Warning against trade-commerce with Russian establishments
The US Embassy in Dhaka has urged Bangladesh to impose sanction like USA and European Union (EU) against Russia. At the same time sounding caution against Bangladesh’s trade and commerce with Russian establishments the US Embassy has said if any foreign company runs business with the firms placed under sanction, that company may also come under sanction. This message was conveyed in a diplomatic note of the US Embassy to the foreign ministry of Bangladesh last month.
A diplomat said the relations of Bangladesh with Russia have strengthened much over the last few years. This country is moving toward setting up nuclear power plant in Rooppur with Russian collaboration. The trade volume between the two countries is on the way to reach the 100 crore milestone from 70 crore dollars.
There is a 100 crore dollar defence purchase deal between Bangladesh and Russia. Under this, Bangladesh has finalised the matter of purchasing military cargo planes including combat aircraft from Russia.
The letter sent to the foreign ministry from the US Embassy in Dhaka last month said, the US government is committed to diplomatic solution of the Ukraine situation. The US has told Russia that the course of action over that country will be decided on the basis of deeds and not only the words of Russia. The letter further said Washington has not witnessed any meaningful improvement in Russia’s Ukraine policy despite its pledge to defuse tension.
The US Embassy has said, “Russia’s military intervention in Ukraine, ‘annexation’ of Crimea into Russia, the ongoing violation of Ukraine’s sovereignty and geographical integrity is contrary to the basic compulsion of international law and threat to the international peace and stability.”
The letter referred to economic sanction imposed by the US against various Russian organisations on July 29. The US citizens were advised not to make any transaction with Bank of Moscow, Russian Agricultural Bank and VTB Bank. It also cited the sanction imposed against Gazprom Bank and Russian state-run corporation VEB on July 16.
About Russian defence establishment United Shipbuilding Corporation, the letter said 50 percent of the properties of the company will come under sanction. The US citizens will not be able to make transaction with the organisation. US Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) licence is required for the export, re-export, or transfer within Russia, of any item produced by the above-mentioned organisation.
The letter also pointed out the US decision not to issue licence for the purpose of exporting the goods which may be used in Russian energy sector, for exploration, production from deepwater, Arctic offshore, or a shale projects that have the potential to produce oil and gas. The decision aimed at putting Russia on challenge technologically and strategically to undertake any energy related project.
Besides, the US reminded Dhaka its decision not issue any LC which encourages Russian export and funding its economic development projects.
In its letter, the US Embassy says the EU announced its own package of sanction against Russia on July 31. Of the sanctions, restricting access of Russia to EU share-market and banning export of some goods used for Russian oil field can be mentioned.
The letter urged Bangladesh government to consider taking steps like the US and EU. It is important for us to take united stand against violation of international law, the letter mentioned. The US said its initiative will succeed if and when Russia will be repentant for its “illegal” and “unstable” deeds and rectify itself.
The Bangladesh government has been requested to propagate the US sanction. The letter spoke on the need for alerting Bangladeshi companies not to make any business with Russian organisations to avoid the ills of sanction. The US website (
http://www.treasury.govt/about/orga...s/Pages/Office-of-Foreign-Assets-Control.aspx) published the list of the companies hard hit by the sanction.
The US Embassy further said every country should caution its citizens and businessmen against continuing business with Russia on the ground of US sanction. It also said some companies may prefer doing business with sanction-hit companies for making extra profit but the US will not tolerate it. If any company takes step to enter into business deal with sanction-hit companies, the US will take the matter with great concern.
The letter said that all concerned should remember that the companies which do not belong to the US may be subjected to sanction on charge of working in favour of sanction-hit individuals and organisations.
The geopolitical fight has emitted its heat in Dhaka. On Thursday, UN General Assembly resolution declared illegal the Crimean referendum on its annexation with Russia. In it, 58 countries including Bangladesh refrained from giving vote. A number of 100 countries cast votes in favour of the resolution while 11 others gave dissenting votes. On March 30, Russian Ambassador Alexander A Nikolaev thanked Bangladesh for its stand. The next day, US Ambassador DW Mozena expressed deep shock for the stand.
State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md Shahriar Alam said Bangladesh has rightly taken the stand in the light of its foreign policy.
“As a member of NAM and G-77, we cannot interfere in the internal affairs of any country. We have not deviated from this policy”
Addressing a programme in Dhaka, Russian Ambassador Alexander criticised the US for resorting to double standard policy. He said Russia is trying to protect its interest.
Even Ambassador Nikolayev has not backtracked from his stance on criticizing the US over Bangladesh’s issue. According to him, the United States (US) frequently is giving threats to Bangladesh to continue the suspension of GSP facilities. Such threats are too much.
Diplomatic sources informed that in the past the western countries including the United States sought Bangladesh’s support on different global and geo-political issues. But Bangladesh gave its decision considering its position and foreign policies. Bangladesh could not fulfill the expectation of western countries on different geo-political issues of Iran and Middle East. The western countries also know the limitation of Bangladesh.
According to information of FBCCI – the country’s apex trade body, the yearly total volume of export-import trade between Russia and Bangladesh is US$54.36 crore. In 2012-2013 fiscal Bangladesh exported to Russia goods worth US$20.83 lakh at the same time Bangladesh imported goods worth US$33.53 lakh from Russia. Mainly Bangladesh exported RMG, shrimp, jute and jute goods to Russia. Bangladesh has an opportunity to increase its export to Russia.
In 2009, Russia imported RMG worth US$3.50 billion from Bangladesh which is only 5.5 percent against the total export. But Russia’s buyers are expressing their keen interest on Bangladesh goods. ‘Sports Master’, one of the largest brands of Russia, opened a buying house at Gulshan in the city in 2009. The yearly demand for Bangladeshi shrimp to Russia is 86,000 tonnes while the export volume of Bangladesh to Russia is less than .1 percent. In 2010, Noor Md Mahbubul Haque, Bangladesh’s Commercial Councilor to Russia informed this correspondent, “Bangladesh can bring a change through exporting knitwear, shrimp, sweater and jute goods to Russia. Knitwear exporters of Bangladesh participated in an international fair in Moscow for increasing export to Russia at that time.
AKM Selim Osman, President of Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA) said, “For the last few years Bangladesh’s exports to Russia are gradually increasing. It is not justified from US side to involve Bangladesh in its dispute with Russia. The US has imposed embargo on some Russian companies, but which are those companies still we do not know.
Foreign Minister Abul Hasan Mahmud Ali, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md Sharier Alam and Foreign Secretary Md Shahidul Haque are now staying in US to attend 69th session of the UNGA. So this correspondent could not make any contact with them about the US Embassy letter.
Terming the US Embassy’s letter as ‘Demand’, the sources concerned said that it is a part of geo-political dispute. Bangladesh should not get engaged to this practice because the US is a friend of Bangladesh like Russia.
Former foreign affairs secretary Faruk Ahmed Chowdhury said the government will think about the logic behind responding to the request of United States.
It is mentionable that one of the key points of the foreign policy of Bangladesh is friendship with all but enmity with none.
Former ambassador Safi U Ahmed said, “The US hopes that its friendly states will follow it. The partnership between US and Bangladesh is immense and that is why US informed its expectation to Bangladesh. But I do not think that it is mandatory to follow it as this economic sanction has not come from United Nations. The policymakers of the country will find the possible outcomes.”
He said the relation between Bangladesh and US is strong and so is the same with Russia. The relation with Russia is being strengthened day by day in various sectors.
Safi U Ahmed opined that the sanction of US is basically applicable for their people. But there are some economic compulsions which are also applicable for others. The businessmen have to take initiative considering the aspects. For example, once the businessmen of the country were incapable to open Letter of Credit (LC) for economic sanction on Myanmar. But that did not result in halt in businesses. The businessmen have to find out the new path if there is economic sanction in case of Russia. -
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