DHAKA, 18 July 2022, (TON): The visiting International Monetary Fund officials expressed concern over the growing non-perming loans in the banking sector and a possible drop in demand of the country’s apparel exports.

According to the officials that attended the meeting “they gave vent to their feelings during a meeting with the officials of financial institutions division and the commerce ministry at the secretariat.”

The amount of defaulted loans in the county’s banking sector rose by Tk 10,167.08 crore to Tk 1,13,440 crore in the first three months of 2022.

The IMF says that a high NPL would make the country’s banking sector weak.

DHAKA, 18 July 2022, (TON): State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md Shahriar Alam has said “Bangladesh and the US have a fantastic relationship and hopes that the ties will be strengthened in the days to come.”

He said “the post-Liberation War support that Bangladesh received from the US is highly commendable.”

The state minister greeted all on the occasion of Eid-ul-Adha.

A reception was hosted at Bangladesh House in Maryland on Friday on the occasion of the holy Eid-ul-Adha, one of the major religious festivals of the Muslims.

Shahriar Alam was the guest of honour at the reception hosted by Bangladesh Ambassador to the United States M Shahidul Islam.

NEW DELHI, 18 July 2022, (TON): Continuing with the excellent bilateral defence ties between Bangladesh and India, General Manoj Pande, the chief of army staff, has proceeded on a visit to Bangladesh from July 18 to 20.

This is the first foreign visit by General Manoj Pande since taking charge of the office.

The army chief will commence his visit by paying tribute to the brave hearts who made supreme sacrifices during the Liberation War of 1971 by laying a wreath at Shikha Anirban.

The Press Information Bureau of India said “during the day, Manoj Pande will have multiple meetings with senior officials of the security establishment and exchange views on defence-related issues.”

He will also pay tribute to the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Memorial Museum in Dhanmondi.

DHAKA, 18 July 2022, (TON): The cost of per kilowatt power production from Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant in Bangladesh will be 9.36 cents compared to 5.34 cents from a similar plant in Tamil Nadu’s Kudankulam, India.

The high construction cost of Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant is said to be the reason behind the excessive cost of would-be power production.   

According to a research released by Springer-Verlag GmbH, Germany “in Bangladeshi currency, the production cost of per unit electricity from two reactors of the RNPP will be Tk 7.94 while their establishment costs are $12.65 billion.”

In Indian currency, the production cost of power from Kudankulam 3 and 4 plants will be Rupee 3.93 since their construction costs are about $5.38 billion.

DHAKA, 18 July 2022, (TON): A six-member delegation of the European Parliament arrived in Dhaka to learn about the country's trade with Europe and its progress in adapting to more demanding trade standards.

According to a statement of the European Parliament “trade committee led by Heidi Hautala also includes José Manuel García-Margallo, Sven Simon, Agnes Jongerius, Jordi Cañas and Maximilian Krah.”

They will meet ministers of commerce, labour, justice and foreign affairs, and will hold discussions with relevant parliamentary committees.

They will talk to employee associations, trade unions and civil society organisations and visit a textile and a pharmaceutical factory to assess compliance levels before departing on July 20.

HASAKEH, 17 July 2022, (TON): The commander of US-backed Kurdish forces in Syria has urged Russia and Iran to prevent Turkey from launching a new attack in the country’s north, days before an expected Syria summit.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan who will meet his Russian and Iranian counterparts to discuss Syria has warned that he may soon launch a new offensive in Syria against Kurdish fighters waging an insurgency against the Turkish state.

These include the US-backed Kurdish People’s Protection Units, which formed a crucial part of an international coalition against Daesh.

Mazloum Abdi, chief commander of the YPG-linked Syrian Democratic Forces, accused the international coalition of taking a weak position that is insufficient to end the threats.

NUSA DUA, 17 July 2022, (TON): Host Indonesia said “G20 finance leaders meeting in Bali must make progress tackling the global economic threats sparked by Russia’s war in Ukraine or the humanitarian consequences would be catastrophic.”

Some Western ministers blasted Russian officials attending the talks, with US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen saying Russia’s brutal and unjust war was solely responsible for the economic crisis the world now faces.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which the Kremlin calls a special military operation, has overshadowed recent G20 meetings, including last week’s gathering of foreign ministers.

DUBAI, 17 July 2022, (TON): US President Joe Biden invited his Emirati counterpart, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, to visit the United States during a meeting on the sidelines of Jeddah Security and Development Summit, Emirates News Agency reported.

Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed was among the GCC leaders who arrived in Saudi Arabia to attend the summit, which coincides with Biden’s two-day official visit to the Kingdom on his first Mideast tour as president.

Both leaders discussed strengthening bilateral relations and seizing collaboration opportunities in economy, investment, sustainable development, climate change and food security to achieve common interests.

The vital fields of cooperation discussed aim to establish development, stability and progress for both nations, the media statement read.

WASHINGTON, 17 July 2022, (TON): US national security adviser Jake Sullivan said “the United States believes that Russian officials visited an airfield in Iran recently to view attack-capable drones.”

The United States earlier this week said it has information that shows Iran is preparing to provide Russia with up to several hundred drones, including some that are weapons capable, and that Tehran is preparing to train Russian forces to use them. Iran’s foreign minister denied that.

Sullivan said in a statement “we assess an official Russian delegation recently received a showcase of Iranian attack-capable UAVs, to our knowledge, this is the first time a Russian delegation has visited this airfield for such a showcase.”

The statement included satellite imagery dated June 8 showing Iranian unmanned aerial vehicles “that the Russian government delegation saw that day.”

It said “similar equipment was showcased for a second Russian visit to the airfield on July 5.”

Iran’s Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian, in a phone call with his Ukrainian counterpart, rejected as baseless US accusations about Iranian drones being sent to Russia for use in the war against the Ukraine.

JEDDAH, 17 July 2022, (TON): US President Joe Biden welcomed Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi’s initiative to host talks between Saudi Arabia and Iran in Baghdad.

His statement came during a press conference in Saudi Arabia’s city of Jeddah following a meeting between the President and Al-Kadhimi.

Ongoing threats from Iran against the US and its allies have fueled tensions in the region in recent years.

Last year, Al-Kadhimi survived an assassination attempt with explosive drones – which some have blamed on Iranian-backed factions amid soaring tensions and a stand-off between Iraqi security forces and pro-Iran Shiite militias over election results.

During the press conference, Biden said he wanted to support Iraq’s democracy.