Foreign-Affairs
GSBS ends in Germany with call for spreading happiness thru' transformation
Wolfsburg (Germany), Nov 9 (UNB) - The 9th Global Social Business Summit (GSBS) ended here on Friday seeking genuine efforts to address key global challenges and build a future that will spread happiness around the world through desired transformation.
Bangladesh, Kazakhstan discuss trade cooperation, seaports connectivity
Dhaka, Nov 8 (UNB) - Kazakhstan wants to explore the possibility of access to seaports of Bangladesh as being a land-locked country, they require to be connected to other countries through land and sea routes, says its envoy to Bangladesh.
GSBS: Bangladesh's success stories impress global audience
Wolfsburg (Germany), Nov 8 (UNB) - Bangladesh's impressive success stories in various areas, including women empowerment, came in the limelight repeatedly here as the ninth edition of two-day Global Social Business Summit (GSBS) began on Thursday promising to build a new civilization and better future.
Control 10 rivers including Ganges to keep oceans free from plastic: Dr Yunus
Wolfsburg (Germany), Nov 8 (UNB) – Nobel Laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus has called upon all to feel the urgency of controlling 10 rivers in the world, including the Ganges, which are shockingly contributing 80 to 90 percent of plastic pollution to the world's oceans.
29 Malaysia-bound Rohingyas rescued from sea
Cox’s Bazar, Nov 8 (UNB) – Members of Bangladesh Coast Guard rescued 33 people including 29 Rohingyas from a trawler in the Bay of Bengal on Wednesday night.
Acting on a tip-off, a coast guard team intercepted a Malaysia-bound trawler in the sea and rescued the 33 people around 8:30 pm, said Lieutenant Foyejul Islam Mandal, commanding officer of Coast Guard Teknaf Station.
Among those, four were Bangladeshi nationals hailing from Tangail district while the Rohingya refuges were from different camps in Ukhia and Teknaf upazilas, he said.
The coast guard members also arrested six human traffickers from the same trawler, he added.
The traffickers are identified as Abdus Shukkur, son of Mozaher Mia, his brother Abdul Gafur, Rafiqul Alam, son of Hossain, Saikat, son of Sharif, Nasir Uddin, son of Abdul Hakim Sonamia and Jewel, son of Dabirul Islam.
They were handed over to Teknaf Police Station, the coast guard official said.
Danish, Iranian envoys present credentials to President
Dhaka, Nov 7 (UNB) – The newly appointed envoys of Iran and Denmark presented their credentials to President Abdul Hamid at Bangabhaban on Wednesday.
Halt rushed plan of Rohingya repatriation: UN expert
Dhaka, Nov 6 (UNB) - A UN human rights expert has urged Bangladesh to shelve the plan to start repatriating Rohingya refugees to Rakhine this month, saying the Myanmar government has failed to provide guarantees they would not suffer the same persecution and horrific violence all over again.
“I haven’t seen any evidence of the government of Myanmar taking concrete and visible measures to create an environment where the Rohingya can return to their place of origin and live there safely with their fundamental rights guaranteed,” said Yanghee Lee, the Special Rapporteur on human rights situation in Myanmar.
The governments of Bangladesh and Myanmar agreed on a repatriation plan in December 2017 and have said they will start the process of returning hundreds of Rohingya from Bangladesh refugee camps from the middle of November, according to a message UNB received from Geneva on Tuesday.
Lee has repeatedly said any return before the root causes of the crisis are dealt with is highly premature and unjust.
She has received credible information from the refugees in Cox’s Bazar that they are in deep fear of their names being on the list to be repatriated causing distress and anguish.
“Not only did the Rohingya face horrific violence at the hands of security forces in 2016 and 2017 with no accountability, they have been subjected to decades-long systematic discrimination and persecution in Myanmar,” the Special Rapporteur said.
Lee reiterated that the refugees must be given the opportunity to participate in the process, as it was their decision alone to return to Myanmar.
“Any return under the current conditions where there is high risk of persecution, may violate obligations under customary international law to uphold the principle of non-refoulment,” she added.
The government of Myanmar has reportedly been developing the area from which the Rohingya fled but building some physical infrastructure to house returnees does not resolve these issues, stressed the Special Rapporteur.
“Living safely and in a dignified manner includes a right to citizenship, freedom of movement, and access to services, health, education and livelihoods,” Lee said.
“I urge the governments of Bangladesh and Myanmar to halt these rushed plans for repatriation, to ensure the protection of the Rohingya refugees and to adhere to their international human rights and refugee law obligations to ensure any returns are safe, sustainable, voluntary and dignified.”
Lee has held that mandate since 2014.
Building a better future: 9th GSBS all set to begin in Wolfsburg Nov 8
Wolfsburg (Germany), Nov 6 (UNB) – Experts from the private sector, civil society, governments and academia have started gathering here as the two-day 9th Global Social Business Summit (GSBS) begins on November 8 with the theme – ‘Building a new civilization’.
Should do more to help prevent violence in Myanmar: Facebook
Dhaka, Nov 5 (UNB) - Facebook said Monday that an independent report it commissioned found the company hasn't always done enough to prevent its platform from being used to spread hate speech that has fueled deadly violence in Myanmar.
Netherlands to continue to support BD’s dev efforts, its minister tells PM
Dhaka, Nov 5 (UNB) – Visiting Dutch Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Corporation Sigrid AM Kaag on Monday said the Netherlands will continue to support Bangladesh’s development efforts.