Category: Bangladesh

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Bangladesh thanks India for providing vaccines

Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has thanked her Indian counterpart Narendra Modi for sending 20 lakh doses of Oxford-AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccines to assist the country in its fight against the novel coronavirus…writes Sumi Khan.

“I’m thanking Prime Minister Modi for sending the vaccine as a gift, I do expect that Bangladesh will get rid of the Covid-19 pandemic,” Hasina said on Thursday while thanking Modi for sending the Covid-19 vaccines to Bangladesh.

Hasina and Modi also discussed the ongoing bilateral collaboration between the private sectors.

“We’ve taken all the steps to face the Covid-19 situation in the country,” she said.

Bangladesh has already planned to proceed with the vaccine, she said while virtually addressing an international conference on 100 Years of the University of Dhaka.

On Thursday afternoon, Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Vikram Kumar Doraiswami handed over the Covid-19 vaccine to Bangladesh Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen and Health Minister Zahid Maleque.

Doraiswami said: “It is part of commitment made at the highest level — Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi — and as part of ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy.”

vaccines reach Dhaka

Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar tweeted on “VaccineMaitri”, saying India reaffirms the highest priority to its relations with Bangladesh.

Doraiswami also said that Bangladesh and India will fight the disease together as friends.

At least 50 lakh doses of the vaccine from India are expected to arrive within this month while another 50 lakh doses of the vaccine are scheduled to arrive in each of the next six months as per the agreement.

On December 17 last year, Indian Prime Minister Modi assured that vaccines would be made available to Bangladesh as and when produced in India.

Abdul Momen said the arrival of 20 lakh doses of the vaccine from India shows the sign of strong relations and goodwill between Hasina and Modi.

“Today’s gift from India is the sign of partnership, cooperation and collaboration,” he said.

After receiving the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine as ‘gift’ from India, the Bangladesh Foreign Minister said: “It’s a historic day. They’ve (Hasina and Modi) achieved such a goodwill and strong relations! It shows the sign of that bonding.”

Momen said many developed countries are yet to get the vaccine and Bangladesh is one of its earliest recipients in the world.

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-Top News Bangladesh Nepal

‘Made in India’ Covid vaccines reach Nepal

The Covid-19 vaccines that India has granted to Nepal arrived in Kathmandu on Thursday.

Indian Ambassador to Nepal handed over the vaccines to Health Minister Hridesh Tripathi at a function held at the Kathmandu airport.

The consignment of the ‘Made in India’ Covid vaccines took off for Nepal this morning.

In a tweet, Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said: “Nepal receives Indian vaccines. Putting neighbours first, putting people first! #VaccineMaitri.”

India’s ‘Vaccine Maitri’ initiative will provided vaccines to its neighbouring countries.

As part of the programme, India had sent the Covid-19 vaccines to Bhutan and Maldives on Wednesday.

India has granted 1 million doses of vaccine against the coronavirus, Nepalese Health Minister Tripathi said at a joint press meet, where Indian Ambassador to Nepal Kwatra was also present.

Nepal is planning to inoculate health and other frontline workers first.

2mn Doses Arrive Dhaka

Two million doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine made by the Serum Institute of India arrived in Dhaka on Thursday as a gift from New Delhi.

The Air India charter flight 1232 from Mumbai carrying the consignment landed at Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka at 11.20 a.m. on Thursday.

In a tweet, Indian Minister of External Affars S Jaishankar said: “Touchdown in Dhaka.

#VaccineMaitri reaffirms the highest priority accorded by India to relations with Bangladesh.”

The vaccines which came as a gift will be handed over at a formal ceremony at State Guesthouse Padma on Thursday afternoon.

Bangladesh Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen, Health Minister Zahid Maleque, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md Shahriar Alam, High Commissioner of India to Bangladesh Vikram Kumar Doraiswami and other high government officials will be in attendance.

The Serum Institute of India has produced the Covid-19 vaccine developed by the University of Oxford and drug maker AstraZeneca.

On January 8, Bangladesh approved the procurement of 30 million doses of Covishield vaccine from India.

“So, there would be plenty of vaccines in the country, we’re quite assured now. We can start the vaccination programme ahead of the schedule,” Momen told IANS.

Momen added that more countries including Russia and China, were interested in providing vaccines.

An agreement was signed in November 2020 between the Bangladesh government and the Serum Institute of India through which Beximco will avail 30 million doses of the Covid-19 vaccine.

In the initial six months of the first phase, Beximco will procure five million vaccine doses per month.

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-Top News Bangladesh COVID-19

Hasina Approves new stimulus package of Tk 2700Cr

The Bangladesh government has so far rolled out 23 bailout packages announced at different times since March 2020 to absorb the economic shock from the raging Covid-19 pandemic….reports Sumi Khan.

On Sunday, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina approved two new schemes worth Tk 2,700 crore aimed at improving the living conditions of rural marginalised people, according to a Finance Ministry statement.

The government has not yet decided on the interest rates for the loans to be provided through all these organisations and agencies.

But the beneficiaries will get the loans at a reduced rate, an official at the Ministry said.

Before releasing the funds, the Finance Division will discuss and review their existing rates and fix it.

The implementation of the new packages will begin soon, the Finance Ministrystatement said.

The total amount of financial assistance now stands at Tk 124,053 crore, 4.44 per cent of the country’s GDP.

The approval of the new schemes comes following recommendations from various stakeholders during a series of dialogue organised recently by the Ministry on overall aspects of the stimulus packages.

At the discussions, business leaders, government officials and representatives from banks, development partners and agencies suggested expanding the credit coverage through government and semi-government agencies related to the cottage industry and small and medium enterprises (SMEs).

They also recommended steps to improve the living standards of marginal people and expand the social safety coverage for the poor, added the statement.

Under the first package involving Tk 1,500 crore, the government will give loans to micro and cottage entrepreneurs through various government and semi-government agencies like the SME Foundation, the Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries Corporation (BSCIC) and Bangladesh NGO Foundation to infuse dynamism into the rural economy amid the pandemic.

Of the amount, Tk 300 crore will be provided to the SME Foundation for expanding its operations for the cottage industry and SMEs alongside helping the female entrepreneurs.

The SME foundation will disburse loans among the small businesses and entrepreneurs hit hard due to the economic downturn caused by the pandemic, according to Finance Ministry officials.

Besides, BSCIC will get Tk 100 crore under the package. The state-run corporation, established to support small initiatives across the country, will provide loans to small entrepreneurs and industrial units set up in the BSCIC estates under its existing credit programmes.

The package also includes financial support for business initiatives by women who suffered due to the economic slowdown.

Joyeeta Foundation, a government initiative to support women’s ventures and empower women financially, will get Tk 50 crore. Apart from the loans, the foundation will provide training to women entrepreneurs.

The NGO Foundation will get Tk 50 crore for providing small loans through NGOs.

Besides, Social Development Foundation, Palli Daridro Bimochon Foundation, and Bangladesh Palli Development Board will get Tk 300 crore each and Small Farmers Development Foundation Tk 100 crore.

In March 2020, the government announced a Tk 20,000-crore stimulus package for the cottage, micro, small and medium enterprise (CMSME) sector after the pandemic hit the country.

However, the disbursement rate of the loans was low compared to that for the large industrial and service sectors.

Faridpur, July 20, 2020 (Xinhua) — Photo shows flood-affected houses in Faridpur, Bangladesh, July 19, 2020. Floods triggered by heavy seasonal rains and onrush of water from hills have worsened again in parts of Bangladesh, including central Faridpur district, some 101 kilometers away from the capital Dhaka. (Xinhua/IANS)

Under the Tk 1,200-crore package, all disadvantaged elderly people, widows and female divorcees in 150 poverty-stricken upazilas of the country will get cash assistance.

The beneficiaries will get an allowance of Tk 500 a month. The package will be implemented in fiscal 2021-2022.

The amount is likely to increase by 5 per cent from the next budget as the Finance Ministry has already made a decision in this regard, said an official of the ministry.

However, the government is yet to finalise the number of beneficiaries.

It started giving the cash incentives to all those who fall under the beneficiary groups in 112 poverty-stricken upazilas after the pandemic hit the country.

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-Top News Bangladesh

Bangladesh seeks official apology from Pakistan

Bangladesh has sought an official apology from Pakistan for the genocide committed against the people of the country during the Liberation War of 1971, along with completing the repatriation of Pakistanis stranded in Bangladesh and settling the issue of the division of assets, said State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shahriar Alam on Thursday.

“In line with that spirit, we look forward to engage with Pakistan,” Alam told the High Commissioner of Pakistan Imran Ahmed Siddiqui when he paid a courtesy call on the Minister at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Welcoming the Pakistani High Commissioner, the Minister emphasised that enhancing ties with all the neighbouring countries is a part of the Bangladesh government’s foreign policy priority.

Alam reiterated the importance of resolving outstanding bilateral issues with Pakistan.

He urged Pakistan to grant access to more Bangladeshi products by utilising the existing SAFTA provisions, while relaxing the negative list and removing trade barriers.

Siddiqui assured of giving due diligence to advancing bilateral relations in every possible area.

Both sides agreed on the need to hold the long-pending Foreign Office Consultations, which were last held in 2010.

Alam said that he will extend all kinds of cooperation and assistance to the Pakistani High Commissioner during his tenure in Dhaka.

BSF joins B’desh victory

To commemorate the 50th anniversary of the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War victory, the BSF as part of its year-long programme would organise a 70-day long cycle rally covering 3,266 km frontiers of five Indian states from January 10, an official said on Thursday.

Tripura frontier Inspector General (IG) Susanta Kumar Nath said that the 70-day long cycle rally would start from West Bengal on January 10 and would culminate on March 17 in Mizoram covering the 3,266 km distance, mostly along the frontiers of West Bengal, Assam, Tripura, Meghalaya and Mizoram.

To mark the 50th anniversary of the Bangladesh Liberation War victory, the BSF had organised a wreath laying ceremony at the Liberation War Memorial at the Bharat-Bangladesh Maitri Uddyan Park, Chottakhola, in south Tripura on December 16.

War veterans were felicitated at the function, where hundreds of school children sang patriotic songs. Songs were also played by the BSF brass band and a short movie on the role of the ‘Mukti Vahini in 1971 War’ was screened on the occasion.

The Tripura government has developed a big memorial and park at the border village of Chottakhola — 132 km south of Agartala — in memory of the Indian soldiers and Bangladeshi freedom fighters who sacrificed their lives during the 1971 war.

Nath said that the BSF is always maintaining good relations with its counterpart — Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) — at every level of hierarchy.

“The BSF-BGB Border Co-ordination Conference was held at Tripura frontier headquarters at Shalbagan near Agartala in November and both the border guarding forces resolved to strengthen their ties by addressing various border issues.

The issues include trans-border crimes including smuggling of narcotics and other contraband items, and carrying forward the pending developmental works in order to achieve the common goal of establishing peace and tranquillity along the international border.

The commemoration of the 50th anniversary year of 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War victory was decided at the five-day long 51st Director General level talks held in Guwahati on December 22-26.

During the yearlong commemoration, ex-BSF officers and personnel, Bangladeshi Mukti Yoddha (freedom fighters) and important personalities would be felicitated and the celebrations would culminate on December 16 this year.

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Asia News Bangladesh India News

‘Nations against UN Rohingya resolution could play better role’

On December 31, 2020, the UNGA plenary adopted the resolution by a recorded vote of 130 in favour to nine against, with 25 abstentions…reports Sumi Khan

Bangladesh Foreign Minister Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen said that the countries, including Russia and China, which voted against a resolution recently adopted by the 75th UN General Assembly (UNGA) on the human rights situation of the Rohingya refugees, “could play a better role”.

On December 31, 2020, the UNGA plenary adopted the resolution by a recorded vote of 130 in favour to nine against, with 25 abstentions.

Besides China and Russia, the other countries that voted against the resolution are Belarus, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, the Philippines, Vietnam and Zimbabwe.

“Those countries could play a better role which voted against the resolution. We don’t have any displeasure against them,” Momen told reporters at his office on Sunday.

“It’s a strategic decision. We’re happy with the results,” he added.

“We’re happy that they talked to us before the decision,” the Foreign Minister said explaining why the countries wanted to remain neutral in the UN to use their leverage on Myanmar in finding a solution to the Rohingya crisis.

China is trying to work with Myanmar and Bangladesh to find a solution through tripartite discussions.

Momen said the Rohingya issue remains a big challenge and expressed his optimism over resumption of the repatriation process in this year, adding: “It’s our expectation.”

The Foreign Minister said he wrote to his counterpart at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Myanmar on January 1 touching upon overall issues.

“I’ve conveyed to my counterpart in Myanmar that we want the process to start. You repeatedly told us that you will take them back after verification and provide safety and security. It’s our demand that you will provide it what you promised,” he said, adding that creating a conducive environment for voluntary repatriation has to be in place as promised.

He said Myanmar is a friendly country and Bangladesh is trying to solve the Rohingya issue through discussion with the former bilaterally, apart from exploring other ways.

Responding to a question, the Foreign Minister said China is trying to discuss the issue through a trilateral mechanism with Myanmar and Bangladesh.

“We’re ready. We’ll sit once a date is fixed for the next round of discussions.”

He said Bangladesh also requested Japan as they have leverage on Myanmar.

“Japan assured us of extending their help. We’re yet to take a decision on how the framework will be designed.”

Bangladesh thinks the Rohingya will “jeopardise regional and international security” if the 1.1 million refugees were left unattended and not given an opportunity to return to their homeland.

“Development is not possible without peace,” he said.

Two repatriation attempts turned futile as Myanmar “failed to remove trust deficit” among the Rohingya and there was “lack of conducive environment” in Rakhine state for their return.

Bangladesh and Myanmar signed the repatriation deal on November 23, 2017.

Refugees in the Kutupalong Rohingya Refugee Camp in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, in July, 2018. (Photo: UN/IANS)

On January 16, 2018, the two countries signed a document on “Physical Arrangement”, which was supposed to facilitate the return of the Rohingya to their homeland.

More than three years ago, the Myanmar army “targeted, killed, and raped” the Rohingya and burned their villages, with the UN saying it was an “ethnic genocide”.

Over 800,000 Rohingya fled the “genocidal violence” and Bangladesh is now hosting over 1.1 million refuees.

Bangladesh is trying in multiple ways, bilaterally, multilaterally, trilateral and through the judicial system, to find a lasting solution to the Rohingya crisis.

It has proposed deployment of non-military civilian observers from Myanmar’s allies, including Japan, China, Russia, India and the ASEAN member states.

Myanmar however, is yet to respond to the proposal.

Meanwhile, the problem of Rohingya Muslim refugees is a big one and unless they return to Myanmar, the problem will remain for India and other countries, Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) Director General Maj Gen Shafeenul Islam said here on Friday after the five-day meeting with his Border Security Force (BSF) counterpart Rakesh Asthana.

Islam said that Rohingya Muslims are not only found in India, they are found across the world including countries like Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia.

“The Rohingya Muslim refugee problem would be solved when they would go back to their country, Myanmar, at the earliest otherwise the problem would remain for India and other countries,” the BGB DG said.

He said: “We are regularly nabbing the Rohingyas at the border, escaping from the Cox’s Bazar camps. There are Rohingya settlements as well. They also have UNHCR cards. They always try to get inside… To meet their relatives in the Bangladesh camps.”

Asthana said that Rohingya Muslims are being occasionally caught in different parts of the country by the state security forces.

“Both BSF and BGB are committed to stop their infiltration and exfiltration and we are taking action not only against the Rohingyas, but also against all illegal trespassers,” the BSF head said.

A senior BSF officer said that in the all important five-day Border Coordination Conference (BCC), BSF chief Asthana led the 12-member delegation while the 11-member BGB team was headed by Islam. The DG level meeting or the BCC between the BSF and BGB was held first time outside the national capital.

Rohingyas from refugee camps in southeastern Bangladesh often enter into the northeastern states of India illegally in search of jobs or get trapped in human trafficking.

According to the security officials, at least 35 Rohingya Muslims from Myanmar, including women and children, have been detained in the past one month for illegally entering into northeast India.

Over 7,38,000 Rohingyas from Rakhine in western Myanmar have taken shelter in the camps in Cox’s Bazar since the beginning of the ethinic troubles on August 25, 2017, following a wave of violence and persecution, which has been described by the United Nations as attempted ethnic cleansing.

Four northeastern states – Arunachal Pradesh (520 km), Manipur (398 km), Nagaland (215 km) and Mizoram (510 km) – share 1,643 km unfenced borders with Myanmar while Tripura (856 km), Meghalaya (443 km), Mizoram (318 km) and Assam (263 km) share 1,880 km borders with Bangladesh.

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Bangladesh PM’s Sewing Snap Goes Viral

Sheikh Hasina.

Two separate photos of Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina have gone viral on the social media, giving people a glimpse of the leader’s daily life, the media reported on Sunday.

In one photo, Hasina is seen working on a sewing machine while donning a traditional Bengali attire, while is the other the leader was snapped while she was looking at catch after fishing at the Ganabhaban lake, reports bdnews24.

The Prime Minister had earlier described in Parliament how she slightly tweaked her routine amid the coronavirus pandemic, enjoying the thrill of fishing during her morning stroll.

Top Awami League leaders and the party’s official account have shared the photos on Facebook.

Sheikh Hasina.

Salman F Rahman, the premier’s adviser for private industry and investment, shared the photos and wrote: “Hon’ble Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is a complete human being. She has successfully transformed the fortune of 170 million Bangladeshis, has given refuge to over a million Rohingya Muslims, but still finds the time to enjoy cooking, fishing and sewing.”

“I don’t have the knowledge to put a caption,” wrote State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md Shahriar Alam in a post sharing the photo of the Prime Minister fishing.

State Minister for ICT Zunaid Ahmed Palak shared both photos and wrote: “Our honourable prime minister, our leader Sheikh Hasina dressed as a common Bengali woman. She sews cloth and goes fishing at the Ganabhaban pond whenever she takes a break from a busy schedule.

“Much love and respect for this extraordinary person who works for the country all day long after losing everything.”

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-Top News Bangladesh

Hasina Urges Int’l Community To Resolve Rohingya crisis

Sheikh Hasina.
Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Addresses General Debate, 75th Session

Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has reminded the international community that the fates of people across the globe were intertwined amid the Covid-19 pandemic, as she called on world leaders to ensure that any proven vaccine is made accessible to all at the same time.

She made the remarks during her address to the 75th UN General Assembly via video link on Saturday, reports bdnews24.

Expressing hope over the availability of a vaccine soon, Hasina said: “It is imperative to treat the vaccine as a ‘global public good’. We need to ensure the timely availability of this vaccine to all countries at the same time.”

Bangladesh’s pharmaceutical industry has the capacity to mass-produce a vaccine, if given the “technical know-how and patents”, she said.

Describing the pandemic as an “unprecedented crisis”, Hasina paid tribute to all frontline fighters, including health workers and public servants who are working tirelessly to ensure the safety of the affected countries and people.

Sheikh Hasina.

She also reiterated Bangladesh’s ‘unflinching commitment’ to multi-lateralism as embodied in the UN Charter.

“The pandemic has indeed aggravated existing global challenges. It has also reinforced the indispensability of multi-lateralism,” bdnews24 quoted the Prime Minister as saying.

With the assembly taking place on a digital platform for the first time in the UN’s history, Hasina also reflected on her personal memories of the General Assembly Hall.

“This General Assembly Hall evokes deep emotions in me. From this very hall in 1974, my father Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman delivered a speech for the first time in Bangla as the head of government of a newly independent country.”

Refugees in the Kutupalong Rohingya Refugee Camp in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, in July, 2018. (Photo: UN/IANS)

In her address, the premier also urged the international community to step up the efforts to resolve the Rohingya crisis.

“Bangladesh provided temporary shelter to over 1.1 million forcibly displaced Myanmar nationals. More than three years have elapsed.

“Regrettably, not a single Rohingya could be repatriated. The problem was created by Myanmar and its solution must be found in Myanmar. I request the international community to play a more effective role for a solution to the crisis,” she added.