Porimol Palma

The exclusion of Bangladesh from US President Joe Biden’s Summit for Democracy has triggered surprise, questions and caution among foreign relations analysts, especially as there is no clear explanation given though Washington considers Dhaka its strategic ally in the Asia-Pacific.

Adoption of a resolution on the Rohingya by consensus at the UN has created momentum towards resolving the Rohingya crisis, and Dhaka now needs to amplify diplomatic efforts towards a sustainable Rohingya solution, said analysts.

Realising the growing importance of economy and security, the US is moving away from its old idea of Bangladesh and is looking to chart the next 50 years of relationship between the two countries in a new way, a top US official has said.

Bangladesh wants to develop political and trade relations with France while the latter is keen to improve defence cooperation with Dhaka.

Bangladesh will buy five naval ships from the UK to modernise the armed forces as part of the Forces Goal 2030 as the country aspires to become a developed nation by 2041.

Scepticism grows among policymakers and foreign relations analysts over Bangladesh-Afghan relationship under the Taliban, which have formed an interim government with the hardliners despite their promise of an inclusive cabinet.

Bangladesh and UK will hold a two-day strategic dialogue beginning today. It will cover political, diplomatic, trade and development relationship between the two countries in the post-Brexit era.

Coming out of past diplomatic rows, Bangladesh and Turkey are deepening relations as the latter seeks to regain its position in the Muslim world, while Dhaka looks for strong allies on the global stage to resolve the Rohingya crisis and boost trade, analysts have said.

The evacuation process of the six Bangladeshi engineers from Kabul could only be described as a nightmare in which they saw horrific events, including bomb blasts and killings.

As international funding for the Rohingyas declines, Bangladesh faces increasing challenges to manage the displaced people amid little prospect of repatriation anytime soon.

Rohingya repatriation has become even more uncertain following the military takeover in Myanmar while the displaced people find it riskier to go back to their motherland where there is no legitimate government right now.

Five Bangladeshis were evacuated from Afghanistan yesterday -- three of them under UN and two under US arrangements -- in a development giving much relief since the Afghanistan fell to the Taliban on August 15.

Many Bangladeshi migrants in Malaysia are now facing uncertainty over their return home as confusion has arisen over a circular of the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh.

Foreign relations analysts fear long-term instability and a humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan as the Taliban takes control of the country following the withdrawal of US forces, with its repercussions felt in the entire region.

Amid the worsening situation in Afghanistan, where Taliban and Afghan forces have been fighting for the past few weeks in the wake of the US military’s exit, foreigners and locals alike have been fleeing the country.

When over 1.5 lakh applications for machine-readable passports are pending for some two months, the authorities have yet to come up with any official explanations about what led to this situation and when and how it is going to be addressed.

The passport authorities sat on upgrading the MRP server that had crossed the 30-million limit in early June, causing delay in reissuing passports to tens of thousands of Bangladeshis, mostly migrants in the Gulf and Southeast Asian countries.

The government will begin vaccinating around 66,000 Rohingya refugees living in the camps of Cox’s Bazar from August 10.

Abdul Kader Parash lost his income three months ago due to sheer lack of clients at the motor garage he worked for in Kuala Lumpur.

Bangladesh does not want any measures that promote integration of the Rohingyas into the local society.