by Porimol Palma in The Daily Star, Jul 5, 2023
The French Navy, renowned for its size and formidable naval capabilities, has expressed a keen interest in collaborating with the Bangladesh Navy to uphold international law and ensure maritime security.
Rear Admiral Emmanuel Slaars, the chief of French joint forces in the Indian Ocean, conveyed this during an interview held aboard the French stealth Fregate Surcouf.
The ship, which embarked on its journey from France two months ago, made a stop at the Patenga Container Terminal in Chattogram after seven years.
During its visit from July 2 to July 6, the vessel will engage in a joint exercise with the Bangladesh Navy on Thursday. A delegation comprising 170 officers and sailors is taking part in this goodwill visit, with Rear Admiral Slaars and French Ambassador Marie Masdupuy paying a courtesy call on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday.
During their visit, the officers and sailors of the French Navy ship had the opportunity to explore various naval installations and engage with officials in Bangladesh.
French Ambassador Marie Masdupuy emphasised that the ship’s visit signifies France’s political commitment to supporting Bangladesh and recognises the country’s importance in the Indian Ocean region.
The visit comes at a time when competition among major powers in the Indo-Pacific region is intensifying, while challenges such as climate change, illegal trafficking of narcotics and weapons, environmental pollution, and overexploitation of marine resources loom large.
France, as an Indo-Pacific nation, is actively involved in the region to safeguard its territories and uphold international law.
“We strongly believe that international law is very important and we are also ready to fight illegal trafficking of narcotics, weapons etc,” said Slaars.
The French Navy has demonstrated its commitment by intercepting a significant quantity of narcotics during its deployment in the Arabian Sea.
Additionally, the French Navy shares concerns about the preservation of aquatic resources and the problem of illegal fishing, which often involves violations of international laws.
Slaars encouraged regional countries to collaborate in their efforts to address trafficking of narcotics and weapons.
He highlighted the existing partnership between the French and Bangladeshi navies, citing the presence of a Bangladeshi Navy ship involved in UN operations in Lebanon and regular Bangladeshi naval deployments to the Arabian Gulf.
He expressed France’s willingness to consider specific proposals from Bangladesh for the modernisation of its Navy. In the past, the French Navy assisted the Bangladesh Navy in developing its hydrographic capabilities, and now the Bangladesh Navy has its own capacity, a source of pride for the French Navy.
Captain Jerome Dubois of the ship said joint exercises help the navies build confidence and exchange of knowledge and tactics help each other in joint operations. “That’s how you build capacity and efficacy to work together.”
https://www.thedailystar.net/
BNP-Jamaat high-ups stress movement, but grassroots prep for national election
by Ali Asif Shawon in Dhaka Tribune, July 5, 2023
Grassroots leaders and activists of the BNP and like-minded political parties are taking extensive election preparations in almost every constituency, even though the high-ups of the parties continue to insist that they will not participate in the 12th parliamentary polls without a neutral election-time government in place.
During the Eid-ul-Azha vacation, nomination seekers of the BNP, Jamaat-e-Islami, and their allied political parties concentrated on election campaigns in their respective constituencies by holding meetings and exchanging views with general voters and party activists, similar to the activities of nomination seekers of the ruling Awami league.
On a visit to Chuadanga-2 during the holidays, this correspondent found several banners and posters of nomination seekers from the BNP and Jamaat as well as the Awami League. Many of the nomination seekers met with party activists before and after the Eid break.
Talking to Dhaka Tribune on Tuesday, BNP and Jamaat nomination seekers for Chuadanga-2 Mahmud Hasan Khan Babu and Ruhul Amin said they are preparing for the elections and waging a movement for a neutral election-time government simultaneously.
They added that they have to prepare for the election now as they will otherwise be lagging behind other parties if the movement is successful.
A similar election preparation situation was seen in almost every other constituency.
The BNP recently expelled over a hundred leaders who disregarded the instructions of its central command by participating in local government elections in Gazipur, Barisal, Rajshahi, Khulna and Sylhet.
When contacted, BNP International Affairs Secretary Barrister Rumeen Farhana told Dhaka Tribune: “The movement, election preparation and organizational activities are ongoing in parallel. As a large political party of the country, the BNP takes every preparation.
“Right now, we are focusing on our one-point movement, which is to install a non-partisan caretaker or election time government. Very soon, our one-point movement will be declared and hopefully we will be successful,” former lawmaker Rumeen Farhana added.
When contacted, leaders of the Awami League said they are aware that the BNP and their allies have begun election preparations.
They also said that AL President and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina had hinted during the last central committee meeting of the ruling party that she would hand out party nominations after evaluating the possible opposition MP candidates.
Awami League Joint General Secretary Mahbubul Alam Hanif told Dhaka Tribune: “The BNP is a political party that always uses double standards and plays dubious roles. Verbally, its leaders are saying they are concentrating on the movement, but their supporters have begun election preparations.”
He added that the Awami League wants a participatory election and is optimistic that the BNP will join the polls under the government of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, in line with the provisions of the constitution.
https://www.dhakatribune.com/politics/2023/07/04/rizvi-no-scope-for-awami-league-to-retain-power-using-armed-forces-this-time
