RIYADH, 11 November 2022, (TON): Saudi Arabia on Thursday condemned the Houthis for targeting civilian and vital facilities in Yemen after the militia launched an attack on Qena port in Shabwa.

Yemen’s foreign ministry said in a statement “the Houthis launched a drone attack on the southern port.”

The Kingdom’s foreign ministry stressed its firm and supportive position on everything that guarantees the security and stability of Yemen, alleviates the suffering of its people, and achieves their aspirations.

The ministry also affirmed the Kingdom’s support for international and UN efforts aimed at extending the truce in Yemen to reach a comprehensive political solution to the crisis.

DHAKA, 11 November 2022, (TON): Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen has invited Brazilian investors to invest in Bangladesh's energy, infrastructure and ICT sectors.

He added “Bangladesh and Brazil have so many similarities, but the trade volume is still to grow more.”

A press release said “Momen made the call when the newly appointed Brazilian envoy to Dhaka Paulo Fernando Dias Feres called on the foreign minister at the foreign ministry.”

During the meeting Momen also congratulated the newly elected Brazilian President Luiz Inacio ‘Lula' da Silva for his remarkable victory and invited him to visit Bangladesh next year at a mutually convenient time.

DHAKA, 11 November 2022, (TON): The vital United Nations climate talks, billed as one of the last chances to stave off climate breakdown, are taking place from November 6-18 in Egypt's Sharm El Sheikh amid a multitude of competing crises, including the war in Ukraine, high inflation, food shortages and an energy crunch.

Negotiators are spending frantic days discussing whether to formally consider the issue of loss and damage, or reparations, to vulnerable nations suffering from climate change, and the issues, which weighed on the talks for years.

For Bangladesh, climate finance is one of the major topics to be broached at the 27th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.

DHAKA, 11 November 2022, (TON): Bangladesh Ambassador to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Permanent Representative to the Organization of Islamic Cooperation Mohammad Javed Patwari has sought the help of OIC member states to continue the Rohingya genocide case lodged by Gambia at the International Court of Justice.

Javed sought the help at the ad-hoc meeting of OIC ministers on Myanmar's accountability for violating human rights of Rohingyas, held in Jeddah.

Javed said “Bangladesh has already provided $0.5 million to the volunteer fund to continue the Rohingya genocide case at ICJ and is about to provide $0.2 million more in the coming days. Besides, we've built new infrastructure at Bhasan Char for the Rohingya people at a cost of $350 million, which has been allocated from our own fund.”

By Ali Hassan

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), under the leadership of Begum Khaleda Zia who has served the country as a Prime Minister for three times in the history of Bangladesh. Bangladesh, under the leadership of Begum Khaleda Zia, who has remained very loyal to the state and the people of Bangladesh, went under so many developments such as economic welfare, educational reforms, democratization of the state and many other crucial developments. The core principles of the party always reflected as democracy, full confidence and faith in Almighty Allah, nationalism and socialism by centralization of the values of social and economic justice.

The last tenure of BNP’s party leader Begum Khaleda Zia has marked the period of achievements. The democratic rights and the values of Islam were being practiced by the people of Bangladesh. Begum Khaleda Zia never compromised on the sovereignty of the state and democratic rights of Bangladesh in international relations as well. She always prioritized Islam and Islamic values in the state and never supported anti-Islamic values by any agenda either it belonged to domestic or foreign entities throughout her period in the government.

 Though the elections of 2014 and 2018 remained controversial and BNP instead of being appreciated has to go through different difficult situations and still some have not ended yet. But despite this all, BNP supporters and party worker under the leadership of Begum Khaelda Zia as a chairperson of the party are struggling hard for the forthcoming elections in coming year 2023 to unite Bangladesh under single platform and make Bangladesh to progress by leaps and bounds.

Moreover, BNP’s supporters and party workers are also organizing peaceful rallies and protest throughout the state to spread awareness and awakening the people of Bangladesh and to secure its basic principle and codes of conduct set by the father of nation, Bangabandu, Shiekh Mujib Ur Rehman. But hurdles are being created by the ruling party AL as the vice-chairman of main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party, AZM Zahid Hossain reported police of harassing party members and their families ahead of their anti-government rally in Faridpur, scheduled to be held on Saturday 12^th Nov, 2022. In addition, the police filed a case against about 100 leaders and activists of Bangladesh Nationalist Party, naming 19, for the clash between police and they party supporters that left about 30 people injured. But to strengthen the party sentiments he further explained that BNP activists and leaders would defy all the obstacles, including a politically motivated transport strike, allegedly influenced by the government.

Likewise in collaboration with other parties in Bangladesh, BNP alleged that the proposed loan which the Awami League government was going to take from the International Monitory Fund would increase the sufferings of the common people of the country  as IMF would give some conditions to withdraw subsides in the food, energy, education and health sectors of Bangladesh. Further, visualized the government to take immediate steps to stop corruption in the service sectors and drop the mega projects for the development of the country.

BNP is not only conducting rallies and protests in the countrywide but it is also busy in conducting foreign meetings as an influential party. The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir held a one-and-a-half-hour closed-door meeting with Swedish ambassador briefed three foreign diplomats about the present political situation in the country. Beside all these political activities, BNP never forgot ancestors who always stood by with the nation and country and devoted their lives for the state and nation. Bangladesh Nationalist Party leaders and activists paid homage to their party founder and late president Ziaur Rahman marking what they said the National Revolution and Solidarity Day. BNP and its alliance partners celebrate November 7 as the National Revolution and Solidarity Day, the ruling Awami League and its front organizations consider it as the day of killing of freedom fighters.

The political activities in Bangladesh are at their peak as the forthcoming elections are approaching near in which the future of Bangladesh greatly dependent. As the Bangladesh is heading towards serious issues in coming future and only the loyal and sate centric government can save the state as well as nation from future calamities and fatal crises. The foreign policy of Bangladesh is needed to be amended and reformed by pointing out the friends who are actually not, but for the self interests.

By Saneem Afshain

On November 8th, 2022, the Bhutan National Assembly (NA) approved Gyalsung Bill Kingdom of Bhutan 2022 unanimously after thorough deliberation. National Service Program, Gyalsung program will start in 2024. Gyalsung training program will be a one-year unified training program mandatory for all youths reaching the age of 18 and if in school  upon achievement of grade twelve.

The one-year training will include three months of basic military training followed by nine months of specialized training in various fields ranging from home construction technologies, computing, and entrepreneurship to concentrate development of skills in agriculture. The National Service is also a Fundamental Duty required of all Bhutanese citizens as enshrined in Article 8.1 of the Constitution of the Kingdom of Bhutan.

The National Service comprises three phases National Service (NS) Cadets who should undergo a one-year integrated training program where there will be three months of Basic Military Training followed by specialized skills training in various areas. National Service Duty (NS Duty) is the second phase. Gyalsups may be called for both Mandatory Duty and Voluntary Duty until the age of 35 years.

In the third phase of National Service Reserve, upon achievement of NS Duty, NS personnel should remain as reservists until they reach the age of 45 years at which point they complete the National Service obligations. Thereafter, they may volunteer to join De-Suung.

A seven-member council will oversee the programme including the home secretary and the Gyalsung headquarters secretary who will serve for the tenancy of their office. The other members will serve for five years. The governing council will form the Gyalsung academies headed by commandants deputed from the Royal Bhutan Armed Forces to instruct basic military training and other specialized training.

The Royal Government shall provide a budget as annual funding to finance the administration and operations of the Gyalsung Headquarters and Gyalsung Academies,” the Bill states. The Bill also states that a person who fails to register for Gyalsung Training upon receiving the notice will be liable for an offence and be fined the daily national minimum wage rate for up to a maximum of 90 days.

According to the Bill a person who escapes Gyalsung Training commits an offence and will be accountable upon conviction for a crime of the fourth degree as per the Penal Code of Bhutan.  Although few National Assembly members sought clarifications on some sections and clauses, the Bill was passed quickly with all the 45 members present voting yes.

Exercising the Royal privilege enshrined in the Article 2 of the Constitution, His Majesty issued a Royal Kasho asking the Speaker of the National Assembly and the Chairperson of the National Council to introduce the Gyalsung Bill in the Parliament. Speaker read the Kasho to the House before the presentation and discussions on the Bill started. Leader of the National Service Core Working Group that drafted the Bill, who introduced the Bill to the House.

Interestingly, the eligibility criteria may rule out some individuals from participating in the program. “A child serving sentence for an offence punishable with third-degree felony and above and, who is serving sentence for an offence punishable with fourth-degree felony for being a criminal and habitual offender are ineligible.

It may be ideal, if every Bhutanese attaining 18 could participate regardless of their criminal background. The opportunity could definitely change their mentality and become an improved citizen.  The person may be considered ineligible if the board or the medical doctors establish him or her mentally incompetent.

Leader of the National Service Core Working Group said that every year, there will be around 13,000 children qualified for the program based on their evaluations. There will not be many who would be unqualified. He said that going by the data from the judiciary, only three children below 18 are given third- and fourth-degree felony. The number might increase in the future but we don’t have many at the moment.

Leader of the National Service Core Working Group also explained that if the person has ended serving the prison term before attaining 18 years, he or she will be given the chance. However, if the person is still serving prison during the time they attain 18 years they the person will not be eligible.

These ineligibility criteria could also serve as deterrents to bad behavior among the children since they could instil fear in themselves on losing the opportunity,” he said even if the person misses the Gyalsung because of the fact they were in prison, they can always join programs like De-Suung after they complete serving their prison terms.

The disqualification criteria in fact benefit the children by securing them from other possible disqualifications. However, the offence of fourth-degree offence to the person who evades or deserts Gyalsung program commits an offence is too harsh. Some MPs said the fourth-degree felony could deter people from evading the program. “If the offence is a misdemeanor, rich people can pay in lieu and not take part in the program. This will widen the gap between the rich and the poor. The bill can bring positive changes in Bhutan society, if used properly.  The credit for initiating the Gyalsung Bill and instituting the program goes to his majesty the King of Bhutan.

By S. Sultan

Recently, some months, Bangladeshi opposition parties, especially the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), are holding demonstrations throughout the country against the government. As Bangladesh has experiencing political instability and consistent general strikes, as the ruling Bangladesh Awami League (BAL) which has also started cracked down on public demonstrations by opposition parties in recent months.

The presence of opposition on the street with hundreds of thousands joining opposition rallies symbols a change in the country’s political land mark. In response to the demonstrations, the BAL has arranged transport strikes to prevent citizens from joining the anti-government demonstrations. The incumbent reportedly attacked rally participants and recently imposed limitations on the flow of information and movement.

Bangladesh’s rising economic crisis has contributed to the growing political discontent and intensification of these anti-government demonstrations.  The upsurge in public demonstrations reflects the increased anger about the BAL’s despotic style of governance and fears about how it may handle the upcoming general elections. The mounting face-off between the government and the opposition is expected to lead to heightened ferocity in the coming months, further persecution of opponents by the government, and the potential fading of the ruling party’s grip over the deteriorating economic condition.

The worsening economic crisis may create a large pool of dissatisfied citizens who may come to streets to register their protests, while the ruling party will try to keep the situation under its control by all ways and means. Bangladesh is facing a rising financial crisis, which has raised the political dissent. The recent protests began after the government announced price rise to the fuel and energy sectors in August, snowballing overnight fuel prices by more than 50 percent.

The unparalleled hike came on the heels of growing costs of essentials. Despite recurrent pledges from international organizations and local experts that the country is not in an economic crisis, the failure in foreign exchange reserves, a descending trend of payments, and a trade deficit indicate hard times ahead is highly visible. Inflation has reached its highest in decades. According to a World Bank report, Bangladesh has experienced the highest price rise of basics commodities in South Asian countries.

Progressing blackouts have reached to an unprecedented level, as government offices, banks, and even schools are now required to close and reduce hours to save energy. Power outages have increased after a national grid failure in early October, which left 80 percent of the country in the darkness for hours. Fuel shortages render Bangladesh’s power plants impracticable, causing severe load-shedding disrupting industrial production, and price hikes of daily necessities and wage cuts. The recent past is a clear evident of economic misconduct, cronyism, and unmaintainable infrastructure in Bangladesh history.

The rising protests have challenged the BAL’s control over the management and politics, which has been consolidated over the past decade. Elections in 2014 and 2018, described by international media and observers as highly engineered, delivered unprecedented victories to BAL’s , who now holds power for the third consecutive term since 2009. Human rights groups have documented the increasing incidences of human rights defilements under the incumbent PM administration since 2009, such as extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances.

The outgoing Chief of the UN Human Rights Council raised concerns during her visit to Bangladesh in August 2022. The United States Treasury enacted sanctions on the elite police force called the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and seven of its current and former officers in December 2021. The Bangladesh government’s response to these concerns has consisted of annoying families of the victims, targeting families of expat critics, silencing human rights organizations, and pleasing alleged rights violators.

Since the beginning of these demonstrations, the government has intensified persecuting opposition activists and critics such as in July and August, offices and houses of opposition leaders were raided, several activists died, and thousands have been arrested. Nevertheless, the demonstrations have still gained strength, as revealed in the size of the recent gatherings.

The Bangladeshi government recently procured technology that will intercept encrypted messages in the popular messaging service called Telegram, adding to its existing sophisticated surveillance capacity. The government has also declared 29 government institutions as Critical Information Infrastructure (CII), and deemed access to these punishable offenses under the draconian Digital Security Act (DSA). The DSA, which came into effect in October 2018, has been used by the government and its supporters to suppress dissent. The government has accused at least 2,889 persons under the law until August 2022.

There are serious concerns about what the next election will be held and the ability of Bangladeshi citizens to cast their votes freely. The actions of the Election Commission (EC), which is responsible for holding elections, have indicated that its capability to organize free and inclusive elections might be in query. Appointed in February 2022, the new Election Commission (EC) has yet to gain the trust of voters or opposition political parties.

During elections in the northern district of Gaibandha on October 12, the EC halted voting due to “wrongdoings” after ruling party candidates captured almost all the polling stations. However, the EC didn’t take safeguards to stop obvious rigging, failed to deter the ruling party supporters on the day of voting and the local administration didn’t act neutrally. A fair and inclusive election in Bangladesh is unlikely unless the government makes reforms to ensure a level playing field.

The EC has decided to introduce Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) in half of the 300 parliamentary constituencies after the Prime Minister suggested that EVMs will be fully available by the next election cycle. Though civil society organizations and a majority of opposition political parties have objected using EVMs, the EC paid little care to their concerns. Taka 8,711 crore (approximately US$ 870 million) has been allocated to buy EVMs, which do not have a voter-verifiable paper audit trail (VVPAT) system.

Opposition parties have also insisted that they will not join the election under the government led by The Current PM but the BAL is in no mood to agree the demand. Support for holding elections under a neutral government has grown among citizens after the 2018 election due to the lack of impartiality of civil administration, the Election Commission (EC), and law enforcement agencies.

The situation is no different this time also, as the law enforcing agencies continue to act in favor of the BAL. The government’s recent decision to send a high-ranking civil servant and three police officials into “forced retirement” to sway both administration and police I the upcoming election. A fair and comprehensive election in Bangladesh is unlikely unless the government makes reforms to ensure a level impartially.

Growing discontent with the economy and frustrations about authoritarian governance are also pushing the citizens at the brink of collapse. While the incumbent government seems to confront the opposition with force, which means more crackdowns on the opposition and the suppression of dissenting voices in the coming months. All these trends shows a volatile future for Bangladeshi politics amid economic woes increase and ordinary people continue to economically suffer heavily.

RIYADH, 10 November 2022, (TON): The interior ministers of Gulf Cooperation Council countries held their 39th meeting at the headquarters of the General Secretariat of the GCC in Riyadh.

The meeting was led by Saudi Interior Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Naif in the presence of GCC Secretary-General Nayef Falah Al-Hajraf with the participation of the ministers from UAE, Bahrain, Oman, Kuwait and Qatar.

Prince Abdulaziz conveyed the greetings of King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and their wishes for the meeting’s success.

He wished Qatar success for the football World Cup, and congratulated Sheikh Talal Khaled Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah for his appointment as first deputy prime minister and minister of interior of Kuwait.

LONDON, 10 November 2022, (TON): Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu ordered his troops to withdraw from the occupied Ukrainian city of Kherson and take up defensive lines on the opposite bank of the River Dnipro.

The announcement marked one of Russia’s most significant retreats and a potential turning point in the war, now nearing the end of its ninth month.

In televised comments, General Sergei Surovikin, in overall command of the war, said it was no longer possible to keep Kherson city supplied.

Surovikin said “we will save the lives of our soldiers and fighting capacity of our units. Keeping them on the right bank is futile. Some of them can be used on other fronts.”

WASHINGTON, 10 November 2022, (TON): US President Joe Biden on Wednesday hailed a good day for democracy after a surprisingly strong performance in midterm elections with Republicans inching toward a slim majority in only one chamber of Congress.

Biden acknowledged voters’ frustration but said the overwhelming majority of Americans supported his economic agenda after election in which Republicans hammered him over stubbornly high inflation and some questioned the legitimacy of his election two years ago.

Biden told “it was a good day I think for democracy. And I think it was a good day for America.”

“While the press and the pundits were predicting a giant red wave, it didn’t happen.”