Dr AK Abdul Momen
Renewable Energy: Dhaka seeks technology, investment through global collaboration
Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen on Sunday sought global partnership and collaboration in the areas of technology transfer and investment to help Bangladesh increase its renewable energy share.
“We want to boost renewable energy share. We seek their technology and investment,” he told reporters at a media briefing at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs after his meeting with the envoys of European countries.
Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Md Shahab Uddin and Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen were, among others present.
Also read: Bangladesh keen to contribute to global productivity, finance networks: FM
European Union (EU) Ambassador to Bangladesh Charles Whiteley tweeted after the meeting saying the EU head of missions had fruitful exchange with the Foreign Minister and the Environment Minister on preparations for COP26 and their shared approach to many climate concerns.
MoFA hosts Sheikh Russel Rapid Chess Tournament
Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen and Grand Master Niaz Murshed played a friendly match on Saturday while inaugurating the daylong Sheikh Russel Memorial Rapid Chess Tournament 2021.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in collaboration with Bangladesh Chess Federation, organised the tournament at the Foreign Service Academy as part of its greater observance of the upcoming Sheikh Russel Dibash.
Dr Momen joined the programme as the chief guest while Foreign Secretary (Senior Secretary) Masud Bin Momen attended it as the guest of honour.
General Secretary of Bangladesh Chess Federation Syed Shahab Uddin Shamim, Grand Master Niaz Murshed and Grand Master Ziaur Rahman were present as special guests.
CVF happy getting UN Special Rapporteur on HR
The Climate Vulnerable Forum (CVF), led by Bangladesh, has appreciated the creation of a position of UN Special Rapporteur to play a dedicated role in protecting and promoting human rights in the context of climate crisis.
The position was created at the Human Rights Council (HRC) in Geneva through a resolution at the 48th Session of the UN’s supreme body for human rights.
Speaking for the Climate Vulnerable Forum Presidency, Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen welcomed the adoption of resolution on the mandate of the new HRC special rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights in the context of climate change.
He said this was a proud achievement for the people of the world’s most climate threatened nations, where many of them are being deprived of their rights to life and decent living due to climate change-related displacement.
From the outset of Bangladesh’s presidency, pursing this mandate had been a top priority, said the Foreign Minister.
Read: Hasina’s climate leadership lauded at CVF-COP26 dialogue
In the CVF nations, 1.2 billion people are facing threats to the enjoyment of their fundamental human rights through climatic consequences, including sea-level rise, river erosion, salinity increase, floods and draughts that claim lives, livelihoods and displace people from their ancestral homes and traditional jobs.
Dr Momen extended thanks to the Members of the Human Rights Council for supporting the long overdue and critical resolution to create this mandate.
He also expressed his sincere thanks to the CVF Secretariat for their efficient support and useful advice to the CVF Presidency and all Member States of the CVF.
CVF’s Thematic Ambassador for Vulnerability, Saima Wazed; the Speaker of the Maldives People’s Majlis, and former President of Maldives Mohamed Nasheed who is now the CVF Thematic Ambassador for Ambition; and Tosi Mpanu Mpanu, Chair of the UNFCCC Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTA) and CVF Thematic Ambassador for Renewable Energy also welcomed the decision taken by the UN Human Rights Council to establish the post of the Special Rapporteur on Human Rights and climate change.
Read: Help achieve green recovery of CVF-V20 countries: Hasina to developed nations
The new mandate responds to repeated calls, first initiated by the CVF in 2019, and from wide-ranging climate-vulnerable countries, small island developing countries, least developed countries, low-lying countries, and landlocked countries at the forefront of the climate-change crisis.
A joint statement led by Bangladesh at the 46th HRC session in March 2021 calling for the creation of the special rapporteur was supported by 54 states.
The resolution adopted on 8 October 2021 emphasises the need for a continued focus on addressing the adverse consequences of climate change for all, particularly in developing countries and for the people whose situation is most vulnerable to climate change.
Bangladesh to get 2 lakh AstraZeneca shots from Romania as gift
Romania will donate 2 lakh doses of AstraZeneca vaccine to Bangladesh.
Romanian Foreign Minister Bogdan Aurescu made the announcement during official talks with his Bangladesh counterpart Dr AK Abdul Momen in Bucharest Friday.
Read:FM leaves Dhaka to join meetings in Romania, Serbia
Dr Momen emphasised initiative from both countries to take the bilateral trade volume to an expected level.
He urged the Romanian investors and companies to enter into joint ventures or 100 per cent owned business ventures in the 100 special economic zones, which are currently being set up in Bangladesh, and in high-tech parks.
Ties with Bangladesh to grow: Nepalese FM
Nepalese Foreign Minister Dr Narayan Khadka has said that the existing friendly ties with Bangladesh are set to grow further in the days ahead.
"I look forward to working closely with you at the bilateral and multilateral levels to deal with the issues of our common concerns," Narayan said in a letter to his Bangladesh counterpart Dr AK Abdul Momen.
Read: Bangladeshi’s conviction: FM says evidence to be shared with Saudi govt
He extended his sincere thanks to Dr Momen for the kind words of congratulations and good wishes to him on his appointment as the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Nepal.
"I cherish the fond memories of my visit to Bangladesh in 2013 to receive 'Friends of Liberation War Honour' conferred on me by the Government of Bangladesh. I am deeply humbled," Narayan mentioned in the letter.
Nepal and Bangladesh have always been enjoying excellent bilateral relations marked by goodwill, mutual understanding and cooperation, he wrote.
Read: Saarc FMs' meet on UN assembly sidelines called off over Afghanistan
The Nepalese Foreign Minister also thanked Dr Momen for inviting him to visit the "beautiful country" of Bangladesh. He also wished Dr Momen's good health and happiness "as well as for the continued progress and prosperity of the friendly people of Bangladesh".
Deal over UN's operational engagement in Bhasan Char likely on Saturday
Bangladesh and the United Nations are likely to sign a formal document on Saturday to find ways for UN engagement in Bhasan Char demonstrating support to the government’s massive investment there to ensure better living for Rohingyas, officials said.
“We’re expecting that the MoU will be signed on Saturday morning if there’s no last-minute change,” a senior official told UNB, mentioning that things are finalised.
However, he did not elaborate further what will be the nature of UN engagement in Bhasan Char and the specific areas of cooperation.
The numerous challenges associated with the temporary hosting of persecuted Rohingyas from Myanmar have compelled the government of Bangladesh to plan the relocation of 100,000 Rohingyas to Bhashan Char, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
So far, nearly 20,000 Rohingyas have moved to Bhasan Char since December last year in a number of groups.
Some 1642 Rohingyas were relocated to Bhashan Char on December 4, 2020, while the second batch, comprising 1,804 Rohingyas, had been transferred from Cox’s Bazar to Bhashan Char on December 29 last year.
On Wednesday, Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen said the operational engagement of the UNHCR, the UN refugee agency, in Bhasan Char will begin soon. “Everything is final. It has been done as agreed.”
Read: Bhasan Char: an excellent example for a safe, sustainable, and resilient place for Rohingya relocation
Recognizing Bangladesh’s massive investment in Bhasan Char, UN Resident Coordinator in Bangladesh Mia Seppo said there has been, rather, a lot of negative coverage about Bhasan Char and it is important that they have somehow managed to move away from that.
She said they want to be partners in trying to create something so that everybody can live and the conversation that they are having now is important.
Regarding the proposed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to engage in Bhasan Char, Mia said there are protections and humanitarian imperatives and they are obviously looking to support the massive efforts of the government in Bhasan Char.
Want killing nowhere: Momen about Mohib Ullah murder
Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen on Wednesday said they do not want a single killing anywhere mentioning that Rohingya leader Mohib Ullah’s killing is regrettable.
“We don’t want any such incident anywhere. We’ve taken action instantly,” he told reporters at his ministry.
Bangladesh concerned over growing crimes, unrest in Rohingya camps
Bangladesh has expressed concern over the increased crimes, human and drug trafficking and unrest in the Rohingya camps in Cox's Bazar as their stay in Bangladesh is prolonging.
Bangladesh urged Myanmar as well as the international community to take effective steps to sustainably repatriate the Rohingyas to Myanmar at the earliest, said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Saturday.
Bangladesh is now hosting over 1.1 million Rohingyas in Cox's Bazar and Bhasan Char.
Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen condemned the murder of Mohib Ullah, who was a widely recognized leader of the Rohingyas staying in Bangladesh.
Mohib Uullah was an avowed supporter of the repatriation of the Rohingyas to Myanmar, according to a message shared by the MoFA on its verified Facebook page.
The government of Bangladesh is committed to investigating the heinous crime and bringing the killers to justice, the message reads.
Also read: Rohingya leader Mohibullah assassinated
Earlier in the morning, the Foreign Minister vowed to bring the killers of Mohib Ullah to justice soon, in his first remarks since the Rohingya leader's murder sparked global condemnation.
Dr Momen said a vested quarter killed Mohib as he wanted to return to Myanmar, his homeland.
"The government will take stern action against those who were involved in the killing. Nobody will be spared," he said.
On Thursday night, police registered a murder case in connection with the killing of Mohib Ullah at Ukhiya camp in Cox's Bazar on Wednesday night.
The FIR for murder was filed against unknown persons at the Ukhiya police station on a complaint from Mohib Ullah’s brother Habib Ullah, officer-in-charge Sanjur Morshed had said.
Unknown assailants gunned down the 44-year-old on Wednesday night. He was first rushed to a local medical facility and later shifted to Cox's Bazar Sadar Hospital, where doctors declared him dead on arrival.
Read: Mohib's murder: FIR lodged, probe in full swing, say police
He was buried in Lambashia camp-1 in Ukhiya upazila on Thursday afternoon after his namaz-e-janaza, which was attended by a large number of Rohingya refugees from camps in Ukhiya and Teknaf upazilas.
Formerly a teacher in Myanmar, the slain human rights activist was popularly known as Master Mohib Ullah among the Rohingya refugees.
He was the head of Arakan Rohingya Society for Peace and Human Rights (ARSPH) at Kutupalong camp.
Mahatma's 152nd birth anniversary: Gandhi Museum inaugurated in Noakhali
The renovated Gandhi Museum was inaugurated Saturday at the Gandhi Ashram Trust in Noakhali on the occasion of the 152 birth anniversary of India's Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi.
Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen, Law Minister Anisul Huq and Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Vikram Doraiswami inaugurated the museum.
The renovation of the museum housed inside the Gandhi Ashram campus has been supported by India.
The guests visited the Gandhi Memorial Museum and appreciated the unique display of memorabilia and artefacts related to Mahatma Gandhi.
Read: Bangabandhu, Gandhi share striking similarities in political philosophy: Doraiswami
FM Momen hands over his new book to PM
Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen has handed over his new book titled “Sheikh Hasina: Bimugdho Bismoy” to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
Dr Momen handed over the book to the Prime Minister in New York recently, marking her 75th birthday, said a media release on Saturday.
Prime Minister’s ICT Affairs Adviser Sajeeb Wazed Joy was also present while handing over the book during their stay in New York to attend the UNGA.