United News of Bangladesh

United States National Security Council (NSC) Coordinator for Strategic Communications, John Kirby, has said that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and US President Joe Biden have discussed the importance of free and fair elections in Bangladesh. At a media briefing on October 4 at the White House, Kirby said the two leaders also talked about the importance of improving bilateral relationship across a range of issues, including climate change. Read: No one from outside should obstruct elections in Bangladesh: PM Hasina warns in New York The NSC coordinator came up with the remarks when a questioner wanted to know about the current state of relationship between the US and Bangladesh, mentioning that President Biden also had a pull-aside meeting with PM Hasina in New Delhi. Read more: All countries including Bangladesh should have free and fair elections: US State Dept During her recent visit to Washington DC, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina held a meeting with US National Security Adviser, Jake Sullivan. After attending the UN General Assembly in New York, Sheikh Hasina went to Washington DC and visited the Bangladesh Embassy there on September 27. The meeting between her and the US national security adviser was held at the embassy.

Bangladesh's Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her Indian counterpart Narendra Modi have said they look forward to getting negotiations going on a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) for their two countries, covering trade in goods, services, and protecting and promoting investment. Expressing satisfaction at the implementation of development cooperation projects, they looked forward to the joint inauguration of three projects (Agartala-Akhaura Rail Link, Unit-II of the Maitri Power Plant and Khulna-Mongla Rail Link) at a convenient date later. The two leaders had a bilateral meeting in New Delhi on Friday (September 08, 2023).  PM Hasina is visiting India as its guest country to participate in the G-20 Leaders Summit on 9-10 September 2023. Read more: Hasina, Modi agree to resolve outstanding bilateral issues through talks With regard to the regional situation, Prime Minister Modi expressed appreciation of the burden shouldered by Bangladesh in hosting over a million persons displaced from Rakhine State in Myanmar, and conveyed India's constructive and positive approach to support solutions towards safe and sustainable repatriation of the refugees. The Indian side welcomed the Indo-Pacific Outlook announced by Bangladesh recently, according to the Ministry of External Affairs (Indian Foreign Ministry).  The leaders agreed to continue working together to intensify their wide-ranging engagement. The two leaders discussed the entire gamut of bilateral cooperation including political and security cooperation, border management, trade and connectivity, water resources, power and energy, development cooperation, cultural and people to people ties. Current developments in the region and cooperation in the multilateral fora were also discussed. Read more: Dhaka, New Delhi sign 3 MoUs after Hasina-Modi talks They welcomed the operationalization of the Agreement on the use of the Chattogram and Mongla Ports and commissioning of the India-Bangladesh Friendship Pipeline.  They also expressed appreciation for operationalization of settlement of bilateral trade in INR (rupee) and encouraged the business community on both sides to utilize the mechanism. Hasina thanked Modi for the hospitality of the government and people of India, as the two leaders looked forward to continuing interactions at all levels. Read more: Hasina, Modi didn't talk about Bangladesh election: Momen

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday said Bangladesh has been maintaining a friendly relationship equally with all for the sake of uplifting the socio-economic condition of the people. “We’ve a very good relationship with every country. Since we’re following the policy the Father of the Nation had given us, we’re maintaining a friendly relation equally with all. Because, our goal is to uplift the socio-economic condition of our country’s people,” she said. The premier was addressing the Bangladesh Navy and Bangladesh Air Force Selection Board-2023 at the Secretariat of Navy Chief here in the city. Hasina said her government has successfully been improving the socio-economic condition of the country’s people. She also extended her sincere thanks to the armed forces and all others concerned for their cooperation with the government’s goal to improve the life of the people. Read: Threat to remove govt or any sanctions will bring no gain: PM “We’ll not engage in a war with anyone. We’ll maintain a friendly relation with all,” she said, adding that her government has successfully been able to maintain such a relation as well. The PM said Bangladesh has been moving forward following the ‘Friendship to All Malice towards None’ policy, which was incorporated by Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in the Foreign Policy. “We don’t want war with anyone. We want to live in peace. But we’ll have to have all sorts of preparations to safeguard our independence and sovereignty,” she said, stressing the need for modernizing the country’s armed forces. Promote patriotic, competent officers in Navy and Air Force: PM to selection board The premier praised the tabulated record and comparative evaluation method followed in case of promotion of Navy and Air Force officers, describing it as a modern and logic-based system. She asked the selection board to carry out a prudent and neutral assessment to pick the officers who have high morality, morale, knowledge on practical aspects, patriotism, spirit of liberation war, sense of responsibility and instant decision-making power and prudence for the promotion in the two forces. Read: Stay awake like sentinels for progress of Bangladesh: PM Hasina urges BCL "You should choose the officers, who are good in taking decisions at any time and capable of gaining success by applying their prudence in any situation, for the leadership positions,” she said. She said the country’s armed forces stand beside the people in every disaster and tough time. “You have been able to earn the trust and confidence of the people, which is the biggest matter,” she said. The PM said her government has successfully taken the country forward and raised its dignity on the international stage after assuming power in 2009. “We’ve earned self-dependency economically. Not only that, a brightened image of Bangladesh has also been created before the entire world. Bangladesh has been able to emerge as a role model for development,” she said. Sheikh Hasina focused on her government’s various successes and steps taken for modernizing the armed forces.

Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen has credited Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s courage, sincerity and strong willingness for achieving a number of milestones, including the metro rail project. “It will be a historic moment for us. It’s a matter of pride and joy for us. It has been possible for our leader Sheikh Hasina’s courage, strong willingness and sincerity,” he told the reporters at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Monday. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is scheduled to inaugurate the much-awaited first-ever elevated metro rail on December 28 for commercial operation. Initially, some 10-set trains with six coaches will run from Uttara to Agargaon. Read more: Dhaka Metro Rail launch: From ticketing to seating – things to know “I tell you. There had been various kinds of conspiracies (to halt the implementation of mega projects – the Padma Bridge and metro rail),” Momen said. He thanked Japan saying: “The country helped Bangladesh despite all the conspiracies and they (Japanese people) were sincere in their work. Even during the Covid-19 pandemic they kept working.” Momen said the government remains grateful to Japan for their uninterrupted support despite the Holey Artisan attack that left over 20 people, including Japanese citizens, dead. “We have created another history – the tunnel beneath the River Karnaphuli. “These (the Padma Bridge, tunnel, and metro rail) are the milestones of Bangladesh,” Momen said. Read more: PM to open 1st phase of metro rail on December 28: Quader Appreciating Hasina’s leadership and stability in the country, the foreign minister said if someone really wants to do something, they will find a way to do it, even if there are things that make it hard to do. “Good leadership and a stable government bring benefits.”

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday expressed her condolences and sympathies to Chinese President Xi Jinping at the sad demise of the country's former president, Jiang Zemin. In a letter she said: "We pray for the eternal peace of the departed soul. Our prayers and thoughts are also with the bereaved members of family, and we pray that they may be able to overcome their irreparable loss. We, in Bangladesh, stand beside the government and the friendly people of China at this time of mourning.” In the letter, as per a press release from PMO press wing, Sheikh Hasina reiterated that Bangladesh and China are time-tested development partners and enjoy friendly relations with the ‘Strategic Partnership of Cooperation’. Read: PM expresses condolences at passing of Monzur E Mawla She recalled that the friendly relations between the two countries were greatly strengthened during the tenure of former President Jiang Zemin. She expressed her confidence that bilateral relations between the two counties would continue to flourish and strengthen in the days ahead.

Bangladesh Ambassador to the United States, Muhammad Imran, has urged all to work unitedly under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to build a hunger-and-poverty-free, prosperous Bangladesh, imbued with the spirit of the Liberation War and the ideology of Bangabandhu. Taking part in a discussion marking ‘National Constitution Day’, Ambassador Imran described it as a historic day for the nation and highlighted its importance. He paid tributes to Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and said the greatest Bangalee of all time presented the long-awaited Constitution to the newly-independent nation within only 11 months of independence. The Bangladesh Embassy in Washington DC on Friday observed ‘National Constitution Day’ in a befitting manner. On this day in 1972, the Constitution of the People's Republic of Bangladesh was adopted by the Constituent Assembly of Bangladesh, and it came into effect on December 16 in the same year. Read: Career diplomat Muhammad Imran named as Bangladesh ambassador to US The Embassy arranged a programme at the Bangabandhu Auditorium in the afternoon to commemorate the historic day, said the Embassy. The programme began with placing of floral wreaths at the bust of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman by Ambassador Imran. Officials and employees of the Embassy were present at that time. Then the messages from the President and the Prime Minister were read out by Minister (Consular) Mohammad Habibur Rahman ‍and Counsellor (Political-III) Shamima Yeasmin Smrite. Minister (Economic) Md. Mahadee Hassan also took part in the discussion, while Counsellor Mohammad Moniruzzaman conducted the program.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will address a press conference on Thursday afternoon on the outcome of her recent official tour of the UK and the USA. The press conference will start at 4pm at her official residence Ganabhaban,  PM’s Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim said. PM Hasina returned home  early Tuesday after completing her 18-day visit. She went to London on September 15,  mainly to attend Queen Elizabeth II's funeral and a reception hosted by King Charles llI. On September 19, she left London for New York while on September 24 she went to Washington DC. Sheikh Hasina addressed the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly on September 23. She also took part in several events on the sidelines of the UNGA.

Coming down heavily on BNP, PM Sheikh Hasina has said they raise questions about the election and human rights, but during their regimes, human rights were violated at every step. The premier was addressing a civic reception on Saturday, accorded to her by the Bangladeshi community in New York, US. “They (BNP) are champions in vote-rigging. Starting from incorporating 1.23 crore fake voters, there’s no misdeed they haven’t committed,” she said. Read: Give fitting response to propaganda against us: PM to expat Bangladeshis The PM said Awami League believes in people’s rights and protects those rights. “Awami League ensured the voting rights of people in this country,” she said, adding that AL gave back voting rights to people, which once remained confined in the cantonment. Social development happened in Bangladesh thanks to the continuation of the democratic system since 2009, she said. Read:PM: Returning from UNGA with friendship for Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina said BNP tried time and again to disrupt the democratic system by unleashing arson attacks and killings, and imposing blockades. Blasting Zia’s family, PM Hasina said Khaleda Zia was convicted in a graft case for misappropriating funds for orphans while his son Tarique Rahman for money laundering and 10-truck arms haul case. She said Bangladesh government had also brought back the money that was illegally siphoned off by Zia’s other son, the late Koko. Read UN experts seek more help for human rights defenders in push for accountability in Myanmar She said her government has been working for the welfare of Bangladeshi expatriates after giving a brief description of the efforts. Praising the expatriates, Sheikh Hasina said they always stand by Bangladesh during its times of need.

Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader said on Wednesday that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s ongoing visit to India has been successful. Quader said this at a dialogue organized by Bangladesh Secretariat Reporters’ Forum (BSRF) at the Secretariat’s Media Center in the capital on Wednesday. He cited the agreement on sharing the water of Kushiyara River as a big success. “Yes, there has not been any deal on Tessta, but we have got Kushiyara’s water. We are not returning empty-handed,” he said adding that Dhaka and New Delhi signed seven MoUs during Hasina’s four-day visit to India from Monday. Quader also expressed his hope that the Teesta water sharing issue will be resolved soon. The Teesta water sharing issue, he said, has been pending due to some reservations of the chief minister of West Bengal, he observed. “I really hope that all sides will reach a middle ground and the Teesta issue will be resolved soon,” added Quader. Quader, also the General Secretary of the ruling AL, criticized the statement of BNP’s Secretary General about PM’s India visit and highlighted the past BNP government’s failure to discuss important national issues with India. He claimed that during one her visits to India then-PM Khaleda Zia admitted that she had forgotten to raise the issue of water sharing problem. Read: Up to PM to decide whether Momen will remain foreign minister or not: Quader On the other hand PM Hasina has always discussed the water sharing issue with India, he said. Quader also brushed aside the allegation that the Cabinet is weak. “Some members of the Cabinet have come from the grassroots level. They may have some personal weakness but in general, the Cabinet isn’t weak. The weaknesses of some Cabinet members are being covered by the PM herself. That’s why the government is moving ahead swiftly without any impediments,” he said. Replying to a question, Quader said that there shouldn’t be any age limit for politicians. “A politician should only retire when both he and his party think that the time has come for him to step aside. Otherwise, a politician must do politics as long as he is able to do it. A person becomes a politician after dedicating his entire life in doing politics. It’ll be unfair if he isn’t allowed to do politics during his final years,” said the minister.   Tapan Bishwas, President of BSRF, presided over the dialogue. It was conducted by BSRF General Secretary Masudul Haque. 

Indian industrialist, and chairman-founder of Adani Group, Gautam Adani met Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina this evening (September 5, 2022).  Following the meeting Adani tweeted from his verified account: “It is an honour to have met Hon PM of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina in Delhi. Her vision for Bangladesh is inspirational and stunningly bold.”  Read: Purchasing surplus fuel from India will be discussed tomorrow: Foreign Secretary “We are committed to commissioning our 1600 MW Godda Power Project and dedicated transmission line to Bangladesh by Bijoy Dibosh, 16 Dec 2022,” the industrialist added.  Adani Power has set up a 1,600MW thermal power plant in Jharkhand's Godda, India to supply most of the power generated to BPDB through a dedicated transmission line.