BRUSSELS, 02 Septmeber 2022, (TON): The EU welcomes the release of the assessment report of human rights concerns in China’s Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.

According to the report “the report by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights underscores the serious human rights violations occurring in Xinjiang, which, may constitute international crimes, in particular crimes against humanity.”

The report in particular refers to the existence of a large network of political re-education camps, mass arbitrary detentions, widespread surveillance, tracking and control measures, systemic and severe restrictions on the exercise of fundamental freedoms, including freedom of religion or belief.

By R. Hassan, TON Bangladesh

Bangladesh wants to gain a position in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) with seven potential products, including food and beverage, attire, and leather, products which are now obtained from the global market for $35 billion annually. Clay, pharmaceutical, and plastics also have good demand in this gulf market.

Keeping this objective in mind, Dhaka wants to display its capacity through the first ever "Trade and Investment Fair-2022" in Riyadh to be held during 6-8 October this year. Bangladesh wants to get a foothold in this upcoming mega event

The Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) of Saudi Arabia has a strategy to discover new export markets by organizing a single-country expo is to decrease need on US and EU markets. Likewise, the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) is looking for new markets; as part of its endeavor, it aims to organize expos in China, Japan and Korea next year to enhance the country's shares in those destinations and reach the $100 billion apparel shipment in future.

According to the International Trade Centre (ITC) data, Saudi Arabia's imports stood at $152.34 billion in 2021. China is the KSA's largest export source, $31.07 billion, followed by the USA, UAE, India and Germany.

On the other hand, Bangladesh exported only $290 million in FY2022, of which attire shipments amount of $144million. Saudi Arabia is the country's 24th largest export partner out of 202 destinations, while the country is also the 26th largest destination for attire shipments.

However, EPB of Bangladesh data does not indicates the real amount of exports to KSA. A good amount of export is conducted informally through individual initiative as cargo or baggage, something that also carries a risk of non-payments for goods. The Bangladesh companies are planned to join the KSA expo to explore the untouched market potential in gulf.

Presently, Bangladeshi attire makers are trading via some Bangladeshi sellers based in KSA and most of them deceive their exporters in most cases. The attire makers have no option as they trade informally. This expo would open up a new window of channel to do business with Saudi retailers directly.

The expo potential will also explore the market in the region besides Saudi Arabia as it is also the epicenter of the Gulf countries. Saudi Arabia has been obtaining most of their apparel items from China, India, Turkey and other countries. The participation of Bangladesh is highly “significant” in this market being the second-largest apparel exporter globally.

A huge opportunity in this market is still untapped owing to an absence of government plan in the past. It will be a big market for other export items, such as home textile, agricultural products, leather goods, jute and ceramics.

The government inventiveness will help to clutch at least $5 -$6 billion market share. The Arabian traditional dresses are also high in value products. Bangladesh has good export growth in Asian countries as our substitute markets. To find new buyers and boost earnings from those potential markets, Bangladesh is also going to participate in an expo in Dubai in November this year.

The Bangladesh marketing Groups, are the largest agro-based products exporter and are having a decent business in gulf countries, mostly in Saudi Arabia, KSA, UAE, Qatar and Lebanon and other gulf countries through their own retailers. The gulf countries account for about 30% of their total exports, which also have double-digit development each year.

Despite good diplomatic relations with Gulf countries, Bangladesh is missing out on the $10 billion untapped attire market owing to a lack of inventiveness on parts of the government and the private sector. The Gulf Cooperation Council is a political and economic union of Arab states, including the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman, Kuwait and Bahrain.

According to the International Trade Centre data, in 2020, the UAE obtained about $4.40 billion worth of apparel items from worldwide markets. The numbers for other countries there were: Saudi Arabia $3.01 billion, Kuwait $1.13 billion, Qatar $660 million, Oman $608 million and Bahrain $274 million.

Bangladesh now exports only $367.49 million worth of goods to this region, according to Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) data. However, the country can supply about 5% of the annual demand of the UAE, around 4% of Saudi Arabia's and less than 1% of the rest. Bangladeshi apparel exporters have a big potential in the Gulf and Middle East markets that have remained untapped for a long time owing to a lack of initiatives. Bangladesh is planning to explore those markets in future to boost the national economy.

NEW DELHI, 02 Septmeber 2022, (TON): India's defence ministry said “soldiers from the Indian army have landed in Russia for a week-long military exercise, days after the United States said it had concerns about any country exercising with Russia now.”

The Indian government said that its forces have regularly participated in multilateral exercises in Russia, along with a number of other countries.

Indian defence ministry said in a statement “Russia is the biggest supplier of military hardware to India. An Indian Army contingent arrived at the exercise location and over the next seven days will undertake joint manoeuvres to include joint field training exercises, combat discussions, and firepower exercises.”

Moscow announced in late July that it would hold the "Vostok" exercise in the east of the country, despite waging a six-month-long war in Ukraine, where it has suffered heavy losses of personnel and equipment. China, Belarus, Mongolia and Tajikistan are the other participants.”

DHAKA, 02 Septmeber 2022, (TON): Foreign minister AK Abdul Momen said “Bangladesh government had warned Myanmar and the Myanmar side assured that they would remain more careful.”

He made the remarks when his comment was sought about Myanmar’s mortar shells that landed in Bangladesh.

Earlier, he spoke at a programme paying respect to former prime minister of Japan Shinzo Abe at Nawab Ali Chowdhury Senate building of Dhaka University.

Foreign ministry summoned Myanmar ambassador in Bangladesh Aung Kyaw Moe and lodged a strong protest against Myanmar’s mortar shells inside Bangladesh territory a day earlier.

DHAKA, 02 Septmeber 2022, (TON): Sri Lankan High Commissioner to Bangladesh Sudharshan Seneviratne has said Sri Lanka is ready to welcome tourists from Bangladesh and other parts of the world.

He added “the government has taken necessary measures to give people back their confidence.”

He told reports at a media briefing "what we are projecting now is about confidence. This is a very important thing. We are also looking at enhancing our economic status by proper management.”

Seneviratne said “Sri Lanka’s stock market and exports are doing far better, and there is progress in other areas that give a picture of confidence to people to come and visit Sri Lanka.”

DHAKA, 02 Septmeber 2022, (TON): The Indian Ministry of External Affairs formally announced Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s upcoming India visit that will take place from September 5-8.

MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said “I am happy to announce the visit of Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to India. It will be a state visit from September 5-8 this year.”

Speaking at the weekly media briefing, he said that during the visit Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will pay a call on President of India Droupadi Murmu and Vice President Jagdeep Dhankar, and she will hold bilateral consultations with Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi.

DHAKA, 02 Septmeber 2022, (TON): State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md Shahriar Alam said “Bangladesh remains better prepared so that nobody can enter Bangladesh from Myanmar afresh due to the deteriorated situation in Rakhine State.”

He told reporters "our agencies are better prepared. BGB has been instructed to remain vigilant.”

Shahriar, said “they do not see any exodus like in 2016 and 2017 though some people fear that the rest of the Rohingyas will get into Bangladesh amid the worsening situation on the Myanmar side.”

He stated “what is happening in Myanmar is an internal matter of Myanmar.”

Shahriar said “they are giving utmost importance to keep the border secure and ensure no impact inside Bangladesh due to the situation in the Rakhine state.”

DHAKA, 02 Septmeber 2022, (TON): Korean ambassador to Bangladesh Lee Jang-keun said “Korea was working with the international community to resolve Rohingya crisis besides supporting Bangladesh hosting around 1.1 million forcefully displaced people from Rakhine state in Myanmar.”

He said “the ultimate solution to the crisis was a voluntary and dignified return of Rohingyas to their homes in Myanmar.”

Korean diplomat said “it is not an issue of Bangladesh alone. It’s a regional and international issue. Korea is working with international community to resolve the Rohingya crisis.”

He said “the Government of the Republic of Korea had already decided to provide 3.2 million US dollars in 2022 to support humanitarian assistance for Rohingya refugees and their host communities in Bangladesh.”

WASHINGTON, 01 September 2022, (TON): The White House said “US President Joe Biden held a call with Iraq’s caretaker prime minister, Mustafa Al-Kadhimi, after violence this week in Baghdad.”

White House said in a statement “the President commended Prime Minister Kadhimi’s personal leadership during escalating tensions and violence over a 24-hour period earlier this week.”

Baghdad saw its worst fighting for years this week as rival Shiite Muslim groups battled in the capital after powerful cleric Moqtada Al-Sadr announced he was leaving politics.

Sadr said his decision was prompted by the failure of other Shiite leaders and parties to reform Iraq’s governing system.

GENEVA, 01 September 2022, (TON): UN human rights office said “China’s discriminatory detention of Uyghurs and other mostly Muslim ethnic groups in the western region of Xinjiang may constitute crimes against humanity.”

The report calls for an urgent international response over allegations of torture and other rights violations in Beijing’s campaign to root out terrorism.

UN human rights chief Michelle Bachelet brushed aside Chinaese calls for office to withhold the report, which follows her own trip to Xinjiang in May and which Beijing’s contends is part of a Western campaign to smear China’s reputation.

The report has fanned a tug-of-war for diplomatic influence with the West over the rights of the region’s native Uyghurs and other predominantly Muslim ethnic groups.