United News of Bangladesh

Foreign banks are facilitating the Myanmar military junta’s access to weapons and related materials that are sustaining its campaign of violence and brutality against the people of Myanmar, according to a new report released on Wednesday by Tom Andrews, the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar. Banking on the Death Trade: How Banks and Governments Enable the military Junta in Myanmar identifies 16 banks in seven countries that have processed transactions linked to the junta’s military procurement in the past two years, and an additional 25 that have provided correspondent banking services to Myanmar’s state-owned banks that are controlled by the junta. “By relying on financial institutions that are willing to do business with Myanmar state-owned banks under its control, the junta has ready access to the financial services it needs to carry out systematic human rights violations, including aerial attacks on civilians,” the Special Rapporteur said. “International banks that facilitate transactions that include Myanmar state-owned banks are at high risk of enabling military attacks on Myanmar civilians. I urge them to stop doing so. Banks have a fundamental obligation to not facilitate crimes – and this includes war crimes and crimes against humanity,” Andrews said. “The good news is that the junta is increasingly isolated. The Myanmar military’s annual procurement of weapons and military supplies through the formal banking system declined by a third from the year ending March 2023 to the year that followed – from US$377 million to $253 million. “The bad news is that the junta is circumventing sanctions and other measures by exploiting gaps in sanctions regimes, shifting financial institutions, and taking advantage of the failure of Member States to fully coordinate and enforce actions.”  The report examines a dramatic shift in the role of two ASEAN countries as sources of weapons and military supplies for the junta. After a report last year by the Special Rapporteur identified Singapore as Myanmar’s third largest source of weapons and related materials, the government of Singapore launched an investigation of the Singapore-based entities involved in the trade. In the year ending March 2024, the flow of weapons materials to Myanmar from Singapore-registered companies dropped by nearly 90 percent compared to the previous year. Military procurement through Thailand has moved in the opposite direction.  In the year ending March 2024, the junta imported nearly US$130 million in weapons and military supplies from Thailand-registered suppliers, more than double the total from the previous year.  Thai banks have played a crucial role in this shift. Siam Commercial Bank, for example, facilitated just over US$5 million in transactions related to Myanmar military in the year ending March 2023, but that number skyrocketed to over $100 million in the following year. “Singapore’s example demonstrates that a government with sufficient political will can make a significant difference toward shutting down the Myanmar death trade. Thailand has an opportunity to follow this powerful example by taking action that will deal a huge blow to the junta’s capacity to sustain its escalating attacks on civilian targets. I urge it to do so,” the expert said. Over 5,000 civilians have been killed by the junta since the coup, at least 3 million people are displaced, and more than 20,000 political prisoners remain behind bars in Myanmar.  Over the last six months, military airstrikes against civilian targets have increased five-fold while the junta continues to lose military outposts, territory, and troops to resistance forces. “With the junta on its heels, it is critical that financial institutions take their human rights obligations seriously and not facilitate the junta’s deadly transactions.  It is also critical that States step up by fully coordinating their actions, including by closing loopholes in sanctions regimes,” the Special Rapporteur said. “Sanctioning governments should be targeting the networks supplying jet fuel to the junta. It is also critical that they target Myanma Economic Bank, which is not subject to international sanctions and has become the go-to bank for the junta. These actions could play a decisive role in helping to turn the tide in Myanmar and saving untold numbers of lives,” he said.

The government has named Andalib Elias as the next High Commissioner of Bangladesh to Sri Lanka. He is going to replace Ambassador Tareq Md Ariful Islam in this capacity, said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Wednesday. Andalib Elias, a career diplomat belonging to the 20th batch of BCS (Foreign Affairs) cadre, joined Bangladesh Foreign Service in 2001. Currently, he is serving as the Deputy High Commissioner of Bangladesh in Kolkata, India. In his diplomatic career, he has served in both Permanent Missions of Bangladesh to the UN in Geneva and New York as well as in Bangladesh Missions in Manila and Brussels in different capacities. At the headquarters, he held several important positions, such as Director General of Multilateral Economic Affairs Wing as well as of West Europe and European Union Wing. He also had served as director at the Foreign Minister’s Office. His areas of expertise include trade and development, climate change, migration, LDC graduation, and South-South cooperation. He was Chair of the LDC Group in Geneva and New York and worked as Chief Negotiator of the Group of 77 on economic and financial issues on several occasions. Elias obtained his MSS in Economics from the University of Dhaka. He also completed several professional training courses at home and abroad.

Ambassador Tareq Md Ariful Islam, the serving Bangladesh envoy to Sri Lanka, has been appointed as the new Permanent Representative of Bangladesh to the UN Offices in Geneva.  He is going to succeed Ambassador Mohammad Sufiur Rahman in this capacity, said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Wednesday.  Ambassador Tareq, a career diplomat belonging to the 17th batch of the BCS (Foreign Affairs) Cadre, joined the service in 1998.  Ambassador Whiteley highlights importance of digital solutions to empower youth Prior to taking up the current position in November 2020, he was serving as the Deputy Permanent Representative in the Bangladesh Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York.  As for his other assignments abroad, he had another stint (from 2005 to 2009) in the New York Permanent Mission as First Secretary initially, and at the later part as Counsellor.  He then served in the Bangladesh Deputy High Commission in Kolkata, India (2009-2012) as Counsellor as well. Rokebul Haque designated as next Ambassador to Italy At the headquarters, he served as Director General (South Asia Wing) and before that in various other capacities, including Director (South Asia Wing), Director (Foreign Minister’s Office) as well as in the Personnel Wing and the Foreign Secretary’s Office. Ambassador Tareq obtained a Master of Diplomacy and Trade degree from the Monash University, Australia and a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET).  He takes special interest in the areas of international peace and security, regional cooperation, human rights and migration.

Japan has provided 495 million Japanese Yen or US $3.21 million for the human resources development in Bangladesh. Ambassador of Japan to Bangladesh Iwama Kiminori and Secretary, Economic Relations Division, Ministry of Finance Md. Shahriar Kader Siddiky signed the exchange of notes on the Japanese Grant aid titled “the Project for Human Resource Development Scholarship (JDS)”. Based on this agreement between the two counties, ICHIGUCHI Tomohide, Chief Representative of JICA Bangladesh Office and  Sharifa Khan signed a relevant grant agreement. Since its inception in 2002, 507 Bangladeshi officials as master’s degree students and 18 officials as doctoral degree students have studied in Japan under the JDS scheme. In Japanese Fiscal Year 2024, Bangladesh ranked 2nd in the world in terms of the number of JDS fellows. “Bangladesh is aiming at elevating to the developed countries in less than 20 years. In order to achieve this goal, the role of government officials is essential. I do believe that the support of our government to the government officials in Bangladesh has substantially contributed to the development of this country since 2002. I hope that the dispatch of young officials through our grant aid will accelerate the development of Bangladesh for another 20 years.” said Ambassador Iwama. Japan is the largest bilateral development partner of Bangladesh. Since independence, Japan has committed $32.37 billion and contributed significantly towards the overall development of the country. In addition to soft loans, Japan is also providing a significant amount of grant and technical assistance for different projects, including support for human resource development, socio-economic development, and environment protection.

The International Finance Corporation (IFC) and the Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA) have entered into a transformative agreement to establish the Bangladesh Climate Advisory Partnership (B-CAP). This initiative aims to boost climate-smart private investment in Bangladesh's key growth sectors, contributing to carbon mitigation and the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. Climate change poses significant risks to Bangladesh's development, requiring substantial investments in mitigation and adaptation. The IFC-DANIDA partnership, backed by $5.3 million, aims to catalyze $50 million in climate-smart private investments by 2027, with a focus on manufacturing and green finance.  B-CAP's core pillars include accelerating climate-smart investments, enhancing green finance, promoting sustainable practices, and gender inclusiveness. Aligned with IFC's strategic climate objectives, this project aims to accelerate an inclusive transition to low-carbon, resilient growth focused on people, jobs, and sustained industrial progress in Bangladesh. “By catalyzing climate-smart private investments in Bangladesh, we’re tackling climate change while fostering resilient, eco-friendly development,” said Martin Holtmann, IFC Country Manager for Bangladesh, Bhutan and Nepal. "Teaming up with DANIDA allows us to pool expertise and resources, ensuring our projects uphold the highest environmental and social standards, supporting Bangladesh's development journey." Building on the successful Partnership for Cleaner Textile (PaCT) program, which provided advisory support for a green transition in Bangladesh’s textile industry, B-CAP expands this collaboration to broader climate advisory. Christian Brix Møller, Ambassador of Denmark to Bangladesh said, “This collaboration with IFC is a significant step towards advancing our global climate action goals. By investing in Bangladesh's transition to a green economy, we are reinforcing our commitment to sustainable development and international cooperation."

US Ambassador to Bangladesh Peter Haas has said Bangladesh and the United States are more capable of solving problems when they work together. "Both of our countries want to look after our people and help them live peaceful, prosperous, and secure lives," he said while speaking on Tuesday evening marking its National Day that falls on July 4. On the occasion of his country's Independence Day, Ambassador Haas expressed his solidarity with the people of Bangladesh in their own struggle for freedom and independence. He said the United States remains committed to the people of Bangladesh as they address their own challenges. "During my time in Dhaka, I have always looked for areas where people from our two countries can cooperate, since we share many common interests," Haas said. As one example of many, he said, journalists in Bangladesh share an interest with their American counterparts in media freedom and in freedom of expression. "We work to bring people from both of our countries together to discuss media freedom and to help each other achieve it," Haas said. He said Cyclone Remal gave them another reminder of how vulnerable parts of Bangladesh are. "Working together to help address these vulnerabilities are key areas for partnership between our countries now and in the future," Haas mentioned. He encouraged all to take a good look at the information in the displays around them at the venue and to reflect on where the United States and Bangladesh are working together to address shared challenges and advance shared interests.

The OPEC Fund for International Development (the OPEC Fund) and the UN’s International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) on Tuesday signed a cooperation agreement to expand their partnership and boost co-financing of projects that enhance food security and build climate resilience, providing critical support to smallholder farmers who grow one-third of food worldwide.  The long-standing cooperation between the institutions will be strengthened by creating additional synergies. Knowledge sharing and close coordination aim to increase the efficiency of co-financed projects. The agreement was signed in Vienna at the 2024 OPEC Fund Development Forum by OPEC Fund President Abdulhamid Alkhalifa and IFAD President Alvaro Lario. OPEC Fund President Abdulhamid Alkhalifa said: “Food security and climate action are cross-cutting strategic themes for the OPEC Fund. We are committed to supporting a sustainable and just energy transition while ensuring vital food supplies worldwide. We will boost our long-standing partnership with IFAD by working faster and smarter to deliver our support where it is needed most.” Alvaro Lario, President of IFAD said: “Small-scale food producers understand better than anyone the links between food, water, and energy. Helping them adapt to accelerating climate change requires collaboration between diverse partners. OPEC Fund Member States helped found IFAD at a similar moment of crisis and this new agreement presents an excellent opportunity to renew our commitment to those men and women who most provide us all with healthy and nutritious food.” The OPEC Fund and IFAD have been working together since 1978. The OPEC Fund has been a main contributor to IFAD programs with US$1.03 billion provided to more than 120 projects to date. IFAD is an international financial institution and specialized United Nations agency based in Rome, investing in rural areas of developing countries. The OPEC Fund for International Development (the OPEC Fund) is the only globally mandated development institution that provides financing from member countries to non-member countries exclusively. The organization works in cooperation with developing country partners and the international development community to stimulate economic growth and social progress in low- and middle-income countries around the world. The OPEC Fund was established in 1976 with a distinct purpose: to drive development, strengthen communities and empower people. Our work is people-centered, focusing on financing projects that meet essential needs, such as food, energy, infrastructure, employment (particularly relating to MSMEs), clean water and sanitation, healthcare and education. To date, the OPEC Fund has committed about US$27 billion to development projects in over 125 countries with an estimated total project cost of more than US$200 billion. The OPEC Fund is rated AA+/Outlook Stable by Fitch and AA+, Outlook Stable by S&P. Our vision is a world where sustainable development is a reality for all. IFAD is an international financial institution and a United Nations specialized agency. Based in Rome – the United Nations food and agriculture hub – IFAD invests in rural people, empowering them to reduce poverty, increase food security, improve nutrition and strengthen resilience. Since 1978, we have provided more than US$24 billion in grants and low-interest loans to fund projects in developing countries. 

Foreign Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud on Tuesday expressed hope that the Japan-Bangladesh Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) would be concluded to get Japanese financial concession by 2026 when Bangladesh will be graduated from LDC status. He expressed satisfaction on the visit of the Japanese Trade Negotiating Team for EPA to Dhaka last month to attend the 1st round of Japan-Bangladesh Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) Negotiations. Senior Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan ONO Keiichi met Foreign Minister Dr. Hasan Mahmud at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday afternoon and discussed the issues. Referring to the ratification by Bangladesh of the Hong Kong International Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships, Hasan requested for Japanese assistance for building a Treatment, Storage and Disposal Facilities (TSDF) in Bangladesh as early as possible so that the Bangladeshi shipyards can be world class green certified shipyards to continue their ship breaking activities without any hassle. He thanked the government of Japan along with Sasakawa Foundation for the continued efforts towards a durable solution for the safe, sustainable, and dignified return of the Rohingyas to the Rakhine State of Myanmar for peace, stability, and security in the region. He appreciated Japan’s humanitarian assistance to the Rohingyas including those relocated to Bhashan Char.  The Japanese Senior Deputy Minister gave emphasis on the construction of Matarbari deep sea port in Bangladesh which will ensure greater connectivity in the region. He also looked forward to the early conclusion of EPA to boost bilateral trade and investment. Regarding ship recycling, he informed that Japanese experts will visit Bangladesh soon to ensure the TSDF facilities in Bangladesh. He thanked the Bangladesh government for hosting more than 1.2 million Rohingyas on humanitarian ground and assured of continued Japanese support towards their humanitarian assistance and repatriation process. Hasan thanked the Senior Deputy Minister for visiting Bangladesh to attend the 5th Bangladesh-Japan Foreign Office Consultations. He recalled the unwavering Japanese support for the cause of the independence of Bangladesh and stated that the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s official visit to Japan in October 1973 laid the rock-solid foundation of today’s exemplary Bangladesh-Japan relations. During the meeting, Hasan expressed satisfaction at the good progress of JICA-assisted mega-infrastructure projects in Bangladesh, namely, Matarbari Deep Sea Port, Dhaka Metro Rail, Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport 3rd Terminal, Bangabandhu Railway Bridge over Jamuna river etc.

Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud has said as they continue to march forward to realize the dream of Bangabandhu’s ‘Sonar Bangla’- a golden Bengal- they anticipate stronger partnership of the US in fulfilling Bangladesh's journey towards a smart developed country by 2041. "Together, we can continue to promote peace, stability, and prosperity for our peoples, in our respective regions, and beyond," he said. Awami League is a party of workers, BNP of internal conflicts: Hasan Mahmud Hasan said they appreciate the renewed commitment of bolstered Bangladesh-US bilateral relations as expressed by President Joe Biden in his letter to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina after her electoral victory this year. The Foreign Minister was speaking at a reception, marking the 248th Independence Day (04 July 2024) of the United States of America on Tuesday evening in Dhaka. US Ambassador to Bangladesh Peter Haas also spoke. Hasan said the bilateral relationship with the US over the past five decades is a story of cooperation and mutual respect. "I must thankfully acknowledge the sustained support and assistance of the United States during both crisis and peace time," he said. Under the dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Hasan said Bangladesh has emerged as a miracle of development. Dhaka, Delhi discussed joint river management: Hasan Mahmud With the rapid growth of the economy, he said, trade between the two countries flourished. Trade surpassed 14 billion dollars in 2022, and investment reached the 4 billion dollars mark. The United States is the largest single export destination for Bangladeshi goods and a significant source of our FDI.  Hasan said the Rohingya crisis continues to loom large on them. Sheltering 1.3 million Rohingyas for seven years has been heavily draining our resources and creating multi-pronged challenges. "Thankfully, the United States has been a leading partner in our humanitarian response to this crisis. We seek continued and renewed support of our international friends to bring an end to this protracted crisis," he said. Despite being one of the least polluters, Hasan said, Bangladesh is one of the most vulnerable countries to climate change. Bangladesh is pledge-bound to pursue a low carbon growth path in spite of its insignificant carbon footprint and huge development need. "We appreciate existing US support and look forward to a stronger and deeper collaboration in implementation of our National Action Plan 2023-50 and the Mujib Climate Prosperity Plan through increased investment in areas like energy efficiency, cleantech/green energy, smart grid, transfer of technology, and climate-smart agriculture," he said. Saudi Crown Prince exchanges greetings with Hasan Mahmud  "As we celebrate American Independence Day, let us also rejoice the strong people-to-people ties that bind our nations," Hasan said. The vibrant Bangladeshi-American community has enriched the cultural tapestry of the US and contributed to the economic enhancement of both our countries. "Let us celebrate the spirit of independence and the enduring friendship between Bangladesh and the United States. Happy Independence Day to the United States of America! Long live Bangladesh-USA friendship," Hasan said.

The International Crimes Strategy Forum (ICSF) voiced shock and disappointment following the UK Supreme Court’s recent decision in the case Mueen-Uddin (appellant) versus Secretary of State for the Home Department in favour of the appellant. Mueen-Uddin, now a UK citizen, was convicted a decade ago for crimes against humanity by the International Crimes Tribunal of Bangladesh for his role in the infamous intelligentsia murders during the Liberation War of Bangladesh in 1971. The decision reached in the course of a mere civil trial in the UK, although have no binding effect on ICT-BD’s original finding of Mueen-Uddin’s criminal liability, and in no way signifies his exoneration even by the UK court, is based on several unadjudicated issues, unfounded claims, and uncalled for remarks by the UKSC (against the ICT-BD) which it has no authority whatsoever to make, ICSF said. This decision by the UKSC undermines decades-long efforts of Bangladesh and her civil society to end impunity by bringing known perpetrators of mass atrocity crimes to justice, betrays the victims and survivors of these crimes, and raises serious questions about the UK judiciary’s commitment to international justice and human rights towards victims of international crimes in faraway lands. UK Judiciary and Government Under Scrutiny Knowledge and understanding of ICT-BD’s law, rules, and practices governing Mueen-Uddin’s criminal trial in Bangladesh—which the UK courts failed to acquire in the course of this current libel case—were crucial to assessing the veracity of the claims put forward by Mueen-Uddin’s legal team, it said. ICSF has closely monitored the UK proceedings so far and—based on the organisation’s decades of collective legal expertise on ICT-BD’s process as a network supporting the victims and survivors of 1971 crimes—found the UK apex court’s decision fundamentally misled, misinformed, and manifestly erroneous of law and material facts about Mueen-Uddin’s original criminal case in Bangladesh. Shockingly, lawyers from both parties and the judges of all three tiers of UK courts failed to demonstrate even the minimum level of scrutiny which could have ensured identification and rectification of some of these blatant errors which the UK Supreme Court’s decision is built on. In the past, rights groups in the UK also raised deep concerns regarding the UK's problematic record of sheltering thousands of individuals responsible for international crimes perpetrated around the world. This latest ruling will not only reinforce the perception of the UK being a safe haven for such perpetrators but will also put in jeopardy the country’s immigration filtering process concerning individuals accused and convicted of international crimes in foreign lands, it added. The ICSF is concerned that this verdict sets a worrying precedent of "conviction laundering,” with the United Kingdom becoming a lucrative jurisdiction for forum shopping convicts from foreign jurisdictions seeking to clear their names by using “some” UK judges’ ignorance (of both foreign laws and accepted practices of international criminal law), supremacist attitudes (towards foreign courts), and prejudices (against foreign stakeholders). All three of these traits were witnessed in the course of this strike-out proceeding. As a signatory to the Genocide Convention, and host of other international human rights treaties, such a decision signals the UK’s lack of commitment towards preventing and prosecuting mass atrocity crimes and upholding victims’ rights. Furthermore, the UK Supreme Court’s greatest shortcomings in this case was its inability or unwillingness to strike a balance between the human rights of Mueen-Uddin and his victims and survivors, particularly, their right to justice. The latter was ignored. In the public interest, ICSF looks forward to disseminating soon its detailed analysis of the case elaborating the said failures and errors overlooked by the UK courts, as well as the ones made by the Supreme Court itself. The verdict by the UKSC is concerning, because it sets a precedent of undermining findings of international crimes by foreign tribunals of sovereign nations. In addition to denying closure to victims of mass atrocity crimes, such verdicts also enable convicted individuals to relitigate their established criminal liabilities in the guise of libel trials as a strategy to muzzle public discourse using law to intimidate researchers and writers, it said. ICSF reiterated its unwavering stance of not forgetting and not ceasing its pursuit of justice for those who suffered during one of history’s darkest chapters. This UK verdict may be a setback, but it will not deter the fight for accountability. ICSF stands committed to advocating for accountability and ensuring that such injustices are never erased from collective memory or glossed over retrospectively by misconceived legal proceedings as evidenced in the recent decision of the United Kingdom’s Supreme Court. The lack of engagement from the Bangladesh Government in this matter has been conspicuous from the start which ICSF found very surprising, according to the ICSF. As a member of the Commonwealth, opportunities for diplomatic engagement, including extradition efforts, have not been adequately pursued. The handling of Interpol’s Red Notice on Mueen-Uddin also appears to have been deficient, with no action whatsoever taken since 2019 when the UK case first emerged, it said.Such silence and inaction from Bangladesh authorities have been disheartening for those affected by the 1971 genocide, ICSF observed. Whereas, the Bangladesh government had a responsibility to support the victims of the 1971 genocide and to uphold its justice process as the ICT-BD judgments signify conclusive judicial determination of historical facts. Therefore, ICSF called on the Government of Bangladesh to investigate its series of failures in the matter and make the findings public, assess the short and long-term implications of these failures, implement mitigating steps, and prevent repetitions of such failures.