prime minister
Hasina breaks down in tears while talking about everyday ordeals of Rohingyas
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina broke down in tears and was overwhelmed with emotion in New York Thursday while talking about the everyday ordeals of the forcibly displaced Myanmar nationals – Rohingyas.
She was speaking at a high-level meeting on the Rohingya crisis at a hotel.
"She (PM) could not control her tears while talking about the hardship these displaced people (Rohingyas) have to go through every day," the Awami League tweeted.
Bangladesh is now hosting over 1.1 million Rohingyas in Cox's Bazar and Bhasan Char Island.
Also read: PM in NY: Rohingyas living in Myanmar’s Arakan since 8th century
Buckingham Palace calling: King Charles thanks PM Hasina, wishes Bangladeshis well
King Charles III has thanked Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for personally attending his ‘most beloved mother’s’ state funeral, to be held on Monday morning.
In a telephone call from Buckingham Palace this evening, the new King conveyed his gratitude to the PM.
According to a press release, Charles, who long held the Prince of Wales title as heir to the throne, also thanked the President, as head of state, the Prime Minister, and also the people of Bangladesh for their sincere condolences and sympathies to the Royal family following the death of Her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.
Read: UK Awami League greets PM Hasina in London
During the call, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said, “Her late Majesty was like a mother figure to me and an extraordinary head of the Commonwealth. To pay my personal tribute to her, I decided to attend her state funeral.”
The prime minister also informed the new monarch that in Bangladesh, her government observed three days of state mourning as a mark of respect to the late Queen, while special prayers were offered for her eternal peace.
She also took the opportunity to personally felicitate King Charles III on his accession to the throne, and wished him a long and prosperous reign.
Recalling his visit to Bangladesh in 1997, the PM conveyed that Bangladesh had been preparing to welcome him and Camilla, now the Queen Consort, again in just a matter of weeks, at an event to mark the 50th anniversary of Bangladesh-UK diplomatic relations.
Read: PM felicitates UK’s new king, looks forward to excellent friendship
King Charles III said, “The Queen Consort and I were so much looking forward to our visit to Bangladesh on the 50th anniversary. However, due to the recent turn of events, unfortunately we are having to cancel it.”
The King also extended his best wishes for the people of Bangladesh and the British-Bangladeshi diaspora.
Buckingham Palace, official residence of the British monarch, arranged the phone call for the new King to personally speak to Prime Minister Hasina.
Rishi Sunak or Liz Truss to be named as UK's new prime minister
Britain finally learns who its next prime minister will be on Monday after two months of political uncertainty during which energy prices skyrocketed and tens of thousands of workers went on strike.
The governing Conservative Party plans to announce whether Foreign Secretary Liz Truss or former Treasury chief Rishi Sunak won the most votes from party members to succeed Boris Johnson as party leader and thus prime minister.
Whoever emerges victorious will inherit an economy heading into a potentially lengthy recession and will need to jump straight into tackling the cost-of-living crisis walloping the U.K.
Thanks to global gas price volatility triggered by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the average U.K. household energy bill is jumping to more than 3,500 pounds ($4,000) a year — almost triple the level a year ago. Inflation is above 10% for the first time since the 1980s. The government is facing increasingly urgent calls to deliver financial support to help millions pay for essential heating and electricity to get through the winter.
The opposition Labour Party and other critics accuse the government of being “missing in action” during a summer of discontent that saw tens of thousands of rail staff, port and postal workers, lawyers and garbage collectors go on strike to demand better pay to keep up with spiralling costs.
Truss, widely regarded as the front-runner in the leadership race, has won the support of many Conservatives with her Thatcherite zeal to roll back state intervention and slash taxes. She has promised to act “immediately” to tackle soaring energy bills, but declined to give any details.
Sunak, who sought to paint himself as the more realistic economist, said he would temporarily cut the value-added tax on energy bills. But he insisted that he wouldn’t “max out the country’s credit card” and said significant tax cuts should wait until inflation is under control.
Both finalists have declared their admiration for Margaret Thatcher, who was prime minister from 1979 to 1990, and her ring-wing, small-government economics.
“It’s all been very nonspecific and we’re really waiting for the next prime minister to hopefully hit the ground running and tell us what they’re going to do about what is in effect an emergency situation,” said Tim Bale, a politics professor at Queen Mary University of London.
Read: Embattled UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson agrees to resign
Steven Fielding, a professor of political history at Nottingham University, says Truss’s politics has played well with the estimated 180,000 Conservative Party members who have a say in choosing the country’s leader. But many have low expectations that she will deliver much financial relief to the country’s poorest.
“This is someone who believes in the market in a radical way, someone who believes that the objective of government is to get towards a much smaller state sooner rather than later. She takes that very seriously,” he said.
“So I think we’re going to have a very radical, right-wing, free market prime minister and one that actually is more of an ideologist than a pragmatist.”
While the economy is certain to dominate the first months of the new premier’s term, Johnson’s successor will also have to steer the U.K. on the international stage in the face of Russia’s war in Ukraine, an increasingly assertive China and ongoing tensions with the European Union over the aftermath of Brexit – especially in Northern Ireland.
Truss has talked tough as foreign secretary on all three main issues, though some analysts believe she may tone down her “robust” rhetoric if she becomes leader.
“I think on each of those issue the most domestically popular thing was to be quite tough — now that might change in future,” said David Lawrence, a research fellow at London’s Chatham House think tank.
One key aspect of foreign policy to look out for is whether Truss, if she wins, would put an influential group of Conservative “China hawks” in government, Lawrence added.
“If she does, then I think we will see a much more hawkish nudge in that direction when it comes to the U.K.-China policy,” he said.
Britain has been adrift since July 7, when Johnson announced he was quitting after his government was engulfed by one ethics scandal too many. Both Truss and Sunak were key players within Johnson’s Cabinet, though Sunak resigned in protest in the last days of Johnson’s time in office.
A Truss government may not sit well with many, because it reminds voters too much of Johnson’s misdeeds, Fielding said.
“She’s basically been elected as Boris Johnson 2.0 by Conservative members — she’s made it very clear that she is a loyal Boris Johnson supporter,” Fielding said. “I think she’s going to find it very difficult to disentangle herself from the whole Johnson shadow.”
Johnson has stayed on as prime minister in the interim, but he has been widely criticized for failing to respond to the worsening energy cost crisis. Officials have stressed that any new policies will need to wait until his successor is in place.
Voting in the leadership contest closed on Friday and the winner will be announced later Monday. Johnson and his successor will then travel to Scotland to meet with Queen Elizabeth II on Tuesday — one to formally tender his resignation, and the other to be invited to form a government.
The queen’s meetings with prime ministers traditionally take place in London’s Buckingham Palace. But the 96-year-old monarch has suffered from mobility problems in recent months, and so the arrangements are being moved for the first time to the Scottish Highlands, where she traditionally spends her summers.
Shinzo Abe was a true friend of Bangladesh: Momen
Shinzo Abe, the former prime minister of Japan, was a true friend of Bangladesh, Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen said Thursday.
Abe will forever be remembered for his contribution to regional and global peace, he added.
Momen was speaking at a condolence programme organised by the Embassy of Japan in Bangladesh and Dhaka University (DU).
The Department of Japanese Studies of DU and the Japanese Embassy in Dhaka in association with the Japan-Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Japanese Universities Alumni Association of Bangladesh, Bangladesh Ikebana Association and Kazuko Bhuiyan Welfare Trust arranged the condolence programme "Tribute to Abe Shinzo" in Dhaka.
Professor Md Akhtaruzzaman, vice-chancellor of DU, and Japanese Ambassador to Bangladeshi Ito Naoki also joined the event to pay tribute to Abe, Japan's best-known politician and longest-serving prime minister, who was gunned down while speaking at a political campaign event in the city of Nara.
They conveyed their condolences to Abe and his family.
Also read: Japan police chief to resign over Abe shooting death
Tea workers call off strike, return to work with previous wage of Tk 120
Tea garden workers on Monday returned to work with the previous wage of Tk 120 withdrawing their strike for raising wage to Tk 300 upon assurance from the Prime Minister that their wage will be re-fixed after a virtual meeting with her.
This decision was taken at a meeting of the tea workers’ leaders with the Moulvibazar Deputy Commissioner Mir Nahid Ahsan at his office on Sunday night.
Paresh Kalindi, financial affairs secretary of Tea Workers Union, said, "In honour of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, we will join the work with the previous wage. The Prime Minister will talk to us through a video conference very soon to finalise the new wage.”
All financial benefits including wages of 10 days ( during the strike period) will be provided by the owners, he added.
During Sunday’s meeting, PM Hasina also talked to the tea workers through a video conference.
The Tea Workers leaders will apply to the DC for a meeting with the Prime Minister through video conferencing before the upcoming Durga Puja.
Read: Tea workers return to strike for Tk 300 wage; block Dhaka-Sylhet highway
PM pays homage to Bangabandhu at Tungipara
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Friday paid homage to Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman at his mausoleum at Tungipara in Gopalganj.
She placed a wreath at Bangabandhu’s grave at 10:45 am and stood there for a while in solemn silence as a mark of profound respect to the memory of the architect of Bangladesh's independence. He was assassinated by some disgruntled army men on the dreadful night of August 15, 1975 along with most members of his family.
Also read: PM: Bangabandhu was lucky to have Bangamata as his life partner
A contingent of Army soldiers presented guard of honour and played bugle on the occasion.
The premier offered fateha and raised hands in prayer seeking eternal peace of the departed soul of Bangabandhu.
Also read: How Padma Bridge led to largest shipment of reconditioned cars to arrive at Mongla Port
PM Hasina started from Ganabhaban at 8 am for her ancestral home in Tungipara by road. She crossed the Padma Bridge for the second time after its opening and paid a total of Tk 25,750 toll at the Mawa toll plaza.
Enroute to Tungipara the PM's motorcade briefly paused on the bridge.
Will have tea with you if you accept demand for caretaker govt: Fakhrul to PM
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Sunday said they have no problem taking tea with the prime minister at her office if she accepts the party’s demand for the caretaker government to oversee the next polls.
“You first say that you’re accepting the caretaker government system. You come up with this announcement and then we'll have no problem having tea at the Prime Minister’s Office,” he said responding to PM Sheikh Hasina’s offer made on Saturday.
Speaking at a discussion, the BNP leader said the formation of a representative parliament and government having accountability to people is the only solution to the country’s current political and economic crisis.
The Association of Engineers, Bangladesh arranged the programme on the ongoing crisis in the power and energy sector at the Jatiya Press Club.
He also said the country is now facing an economic crisis caused by widespread corruption as the government is not accountable to people.
“So, we would like to say, there is no point in making a blunt comment like offering tea. We would like to say one thing that you step down handing over power to a non-party neutral government and pave the way for an acceptable and inclusive election under a new election commission and thus take back Bangladesh,” the BNP leader said pointing at the PM.
Earlier on Saturday, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said she would offer BNP leaders tea if they come to besiege her office (Prime Minister's Office).
"I will listen to them – whatever they want to say. I believe in democracy," she said while speaking at a meeting of Awami League's Dhaka North and South units.
Fakhrul said they are in talks with political parties to forge unity for ensuring the fall of the Awami League government.
“We must be united to get rid of the awful regime. I urge the country’s people to get united for defeating the current government through a street movement and thus materialise the dreams of the country’s Liberation War,” he said.
Read: Accept election-time govt demand or face ouster: Fakhrul to AL
About the power crisis, the BNP leader said the government has increased the power generation capacity without thinking of the sources of fuel and energy needed for it.
"Unfortunately, this government wants us to wear shoes that are much bigger than what they need. As a result, they are now unable to walk and getting stumbled. They take steps for quick rental power plants and nuclear power plants for power generation, but they didn’t think about where the fuel will come from,” he observed.
Stating that 51 per cent of fuel for power generation comes from gas, he said the government has not made any step for exploring it in the last 15 years. “They have been in power for 15 years. In these 15 years, they have only focused on how to plunder thousands of crores of taka and siphoned it off abroad.”
Fakhrul alleged that country and its people are facing an economic crisis for the misdeeds of the government. “Their (govt’s) corruption, looting, incapability and failure all together have made people’s lives miserable in Bangladesh.”
He said the ruling party leaders bragged about turning Bangladesh into Malaysia, Canada and San Francisco, but the poverty rate in the country has increased to 40-42 per cent. People are now unable to manage two meals a day. Even, 21 per cent of people in some districts of Bangladesh, including Kurigram, Gaibandha and Sunamganj, cannot eat two meals a day.”
The BNP leader said the ruling party leaders are now making reckless comments due to the economic crisis amid the decline in the flow of remittances.
He alleged that people in rural areas are hit hard by the frequent power outages. “The load-shedding is highest in the rural areas as the government wants to keep the people of cities happy with fewer power outages, but it will hamper crop production and put the food security at stake.”
Sri Lankan president emails resignation, official says
Sri Lankan protesters retreated from government buildings they seized and military troops reinforced security at the Parliament on Thursday, establishing a tenuous calm in a country in both economic meltdown and political limbo.
Embattled President Gotabaya Rajapaksa fled a day earlier under pressure from demonstrators furious over the island nation’s economic collapse. But he failed to resign as promised — and further angered the crowds by making his prime minister acting leader.
Protesters want both men out and a unity government in to address an economic calamity that has triggered widespread shortages of food, fuel and other necessities. But with a fractured opposition and confusion over who was in charge, a solution seemed no closer following Rajapaksa’s departure. Potentially adding to the turmoil, the president was on the move again Thursday, flying from the Maldives to Singapore.
The protesters accuse Rajapaksa and his powerful political family of siphoning money from government coffers for years and his administration of hastening the country’s collapse by mismanaging the economy. The family has denied the corruption allegations, but Rajapaksa acknowledged some of his policies contributed to the meltdown.
Read: Sri Lankan armed forces empowered to use force following clashes
Months of protests reached a frenzied peak over the weekend when demonstrators stormed the president’s home and office and the official residence of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe. On Wednesday, they seized Wickremesinghe's office.
Images of protesters inside the buildings — lounging on elegant sofas and beds, posing at officials' desks and touring the opulent settings — have captured the world's attention.
They initially vowed to hold these places until a new government was in place, but the movement shifted tactics Thursday, apparently concerned that any escalation in violence could undermine their message following clashes the previous night outside the Parliament that left dozens injured.
“The fear was that there could be a crack in the trust they held for the struggle,” said Nuzly, a protest leader who goes by only one name. “We’ve shown what power of the people can do, but it doesn’t mean we have to occupy these places.”
Read: Sri Lankan President Rajapaksa arrives in Singapore
Devinda Kodagode, another protest leader, told The Associated Press they planned to vacate official buildings after the Parliament speaker said he was exploring legal options for the country given that Rajapaksa left without submitting his resignation letter as promised.
Protesters withdrew from the prime minister's residence and the president's, where some moved a red carpet they had rolled up back into place. Others held a news conference to announce they were also pulling out of the prime minister's office.
Visaka Jayaweer, a performing artist, described the bittersweet moment of closing the gate to the presidential palace after the crowds cleared out.
“Taking over his residence was a great moment, it showed just how much we wanted him to step down. But it is also a great relief" to leave, she said. "We were worried if people would act out – many were angry to see the luxury he had been living in when they were outside, struggling to buy milk for their children.”
The country remains a powder keg, and the military warned Thursday it had powers to respond in case of chaos — a message some found concerning.
Troops in green military uniforms and camouflage vests arrived in armored personnel carriers to reinforce barricades around the Parliament, while protesters vowed they would continue to rally outside the president’s office until a new government was in place.
The government announced another curfew in the capital Colombo and its suburbs in the afternoon until 5 a.m. Friday. It's unclear what effect a curfew would have: Some ignored a previous one, but many others rarely leave their homes anyway because of fuel shortages.
Rajapaksa and his wife fled Sri Lanka early Wednesday for the Maldives, slipping away in the night aboard an air force plane. On Thursday, he went to Singapore, according to the city-state’s Foreign Ministry. It said he had not requested asylum.
Also read: Sri Lanka: Will the army be forced to act?
Since Sri Lankan presidents are protected from arrest while in power it’s likely Rajapaksa wanted to plan his departure while he still had constitutional immunity and access to a military plane.
The political impasse threatens to worsen the bankrupt nation’s economic collapse since the absence of an alternative government could delay a hoped-for bailout from the International Monetary Fund. In the meantime, the country is relying on aid from India and China.
The shortages of basic necessities have sown despair among Sri Lanka’s 22 million people. The country’s rapid decline was all the more shocking because, before the recent crisis, the economy had been expanding, with a growing, comfortable middle class.
It was not immediately clear if Singapore would be Rajapaksa's final destination, but he has previously sought medical care there, including undergoing heart surgery.
Assuming that Rajapaksa resigns as promised, Sri Lankan lawmakers have agreed to elect a new president from their ranks on July 20 who will serve the remainder of Rajapaksa’s term, which ends in 2024. That person could potentially appoint a new prime minister, who would then have to be approved by Parliament.
PM sends Eid-ul-Azha gifts to freedom fighters
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday sent greetings to the country’s heroic freedom fighters on the occasion of Eid-ul-Azha, the festival of sacrifices.The prime minister sent flowers, fruits and sweetmeats to the war-wounded freedom fighters and members of the martyred families at Martyred and War-wounded Freedom Fighters’ Rehabilitation Centre (Muktijoddha Tower-1) at Gaznavi Road in the capital’s Mohammadpur.PM’s Assistant Private Secretary-2 Gazi Hafizur Rahman Liku and Assistant Press Secretary ABM Sarwar-e-Alom Sarker handed over the gifts to them this morning.The war-wounded FFs and members of the martyred families expressed gratitude to the prime minister for remembering them on every national day and festivals like the Independence Day, the Victory Day, Eid and Pahela Baishakh.Read: Over 1mn Covid-affected families to get PM’s Eid gift through bKash
They lauded the visionary leadership of the prime minister in national development and welfare of the people. They thanked Sheikh Hasina for constructing the Padma Bridge overcoming domestic and foreign conspiracies. They also wished the prime minister good health and long life.
Shopping malls, kitchen markets to close after 8pm
The government has directed the authorities concerned to take necessary steps to close shopping malls and kitchen markets by 8 pm to save electricity and energy in the current climate of continuous rise in global energy price hikes.
A letter, signed by Ahsan Kibria Siddiqui, director-general of the Prime Minister's Office (Administration) on Thursday, said that the Premier has instructed to take necessary steps to ensure that shops, shopping malls, kitchen markets, etc. are not kept open after 8 pm with the provisions of Section 114 of Bangladesh Labor Act, 2006.
The Prime Minister's Office has sent a letter to the concerned to ensure proper implementation of this directive.
Also read: Hasina cancels PMO’s vehicle procurement plan, diverts fund to public healthcare