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The reality is, we are still hoping economy would recover. Even though there is a chance it may never does and we may head toward semi Pakistan style economy. It is hard sustain long term growth consistently while maintianing the title of one of the most corrupt countries in the world. (Not to mention, our current economic and GDP per Capita stats are already manipulated by discounting 20 million peoples in census and other irregularities)
Our per capita income is only a little low than india according to imf report.While population is about 175 million. no report says we are going Pakistan way.
 
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Our per capita income is only a little low than india according to imf report.While population is about 17.5 million. no report says we are going Pakistan way.

IMF doesn't have any entirely independent measurement process. They do guesstimate based on stats published by BBS. Which are unreliable.

Also,it is well know that government census is 100% manipulated. It is no secret that BD's actual curent population is around 190 millions.
 

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IMF doesn't have any entirely independent measurement process. They do guesstimate based on stats published by BBS. Which are unreliable.

Also,it is well know that government census is 100% manipulated. It is no secret that BD's actual curent population is around 190 millions.
Can you give source? U earlier said 20 milion population has been intentonaly reduced.now u are saying it is 190 million.give source.
 
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Can you give source? U earlier said 20 milion population has been intentonaly reduced.now u are saying it is 190 million.give source.

You are not comprehending. Current official census is around 170 millions. Actual population is around 190 millions. Do the math.
 

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You are not comprehending. Current official census is around 170 millions. Actual population is around 190 millions. Do the math.
The current population of Bangladesh is 174,648,946 based on projections of the latest UN data.i didnt give bbs data as u would not believe it anyway.U can check online to verify.

however u still have not provided any source for ur info that BD population is 190 million and 20 milion is reduced from bbs data. wonder if u did census yourself.
 

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Bangladesh is on the verge of signing agreements with Japan and Italy regarding the purchase of military equipment.

Bangladesh is soon going to sign an agreement regarding the purchase of military equipment with Japan and Italy with the intention of avoiding single dependence and opening up new fields under the modernization of Bangladesh's armed forces.

Foreign Secretary Masoud Bin Momen said that both the countries have agreed to this in the ceremony organized in two different forums recently.

Japan has already included Bangladesh in their OSA under which 4 petrol vessels will be added for the navy.

Italy is keen to develop strategic military ties with Bangladesh. For this they have offered to sell all advanced weapons including warplanes, warships, submarines, helicopters and drones.

#DTB

 

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The US is reportedly in contact with India and other regional countries on recent developments in Bangladesh. A US government spokesperson on August 15 described it as "private diplomatic discussions" on Bangladesh that do not include Bangladesh.

There are many odds in the narratives driving the US-India joint venture on foreign policy vis-à-vis Bangladesh.

The Bangladesh next Afghanistan fallacy

You can't help but wonder whether they get what is happening in Bangladesh in mid-July 2024. Such episodes occur rarely, once in over half a century in our case. The upheaval, steered by Gen Z, was a response to society hitting a combination of walls – economic, social, moral, political – with the path changing momentum coming from the dynamics of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement.

You cannot understand the ongoing political change simply as an antidote to youth unemployment and economic struggles. Accumulated disaffection to repression of the right to express, vote and protest were as important. It galvanised the students, their parents, and people from many other walks of life against the incumbents. The increasingly restricted democratic and civic space, partisan state institutions, judicial dominance, capture of conventional media, and disinformation in social media fanned public outrage. You had to be blind to not see the evidence of the rampant breach of electoral norms again and again at the national and local levels, election after election, not to speak of political, moral, and financial corruption.

The ruling elites in our big neighbourhood and farthest market decided to go with Hasina. The resident US diplomats overtly expressed concerns about jailing rivals and critics ahead of the election in January 2024. The US threatened visa restrictions on individuals and sanctions on institutions undermining democracy or human rights. Indian officials allegedly demanded that the US tone down its pro-democracy rhetoric! They perceived Bangladesh becoming a breeding ground for Islamist groups posing a threat to both India's national security and US interests.

The existential versus democracy framing equated "existence" with the Hasina regime. Indian foreign policy made strategic partnership with US on the Bangladesh issue assuming the alternative to Hasina is the inevitable advent of religious bigotry and Islamic terrorism. The gullibility of the US and Indian foreign policies to this narrative emboldened Hasina. She understood very well that the US government does not perceive scaling up visa restrictions and sanctions, as propagated, is in its self-interest even though it is posturing. She called their bluff. The Biden administration shied away from further sanctions, convinced that the alternative to the strategy supported by India is to let Bangladesh glide or slide into "next" Afghanistan.

There could be no bigger fallacy. Historically, political and economic institutions in Bangladesh have not posed "existential" threats to Indian or US geopolitical interests. Current floods have in fact reversed the concern vis-à-vis India, albeit not necessarily for the right reasons.

Facing the misses

Policymakers in both New Delhi and Washington appear to be finding it hard to accept that they did not know when to say enough is enough, call a spade a spade and be on the right side of history. The train left well before they made it to the station. Suddenly those you thought you could work with to keep the business of diplomacy going are gone. The unthinkable happened. You were not exactly on the side you can publicly admit you were comfortable with, to say the least.

Grapevines report divisions within the US government over how to handle Bangladesh. Those arguing for a tougher stance retired, not necessarily coincidentally. It is hard to believe the US administration cowed to threats to the safety of US diplomats in Dhaka. They chose not to alienate the autocracy and antagonise India. Values gave way to what was erroneously perceived as "pragmatism" in balancing a "very complicated" number of interests, including their own.

The irrelevance of public sentiment and human rights in the conduct of the foreign policy of our friends is remarkable but not surprising. Alienation of the general public from the government you are dealing with carries no weight in their (mis)calculus. They were not ready to give up finding "constructive" ways to engage with the administration in power. All bet on Hasina, even as she grew defiantly autocratic and massively unpopular. And they are still struggling to grow out of it.

Diplomatic blind spots

The preliminary report by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, released on August 16 shows how distant their foreign policy stances were from reality. The report affirms the "majority of deaths and injuries have been attributed to the security forces and the student wing affiliated with the Awami League".

It nails the tipping points that the security and political intelligence of Indian and US foreign policy completely missed. Demonstrations descended into violence in mid-July, "particularly following senior Government officials' (read the Prime Minister) inflammatory remarks referring to the protesters as "razakars". Subsequently, "the Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader personally made incendiary statements" and unleashed their student wing against the protesters.

The gaslighting was all but done. The rest is history that took a decisive turn with the fall of the government on August 5. Measly expressions of "observing with concern" aside, the silence of the international media and the community against state brutalities was deafening. Not only were the security forces "unnecessarily disproportionate", so were our big friends disproportionately out of touch in gauging the pulse of the Bangladesh society.

False narratives on "communal violence" propagated by the international media, pundits, intellectuals, influencers, and some members of the general public overlook the political identity of those targeted post August 5. Evidence on political targeting is the strongest. This is not to condone reprisals. But the post August 5 violence is what the facts say it is: predominantly political, not communal violence.

The student protesters and many others guarded Hindu temples and neighbourhoods. Fears regarding an alleged Islamist takeover or for that matter US involvement have little merit. It is sad that the US finds the latter "laughable" but not the former.

Geopolitical nearsightedness

How can we explain this failure to read the writing on the walls, not just in Bangladesh but in the entire South Asian region? Absent malicious intent, an inexcusable error of omission of this magnitude, made by the governments, not necessarily the people they work for, perhaps reflects geopolitical nearsightedness. US and Indian foreign policies converge on looking at Bangladesh through a lens made in China. The US strategy since the Obama administration has been to let India have space to meddle as it likes to countervail China.

It's not as if Mody or Biden necessarily admired Hasina's autocracy. Their comfort zone owed to Hasina playing the same tune on the security and business fronts while giving her space for manoeuvring deals with China. When some deals soured the transactional relations, her flip flops were no more than minor distractions in the larger geopolitical game.

South Asia is largely subsumed under the US Indo-Pacific strategy driven by perceived threats to the "liberal" international order from the ambitious China and Russia. The Bangladesh-US relationship, never mind the rhetoric, is subordinate to the India-US partnership.

Disinformation on steroid

Unfortunately, and amazingly, India is awash with different variants of the CIA--ISI joint venture narrative on the game behind the game changer on August 5. They totally disregard the growing and diverse background of the participants and the timeline of the chain of events.

A logical corollary of this theory is Hasina must have been a suicide agent of CIA or ISI. She foolhardily sought to crush what started as a peaceful, logical and straight to handle demands of the students. The absurdity of any proposition that relies on Hasina acting willy-nilly to CIA-ISI provocations to self-destruct is self-evident from the timeline of events leading to August 5.

Some US and Indian officials justifiably and some opportunistically are in the "I told you so" mode. The horsepower bolted the stable when Abu Sayeed and Mughdo took bullets. The cosmic difference between Bangladesh 2.0 and Afghanistan is as stark as the difference between night and day.

 

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Russia will provide a ship full of potash fertiliser - 30,000 tonnes- for free to Bangladesh, Russian Ambassador Alexander Mantytskiy said during a meeting with Home Affairs Adviser Lt Gen (retd) Md Jahangir Alam today (29 August).

Thanking the ambassador for the offer, the adviser has also requested the ambassador to provide a ship full of wheat to Bangladesh for free during the meeting, according to a press statement issued by the home ministry.

"Ensuring food security in the current flood situation is a big challenge for the government. We are working tirelessly to achieve this goal," Adviser Jahangir said during the meeting at the Bangladesh Secretariat.

Stating that Russia is one of the top suppliers of wheat and fertiliser to Bangladesh, the adviser noted that so far, Bangladesh has paid the Eastern European country for 2.6 million tonnes of imported wheat.

"Due to the prevailing economic conditions including floods, the payment of the last shipment of imported wheat was not possible," he said.

The home affairs adviser requested the ambassador to continue the supply of wheat and fertiliser to Bangladesh in the current situation.

The ambassador, in response, requested the Bangladesh government to notify Russia in writing on this matter. and assured consideration in that case.

The Russian ambassador also called for the existing cooperation between the two countries to be taken one step further in the modernisation and capacity building of the cyber security and forensic labs in Bangladesh.

The adviser expressed his agreement and said cooperation in this sector will be increased in the future.

Counsellors of the Russian Embassy in Dhaka, Anton Chernov and Vladimir Mochalov, representatives of the embassy and senior officials of the Ministry of Home Affairs were present in the meeting.

 

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Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain has said that Bangladesh is interested in reviving the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC).

"While the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) was considered as an alternative to SAARC, it has not yet established itself as a functional entity, largely due to the ongoing instability in Myanmar," he said during a press briefing at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the capital today (2 September).

The foreign adviser said Bangladesh never viewed BIMSTEC as a replacement for SAARC.

Addressing the recent strain in relations with India, he said, "If there are some tensions, we must work bilaterally to resolve them. We believe that relationships should be people-centred, and it's crucial for the public to feel that the relationship is positive."

The adviser said that the golden era of relations was during the tenures of both the Modi and Hasina governments.

"We want good relations at the public level with active involvement from people. There were frustrations among the public, and I believe both sides can take appropriate steps to address these concerns."

Regarding the role of the Indian media, Touhid Hossain said, "What happened in the Indian media was completely false and exaggerated. After any revolution, some disorder is expected."

"We have undergone a revolution here, and some disturbances may have occurred. However, the way the Indian media sensationalised these events was not accepted by any impartial global media. I believe we have moved past that stage."

Regarding the chief adviser's upcoming visit to the United Nations General Assembly, he said that a small delegation would accompany him.

"We are not sending a large delegation, and the chief adviser aims to complete his work as efficiently as possible. The entire visit, including travel time, should not exceed one week," he added.

Asked about tensions with India and improving relations with Pakistan, he said that there had been some friction with Pakistan in the past for various reasons.

He added, "If our relationship with Pakistan improves, it should be welcomed by everyone. We want friendship with all. There's no benefit in continuing hostilities with Pakistan."

 

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High Commissioner of Malaysia to Bangladesh Haznah Md Hashim today said her country will support Bangladesh's proposal for inclusion in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

She was addressing a lecture on "Bangladesh-Malaysia Relations: Moving Towards Prosperity", organised by Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies (BIISS) at their campus auditorium in the capital's Elephant Road.

"We are your trusted friend, as proved from day one of your establishment … We are opening our hands to our Bangladesh friends," she said.

Mentioning her conversation with the chief adviser in regards to Bangladesh's proposal for membership at ASEAN, she said Malaysia will "openly support" the request.

"As per the ASEAN concept, all the 10 countries have equal status, and nobody could rule out any reservation. Having said that, Malaysia, as your friend, could say that the doors will open up one day for you," she added.

 

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A 40-megawatt electricity agreement between Nepal, Bangladesh, and India was signed in the presence of Syeda Rizwana Hassan, adviser for Environment, Forest, Climate Change, and Water Resources, on Thursday.

The Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB), Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA), and NTPC Vidyut Vyapar Nigam Limited (NVVN) of India signed the tripartite power sales agreement at a ceremony in a Kathmandu hotel.

Under this agreement, 40MW of electricity will flow from Nepal to Bangladesh via India for five months from June to November.

The ceremony was also attended by Nepal’s Energy, Water Resources, and Irrigation Minister Deepak Khadka, Bangladesh’s Water Resources Secretary Nazmul Ahsan, and Nepal’s Ambassador to Bangladesh Ghanshyam Bhandari.

In her address, Syeda Rizwana Hassan emphasized that this agreement marks a significant step forward in expanding regional energy trade.

“This is not just about meeting our immediate energy needs, but also about ensuring the long-term energy security of our nations in an environmentally friendly manner,” she said.

Earlier, the environment advisor met with Nepal’s Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli at the Singha Darbar, where they discussed matters of bilateral interest.

The environment adviser is on a two-day visit to Nepal to witness the signing of this historic power sales agreement between Bangladesh, Nepal, and India.

 

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The Saudi government has approved a proposal to send Bangladeshi Hajj pilgrims via the sea route, marking a significant shift in how pilgrims may travel to the kingdom.

This announcement came following a bilateral meeting held on Sunday (6 October) at the Hajj and Umrah Ministry in Jeddah.

Bangladesh's Religious Affairs Adviser Dr AFM Khalid Hossain met with Saudi Minister of Hajj and Umrah Dr Tawfiq Fawzan Al-Rabiah, who confirmed the Saudi government's support for the initiative, according to a press release from Bangladesh's Ministry of Religious Affairs issued today (7 October).

While affirming there were no objections to the sea route, Dr Al-Rabiah emphasised the need for further discussions with Saudi port authorities to finalise logistical arrangements.

He also noted that Bangladesh would have to engage with shipping companies to make the necessary travel provisions.

The Bangladesh government is currently considering sending a trial group of 2,000 to 3,000 Hajj pilgrims via ship in 2024, as part of efforts to accommodate the growing number of pilgrims.

In addition to supporting the sea route, Dr Al-Rabiah assured Dr Hossain that Saudi Arabia would upgrade biometric systems to enhance the efficiency and experience of Hajj pilgrims.

He also promised to issue multiple-entry visas for the owners and representatives of Hajj agencies to facilitate smoother operations.

Addressing concerns raised about lost luggage incidents affecting Bangladeshi pilgrims under the Route to Makkah programme in 2023 and 2024, the Saudi minister pledged to implement measures to prevent similar issues in the future.

Key officials present at the meeting included Moulana Abdul Hamid Jamaddar, secretary of Religious Affairs, along with representatives from the Bangladesh Embassy in Riyadh and the Bangladesh Consulate in Jeddah.

The meeting highlighted the ongoing collaboration between the two nations to improve and streamline the Hajj pilgrimage process.

 

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