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[Bilal9]

'India Out' campaign heats up in Bangladesh after lopsided election​

Echoes of Maldives as government's frustrated opponents accuse New Delhi of meddling

'India Out' campaign heats up in Bangladesh after lopsided election

Echoes of Maldives as government's frustrated opponents accuse New Delhi of meddling

asia.nikkei.com

Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is welcomed by her Indian counterpart Narendra Modi in New Delhi in September 2022. © Reuters
SYFUL ISLAM, Contributing writerJanuary 26, 2024 15:59 JST

DHAKA -- A campaign accusing India of interference in Bangladesh politics is gaining traction, pushed by members of the Bangladeshi diaspora and embraced by some opposition circles within the country.

Bangladesh is coming off a controversial "one-sided" election earlier this month, in which Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's Awami League won a fourth straight term in power while the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) boycotted the polls. While the U.S. had strongly urged Dhaka to hold free and fair voting, India called the process an "internal matter."

At the time, many pointed out India's generally positive relations with Hasina's government versus its rocky history with the BNP, suggesting New Delhi preferred the status quo.

Now, a social media drive against India is gaining steam, including calls to boycott Indian products. Some are using the hashtag #IndiaOut, echoing a similar movement against Indian influence in the Maldives that culminated last year in the election of President Mohamed Muizzu, who is demanding the departure of Indian military personnel by March 15 and tilting his country's diplomacy toward China.

The Indian High Commission in Dhaka did not respond to a request for comment by publication time.

A key figure in the Bangladeshi movement is exiled physician Pinaki Bhattacharya, who left the country in 2018 after allegedly facing harassment by government security forces. He launched a #BoycottIndia campaign mid-January, telling his half a million Facebook followers: "Each one of us, regardless of where we stand, is summoned to be an integral part of this monumental endeavor. Our collective resolve, fueled by unwavering determination and a profound love for our homeland, will shatter the chains that bind us."

Thousands have responded to his call, spreading the message on social media, some with photos of Indian products crossed out.

India exports over $14 billion worth of goods to Bangladesh each year, and Dhaka is heavily dependent on New Delhi for essential commodities. The two governments are in advanced talks on an annual quota of Indian farm products. So a widespread boycott could cause a significant disturbance in the countries' relationship.

Resentment is festering after the Awami League won 223 seats in parliament in the Jan. 7 election. The rest of the field was mostly made up of candidates plucked from the Awami League to run as independents and give the vote a competitive look, along with the Jatiya Party, which is aligned with the ruling camp.

Before the polls, Indian Foreign Secretary Vinay Mohan Kwatra told the media, "As close friends and partners of Bangladesh, we respect the democratic process in Bangladesh and will continue to support the country's vision of a stable, peaceful and progressive nation."

After the results were out, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was quick to congratulate Hasina, while Western governments were critical. Modi also congratulated "the people of Bangladesh for the successful conduct of elections."

Hasina, meanwhile, called India a "great friend" at her post-election news conference.

The anti-India drive has begun to make inroads on Bangladesh's domestic political scene. Gono Odhikar Parishad, a rising political party aligned with the BNP-led opposition coalition, is promoting the boycott.

"You people have seen how India interfered in our last general election," party chief Nurul Haque Nur said last week at a rally in Dhaka. "We all have to start an 'India Out' campaign."

Indian publications have taken notice, with some reporting that the BNP itself has a hand in the campaign.

Ruhul Kabir Rizvi Ahmed, a senior joint secretary general of the BNP, denied this but made pointed comments on India.

"The BNP is vocal on Indian interference on Bangladesh internal issues, politics, and the role New Delhi played during the last general election," the party spokesperson told Nikkei Asia. "However," he said, "the party high-ups have not yet discussed about [calling] for boycotting Indian products or promoting an 'India Out' campaign."

On Wednesday, Mir Shahe Alam, president of a BNP sub-district unit, backed the idea. "We have to boycott Indian products," he told a meeting. "We won't buy Indian products and also won't let our relatives do so."

Fans watch the Cricket World Cup final between India and Australia at the University of Dhaka on Nov. 19, 2023. © Reuters

Touhid Hossain, who served as Bangladesh's foreign secretary under a past caretaker government, said Bangladeshis harbor deep-seated grievances against India. "Bangladeshi people expressed joy spontaneously when India lost to Australia in last Cricket World Cup," he said. "This is actually not because of defeat in cricket, but due to severe hatred to India on many issues."

He argued that the bilateral relationship disproportionately benefits India, and that New Delhi has emboldened the Awami League to clamp down on the opposition. "People believe that the ruling party went for the 'arranged election' due to the presence of Indian support," he said.

Political and security analyst Abu Rushd said many in Bangladesh are "deeply frustrated" by India's engagement with the ruling party since the 2014 election, which was also marred by a BNP boycott.

"This time, people expected that the Indian government would come to its senses and support the democratic process, being the largest democracy of the world," said Rushd, who edits the Bangladesh Defence Journal. Instead, he said, India "covertly and even overtly sided with the ruling party and pressed for a phony election."

He said that the boycott call may not be logical, in terms of economic interests, but "it surely is a prudent way to give a message" to the Indian authorities.

 

[Bilal9]

Bangladesh to buy Airbus aircraft when economy permits: Hasan​

PM Hasina to visit Germany in February to join the Munich conference​

Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud spoke with reporters at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on 24 Jnauary. Photo: UNB

Bangladesh will buy planes from European planemaker Airbus in the future when the country's economy permits, said Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud.

"There has been a discussion with the French envoy about buying Airbus planes. It was also discussed during French President Emmanuel Macron's Dhaka visit in September last year. We will make the purchases when our economy permits," he said after a meeting with French Ambassador Marie Masdupuy at the foreign ministry in Dhaka

The foreign minister also had a separate meeting with German Ambassador Achim Tröster .


Hasan said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is set to visit Germany in February to attend the Munich Security Conference.
This will mark her first foreign tour since assuming office for the fourth consecutive term.


According to foreign ministry sources, the PM is expected to depart for Germany on 15 February and return on 18 February after participating in the two-day conference.

A diplomatic letter has already been sent to Germany requesting a meeting between Sheikh Hasina and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.

European aircraft manufacturer Airbus is currently negotiating a sale of 10 wide-body A350 aircraft, including two freight planes, to Biman Bangladesh Airlines. The national flag carrier now has a 21-aircraft fleet, mostly dominated by Airbus' main competitor Boeing planes from the United States.

During Macron's visit, a memorandum of understanding was signed for a second satellite for Bangladesh.

When asked about the progress in this regard, Hasan said, "Satellite-2 is our priority, particularly for sending weather messages where security issues are highlighted. An MoU was signed on this in September, which coincided with our election. Surely, the work will be done quickly."

Hasan for deepening ties with France and Germany

Hasan Mahmud said Bangladesh is looking forward to further deepening bilateral ties with France and Germany as well as expanding the export basket for these two major European nations.

"We have discussed deepening our ties with them as well as widening our export basket [for France and Germany]," he added.

The minister said he also discussed ways to expand business and attract more investment from France and Germany to Bangladesh.

Hasan said the envoys congratulated the new Bangladesh government and expressed keen interest in working with it in the coming days.

He said both the ambassadors assured him that the two European powers will continue to play their supportive role like before in the development journey of Bangladesh under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

The envoys also handed over the letters of the French President and German Chancellor written to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina congratulating her on her re-election.

Talking to reporters, French Ambassador Marie Masdupuy said France and Bangladesh already have an outstanding relationship, and the two countries want to further deepen it in the days to come.

'Lobbyist-backed' statement on Dr Yunus won't impact foreign investment

The foreign minister said any statement "backed by lobbyists" by Nobel laureate Dr Muhammad Yunus would have no adverse impact on foreign investment inflow into the country.

"Look, there are several lobbyist firms engaged behind some people who are talking on the Dr Yunus issue. Investment will not be impacted if a statement is backed by lobbyists," he told reporters.

Earlier, a Dhaka court sentenced Dr Yunus to six months in jail in a case over violations of labour law.

 

[Bilal9]

Chinese Communist Party's Vice Minister Sun Haiyan arrives Dhaka tonight​

This is going to be the first visit by any senior Chinese politician after the formation of the new cabinet led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina​

A file photo of Chinese Communist Party's Vice Minister of the International Department Sun Haiyan. Photo: UNB

Chinese Communist Party's Vice Minister of the International Department Sun Haiyan is scheduled to arrive in Dhaka tonight to have meetings with Bangladesh leadership.

The Chinese vice minister, now visiting the Maldives, will have a number of meetings during her stay in Dhaka.

Though there has been no official announcement yet, the Chinese vice minister is likely to meet Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury and others, said a diplomatic source.

This is going to be the first visit by any senior Chinese politician after the formation of the new cabinet led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
On 11 January, Chinese President Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory message to Sheikh Hasina on her reelection as prime minister of Bangladesh.


President Xi hoped that Bangladesh and China would make joint efforts to further implement the important consensus he reached with the Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in Johannesburg, South Africa, last August, enhance political mutual trust, promote traditional friendship, further synergize development strategies, and promote high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, so as to uplift the China-Bangladesh Strategic Partnership of Cooperation to a new height.

On the same day, Chinese Premier of State Council Li Qiang sent a congratulatory message to Sheikh Hasina on her reelection as Prime Minister of Bangladesh, saying China and Bangladesh are close neighbours with long-established friendship and development partners of close cooperation. In recent years, China and Bangladesh have deepened political mutual trust and achieved fruitful results in Belt and Road cooperation.

 

[Bilal9]

Bangladesh PM gets invited by China for official visit to Beijing​

China extended the invitation soon after Obaidul Quader, the minister of road transport for the ruling party, claimed that India had supported Bangladesh during the BNP's attempt to rig the elections​

Bangladesh PM gets invited by China for official visit to Beijing

China extended the invitation soon after Obaidul Quader, the minister of road transport for the ruling party, claimed that India had supported Bangladesh during the BNP's attempt to rig the elections

www.firstpost.com

Ajeyo Basu January 29, 2024 21:24:46 IST

Officials at Bangladesh's foreign ministry told the media that Hasina was scheduled to visit China in September of last year but was unable to do so due to other commitments and the election Image Courtesy Agencies

China is eager to work with the new Dhaka government to strengthen bilateral cooperation in all areas, thus Beijing has extended an invitation to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina of Bangladesh for an official visit.

Following his meeting with Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Yao Wen on Sunday, Foreign Minister Hassan Mahmud told reporters, “We (Dhaka) will find a suitable time for the visit.”

Wen first met Mahmud on January 7, following the major opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) boycott of the polls that resulted in the Hasina-led Awami League being re-elected to power for a fourth consecutive term.

Mahmud stated that talks were in progress to schedule it for the premier’s travel of Beijing at a time that would work for both parties.

From July 1–6, 2019, Prime Minister Hasina made an official visit to China. She also took part in the Dalian 13th Summer Davos Forum.

Hasina paid a visit to Chinese President Xi Jinping when she was there.

Chinese President Xi thanked Hasina shortly after the polls on January 7 and expressed confidence in strengthening bilateral relations.

Officials at Bangladesh’s foreign ministry told the media that Hasina was scheduled to visit China in September of last year but was unable to do so due to other commitments and the election.

China extended the invitation soon after Obaidul Quader, the minister of road transport for the ruling party, claimed that India had supported Bangladesh during the BNP’s attempt to rig the elections.

India and China both referred to the election in Bangladesh as an “internal matter,” while Western nations—including the US—called for reliable polling.

 

[Bilal9]

US has responsibility to work with Bangladesh despite polls concerns: US State Dept​

Prothom Alo Desk

Published: 02 Feb 2024, 00: 34

US state department spokesperson Mathew Miller (File photo)

US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller has said the concern over the national polls in Bangladesh doesn’t mean that the US doesn’t have any responsibility to work with Bangladesh.

He said this in response to a question from a newsperson during the regular briefing of the state department Thursday.

A newsperson at the press briefing asked the State Department spokesperson, “As I found on your last press note on Bangladesh, the United States is interested in working with Bangladesh in various security areas. These areas include counterterrorism, border security, cyber security, maritime security, and regional stability. How is it possible to work in a larger context with the new government in Bangladesh without welcoming the prime minister?"

Matthew Miller said in response, “I would say that we have relationships of this sort all around the world. We expressed our concerns about the Bangladeshi election. We’ve expressed our concerns about crackdowns in Bangladesh, but that doesn’t mean that we don’t have the responsibility to work with the government – both on areas where we have concern and also areas where we believe we can cooperate on shared priorities.”

Another newsperson raised the Myanmar issue in the briefing saying, “You know that in Myanmar now, the junta and other parties – this is a war zone. And more Rohingyas are about to enter Bangladesh and also some military personnel with helicopters. Do you have any comments on the situation there?”

Mathew Miller said in response that he would address the issue later.

 

[Bilal9]

In a first, Bangladesh sends medics to work in Saudi Arabia​

A Bangladeshi nurse tends to a child at a government hospital in Dhaka on Oct. 19, 2022. (AFP)

https://arab.news/5ay2q

Updated 02 February 2024
SHEHAB SUMON
February 02, 202413:22
1524

Follow

• First Kingdom-bound group consisted of some 60 health workers
• The number set to increase soon, Saudi envoy to Dhaka says

Bangladesh is for the first time sending its doctors and nurses to work in Saudi Arabia, following the Kingdom’s recent decision to approve their recruitment and qualifications.

According to Bangladesh Medical Association data, there are only a few dozen clinicians among nearly 3 million Bangladeshi expatriate workers residing in the Kingdom.

It was only in 2022 that an agreement on the recruitment of medics was signed by both countries and the first Bangladeshi health workers departed for the Kingdom in November 2023.

“For a long time, Saudi Arabia didn’t recruit any medical staff from Bangladesh. But now we started recruiting them, because they already reach our criteria,” Riyadh’s Ambassador to Dhaka Essa Al-Duhailan told Arab News.

While the initial group consisted of some 60 clinicians, it was just the beginning.

“This number, insha’Allah, will jump in the near future ... It’s just to tickle the market and to see how it’s going,” Al-Duhailan said in an interview last week.

“A team from the Ministry of Health in Saudi Arabia already visited Bangladesh twice last year. And they will continue to visit Bangladesh to recruit more.”

The next group expected to depart for Saudi Arabia will consist of nurses.

“Kingdom authorities asked us to send over 150 trained nurses. Our ministry is now scrutinizing the demands, like where the Bangladeshi nurses will be employed, whether they will be employed by government-run hospitals or private health facilities, etc.,” said Khairul Alam, additional secretary at the Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment.

He told Arab News that since the development is new, the government is now preparing mechanisms to streamline the recruitment of medics.

“We welcome this latest move from Saudi Arabia to appoint Bangladeshi health sector workers in the Kingdom, a country that is a key destination for our migrants. There are scopes to increase this opportunity further,” Alam said.

“A detailed recruitment policy will be prepared for this.”

Bangladesh’s more than 100 medical colleges produce large numbers of certified doctors, nurses and medics.
Working in the Kingdom with top-quality equipment also offers them learning opportunities.

“The more medical staffers we can send and the more we can upgrade them in terms of quality, the more it will create a win-win situation for both countries,” said Shariful Hasan, associate director of the migration program of BRAC, the largest development organization based in Bangladesh.

“Secondly, it will be helpful for our migrants ... Our doctors, nurses, and medical staffers can also offer treatment to our migrants in the Kingdom.”

Currently, only 2 percent of Bangladeshi workers in the Kingdom are skilled professionals.

“As a result, we are exporting the highest number of migrants but receiving a lesser amount of remittance in comparison with the number of migrants. In this context, if we can send more skilled workforces, it will increase our remittance,” Hasan said.

“It will enhance our image as a source country of skilled workforce.”

https://arab.news/5ay2q