Foreign Affairs
Shahriar joins Mexican independence anniversary celebration
State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md Shahriar Alam has participated in the celebration of the 200th year anniversary of Mexican independence.
The celebration programme, also attended by a number of high dignitaries of different countries, was presided over by Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador.
State Minister Alam is visiting Mexico at the invitation of the Mexican President, said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday.
Earlier, the Bangladesh State Minister arrived in Mexico City on September 25 and was received by Bangladesh’s Ambassador to Mexico Abida Islam.
Apart from the official delegation led by State Minister Shahriar Alam, a 39-member military contingent from Bangladesh performed a celebratory parade in Mexico City on 16 September 2021, and a 14-member cultural troupe is also visiting Mexico to showcase Bangladesh’s rich cultural heritage.
The Mexican President, during his speech in the celebration programme, thanked Bangladesh for active participation in the celebration of 200 years of Mexican independence.
On the sidelines of the celebration programme, Bangladesh’s State Minister had a brief meeting with Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, who is also visiting Mexico to attend the celebration, and discussed issues of mutual concerns.
Shahriar Alam also met Serbian, Dutch, French and Greek Ministers attending the event.
He held a bilateral meeting with Ambassador Carmen Moreno Toscano, Mexican Deputy Foreign Minister, at Mexican Foreign Office (SRE).
This has been indeed the first bilateral meeting between two sides since his visit to Mexico in 2015, during which an MoU on regular bilateral consultation was signed.
During the meeting, the Mexican Deputy Foreign Minister thanked Bangladesh’s State Minister for accepting the invitation to attend the celebration of 200 years of independence of Mexico, and also thanked for sending the military contingent and the cultural troupe.
She also informed that a small military contingent from Mexico would participate in the parade of the closing ceremony of the celebration of the Golden Jubilee of Independence and the 100th birth anniversary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
The Mexican Deputy Foreign Minister praised Bangladesh for the extraordinary achievements in women empowerment, and in response, Alam briefed her on the extraordinary successes Bangladesh has achieved in recent years not only in women empowerment but also in achieving MDGs and SDGs.
The State Minister also emphasized the importance of regular holding of foreign office consultations (FOC) between two governments as per the MoU signed between two governments, underscoring that Bangladesh remains flexible with the modalities of holding such consultation in near future.
He also emphasized the early conclusion of the MoU between two countries for visa exemption of diplomatic and official passports, and also proposed that diplomatic training academies of both countries can cooperate with each other including in language learning.
Alam thanked Mexico for its strong support to Bangladesh on Rohingya issue, and expressed satisfaction over the two countries’ multilateral cooperation including reciprocal support arrangements in different multilateral elections.
The State Minister informed the Mexican Minister that he has brought a small business delegation with him, going to meet the Mexican business people as well as Mexican Deputy Minister for Foreign Trade during the visit, and there will be an MoU signed between FBCCI and Mexican COMCE that might positively contribute to enhancing the trade relations between two countries.
He also opined that two countries can initiate and conclude MoUs in different areas, including in the area of double taxation.
The Mexican Deputy Minister proposed that the FoC can be initiated through DG-level virtual consultations, and also expressed her government’s willingness to conclude the almost finalized MoU of mutual administrative assistance in customs matters.
She also emphasized enhanced cultural cooperation and agreed with the proposal that areas of cooperation between diplomatic academies including language training can be explored.
They also discussed their respective country’s Covid-19 situation and management.
Rohingya Repatriation: Int'l community urged to take concrete actions
Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen has called on the international community including the UK to take concrete actions for creation of a conducive environment in Myanmar for sustainable return of Rohingyas to their homeland in Rakhine State.
Lord Ahmad, British State Minister for Foreign Affairs for South Asia, United Nations and the Commonwealth met the Foreign Minister at the Permanent Mission of Bangladesh in New York recently and discussed various issues including the Rohingya crisis.
Read: Rohingya repatriation: Dhaka seeks ICRC role in creating conditions in Rakhine
In the meeting, the issue of climate change was also discussed.
Bangladesh wants Qatar to invest in SEZs
Bangladesh has invited Qatar to benefit from Bangladesh’s growth by investing in its Special Economic Zones.
Bangladesh also thanked the Qatari government for providing free Covid-19 vaccines to Bangladeshi expatriate workers in Qatar.
Read: Biman to run special flights to 5 countries from Apr 17
Outgoing Ambassador of the State of Qatar to Bangladesh Ahmed Bin Mohamed Nasser Al Dehaimi met State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md Shahriar Alam in his office on Tuesday and discussed these and other issues of mutual interest.
Shahriar underlined that the bilateral ties between the two countries have reached new heights as envisaged by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and the Emir of Qatar in areas, including energy and power, business, trade and investment.
The State Minister congratulated the Ambassador on the successful completion of his tour of duty in Bangladesh and appreciated him for his efforts to boost the bilateral ties between Bangladesh and Qatar during his tenure.
Read:Dhaka for enhanced trade ties with Doha
The outgoing envoy praised the socioeconomic development of Bangladesh and conveyed the Qatar government’s eagerness to work more closely with Bangladesh in areas of mutual interests.
He thanked the State Minister for extending his support to him while performing his duties.
Experts for building brighter future keeping growing Dhaka-Beijing ties unaffected amidst geopolitics
Foreign affairs experts at an online symposium discussed the efforts of Bangladesh and China to transform all potentials into reality in the building of a brighter future keeping the growing relationship unhurt amidst the crossfire of geopolitics.
Experts both from Bangladesh and China assessed the state of relations between Bangladesh and China and identified the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead in the efforts to take it forward.
The virtual roundtable titled “Bangladesh China Relations: Prognosis of the Future was hosted by the Cosmos Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the Cosmos Group, as a part of its ongoing Ambassador’s Lecture Series.
Also read: Growing Chinese interest to push Dhaka-Beijing economic ties
The opening remarks were delivered by the Cosmos Foundation Chairman, Enayetullah Khan. The session was chaired by Dr Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury, renowned scholar-diplomat and former Advisor on Foreign Affairs of Bangladesh Caretaker Government.
Ambassador (retd) Tariq A. Karim, CPD Distinguished Fellow Dr. Debapriya Bhattacharya, former Foreign Secretary Shamsher M. Chowdhury BB, Assistant Researcher of the Institute for International Studies at Yunnan University Dr Zou Yingmeng, Assistant Research Fellow at China Institute of International Studies Dr Ning Shengnan, former Ambassador Serajul Islam and Dhaka University Professor Dr Rashed Al Mahmud Titumir comprised the panel of discussants.
Bangladesh urges IORA member states enhance economic cooperation
Bangladesh has urged the Member States and Dialogue Partners of the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) to formulate and implement projects for economic cooperation relating to trade facilitation and liberalization, promotion of investment, scientific and technological exchanges.
Bangladesh will assume the charge of the Chair of IORA from November 2021 for two year tenure, said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Bangladesh has seconded a Director to IORA Secretariat recently.
Also read: Dhaka seeks joint efforts to implement IORA's new Action Plan
The 11th IORA bi-annual meeting of the Committee of Senior Officials (CSO) was held virtually on June 15-16.
Delegations from 23 Member States of IORA participated in the CSO meeting.
Bangladesh, the current Vice-chair of the IORA, participated in the meeting with a delegation led by Rear Admiral (retd) Md. Khurshed Alam, Secretary (Maritime Affairs), Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Vice-chair of the IORA, Secretary Alam highlighted IORA’s importance as a platform to collectively pursue a concerted, comprehensive and suitable response for facing the specific challenges due to COVID-19 pandemic.
He also requested for further commitment for implementing and integrating the IORA Concord; IORA Action Plan; Mauritius, Jakarta and Dhaka Declaration in national development paradigm.
Also read: IORA starts addressing regional, global issues: Dhaka
A number of important issues were discussed during this CSO meeting including nomination of Sheikh Fazle Fahim, President, FBCCI as the next chair of Indian Ocean Rim Business Forum (IORBF), update on Ad-hoc Working Group (AhWG) for the eligibility and criteria for selecting the Secretary-General, inclusion of Russia as Dialogue Partner, Signature of IORA Instrument of Acceptance by France as a new IORA member, preparation of next Action Plan (2022-2026).
Secretary Alam expressed his deepest gratitude to the current Chair, Government of United Arab Emirates for hosting the CSO amid the pandemic and thanked all the member states for their well-thought and prolific interventions, comments and deliberations.
He invited all to join the next 23rd Committee of Senior Officials’ and 21st Council of Ministers’ meeting due in November this year to be hosted by Bangladesh as Chair.
Modi likely to visit Tungipara on Mar 26
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to visit Tungipara in Gopalganj on March 26 to pay homage to Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
Bangladesh-India to strengthen ties through mega events in 2021
Bangladesh and India on Friday decided to further strengthen the ongoing coordination to jointly commemorate mega events and focused on preparations for the forthcoming visit of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Bangladesh in March.
India patrons anti-Muslim hate: Imran Khan
Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan on Friday called India as a state sponsor of hatred and prejudice against Islam, reports AP.
Ambassador Muhith presents credentials to UNOV ED, UNODC DG
Permanent Representative of Bangladesh in Vienna Ambassador Muhammad Abdul Muhith has presented his credentials to the Executive Director of the UN Offices in Vienna (UNOV) and Director-General of United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Ghada Fathi Waly at the UNOV Headquarters in Vienna, Austria.
China warns US over economic talks with Taiwan
China on Monday warned the United States of potential “serious damage” to their relations over US-Taiwan economic talks, reports AP.