Foreign Minister Dr. Hasan Mahmud said that there are about 9,370 Bangladeshi prisoners in jails of different countries across the world. He said this while replying to a question in the Parliament on Monday (Feb 19). Hasan Mahmud said "The highest number of Bangladeshis arrested are 5,746 in Saudi Arabia. Turkey has the second highest number of prisoners at 508." "However, 1,950 people have been brought back from jails in India, Myanmar and different countries in the Middle East. We are maintaining a close contact with the concerned jail authorities for their early release," he added.

US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller has said, "United States does not support any particular party and does not want to influence the outcome of the election, only to ensure that the people of Bangladesh may freely choose their leaders."  He said in a regular press briefing on Monday, October 2. He said the "United States wants what the Bangladeshis themselves want: free and fair elections that are conducted in a peaceful manner."   In that time he also said on the visa restiction, "The visa restriction policy that we’ve announced supports this objective and the desire of the people of Bangladesh to freely choose their leaders."  He said, "The government, political parties, civil society and the media in Bangladesh have all expressed their desire that the upcoming national elections are free and fair and conducted in a peaceful manner – as we want."

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said the US visa restrictions on Bangladeshi individuals have no justification and questioned why the US is trying to impose visa sanctions from nowhere. "That is my question, why are they trying to impose visa sanctions from nowhere? If they (US) talk about human rights or voting rights, then it's we, the Awami League, who fought for the voting rights of the people of Bangladesh. Many of our men shed their blood to ensure voting rights," she told an interview with Voice of America (VOA) in Washington DC on September 27. BSS Reports VOA Bangla's chief Shatarupa Barua interviewed the Prime Minister during her visit to Washington DC. The international media outlet published reports and aired the interview on its website today. On 22 September, the US announced imposing visa restrictions on some Bangladeshi individuals. The country announced the new visa policy for Bangladesh on May 24. Earlier in December 2021, the US slapped sanctions on seven officials of Bangladesh elite force Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) which is credited with successfully curbing militancy and terrorism in the country.

Flooding in eastern Libya has left more than 5,100 people dead including 6 Bangladeshis.  Embassy of Bangladesh in Libya said the information in their official facebook page on Wednesday. Thousands more people were missing in the eastern city of Derna, and tens of thousands displaced. Earlier on Sunday, Mediterranean Storm Daniel arrived in Libya and caused two dams outside Derna to burst. The deceased are, Shaheen and Sujan of Rajbari district and Mamun and Shihab of Narayanganj district.  However, it has not been possible to confirm the identity of the remaining 02 people from the embassy.  Besides, it is feared that some more Bangladeshis living in Darna city who are still missing.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has advised Bangladeshis not to travel to Sudan due to the current unstable situation.  On Saturday, April 22, in a notification sent by the embassy this was suggested. According to the notification, it is not safe for Bangladeshi citizens to travel to Sudan now. All Bangladeshi nationals are therefore advised not to travel there until further notice.  This suggestion has been informed to the relevant ministries and agencies of Bangladesh government. Bangladeshis living in Sudan are also being advised by the embassy in this regard. Fighting between the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Force (RSF) in Sudan has so far left many people dead. People are fleeing the capital Khartoum as the conflict continues. International media have reported that more than three hundred people have been killed in the country so far. And the number of injured has exceeded more than three thousand. It is also feared that the conflict may spread to a larger scale. The UN's World Health Organization said, "The death toll in the fighting could be higher. Because the bodies are lying on the road and it is very dangerous to retrieve them from there at the moment. Many of the injured are unable to go to the hospital for treatment."

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) today said Bangladeshis stranded in Ukraine can seek safe shelters through the other bordering countries - Slovakia, Hungary, Romania and Moldova along with Poland as per their convenience.   On Thursday, the ministry suggested to evacuate stranded Bangladeshis to Poland as Ukraine shares its western border with Poland while Russian troops entered its breakaway republics through the eastern side.   However, this morning, the ministry suggested Bangladeshis that they could also evacuate the troubled Eastern European country to its western and south western bordering countries - Slovakia, Hungary, Romania and Moldova apart from Poland.   The foreign ministry requested Bangladeshis in Ukraine to contact the following numbers of the Bangladesh Embassies for necessary assistance:   For Slovakia and Hungary: Bangladesh Embassy in Austria, Vienna: (i)Rahat Bin Zaman, Deputy Chief of Mission: +43 688 60344492 (ii) Jubayadul H. Chowdhury, ACO: +43 688 60603068    For Romania and Moldova: Bangladesh Embassy in Romania, Bucharest: (i) +40 (742) 553 809 (ii) Mir Mehedi Hasan (tel & WhatsApp group)+40 (742) 553 809 For Poland: Bangladesh Embassy in Poland, Warsaw: (i)Mr. Md. Masudur Rahman +48 739 527 722 (ii) Md Mahbubur Rahman +48 579 262 403 (iii) MST Farhana Yesmin +48 690 282 561 (iv) Mr. Billal Hossain +48 739 634 125 (v) Mr. Md. Rabbani +48 696 745 903 On Thursday, State Minister for foreign affairs Md Shahriar Alam said 250 Bangladeshis in Ukraine by now enlisted them in a whatsapp group while official estimate suggested another 250 Bangladeshis were currently living there.    However, unofficial estimates suggest the number could be higher than 500.   Alam said the Bangladesh government would evacuate its nationals by chartered flights while Bangladesh's Warsaw mission was equipped with extra manpower mobilizing officials from Bangladeshi embassies to Germany and Italy.   The foreign ministry, meanwhile, in a statement said Bangladesh was deeply concerned at the recent escalation of violence in Ukraine as such violence would seriously impact the peace and stability of the whole region.   "Therefore, we urge all parties to exercise maximum restraint, cessation of hostilities and endeavour to resolve this crisis through returning to diplomacy and dialogue," read the statement.   It said Dhaka was also gauging possible impacts of the Ukraine crisis on the economy of the region and beyond due to the deteriorating situation, which several analysts called the most serious European crisis since the Second World War.   International media reports said invading Russian forces pressed deep into Ukraine as deadly battles reached the outskirts of Kyiv and the West responded with punishing sanctions.   Russian missiles and shelling rained down on Ukrainian cities Thursday after President Vladimir Putin unleashed a full-scale ground invasion and air assault, forcing civilians to shelter on metro systems, with 100,000 people displaced, the report said. Source: BSS AH

The process of performing Umrah in the holy city of Makkah in Saudi Arabia resumed today (Wednesday) for the Bangladeshi pilgrims who have received two doses of coronavirus vaccine. The Ministry of Religious Affairs has received a letter from the Saudi Arabian government to this end. Bangladeshi Muslim pilgrims can perform Umrah through any Umrah agency approved by the Ministry of Religious Affairs following the conditions imposed by the Saudi government, a ministry press release said. The list of approved Umrah agencies has been published on the Hajj website of the ministry (www.hajj.gov.bd), the release added. According to the Saudi Arabian government's conditions, Umrah pilgrims must take two doses of coronavirus vaccine and they should be 18 years old or above. Source: BSS AH

Foreign Minister Dr. AK Abdul Momen has urged the new US government to legalise undocumented Bangladeshis in the United States. He made the request at a meeting with US Congresswoman Grace Meng (Democrat, New York) yesterday, a Foreign Ministry press release said in Dhaka on Thursday. During the meeting, they discussed ways and means for further improving political and economic ties between Bangladesh and the United States. US Congresswoman Grace Meng represents a large number of Bangladeshi diaspora voters in New York, and has always been an active member of Bangladesh caucus in US Congress. Referring to the celebration of the birth centenary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and the Golden Jubilee of the Independence of Bangladesh, Momen invited Congresswoman Meng to visit Bangladesh with a group of US lawmakers to see the remarkable socioeconomic progress achieved under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, and also the situation of the displaced Rohingyas. Appreciating Biden administration’s liberal approach to immigration, he called upon Congresswoman Meng to make efforts to legalise undocumented Bangladeshi diaspora in the US through taking up the matter with the new US government. Momen briefed the US lawmaker on Bangladesh’s success in tackling the COVID-19 challenge as well as the suitable environment prevailing for foreign investment in the country. The Bangladesh foreign minister is currently visiting Washington DC on an official trip to reach out the new US administration to further enhance the bilateral relations and to convey Bangladesh’s willingness to work closely with the new US administration. Source: BSS AH

Italy has withdrawn a flight embargo for Bangladeshis with valid stay permits. "At our request, flight embargo has been withdrawn for Bangladeshis with valid Italian stay permits. Those whose permits have expired will have to apply for visa, " Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen said Thursday. Their antecedents will be checked by Italian police and then they will be issued visas, he said. Momen said the Italian ambassador assured him that they will try to complete the police checking in an expeditious manner. “Italy still will not issue regular visas. This withdrawal of flight embargo is only for those with valid stay permits (and expired stay permits, subject to approval by Italian authorities),” he said. Source: UNB AH

Expatriate Bangladeshis have sent home $2.6 billion in July alone – the highest monthly remittance received in the country’s history – despite all sorts of troubles that accompanied the global coronavirus pandemic. In June, the country received $1.833 billion in remittance. The buoyant inflow of remittance helped push the central bank’s foreign currency reserve to $37.287 billion. Various time-befitting steps taken by the government, such as 2 percent cash incentive, have played a role in encouraging the expatriates to send more money through the legal channels. Last year, the country received $18 billion in remittance. Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal said the government is working to receive $3-5 billion more in remittance in this current fiscal year. “We’ll take all steps to ensure that remittance is sent through the legal channels,” he said. “We’ll remove all obstacles the expatriates face while sending money home.” Millions of expatriate workers lost their jobs and returned home as the coronavirus pandemic brought economic activities to a standstill across the world. In May, two months after the World Health Organization declared the coronavirus outbreak a pandemic, the UK and Switzerland called for countries to work together to make sure people can continue sending money to relatives in other countries during the global crisis. Such remittances account for more than 5 percent of GDP in at least 60 developing countries. World Bank has predicted remittances to low and middle-income countries will fall by 20 percent or $110 billion in 2020. Source: UNB AH