Month: December 2021

Bilateral issues with India need to be resolved amicably with fairness and justice as the Bangladesh-India relations are crucial for greater regional stability and development, said State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md Shahriar Alam.

“The past 50 years are a testimony, with ample evidence, how crucial Bangladesh-India relations are not only for bilateral partnership and peace, but also for greater regional stability and the development of the subcontinent,” he said while addressing a dialogue on Wednesday as the chief guest.

To alleviate the sufferings and save the livelihoods of millions of people dependent on the Teesta River basin, Alam said, it is necessary that Bangladesh receives its fair share of the Teesta waters based on the draft agreement which has already been agreed upon by both the governments in January 2011.

He said Bangladesh believes in India’s sincere commitment and continued efforts to conclude this agreement at the earliest.

Likewise, the State Minister mentioned, it is necessary that an equitable comprehensive water-sharing agreement on common rivers such as Gumti, Khowai, Kushiyara, Teesta, Feni and Muhuri needs to be concluded so that the people of Bangladesh can perceive that India will be attentive and fair to their needs.

He said the past 50 years will guide them to navigate the course of the next 50 years in the evolving scenario of the regional and global context, where the friendship and partnership would be deeper and more consolidated.

“As we march forward to turn the dream of Sonar Bangla of Bangabandhu into a reality, the partnership and friendship with India signifies a metamorphological transition to transform the region as a role model of peace, prosperity, and development,” he said highlighting the historic transformative journey of shared prosperity.

The Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) organised the dialogue titled “50 Years of Bangladesh-India Partnership: Towards a Journey in the Next 50 Years” in collaboration with the Research and Information System for Developing Countries (RIS), India.

Kazi Nabil Ahmed, MP, Member, Standing Committee on Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Vikram K Doraiswami, High Commissioner of India to Bangladesh also spoke at the dialogue chaired by Prof Rehman Sobhan.

Dr Fahmida Khatun, CPD Executive Director, moderated the session while Dr Sachin Chaturvedi, Director General, RIS, India delivered the introductory remarks.

On the occasion of the 50 years of Bangladesh-India partnership, Alam said they need to capitalize on their achievements and use that as a springboard to consolidate the partnership to fight against the perilous threats of poverty, inequality and injustice in this region and making the subcontinent a safer and better place for future generation.

“A stable and mutually beneficial partnership can play a pivotal and exemplary role and accelerate shared prosperity to change the lives and livelihoods of the people of the entire region,” he said.

Terming India a closest and important neighbour of Bangladesh, he said India has the responsibility to instill and maintain trust and confidence among the countries of the region.

The prolonged impasse hitherto on critical issues like trade imbalance, water sharing, border incident and border demarcation at several areas has done little good to either side, he observed.

It is in the interest of both countries that bilateral issues need to be resolved amicably with fairness and justice, said the State Minister, adding, “We’ve shown the world such evidence time and again.”

Bangladesh is currently importing about 1160 MW of power from India and energy sector cooperation between India and Bangladesh has also seen considerable progress in the recent years, he said.

Four Border Haats, two each in Tripura and Meghalaya, have been established for the benefit of bordering communities living in remote areas.

He said additional Border Haats on the India-Bangladesh border are under consideration. “Both sides are working to expedite the process.”

India has extended 3 Lines of Credits to Bangladesh in the last 7 years amounting to US$ 8 billion. This makes Bangladesh the largest recipient of LoC funds from India till date.

The LoCs cover mainly infrastructure development projects in areas of port construction, railways, roads, airports, power and energy, telecommunications, and shipping.

During the ongoing Covid pandemic, both countries help each other by sending medicines, vaccines and protective equipment.

On terrorism, Alam said Prime Minister’s uncompromising stand and ‘zero tolerance policy’ against terrorism and extremism have been lauded by the international community including India.

Source: United News of Bangladesh

Prime Minister’s ICT Adviser Sajeeb Wazed Joy on Wednesday urged all to join hands in building “Sonar Bangla (Golden Bengal)” envisioned by Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

“In this month of victory, let us channel all our thoughts and actions towards the same vision of building the Golden Bengal envisioned by Bangabandhu,” he said in a message shared on his verified Facebook page.

As the month of victory rolls on, Joy said, it reminds the nation of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the greatest Bengali ever on the planet, and the three million martyrs of the Liberation War of Bangladesh in 1971.

“We also pay tribute to the four national leaders whose dynamic leadership and uncompromising stance drove out even the last soldier of the heinous Pakistani Army and thus paved the path for hoisting the red and green flag of Bangladesh,” said Joy, son of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

He said December imbues their hearts with pride. “From the deepest core of my heart, I commemorate all the freedom fighters – the best souls of our nation – whose boundless sacrifice blessed us with free and sovereign Bangladesh.”

Joy said this 50th year of victory marks another landmark and they have transitioned from the lower-income status to the middle-income one.

“Awami League has already delivered on its promise to build Digital Bangladesh by the year 2021. We have another milestone to reach – joining the league of developed countries by the year 2041,” he said.

Source: United News of Bangladesh

The situation in Afghanistan remains fluid and Bangladesh should exercise “extreme caution” especially in regard to countering violent extremism, speakers have said at a discussion

With 100 days of the Taliban in power, Afghanistan seems to be on the brink of yet another major humanitarian crisis having implications on regional countries, they said, adding that the ripple effect of the Taliban takeover will be felt all across the region, including Bangladesh.

The Taliban took over Afghanistan in mid-August sparked tensions regarding the possible implications regional nations will face, they observed.

The aforementioned sentiments were echoed by Major General ANM Muniruzzaman, President of Bangladesh Institute of Peace and Security Studies (BIPSS) and Zafar Sobhan, Editor of Dhaka Tribune in their opening remarks at the BIPS-Dhaka Tribune Roundtable titled, ‘Taliban Takeover in Afghanistan: Regional and International Implications.’

The discussion, held in a city hotel on Tuesday, was attended by ambassadors, scholars, security experts, and youth representatives from various disciplines.

Muniruzzaman emphasized the dire situation in Kabul with the ongoing economic meltdown.

He said, “The coming winter months are going to be the toughest with a high chance of mass starvation, among other complications.”

Zafar Sohban said it had been 100 days since the Taliban took over in Afghanistan, and it was important to take a deeper look at the impact of this situation, including how it may affect Bangladesh.

Muniruzzaman discussed how a failed Afghanistan state will bear consequences not just for the region but international security as well.

“Therefore, an economically stable Kabul is in the best interest of the region,” he added.

When discussing the effect of the takeover for Bangladesh, Muniruzzaman discussed how the Afghan Taliban’s influence is very prominent in the violent extremism in Bangladesh and that the new takeover has inspired a new wave of people in the country, especially the youth.

The first keynote speaker, Major General Muhammed Firdaus Mian (retd), former chairman of Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies (BIISS), laid emphasis on impact on violent extremism and its possible spillovers for the region.

He highlighted whether Afghanistan will now once again become a sanctuary for regional terrorism.

“All major financial assistance has been stopped and the people are suffering. This is exactly the landscape where extremism and terrorism thrives.”

Highlighting the role of regional powers, second keynote speaker Dr. Lailufur Yasmin, Professor of the Department of International Relations at the University of Dhaka, narrated how historically no one has been able to centrally control Afghanistan and whether this was possible right now.

“Will the new government be on the basis of democratic ideals or something else? she posed a question.

Dr Yasmin talked about the role of regional powers like India, Pakistan, Iran and China.

She mentioned the importance of Kabul to India and concluded her remarks by emphasizing China’s interest in Afghanistan.

The third and final keynote speaker, Parvez Karim Abbasi, Assistant Professor of the Department of Economics at East-West University explained the geo-economic implications of the Taliban Takeover in his speech.

He said the poverty in Afghanistan is astounding and before the pandemic, poverty rates were at around 70 per cent while it is projected to be 97 per cent around next year.

He also noted that even though Afghanistan had large reserves of strategic minerals, these have not translated to economic growth.

When talking about implications on Bangladesh he highlighted the case of narcotics and its associated terrorism.

Summarizing the discussion, BIPSS President Munirzzaman opined that although there will be major implications for the region, they cannot forget the good that the Afghan people have achieved over the past 20 years.

“There has been development of women’s rights, education and a free press. We cannot let these go to waste,” he added.

Zafar Sohban ended on a pragmatic note, saying that whether the Taliban takeover was good or bad, there was an obvious consensus around the table that the Afghan people cannot be abandoned.

It must be kept in mind, he said, that this was an impending humanitarian crisis and potential instability that could extend further with Afghanistan as the epicentre.

Source: United News of Bangladesh

The government on Wednesday urged Bangladeshi expatriates in Africa to avoid unnecessary travel to their home country, amid a global scare over the new Omicron variant of coronavirus.

“In case of any emergency, they can come to Bangladesh. But we suggest them to defer their travel by a few days If there’s no emergency,” Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen said.

Dr Momen, however, made it clear that all returnees will have to undergo a 14-day mandatory institutional quarantine as part of the government measures to deal with the new African variant.

He was responding to a question at a media briefing on the World Peace Conference to be held in Dhaka from December 4-5.

Dr Momen said that a message has also been sent to the country’s missions in South Africa and its neighbouring countries to discourage Bangladeshi expats from travelling abroad.

State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md Shahriar Alam and Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen were also present at the event.

President Abdul Hamid will inaugurate the World Peace Conference virtually, while Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will attend the closing ceremony as the chief guest.

Source: United News of Bangladesh

Doctors Association of Bangladesh (DAB) on Wednesday said it is not possible to treat BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, diagnosed with liver cirrhosis, with foreign doctors in Bangladesh for lack of equipment and expert medical team.

The pro-BNP platform of physicians, addressing a press conference, also called upon the government to give Khaleda a scope to receive treatment abroad at the earliest on humanitarian grounds.

“Some people are advising to fly in doctors from abroad to treat Khaleda Zia only to buy time and justify the government’s position (not allowing her to go abroad),” said DAB president Harun-al-Rashid.

He said a trained medical team and supportive equipment are needed for the treatment of Khaleda Zia. “So, it’s not possible to treat her by bringing in doctors from another country.”

Dr Harun said the BNP chief’s illness has reached such a level that there is no scope to waste any more time as she bled several times. “A complete teamwork is necessary for her treatment. This treatment is available in one or two centres, but not everywhere, in the USA, the UK and Germany.”

He said if a doctor is hired from outside, he or she alone cannot work without trained nurses, ward boys and equipment. “Even, one person’s mistake can ruin the whole thing.”

About Khaleda’s latest health condition, Dr Harun said her hemoglobin level has dropped a bit after her rebleeding on Monday night. “She underwent various tests, but the reports are still not available.”

As his attention was drawn to the statement of Bangladesh Medical Association (BMA) that Khaleda’s treatment is possible in Bangladesh, the DAB president said the BMA leaders took a position in favour of the government and against the BNP chief’s basic rights of treatment. “It’s very regrettable.”

“We hoped that the leaders of doctors would tell the truth at this difficult time of Khaleda Zia and express solidarity with Khaleda Zia’s medical board. As physicians, we shouldn’t lie about the treatment and we need to work for the benefit of patients,” he said.

Referring to Khaleda’s medical team members, Dr Harun said her treatment is not only possible in Bangladesh but also in the subcontinent.

DAB Secretary General Abdus Salam liver transplant is not done in Bangladesh, let alone the treatment of liver cirrhosis. “Two people have so far undergone liver transplants in Bangladesh. One of them has died while the condition of the other is not good. So, it is wrong information that the treatment of liver cirrhosis is possible in Bangladesh.

Khaleda, a 76-year-old former prime minister, has been receiving treatment at Evercare Hospital for various health complications since November 13.

Her medical board members on Sunday said she immediately needs to go abroad for better treatment as she was diagnosed with liver cirrhosis.

Source: United News of Bangladesh

State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md. Shahriar Alam has said Bangladesh, empowered by the peaceful resolution of its maritime disputes, is looking to benefit from the resources of the Bay of Bengal in an environmentally-friendly manner.

He made the remark while speaking as the chief guest at a conference titled “Inspired by Bangabandhu’s Vision of Regional and Global Peace: Envisaging Regional Peace and Cooperation in the Bay of Bengal”.

The conference was organized jointly by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) and the Centre for Bay of Bengal Studies (CBoBS) of Independent University, Bangladesh (IUB) on Tuesday at the IUB auditorium in the city.

The hybrid event, with actual and web-based participation, was a curtain-raiser for the World Peace Conference being convened by the government of Bangladesh in Dhaka December 4-6, 2021 to highlight and carry forward Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s vision of world peace.

The State Minister said from the production of clean energy to the development of new and sustainable industries in fields as diverse as bio-tech and aquaculture, Bangladesh needs to invest in knowledge, develop marine sector skills, and encourage innovation and business.

In his video message, Prime Minister’s Foreign Affairs Advisor Dr Gowher Rizvi said Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s dream to build ‘Sonar Bangla’ was predicated on ensuring a regional and global environment of peace.

“Towards this end, he articulated in his foreign policy the cardinal principle of friendship to all, malice towards none,” he said.

IUB Vice-Chancellor Tanweer Hasan said IUB has embraced the government’s agenda of inclusion of all in education irrespective of gender, socio-economic and religious background.

“We are a campus that promotes diversity. And that is how we believe we are helping realize the dreams of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, who fought for peace, harmony and equal rights for all people.”

Source: United News of Bangladesh