United News of Bangladesh

The United States has welcomed the re-election of Doreen Bogdan-Martin as Secretary-General of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). Bogdan-Martin received 164 votes out of 164 countries present and voting, demonstrating her commitment to the ITU’s mission and culture of excellence that she has instilled in the organization. During her first term, Bogdan-Martin demonstrated strong leadership in making the ITU more transparent, accountable, and results-driven, said the US Department of State on November 13. Under her direction, the ITU mobilized more than $80 billion in public and private sector connectivity commitments, advanced critical institutional reforms, and strengthened its role in promoting technological innovation. Bogdan-Martin is well positioned to build on this record by keeping the ITU focused on its core mission, strengthening operational effectiveness, and working with Member States and partners to advance secure and resilient connectivity that supports economic growth. The United States said it looks forward to working with Ms. Bogdan-Martin in her second term to advance the ITU’s mission: strengthening global connectivity, supporting technological leadership, and delivering meaningful results for its Member States. "We proudly congratulate our fellow American for this historic achievement," said the US. The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) is the United Nations agency for digital technologies, driving innovation for people and the planet with 194 Member States and a membership of over 1,000 companies, universities, civil society, and international and regional organizations. Established in 1865, ITU coordinates the global use of the radio spectrum and satellite orbits, establishes international technology standards, drives universal connectivity and digital services, and is helping to make sure everyone benefits from sustainable digital transformation, including the most remote communities.

State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam, MP has called upon developed nations to provide advanced technological and financial support to strengthen early warning systems and protect lives and properties from climate impacts. She made the call while addressing a high-level event titled ‘Early Warnings for All: Delivering on Our Promise to Protect Everyone’, convened by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on the sidelines of COP31 on Nov 11, according to a press release issued on Friday. Heads of State and Government, along with Ministers for Environment and Disaster Management, attended the event. Environment and Forests Secretary Dr. Fahmida Khanam accompanied the State Minister.

India on Friday reiterated that it desires a "positive, constructive and forward-looking" relationship with Bangladesh but refrained from commenting specifically on a BBC Bangla report claiming that New Delhi had set two conditions for facilitating former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s possible return  to Bangladesh in December this year. India also referred to the matter of Hasina’s extradition as a legal issue. "So what I refer to as a legal matter was the extradition part. Extradition is a legal matter, and it will be dealt with accordingly," Indian Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal told reporters at a regular briefing in New Delhi. Journalists drew his attention to the report suggesting that New Delhi wants Bangladesh to send a military aircraft to bring Sheikh Hasina back from India and has sought assurances that she would be given an opportunity to appeal her death sentence and face a fresh trial. The spokesperson, however, made no specific comments on the report. According to the BBC Bangla report, New Delhi has identified two principal conditions for facilitating Hasina’s return to Bangladesh. The first is that the Bangladesh Army must take responsibility for bringing her back, preferably using a military aircraft, as she originally arrived in India aboard a Bangladesh military aircraft after fleeing the country on August 5, 2024. The second condition is that Bangladesh must guarantee Hasina an opportunity to appeal her death sentence and undergo a fresh trial over allegations relating to the July 2024 killings. The report said Hasina’s continued presence in India has increasingly become an embarrassing issue for the Indian government, both in its bilateral relations with Bangladesh and on the international stage. Consular Dialogue Asked about the postponement of the consular dialogue between Bangladesh and India, Jaiswal said India desires a "positive, constructive and forward-looking relationship" with Bangladesh. Accordingly, he said that initiatives have been taken and meetings held under structured mechanisms in areas such as trade, railways, water resources, and border management, among others. Jaiswal said the next round of consular dialogue, which will also take up matters relating to the revised travel arrangement, would be held on a mutually convenient date. "India remains ready to discuss all matters or all bilateral issues with Bangladesh through these existing mechanisms, including at the technical level. So, the consular dialogue will be held at a mutually convenient date," he said. Bangladesh and India have more than 40 bilateral mechanisms covering issues including water, trade, border management, and consular affairs, an official told UNB. The two countries were discussing holding the fifth consular dialogue in Dhaka later this month (November 17-18), but a diplomatic source told UNB on Monday that the meeting would not take place as scheduled. Minister (Press) at the Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi Saidur Rahman on Thursday said the consular dialogue had been postponed a week before the request concerning former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s passport and national identity card was submitted. "I can state with certainty that the decision to postpone the dialogue was made at least four days before the request for a passport and national ID on behalf of Sheikh Hasina was submitted on November 9. This has absolutely nothing to do with any announcement regarding Sheikh Hasina’s potential return to the country," he said. The Bangladesh-India consular dialogue mechanism was instituted in 2017 to strengthen people-to-people contacts by establishing a regular channel of communication on consular, visa, and mutual legal assistance cooperation matters between the two countries. An inter-ministerial meeting was held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Dhaka on November 3 as part of preparations for the consular dialogue between the two countries. The dialogue was expected to discuss cross-border issues, border management, streamlining visa processes, repatriating citizens detained in either country, securing the release and repatriation of fishermen, and promoting mutual legal cooperation. The fourth round of consular dialogue was held on May 29, 2024, in New Delhi. The two sides held wide-ranging discussions on mechanisms to strengthen coordination and cooperation on consular issues, visa matters, repatriation, MLAT, and extradition cases, among others. The two sides also agreed to further strengthen the bilateral Revised Travel Arrangement (RTA) to facilitate the movement of nationals between the two countries. Both sides reiterated their commitment to promoting people-to-people exchanges and agreed to hold the next round of dialogue in Dhaka on a mutually convenient date. Meanwhile, longstanding water-sharing disputes and emerging challenges in transboundary water management are becoming increasingly pressing. Indian Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal recently said India was ready to discuss all bilateral issues with Bangladesh through the existing structured mechanisms. On the Ganga Water Treaty, the MEA spokesperson said on November 3 that the two countries have a Joint Rivers Commission. "That is the structured mechanism for discussion on all cross-boundary rivers, including the Ganga. As far as any further development in that regard is concerned, I have no update to share with you." With the Ganga Water Treaty approaching expiry in December, Bangladesh faces the task of securing an equitable and sustainable water-sharing arrangement while strengthening cooperation on other shared rivers.

State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam has met Prime Minister of Eswatini Russell Dlamini and outlined Bangladesh’s climate priorities, including limiting global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius, ensuring accessible and predictable grant-based climate finance, achieving adaptation goals and pursuing a just transition. She has also highlighted the government’s target of generating 20 percent of the country’s total electricity from renewable sources by 2030 and 30 percent by 2040. The meeting was held at the Bangladesh Pavilion in the Blue Zone of the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP31) in Antalya, Türkiye, on Thursday. Prime Minister’s Special Assistant Dr Saimum Parvez and Eswatini’s Minister of Tourism and Environmental Affairs Jane Mkhonta-Simelane were also present at the meeting. Eswatini’s prime minister praised Bangladesh’s role in global climate negotiations, noting that the two countries share similar climate priorities. Both sides also exchanged views on building a bridge of cooperation from COP31 in Antalya to COP32 in Addis Ababa, which will be hosted on the African continent. Jute, Bangladesh’s golden fibre, featured prominently in the discussions. Shama highlighted jute as a renewable and biodegradable alternative to plastic, offering an opportunity to link climate action with economic benefits. She praised Eswatini’s total ban on single-use plastic bags and suggested that jute and jute-based products could serve as environment-friendly alternatives to plastic bags. The state minister also invited the Eswatini prime minister to visit Bangladesh’s jute pavilion in the Green Zone of COP31 to explore the versatility and potential of jute. She highlighted circularity and sustainability initiatives in Bangladesh’s garment industry and encouraged Eswatini to import more sustainable and affordable garment products from Bangladesh. Healthcare also emerged as a key area of potential cooperation. Russell Dlamini shared his country's needs in the healthcare sector, while the state minister highlighted Bangladesh’s strengths in pharmaceuticals. Bangladesh’s pharmaceutical industry exports quality-assured and affordable medicines to more than 150 countries, Shama said, expressing her country’s readiness to support Eswatini in meeting its healthcare needs. Both sides reaffirmed the friendly relations between the two countries as fellow members of the Commonwealth and partners in the Global South. They agreed to strengthen people-to-people ties, trade and investment, and cooperation in various multilateral forums on issues of mutual interest. The state minister also urged Eswatini to extend stronger and continued support for the early repatriation of forcibly displaced Rohingyas to their homeland in Myanmar. At the end of the meeting, she presented the Eswatini prime minister with an exquisite jacket made of jute fabric. Russell Dlamini was highly impressed with the gift and appreciated Shama’s efforts to promote jute and jute-based products.

State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam has called for predictable, accessible and cost-free financing for gender-responsive climate adaptation and resilience. She made the call while speaking at an event titled “Policy to Practice: Strengthening Gender-responsive Climate Governance and Finance in Bangladesh” at the Bangladesh Pavilion in the Blue Zone of the UN Climate Change Conference (COP31) in Antalya, Türkiye, on Thursday. The event was jointly organised by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, and UN Women Bangladesh. Shama attended the event as the chief guest. The event highlighted Bangladesh’s experiences, emerging lessons, and implementation challenges, with particular attention to institutional capacity, inter-ministerial coordination, sectoral mainstreaming, and gender-responsive climate finance. It also explored how development partners and international financial institutions could help strengthen the enabling environment and mobilise resources for country-led climate priorities. In her remarks, the state minister emphasised that safety, mobility, and participation must be integrated into climate adaptation planning from the outset rather than treated as afterthoughts. She stressed the need for initiatives such as cyclone shelters with separate facilities for women and improved access to reproductive and mental healthcare. Shama also underscored that gender-responsive climate action should not be limited to one-off projects but must be embedded in the way resilience initiatives are planned, financed, implemented, and monitored. "When women lead and participate fully, our communities become more resilient, and our future becomes more secure," she said.

The Bangladesh-India bilateral mechanisms appear to have stalled, with little tangible progress on key areas of cooperation, officials said. Bangladesh and India have over forty bilateral mechanisms including on water, trade, border management, and consular issues, an official told UNB. The two countries were in discussion to hold the fifth consular dialogue in Dhaka later this month (November 17-18), but a diplomatic source on Monday told UNB that it is not taking place. Minister (Press) at the Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi Saidur Rahman on Thursday said the consular dialogue had been postponed a week before the request concerning former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s passport and national identity card was submitted. "I can state with certainty that the decision to postpone the dialogue was made at least four days before the request for a passport and national ID on behalf of Sheikh Hasina was submitted on November 9. This has absolutely nothing to do with any announcement regarding Sheikh Hasina’s potential return to the country," he said. The Bangladesh-India consular dialogue mechanism was instituted in 2017 with a purpose to strengthen people to people contacts by having a regular channel of communication on consular, visa and mutual legal assistance cooperation matters between the two countries. An inter-ministerial meeting was held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Dhaka on November 3 as part of preparation for the consular dialogue between the two countries. The dialogue was supposed to discuss cross-border issues, border management, streamlining visa processes, repatriating citizens detained in either country, securing the release and repatriation of fishermen, and fostering mutual legal cooperation. The 4th round of consular dialogue was held on 29 May 2024 in New Delhi. The two sides held wide-ranging discussions on mechanisms to strengthen coordination and cooperation on consular issues, visa matters, repatriation, MLAT and Extradition cases, etc. The two sides also agreed to further strengthen the bilateral Revised Travel Arrangement (RTA) to facilitate movement of nationals from both sides. Both sides reiterated their commitment to continue promoting people-to-people exchanges and agreed to hold the next round of the dialogue in Dhaka on a mutually convenient date. Meanwhile, longstanding water-sharing disputes and emerging challenges over transboundary water management are becoming increasingly pressing. India reiterated that it wants to take its relationship with Bangladesh forward in a positive, constructive and forward-looking manner and expressed its willingness to discuss all bilateral issues between the two countries. Indian Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal recently said India is ready to discuss all bilateral issues with Bangladesh through the existing structured mechanisms. On the Ganga Water Treaty, the MEA Spokesperson on November 3 said they have a Joint Rivers Commission. “That is the structured mechanism for discussion on all cross-boundary rivers, including the Ganga. As far as any further development in that regard is concerned, I have no update to share with you.” With the Ganges treaty approaching expiry in December, Bangladesh faces the task of securing an equitable and sustainable water-sharing arrangement while strengthening cooperation on other shared rivers.

US Ambassador to Bangladesh Brent T. Christensen met Indian High Commissioner Dinesh Trivedi at the Indian High Commission on Thursday. A source at the US Embassy confirmed the meeting to UNB but said it was not known what the two diplomats discussed. “I can only tell you that the meeting took place in the morning.” Ambassador Christensen arrived in Dhaka on January 12 this year, while High Commissioner Dinesh Trivedi arrived in June this year. The meeting comes against the background of a charged political atmosphere, as Dhaka seeks the extradition of deposed former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, who has been residing in India since August 5, 2024. Meanwhile Hasina herself has pledged to return to the country in December. On July 31, High Commissioner Trivedi met US Special Envoy for South and Central Asia Sergio Gor and discussed issues of mutual interest. The meeting was held at a city hotel in Dhaka. On June 25, Gor wished High Commissioner Trivedi all the very best as he assumed his "important role" as India's new High Commissioner to Bangladesh.

India has rationalised its visa regime, reducing the number of main visa categories from 13 to nine and sub-categories from 49 to 23, in a move aimed at facilitating foreign tourist arrivals, medical travel and international student enrolment. The Indian Ministry of Home Affairs said the changes would make the visa framework more compact, coherent and responsive to the needs of foreign nationals visiting the country. "Under Visa regime rationalization, main categories for Visa reduced from 13 to 09 and sub categories from 49 to 23," the ministry said on November 11. The revised framework also reduces the number of fields applicants need to fill in visa application forms across all 23 sub-categories by 65 to 70 percent, making the application process easier and faster. The changes are intended to minimise overlaps between visa categories and make it easier for visitors, patients, students, researchers, investors and business professionals to identify the appropriate visa for their travel purposes. Under the revised medical visa framework, separate provisions have been retained for treatment under conventional and AYUSH systems. The M-1 visa covers medical treatment other than that under AYUSH systems, while the M-3 visa is for treatment under AYUSH systems. Both M-1 and M-3 visas, including their e-Visa variants, will generally be granted for one year with multiple entries. Corresponding medical attendant visas have also been introduced, with M-2 visas available for attendants of M-1 visa holders and M-4 visas for attendants of M-3 visa holders. The erstwhile Tourist Visa has been renamed the Visitor Visa to reflect a broader range of permitted activities beyond conventional tourism. The new Visitor Visa category has been divided into two sub-categories, V-1 and V-2, allowing applicants to choose according to the nature and duration of their proposed visit. Apart from tourism, the category covers short-term activities such as business meetings, medical consultations, wellness retreats, short-duration medical treatment and short courses in Indian languages, music, art and craft. The Visitor Visa is granted for 30 days with multiple entries, according to the ministry. Currently, India's e-Visa facility is processed through an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) system under 13 sub-categories and is available to nationals of 172 countries. The ministry said the rationalisation was intended to promote legitimate travel, education, healthcare and economic engagement with India through clearer, purpose-based visa options. The initiative was undertaken under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the guidance of Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Amit Shah, it added.  

The Agence Française de Développement (AFD) has announced a €100 million climate policy loan for Bangladesh in 2027 and €40 million in support for the water supply and sanitation sector in 2028. The announcements came at the 7th Annual Consultation Meeting (ACM) between AFD and the Government of Bangladesh, held in Paris on November 9-10, according to a handout issued on Thursday. During the meeting, both sides signed an amendment to the agreement on the Expertise and Capacity Building Fund (FERC). The meeting reviewed bilateral cooperation, AFD’s existing project portfolio and strategic priorities, including ongoing and pipeline projects in line with the government’s development agenda. Under the future commitment roadmap, the two sides also agreed to expand cooperation during 2029-2030 into new strategic areas, including technical and vocational education and training (TVET), skills development and non-sovereign financing. The Bangladesh side highlighted the priorities outlined in the 5th Five-Year Strategic Framework for Development and Reform (2026-2031), stressing the need for support in macroeconomic stability, capital market development, skills development, job creation, river restoration, climate resilience, low-carbon infrastructure and renewable energy. It also sought financial and technical assistance for policy-based loans and balanced regional development. The AFD side said Bangladesh’s priorities were largely aligned with its own strategies and expressed willingness to continue cooperation in line with the country’s development needs. AFD also reaffirmed its commitment to supporting Bangladesh’s climate resilience through a stronger focus on climate and adaptation, backed by its range of financing tools and technical expertise. AFD currently has total commitments of US$1,754.81 million, equivalent to €1,484.76 million, across 12 ongoing development projects in Bangladesh. Of the total commitment, US$1,736.19 million is in loans and US$18.62 million in grants. The meeting was co-chaired by Economic Relations Division Secretary Md Shahriar Kader Siddiky and AFD Head of Department for Europe, Middle East and Asia Cyrille Bellier. AFD Country Director Cynthia Mela and senior officials of the agency, along with representatives of the Bangladesh government, attended the meeting.

Chinese Chargé d’Affaires Dr Liu Yuyin on Wednesday outlined three expectations for media professionals in Bangladesh and China, emphasising fact-based reporting, professional journalism and creative storytelling to strengthen bilateral friendship and understanding. “First, deepen understanding through fact-based reporting and chronicle the friendship between China and Bangladesh. Stay close to communities and to the people whose lives you cover. Use facts to show how our countries are developing, and vivid details to convey the aspirations and endeavours of our peoples,” he said while speaking at the 2026 Bangladesh Golden Silk Road Media Awards ceremony in the city. Cultural Affairs Minister Nitai Roy Chowdhury joined the event as the chief guest. Through reporting, Yuyin said more readers and viewers can come to know China as it truly is, in all its dimensions, and better appreciate the sincerity and warmth of China-Bangladesh friendship.