Bangladesh foreign relations

[Bengal_Tiger]

Bangladesh ready to supply Saudi Arabia with 2 million workers.

http://www.arabnews.com/featured/news/699866

- On defence.pk a Jamaati refused to believe this news and claimed that it was "Awami league" (ruling party) propaganda, though Arab media themselves have said this and Saudi officials themselves have said this.

This shows the delusional world Jamaatis live in. Jamaatis will be furious with this for a couple of reasons.

1. They are anti-Bangladeshi and opposed Bangladesh's creation.

2. They hate the concept of an independent sovereign Bangladesh with its distinct culture and identity.

Rather they believe Bengalis are racially inferior to Pakistanis and believe in some sort of Pakistani/Neo-Mughal culture.


3. They worked with Pakistan in the early days of Bangladesh's independence to stop Arab countries from recognizing Bangladesh using false propaganda.

They have enjoyed close relations with Gulf Arab states and are proud of this and proud of their ability to damage Bangladeshi interests (if they and their ally, the BNP are not elected).

The fact that the Saudis have ignored them will infuriate them and shock them since after decades the Saudis have stopped trying to please them.


4. The Jamaat's cadres are essentially anti-Saudi and more pro-Iran than Saudi.

Saudi however is their main financial backer and has given them millions and millions over the years.

Despite this Jamaatis are pro-Iran and pro-Muslim Brotherhood.

Their cadres are anti-Saudi.




A picture from the Jamaati facebook page "Basherkella", mocking the late King Abdullah of Saudi. For decades Riyadh has pleased the anti-Saudi Jamaatis but now it seems a new generation of savvier diplomats have realized they have been exploited by the Jamaatis.


Jamaat may try to use its influence to block this deal.

However Saudi does not benefit in any way from supporting this anti-Saudi terrorist organization.

[Bengal_Tiger]

Stockholm seeks Dhaka’s support to become UNSC member

Sheikh Shahariar Zaman

Sweden has sought Bangladesh’s support to become the non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for the 2017-18 term.

Swedish ambassador Johan Frisell along with envoys of Norway and Denmark, which supported Stockholm to become UNSC member, met Foreign Secretary M Shahidul Haque yesterday and sought Dhaka’s support, said a senior official of the Foreign Ministry.

Sweden enjoys the support of all the Nordic countries.

Apart from Sweden, Italy and the Netherlands are also vying for the non-permanent membership from Europe and the election for the place will be held at the UN General Assembly next year.

“Bangladesh is yet to make any decision on the UNSC election,” the official said.

Bangladesh has friendly relations with all the three contesting countries and it would consider the relevant factors before making any decision, he said.

Sweden strongly supported Bangladesh at the UN Human Rights Council election held last year while over 100,000 Bangladeshis are currently living in Italy. The Netherlands provides important assistance in water development in Bangladesh.

“Bangladesh has experience of facing such situations and it has a very good track record in handling UN election affairs,” the ministry official said.

The top leaders of the three countries approached Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina as well when she attended the Asia Europe Meeting in Milan, Italy last year, he said.

The UNSC comprises 15 members where the USA, UK, Russia, France and China are permanent members and 10 non-permanent members are elected by the General Assembly for two-year terms.

Sweden has been member of UNSC for three terms, Italy six and the Netherlands for five terms.

- See more at: http://www.dhakatribune.com/banglade....m6r44D0x.dpuf



- Japan gave Bangladesh $6 billion for supporting Japan's (unsuccessful) bid for a UN seat.




Sweden is competing for a UN security seat and seeking Bangladesh's support.




Italy is competing with Sweden for the UN seat, above are Italian diplomats pictured speaking to Bangladeshi prime minister, Hasina Wajid.




Dutch officials in Bangladesh.



Dutch cricket supporters supporting their team playing against Ireland in a match in Bangladesh.



The Dutch helping Bangladesh in IT, signing an agreement.



An event sponsored by the Dutch embassy in Bangladesh.



The Dutch want to make Bangladesh an IT hub.





Personally though I like Dutch people, I think there is too much Islamophobia in the country e.g. Geert Wilders type people and I personally think Bangladesh should support Sweden in its bid for a non-permanent UN security seat.

[Bengal_Tiger]

Bangladesh to increase their two way trade with Canada to $5 billion by 2020





YarnsandFibers News Bureau, 2015-02-16 11:00:00 - Dhaka

Bangladesh to increase their two way trade with Canada to $5 billion by 2020
Bangladesh has been enjoying duty-free market access to Canada since 2003 are now focusing to explore potential trading opportunities include expanding Canadian imports of readymade garment, jute, ceramic tableware and kitchenware.

Bangladesh aims to boost its present trade level of $2.0billion with Canada to $5.0 billion by 2020, a business leader said on Saturday.

Masud Rahman, president of Canada Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CanCham) said that they plan to increase their two-way trade to $5.0 billion at the end of 2020.

CanCham to boost up the contact between people to people of both the countries and thus increase bilateral trade and investment has organized a two-day trade fair on Saturday.

They also want to increase export diversification and also want to involve Bangladeshi diasporas in Canada for investment in Bangladesh.

Masud said that in view of the robust growth of the Bangladesh economy, Canadian investment would be encouraged from the current investment of more than $300 million.

Although Bangladesh's overall exports to Canada have grown they are not diversified, but concentrated on a limited number of products.

Clothing accounted for 70 percent of Bangladesh's total exports to Canada.

The enormous export potential in the Canadian market for Bangladesh is largely unexplored. Many apparel products have potential in the Canadian market, followed by other fabric items, frozen shrimps and crabs, leather and footwear and ceramic ware.

Bangladesh was the third largest pulse export market for Canada in 2013 and a major market for wheat. Agri-food was the leading export sector from Canada to South Asia in 2013, making Bangladesh the second largest Canadian agri-food buyer in South Asia.

http://www.yarnsandfibers.com/news/textile-news/bangladesh-increase-their-two-way-trade-canada-5-billion-2020#.VOMt7vmsU1I

[Bengal_Tiger]

PM for unity of Muslim Ummah




Prime Minister (PM) Sheikh Hasina laid emphasis Wednesday on the strong unity of the Muslim Ummah for its own development, peace and prosperity, report agencies.

"There shouldn't be any conflict, disunity and confusion among the Muslim countries. Muslim nations are rich in many areas and they could help each other for their own development and prosperity," the PM made the comments when newly-appointed Iranian Ambassador in Bangladesh Dr Abbas Vaezi Dehnavi made a courtesy call on her at her office in the city Wednesday.

Briefing reporters after the meeting, PM's Press Secretary AKM Shameem Chowdhuri said the PM and the envoy discussed various issues relating to bilateral interests.

They hoped that the relations between the two brotherly Muslim countries in different areas would be strengthened further in the days to come.

Hasina said Bangladesh and Iran as two brotherly countries share same history and culture, and they can cooperate with each other to grow together in many areas.

Bangladesh is now an ideal place for investment, and Iran could take the advantage of Bangladesh's very liberal investment regime, she said.

Seeking Iranian government's support to Bangladesh development, the PM said Iran could import RMG products, ceramics, pharmaceuticals, frozen fishes, leather and leader goods from Bangladesh.

The envoy renewed the Iranian government's invitation to PM Sheikh Hasina to visit his country and Hasina accepted the invitation saying the visit might take place at a convenient time.

Dehnavi highly lauded Sheikh Hasina's able leadership in Bangladesh's progress over the years and containing terrorism.

The PM conveyed her regards and best wishes to the Supreme Leader of Iran Great Ayatollah Sayyid Hoseini-Khameini and President of Iran Dr Hassan Rouhani.

http://www.thefinancialexpress-bd.com/2015/03/05/83694

1. Bangladesh has some connections with Iran but the Muslim country it probably has the most connections with is Afghanistan (Pakhtunkhwa too), then Yemen, Saudi Arabia and central Asian countries.

2. Around over 150 years ago Farsi was our official language (Mughal language) and even today land documents stating ownership are in Farsi if the ownership is from a long period.

3. Other than that Bangladesh does not have any major relations with Iran and the above is just pleasantry from Hasina.

Due to western influence we are not allowed to be to close to Iran, not that I think it is a good idea anyway. Contrary to the nonsense from hate-sites such as defence.pk run by the notorious Ahsan Farooqi who also started the now failed and defunct "Pashtuns forum", Bangladesh is not an Indian puppet state and western influence over Bangladesh is far stronger.

4. Bangladesh as a state and nation will always support Saudi Arabia over Iran.

I personally believe that we should send at least 10,000 Bangladeshi soldiers to defend Saudi Arabia and the possibly 2 million Bangladeshi workers that live there.



Bangladeshi soldiers.

If Saudi Arabia was to collapse who is going to transport our 2 million workers back home?

No one and it is not possible to do that quickly, so the better option is to provide a division or so to protect key installations in Saudi Arabia as well as a limited number of soldiers to protect the Iraqi-Saudi border.

5. Iran is a brutal regime which persecutes Balochis, Kurds, Sunnis and which also supports Islamophobic Serbia against Muslim Kosova.

We should keep our distance from them.

[Bengal_Tiger]

Bangladesh joins Qatar’s natural disaster response drills with Tunisia, Italy

Nurul Islam Hasib from Doha, bdnews24.com

Published: 2015-05-18 21:51:30 BdST



Qatar, believed to be the safest country in terms of natural disaster, has carried out a military search and rescue exercise after a simulated calamity.

Bangladesh, which is one of the most vulnerable countries to natural disaster, joined the multinational exercise on Monday alongside Tunisia and Italy.

A post-cyclone monstrous scene has been created at the Al Wakra, close to Doha, with the sea shore littered with debris, cars, and houses blown away by the cyclone.

Bangladesh Army’s medical and engineering teams have been deployed for the search and rescue of the victims as part of the ongoing multinational exercise ‘Ferocious Falcon’ that entered its final drills phase on Monday.

They found five ‘dead’ and many more supposed injured.

“It’s been a great experience for us,” Lieutenant Colonel AKM Mashiul Munir, the chief of the medical team, told bdnews24.com from the spot.

It was like a real post-cyclone response. Helicopters hovered over the entire area, and police cordoned off the zone before joint military team of Bangladesh, Italy and Tunisia began their work.






Drone-guided camera and dog squad helped Bangladesh Army engineering team find out victims while medical team worked with the state-of-the-art technologies and equipment in rescuing the ‘victims’.

The tiny nation in the Persian Gulf is least vulnerable to natural disaster worldwide, according to a UN report.

It appears to enjoy the status largely because of its strategic location away from the disaster risk hotspots including Oceania in Southeast Asia. Even then the Peninsula is preparing to face the worst.

“Yes we have the lowest risk. But who can predict natural disaster particularly when we are talking about climate change,” Mohammed Saaed, Scene Commander of Qatar Red Crescent that also joined the exercise told bdnews24.com at the scene.

He said simply having plans was not enough for disaster response. “Those need to be practiced. This is part of our practice,” he said.

“We have to prepare ourselves so that we can respond effectively.”

Bangladesh armed forces have been taking part in all disaster management activities in the country. But in recent years they rendered disaster response assistance to Japan, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, China, Pakistan, Myanmar, India, Maldives, Haiti and Nepal.

“We have the capabilities that we showed before. Today we have also demonstrated them. Our team can work anywhere in the world,” Lieutenant Colonel Munir said.



IMG_1161.jpg

Qatar used sophisticated technology like drones and state-of-the-art medical system for the whole process.

Its ambulances have been equipped even with the cardiac care facilities like CCU.

“They are highly equipped and we saw how they use drones in finding the victims. It’s a new aspect for us,” Major Mohammad Imruzzaman Saaif, who coordinated the engineering team on the ground, told bdnews24.com.

“It’s a multinational environment, and working in this environment is a good learning process,” he said.

The exercise began on May 11 with 27 countries, including the US, UK, Germany, and France as observers.

Bangladesh has sent a 350-strong delegation including 236 personnel from Navy that joined the exercise with its largest ship BNS Somudra Joy.

The three-day field training exercise from May 18 to May 20 will cover crisis management aspects in terrorist incidents, hijackings, natural disasters, threat, and damage to vital installations, and services.

Bangladesh military’s special commando unit has joined the exercise for mock terrorist attacks in a sports facility.

It will also take part in the handling of a ‘hijacked’ civilian aircraft on Tuesday.

This exercise is a way of evaluating capabilities of Qatar’s own civil bodies to work with its military in any crisis situation like terrorist attacks as Doha is preparing to host 2022 FIFA World Cup.



For Bangladesh military, globally acclaimed as UN peacekeepers, the exercise is an opportunity to showcase its capabilities.

“We’re demonstrating our skills and capabilities with this exercise before our friendly countries,” Brigadier General Abdullah Al Yusuf, Bangladesh team leader in Doha, had earlier told bdnews24.com.

“If they face any crisis, they will easily recall what Bangladesh can offer them.”

The Red Crescent Commander Saaed thanked Bangladesh for the active participation during Monday’s drills.

“They did very well,” he told bdnews24.com.

http://m.bdnews24.com/en/detail/home/970113

[Bengal_Tiger]

Bangladesh commandos participate in hijacked-aircraft rescue drills in Qatar

Nurul Islam Hasib from Doha, bdnews24.com
Published: 2015-05-20 16:21:34 BdST



Bangladesh Army’s special commando force has joined Qatar, Kuwait, Tunisia and Sudan’s allied forces to rescue a simulated hijacked aircraft at Hamad International Airport in Doha.

It has been a different experience for Bangladesh force as they for the first time participated in an exercise where a regular commercial flight has been used with passengers, including women and children on-board.

“This is a rare opportunity for us,” Major Md Rezaul Karim, who led the Bangladesh commando team in the operations, told bdnews24.com after the operations on Tuesday night.

This was part of the ongoing multinational exercise ‘Ferocious Falcon’ in Doha, where Bangladesh joined with a large military delegation to participate in almost all drills.

The field training part will be ended on Wednesday with army medical and engineering teams participating in search and rescue operations in a collapsed building.



The whole exercise was aimed at evaluating the readiness of Qatar’s armed forces, and different government agencies.

It is also aimed at activating international cooperation and support with “brotherly, friendly and allied countries”.

In the planning session from May 12 to May 14, a broad concept of the exercise was given.

They presumed ‘Red State’ comprising two islands –eastern and western –located to the north of the ‘Blue State’.

Both states are separated by the ‘Coral Sea’. The Blue State is known for its strong economy and good international relations.

On the contrary, the red state’s economy is in disarray, and has a strong arsenal of munitions and seeks to develop a nuclear weapons programme.

The Red State’s ruling authority has ambitions to control marine economic wealth such as gas and oil of the Blue State.

Doha International Airport, Hamad International Airport, gas and oil fields are some of the potential targets of the ‘Red State’, according to the exercise brief.

Major Karim of Bangladesh commando said back home they use a dumped aircraft for such type of hijacking exercise.

“But here it’s a real aircraft with real passengers including women and children on-board. It gave us a different experience to know about the aircraft and how to conduct this type of delicate operations,” he said.

The exercise has been carried out on a Qatar airway’s ‘Boeing 777’.

Before the joint operations, the Qatari team leader briefed them about the entire plot of terrorists hijacking the aircraft and heading towards Hamad airport.

The commando launched an ‘attack’ after a failed ‘negotiation.’

The tiny Gulf peninsula, Qatar, is the largest exporter of liquefied natural gas, and its small citizenry enjoys the world’s highest per capita income.

Qatari officials have positioned themselves as mediators and interlocutors in a number of regional conflicts in recent years.

Against the backdrop of rising political tension in the region, Qatar’s foreign policy has taken advantage of this situation and put the country on the global table.



It has also signalled a new assertiveness with the deployment of military aircraft to support NATO-led operations in Libya, and US-led operations against the Islamic State in Syria.

Doha is currently implementing large scale infrastructure projects in preparation for hosting the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

With this exercise, Doha seeks to activate their command and control system as well as operations, crises and disaster management.



Meanwhile, Bangladesh Army medical team joined in an exercise at an industrial area affected by chemical, radiological and nuclear leakage on Tuesday.

http://m.bdnews24.com/en/detail/home/970789

[Bengal_Tiger]

Saudi King’s invitee barred from flying

May 21, 2015 12:01 am·0 comments
Staff Correspondent

Members of an intelligence agency on Wednesday allegedly barred the Bangladesh Defence Journal editor, ARM Shahidul Islam, to fly to Saudi Arabia on an invitation from the Middle Eastern country.

The editor, Shahidul Islam, also known as Abu Rushd, was invited as part of a 50-member delegation visiting Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, the Saudi King.

Rest of the 49 invitees, including National Defence College’s commandant Lieutenant General Chowdhury Hasan Sarwardy, retired Lieutenant General Mollah Fazle Akbar and senior journalist Mahfuj Ullah, among others, left Dhaka on the same invitation on Saudi Airlines flight SV-804, which flew off at 5:00pm.

Rushd, who was named persona-non-grata in the military establishment in February, told New Age the plainclothes men approached him at the boarding bridge at the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport when he was chatting with some of his colleagues, minutes before boarding.
They kept him detained for an hour and half at the airport and freed him after taking an undertaking.

http://newagebd.net/121736/saudi-kings-invitee-barred-from-flying/#sthash.gs9p4iCj.2L80dFqx.dpbs

- The Saudis invited a 50 member delegation from Bangladesh.

- They might be trying to secure Bangladeshi troops to go to Saudi.

I personally would support this as we may have as much as 2 million workers in Saudi.


With a division of our 0.2 million strong army which is backed by 5 million reservists (e.g. VDP), this would be a strong signal to Iran and others to back off.


[MENTION=3580]asad71[/MENTION]

[asad71]

We have the capacity and there is a vacuum left by Pakistan that we can fill for gain. We don't have a Shia problem. However, the problem is elsewhere. Our foreign and defense appear to be outsourced to Delhi. Moreover, our politics has become violent and unpredictable.

[Bengal_Tiger]

We have the capacity and there is a vacuum left by Pakistan that we can fill for gain. We don't have a Shia problem. However, the problem is elsewhere. Our foreign and defense appear to be outsourced to Delhi. Moreover, our politics has become violent and unpredictable.

1. My question to all the Bangladeshi defence "experts" (so-called) is this, if Saudi goes up in flames, who is going to protect possibly up to 2 million of our citizens there, or if - as highly likely - Saudi exploding destabilized the whole gulf, the 4 million Bangladeshis in the entire gulf?

In that case rather than planning a massive evacuation programme isn't it better to send a contingent of forces to act as a deterrent to Iranian aggression.

2. The Pakistani-Saudi friendship thing is greatly exaggerated. In the first gulf war in 1991 the Pakistanis basically didn't send troops and the Pakistan army leader at the time thought Saddam was going to win. Bangladesh did however send troops.

This sort of stuff is ignored by the strong Salafi/"Islamist"/Jamaati lobby in Saudi which seeks to de-Islamize Bangladesh (i.e. potray it as not Muslim or "lesser Muslims" and glorify Pakistan as some sort of great Muslim state).



We sent our soldiers to possibly die for these Arabs and how do they repay us?

- Support war criminals in our country.
- Start a media campaign cherrypicking crimes carried out by immigrants and omitting Pakistani and Indian crimes and vilifying Bangladeshis as "criminals".
- Ban new labour from Bangladesh to Saudi.
- Beat up our workers in Saudi when our foreign minister did not toe a pro-Pakistan line.



We shouldn't expect anything from the racist Gulf Arabs who prefer lighter-skinned Pakistanis to us and have made it clear.

There are many Yzd Khalifa's, Ali Al Ghamdis in Saudi Arabia who hate Bangladesh and Bangladeshis.




Ali Al Ghamdi, a notorious anti-Bangladeshi propagandist active and operating in Saudi Arabia.

Link: To find out about anti-Bangladeshi, Saudi prince, "Yzd Khalifa".

4. We don't have a Shia problem and are 99% Sunni and 90% Muslim in total.

5. We are an independent state and not a colony of India which is why we are the 2nd biggest purchaser of Chinese weaponry and are trying to send 2 million workers to a fundamentalist Arab state (Saudi Arabia) which is not something an Indian policy-planner would want as they'd see it possibly leading to increased Islamization and fundamentalism.

The whole "Bangladesh is an Indian puppet state" is a long refuted lie promoted by Jamaat e "Islami" and promoted on defence.pk by thug, Ahsan Farooqi.


Summary:

We really need to send our troops in a defensive role in Saudi to act as a deterrent to Iran.

We should expect nothing from Saudis as they are a deeply racist and violent people. Our true friends are Japan, China and South Korea (in that order).

We should however not give our services for free and need to be assured that we will be given certain things back in return.







Japan. Japan is seen by many Bangladeshis as Bangladesh's no.1 friend in the world.

[asad71]

1. Beyond stating that they want to restore the legitimate govt in Yemen, the Saudis need to establish the High Moral Ground for their action and for seeking assistance from other Muslims. Bengali Muslims, unlike the Punjabi Muslims, are not mercenary minded. We don't like to fight somebody else's war.

2. BD will not like to be seen as an invading force. But for purely defensive, okay.

3. Like the suicide attack on a Shia mosque the Saudis must explain that they have internal security issues which require outside assistance.

4. Most convincing of all to the people of BD would be an apparent threat to our holy sites.

5. But again, the Saudis need to get clearance from Delhi before BD can send any troops.

[Bengal_Tiger]

1. Beyond stating that they want to restore the legitimate govt in Yemen, the Saudis need to establish the High Moral Ground for their action and for seeking assistance from other Muslims. Bengali Muslims, unlike the Punjabi Muslims, are not mercenary minded. We don't like to fight somebody else's war.

2. BD will not like to be seen as an invading force. But for purely defensive, okay.

3. Like the suicide attack on a Shia mosque the Saudis must explain that they have internal security issues which require outside assistance.

4. Most convincing of all to the people of BD would be an apparent threat to our holy sites.

5. But again, the Saudis need to get clearance from Delhi before BD can send any troops.

If the Saudis are begging for Bangladeshi support here are some of the demands our military and political establishment should make from them.


1. An end to the state-backed hate campaign against Bangladeshis trying to depict them as "criminals".

2. An official declaration that Bangladesh was the victim of the 1971 war and the victim of a brutal military operation by Shia general, Yahya Khan e.g. one of their deputy foreign ministers can go to Dhaka and state in a speech "Bangladesh has made much progress since its independence when it was the target of a brutal military operation by Yahya Khan's army".

This will please the Saudis as it serves to show their displeasure to the Pakistanis over them betraying them over the Yemen crisis (I use the word "betray" because it seemed the Pakistani military were heavily involved in the conceptual planning state of the Yemen operation and then suddenly abandoned the Saudis despite an understanding they would stand by them and support them).

3. An end to the harassment of Bangladeshi workers as a tool by the Saudi regime to apply pressure against the Bangladeshi government, as they do when Bangladesh does not toe a pro-Pakistan line.

4. An end to all the anti-71 propaganda by the likes of Ali Al Ghamdi and others, and also by Salafis, "Islamists" in general who seek to portray Bangladesh as an illegitimate state.

5. Observer status in the GCC in the light of the fact we sent combat troops to the gulf in 1991 but were never appreciated (except by Kuwait) and have since then just been abused by the Saudis and others.



As for the financial, economic, military aspects of them showing their appreciation for our respect I'll leave that to you.

Suffice to say I don't like racist and backward Saudis and as a proud Muslim Bangladeshi we don't need them or their money and have done fine for decades without their support and them just trying to bully us.

I am merely stating those issues which pertain to our national dignity.

We are not a cheap people and were far richer than the Saudis a few centuries back and will be so again in the future.

[Bengal_Tiger]

Bangladesh condemns Turkey blasts that claimed 86 lives

Senior Correspondent, bdnews24.com

Published: 2015-10-11 00:18:32.0 BdST Updated: 2015-10-11 00:25:46.0 BdST



People lay on the ground as survivors surround them to offer help after an explosion during a peace march in Ankara, Turkey, October 10, 2015. Reuters



Bangladesh has strongly condemned the “barbaric and cowardly terrorist attacks” at the Ankara train stations that killed at least 86 people.



The foreign ministry on Saturday said President Md Abdul Hamid, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, and Foreign Minister Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali wrote to their counterparts condemning the attack and expressing their deep condolences.

They also vowed to work together with the Turkish government and the world community to fight against the menace of terrorism.

Two suspected suicide bombers hit a rally of pro-Kurdish and leftist activists outside Ankara's main train station on Saturday, weeks ahead of an election, in the deadliest attack of its kind on Turkish soil.

Health Minister Mehmet Muezzinoglu told a news conference that 86 people had been killed and 186 wounded, 28 of whom were in intensive care. The death toll could rise further.

There were no claims of responsibility for the attack.

But the NATO member has been in a heightened state of alert since starting a "synchronised war on terror" in July, including air strikes against Islamic State fighters in Syria and Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) bases in northern Iraq.

It has also rounded up hundreds of suspected Kurdish and Islamist militants at home.

President Hamid in his message to Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said, “Bangladesh condemns this heinous act of terrorism in the strongest possible terms”.

“I express my deepest condolences and heartfelt sympathies to you and through you to the bereaved family members of the victims as well as all the Turkish brethren for this sad incident”.

“The people of Bangladesh join me in expressing their solidarity in your fight against terrorism in the country and beyond,” wrote the President.

Hasina in her message to Ahmet Davutoğlu expressed Bangladesh’s “solidarity in your fight against terrorism in the country and beyond”.

“I take this opportunity to reiterate that Bangladesh denounces terrorism in all its forms and manifestations and my government has been pursing ‘zero tolerance’ policy towards terrorism,” she said.

http://bdnews24.com/bangladesh/2015/10/11/bangladesh-condemns-turkey-blasts-that-claimed-86-lives

Why is the Bangladeshi government sucking up so much and so shamelessly to the Turks?

Do they have no honour or self-respect?



1. They should have just issued a simple foreign office statement expressing sympathy and left it at that, but no the Dhaka regime got:

a - The president
b - The prime minister
c - The foreign minister

to write to the AKP regime.




2. This is the same AKP regime that supports Pakistan's genocide of Bengalis in 1971 and supports Jamaati war criminals.

The same AKP regime under which the Bangladeshi embassy in Turkey was attacked by pro-AKP thugs.




3. Would the Turkish president, prime minister, foreign minister all write to Bangladesh if something like this happened in Dhaka? - NO.

In fact as mentioned above they support Pakistan's genocide of Bengalis in 1971.




4. Anyway this is characteristic of the low self-esteem that Awami League regimes have:

a - They suck up to Saudi by promising to send them 0.5 million female housemaids (slaves), despite Saudis known for being brutal.

b - They suck up to Turkey, a country which has broken all norms of diplomatic protocol and attacked our embassy.

c- They suck up to Burma next door, in their eagerness to get access to China through Burma and other things.



No self-respect, whatever.


Truly, disgusting bunch of slaves.

[Bengal_Tiger]

Bangladesh-Netherlands investment efforts can change millions of lives: Hasina

Sumon Mahbub from The Hague, bdnews24.com
Published: 2015-11-05 19:09:04.0 BdST Updated: 2015-11-05 22:07:41.0 BdST




Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has urged Dutch businesses to invest in Bangladesh, saying joint efforts by the two countries can change the lives of millions.


Dhaka, Amsterdam to work on security, investment
Dutch queen hails Bangladesh
Bangladesh, Netherlands sign 4 instruments

She made the call at a seminar with Dutch businesspeople on Thursday, focusing on trade and investment opportunities in Bangladesh.

With 30 Dutch companies operating in the country, Dutch investors have so far invested $684 million in Bangladesh.

“We welcome Dutch companies to invest in the emerging sectors,” the prime minister said.

Hasina named textiles, leather, jute, ceramics, petrochemicals, pharmaceuticals, shipbuilding, agro-processing, plastic goods, light engineering and electronics, telecommunications and IT, power, energy, water and marine, and other infrastructure projects, as upcoming areas.

According to the prime minister, Bangladesh has become a lower middle-income country and is working towards being a developed one by 2041.

“As we strive to achieve our goals, I request the leaders of Dutch business and industry to partner with us in investment, trade, profit sharing and prosperity.

“Together we can bring a change in the lives of millions of people,” she added.

Hasina said the Netherlands had been Bangladesh’s “reliable development and trading partner” and that the bilateral ties had reached “a new height”.

Bangladesh’s economy is the 37th largest in the world in terms of purchasing power parity, and ranks among the five fastest growing economies.

Goldman Sachs, Hasina said, has included the country in the list of “Next Eleven” while JP Morgan counts it among the “Emerging Five”.

She informed the businesses that Bangladesh was the second largest exporter of RMG products and also exported pharmaceutical products to 83 countries.

It has eight export processing zones exclusively for export-oriented industries.

The government is setting up another 100 economic zones and several Hi-tech parks where the Dutch companies can invest, Hasina said, pointing out that American information technology research and advisory company Gartner has billed Bangladesh as one of the top 30 global destinations for software and IT services.

The prime minister said Bangladeshi IT companies and freelance IT professionals earned over $360 million last year.

Recognised as a ‘role model’ for development, Bangladesh has the “most liberal investment policy in South Asia”, she said, pointing out protection of foreign investment by law and generous tax holidays, among other things.

“We truly want to become a middle-income country,” the prime minister said. “We can change the lives of millions of people at home and abroad if we work together.”

Dutch Ambassador Leoni Cuelenaere recalled seeing the statue of George Harrison in Dhaka, who sang for Bangladesh during the Liberation War.

If Harrison were alive, she said, he would be singing songs of Bangladesh’s progress.

The Netherlands business representative Maarten Verbruggen praised the country’s development and its people.

“The people of Bangladesh are very hard-working,” he said. “It is a very beautiful country."

http://bdnews24.com/bangladesh/2015/11/05/bangladesh-netherlands-investment-efforts-can-change-millions-of-lives-hasina

Hasina with a Dutch minister.



4 agreements were signed.





Queen Maxima of the Netherlands who will be visiting Dhaka this month.




Queen Maxima with Hasina.



1. Bangladesh has a plan called Delta 2100 which includes making it an agricultural powerhouse as well as protecting the country from flooding.


2. The whole apocalyptic scenario of Bangladesh being flooded which Pakistani nationalists, defence.pk trolls and others use to mock Bangladesh is nonsense as it's supposed to be possibly 17% of territory in half a century.

a: That is only a theory and the recent news that the Antarctic icebergs and icemass have increased disproves this anyway.

Link

b: It's only 17% and that too being relatively minor uninhabited areas.

c: That could happen in half a century when Bangladesh will be more like Malaysia, Taiwan and much earlier before that time we will have implemented a Dutch-style system to protect against flooding.




Dutch flood defences.

[Bengal_Tiger]

Bangladesh embassy in Thailand highlights Buddhist heritage of both countries

Senior Correspondent, bdnews24.com

Published: 2015-12-11 23:55:17.0 BdST Updated: 2015-12-11 23:56:02.0 BdST



The Bangladesh embassy in Bangkok, celebrating its 40th anniversary, has highlighted the Buddhist heritage of Thailand and Bangladesh through an exceptional programme.

http://bdnews24.com/bangladesh/2015/12/11/bangladesh-embassy-in-thailand-highlights-buddhist-heritage-of-both-countries

1. Bangladesh was a majority Buddhist country prior to becoming Muslim, in other words just like Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka became Buddhist due to Bengali princes.



2. Bangladesh's ambassador to Thailand, Saida Muna Tasneem in the yellow saree on the right.

3. Thailand is one of the most powerful countries in south-east Asia and has one of the largest militaries on the Asian continent.



Bangok.

Any military attack by Burma on Thailand may involve reaction from Bangladesh.

[MENTION=3580]asad71[/MENTION]