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President leaves for Kuwait

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President leaves for Kuwait


Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS)

DHAKA, Oct 15, 2012 (BSS)-President Zillur Rahman today left here for Kuwait on a four-day official visit at the invitation of Kuwait's Amir Sheikh Sabah IV Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah to join the first summit of Asian Cooperation Dialogue (ACD) in the petroleum rich Middle Eastern country.

A special jet sent by the Amir flew off for Kuwait City with the President at 9.30am from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport where he was seen off by Planning Minister AK Khandker and Agriculture Minister Matia Chowdhury.

Others who were present at the airport to see the President off included dean of the diplomatic corps and Palestinian Ambassador in Dhaka Shaher Mohammad, chiefs of the three services, Kuwaiti charge d affaires Al Mutuiri and senior civil and military officers.

The Amir of Kuwait is scheduled to receive himself President Rahman at Amiri Terminal of Kuwait International Airport later today while the entourage members included concerned secretaries and senior officials of Bangabhaban presidential palace.

Launched in 2002 in Thailand to foster Asian unity the ACD currently comprises 32 east and west Asian nations. The ACD, the first such a forum, is aiming to eventually encompass all Asian countries under an umbrella.

The heads of state and government of the ACD member countries will participate in the two-day summit from October 16 to 17 responding to the insightful call of the Amir of Kuwait.

The Bangladesh president is set to attend the inaugural and closing sessions and deliver his speech on the first day of the summit, on the sidelines of which he is also expected to meet several heads of state including the Amir of Kuwait.

The President will also visit the contingent of Bangladesh Army working with UN peacekeeping mission in Kuwait on October 17 ahead of his return home the next day.

President Rahman visited Kuwait last year at the invitation of Kuwait's Amir to join the country's celebration of 50th anniversary of independence and 20th anniversary of liberation.

The ACD aims to constitute the missing link in Asia by incorporating every Asian country and building an Asian Community without duplicating other organisations or creating a bloc against others.

The 32 ACD member countries are - Afghanistan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Brunei, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Iran, Japan, Kazakhstan, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Pakistan, Philippines, Oman, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, Thailand, United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan and Vietnam.
 
The president has another reason to go there which is to meet and greet the Bangladesh army contingents working there and providing security to the brotherly nation Kuwait for more than 2 decades.

A little sneak into the history of Bangladesh-Kuwait relationship:


In the year 1990, when Iraq
invaded Kuwait, Bangladesh, being a peace loving member of the UN and having
respect for the sovereignty of all nations, big or small could not but respond to the
call of the Islamic Umma and UN. During “Op Desert Storm” Bangladesh Army
was deployed under the Allied Command to defend the Holy Land. That was the
beginning of Bangladesh Army’s involvement in the Gulf region with the finest
cause of liberation war of a sovereign nation. However, as the dawn of liberation
smiled on Kuwait, closely followed the realization that every inch of its soil
remained littered with lethal mines and bombs. Bangladesh came forward in
rebuilding Kuwait alongside other countries. Bangladesh Army undertook the
challenging task to clearing Kuwait braving all odds and adversaries. In the
passage of time, military forces from other countries withdrew but, only
Bangladesh continued with the military support and cooperation merely for their
discipline and determination. In the year 1991, the two brotherly countries agreed
formally to bring a contingent of Engineers from Bangladesh Army to undertake
the challenging task of reconstruction of the war-devastated Kuwait; under the
operational code name "Operation Kuwait Punargathan (OKP)". corps of
Engineers were the pioneers and they undertook the mammoth task of clearing
the deadly mines and bombs scattered all over Kuwait. The reputation and the
confidence that our soldiers built through their performance paved the way for
more Bangladeshi troops to Kuwait. Since the year 1991, Bangladesh Military
Contingent was working under two different protocols named OKP Protocol and
Skilled Technical Men for Kuwait Protocol. On 02 May 2004, these two protocols
were merged into a single protocol under which the Bangladesh Military
Contingent is presently operating.
(copy-pasted)
 


A special jet sent by the Amir flew off for Kuwait City with the President at 9.30am from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport where he was seen off by Planning Minister AK Khandker and Agriculture Minister Matia Chowdhury.


Why did the Pres of BD fly in aircraft sent by the Amir of Kuwait & not one that belonged to BD ?
 
President for utilizing Asia's potentials with sprit of solidarity


Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS)

By Tanzim Anwar

KUWAIT City, Oct 16, 2012 (BSS) - President Zillur Rahman today said the Asian nations need to utilize their strengths collectively in a spirit of Asian solidarity maximizing the region's potentials for a future of common good.

"To promote cooperation among Asian countries, we have to overcome the apparent divergence among us," he said while addressing the first Summit of Asian Cooperation Dialogue (ACD), the largest ever Asian forum comprises with 32 countries, here.

Bangladesh President Zillur Rahman along with other heads of state and government of the ACD member countries joined the two- day summit responding to the insightful call of the Amir of Kuwait aiming for encompass all Asian countries under an umbrella kind of similar political and economic blocs like European or African Unions.

Earlier, Amir of Kuwait inaugurated the Summit as the chair at Liberation Conference Building in the capital of oil-rich gulf nation this morning.

In this 21st century, President Zillur Rahman said, the world looks up to Asia for future prosperity and leadership. "ACD needs to promote people-to-people contact by facilitating free flow of people across national borders. Only then, we can build the connectivity of ideas, intellect, creativity and enterprises," he said.

Noting that human connectivity plays a fundamental role in increasing cooperation, the President said, "Physical and human connectivity can turn our diversity into our advantage. I am optimistic that improved connectivity among Asian countries will result enhanced cooperation in various fields."

In this regard, the President said Bangladesh welcomes the proposal of the Thai government for preparing a blueprint for Enhanced Infrastructure Connectivity.

"Investment from one Asian country to another is much more advantageous than a distant land due to proximity and cultural
similarity," he said adding "greater cooperation among the Asian
financial institutions can ensure the surplus funds for meaningful use in financing Asian development."

The President said increased investment in agriculture and infrastructure would contribute to food security, employment generation, industrialization and poverty alleviation.

ACD members, with their vast natural and human resources and huge markets, need to uphold the promise of high level trade and investment among themselves, he said.

"We may set up a mechanism for interaction of the business people in the form of an ACD Business Forum. It would be useful for us to formulate an ACD Charter on Cooperation for future cooperation among member States," he said.

President Zillur Rahman underlined the need for increasing the number of member states of ACD to make the forum more effective.

President Zillur Rahman mentioned that Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent covering 30 percent of land area and hosting 60 percent of world population but it has many challenges, ranging from political unrest, global economic slowdown, climate change, natural disasters, food and energy insecurity and terrorism.

"Many of the Asian countries are rich in energy, when many are energy- hungry. Many Asian countries are major exporters of food, when others are totally dependent on food import," he said adding "Cooperation in energy, food production and supplies and counter-terrorism can be immensely beneficial for Asian countries."

Noting that many Asian countries have made impressive progress in modern technology, the President said it would be beneficial to share the technology among the Asian countries.

The President expressed his firm believe that Asia Cooperation Dialogue will provide a venue for positive interaction among Asian countries and pave ways to consolidate our common Asian identity.

Bangladesh is proud to be the host of Asian University for Women, an international institution created to meet the educational needs of Asian women, he added.

Bangladesh is also the host of Asian Art Biennale, promoting the art and craft in Asia since 1981.

In December 2011, he said, Bangladesh hosted the 5th e-Asia 2011 conference and exhibition on ICT. We believe that ACD should continue to focus on similar projects for ensuring people-to- people contact, the President said.

"We welcome the efforts for promoting cultural cooperation within ACD," he said adding "We also commend the development of Asian e-University under ACD providing affordable and quality education to Asian people."

As a founding member, the President said Bangladesh is keen to see ACD on a forward journey towards the ultimate benefit of Asian Community.
 
BD under AL government is doing good job..

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