Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen
FM seeks steps to stop dislocation of people by war, climate change
Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen on Tuesday said action needs to be taken so that people around the world are not uprooted either due to war or climate change.
Highlighting the importance of humanitarian principles, he said the month-long exhibition “Humanitarian Principles. Here and Now” will contribute towards creating a mindset among people to work for humanity.
Foreign Minister Dr Momen inaugurated the exhibition at the Liberation War Museum as the chief guest while State Minister for Disaster Management and Relief Dr Md. Enamur Rahman, MP, attended it as a special guest.
Read: Appointed PR firm, not lobbyist, to change wrong perception: FM
Appointed PR firm, not lobbyist, to change wrong perception: FM
Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen on Tuesday said the Awami League government had appointed a PR (public relations) firm, not lobbyist, to promote good governance and a positive image of Bangladesh.
He said when they (BNP-Jamaat) appointed lobbyists to halt the trials of war criminals, the government appointed the PR firm to change the wrong perception.
Read:Bangladesh remains open to foreign observers in next polls: FM
“We call it a PR firm, not a lobbyist,” said the Foreign Minister after attending a function in the city while responding to questions from reporters.
He said there is nothing wrong in engaging lobbyists but the objectives of engaging them matter when its aim is to harm the country and its interests.
Referring to appointment of lobbyists by BNP, the Foreign Minister said the key objective of that was to harm the country and its interests.
“There might be a quarrel between you and me. But it’s very unfortunate if the country’s interests are sacrificed for that,” he added.
Read: Bangladesh to lobby, if required, anywhere in US: FM
Earlier, Foreign Minister Dr Momen inaugurated a month-long exhibition at the Liberation War Museum as the chief guest while State Minister for Disaster Management and Relief Dr Md Enamur Rahman, MP, attended it as a special guest.
The Embassy of Switzerland in Bangladesh, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the Liberation War Museum of Bangladesh have jointly brought this exhibition to Dhaka, in collaboration with the Photo Elysée Museum of Lausanne, Switzerland.
Dhaka expects no impact on Bangladesh’s joining peace missions as UN works with scrutiny
Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen on Tuesday hoped that there will be no impact on Bangladeshis’ joining peacekeeping missions as the United Nations (UN) takes peacekeepers with much scrutiny.
“Their (UN) spokesperson said the UN always takes people with scrutiny. They’ve long been taking (Bangladeshis),” he told reporters while responding to a question regarding the letter sent by 12 human rights organisations to UN Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix.
Read: Keep up pressure on Myanmar for Rohingya repatriation: FM to UK
In the letter dated November 8, the organisations said the United Nations Department of Peace Operations should ban the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) from UN deployment.
After attending another function in the city, Dr Momen said when the UN takes peacekeepers, they take them after scrutiny. So, we aren’t worried that much about this."
Keep up pressure on Myanmar for Rohingya repatriation: FM to UK
Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen has urged the British government and parliament to keep up pressure on Myanmar for the “safe, dignified and voluntary” repatriation of the forcibly displaced Roihingyas to their homeland soon.
He reiterated the call at a meeting with the British Parliamentary delegation on the eve of the latter’s visit to the Rohingya camps in Kutupalong and Bhasan Char on Sunday.
Read: British parliamentary delegation visits Rohingya camps
UK’s Conservative Party MPs Thomas Patrick Hunt and Paul Bristow interacted with Rohingya leaders in Kutupalong and visited various facilities in the two camps.
They reaffirmed their solidarity with the Rohingya and assured them of remaining seized with their legitimate demands for citizenship, security and freedom of movement in Myanmar.
The UK MPs noted that the British people, especially the British Muslims, felt strongly about the Rohingya situation, and that the international community had a responsibility to stand by this large group of people generously supported by the government and the people of Bangladesh.
Bristow recalled the UK’s humanitarian assistance to the tune of 320 million GBP since 2017 and said they would continue to raise the issue of further improving the living conditions of the Rohingya while they awaited their repatriation.
Earlier, during their meeting with Foreign Minister Momen on Saturday evening, the British parliamentary delegation exchanged views on further enhancing trade and investment between the two countries in the post-BREXIT context.
They reiterated their appreciation for the multi-dimensional contributions being made by the British-Bangladesh diaspora in their respective constituencies as well as in the land of their origin or ancestors.
Minister Momen hoped that there would be exchange of high level political visits between the two countries on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations.
He recalled Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s various engagements during her visit to Glasgow and London in November 2021 and thanked the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) for undertaking the ‘Brit-Bangla Bandhan’ initiative.
The UK delegation thanked the Bangladesh Foreign Minister for accompanying them during their visits to the greater Sylhet region over the last weekend.
Read:Cambodian chairmanship of ASEAN to expedite Rohingya repatriation: FM
The delegation included, among others, Vijay Shamdas Daryanani, MP, Gibraltar Minister for Business, Tourism, Transport and the Port, Samantha Helen Cohen CVO, CEO of the Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council, and Zillur Hussain, MBE, Founder of Zi Foundation.
Faruk Khan, MP, Chairperson, Parliamentary Standing Committee on Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Shamima Begum, MP were present.
It’s US that trained RAB: FM Momen
Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen on Friday said here that it is the United States that trained RAB on their rules of engagement on how to behave with people and how to interrogate.
“They’ve been trained by the USA. The US has taught them the rules of engagement, how to behave with people and how to interrogate,” he told reporters here after attending a number of programmes, recalling the role of the USA and the UK in training the RAB.
Dr Momen said RAB is very efficient in its work and they are very effective. “They’re very efficient and they’re not corrupt. That's why they've been able to gain the trust of people.”
Read: It’s unfair to put all the blame of crossfires on RAB: Home Minister
The Foreign Minister said the government will definitely encourage RAB to go and take training afresh if they (RAB) have any weaknesses in the rules of engagement and if there are any human rights violations in these rules of engagement.
But the sections that have been imposed on individuals suddenly are not very justified, said the Foreign Minister, adding that the US got one-sided information.
The government remains open to sharing experience, revisiting some aspects of the US and UK trained RAB's rules of engagement and their training on human rights in handling the crimes.
Dr Momen said terrorist activities in the country have decreased because of RAB and in the last few years, there has been no more terrorist activity in the country after the Holey Artisan incident.
“This has been possible because of RAB. The US Department of State itself has acknowledged it. There’re some people who don’t like the law and order in the country. Those who like terrorism or drugs don't like RAB because RAB also acts against them. It’s very sad,” he added.
Earlier, the Foreign Minister wrote to his US counterpart Antony J. Blinken on a number of issues, including a call to "waive sanctions" on RAB and its current and former senior officials.
Bangladesh had already updated Secretary Blinken sharing Bangladesh's position on democracy, freedom of speech and human rights, minority and labour rights issues in his letter apart from touching upon sanctions issue broadly.
Read: UN Peacekeeping: 12 global HR bodies seek ban on RAB
Bangladesh believes that the continuation of "sincere and candid" dialogues between the two friendly countries would help advance the bilateral relations on the basis of mutual respect and benefits.
Over the years, Dr Momen said, RAB has emerged as the most efficient law enforcement agency of the government that has been at the forefront of combating terrorism, drug trafficking, human trafficking and other transnational crimes.
“RAB's crucial role in dealing with crimes has generated much confidence among citizens," he said.
RAB has achieved public confidence as it delivers and is not corrupt, and at the same time, as excesses of abuse have dramatically reduced over the last decade, says the government.
Ensure quick services to expats, FM Momen asks DCs
Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen on Thursday urged the Deputy Commissioners (DCs) to be “more sensitive” in ensuring hassle-free services to the expatriate Bangladeshis in an expeditious way as over 1 crore people of the country live abroad.
“We expect the DCs to be more sensitive on these issues making things easier,” he told reporters after attending the third-day session of the DCs’ Conference at the Osmani Memorial Auditorium.
Dr Momen said the expatriate Bangladeshis come with some complaints of not getting passports, police clearances, marriage certificates and birth certificates timely apart from losing control over their land in some cases.
They also complained that they do not get required information when efforts are taken to bring back bodies from abroad, said the Foreign Minister.
Read:Cambodian chairmanship of ASEAN to expedite Rohingya repatriation: FM
New Year: Blinken greets Momen, his family
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has greeted Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen and wished his family a joyous and peaceful New Year.
"May you and your family have a joyous holiday season and peaceful New Year," Secretary Blinken wrote in his New Year's message from the US State Department.
Will resolve issues, if any, with some countries: FM
Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen has said the government wants to find out the reasons if there is any “dissatisfaction” of some countries towards Bangladesh, stressing that they will try to address those issues.
“Our aim is to maintain good relations with all countries. Some countries may apparently be unsatisfied for certain reasons. We’ll find out the reasons and will try to address that,” he said while sharing New Year’s thoughts with a small group of journalists.
Dr Momen said the government will try to maintain the basic principle – ‘Friendship to all and malice towards none’ - in terms of its relations with foreign countries.
“We’ll try our best to maintain the policy of neutrality,” said the Foreign Minister underlining that they have a big challenge to that end.
Dr Momen said his party -- the Awami League -- believes in democracy and very few countries gave blood for democracy.
Read: It can't be resolved overnight, says FM Momen on US sanctions
“We’ll promote it (democracy). No democracy is perfect. It’s an evolutionary process. Nothing is perfect as such. We’ll want perfection and our efforts will be there to strengthen the process,” he said.
When people's voices and election results were ignored by the then Pakistani government in 1971, Bangladeshis waged the War of Liberation to uphold democracy, human rights and justice.
The Foreign Minister highlighted the achievements made in the last year including hosting two mega celebrations – the birth centenary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and 50 years of Bangladesh’s independence.”
He said the global figures who attended in-person and sent messages appreciated Bangladesh’s achievements under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and pledged to stand by Bangladesh and the Prime Minister in its journey towards the next level of development.
The Foreign Minister said the government’s efforts will be there to resolve the regional and bilateral problems peacefully.
Bangladesh has expressed its willingness to work together to further the relationship with Myanmar including through ensuring “early, voluntary, safe and sustained repatriation” of the Rohingyas to their place of origin in Rakhine state.
"As an immediate and friendly neighbour, the people of Bangladesh have been persistent in developing mutually beneficial relations with the people of Myanmar and will work together to further the relationship," said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a message of felicitation on the occasion of the Independence Day of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar.
Letter to Blinken: Dhaka reiterates its firm commitment to promoting democracy, HR
Bangladesh has conveyed to the United States its firm commitment to promoting democracy and human rights saying as a nation it made supreme sacrifice to defend the democratic rights of its people.
"The shared commitment to democratic governance and human rights serves as the fundamental basis for Bangladesh-US relations," Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen mentioned in his recent letter sent to his US counterpart Antony J Blinken.
When people's voice and election results were ignored by then Pakistani Government in 1971, Bangladeshis waged the War of Liberation to uphold democracy, human rights and justice.
Two countries economic partnership, security cooperation and people-to-people contact have flourished around this ideological pivot, Dr Momen mentioned in his letter sent on December 24, a diplomatic source in Washington told UNB.
Accordingly, he mentioned, the two countries have developed various mechanisms to hold dialogues in order to understand each other's priorities and work closely to nurture the ever-evolving multifaceted relationship.
Perhaps, Dr Momen said, Bangladesh is one of the most vibrant countries in the world in terms of press and media with 43 private TV channels, 550 national dailies and thousands of online newspapers.
All these media outlets are functioning with full freedom and independence, the government thinks.
Access to information has also been "greatly enhanced" through widespread and unhindered internet infrastructure, Dr Momen conveyed to Secretary Blinken.
At times, the Foreign Minister said, such unregulated medium of communication does create social problems that harm freedom and privacy of the individuals.
In view of the ever-changing nature of cyber threats, defamation and other forms of misuse of cyber domain by the criminals, a Digital Security Act is in place, Dr Momen conveyed his US counterpart.
"The Act continues to help us guarantee and create safe and conducive cyberspace for all. However, we are cognizant of the views of our partners on some of the provisions of the Act," Dr Momen mentioned in his letter.
Bangladesh remains engaged with the UN and its partners to address the concerns.
Minority Issues
Dr Momen said they are "dismayed" by the "fabricated and unfounded" stories about persecution of minority in Bangladesh.
He said Bangladesh is a land of religious harmony and "ours is a secular Government under the leadership of Prime minister Sheikh Hasina."
Bangladesh says its government allows people from all religions and faiths to freely exercise their rights and privileges.
Also read: It can't be resolved overnight, says FM Momen on US sanctions
"We never discriminate against the individuals on the basis of religion, race or color. For instance, nearly majority of the Police Officers serving at Police Stations are Hindu although the Hindu constitutes only 9% of the total population in the country," Dr Momen conveyed to Secretary Blinken.
People with extremist political views and ideologies are, however, utterly upset with the secular image of the Government, he mentioned.
Read: Early repatriation of Rohingyas lead priority, FM tells UN expert
Dr Momen mentioned the recent death of minority people in Cumilla and Rangpur saying it is a manifestation of such an "ill-motivated attempt" to destabilize the communal harmony in the country in the name of bigotry and extremism. "We consider it as a regrettable but isolated incident."
Labor Rights
Dr Momen shared with Secretary Blinken some recent developments concerning the issue of labor rights.
Currently, Bangladesh is closely working with the International Labor Organization (ILO) and our partners to further improve the labor situation in the country.
A few months back, Bangladesh submitted an action-oriented and time-bound Roadmap on the labor sector reforms in Bangladesh spanning over a period from 2021 to 2026 (copy enclosed).
"Now, we are in the process of the implementation of the Roadmap. All these actions certainly underline the seriousness of our government's commitment to promoting and protecting labor rights in the country," Dr Momen mentioned n his letter.
As Bangladesh and the USA prepare to celebrate the 50 anniversary of relationship next year, the Foreign Minister said, he would like to surmount all stumbling blocks standing in the way with mutual trust and confidence in order for ushering in a new chapter of cooperation and partnership.
"I echo your words that we have a large window of opportunities to work jointly, including in the areas of climate change, peacekeeping, democracy, human rights, Rohingya issue, COVID-19 pandemic, etc," he mentioned.
Dr Momen said they can be proud that, during the pandemic, the two countries have set a shining example of excellent bilateral relations standing by each other, including through providing medical equipment and vaccines.
In his letter, Dr Momen wished Secretary Blinken and his family a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year 2022.
Enemies, pressure grow together when you do better: FM
Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen on Tuesday said both enemies and pressure keep rising on a country when it demonstrates better performance in terms of overall development.
“A country makes some enemies when that particular country achieves development. Pressure also keeps growing in that country. The same thing happens if you do better than some of your colleagues,” he told reporters after attending a function in the city.
Asked whether the government is feeling pressure from the US, Dr Momen said they (US admin) are functioning as per their rules and there is no problem at the government level. “They’re doing their job and we’re doing our job.”
The Foreign Minister said there are some people in the USA while some people here who do not like the development of Bangladesh -- why the Awami League government is doing so well and why people in the country are living happily.
Dr Momen said some people have continuously been discussing with the US lawmakers and providing false information and making videos.
Read: Early repatriation of Rohingyas lead priority, FM tells UN expert
When someone is killed here it is termed as “extrajudicial killing” and when someone is killed in the USA, it is described as “died in the line of duty”.
Commenting on those who are providing false information, Dr Momen said many of them possibly are paid for that (provide false info).”