Naveed Walter, President of Human Rights Focus Pakistan (HRFP), stressed that even after 75 years since the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) was created in Pakistan, it has not been fully practised and implemented in the country. HRFP observed Human Rights Day at the Vision Hall in Pakistan's Faisalabad on Sunday and the event was conducted on "Freedom, Equality and Justice for All". The "theme of December 10, 2023, marks 75 years since the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) was created in 1948," HRFP said in an official release. "Unfortunately, even after 75 years, the UDHR has not been fully practised and implemented in Pakistan, while the country had signed on to that from the beginning," Walter said. People from different walks of life participated in the event, including civil society organisations, HRDs, religious leaders, lawyers, teachers, youth, students, women, political workers, and different stakeholders. According to the release, they discussed the available rights and what violations they were facing, particularly when their freedom, equality and justice had hurdles. "Achieving the 17 Sustainable Development Goals and Agenda 2030 has been challenging, adding that freedom of religion and belief and equality based on gender, colour, race, religion, and economic status have been alarming, whereas justice has always been a problem," Walter said. He further emphasised that religious minorities, women, children, labourers, and the common people are easier targets of such violations. Moreover, referring to the minorities, Walter said that the elections in 2024 are approaching in February, while the last census of 2017 has been controversial. "The population is a base of political participation and representation, as well as the reserve seats in national assemblies and provincial assemblies," he stated. He added that minorities could play an important role in over 100 constituencies of national and provincial assemblies where they dominate the voter strength. So, without the minority voters' support, competing candidates can't win. Additionally, Walter said that while their political parties promise minorities in their manifestos and deliver promises, Muslim candidates only engage minority voters during elections. After that, they never return to their communities for any form of assistance or growth. During the discussions, panellists, including Sohail, Shadman (HRFP), Hamdosh (HRFP), James, Naseem, Sadaf, John, Saleem, Manzoor, Nida, Nusrat and others, talked about human rights, freedom, equality and justice, which are equally important for all humans without any kind of bias, according to the release. The speakers brainstormed how to mainstream the people to achieve the SDGs and Agenda 2030 and to raise and resolve their core issues to safeguard their fundamental rights, protective measures and religious freedoms. "They said there is a dire need to make the ignored and marginalised united and have to focus on achieving Agenda 2030," the release stated. Following the discussions, the participants held a protest with placards and banners that demanded equality and religious liberty and highlighted the minority's various issues.   Source: ANI

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said consensus has been built on New Delhi G20 Leaders' Summit Declaration and announced its adoption. The Prime Minister, who is chairing the G20 sessions, congratulated the Sherpas and ministers who had worked towards forging the consensus. "I have received good news. Due to the hard work of our team, consensus has been built on New Delhi G20 Leaders' Summit Declaration. My proposal is to adopt this leadership declaration. I announce to adopt this declaration. On this occasion, I congratulate my Sherpa, ministers, who worked hard for it and made it possible,” he said. The announcement of adoption of the declaration was welcomed with thumping of desks.   In his opening remarks at the Summit, the Prime Minister said that the 21st century is a time that has the potential to give a new direction to the entire world. “It's a time when years old challenges demand new solutions from us. Therefore, we must move forward by fulfilling all our responsibilities with a Human Centric approach,” he said.

Bangladesh-based company Hans Trade International is alleged to have imported goods from China under false declaration to evade tax worth Bangladeshi Taka (Tk) 5 crore, Bangladeshi Live News. Bangladeshi authorities during an investigation found that the company had declared to import calcium carbonate from China. However, during a search, it was found that inside each bag of calcium carbonate were separate sealed boxes. The agency unearthed a total of 1.7 million pieces of pencil batteries and 18 metric tons of locks from the boxes hidden under the calcium carbonate bags. The authorities stated that it was clear that under the declaration of importing calcium carbonate, the company had brought pencils and locks to evade taxes amounting to Tk 5 crore. Accordingly, cases for tax evasion and money laundering were initiated against the company and the individuals responsible. Sino-Kemmed Trading Co., a Chinese company based in Guangdong had in a similar case of false declaration of import of calcium carbonate, declared to send a consignment of coated calcium carbonate to one of its Dhaka-based associates namely ‘NB Trading House’ in May 2022. The Bangladesh officials on physical examination recovered 120 tons of high-value Dextrose Monohydrate. The Dextrose was concealed inside brown cartons (4800 in number) though the label showed they had coated calcium carbonate inside. The consignment had originated from Qingado Port in China and arrived at Chittagong Port in Bangladesh. The consignment was carried in five containers. I had not been detected in time, it would have resulted in the loss of BD Taka 42 Lakhs 13 thousand to the BD exchequer, according to Bangladesh Live News. Bangladeshi authorities in September 2022, seized a container that was supposed to contain textile dye stuff exported from China. However, when the container was opened, it was found to be filled with around 900 packages of foreign cigarettes worth Tk 7 crore.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today (Sunday) said the historic March 7, 1971 speech of Father of the Nation was the actual declaration of the country’s independence as it contained the directives on taking preparation for the Liberation War. “The most important aspect of the historic March 7 speech was that he (Bangabandhu) had given all the directives regarding taking preparation for a (guerilla) war. If it is thought from this point of view, it can be said that the March 7 speech was the real declaration of the country’s independence,” she said. The premier was addressing as the chief guest a discussion organized by the Cultural Affairs Ministry at the Bangabandhu International Conference Centre (BICC), joining virtually from her official Ganabhaban residence in the capital this afternoon. She said that Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman had announced the actual declaration of the country’s independence in his March 7 speech as he apprehended that he may not be alive to make a formal declaration of independence. Bangabandhu had uttered two times the words “Ebarer sangram amader muktir sangram, ebarer sangram swadhinatar sangram (the struggle this time is for our freedom, the struggle this time is for our independence),” mentioned the Prime Minister. She said that Bangabandhu knew that a guerrilla war would take place and for that he asked the countrymen to be ready with whatever they had to face the enemies. Sheikh Hasina said that Bangabandhu had even given all the directives on how then East Pakistan, now Bangladesh, would be run. She said a single Bangalee did not work without the directives issued from Dhanmondi 32. “Even when Yahiya Khan came to Dhaka, any Bangalee cook of the President House didn’t work,” she added. “The President House was compelled to phone Dhanmondi 32 that the President is not getting cooked foods until you ask the cooks and they have to pass time by eating dried foods.” Liberation War Affairs Minister AKM Mozammel Haque, MP, and Education Minister Dr Dipu Moni, MP, also spoke on the occasion as special guests. State Minister for Cultural Affairs Ministry KM Khalid, MP, presided over the discussion and its Secretary M Badrul Arefin gave the welcome address while Chief Coordinator of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Birth Centenary Celebration National Implementation Committee, Dr Kamal Abdul Naser Chowdhury presented the keynote paper. At the outset of the programme, the national anthem and the historic March 7, 1971 speech of the Father of the Nation were played. The Prime Minister said that the Father of the Nation in his March 7 speech had instructed the Bangalees to take preparation for the guerilla war as the Pakistanis were taking preparation to carry out an attack on them. She said that Bangabandhu had taken a strategy that the Pakistanis would first launch attacks on the Bangalees, compelling them to retaliate. He took this strategy mainly to get international support to the Bangalees’ endeavor of liberating the country from the clutches of the Pakistani occupation forces, she added. The Father of the Nation had taken the war strategy to give the people an independent country even by risking his life, she continued. As the Pakistani occupation forces launched attacks on the unarmed Bangalees, Sheikh Hasina said, Bangabandhu had started publicizing the declaration of the country’s independence in line with his war strategy. She said that the strategy of Bangabandhu worked effectively with the pouring of international support in favour of the Bangalees during the Liberation War as the Pakistanis first launched attacks and carried out genocide and inhuman tortures. The international community had continued their support even after the Pakistani junta took Bangabandhu to Pakistan and sentenced him in a sedition case due to the war strategy taken by Bangabandhu. “How effective his speech was from view point of a war strategy! And how realistic his every step was! That is very important,” she continued. The Prime Minister said most of the historic speeches which got world recognition were written and prepared previously. “But Bangabandhu delivered the historic March 7 address from his own mind and my mother had an important role in this regard,” she said. Sheikh Hasina recalled that some student leaders insisted Bangabandhu at that time on declaring independence, arguing that otherwise the people would be frustrated, she said. “But just before the rally, my mother told Bangabandhu that many people will say many things, but you don’t need to hear all the words … you will say those words which will come from your mind,” she said. The Prime Minister said the March 7 speech which was once banned in Bangladesh after the assassination of Bangabandhu in 1975, got recognition on the world stage. “History can’t be erased so easily. The truth can never be suppressed … Today the truth has got exposed. Today this speech received the world recognition,” she said. Sheikh Hasina said the historic 7th March speech has been translated into every official language of the United Nations at the initiatives of the UNESCO. The premier said March 7 speech of Bangabandhu has been selected as the greatest speech among all speeches of the 2500 years and also been placed in the UNESCO’s World Documentary Heritage. Mentioning that the Bangalee nation has stood with keeping their head high as Bangladesh has become a developing nation, Sheikh Hasina said that her government has been working to give the people of the country political, economical and cultural independence. “We’re advancing and will continue to move ahead… We’ll build ‘Sonar Bangla’ as dreamt by the Father of the Nation,” she asserted. Source: BSS AH

The pre-fixed meeting of Jatiya Oikyafront coordination committee has been suspended. The meeting was scheduled to hold at 3 pm on Saturday at Oikyafront’s Purana Paltan office but later it was suspended. In this regard Oikyafront leader Shah Ahmed Badal told Rtv online, many leaders could not join the meeting as they were busy in Election Commission and BNP Gulshan office. So the meeting is suspended. The meeting will be held at 3 pm on December 11. He also said, after preparing the list of Oikyafront candidates it will be sent to BNP Chairperson’s political office at Gulshan. Oikyafront spokesman Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir will declare the candidates’ names from there today (Saturday). BNP has given final nomination to 206 candidates for ‘sheaf of paddy’ in the upcoming parliament election. The rest of the nominations were kept for 20-party and Jatiya Oikyafront nominated candidates. AH  

Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader has said that the candidates of alliance-grand alliance will be declared within two days. He said this after holding meeting with a number of alliance component political parties at Awami League central office at Bangabandhu Avenue in the capital on Saturday. Obaidul Quader said, we held discussions over seat sharing today. Constituencies will be finalized by the night. Later, the declaration will be given within tomorrow or the day after tomorrow after finalizing the candidates. About the meeting Jatiya Party Secretary General Ruhul Amin Hawlader said, discussion was good. We hope that we will get more seats. Earlier in the morning Obaidul Quader held meeting with Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD) president and Information Minister Hasanul Huq Inu and party General Secretary Shirin Akter. Later he took part in the meeting with Workers Party president and Social Welfare Minister Rashed Khan Menon and Fazle Hossain Badsha. Mashiur Rahman Ranga, Mujibul Haque Chunnu and Kazi Firoz Rashid were present during the meeting of Jatiya Party with Obaidul Quader. AH  

BIMSTEC leaders on Friday adopted a declaration affirming solemn commitment to making the Bay of Bengal Region peaceful, prosperous and sustainable by building on common strengths through collective efforts of the member states. The leaders adopted the Kathmandu Declaration as the 4th Summit of Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) concluded at the Nepalese capital of Kathmandu. The heads of states, governments and representatives of the seven-nation regional grouping, including Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, were present at the Friday’s concluding session of the two-day summit at the Soaltee Hotel in Kathmandu. Reports BSS. Prime Minister of Nepal KP Sharma Oli handed over the chairmanship of the BIMSTEC to Sri Lankan President Maitripala Sirisena in presence of other leaders, including Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi and President of Myanmar Win Myint. In the declaration, the BIMSTEC leaders resolved to achieve leveraging on Bimstec’s unique position as a bridge linking South and Southeast Asia, an enhanced level of economic and social development in the region. They agreed to remain fully committed to consolidating and deepening cooperation among member states towards transforming organization into an effective platform to promote peace, prosperity and sustainability. The leaders reiterated their strong commitment to combat terrorism and called upon all the member countries to devise a comprehensive approach in this regard. The comprehensive approach should include preventing financing of terrorists and terrorist actions from territories under their control, blocking recruitment and cross-border movement of terrorists, countering radicalization and misuse of internet for purposes of terrorism, and dismantling terrorist safe havens, they said in a joint declaration titled “Towards a Peaceful, Prosperous and Sustainable Bay of Bengal Region”. The BIMSTEC leaders affirmed that the fight against terrorism should target not only terrorists, terror organizations and networks but also identify and hold accountable States and non-State entities that encourage, support or finance terrorism, provide sanctuaries to terrorists and terror groups and falsely extol their virtues. They reiterated their pledge to work collectively towards making Bimstec a stronger, more effective and result-oriented organization for achieving a peaceful, prosperous and sustainable Bay of Bengal Region. The leaders underlined the importance of multidimensional connectivity, which promotes synergy among connectivity frameworks in the region, as a key enabler to economic integration for shared prosperity. They took into consideration the importance of trade and investment as one of the major contributing factors for fostering economic and social development in the region. The Bimstec leaders stressed the need for a fair, just, rule-based, equitable and transparent international order and reaffirming faith in the multilateralism with the United Nations at the centre and the rule-based international trading system. They underscored the importance of robust institutional arrangements to effectively steering the process of regional cooperation under Bimstec. The leaders agreed to enhance the institutional capacity of the BIMSTEC Secretariat (in Dhaka), including through financial and human resources, to enable it to coordinate, monitor and facilitate implementation of Bimstec activities and programs. The BIMSTEC came into being on 6 June 1997 through the Bangkok Declaration. It comprises seven member states – five from South Asia (Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka) and two from Southeast Asia (Myanmar and Thailand). AH

Though Bangladesh ‘successfully hosted’ the 45th session of the Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM) of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Pakistan raised some questions regarding the Dhaka Declaration.   Bangladesh, however, ruled out Pakistan’s claim saying that nothing was done without consultation with the OIC secretariat. Reports UNB.   ‘Everything was done following directives and suggestions from the OIC Secretariat,’ State Minister for Foreign Affairs M Shahriar Alam told UNB on Monday.   He said the OIC member states were also consulted as well. ‘Still, if anyone has any grievances, they should inform the OIC Secretariat first.’   On Monday night, Bangladesh made a statement saying that the attention of its Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been drawn to a press release issued by Pakistan on the recently concluded 45th OIC Council of Foreign Ministers held in Dhaka.   An original draft of the Dhaka Declaration was received from the General Secretariat of the OIC, it said.   Subsequently, some additional paragraphs were suggested by some member states, OIC related organizations and the host country.   ‘The suggestions were included in the draft Declaration prior to its adoption by the Council. But, no amendment was made to the original draft in para 18 concerning which Pakistan has made observations,’ the statement reads.   The Dhaka Declaration’s para 18 reads: ‘We reaffirm our firm solidarity with Azerbaijan, Sudan, Comoros, Yemen, Libya, Syria, Mali, Somalia, Cote d’Ivoire, Central African Republic, Kosovo, Jammu and Kashmir and Northern Cyprus as well as all Muslim Communities and Minorities in non-OIC Member States within the established principle of the respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the States in which they belong to in consistent with international law and agreements.’   Pakistan High Commission in Dhaka on Monday in a press release said the host country circulated the text of the Dhaka Declaration just before the conclusion of the conference.   ‘It only reflected the views of the host country, and therefore, issued under its own responsibility, signifying that the text was neither discussed nor negotiated by the participating states,’ the Pakistan High Commission claimed.   The Pakistan High Commission also said the Declaration is without prejudice to the well-established positions of the OIC member states and the organization, as enshrined in the CFM and Summit documents.   Pakistan, however, said its Foreign Secretary also spoke at length about the tragic plight of the Rohingya Muslims and Palestinians and expressed Pakistan’s full solidarity with them.   Bangladesh hosted the event with the theme ‘Islamic Values for Sustainable Peace, Solidarity and Development’ on May 5-6.   The OIC member states expressed deep concern over the recent systematic brutal acts perpetrated by security forces against the Rohingya Muslim Community in Myanmar that has reached the level of ethnic cleansing, which constitute a serious and blatant violation of international law.   They commended the personal leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in addressing the plight of the most persecuted people in the world and seeking strong international support to resolve the crisis and full implementation of the recommendations put forward by the Advisory Commission on Rakhine State (Annan Commission).   The OIC underlined the importance of OIC members states continuing to remain engaged in the UN system, including in the UNGA and Human Rights Council as well as with other relevant international organizations to address the massive human rights violations of the Rohingya Muslims taking into account the recent developments.   The member states welcomed the resolution adopted on the situation of the Rohingya community of Myanmar and in this regard, agreed to address the accountability issue for the violations of human rights against the Rohingyas in Myanmar through formation of an ad hoc ministerial committee, to be chaired by Gambia. AH