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Rohingya Crisis: Dhaka seeks role of NAM, ASEAN

MNA Editorial Desk: Permanent Representative of Bangladesh to the United Nations in New York Ambassador Masud Bin Momen has urged the NAM member states, including the ASEAN neighbors of Myanmar, to remain engaged and put in more efforts so that Myanmar authorities do not fail in taking the Rohingyas back. While referring to the oppression against the Palestinian people and violations of international law and international human rights law in the occupied Palestinian territory, he cautioned that mere expression of concerns for the misdeeds in Palestine and other places in the world did not stop these from recurring again. “Therefore, ...

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Govt calls Priya Saha’s allegation ‘blatant lies’

Priya Saha

MNA Editorial Desk: The government today termed as ‘blatant lies’ complaints made by Bangladeshi national Priya Saha to US President Donald Trump claiming that minority communities in the country are exposed to persecution. “Government of Bangladesh Strongly protests against all the blatant lies told by Ms Priya Saha to President Trump and condemns her remarks in the strongest possible terms,” a foreign ministry press release said in Dhaka. Condemning her remarks in strongest language the foreign ministry release said there was an ulterior motive behind Priya Saha’s absolutely false and concocted stories aimed at maligning Bangladesh. The release said that ...

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Rohingya crisis: ICC seeks cooperation to start investigation

ICC

MNA Editorial Desk: The Office of the Prosecutor of International Criminal Court (ICC) on Thursday laid emphasis on “effective, timely and tangible” cooperation from all stakeholders as an authorization for an investigation into alleged crimes against humanity committed against the Rohingya people is still pending. “We hope to engage as quickly as possible,” Deputy Prosecutor James Stewart told reporters at a press conference in a city hotel. He said they will work in strict conformity with the law if they are authorized to do an investigation. “We will do so independently, impartially and objectively; these are principles which guide all ...

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Minny remanded over husband Refat’s murder

Minny

MNA Editorial Desk: Police have been given five days to grill Ayesha Siddika Minny over her involvement in the daylight murder of her husband Refat Shorif in Barguna. Judge Md Sirajul Islam Gazi of Barguna’s Senior Judicial Magistrate Court gave the order on Wednesday, reports bdnews24.com. Police produced Minny before the court and had sought a 7-day remand for questioning, said Barguna Police Inspector Humayun Kabir, investigating officer of the case. Minny was arrested on Tuesday and interrogated at the SP’s office throughout the day as ‘initial evidence’ pointed to her involvement in the much-publicised murder of Refat, according to ...

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Ex-President Ershad laid to eternal rest in Rangpur

Ershad

MNA Editorial Desk: Jatiya Party Chairman and ex-president Hussain Muhammad Ershad was finally laid to eternal rest on Tuesday at Polli Nibash in his hometown Rangpur. The former military strongman who ruled the country for nine years was buried at the grave dug by his party followers at the Litchi Orchard of his Polli Nibash around 5:53 pm as Jatiya Party was forced to revise its decision of burying him at Military Graveyard in the capital due to rigid stance of party followers in Rangpur. Huge army personnel took position around the prepared grave before the burial to maintain discipline ...

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PM asks intl bodies, UN to work inside Myanmar for repatriation

Myanmar

MNA Editorial Desk: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday said international organizations and UN agencies should work inside Myanmar for the return of Rohingyas to their homeland. She also said Myanmar should start the repatriation process to take its nationals back from Bangladesh. The Prime Minister said this when outgoing French Ambassador Marie-Annick BOURDIN met her at her official residence Ganobhaban, reports UNB. PM’s Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim briefed reporters after the meeting. He said the Prime Minister again expressed her firm stance that Myanmar has to take back its over 1 million nationals from Bangladesh. She also said Bangladesh ...

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Former President HM Ershad dies at 90

Ershad

MNA Editorial Desk: Jatiya Party Chairman HM Ershad, who has died today (Sunday) at the age of 90 after having been on life support for the last 10 days, will be laid to eternal rest at the army graveyard in Dhaka city on Tuesday. The burial will follow four funeral prayers in Dhaka and Rangpur, the former military dictator’s hometown. The first namaz-e-janaza for Ershad was held at the Army Central Mosque in Dhaka on Sunday after Zuhr prayers. Later, his mortal remains will be kept at the CMH mortuary for the night. His second namaz-e-janaza will be held at ...

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Water levels in 79 rivers rise alarmingly

Water

MNA Editorial Desk: Water levels at 79 river stations monitored by Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre (FFWC) have marked rises while 11 stations recorded fall. Among the 93 monitored stations, water levels at two river station have been registered steady while water levels at 23 river stations are flowing above danger level, a bulletin issued by the FFWC said on Saturday. All the major rivers are in rising trend, the bulletin said adding, the major rivers in Chattogram, Sylhet and Rangpur division including the Surma, Kushiyara, Kangsha, Feni, Haldha, Matamuhuri, Sangu and Dharala may rise rapidly in next 24 hours. ...

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Myanmar has ‘much more’ to do for safe Rohingya return: Ban Ki-moon

Ki-moon

MNA Editorial Desk: Former UN chief Ban Ki-moon believes Myanmar is not playing the role expected of it in repatriating refugees from Bangladesh to their homeland in order to resolve the Rohingya crisis. Speaking to the media after visiting the Rohingya people at refugee camps in southern Bangladesh district of Cox’s Bazar neighboring Myanmar on Wednesday, he voiced concerns over the ethnic group’s safety back in their country. The former United Nations secretary-general, who is working as chairman of the Global Commission on Adaptation, came to Cox’s Bazar to see the impact of the Rohingya population on the environment of ...

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Ecological balance in Cox’s Bazar under threat for Rohingya presence: PM

balance

MNA Editorial Desk: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday said the environmental balance of Cox’s Bazar is under threat as settlements are being established there for Rohingyas clearing hills and forests. “For this (Rohingya presence) natural equilibrium is being destabilized in that area, settlements are being established in that area clearing forests and hills, as a result those areas are becoming insecure and risky too,” she said. The Prime Minister said this while inaugurating the ‘Dhaka Meeting of the Global Commission on Adaptation’ at Hotel Intercontinental. Mentioning that Bangladesh has given shelter to this huge number of Myanmar nationals on ...

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Rohingya camps, host communities at risk of floods, landslides

camps

MNA Editorial Desk: Thousands of people in Cox’s Bazar Rohingya camps and host communities are facing the risk of flooding and landslides after several days of heavy rain, UNICEF said on Tuesday. Some of the over 4,000 families affected in the camps, have been relocated to safe places. UNICEF has appealed for $152.5 million to support the organisation’s work for Rohingya children and those affected in host communities in 2019. The current funding gap is $68.7 million. The United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund also noted that more than 500,000 Rohingya children are in need of humanitarian assistance. “Conditions in ...

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PM slams US Congressman’s proposal to annex Rakhine with Bangladesh

US

MNA Editorial Desk: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday came down heavily on US Congressman and Chairman of the Asia and Pacific Subcommittee Brad Sherman for his proposal to incorporate Rakhine State of Myanmar into Bangladesh, terming it ‘fulsome and unjust’. “Uttering such words is very much fulsome and unjust,” she said while responding to a question at a press briefing at her official residence Ganobhaban about the outcomes of her recent China visit. The Prime Minister said Bangladesh is happy with its areas of 54,000 square miles or 147,000 square kilometres. “We fully reject the proposal to include other ...

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Dhaka, Beijing agree on speedy Rohingya solution

Rohingya

MNA Editorial Desk: Dhaka and Beijing on Friday agreed on speedy solution to the protracted Rohingya crisis as Chinese President Xi Jinping and Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina held talks in Beijing. “The two leaders have agreed on solving the Rohingya problem fast and said it cannot be kept unresolved,” Foreign Secretary Md Shahidul Haque told reporters after the meeting held at Diaoyuati State Guest House. The foreign secretary said the Chinese president and the Bangladesh prime minister added that two years have passed after the signing of agreements to this effect. “There is no disagreement among us on how ...

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ICC seeks authorization to probe into crimes against Rohingyas

ICC

MNA Editorial Desk: The Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) on Thursday requested its Judges to authorize an investigation into alleged crimes like deportation, other inhumane acts and persecution committed against Rohingyas from Myanmar. As Myanmar is not a State Party to the Rome Statute, but Bangladesh is, it is important to keep in mind that the authorization to investigate, if granted by Judges, would not extend to all crimes potentially committed in Myanmar, but will focus on crimes allegedly committed in part on the territory of Bangladesh, according to the ICC. Investigating deportation will, however, mean taking a ...

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UN investigator reports possible fresh war crimes in Myanmar

Myanmar

MNA Editorial Desk: Myanmar security forces and insurgents are committing human rights violations against civilians in restive western states that may amount to fresh war crimes, a United Nations investigator has said. A 2017 military crackdown drove more than 730,000 Rohingya Muslims to flee to Bangladesh. UN investigators have said that Myanmar’s operation included mass killings, gang rapes and widespread arson and was executed with “genocidal intent”. The Yangon government denies committing those atrocities and says its military campaign across northern Rakhine was in response to attacks by Rohingya militants, Reuters reported. Government troops are currently fighting ethnic rebels in ...

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Govt moves to directly regulate social media after September

regulate

MNA Editorial Desk: No one will be able to use or publish information on social media on a whim as the government will get the ability to directly regulate all contents published on social media after September. Posts and Telecommunication Minister Mustafa Jabbar gave the information while addressing an event on Saturday at Dhaka’s Shilpakala Academy organised by the Awami League to commemorate its 70th founding anniversary, reports bdnews24.com. However, the minister mentioned that the government has no intention to curb a citizen’s freedom of expression and the only aim of the move is to stop the spread of dubious ...

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Rohingyas may pose security threat if not repatriated soon: PM

Rohingyas

MNA Editorial Desk: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday said if the displaced Rohingyas can’t be repatriated soon, the security and stability of Bangladesh may be hampered. “If we can’t send them back soon, there is apprehension that our security and stability will be hampered,” she told Parliament while replying to a tabled question from Awami League lawmaker Nur Mohammad (Kishoreganj-2), reports UNB. “It is very tough matter for us to arrange food, clothes and accommodation for the over 1.1 million Myanmar nationals for an indefinite time.” This is why the government has been making diplomatic efforts to find out ...

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Dhaka seeks Beijing support to convince Myanmar in Rohingya Repatriation

Myanmar

MNA Editorial Desk: Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen on Tuesday sought China’s support to convince Myanmar to start taking back their nationals from Bangladesh at the earliest. The Foreign Minister mentioned that Bangladesh is ready to send back Rohingyas who are in the verified list. He raised the issue when Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Zhang Zuo paid a courtesy call on the Foreign Minister at his office, reports UNB. Bangladesh is now hosting over 1.2 million Rohingyas in Cox’s Bazar district and most of them entered Bangladesh since August 25, 2017 amid military crackdown against them in Rakhine State. ...

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None can destroy Awami League: Sheikh Hasina

destroy

MNA Editorial Desk: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday said no one can destroy Bangladesh Awami League as it is a well-organised political party having numerous achievements during its 70-year history of struggle. “Awami League is one of the well-organised oldest political parties of this subcontinent. No one could tear the party to shreds through hundreds of attacks and won’t be able to do so in the future, Inshallah,” she said. The Prime Minister made the remarks while addressing a discussion arranged by Bangladesh Awami League marking its 70th founding anniversary at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre (BICC) in Dhaka, reports ...

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Bangladesh hosts most Rohingyas from Myanmar: UNHCR

Rohingyas

MNA Editorial Desk: Refugees originating from Myanmar represented the fourth largest population group by country of origin and most Rohingyas from the Southeast Asian nation were hosted by Bangladesh (906,600) at the end of the year 2018, says a global report on Wednesday. However, according to government data, Bangladesh is now hosting over 1.2 million Rohingyas and majority of them came since August 25, 2017, when Myanmar military launched crackdown on the community. The number of people fleeing war, persecution, and conflict exceeded 70 million in 2018 and this is the highest level that UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, has ...

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Rohingya crisis may destabilize region: President to CICA

CICA

MNA Editorial Desk: Stressing the importance of a peaceful solution to Rohingya crisis, President Abdul Hamid on Saturday sought support and cooperation from CICA partners so that the forcibly displaced Myanmar nationals can return to their homeland with safety, security and dignity. “We seek a peaceful solution to the crisis and signed instruments on repatriation with Myanmar. If left unresolved, the crisis can destabilise the entire region,“ he said. The President said this while addressing the 5th Summit of Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) held at Dushanbe, the capital of Tajikistan. “The world knows Bangladesh ...

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Finance Minister to unpack maiden budget today

budget

MNA Editorial Desk: The government releases the budget for fiscal year 2019-20 today (Thursday) setting higher growth target, despite a number of domestic challenges. People familiar with the budget preparation said there will be nothing new in the annual document as it is hardly bringing about any major reform. Finance minister AHM Mustafa Kamal is set to place the fiscal blueprint before Jatiya Sangsad with a record outlay of over Tk 5.23 trillion, up by Tk 590 billion from the original budget size of the outgoing fiscal. The budget, which will be the country’s 48th since independence, aims to give ...

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Mount pressure on Myanmar: Bangladesh to diplomats

Myanmar

MNA Editorial Desk: Bangladesh has urged the international community to ramp up pressure on Myanmar so that it creates a conducive environment for Rohingya repatriation. After briefing diplomats stationed in Dhaka on Wednesday morning, Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen said Bangladesh clarified its position about the matter. “They told us that they’re with us. We told them to increase pressure on Myanmar to create a conducive environment,” he told the media. “Almost all of them agreed to do so.” In the briefing at State Guest House Padma, Momen expressed dissatisfaction over Myanmar’s failure to ensure security and conducive environment ...

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Govt to brief diplomats Wednesday with Rohingya situation in focus

Rohingya

MNA Editorial Desk: The government will brief diplomats stationed in Dhaka on Wednesday on current issues with special focus on the Rohingya one, said an official on Tuesday. Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen, among others, will be present during the diplomatic briefing. Bangladesh is now hosting over 1.2 million Rohingyas and the majority of them has entered Bangladesh since August 25, 2017, according to UNB news agency. Earlier, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) called upon the ad hoc ministerial committee, led by Gambia, to take immediate measures to launch the case of Myanmar’s human rights violations against Rohingyas ...

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UAE accumulates $18.0m fund for Rohingyas

UAE

MNA Editorial Desk: Emirates Red Crescent Authority (ERC) has collected more than US$ 18.0 million fund in a weeklong campaign in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to support livelihood of the Rohingya people sheltered in Bangladesh. The nationwide campaign carried out in May amassed the fund from various platforms including social media and thousands of individuals and charities. The ERC launched the campaign under the directives of its President Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan. The campaign was supported by all the UAE leaders. Shaikh Tahnoun Bin Mohammad Al Nahyan, Abu Dhabi Ruler’s Representative in Al Ain Region, has donated ...

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Foreign tourists to get dedicated spots in Cox’s Bazar: PM Hasina

Cox's Bazar

MNA Editorial Desk: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday said the government has a plan to dedicate some tourist spots in Cox’s Bazar exclusively to foreign tourists. “We’ve a plan to dedicate some tourist spots in Cox’s Bazar exclusively to foreign tourists. If we can do this, the tourism sector will flourish,” she said. Sheikh Hasina came up with the statement while speaking at a press conference at her official residence Ganabhaban about the outcome of her recent tri-nation visit to Japan, Saudi Arabia and Finland, report UNB and bdnews24.com. Turning to Cox’s Bazar Airport, she said, “We’ve taken steps ...

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UK to work for sustainable resolution to situation in Rakhine

UK

MNA Editorial Desk: The United Kingdom (UK) said that it will continue working for a sustainable resolution to the situation in Rakhine to end the Rohingya crisis, with a countrywide focus on freedom of expression and preventing sexual violence in conflict. The Rohingya minority continued to fear for their safety, lacking protection against vigilante attacks and theft of property and fled to Bangladesh at an average rate of 1,733 per month, according to theFCO 2018 Annual Human Rights and Democracy Report (AHRR). The UNHCR estimated that the Rohingya population in Bangladesh increased by a further 14,649 during the period between January ...

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