PM reaffirms Bangladesh support to Palestine

Dhaka, Feb 2 – Strongly denouncing Israel’s recent move to set up new settlements in Palestine territory, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday reiterated Bangladesh’s stance on the international decision taken earlier on two-state solution on Palestine and Israel.
During official talks with Palestine President Mahmoud Abbas at her office in the afternoon, she also reaffirmed Bangladesh’s support to the friendly people of Palestine at the United Nations and other global fora.For the first time in about 20 years, Israel has announced that it will build a new settlement in the West Bank.
Within two weeks of US President Donald Trump’s term, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday announced plans for 5,500 housing units in the West Bank, while the municipality of Jerusalem advanced plans for about 550 new homes in East Jerusalem.
The Prime Minister earlier received the Palestine President at her office around 3:22 pm presenting a bouquet to the guest.
After having a tete-a-tete for around 15 minutes, the half-an-hour official talks between the two sides were held with Mahmoud Abbas leading the Palestine side while Hasina the Bangladesh side.
Jointly briefing reporters after the talks with PM’s Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim, Foreign Secretary M Shahidul Haque said the bilateral meeting was held in a cordial atmosphere and a new door of bilateral relations has opened up through Mahmoud Abbas’ visit.
After the official talks, he said, both sides signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on forming an intergovernmental joint committee to hold foreign office consultations on a regular basis.
Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali and his Palestine counterpart Riad NA Maliki signed the MoU on behalf of their respective sides while Mahmoud Abbas and Sheikh Hasina witnessed the signing.
Shahidul Haque said the two sides earlier signed an MoU on energy cooperation.
He said this visit of the Palestine President was very significant as this is his first state visit to Bangladesh although he had earlier made stopover in Dhaka twice. Besides, former Palestine President Yasser Arafat officially visited Bangladesh several times, including one in 1997.
“Through this visit (of Palestine President), Bangladesh has reiterated its everlasting support to the Palestine nationhood as the Palestine movement had inspired the people of Bangladesh during the War of Liberation,” he added.
The Foreign Secretary said the Prime Minister with deep gratitude recalled the unflinching support of former Palestine President Yasser Arafat towards the Liberation War of Bangladesh alongside his deep friendship with Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
The Palestine President expressed deep gratitude to Sheikh Hasina for providing training and scholarship to Palestine students in civil and military sectors.
The Palestinian President also paid deep homage to Bangabandhu describing him as a great leader of the world.
Shahidul said Palestine is now passing through a critical time following Israeli aggression. “As a result, the two-state solution, which is being heard for long time, has become uncertain.”
Replying to a query, he said although Palestine recognised Israel, Bangladesh is yet to do so. “For this, the Palestine President thanked the Bangladesh Prime Minister.”
Noting that the Palestinians want to resolve their problems with Israel through negotiations, the Foreign Secretary said but the present context has turned out to be very different.
He said the Palestinian President wants Bangladesh to continue its support to the two-state solution so that the people of Palestine could peacefully resolve its problem with Israel through negotiations.
Replying to another question, Shahidul said following a request from the Palestine side, Bangladesh accepted a proposal and a Palestine Business delegation would soon visit Bangladesh to see in which areas cooperation in trade and commerce could be extended.
He also informed that hopefully the foreign office consultations would be held between the two countries in the later part of this year where discussions would be held in details on areas, including trade, and different problems being faced by Palestine students in Bangladesh.
Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed, Planning Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal, Law Minister Anisul Huq, PM’s International Affairs Adviser Dr Gowher Rizvi, State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid and PM’s Principal Secretary Dr Kamal Abdul Naser Chowdhury were present during the official talks. – UNB