The two-day Indian Ocean Conference on May 12 and 13 is a landmark get-together of Nation-states with a singular goal. Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Indian Foreign Minister Jaishankar just came close enough to advise the world about the purpose and intent of the conference, but not saying everything. It was an undeclared coincidence.

Congress of Vienna was a meeting of the European Nations from 1814-1815. The congress set out a strategy to maintain ‘peace and stability’ throughout the European continent. It gathered following the first defeat of Napoleon Bonaparte. Europe was never the same again.

The India Foundation, a Delhi-based Think Tank, organized the first regional meeting in Singapore in 2016. The last and the largest one took place in Dhaka on May 12 and 13, 2023. Heads of government, foreign ministers and ministries all gathered in Dhaka with only one goal: how to make sure the free passage of goods and services where the region’s oceans and seas account for 90% of world trade and 60% of oil transportation. The real value of the maritime trade has tripled in the past 15 years. The time has come for Bangladesh as a major regional power to join forces like India to build a peaceful, stable and inclusive Indian Ocean region.

The prime minister said despite many challenges, Bangladesh provided temporary shelter to more than 1.1 million forcibly displaced Myanmar nationals. “This gesture avoided a major humanitarian catastrophe in the region. Now, we seek active support of the global community to repatriate the Rohingya people to their homeland in a safe and sustainable manner.”

Bangladesh has been a hub of maritime activities for centuries and it is active in many regional platforms, she said, adding that the country is the current chair of the Indian Ocean Rim Association and it is also the current president of the Council of the International Seabed Authority.

The Dhaka Forum provided a platform for delegates to place their requirement for the Indo-Pacific really meaningful. The United Arab Emirates Assistant Minister for Economic and Trade Affairs Saeed Mubarak Al Hajeri reiterated the need for such a forum to ensure peace and security. The Vietnam Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs Do Hung Viet boldly pointed out fingers at a country defying the UNCLOS regulations! The Cambodian Secretary of State of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Soeung Rathchavy found Dhaka a safe forum for sharing Cambodian dynamics with the Conference. The Minister’s entire family was murdered by POL POT of the Khmer Rouge. She survived with another child. The Russians came to their rescue.

Every team leader had a story to tell, and they felt comfortable sharing their thoughts. Even the American participant got a forum to put forward their perception in preparation for the Indian Ocean Conference. The US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman in her virtual presence reiterated the well-known American position.

The Indian team co-hosted with their Bangladesh counterpart the process seamlessly. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina set the conference theme in motion; Jaishankar and State Minister Shahriar Alam carried on the theme successfully towards the end.

The G7 summit being held in Hiroshima demonstrates both symbolism and substance. The venue represented an emphatic no to ‘Russian nuclear blackmail’ albeit tactical. Zelensky’s attendance added a new shine to the gathering. It seems that Ukraine may after all obtain the F-16 support and other sophisticated paraphernalia in the long run to deliver a decisive blow to the Russians. Besides shortening the tour has not gone unnoticed. Papua New Guinea ‘is a case in point: years ago, when I attended the CHOGM summit, the Papua New Guinea Prime Minister gifted a Tong used by the Prime Minister to the Australian Prime Minister Fraser, a TONG used by the Papua PM’s predecessors to pick human brains!
Secretary of State Antony Blinken will visit instead to sign an agreement to assure the Pacific nation of security concerns.

The Tokyo summitries have already swung up agreement on Ukraine and strengthened the Western anti-Russian phalanx. Attendance by some developing countries is an essential part of the present international country's position in the face of the Russian violation of Ukraine's sovereignty as an independent United Nations member-state. By this, a fresh attempt is being made to denounce the unilateral violation of international borders recognized by the United Nations.

Writer: Waliur Rahman, Researcher and Columnist

Source: Daily Sun

Journalist leaders and teachers have complained that journalists are being repeatedly attacked with the help of the Chittagong University (CU) administration. They said, "The officials of the administration are rather happy to beat up the journalists." Because journalists are highlighting various corruption and irregularities in the administration. That may be why the attackers are treated humanely instead of facing punishment.

The speakers of the human chain organized by Chittagong University Journalists' Association (CUSS) and Chittagong University  ex-Journalists Network (CUGN) to protest the torture of journalists said these things.

 The human chain was organized in front of the administrative building of the university at 11:30 on Tuesday (September 26).

Chattogram Journalist Union President Tapan Chakraborty, General Secretary Md. Shamsul Islam, Chattogram University Communication and Journalism Alumni Association President Shimul Nazrul, CUJN President Hamid Ullah and others.

The dean of the Faculty of Sociology of the University, Siraj Ud Daullah, the teacher of the Communication Journalism Department of Chittagong University spoke in solidarity with the human bond. Ali Azgar Chowdhury, Khandkar Ali and Raji and Shahab Uddin.

President of CUJN Hamid Ullah said, "The character of none of the BCL has changed since the camp. Today, those who are carrying out various anarchy in the name of Chhatra League, it will be seen from the news that they were followers of some other party earlier. Journalists are being attacked because they are writing about injustices and irregularities. We don't want to stand in such protest anymore. In the future, we will stand in front of the houses of the administration officials.

Sabur Shubo, general secretary of CUJN said, "Instead of bringing the attackers to justice, the university has received humane treatment from the authorities." Remember, as we know how to write, we also know how to protest.

Professor of mass communication and journalism department Ali Azgar Chowdhury said, "The attack on Musharraf was completely planned. The attackers were punished as show. If you fail to punish, we will assume you are patronizing them. We have even seen those who attacked journalists get an opportunity to take the exam despite being expelled. It is not possible without the help of the administration.

Professor Siraj Ud Daullah, dean of the Faculty of Sociology, said, "Journalists had to stand in human chain to demand justice." It is embarrassing for the university or the state. We hope that the attack on Musharraf Shah will not be repeated. Besides, I am in complete solidarity with the demands of the journalists from the human chain. I call on the administration to implement it in action, not just in words.

General Secretary of Chattogram Journalist Union Shamsul Islam said, "Today, our colleague Musharraf is laying on the hospital bed after being attacked by the Chhatra League which we never expected. Today the expelled, non-students are staying in the hall. This makes your failure clear. Expel those who attacked Musharraf from the campus. If you can't, then leave the administration chair.

Chattogram Journalist Union President Tapan Chakraborty said to the Chhatra League, "You fight yourselves, vandalize the vice-chancellor's residence, then you also attack journalists." I want to say to the vice chancellor, why are you indulging them? We have come to know that various irregularities are taking place here under your umbrella including recruitment trade, extortion. If action is not taken against those involved in this incident within 24 hours, we will go to the honorable Prime Minister if necessary.

CUSS president Mahbub A Rahman said in the closing speech, "Those who shed the blood of Musharraf Shah, they shed the blood of all the journalists of the country." Journalists act as representatives of students. If journalists are not safe today, how safe are the students here?

Election Commissioner Md. Alamgir said that observers from SAARC countries will be invited to observe the upcoming national elections.

He said this while talking to reporters on Tuesday (September 26).

EC Alamgir said that if the 12th National Assembly elections are not held by January 29, 2024, a constitutional vacuum will be created. Although the European Union (EU) did not send a full team to that election, many other countries did.

SAARC countries (Afghanistan, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka) will be invited by the Election Commission. He said that a letter will be sent inviting them next month.

At this time, in response to another question of the journalists, he said, we want more number of local and foreign observers to observe the election. He expressed hope that foreign observers will come before the vote.

Christina Lu, on behalf of prestigious journal 'Foreign Affairs' focuses on this week's 'World Brief', where she looks at U.S. efforts to counter China’s Pacific diplomacy, the exodus from Nagorno-Karabakh, and Bangladesh’s deadly dengue outbreak.

Bangladesh’s historic dengue outbreak

Bangladeshi officials are scrambling to respond to the country’s worst-ever dengue outbreak as rising case numbers test the country’s medical infrastructure and drive up the prices of some treatments.

Dhaka has already documented more than 900 dengue-related fatalities in 2023, officials announced on Monday—a sharp increase from 281 deaths last year.

The World Health Organization (WHO) is currently supporting Dhaka’s efforts to bolster lab capacity, surveillance, clinical management, risk communication, and vector control, WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said earlier this month.

“We have trained doctors and deployed experts on the ground,” he said. “We have also provided supplies to test for dengue and support care for patients.”

The Election Commission (EC) lifted the ban on the use of motorcycles by journalists on the day of the 12th National Assembly elections.

EC Additional Secretary Ashok Kumar Debnath gave the information on Monday (September 25).

He said that the policy regarding the use of motorcycles by journalists has been amended. According to the new decision, journalists can use motorcycles on polling days.

Earlier, the Election Commission had issued a policy on April 12 regarding journalists gathering news on polling day.

According to the policy, a reasonable number of vehicle stickers will be issued for journalists to travel. However, motorcycles cannot be used.

The policy also states that only journalists with valid cards issued by the Election Commission can directly enter polling stations.

However, after entering the polling station, the presiding officer can be notified to collect information, take pictures and video of the polling process. However, you cannot take pictures of the inside of the secret room.

At the same time, more than two media journalists cannot enter the same polling booth and cannot stay in the polling booth for more than 10 minutes.

In addition, journalists cannot interview election officials, election agents or voters in polling booths.

Not only that, there can be no live broadcast from inside the polling booth. At that time, the EC issued a total of 13 directives for journalists.