DHAKA, 14 August 2022, (TON): Bangladesh Bank said “Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit repeatedly sought information from different countries including Switzerland about money laundered by Bangladeshis.”

Md Serajul Islam, executive director and spokesperson of BB, said “I have nothing to say anything about the statement of the Swiss Ambassador. But the BFIU repeatedly sought information from different countries on various issues, including illegal money transactions from Bangladesh.”

All kinds of initiatives were taken to collect information about money laundering from the country, he said adding that the BFIU, the country’s financial intelligence agency, has also sent several letters to the Swiss banks.

Sirajul Islam said: “Whenever we need to collect information, the BFIU collects information from everywhere as the BFIU is a member of the Egmont Group of Financial Intelligence Units, an international network of FIUs.”

DHAKA, 14 August 2022, (TON): Bangladesh will welcome UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet Sunday morning and looks forward to having a constructive dialogue with her for the promotion and protection of human rights.

A senior official told UNB “Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen will receive Bachelet at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport upon her arrival around 9am on a four-day visit.”

The government has strongly rejected what it says the visible politically motivated efforts of some corners to mislead the people by showcasing the visit of the UN high commissioner as an occasion to put undue pressure on the government.

The government said "the government of Bangladesh firmly believes that politicization of the human rights agenda never helps in promoting and protecting human rights of the people; and therefore, sincere dialogue and cooperation is the pathway.”

DHAKA, 14 August 2022, (TON): Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen said “the much-awaited Joint Rivers Commission meeting between Bangladesh and India would be held later this month to discuss water sharing issues as the two countries share 54 rivers.”

We are thankful to the Indian side as they agreed to my proposal (to resume the Rivers Commission meeting before the prime minister’s visit). We have agreed on a number of issues in principle.

He told reporters in Sylhet “we hope some development will happen.”

Momen said “Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina agreed to visit New Delhi on September 5-6 at the invitation of her Indian counterpart Narendra Modi.”

By TON Nepal

Due justice Process is stalled transitional in Nepal. The passing international humanitarian law of 1949 Geneva Conventions will complete its 73 years on August 12. The Geneva Conventions and their Additional Protocols are main gadgets of international humanitarian law (IHL) which standardize the conduct of armed conflict and seek to diminish suffering.

IHL protects people not taking part in hostilities. It includes those rules of international law which establish the least values of humankind that must be esteemed in any condition of armed fight be it worldwide or non-international. The Geneva Conventions have been approved by all states and are universally applicable. Nepal agreed to the conventions on February 7, 1964 paving the way for the creation of the Red Cross in Nepal.

The First Geneva Convention defends injured and sick soldiers on land in war. The Second Geneva Convention guards wounded, sick and stranded military personnel at sea during war. The Third Geneva Convention applies to detainees of war. The Fourth Geneva Convention defends citizens, including those in occupied terrains.

The Geneva Conventions and their implementation was first introduced in Nepal during the Maoist insurgency, 1996-2006. As Nepal was not a party to the protocols of the Geneva Conventions, it was only the common article 3 applicable in non-international armed conflict between the government of Nepal and the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist). Article 3 is an accord that summarizes IHL.

Nepal is yet to agree to the Extra Protocols of the Geneva Conventions of which the Second Procedure is applicable in non-international armed conflict. It presents improved protection to the affected populace and controls behavior of conflicts.

Applicability of the common article 3 in Nepal’s conflict was formally accepted by the then government on March 26, 2004 by issuing a 25-point commitment. It also included a commitment to respect other relevant principles of IHL and international human rights law.

The 1977 Additional Protocols were developed to bridge the gaps that were felt while implementing the four Geneva Conventions in the context of war or armed conflict. The First Protocol comprehensively deals with the means and methods of warfare in international armed conflict.

The Second Protocol also touches upon the means and methods of fighting, and it is of specific significance considering the non-existence of IHL provisions regulating non-international armed conflict in the Geneva Conventions excluding the common article 3. As about 80 percent of the victims of armed conflicts since 1945 have been sufferers of non-international conflicts, there is a real need to develop further the rules applicable in times of non-international armed conflict.

The International Committee of the Red Cross on customary IHL in 2005 at the appeal of the International Conference of the Red Cross and Red Crescent recognized that a majority of the rules are applicable in both circumstances of conflict. Nepal went through the condition of non-international armed fight for a decade and ensuing protracted change resulting in human fatality, disappearance, ordeal, loss and destruction. Learning from the past, it is high time for Nepal to consider acceding to both protocols.

It has been 58 years since Nepal became a party of the Geneva Conventions. Nepal is yet to ratify implementing lawmaking. Nepal require the implementing legislation to prosecute violations of IHL at home. The Geneva Conventions have adopted the principles of universal jurisdiction. It need national law to exercise such authority.

The National IHL Committee chaired by the Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs to promote IHL and advise the government on IHL issues, has prepared a draft Geneva Conventions Act. The finalization of the draft remains pending since long.

The National Penal (Code) Act 2017 comprises some of the wrongdoings that fall under IHL massacre, arms and ammunition, landmines, agony and forced disappearance. However, these are not sufficient. The Geneva Conventions and Additional Protocol (I) oblige the states to enact legislation necessary to provide effective penal sanctions for persons committing, or ordering to be committed, any of the grave breaches of the conventions.

The grave violations include acts committed against persons or property protected by the convention wilful killing, torture or inhuman treatment, including biological experiments, wilfully causing great suffering or serious injury to body or health, and extensive destruction and appropriation of property, not justified by military necessity and carried out unlawfully and wantonly. It is expected that the government of Nepal will enact the Geneva Conventions implementing law at the earliest.

IHL has a bearing on the conclusion of Nepal’s stalled transitional justice process. Despite the creation of twin mechanisms to look at missing and truth and reconciliation in 2015, the victims are yet to receive justice and reparation. There is a need to amend the law considering the decisions of the Supreme Court, recommendations of the international community and concerns of the conflict victims.

The on-going process of amending the law is expected to consider those points. IHL is a reference law together with international human rights law in the investigation and adjudication process of transitional justice. In a condition of armed conflict, there should be due space for IHL to conclude the transitional justice process.

The 1977 Additional Procedures were developed to bridge the gaps that were felt while implementing the four Geneva Conventions in the context of war or armed conflict. The First Protocol widely deals with the ways and means of warfare in international armed conflict.

The Second Protocol also touches upon the means and methods of warfare, and it is of specific significance considering the non-existence of IHL provisions regulating non-international armed conflict in the Geneva Conventions except the common article 3. As about 80 percent of the victims of armed conflicts since 1945 have been victims of non-international conflicts, there is a real need to develop further the rules applicable in times of non-international armed conflict.

The Red Cross on customary IHL in 2005 at the request of the International Conference of the Red Cross and Red Crescent established that a majority of the rules are applicable in both situations of conflict. Out of the 161 rules, 147 are applicable in non-international armed conflict.

Nepal went through the situation of non-international armed conflict for a decade and subsequent protracted transition resulting in human casualty, disappearance, trauma, loss and damage. Learning from the past, it is high time for Nepal to consider agreeing to both protocols.

WASHINGTON, 13 August 2022, (TON): Soldiers from the US, Indonesia and Australia joined a live-fire drill, part of annual joint combat exercises on Sumatra island amid growing Chinese maritime activity in the Indo-Pacific region.

A total of more than 5,000 personnel from the US, Indonesia, Australia, Japan and Singapore are participating in this year’s exercises, making them the largest since they began in 2009.

The expanded drills are seen by China as a threat. Chinese state media have accused the US of building an Indo-Pacific alliance similar to NATO to limit China’s growing military and diplomatic influence in the region.

The United Kingdom, Canada, France, India, Malaysia, South Korea, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and East Timor also sent observers to the exercises, which began early this month.

The US Indo-Pacific commander, Adm. John C. Aquilino Aquilino, said “the 14 nations involved in the training are signaling their stronger ties as China grows increasingly assertive in claiming virtually.”

ISTANBUL, 13 August 2022, (TON): Two more ships left from Ukraine’s Black Sea ports, Turkey’s defense ministry said “bringing the total number of ships to depart the country under a UN-brokered deal to 14 and marking the first export of wheat.”

It said “Belize-flagged Sormovsky left Ukraine’s Chornomorsk port, carrying 3,050 tons of wheat to Turkey’s northwestern Tekirdag province.”

Also, Marshall Island-flagged Star Laura departed from Pivdennyi and headed to Iran, carrying 60,000 tons of corn.

WASHINGTON, 13 August 2022, (TON): US Attorney General Merrick Garland said “he had personally approved the dramatic raid on Donald Trump’s Florida estate and, in a highly unusual move, was requesting the warrant justifying the search be made public.”

The country’s top prosecutor did not reveal the reason for the unprecedented search of the home of a former US president, and condemned unfounded attacks on the FBI and the Justice Department that followed it.

Garland told reporters “I personally approved the decision to seek a search warrant,”

“The department does not take such a decision lightly.”

RIYADH, 13 August 2022, (TON): Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan met with his Maltese counterpart Ian Borg during his visit to Malta.

The two ministers held a session of talks, during which they reviewed aspects of relations between the Kingdom and Malta and ways to strengthen and develop them in various fields, in addition to discussing the most prominent issues of common interest.

The meeting and the talks were attended by the Deputy to Italy, Faisal bin Hanif Al-Qahtani, and the director-general of the Office of the foreign minister’s Abdul Rahman Al-Daoud.

TEHRAN, 13 August 2022, (TON): Tehran’s government spokesman said “Iran plans to commission three more versions of a satellite launched this week by Russia.”

The Khayyam blasted into orbit, prompting US accusations that it is intended for spying. Iran dismissed Washington’s claim as childish.

Its spokesman Ali Bahadori-Jahromi said “the construction of three other Khayyam satellites with the participation of Iranian scientists is on the government’s agenda.”

A Soyuz-2.1b rocket sent the satellite into orbit from the Moscow-controlled Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.

Responding to the launch, Washington said Russia’s growing cooperation with Iran should be viewed as a profound threat, but the head of Iran’s Space Agency, Hassan Salarieh, dismissed the accusation.

DHAKA, 13 August 2022, (TON): Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen has said a certain group is spreading panic with baseless claims that Bangladesh will see a situation like crisis-hit Sri Lanka.

He, however, acknowledged the challenges that Bangladesh is facing due to global crises.

Momen said “people of Bangladesh are living in heaven compared to the other countries amid the global recession"

He said Bangladesh has enough dollar reserves and is just maintaining a bit of austerity considering future crises.

Responding to a question, the foreign minister said Swiss banks do not want to share information on money allegedly laundered from Bangladesh.