United News of Bangladesh

Bangladesh has called for a strong international convention to prevent and punish crimes against humanity, urging special recognition and support for countries hosting victims of such atrocities. Addressing the Sixth Committee of the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York on Tuesday, Bangladesh delegate Muhammad Nawshad Zamir proposed three key provisions for the convention: cooperation in preserving evidence and protecting witnesses in receiving States; support for survivors, including access to justice at national and international levels; and international solidarity in sharing the burden borne by host countries. Citing Bangladesh’s experience sheltering over 1 million Rohingyas forcibly displaced from Myanmar, he stressed that countries receiving victims must be integral to international accountability mechanisms, according to the Permanent Mission of Bangladesh to the United Nations in New York. Referring to Bangladesh’s 2024 uprising, Zamir cited a UN report estimating that up to 1,400 people, including children, were killed, calling for investigations into possible crimes against humanity. Bangladesh also advocated universal jurisdiction, stronger extradition mechanisms and an end to impunity, while emphasising prevention and justice for women and children. The Bangladesh delegate urged that the convention complement the Rome Statute and uphold the International Criminal Court’s independence. “A convention diluted until it offends no one will protect no one,” he warned.

Bangladesh Air Force participated in the second edition of the Indian Air Force-hosted multinational air exercise Tarang Shakti-26, held at Air Force Station Jodhpur, Rajasthan, from September 26 to October 12. The exercise brought together air assets from eight countries - Bangladesh, India, Australia, France, Germany, Sri Lanka, the United Arab Emirates and the United States - alongside 32 observer nations. The Bangladesh Air Force contingent comprised 19 personnel, including pilots and technicians, while two additional personnel participated as observers. The participation marked the first time Bangladesh took part in a multinational air exercise of this scale, providing its personnel with exposure to multinational air operations and opportunities for professional exchanges, mutual learning and enhanced interoperability with partner air forces, said the Indian High Commission in Dhaka in a media release.  

State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humaiun Kobir will visit Azerbaijan and Iraq this week as part of the government's efforts to promote peace, security and stability in Asia and beyond. He will participate in a high-level meeting of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) in Baku. The CICA is a multinational forum for enhancing cooperation towards promoting peace, security and stability in Asia. “I am going to Azerbaijan. I will be there from October 15 to 16,” Kobir told reporters at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday. The 7th Summit of the CICA will be held on October 15, a senior official told UNB, adding that the state minister is scheduled to leave Dhaka at 2:00am on Wednesday. CICA Chairmanship of Azerbaijan will host the Summit with the support of the CICA Secretariat. Heads of state or government, delegates from CICA member states, observer states, observer and partner organisations will participate in the event. The 7th CICA Summit will bring together regional leaders to reaffirm their shared commitment to dialogue, mutual trust and constructive cooperation. The event provides a vital platform for strengthening confidence-building measures, promoting peace, security, stability and sustainable development, as well as advancing multilateral approaches to addressing issues of common interest. Highlighting the strategic importance of the visit, Kobir said Bangladesh now needs to develop greater engagement with Central Asia, describing the region as a new space and dimension for the country’s foreign policy outreach. “Central Asia is a new space and dimension from the foreign policy projection point of view, and we are building engagement there,” he said. The state minister said Bangladesh sees considerable scope for expanding political, economic and strategic engagement with the Central Asian countries as Dhaka seeks to diversify its external relations. Following his Azerbaijan engagement, Kobir said he will travel to Baghdad, Iraq, to attend a meeting of Foreign Ministers of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) on October 17. He will also deliver a statement on behalf of Bangladesh at the OIC meeting. The state minister said Bangladesh attaches importance to the Baghdad gathering at a time when significant geopolitical changes are taking place across the Middle East. Referring to Iraq’s transformation after decades of conflict and instability, he said a new horizon for development and international engagement is emerging in the country. “Baghdad is an interesting place to be at this time. After going through turbulent times over the last 20 years, a new space of opportunity and engagement has opened up,” Kobir said. He said Bangladesh will explore possibilities for further engagement with Iraq as well as the wider region as countries affected by prolonged instability gradually enter a new phase. The state minister underscored Bangladesh’s strong interest in peace and stability in the Middle East, noting that the region is home to a huge number of Bangladeshi expatriate workers. “Peace and stability in the Middle East are of interest to Bangladesh. We have nearly eight million workers there and a very large workforce,” he said. Their safety, welfare and well-being remain among the government’s highest priorities, particularly amid conflicts and security threats in different parts of the region, Kobir added. He said instability in the Middle East could have implications not only for Bangladeshi expatriates but also for the country’s economic and energy interests. The state minister said numerous diplomatic and informal channels are currently engaged in efforts to find peaceful solutions to regional conflicts. “Many stakeholders are formally and diplomatically engaged to bring about a peaceful resolution. There are also informal and back-channel discussions,” he said. Kobir said Bangladesh, with its long-standing experience and internationally recognised role in UN peacekeeping, will positively consider any proposal to contribute to safeguarding peace and stability in the Middle East. “We will always positively consider any proposal that comes to Bangladesh to participate in safeguarding peace and stability in the Middle East and beyond,” he said.

Bangladesh's Permanent Representative to the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Ambassador MJH Jabed, met his newly appointed Saudi counterpart, Ambassador Khalid Bin Ismaeel Bin Badawi Bin Hussain Al Sharif, in Jeddah on Tuesday to discuss the upcoming 52nd meeting of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers to be held in Baghdad. Jabed expressed Bangladesh's full solidarity with brotherly Saudi Arabia in the face of recent Houthi attacks on different civilian infrastructure in Saudi Arabia, which led to the loss of innocent lives, including the deaths of two Bangladeshi nationals. The permanent representative of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to the OIC deeply appreciated the people and government of Bangladesh for standing beside them when their country was facing attacks from the Houthis in breach of international law, said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.  

Strongly condemning the harassment of former Interim Government Chief Adviser Professor Dr Muhammad Yunus at John F. Kennedy (JFK) Airport in New York, the United States, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humaiun Kobir said on Tuesday that Bangladesh would raise the matter strongly with the US government to ensure that necessary action is taken by law enforcement agencies. “This kind of harassment, whether against him or any citizen of the country, is totally unacceptable. The government of Bangladesh will take it up very strongly (with the US govt),” he told reporters at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Noting that only criminals could engage in such acts, Kobir said the government had no reason to take the incident lightly and strongly condemned it. He said those involved should be held accountable. “We will have to hunt them down,” Kobir said, adding that the government would take a very strong position against any kind of harassment of any Bangladeshi citizen. Earlier, in a statement, the government of Bangladesh strongly condemned the harassment of Prof Yunus at John F. Kennedy Airport in New York. “It appears that a group of perpetrators suspected to be linked with the suspended terror political outfit, Bangladesh Awami League, were behind this harassment committed against Nobel Peace laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus, a highly respected personality in the international community,” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said. The Ministry instructed Bangladesh’s mission in the United States to raise the matter with local law enforcement agencies to identify the perpetrators and take appropriate action against them. Prime Minister’s Information and Broadcasting Adviser Zahed Ur Rahman said the government would take the necessary measures over the harassment of Prof Yunus. Any attempt by Awami League leaders or activists living abroad to engage in such acts would not go unchallenged, he said at a press briefing on the progress of various government activities at the Secretariat. Dr Yunus is currently in the United States, where an attempt was made to harass him at an airport, he said, adding that the incident was believed to be linked to Dr Yunus taking responsibility for running the state after former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina fled the country.

Bangladesh and Kyrgyzstan vowed to strengthen bilateral relations, expand economic cooperation and deepen coordination on regional and international issues at the second round of Foreign Office Consultations (FOC) held in Bishkek on Tuesday. Foreign Secretary Ambassador Asad Alam Siam and Kyrgyz Deputy Foreign Minister Kairat Tursunkulov led their respective delegations at the consultations. Bangladesh Ambassador to Uzbekistan Dr M. Monirul Islam was also part of the Bangladesh delegation. The two sides signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on cooperation between the foreign service academies of the two countries and another MoU on the 2026-2027 programme of action between their foreign ministries to promote mutually beneficial and practical cooperation. They also agreed to celebrate the 35th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Bangladesh and Kyrgyzstan in 2027, said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. During the meeting, the two delegations reviewed the entire range of bilateral relations, including trade and investment, education and scholarships, employment opportunities and labour mobility, business-to-business contacts, parliamentary friendship, high-level visits, information technology and technology transfer, culture, people-to-people contacts and visa facilitation. They also emphasised expanding cooperation within regional and international organisations, including the United Nations, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), for the mutual benefit of the two countries.  

State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam on Tuesday expressed Bangladesh’s solidarity with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) in the face of recent attacks. She conveyed condolences over the loss of lives, and called for de-escalation through dialogue and diplomacy. Ambassador of Saudi Arabia to Bangladesh Dr Abdullah bin Zafer Abiyah, who paid a courtesy call on her at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, thanked Bangladesh for its solidarity and support. She sought Saudi Arabia’s assistance in expediting the repatriation of the mortal remains of two Bangladeshi nationals and expressed appreciation for the care provided to injured Bangladeshis, said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Bangladesh has lost two nationals in the incidents over the past two days, while at least 24 other Bangladeshis are receiving treatment at different hospitals in the country. Several of them are in intensive care units (ICUs). The State Minister on Monday said Bangladesh stood in solidarity with the Saudi government and people and wanted an immediate end to the attacks. Responding to a question about the security of Makkah and Madinah, she said the issue carried both diplomatic and emotional significance for Muslims around the world. She said Bangladesh, where the majority of the population is Muslim, would not remain unmoved if the two holy cities face any threat, adding that the country would extend a helping hand in such a situation.  

State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humaium Kobir on Tuesday requested Ambassador of Algeria to Bangladesh Abdelouahab Saidani to enhance collaboration in the field of energy to ensure long term energy security of Bangladesh. The Ambassador met the State Minister at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and responded to enhance collaboration in the fields of energy, pharmaceuticals, fertilizer, shipbuilding, maritime shipping lines and high level visits to further deepen the existing relations between the two countries. Both sides discussed avenues to strengthen cooperation in the area of trade, investment, pharmaceutical, agriculture, shipbuilding, and people to people contact etc. The Ambassador congratulated him on assuming the office of the State Minister for Foreign Affairs and both sides discussed views on strengthening bilateral relations between Bangladesh and Algeria. The State Minister reaffirmed the longstanding friendship and growing cooperation between Bangladesh and Algeria. The State Minister emphasised the importance of collaboration in the field of fertilizer to ensure food security of Bangladesh. He underscored the importance of enhancing people-to-people contacts and stressed the need for high-level visits to further deepen the partnership between the two brotherly countries.

Dutch Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation Sjoerd Sjoerdsma on Tuesday expressed interest in strengthening the strategic partnership over the next 50 years. He paid a courtesy call on State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humaiun Kobir at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and highlighted visit of a maritime trade mission and prospective visits on textiles and water issues. Ambassador of the Netherlands to Bangladesh Joris van Bommel also attended the meeting. Bangladesh highlighted possible cooperation in shipbuilding, semiconductors and continued support for the apparel industry among other issues. They expressed interest in deepening the economic partnership through enhanced trade and investment, particularly in shipbuilding, maritime infrastructure, textiles, water management, semiconductors and agricultural supply chains, including cold-chain development. Both dignitaries noted that new governments had taken office in both the countries in February 2026, said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam on Monday urged Algeria to enhance energy cooperation with Bangladesh to help ensure the country’s long-term energy security. She made the call when Algerian Ambassador to Bangladesh Abdelouahab Saidani met her at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. During the meeting, both sides discussed a wide range of issues in the field of trade, investment, pharmaceuticals, agriculture, climate change, sports, culture, people-to-people contact, etc. The meeting reaffirmed the long-standing friendship and cooperation between Bangladesh and Algeria based on mutual respect, fraternal solidarity, and shared aspiration for development.