DHAKA: Bangladesh passed another year with mixed achievements. In the year, the incumbent Awami League (AL) government signed many deals with foreign countries and took part in the inception of Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) that has a far reaching consequence.
Bangladesh expected to sign three agreements namely ‘SAARC Framework Agreement for Energy Cooperation (Electricity)’, ‘Regulation of Passenger and Cargo Vehicular Traffic amongst SAARC Member States’ and ‘SAARC Regional Agreement on Railways’ with the view of increasing connectivity and mobility of people.
However, only one agreement, ‘SAARC Framework Agreement for Energy Cooperation (Electricity)’, was signed in the presence of heads of state and government of eight SAARC countries during the concluding ceremony of 18th SAARC Summit on November 27.
Pakistan stalled signing of two other agreements on Vehicular Traffic and Railways respectively citing insufficient internal preparations.
These all achievements, hopefully, would promote the livelihood of the countrymen.
Some of the deals were lauded while some others were criticised. Some of the major deals are outlined below:
Bangladesh-Philippines deal: Bangladesh and Philippines signed an agreement on March 6 to grant visa-free entry to holders of diplomatic and official passports from either country.
The agreement also allows holders of diplomatic and official passports working in a consular post to enter either country “without obtaining a visa, and simply notify the host country of their arrival within 30 days in order to secure residence/multiple visas for the duration of their assignment.”
The courtesy extends to dependents holding the same kinds of passports.
The agreement, signed by Foreign Affairs Secretary of Philippines Albert Del Rosario and Bangladesh Ambassador John Gomes, was considered as a significant milestone in the diplomatic relations between the two countries.
The participants also expected that the agreement will “further strengthen the already vibrant and dynamic relations between the two countries.”
Deal with China to enrich cultural ties: Bangladesh and China on May 29 signed a "Cultural Exchange Program (CEP)" to further strengthen cultural ties between two countries.
Ranjit Kumar Biswas, secretary of Bangladesh’s Cultural Affairs Ministry, and Li Jun, Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh, signed the deal on be half of the respective sides.
After signing the deal, Ranjit told journalists that the agreement was signed to pave opportunity for exchanging more cultural programs between Bangladesh and China.
Li said the cultural agreement between the two countries was executed in November 1979 adding that “the executive program for the years 2014-2017 will cover many areas such as arts, culture and cultural heritage, youth and sports, education and print and electronic media”.
According to the new executive program, both the governments will encourage more cultural exchange and cooperation between two countries in the coming years.
He also termed the new Executive Program will act as a stepping stone in further pushing the cultural communication and cooperation.
Li said the year of 2015 will be the 40th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Bangladesh, "It is a very important time for us to review historical cooperation and look to the future."
3 deals with Cambodia: Three agreements and a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between Bangladesh and Cambodia were signed at Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s office on June 17 in the presence of Cambodian premier Hun Sen, who was on a 3-day official visit.
The agreements and MoU are Establishment of a Joint Commission for Promoting Bilateral Cooperation, Promotion and Reciprocal Protection of Investments and Agreement on Cultural Cooperation.
The Memorandum of Understanding was inked on Scientific and Technical Cooperation in the Field of Agriculture.
Bangladesh signs MoU with Bulgaria: Bangladesh and Bulgaria signed a Memorandum of Understanding on foreign office consultations at the Bulgarian foreign ministry in Sofia on July 31.
The MoU, the first ever between two countries, was inked by Bangladesh ambassador to Turkey Md. Zulfiqur Rahman, who is also accredited to Bulgaria, and Angel Velitchkov, deputy foreign minister of Bulgaria.
The MoU on FOC would now allow holding of regular consultations between Bangladesh and Bulgarian governments in all areas of mutual cooperation.
The Bulgarian deputy foreign minister, speaking at the MoU signing ceremony, dwelt at length on the potentials saying that the two countries should work in areas of trade, economic cooperation, cultural and technological cooperation, including in the field of agriculture.
Ambassador Zulfiqur hoped that the MoU would open up a new vista in re-energising Bangladesh-Bulgaria relations that reached its peak in Bangladesh’s post-independence period but waned after the heinous 1975 assassination of Bangladesh’s founding president Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
Sri Lanka turns to Bangladesh for medicines: Sri Lanka, a heavily dependent country on Indian drugs, on June 23 signed an MoU with Bangladesh to import pharmaceuticals products.
Visiting health minister of Sri Lanka, Maithripala Sirisena, signed the deal with his Bangladesh counterpart, Mohammed Nasim, at the latter’s office.
Nasim said Sri Lanka had given a list of “525 types of medicines” that they want from Bangladesh. It will solely be a government to government mechanism.
This is the first government-to-government mechanism for exporting Bangladesh drugs.
Welcoming the deal, Abdul Muktadir, Secretary General of the Bangladesh Association of Pharmaceutical Industries said, “It’s a big achievement for Bangladesh and our pharmaceutical industries,” adding that it would be a “challenging task”.
“Sri Lanka approached Bangladesh as they trust our drugs,” he added.
Maldives to take BD doctors, medicines: Bangladesh and Maldives signed an MoU in Dhaka on September 9 to enhance cooperation in the areas of healthcare and medicine science between the two South Asian countries.
As an immediate result of the MoU, students from Maldives will get opportunities to study in medical and nursing colleges in Bangladesh.
Besides, the island nation also will hire physicians and nurses and import medicines from Bangladesh, following the agreement.
Bangladesh state minister for health and family welfare Zahid Maleque and Maldives health minister Hussain Rasheed signed the deal on behalf of their respective countries.
The signing ceremony was held on the sidelines of the 32nd Meeting of Health Ministers of WHO’s South-East Asia Region.
3 deals with UAE: Bangladesh and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on October 27 signed three deals, including an 'Agreement on Security Cooperation’ between the two countries, aiming to enhance cooperation on containing crimes.
The two other deals signed are ‘Agreement on Transfer of Sentenced Prisoners’ and ‘Handing over of a piece of land for the UAE embassy in Dhaka’.
The ‘Agreement on Security Cooperation’ between Bangladesh and the UAE and ‘Agreement on Transfer of Sentenced Prisoners’ were signed by State Minister for Home Affairs Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal and UAE Interior Minister Saif Bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
The agreement on land handover to UAE embassy in Dhaka was signed by Bangladesh Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali and his UAE counterpart Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
All the deals were signed at the office of the UAE Vice President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum after a meeting with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
After signing these deals, the UAE may reopen its job market to the Bangladeshi job seekers withdrawing restrictions imposed two years ago.
The UAE had restricted issuance of visas for Bangladeshi male jobseekers in September, 2012, in connection with several migrant workers' involvement in criminal activities. Female workers were allowed to have visas.
Bangladesh joins China-led AIIB: Twenty Asian countries, including Bangladesh, on October 24 signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to establish the China-led Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB).
Representatives of China and 21 other Asian countries in Beijing signed the MoU on Establishing the AIIB.
Bangladesh, Brunei, Cambodia, China, India, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, Oman, Pakistan, the Philippines, Qatar, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Uzbekistan and Vietnam signed the MoU.
The United States has opposed the establishment of the AIIB saying it will compete with existing multilateral development banks (MDBs) such as the World Bank.
However, the Chinese Finance Minister Lou Jiwei stressed that AIIB will be an inter-governmental regional development institution in Asia and it will play a complementary instead of competitive role with existing MDBs.
AIIB will follow the operational model and principles of MDBs while focusing its business on infrastructure development, Lou said.
The Chinese Finance Minister assured that as an important shareholder of World Bank and ADB, China will continue to support the existing MDBs to contribute more in promoting global poverty alleviation and development.
Bangladesh, Malaysia sign 4 accords: An agreement and three memorandums of understanding (MoUs) were signed between Bangladesh and Malaysia during a three-day visit by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to Malaysia.
The signing ceremony was held at Perdana Square of Putrajaya in Malaysia on December 3 following a bilateral meeting between and her counterpart Nazib Tun Abdul Razak.
The agreement has been inked in facilitating Bangladeshis to get Malaysia visa.
The protocol amending the existing ‘Memorandum of Understanding on the Employment of Workers-2012’ between Bangladesh and Malaysia was signed allowing Bangladeshi citizens to work outside the mainland of Malaysia.
Another MoU has been penned between two nations to ensure bi-lateral cooperation in tourism sector. Apart from this, other MoU has also been signed on cultural cooperation.
Prior to the bilateral meeting, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was given a hearty reception at Malaysian Prime Minister’s Office at Putrajaya.
Two deals with Bhutan: Bangladesh signed two agreements with Bhutan, a South Asian country, at the Prime Minister Office in Dhaka on December 6.
The accords include a protocol of the renewal of trade agreement and land allotment for Bhutan embassy in Bangladesh.
Bangladesh commerce minister Tofail Ahmed and Bhutan economic affairs minister Norbu Wangchuk signed deals on behalf of their respective sides.
Moreover, Bangladesh foreign affairs minister AH Mahmood Ali and Bhutan foreign minister Rinzin Dorji signed an accord on land allotment for the establishment of Bhutan embassy in Bangladesh.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and visiting Bhutanese premier Tshering Tobgay were present at the accord signing ceremony.
Accompanied by a 10-member delegation, the Bhutan premier Tobgay arrived in Bangladesh on December 6 on a three-day official visit in response to invitation by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
Cooperation Agreement signed with CERN: Bangladesh has moved one major step towards the advanced science and technology, particularly in the field of research of quantum and fundamental physics by signing an “International Co-operation Agreement” with CERN, - the largest research laboratory in the world and the center of excellence for research in fundamental and quantum physics.
The agreement was signed on December 12 in Geneva of Switzerland.
M Shameem Ahsan, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Bangladesh in Geneva signed the cooperation agreement on behalf of Bangladesh with Dr. Rolf Heuer, Director General of CERN (European Organization for Nuclear Research).
During signing the Agreement, the Ambassador said since the ‘Vision 2021’ of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, had articulated the aspirations of her government for advancement in the field of science and technology for the benefit of the people, this cooperation with CERN was yet another milestone towards that goal.
Remembering the visit to Bangladesh, the Director General of CERN also praised the efforts of the Government of Bangladesh for taking the benefits of science and technology to the doorstep of the people.
He assured the support of CERN in this effort and hoped that the teachers, students and researchers of Bangladesh would be immensely benefited from this formal cooperation.
CERN has the long tradition of establishing international co-operation in research and training and promoting contacts among scientists and professionals and interchange with other laboratories and institutes around the world.
18th SAARC summit: The 18th summit of ‘South Asian Association of Regional Cooperation’ (SAARC) was held in Kathmandu, the capital of Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal during November 26–27 of 2014.
The theme of the summit was “Deeper Integration for Peace and Prosperity”, focused on enhancing connectivity between the member states for easier transit-transport across the region.
Sushil Koirala, the Nepalese Prime Minister, was the main host of the event which took place in Rastriya Sabha Griha Sanandan Raj, Nepal.
The summit took place after an interval of three years as the last summit was held in 2011 in Maldives and the next summit will now be held in Islamabad in 2016.
Bangladesh and some other countries expected to sign three agreements namely ‘SAARC Framework Agreement for Energy Cooperation (Electricity)’, ‘Regulation of Passenger and Cargo Vehicular Traffic amongst SAARC Member States’, and ‘SAARC Regional Agreement on Railways’ with the view of increasing connectivity and mobility of people.
However, Foreign Ministers of the eight member states signed an agreement on energy cooperation namely ‘SAARC Framework Agreement for Energy Cooperation (Electricity)’ in the presence of their heads of state and government during the concluding ceremony of the Summit on November 27.
BDST: 2020 HRS, DEC 30, 2014
