made the statement when he spoke at an event organised by the US Embassy to commemorate the 50 years of US-Bangladesh relationship at Nawab Ali Chowdhury Senate building of the Dhaka University.
German, Bangladeshi officials celebrate 50 years of development cooperation
High-ranking officials of Bangladesh and Germany and representatives of other development partners and civil society Sunday celebrated the 50 years of Development Cooperation between both countries.
After a welcome by German Ambassador Achim Tröster, Parliamentary State Secretary for Development Cooperation Bärbel Kofler delivered a speech highlighting achievements and challenges and described pathways for future development cooperation between Bangladesh and Germany.
To better understand the opportunities as well as the obstacles ahead for the sustainable development of Bangladesh, Bärbel participated in the panel discussion "For a Just Transition in Bangladesh – The Future of Bangladesh's Economy and the role of Germany-Bangladesh Development Cooperation" with representatives of Picard Bangladesh, the Centre for Policy Dialogue, the International Growth Center, the International Labour Organization and the Economy of Tomorrow Fellowship Programme of Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung Bangladesh.
Bangladesh is a lucrative country for foreign investment: Foreign Minister
Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen has said that building partnerships in Bangladesh could be beneficial as the nation is a lucrative destination for foreign investment.
"With each of our partner countries, the ties and engagements have considerable mutuality of interest and benefit," he said.
The Foreign Minister was speaking on Saturday at a dinner programme in the city hosted by the American Chamber of Commerce in Bangladesh to celebrate the 28th US Trade Show.
The engagements like the US Trade Show will indeed contribute to the fulfillment of Bangladesh's national and global desires for development, he said.
"We want to engage with friendly countries in a way that is mutually beneficial for national and global development ambitions," Momen said.
Describing Bangladesh as a land of opportunity, the Foreign Minister said, "I strongly believe that this event will significantly contribute in augmenting the economic relations, trade and business between these two friendly countries."
He said that Bangladesh is a country with a market of 165 million people and a country with great human potential because of the demographic dividend and its hardworking people. "These make Bangladesh a hotspot for investment."
US Ambassador to Bangladesh Peter Haas and American Chamber of Commerce in Bangladesh president Syed Ershad Ahmed also spoke, among others.
Bangladesh’s interest lies in peaceful coexistence with Myanmar: Momen
Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen on Sunday said various unintended incidents including mortar blasts and violation of airspace have occurred inside Bangladesh due to the ongoing conflict inside Myanmar between its army and the insurgent Arakan Army.
Momen said this while replying to a question from ruling Awami League MP Momtaz Begum in the Parliament.
However, he said that Bangladesh has so far shown patience in dealing with these provocative activities.
The foreign minister said that as a neighbouring country, Bangladesh is interested in peaceful coexistence with Myanmar.
“For this reason, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is trying to resolve the ongoing problems through diplomatic initiatives in view of the behaviour of Myanmar,” he said.
He also said that as part of the diplomatic initiative, Bangladesh has strongly protested these incidents by summoning the Myanmar ambassador in Dhaka four times, and organizing a briefing for ambassadors of ASEAN countries in Dhaka.
He mentioned that the Chinese Ambassador was separately briefed and the Bangladesh Embassy in Yangon has informed the Myanmar government about Bangladesh's deep concern over the prevailing border situation.
In response to a question from Jatiya Party's Rustom Ali Farazi, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal said Bangladesh is not a drug producing country but is under the grip of drug problem due to geographical reasons.
“Illegal drugs enter our country from neighbouring countries,” he said.
He also said after preparing the list of godfathers and syndicates involved in drug business, actions have been taken against them.
The Home Minister said that in 2021, 93,190 cases were filed and 1. 22 lakh illegal drug dealers were arrested and brought under the law.
Meanwhile in 2022, the minister said that till August, 66,554 cases have been filed and 83,123 illegal drug dealers have been arrested and brought under the law.