BD’s foreign, domestic policies influenced by India: US
While appreciating Bangladesh’s counterterrorism efforts as there had been no major terrorist incidents in 2013, the United States in its ‘Country Reports on Terrorism 2013’ says the country’s foreign and domestic policies are heavily influenced by the region’s major powers, particularly India.
“In past years, the India-Bangladesh relationship has provided openings for transnational threats, but the current government has demonstrated its interest in regional cooperation on counterterrorism” says the report released on Wednesday.
Lauding its counterterrorism measures, the report says, “The (Bangladesh) government’s ongoing counterterrorism efforts have made it more difficult for transnational terrorists to operate in or use Bangladesh territory.”
Voter list update from May 15
EC asks national ID card wing to prepare budget for the task. The Election Commission will begin updating the voter list from May 15 across the country.
The Election Commission will begin updating the voter list from May 15 across the country.
However, the commission is yet to finalise budget for the task. It had asked the National Identity Card wing to prepare it. The budget will be placed at the EC’s next meeting.
Sources said the NID wing presented a budget of around Tk59 crore at the commission meeting yesterday, bu...
PM urges for including migration issue in post- 2015 dev. Agenda
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has urged the world leaders to include the migration issue in the post-2015 development agenda with due importance and view every migrant as a ‘human person’ instead of only a factor of production.
“It is crucial that we all view every migrant as a human person - not just as an ‘element of economic activity or production’. They must enjoy all rights - as every other person,” she said.
It’s a growing need for social protection for migrants and members of their families in the countries like Bangladesh, exposed to climate change and facing some acute challenges, while safeguarding lives and livelihoods of millions of people, she said.
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NDA will send Bangladeshis back: Modi
BJP’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi on Sunday threatened to deport Bangladeshi immigrants if NDA comes to power, saying they were being welcomed with red carpets for vote bank politics.
“I want to warn from here, brothers and sisters write down, that after May 16, beyond the border with their bags and baggage,” Modi said alleging that Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee was pursuing vote bank politics.
“You are spreading the red carpet for the Bangladeshis for the sake of vote bank politics,” he said in this largely mixed co...
“You are spreading the red carpet for the Bangladeshis for the sake of vote bank politics,” he said in this largely mixed co...
BD joins global declaration to end sexual violence in conflict
Bangladesh has joined the ‘Global Declaration of Commitment to End Sexual Violence in Conflict’ as 123rd country reaffirming its commitment to denounce sexual violence during armed conflicts.
British Foreign Secretary William Hague and UN Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict Zainab Bangura jointly launched the declaration in New York on September 24, 2013 during the 68th UN General Assembly.
Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali, in a letter, conveyed the decision to British Foreign Secretary William Hague, said a Foreign Ministry media release on Sunday.
Govt exploring options to mobilise more foreign aid
The government is exploring the options to mobilise greater volume of external aid, up to 3.0 per cent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP), to help meet the additional resources needed for developing infrastructure and cutting poverty, officials said Thursday.
Presently, utilisation of the overseas financial support is estimated at nearly 2.0 per cent of the GDP.
Development analysts, however, said it is difficult to raise the external aid inflow as the government’s development agencies have been inefficient in using loans and grants available in the pipeline.
