Modi’s Upcoming Visit
Diplomatic Correspondent
31st January, 2021 09:53:27
Dhaka and New Delhi will hold a series of high-level meetings in February ahead of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s two-day visit to Bangladesh on March 26-27 to join the golden jubilee celebrations of Bangladesh’s independence.
The upcoming visit of the Indian prime minister also incidentally marks the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties between Bangladesh and India and the birth centenary of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujuibur Rahman.
Modi’s first visit to Bangladesh will be his first tour of any foreign country during the Covid-19 pandemic. His visit was to take place in March, 2020, but it had been postponed due to the pandemic.
India pre-eminent partner of US in Indo-Pacific: Blinken tells Jaishankar
Antony Blinken also stressed the importance of working together to expand regional cooperation, including through the Quad.
Donald Trump concedes election
American Secretary of State Antony Blinken underscored India s role as a pre-eminent partner of the US in the Indo-Pacific during a discussion with Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on expanding ties, a top official said here.
State Department spokesperson Ned Price said that Blinken called Jaishankar on Friday to reaffirm the growing US-India partnership and discuss issues of mutual concern, including Covid-19 vaccination efforts, regional developments, and next steps in expanding bilateral ties .
How President Gotabaya Got To Geneva
Dr. Dayan Jayatilleka
A key speech by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has been quoted at some fair length and in the Report of UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet as evidence which corroborates the charge of majoritarian ethnocentrism. His elder brother Mahinda never got himself in that situation; not even in wartime.
I was in the room when he engaged across the board in Geneva in 2007 with everyone from High Commissioner Louise Arbour and UN High Commissioner for Refugees – currently the UN Secretary-General – Antonio Guterres, to Amnesty International Head Irene Khan. He leaned into it, leaving the impression of a leader who was familiar with and appreciative of the concept of human rights but who was struggling to balance contending considerations in the throes of a terrible war in which he was determined to prevail for the sake of the people.