Foreign-Affairs
US religious freedom ambassador Hussain to arrive in Dhaka Sunday
US Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom Rashad Hussain is likely to arrive here Sunday on a four-day visit to hold a series of meetings with Bangladesh officials.
Indian-American Hussain serves as principal advisor to the secretary and advisor to the president on religious freedom conditions and policy, according to the US Department of State.
Hussain leads the department's efforts to monitor religious freedom abuses, persecution, and discrimination worldwide.
He also oversees policies and programmes to address these concerns and works to build diverse and dynamic partnerships with the broadest range of civil society, with equitable and meaningful inclusion of faith actors globally.
Read: Thailand favours increased connectivity and trade with burgeoning Bangladesh, says its envoy
Before this appointment, Hussain was the director of the National Security Council's Partnerships and Global Engagement Directorate.
From 2015 to 2021, he served as senior counsel at the Department of Justice's National Security Division.
During the Barack Obama administration, Hussain served as the US special ambassador to the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, special envoy for strategic counterterrorism communications and deputy associate White House counsel.
He also spearheaded efforts on countering antisemitism and protecting Christians and other religious minorities in Muslim-majority countries.
Meanwhile, US Ambassador to Bangladesh Peter Haas is scheduled to attend a programme at BIISS auditorium on April 24 that will highlight Bangladesh-US ties.
Thai Embassy organises Songkran Festival 2022
The Royal Thai Embassy in Dhaka on Thursday organised the Songkran Festival 2022 “Songkran Bann Rao” to celebrate Thai New Year for the Thai community.
The festival was held in collaboration with Italian-Thai Development Plc., C.P. Bangladesh and Siam Cement Group Plc at FDEE complex in Dhaka.
This event strengthened the bond and connection of the Thai community, and among Thai and Bangladeshi peoples in Dhaka. It portrays the eagerness of all Thais to preserve this significant tradition.
Also read:Dhaka calls for protecting oceans to save planet earth
Dhaka calls for protecting oceans to save planet earth
In order to achieve SDG 14, Bangladesh has announced five new commitments to the "7th Our Ocean Conference" in Palau.
"We must protect, preserve and promote our oceans and ecosystems to save planet earth," said Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen told the conference co-hosted by Palau and the United States on April 13-14. Mentioning the five new commitments, Momen said Bangladesh announced the National Plan of Action to eliminate illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing in compliance with the internationally agreed market-related measures.
The foreign minister referred to establishment of a new Marine Protected Area in Saint Martin’s Island reaching a total of 8.8% of its Exclusive Economic Zone.
Read: UN: Bangladesh elected member of Commission for Social Development
He said steps aimed at ensuring safe ship recycling by 2023 have alao been taken.
He also mentioned the Solid Waste Management Rules 2021 as part of the commitments.
Bangladesh is committed to harnessing marine resources sustainably under Blue Economy for inclusive development, Momen said.
UN: Bangladesh elected member of Commission for Social Development
Bangladesh has been unanimously elected a member of the Commission for Social Development (CSocD), a subsidiary body of the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) for a four-year term (2023-2027).
The election was held at the ECOSOC Management meeting on Wednesday.
Along with Bangladesh, India and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia have also been elected to this body from the Asia Pacific Group, according to Bangladesh Mission at the UN.
Read: Promoting democracy, HR to remain paramount: US
“Bangladesh has achieved remarkable success in poverty reduction and socio economic development under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. This election demonstrates the recognition of Bangladesh’s extraordinary success story by the international community,” said Ambassador Rabab Fatima, Permanent Representative of Bangladesh to the UN after the election.
She said Bangladesh attaches high importance to the work of the Commission.
“As a member of the Commission, we would make every effort to foster international cooperation for socio-economic development by sharing our good practices”, said Ambassador Fatima.
Read: Dhaka trashes US HR report as “lie, wrong and misinformation”
Commission for Social Development (CSocD) has been the key United Nations body that advises ECOSOC on social policies of general character and follows up the key social development themes.
The Commission consists of 46 members.
Promoting democracy, HR to remain paramount: US
The United States has said promoting democracy, good governance and human rights will remain paramount in this 50th anniversary year of the Bangladesh-US bilateral relationship.
“Working together, we must commit ourselves to promoting respect for human rights. We must speak honestly about the challenges we face. Progress on human rights begins with the facts,” said US Ambassador to Bangladesh Ambassador Peter Haas on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, at a briefing on the latest country report on Bangladesh’s human rights practices and US support to advance protection of human rights at the American Centre auditorium, an official at the US Embassy said the United States does not only report on human rights and abuses. “We also come alongside countries to work together to make things better.”
The official, who cannot be identified under briefing rules, said the United States is committed to a world in which human rights are protected, their defenders are celebrated, and those who commit human rights abuses are held accountable.
“The human rights report does not rank countries or draw comparisons across them. It does not attempt to catalog every human rights-related incident that occurred in a country in a given year,” he said, adding that the human rights report also does not include recommendations or policy suggestions.
READ: Home Minister dismisses US HR report as misinformation
Rather, the official said, it focuses on seven areas of human rights- respect for the Integrity of the Person, which deals with unlawful killings, disappearances, torture, and arbitrary arrest; respect for civil liberties, including freedom of expression, assembly and association, religion, movement, and protection of refugees; freedom to participate in the political process; corruption and lack of transparency in the government; governmental posture towards international and nongovernmental investigation of alleged abuses of human rights; discrimination and societal abuses, including rights of women, children, sexual and gender minorities, ethnic minorities and indigenous peoples, and persons with disabilities; and worker rights, including the right to unions and safe working conditions, and the prohibition of forced labor, child labor, and employment discrimination.
On Tuesday, the State Department released the annual human rights report that strives to provide an “objective record” of the status of human rights worldwide. It covers 198 countries and territories for the calendar year 2021.
“These are factual reports,” said the US Embassy official, adding that the guiding principle is that all information be reported objectively, thoroughly, fairly.
Dhaka trashes US HR report as “lie, wrong and misinformation”
The government on Wednesday criticised the US report on Bangladesh’s human rights practices that contains some “misinformation” collected primarily from the “anti-government propaganda” machines.
“We’re thoroughly studying the report and will share in detail with the press on Sunday,” State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md Shahriar Alam told reporters as his initial comment was sought on the report.
He said the government will do whatever is necessary to help the US government to come out from the “wrong perception.”
Also read:US seeks to reassert global leadership role in struggle for human dignity, liberty
Shahriar pointed out a number of areas of the report in which the government what he says was blamed without any justification. “It’s wrong. It's a lie. It’s far from reality.”
He referred to the section of same-sex sexual conduct and said it is something against the religion Islam. “You show me a Muslim-majority country which approves LGBTQI+.”
The state minister said the government will never compromise on LGBTQI+ (Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and intersex) no matter what pressure a country or institution tries to put on Bangladesh.
“This (promoting LGBTQI+) will be something like standing against the people of the country and religion,” he said.
He also talked about the issue of BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia which was mentioned in the US report. Reiterating the government position he said Khaleda is not a political prisoner or detainee.
“We explained the issue several times to foreign envoys and the international community. Purely on humanitarian grounds, she was allowed to stay at home being released from jail,” he said.
He said the government has been blamed as in August last year for at least 11 Rohingya’s death after their boat capsized while trying to leave Bhasan Char. “Is it our fault? We have been blamed for that.”
Shahriar said no country is more serious than Bangladesh when it comes to humanitarian issues and everybody knows how serious Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is.
The US report mentioned that there were reports of “widespread impunity” for security force abuses and corruption and the government took “few measures” to investigate and prosecute cases of corruption and abuse and killing by security forces.
When sought his comment on it, the state minister said, “Not at all.”
He said the government shared everything it is doing due to current extensive engagement following the sanctions imposed on elite force Rab.
“In every country, law enforcement agencies go through some challenges. People are being killed in the Rohingya camps due to internal feud. When our forces go there taking risks and if they need to open fire and if someone is killed, blame will be imposed on us. We need to come out from such things (blames),” said Shahriar.
He said they expect Bangladesh’s friends to understand the ground realities, challenges, Bangladesh’s constitutions, religions, culture and language and hoped that the international community will not try to come up with demands like LGBTQI+ showing enough respect to those issues.
Progress Begins with Facts
The State Department on Tuesday night released the 2021 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices, an annual report required by U.S. law.
US President Joe Biden has put human rights at the centre of his foreign policy. The United States said they are committed to a world in which human rights are protected, their defenders are celebrated, and those who commit human rights abuses are held accountable.
“Working together, we must commit ourselves to promoting respect for human rights. We must speak honestly about the challenges we face. Progress on human rights begins with the facts,” said US Ambassador to Bangladesh Peter Haas.
Also read:Withdrawal of Sanctions: Bangladesh to appoint lawyers in US
Guided by the United Nations’ Universal Declarations on Human Rights and subsequent human rights treaties, the country reports cover observance of and respect for internationally recognized human rights and worker rights.
The country reports do not draw legal conclusions, rate countries, or declare whether they failed to meet standards.
“President Biden is committed to a foreign policy that unites our democratic values with our diplomatic leadership, and one that is centered on the defense of democracy and the protection of human rights,” said the US Embassy in Dhaka.
In this 50th anniversary year of the U.S.-Bangladesh bilateral relationship, promoting democracy, good governance, and human rights will remain paramount, it said.
PM Hasina greets Shehbaz Sharif
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has congratulated Shehbaz Sharif on his election as the new Prime Minister of Pakistan.
In a message of felicitations, Bangladesh's Prime Minister stressed that the entire region must work together to overcome the challenges for its common benefits, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Also read:Sharif sworn in as Pakistan’s new PM after week of drama
Pakistan’s parliament on Monday elected opposition lawmaker Mian Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif as the new prime minister, following a week of political turmoil that led to the ouster of Premier Imran Khan, according to AP.
Sharif, the brother of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, won with 174 votes after more than 100 lawmakers from Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, or Pakistan Justice Party, resigned and walked out of the National Assembly in protest.
US seeks to reassert global leadership role in struggle for human dignity, liberty
The United States on Tuesday released 2021 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices and said they will continue to support those around the world struggling for human dignity and liberty.
There is much progress to be made in the United States and globally, reads the report. By working together, the US said, they can come closer to building a world where respect for human rights is truly universal.
US Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken delivered on-camera remarks on the release of the global report at the US Department of State.
READ: US seeks equitable treatment of all businesses in Bangladesh
Promoting respect for human rights and defending fundamental freedoms are central to the US.
Required by US law to be produced annually, the Biden administration in its first two years has clearly attached much more weight to their findings than was seen during the Republican administration of Donald Trump. The reports document the status of human rights and worker rights in 198 countries and territories.
The stability, security, and health of any country depends on the ability of its people to freely exercise their human rights – to feel safe and included in their communities while expressing their views or gender, loving who they love, organizing with their coworkers, peacefully assembling, living by their conscience, and using their voices and reporting from independent media to hold governments accountable, according to the US Department of State.
Building on longstanding allegations with regards to Bangladesh, the latest US report on the country claims that the government took few measures to investigate and prosecute cases of corruption, and also of abuse and killing by security forces.
Centre for Genocide Studies inks tripartite MoU with Taylor's University, Bangladesh High Commission, Kuala Lumpur
Centre for Genocide Studies, University of Dhaka has signed a tripartite Memorandum of Understanding with Taylor's University, Malaysia and Bangladesh High Commission, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
The virtual MoU signing ceremony was held on Monday as a part of the Golden Jubilee of the diplomatic relations between Bangladesh and Malaysia.
The goal behind this is to strengthen, enrich and put an official stamp on an ongoing partnership between these two countries.
Romanian consular team likely to arrive Dhaka April 15
A consular team from Romania is expected to arrive Dhaka on April 15.
They are likely to start providing visa services from April 17, according to Bangladesh Embassy in Romania.
Also read:Romania to send Consular team to Dhaka for 3 months
Interested applicants have been advised to submit visa files to the designated desk at the BMET building in city's Kakrail.
The Romanian Foreign Ministry is sending the Consular team to Dhaka for three months to issue about 5000 visas including 3400 pending visas.
"They need some local assistance. This is the first time that they are sending such kind of consular mission abroad," Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen said on Monday.
Also read:Romanian ambassador presents credentials to President Hamid amid hope of growing Dhaka-Bucharest ties
Following the bilateral consultation held in October 2021 between the Ministers for Foreign Affairs of the two countries, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Romania approved opening of the temporary Consular office in Dhaka and sending a delegation for three months.