DHAKA, 04 June 2022, (TON): President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina have conveyed their heartfelt felicitations and warmest greetings on the joyous occasion of the Platinum Jubilee celebration of Queen Elizabeth II's 70-year services.

In separate messages sent, both the President and the Prime Minister have wished the Queen’s good health, happiness, and long life, and the continued peace, progress, and prosperity to the friendly people of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland; and the Commonwealth.

President Hamid in his message said “I convey my heartiest congratulations and warmest greetings on this auspicious occasion of Platinum Jubilee of Queen's accession to the Throne of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and North Ireland."

"On your Platinum Jubilee, I renew my pledge to work closely to the further deepening and widening of the very special bonds of friendship and cooperation between Bangladesh and the United Kingdom.”

DHAKA, 04 June 2022, (TON): Foreign Minister Abdul Momen has called upon global leaders to take ambitious actions through finance, technology transfer and capacity building for the developing countries to tackle adverse effects of climate change.

 He made the remarks while delivering country statement at the Stockholm+50 international meeting, held Swedish capital Stockholm on Thursday, a foreign ministry press release said.

Speaking at the plenary session of the meeting, DR Momen emphasized on Bangladesh government's climate actions and initiatives to save the planet including 'Mujib Climate Prosperity Plan' and adoption of 'Planetary Emergency' resolution by the Parliament.

Stockholm+50 international meeting is convened by the United Nations and hosted by Sweden with support from the Government of Kenya.

Under the theme "Stockholm+50: a healthy planet for the prosperity of all-our responsibility, our opportunity.”

Around 150 States Members of the United Nations, Members of the UN Specialized Agencies, IGOs, IFIs are taking part in this international meeting.

By Dwaipayan Regmi, TON Nepal

American privilege cut off for Bangladesh, motive and Bangladesh’s Trade now

President Obama made the decision to suspend American trade privileges for Bangladesh in 2013.This was stated to be because of increasing American concern about Bangladesh regarding labor rights and workers' safety. Following the intensified incident in Bangladesh, where more than 1200 people died after a factory collapsed in one of the global garment industries, the decision was supposed to be taken. It was further stated that Bangladesh was not taking any steps to afford internationally recognized rights in their nation too.

This suspension abolished tariff breaks which were granted to something around 35 million American dollars, where breaks would cover the goods that the United States had been importing free of tax. Now, since they didn't apply to Bangladesh's textile industry, which sold more than 4.5 billion dollars of goods to American states, that accounted for around 90 percent of Bangladeshi exports there.

The American Embassy clearly states that this nation has exported around USD 1.5 billion of American goods to Bangladesh and imported around USD 4.7 billion of Bangladeshi goods, including items like grains, seeds, soybeans, cotton, wheat, and corn. They have been importing machinery products, iron and steel products, apparel, textile products, footwear, and headgear too.

It has been stated on the American embassy's website that after the suspension of the country's Generalized System of Preference (GSP), the trade benefits have been lowered-but Bangladesh has made major progress regarding inspections, safety and security etc.

Although it seems that America holds the primary motive of maintaining its standard by not promoting those products where workers are not working under a minimum safety based environment for workers—pressurizing Bangladesh to retain its standard for global acceptance—there could be another hidden motive behind the decision to cut off trade privileges there.

Firstly, with the fear of Chinese influence in these spaces, what would appear here is that maintaining a distance would certainly benefit them. Or, taking it another way, leaving the space for China there could be the reason. The next crucial reason that probably got space during Obama's tenure was his perception towards South Asian space-which probably was not optimistic. Because this region was less hopeful, cutting off trade privileges was an important way to keep the distance there.

Being liked and loved in America has always been a challenge for a Muslim nation. However, the decision to terminate trade privileges may have been made because America discovered other better markets for similar quality — as India had been exporting similar types of goods to them as well, and at a lower price.It could also be that America went commercial, trying to practice fair trade, where the rules of economics—law and demand would play—rather than giving some special set of privileges there. The intention could be within them as this would not just bring American purchase pattern a relief, but bring fairness for the customers residing in America too – the fund separated for this purpose probably was used for some other purpose in different aspects or topic there itself.

America could be taking a decision on self-production at that time, but no one knows! However, the decision made at the time has not been revised and is still in effect. Although the two countries appear to be friendly from the outside, there could be some internal strife – which is also unknown. During Obama's leadership, America managed to renegotiate and strengthen free trade agreements with Korea, Colombia, and Panama with a strong set of labor provisions that improved benefits for workers and manufacturing industries. This policy was then characterized by moderate tax practice which increased on higher income too-designed for funding health care reformation, reduction of the federal budget deficit, and a decrease in income inequality. Hence, that could be a shifting procedure from Bangladesh to other nations too.

But, taking it positively, this decision could have been made to make Bangladesh independent and promote their competitiveness in the global market through their competitive strength rather than with outside help. Trade privileges were probably a fish for them, but leaving all the subsidies there, it would teach them the process to fish in the real world too. Ever since, Bangladesh has not stopped its trade in the globalized market — it has been able to retain the policy and strength anyway, and the trade turned out to be competitive in the South Asian market.

So, regardless of the policy, they all managed to cope with its trade, but America's core intention for restricting their trade privilege was certainly beyond the reason explained.

By Nishat Shuja

In August 2021, China successfully started a cargo run from Myanmar’s Yangon Port all the way to China’s Yunnan Province and soon it will have entree to the Indian Ocean from the Myanmar port sides.

China has a long history of helping the military rulers of Myanmar by avoiding sanctions. China is investing through the China-Myanmar Economic Corridor (CMEC), a part of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) that starts from Yunnan Province to the Indian Ocean port of Kyaukphyu in western Myanmar.

The China-Myanmar Economic Corridor (CMEC) will definitely facilitate the China’s navy, the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN), to out play India in the Bay of Bengal. It will also let China’s oil shipments to evade the Strait of Malacca, which is being guarded and watched by the United States (US) Navy’s Seventh Fleet.

Although, the US and India appear to be at the opposite directions over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the two have a shared interest to stop the China from gaining advancements in the Indian Ocean.

India is adopting a balance behavior between its long-term ally Russia and US also. Over the past few years, the United States has intensified its alliance with India through the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (QUAD) and other initiatives also. Still, the Ukraine crisis is litmus case for US to contain India from supporting Ukraine.

China is growing its navy so that it can control seas and displace the US Navy as the world’s most powerful navy. There is concern in New Delhi that China’s threats to India’s maritime domain are increasing, and that India should increase its naval capabilities to counter that.

At any one time, there can now be as many as 125 foreign vessels in the Indian Ocean, the most since World War II. Speaking during his first press conference in December 2021, India’s Chief of Naval Staff Admiral said that the Indian navy might be tracking up to three PLAN ships at any given moment.

In order to meet the challenge of China, India needs to build up its naval power. However, when it comes to India’s military funding, the Navy always receives only a fraction of the budget it asks for. On average, India spends 15 per cent of its military budget on its navy despite having only three branches of the military, while the US, with six branches, spends 30 per cent on the navy.

The amount China spends on the PLAN is not clear. However, China’s total defense spending of US$252 billion is more than three times the US$72.9 billion India spends on its military.

Realizing the need to address that, New Delhi increased the navy budget by 44.53 per cent this year. Currently, the Indian Navy has only 130 vessels, many of which are two decades old. So while the increase in funding is a welcome move in the right direction, the situation is far from resolved.

To Prevent China from gaining control of the Indian Ocean may necessitate the US adopting a new Indian Ocean policy and deepening its involvement with India through the QUAD and other initiatives. The US is in a position to coordinate with New Delhi by supporting the development of India’s economic, political, and military power.

However, Washington will have to assess whether India’s ties to Russia overshadow the help that New Delhi can give the US in countering China. Similarly, India will have to decide if gaining US support against China is worth ending its relationship with Russia.

Myanmar gives enormous access and significant presence to Beijing towards the Bay of Bengal region of the Indian Ocean to expand its ambitions and also eluding the narrow chokepoints of the Straits of Malacca to safeguard its self from unwanted skirmishes with hostile nations.

ANKARA, 03 June 2022, (TON): The result of Turkey’s active diplomatic efforts was the preparation of a “Road Map” aimed at resolving, under the auspices of the UN, the global food crisis provoked by the Russian-Ukrainian war.

Since the beginning of hostilities on the territory of Ukraine, Turkey has been making multilateral efforts to resolve the conflict through diplomacy, while taking an active position in eliminating the global food shortage.

According to information received from diplomatic sources “Turkey has been conducting diplomatic contacts for some time in order to form a mechanism to ensure the safe delivery of grain from Ukraine to world markets.”

As a result of the negotiations of the Turkish side with representatives from the Russian Federation, Ukraine and the UN, a “Road Map” has been prepared, which will ensure the functionality of the “Grain Corridor” under the auspices of the world organization.

A center regulating interaction between Russia and Ukraine with the mediation of Turkey in coordination with the UN is planned to be created in Istanbul.

CHICAGO, 03 June 2022, (TON): Illinois Congressman Sean Casten (D-6th) told media “American foreign policy has a blind spot when it comes to getting accurate information on challenges facing Israelis and Palestinians or achieving peace.”

Elected in 2018 after defeating conservative Peter Roskam, Casten said he saw how the status quo provokes extremists on both sides, Hamas and Israeli settlers, during two visits to Israel and later the West Bank.

Casten said “he supports a two-state solution but believes it will be difficult to achieve under current circumstances.”

He stressed “he supports Israel’s right to security in the face of threats from Hamas, as well as the rights of Palestinian civilians, citing the experiences he saw Palestinian farmers face from armed settlers while in Bethlehem last February.”

LONDON, 03 June 2022, (TON): Britain says “it will send sophisticated medium-range rocket systems to Ukraine, in a move coordinated with the United States.”

Defense Secretary Ben Wallace says the UK will send an unspecified number of M270 launchers, which can send precision-guided rockets up to 80 kilometers.

Britain says “the decision has been coordinated closely with a US decision to send Ukraine High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems.”

The two missile systems are similar, though the American one has wheels while the British one also US-built runs on tracks.

LONDON, 03 June 2022, (TON): The UN’s refugee agency has rubbished UK claims that 70 percent of people arriving by small boat across the English Channel are single men who are effectively economic migrants.

Home Secretary Priti Patel has pushed the idea that it is overwhelmingly single men seeking work who make the crossing, repeatedly referring to them as migrants.

However, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees said those arriving should be considered asylum seekers or refugees.

A spokesperson said “based on currently available Home Office data, the UN considers a clear majority of those recently arriving to the UK are likely to be refugees.”

Refugees and asylum seekers are not, and should not be described as migrants. Access to asylum should never be contingent on mode of arrival or nationality.

TIRANA, 03 June 2022, (TON): A group of people evacuated from Afghanistan as the Taliban returned to power last year held a protest in Albania over the failure to expedite their move to the United States.

A small group of families in Shengjin, a town located 70 kilometers northwest of Albania’s capital, Tirana, called on the US to speed up the process of their transfer.

Some women and children held posters reading, “We are forgotten.”

Some 2,400 Afghans were evacuated to Albania in August and September 2021 and given temporary shelter in Shengjin and another resort town, Durres.

Non-governmental organizations from United States and other countries provided financial support for accommodating them.

SANAA, 03 June 2022, (TON): According to Yemen News Agency “the United States’ support of peace efforts in Yemen are greatly appreciated, Yemen’s Prime Minister Dr. Ma’een Abdulmalik said.”

His statement came during a meeting with the newly appointed US Ambassador to Yemen Steven Fagin and US envoy to Yemen Timothy Lenderking, in Aden.

According to SABA “the prime minister praised the US administration for supporting the Yemeni government throughout the challenges the country had faced.”

SABA reported “Abdulmalik welcomed Fagin, adding that their respective governments would continue their cooperation to further bolster American-Yemeni relations.”