PRESS STATEMENT
MATTHEW MILLER, DEPARTMENT SPOKESPERSON
JANUARY 8, 2024

𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐄𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐁𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐥𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐡

The United States supports the people of Bangladesh and their aspirations for democracy, freedom of peaceful assembly, and freedom of expression. The United States notes the Awami League party won a majority of seats in the January 7, 2024 parliamentary elections. The United States remains concerned by the arrests of thousands of political opposition members and by reports of irregularities on elections day. The United States shares the view with other observers that these elections were not free or fair and we regret that not all parties participated.

The United States condemns violence that took place during elections and in the months leading up to it. We encourage the Government of Bangladesh to credibly investigate reports of violence and to hold perpetrators accountable. We also urge all political parties to reject violence.

Looking ahead, the United States remains committed to partnering with Bangladesh to advance our shared vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific, to supporting human rights and civil society in Bangladesh, and to deepening our people-to-people and economic ties.

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বাংলাদেশের জাতীয় সংসদ নির্বাচন

স্টেট ডিপার্টপেন্টের মুখপাত্র ম্যাথিউ মিলারের বিবৃতি

যুক্তরাষ্ট্র বাংলাদেশের জনগণ এবং গণতন্ত্র, শান্তিপূর্ণ সমাবেশের স্বাধীনতা এবং মত প্রকাশের স্বাধীনতার জন্য তাদের আকাঙ্ক্ষাকে সমর্থন করে। যুক্তরাষ্ট্র দেখেছে যে, ৭ জানুয়ারী, ২০২৪ এর সংসদ নির্বাচনে সংখ্যাগরিষ্ঠ আসন জিতেছে আওয়ামী লীগ। রাজনৈতিক বিরোধীদলের হাজার হাজার সদস্যের গ্রেপ্তার এবং নির্বাচনের দিন নানা অনিয়মের প্রতিবেদনে যুক্তরাষ্ট্র উদ্বিগ্ন। অন্যান্য পর্যবেক্ষকদের সাথে যুক্তরাষ্ট্র এই বিষয়ে অভিন্ন মতামত পোষণ করে যে, এই নির্বাচন অবাধ, বা সুষ্ঠু ছিল না এবং আমরা দুঃখিত যে সব দল এতে অংশগ্রহণ করেনি।

যুক্তরাষ্ট্র নির্বাচনের দিন এবং এর আগের মাসগুলোতে সংঘটিত সহিংসতার নিন্দা জানায়। আমরা বাংলাদেশ সরকারকে সহিংসতার প্রতিবেদন বিশ্বাসযোগ্যভাবে তদন্ত এবং অপরাধীদের জবাবদিহি করতে উৎসাহিত করি। আমরা সকল রাজনৈতিক দলকে সহিংসতা পরিহার করার আহ্বান জানাই।

সামনের দিনগুলোতে, একটি মুক্ত, উন্মুক্ত ইন্দো-প্যাসিফিকের জন্য অভিন্ন দৃষ্টিভঙ্গিকে এগিয়ে নিতে, বাংলাদেশে মানবাধিকার ও সুশীল সমাজের সমর্থনে, জনগণের সাথে জনগণের এবং অর্থনৈতিক সম্পর্ককে আরও গভীর করতে বাংলাদেশের সাথে অংশীদারিত্বে যুক্তরাষ্ট্র প্রতিশ্রুতিবদ্ধ।

Greetings!

Please allow me to duly forward in the attachment a scanned copy of Verbal Note No. 2/2024 dated January 2, 2024 by this Embassy on the return of H.E. Achim Tröster to Bangladesh.

Yours sincerely,

Pania Sander

Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany, Dhaka

German Ambassador H.E. Achim Tröster has returned to Bangladesh and resumed his duty.

Click to Enlarge

Know More:

• Curriculum Vitae of Achim Tröster is German Ambassador to Bangladesh since 2021

• Ambassador of Argentina H.E. Mr. Marcelo CESA has returned to Bangladesh
• H.E. Mr. Seraya Ali Al-Qahtani, Ambassador of the State of Qatar to Bangladesh is out of the country

Dear Concern,

Greetings from the Embassy of Argentina.

Please find attached Note Verbale regarding the resumption of duty of the Ambassador.

Best Regards,
Private Secretariat of the Ambassador
Embassy of the Argentine Republic in Bangladesh

Ambassador of Argentina H.E. Mr. Marcelo CESA has returned to Bangladesh

Click to Enlarge

Know More:

• H.E. Achim Tröster has returned to Bangladesh
• H.E. Mr. Seraya Ali Al-Qahtani, Ambassador of the State of Qatar to Bangladesh is out of the country

Kuwait’s Emir Sheikh Nawaf Al Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah has passed away. (Inna Lillahi Wa Inna Ilahi Rajiun). He died on Saturday (December 16th) while undergoing treatment at a hospital in Kuwait.

He was 86 at the time of his death. The country’s Amiri Diwan confirmed this information.

Following the death of Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah was appointed Emir of Kuwait on 30 September 2020.

Sheikh Mohammed Abdullah Al Mubarak Al Sabah, Minister of Amiri Diwan Affairs, said in a statement that the emir was admitted to a hospital on November 29. He was undergoing treatment for an urgent health problem.

“It is with great sadness that we mourn the death of the Emir of Kuwait, Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah,” a statement broadcast on state television said.

Sheikh Nawaf served in Kuwait for several decades before taking over as emir.

Sheikh Nawaf was the defense minister when then Iraqi President Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait in 1990. During his tenure as Home Minister, he faced challenges from various armed groups.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina held a farewell meeting with Spanish Ambassador Francisco de Asis Benitez Salas.

He met with the ambassador of Spain at the Prime Minister’s Office Ganabhaban on Wednesday (December 13, 2023) morning. At that time, other officials of Ganobhaban were present.

Oman denounces Israeli atrocities in Gaza that killed over 12,000 innocent people, including children, reiterating a call to global leaders to stop the war and arms races.

Oman Ambassador in Dhaka Abdul Ghaffar Al Bulushi has expressed this view while speaking at the 53rd National Day reception of Sultanate of Oman at Dhaka Sheraton Hotel on 20 November, 2023.

Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan was the chief guest at the reception. Civil and military secretaries, politicians, business leaders, members of the civils society attended the reception.

“We saw people and children killed in a bombing on a hospital (in Gaza by Israel) and blood-stained faces of children. I am urging world leaders to stop the war and arms races,” he said.

“This aggression has killed thousands of people, and injured tens of thousands more, leaving their loved ones distraught. Civilian infrastructure, humanitarian facilities, and homes have been destroyed. Hundreds of thousands are displaced,” he said.

“Today, I call on all policymakers to listen, to their conscience and do everything in their power to stop this senseless war immediately,” he said.

“I call upon everyone to do all you can to achieve peace, to support those civilians, who are suffering, and to stop the violence, he said.

“History has proven the impossibility of a military solution to the Palestinian issue. The only solution is, to end the illegitimate Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories, and establish an independent Palestinian state, with the borders of June 4th, 1967 and East Jerusalem as its capital,” he said.

“This solution is in accordance with international law. It is in accordance with the resolutions of the United Nations. And the establishment of a two-state solution is the clear objective of the Arab Peace Initiative,” he said.

He said wars and arms races have never brought welfare for humankind except for destruction, and women and children are the worst sufferers of such conflicts.

“We want peace as it gives prosperity while war brings destruction. So we do not want war. We always work to establish peace,” he said.

Oman’s development of its national economy is proceeding in accordance with Oman Vision 2040 which was set up as guide and a roadmap for economic development.

It integrates reality with objective foresight. It aims to elevate Oman to the ranks of advanced countries in the fields of economy, society, environment, governance, and institutional development.

As part of Vision 2040, Oman is pursuing national strategies for economic diversification, energy transition, and carbon neutrality by 2050.

Our experience in energy production and export, our strong international partnerships, and our position close to global markets and trade routes, will enable us to excel.

Oman has accelerated the industry’s regulation, enhanced investment attraction, and begun to localize green hydrogen technology.

This is in line with global shifts towards reducing carbon emissions.

Our ambitious plans aim to produce more than one million tons of green hydrogen by the year 2030. And, by 2050, to produce approximately 8 million tons.

As to bilateral relations with Bangladesh, during this current year, Oman has signed a long-term agreement to supply Bangladesh with LNG.

Dhaka and Muscat signed an MOU a few months back on financial controls. Both counties will sign two MOUs in the very near future on bilateral cooperation in the field of manpower.

Both countries will sign two more MOUs in the field of refined oil derivatives and the export of fertilizers.

“As we look forward to achieving more progress during next year, we are confident that Bangladesh under the pragmatic leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will continue to lend her personal support for the reinforcement and enhancement of bilateral ties,” he said.

Oman recalls with utmost respect and gratitude the contributions made and being made by Bangladeshi expatriates while it values the close and brotherly relations with the government of Bangladesh, said Abdul Ghaffar Al Bulushi.

The data released by the National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI) reveals that Bangladeshi nationals top the list of expatriate workers in Oman, with the total reaching 703,840 individuals, followed by 530,242 Indians, according to the Arabian Stories, a leading English newspaper in Oman.

Analysis of the data based on nationality shows that Bangladeshis continue to remain the largest expatriate community in Oman. As per the NCSI report issued in March last year, there were 546,182 Bangladeshis living in the country; the number has increased by more than 150,000 in the last one year.

Indian expatriates numbered 490,114 in March 2022 and Pakistan nationals were 206,083. The current figure for Pakistani expatriates is 275,719.

Oman’s economic growth is set to rebound in 2024, supported by higher hydrocarbon production and stronger non-hydrocarbon growth, after softening this year due to oil production cuts, the International Monetary Fund has said.

The sultanate’s economy surged 4.3 per cent last year, driven by the hydrocarbon sector, but dropped to 2.1 per cent year on year in the first half of 2023 due to Opec+-related oil production cuts,” the IMF said recently .

It is projected to slow down this year to 1.3 per cent, the IMF added.

However, non-hydrocarbon growth accelerated from 1.2 per cent in 2022 to 2.7 per cent in the January-June period of this year. It was supported by Oman’s recovering agricultural and construction activities and robust services sector.

Source : The Business Eye