International Outlook
A group of international lawyers is submitting evidence to the International Criminal Court (ICC) alleging that the government of Bangladesh has committed crimes against humanity, including torture, arbitrary arrests, and extrajudicial killings. The lawyers say that the government has been targeting political opponents and civilians since it came to power in 2009. They have documented hundreds of cases of torture, disappearances, and extrajudicial killings. The ICC has jurisdiction to investigate crimes committed in Bangladesh, and the lawyers are hoping that the court will open a formal investigation. (New Age)
POLITICS
Foreign Relations
According to Smita Pant, a senior official at the Indian Ministry of External Affairs, India’s future and security are inextricably linked with Bangladesh. She went on to say that the two countries can accomplish a lot together, particularly in renewable energy and Sundarbans delta protection. (News Desk, Dhaka Tribune)
Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina called UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan to express gratitude for the UAE’s efforts in freeing Bangladeshi UN official Lt. Col. (Retd.) Sufiul Anam from kidnappers in Yemen. Other bilateral issues discussed by the two leaders included the upcoming 50th anniversary of Bangladesh-UAE diplomatic relations and the UAE’s hosting of COP-28. (News Desk, Jagonews24)
On Wednesday, Bangladesh and Singapore will hold a Foreign Office Consultation (FOC) meeting at the Foreign Secretary level in Dhaka to discuss the formation of a free trade agreement (FTA). Bangladesh will press Singapore to implement the pending FTA as soon as possible. The FOC will also talk about bilateral relations, political relations, economic relations, investment, agriculture, infrastructure sector exchanges, technical assistance and exchange of superior skills, and high-level visits. (Nazrul Islam, Dhaka Post)
National
Anisul Huq, the Law Minister, announced the formation of a commission to investigate the assassination of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and most of his family members. He stated that the commission’s focus will be on disseminating accurate historical accounts, rather than identifying the perpetrators for vengeance. (News Desk, Daily Observer)
In Cox’s Bazar, police clashed with a group of people who were holding a prayer for Jamaat-e-Islami leader Delwar Hossain Sayedee. During the clash, one person was killed and several others were injured. The police have denied opening fire, but the Jamaat claims the man was killed by police. The authorities have stated that those involved in the clash will face legal action. (News Desk, Prothom Alo)
ECONOMY
Bangladesh’s government has enacted a new tariff policy in order to boost investment and export growth. The policy will emphasise expanding and diversifying exports, reducing anti-export biases, and eliminating minimum import values. It will also improve the transparency and ease of use of existing bond facilities for export-oriented industries. The policy is intended to promote long-term economic growth by strengthening local industries’ competitiveness and encouraging trade liberalisation. (News Report, Financial Express)
Bangladesh will receive a $490 million loan from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to fund two projects. The first project will improve rural connectivity by improving rural roads, while the second will improve urban governance and infrastructure. The loans will have a 25-year repayment period with a 5-year grace period. (News Desk, The Business Post)
Saudi Arabian Mining Company (Ma’aden) has renewed its three-year agreement with Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation (BADC) to supply 600,000 tonnes of fertiliser to Bangladesh. This agreement is part of Ma’aden’s commitment to meeting global phosphate fertiliser demand and will help to ensure a consistent supply of high-quality fertiliser products to the Bangladesh market. (News Desk, Arab News)
Vietnam and Bangladesh have a long history of cooperation and have maintained close ties in recent years. In the coming years, the two countries hope to increase bilateral trade to $2 billion. They also intend to expand cooperation in areas such as tourism, investment, and education. (News Desk, Voice of Vietnam)
Women’s handcrafted caps from the Lakshmipur district are in high demand in the Middle East and other parts of the world. The caps are made of high-quality materials and have intricate craftsmanship. Lakshmipur’s handmade cap industry is estimated to be worth Tk5 crore per month, and it employs thousands of women. (Sana Ullah Sanu, The Business Standard)
SOCIETY
In Bangladesh, 10 more people died of dengue in the last 24 hours, bringing the total number of deaths this year to 426. In addition, 1,984 people were admitted to hospitals with dengue fever. (News Desk, Samakal)
Police discovered an extremist hideout in Moulvibazar’s Kulaura upazila and arrested 17 suspects during a raid. They also recovered 5-6 kg of explosives, 14 rounds of bullets, 2 lakh in cash, and 95 detonators from the hideout. (News Desk, BDnews24)
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