DHAKA, 06 March 2022, (TON): Information and Broadcasting Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud said “Bangladesh abstained from voting in the United Nations for strategic reasons and India also abstained from voting.”

He posed a question “Will the BNP secretary general, who messed giving opinions on all issues, answer why India abstained to vote in the United Nations?”

The minister told reporters replying to the queries over Mirza Fakhrul's comments on Russia issue in the UN. Earlier, he addressed the 15th International Children Film Festival virtually at Film Archive hall virtually at Agargaon in the capital.

State Minister for Information and Communication Technology Zunaid Ahmed Palak addressed the inaugural function as special guest.

Hasan said “many countries including Bangladesh abstained from voting in the UN at different times. Currently, many countries including India abstained to vote on the proposal.”

He said "our foreign policy is friendship to all and we are obviously against any conflict. We want peace in the world. Bangladesh abstained from voting in the UN for strategic reasons. And India also abstained from voting."

KABUL, 06 March 2022, (TON): More than 410,000 Chinese netizens have signed a joint letter by China’s Global Times newspaper urging the United States to return assets in full to Afghans immediately and unconditionally.

This comes after US President Joe Biden moved to divert $7 billion in frozen Afghan assets for humanitarian assistance and to the families of 9/11 victims.

China has repeatedly slammed US over its actions on the Afghan assets.

China’s UN envoy, Zhang Jun, said at a UN Security Council “returning other people’s money in full is not a virtue of generosity, but a matter of course. Paying back half and deducting half of other people’s money is not gifting, but stealing.”

Zhang said “this is the simplest truth. What the US did is neither legal nor reasonable nor humane.”

He called on the relevant countries to immediately and unconditionally return these assets to Afghans in full.

Zhang said “the diplomat said that the US’ act is a breach of Afghanistan’s national sovereignty and property, and is a serious contravention of international law. Afghanistan is at a crucial stage of reconstruction, which is working hard to improve its political structure, restore order in production and life, and actively conduct foreign exchanges and cooperation.”

KABUL, 06 March 2022, (TON): The International Rescue Committee urged the international community to not neglect the situation in Afghanistan as the world’s attention shifts to the conflict and displacement in Ukraine.

Sending out a press release, the IRC said it welcomes the recent moves by the US to issue a general license and the scaling up of humanitarian support to Afghanistan by international partners.

It said “the international community should seize this window of opportunity in Afghanistan to prevent famine, save lives, and put an end to the horrific conditions facing women and girls.”

On March 1st, the World Bank’s executive board approved a plan to use more than $1 billion from Afghanistan’s Trust Fund to finance urgently needed education, agriculture and family programs.

The US Treasury Department also recently announced a general license that allows commercial activities in Afghanistan, even with the Afghan governing institutions.

“We applaud the recent good work done by the US and other donor governments to alleviate the suffering in Afghanistan. Specifically, the World Bank board’s decision to provide $1 billion from the Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund to UN agencies and aid organizations operating in the country,” IRC’s Vice President of Policy and Advocacy Amanda Catanzano said. According to IRC, currently nine million Afghans live on the brink of famine, urging for the immediate distribution of the new funds for the vulnerable Afghans as well as paying the salaries of civil servants.

DHAKA, 06 March 2022, (TON): Foreign Minister Dr A K Abdul Momen said “28 stranded sailors of the Bangladeshi ship named 'Banglar Samriddhi' have been safely evacuated to Romania from war torn Ukraine.”

He told reporters after a programme at Jatiya Press Club here "we evacuated our 28 stranded Bangladeshi sailors to Romania and they will return home soon.”

In a reply about the Indian government's collaboration on the evacuation process of Bangladeshi nationals, the foreign minister said "we are continuously discussing with the Indian government and they (India) are helping us to evacuate our people from the war zone."

The ship stranded at a Ukrainian port came under a missile attack on Wednesday leaving one Bangladeshi sailor dead.

DHAKA, 06 March 2022, (TON): Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is scheduled to leave for the United Arab Emirates on a four-day bilateral visit as the two countries eye to elevate their ties to a comprehensive partnership with deeper political engagement.

Sheikh Hasina will visit the UAE at the invitation of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, ruler of Dubai and vice-president of the UAE. 

Officials said “trade, commerce, investment, manpower and cooperation in other potential areas will be discussed during the visit.”

Bangladesh and the UAE already reviewed their relations, especially ahead of Sheikh Hasina's visit to the Gulf country.

NEW DELHI, 06 March 2022, (TON): Ministery of External Affairs said “around 13,300 people returned to India from Ukraine so far by 63 flights under Operation Ganga.”

He added that 15 flights have landed in the last 24 hours carrying around 2,900 onboard.

In a daily briefing, the MEA official spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said "15 flights have landed in the last 24 hours with around 2,900 onboard. Approximately 13,300 people returned to India so far by 63 flights under Operation Ganga. 13 flights scheduled for the next 24 hours."

He noted that over 21,000 people have left Ukraine.

Ms Bagchi also said that almost all Indians have left Kharkiv city of Ukraine and the main focus of the government is to evacuate citizens from Sumy where Indian students are stuck right now.

In special briefing MEA Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said "from Pisochyn and Kharkiv, we should be able to clear out everyone in the next few hours, so far I know almost all Indians have left Kharkiv. The main focus is on Sumy now, the challenge remains ongoing violence and lack of transportation and the best option would be a ceasefire."

NEW DELHI, 06 March 2022, (TON): Russian Ambassador to India, Denis Alipov said “Moscow has welcomed the independent foreign policy of India.

Touching upon the relations with India, Alipov said "Prime Minister and the Indian leadership meet the consistent independent policy of the state in international affairs.”

He said “we have repeatedly stated that we have welcomed the independent foreign policy of India and strengthening of its role and its influence in the international arena. We never put any pressure on India and do not set any conditions. The Indians are now under severe pressure from the United States. I think this is a wrong and useless way."

The Russian envoy hailed the Indian foreign policy stand on the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict.

Commenting on India-Russia ties, Alipov says "India's interests are in the first place. The interest of the two countries is of strategic nature. Our relations are developing in the interest of two countries."

On the issue of financial ties between both the countries, the envoy said "there is a working bilateral mechanism for mutual settlements in national currencies. Then there will be no obstacles in this area as well. From this side, it also makes sense for India to take a closer look for cooperation with Russia."

Talking about the evacuation of Indians from Ukraine and Russia's cooperation on the same, Alipov said, the task is to provide conditions for the safe evacuation of Indians through the territory of the Russian Federation.

WASHINGTON, 05 March 2022, (TON): Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken spoke with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba.

They discussed the remarkable resolve and actions taken by nations around the world to support the Government of Ukraine and the Ukrainian people in the face of Putin’s war against Ukraine.

They also discussed additional security, economic, and humanitarian support needs.

The Secretary extended condolences on behalf of the United States to those killed as a result of Russia’s aggression, by land, sea, and air, and made clear that the Russian government and its enablers will be held to account.

WASHINGTON, 05 March 2022, (TON): Its embassy in Havana said ‘the United States consulate, closed since 2017, will resume limited issuing of visas.”

Timothy Zuniga-Brown, the charge d’affaires at the US diplomatic mission in Havana said “the consulate “will begin the limited resumption of some immigrant visa services, as part of a gradual expansion of the embassy’s functions.”

The US reduced its mission to the bare minimum in September 2017, when then-US president Donald Trump accused Havana of carrying out “sonic attacks” against embassy staff in 2016 and 2017.

Staff there and their families had suffered from mystery illnesses.

Similar incidences later occurred at other embassies around the world.

MOSCOW, 05 March 2022, (TON): The Kremlin on Friday called on Russians to rally around President Vladimir Putin, more than one week after Moscow launched an invasion of Ukraine.

“Now is not the time to be divided,” the Kremlin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters, responding to a question on pleas from public figures to end the war.

He said “now is the time to unite, to unite around our president.”

Since Russia sent ground troops into Ukraine last week following a plea from separatist leaders, Russian public figures have been divided on the operation.

Peskov said “Yes, indeed, there are heated debates among cultural figures.”

He added “many support the president, sincerely the president. There are those who completely misunderstand the essence of what is happening.”

A number of prominent Russians are echoing a chorus of global celebrities condemning Moscow’s war on Ukraine, with some already beginning to suffer the consequences for defying the Kremlin line.