Bangladesh–Israel relations

Last updated
Bangladesh–Israel relations
Israel Bangladesh Locator.svg
Flag of Israel.svg
Israel 		Flag of Bangladesh.svg
Bangladesh

Bangladesh and Israel do not have diplomatic relations. Bangladesh has stated that it will not recognize Israel until there is an independent Palestinian state. [1] Some reports have alleged that Bangladesh and Israel maintain some trade relations indirectly and sometimes secretly and via proxies, although the Bangladesh government denies these allegations.

Contents

Diplomacy

Bangladesh is one of 29 UN member states that do not recognize the state of Israel and very clear from the time of it's inception. It is one of several countries that officially bans its citizens from traveling to Israel and does not accept Israeli passports. [2] [3] [4] In November 2003, Bangladeshi journalist Salah Choudhury was arrested for attempting to fly to Tel Aviv, arraigned for "sedition, treason, and blasphemy", and sentenced to a seven-year prison term. [5] [6] Bangladesh officially supports a sovereign Palestinian state hosting a Palestinian embassy and "an end to Israel's illegal occupation of Palestine". [3]

In a September 2011 statement published in The Jerusalem Post , an Israeli government spokesperson said, "We have no conflict with Bangladesh. We want dialogue. We want people-to-people relations. We welcome the religious-minded people of Bangladesh to visit the holy land of Jerusalem". [7] Israel fruitlessly "sought a relationship with Bangladesh" after they had established "full diplomatic relations with China and India in 1992". [8] Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said in 2014, "We have been continuing our support to the Palestinians and occupation of their land by the Israelis is never acceptable". [9]

In late May 2021, Bangladesh removed "except Israel" from their passport to meet the "international standard" [10] [11] from an earlier version which said "This passport is valid for all countries of the world except Israel". The removal was only from their e-passport and removal from machine readable passports (MRP) is on process. [10] [12] Though the term was removed from the passport, Bangladesh did not remove the ban on traveling to Israel with Bangladeshi passport. [13]

Bangladesh has expressed its solidarity with the Palestinian people during the 2023 Israel-Hamas War. [14]

Trade

Bangladesh maintains a ban on trade with Israel even though both countries are members of the World Trade Organization. [8] In 2014, it was found from the official statistics of the Bangladesh Export Promotion Bureau that Bangladesh had exported a small amount of merchandise goods worth about US$2,577 to Israel in 2013–14 fiscal year. [15] In recent years however, it is found that Bangladeshi products are exported to Israel through the United States, the European Union or other third countries. [16]

Israel imported ready-made garments, apparel and textile products from Bangladesh worth $333.74 million in the fiscal year 2022. Most imported Bangladeshi goods came via Turkey, Malaysia, the United Arab Emirates and Singapore. [17] Ready-made garments brokerage based in Singapore made payments to Bangladeshi banks from Singapore and Turkey as there is no direct diplomatic and economic relationship between both countries. [18]

Indian company Adani Group’s planned take-over of the Port of Haifa would allow Muslim countries, including Bangladesh and Saudi Arabia, to ship products to and from Haifa port despite not having a direct diplomatic relationship. [19]

The economic potential of the two countries is immense, said Joseph Rozen, the former director for Asia and Euro-Asia affairs in the Israeli National Security Council. [20] Israel needs goods and services that Bangladesh can offer directly instead of obtaining the same Bangladeshi goods via Singapore and Turkey. [21]

Spyware purchase

In February 2021, an Al-Jazeera investigation report titled " All the Prime Minister's Men " alleged that Bangladeshi military intelligence secretly bought Israeli-made mobile phone surveillance and manipulation equipment that can be used to simultaneously monitor hundreds of people. [22] The report also claimed that some Bangladeshi military officers were trained by Israeli tech experts at a warehouse in Hungary. [23] Bangladesh Army denied these allegations in an official statement. [24]

Bangladesh’s security agency, Directorate General of Forces Intelligence, commonly known as DGFI, purchased mass surveillance software, spyware and cyber monitoring products from Israeli companies worth $12 million. [25] Bangladeshi Government’s security agents were trained in Hungary and Thailand. [18] [26] Photos appeared online showing DGFI agents posing for photos with Israeli trainers. [27]

Bangladesh Liberation War

Israel was one of the first nations to recognize the independent Bangladesh in February 1972. [28] Both the Israeli Government and the Israeli general public supported the aspirations of the Bengali people during the Bangladesh Liberation War in 1971. After the independence of Bangladesh, the newly formed country was quickly recognized by Israel on 7 February 1972. [28] However, the Government of Bangladesh officially rejected the Israeli recognition. [7] [29] Stating it would not recognize the Israeli state until there is an independent Palestinian state. On behalf of the Bangladeshi Government, the then Foreign Minister of Bangladesh, Khondaker Mostaq Ahmad, issued a letter saying this recognition was not acceptable. [7]

2006 Lebanon War

In the immediate aftermath of the 2006 Lebanon War, Bangladesh offered to send battalions of its infantrymen to help with the UN peacekeeping force, but Israel rejected it stating that Bangladesh does not recognize Israel. [30] Although Israel rejected the country's participation, Bangladesh was one of first countries whose troops reached the shores of south Lebanon. Whereas western nations, such as the original leader and top contributor to Lebanon, France, delayed their deployment. As of May 2015, Bangladesh has 326 peacekeepers participating in UNIFIL in Lebanon. [31]

Allegation of Mossad connection

In May 2016, Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina alleged that opposition parties BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh have joined with Israeli national intelligence agency Mossad to overthrow her government through a coup after it had been reported that Aslam Chowdhury, the joint secretary general of BNP met the Israeli politician Mendi N. Safadi during a visit to India. [32] Aslam claimed that the meeting was accidental. [33]

On 7 June 2016, Bangladeshi Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan alleged that the main opposition party BNP has link to the recent fundamentalists attacks in Bangladesh and these attacks are part of a wider conspiracy that also involved Mossad, the national intelligence agency of Israel. [34] Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman referred to the allegations as "utter drivel." [34]

2023 Israel-Hamas War

Following the 2023 Hamas-led attack on Israel, the Bangladeshi Foreign Ministry swiftly condemned the loss of innocent civilian lives from both sides and expressed its endorsement of a two-state solution to the conflict. [35] Emphasizing that the escalation of conflict benefits no party, Government of Bangladesh called on both sides to exercise maximum restraint and implement an immediate ceasefire to prevent further casualties. [36] Bangladesh has long advocated for a two-state solution, envisioning Palestine and Israel coexisting as independent states in adherence to UN Resolutions 242 and 338, with the aim of establishing enduring peace and stability in the region. Information Minister, Hasan Mahmud, firmly stated the country's opposition to wars and killings, highlighting the unacceptable nature of holding civilians hostage during conflicts, irrespective of the location or circumstances. He specifically denounced the blockade imposed on the Gaza Strip, including the cutoff of essential resources, as an unjustifiable act in the name of war. [37]

On November 17, Bangladesh, along with four other nations, including South Africa, jointly called for an International Criminal Court investigation into Israel's indiscriminate war on the Gaza Strip. [38]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hamas</span> Palestinian political and military organization

Hamas, an acronym of its official name, Harakat al-Muqawama al-Islamiya, is a Palestinian Sunni Islamist political and military movement governing the Israeli-occupied Gaza Strip since 2007.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Palestinian Authority</span> Interim government in Western Asia

The Palestinian Authority, officially known as the Palestinian National Authority or the State of Palestine, is the Fatah-controlled government body that exercises partial civil control over West Bank areas "A" and "B" as a consequence of the 1993–1995 Oslo Accords. The Palestinian Authority controlled the Gaza Strip prior to the Palestinian elections of 2006 and the subsequent Gaza conflict between the Fatah and Hamas parties, when it lost control to Hamas; the PA continues to claim the Gaza Strip, although Hamas exercises de facto control. Since January 2013, the Palestinian Authority has used the name "State of Palestine" on official documents, although the United Nations continues to recognize the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) as the "representative of the Palestinian people".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Foreign relations of Israel</span> Overview of the foreign relations of Israel

Foreign relations of Israel refers to diplomatic and trade relations between Israel and other countries around the world. Israel has diplomatic ties with 164 of the other 192 UN member states as of December 2020. Israel is a member of the United Nations (UN) and a number of other international organisations. Israel maintains full diplomatic relations with two of its Arab neighbours, Egypt and Jordan, after signing peace treaties in 1979 and 1994 respectively. In 2020, Israel signed agreements establishing diplomatic relations with three Arab League countries, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, and Morocco. As of 2021, Israel had formal diplomatic relations with 168 other countries, while twenty-eight UN member states have either never established, or have broken off diplomatic relations with Israel.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Status of Jerusalem</span> Legal and diplomatic status

The status of Jerusalem has been described as "one of the most intractable issues in the Israeli–Palestinian conflict" due to the long-running territorial dispute between Israel and the Palestinians, both of which claim it as their capital city. Part of this issue of sovereignty is tied to concerns over access to holy sites in the Abrahamic religions; the current religious environment in Jerusalem is upheld by the "Status Quo" of the former Ottoman Empire. As the Israeli–Palestinian peace process has primarily navigated the option of a two-state solution, one of the largest points of contention has been East Jerusalem, which was part of the Jordanian-annexed West Bank until the beginning of the Israeli occupation in 1967.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701</span> 2006 resolution on resolving the 2006 Lebanon War

United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701 is a resolution that was intended to resolve the 2006 Lebanon War. The resolution calls for a full cessation of hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah, the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Lebanon to be replaced by Lebanese and UNIFIL forces deploying to southern Lebanon, and the disarmament of armed groups including Hezbollah. It emphasizes Lebanon's need to fully exert government control and calls for efforts to address the unconditional release of abducted Israeli soldiers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Israel–New Zealand relations</span> Bilateral relations

Israel–New Zealand relations are the foreign relations between the State of Israel and New Zealand. While Israel has an embassy in Wellington, New Zealand's embassy in Ankara, Turkey is accredited to Israel. Diplomatic relations between the two countries date back to January 1949. New Zealand has exported a mixture of agricultural and manufactured goods to Israel. In return, Israel has exported a range of manufactured goods to New Zealand. Bilateral relations between the two countries have been complicated by issues such as the 2004 Israel–New Zealand passport scandal, United Nations Security Council Resolution 2334, and the Israel-Palestine conflict.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bangladeshi passport</span> E-Passport of the Peoples Republic of Bangladesh

The Bangladeshi passport is an ICAO compliant, machine-readable and biometric e-passport issued for the purpose of travel to foreign countries by the passport holder. Bangladesh is the first country in South Asia to issue e-passports for all eligible citizens. The passport booklet is manufactured, printed and issued by the Department of Immigration & Passports of the Ministry of Home Affairs. This electronic microprocessor chip embedded e-passport has forty-one different security features, including holographic images embossed in thin-film laminate, which change colour under light and appear to move. Demographic and biometric information of the e-passport holder are stored on the chip inside the e-passport. This information includes the fingerprints of all ten fingers of the passport holder; the iris scan of both eyes; a color photograph of the face of the bearer; their digital signature; etc. Depending on the age of the applicant, the e-passport is valid for either five years or ten years and it is distributed by the Government of The People's Republic of Bangladesh, or by any of its overseas diplomatic missions, to eligible Bangladeshi nationals who are citizens by birth, by descent or through naturalization.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ireland–Israel relations</span> Bilateral relations

Ireland–Israel relations are foreign relations between Ireland and Israel.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Israel–Maldives relations</span> Bilateral relations

Israel–Maldives relations refer to foreign relations between Israel and the Maldives. The countries had diplomatic relations from 1965 to 1974. From 2012 to 2017, they maintained cooperation agreements, but did not restore full diplomatic relations. In 2024, the Maldives banned Israeli passport holders from entering the nation due to the Israeli government's conduct in the Israel–Hamas war.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Australia–Israel relations</span> Bilateral relations

The bilateral relations between Australia and Israel were formally established in 1949. Australia has an embassy in Tel Aviv and Israel has an embassy in Canberra.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">International recognition of Israel</span> Recognition among the UN member states

The State of Israel was formally established by the Israeli Declaration of Independence on 14 May 1948, and was admitted to the United Nations (UN) as a full member state on 11 May 1949. As of December 2020, it has received diplomatic recognition from 165 of the 193 total UN member states, and also maintains bilateral ties with all of the Permanent Five. 28 member states have either never recognized Israel or have withdrawn their recognition; others have severed diplomatic relations without explicitly withdrawing their recognition. Additionally, many non-recognizing countries have challenged Israel's existence—predominantly those in the Muslim world—due to significant animosity stemming from the Israeli–Palestinian conflict and the Arab–Israeli conflict.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Israel–Malaysia relations</span> Bilateral relations

Israel–Malaysia relations refers to the commercial and cultural ties between Israel and Malaysia. The two countries currently maintain no formal diplomatic relations. Although Malaysia officially maintains an outwardly hostile position towards Israel, commercial relations between the two countries do exist, albeit very limited. Malaysian passports bear the inscription: "This passport is valid for all countries except Israel". Israeli Passport holders are forbidden to enter Malaysia without written permission from the Malaysian Ministry of Home Affairs. The recognition of Israel is a politically delicate issue for the Malaysian government.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hamas government in the Gaza Strip</span> Political situation in the Palestinian territory of Gaza since the 2007 takeover by Hamas

Hamas has governed the Gaza Strip in Palestine since its takeover of the region from rival party Fatah in June 2007. Hamas' government was led by Ismail Haniyeh from 2007 until February 2017, when Haniyeh was replaced as leader of Hamas in the Gaza Strip by Yahya Sinwar. As of November 2023, Yahya Sinwar continues to be the leader of Hamas in the Gaza Strip. In January 2024, due to the ongoing Israel–Hamas war, Israel said that Hamas lost control of most of the northern part of the Gaza Strip. In May 2024, Hamas regrouped in the north.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">International recognition of the State of Palestine</span> Overview of states recognizing Palestine

As of May 2024, the State of Palestine is recognized as a sovereign state by 143 of the 193 member states of the United Nations. It has been a non-member observer state of the United Nations General Assembly since November 2012.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bezalel Smotrich</span> Israeli far-right politician (born 1980)

Bezalel Yoel Smotrich is an Israeli far-right politician and lawyer who has served as the Minister of Finance since 2022. The leader of the National Religious Party–Religious Zionism, he previously served as a Knesset member for Yamina.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of the Jews in Bangladesh</span> Aspect of Jewish history

The history of the Jews in Bangladesh refers to the history of a tiny Jewish community in Bangladesh, previously known as East Pakistan. Jewish history in the country can be traced to the 18th and 19th centuries. The Jews of British India and Pakistan had a small community in what is now Bangladesh, particularly in the city of Dhaka. Jewish residents were also reported in Rajshahi. The Jews of Bangladesh are reported to have been Baghdadi Jews, Cochin Jews and the Bene Israel. Most of these Jews emigrated by the 1960s. Now, only a few Jewish families live in Bangladesh very quietly due to government policy towards Israel.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hamas government of October 2016</span> De facto Palestinian government in Gaza Strip

The Hamas government of October 2016 is a faction of the Palestinian government based in Gaza and is effectively the third Hamas dominated government in the Gaza Strip since the takeover of Gaza by Hamas. On October 17, 2016 Supreme Administrative Committee, which is in the process of building progressive ministries in Gaza, reshuffles active ministries and repositions of 16 ministers and director generals in government institutions. The government in Gaza is composed of ministers, governors-general and other high-level officials linked directly to the Ramallah administration. Initially, it was speculated that the formation of the Hamas government in 2016 was an attempt by Ismail Haniya to return to full Hamas control of Gaza. As part of government reform, it was decided to expand the Ministry of Planning. The United States, Canada, the European Union, Japan and Israel classify Hamas as a state institution in Gaza associated with the PLO government and recognize the PLO government as the legitimate government of Gaza territory. The Hamas government is recognized by the Palestine State Administration in Ramallah.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bangladesh–Palestine relations</span> Bilateral relations

Bilateral relations between Bangladesh and Palestine are close and considered to be cordial. Bangladesh has been a consistent supporter of the Palestinians right to an independent state, and has no diplomatic relations with Israel. Furthermore, Bangladesh offers scholarships to young Palestinians, and the two countries co-operate on military affairs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Palestine–Spain relations</span> Bilateral relations

Palestine–Spain relations are the bilateral and diplomatic relations between these two countries. Palestine has an embassy in Madrid. Spain has a consulate general in East Jerusalem that serves the West Bank, Gaza and Jerusalem. Spain recognised the state of Palestine on 28 May 2024.

References

  1. ↑ "B'desh should not establish ties with Israel: Experts". Zee News. 29 August 2010. Archived from the original on 24 December 2018. Retrieved 21 June 2015.
  2. ↑ "Moving Israel from Europe to Asia". The Jerusalem Post (Opinion). Archived from the original on 24 December 2018. Retrieved 29 January 2015.
  3. 1 2 "Statement by Her Excellency Ms. Dipu Moni, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Bangladesh". Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Dhaka. Archived from the original on 24 December 2013.
  4. ↑ "Grant: I'll have no issue with my Israeli passport". ghanaweb.com. Archived from the original on 24 December 2018. Retrieved 29 January 2015.
  5. ↑ "The unfathomable life of Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury". The Times of Israel . Archived from the original on 24 December 2018. Retrieved 29 January 2015.
  6. ↑ Winer, Stuart (9 January 2014). "Bangladesh editor gets 7 years for attempted Israel trip". The Times of Israel. Archived from the original on 24 December 2018. Retrieved 29 January 2015.
  7. 1 2 3 Nasir, Khaled (2 September 2011). "Time for a quiet revolution in Bangladesh-Israeli relations". The Jerusalem Post . Archived from the original on 5 January 2019. Retrieved 24 February 2015.
  8. 1 2 Ohad Shpak. "Elections in Bangladesh – Why do we care?". The Times of Israel. Archived from the original on 24 December 2018. Retrieved 1 February 2015.
  9. ↑ "PM: Attack on Gaza is violation of humanity". Dhaka Tribune. Archived from the original on 24 December 2018. Retrieved 21 June 2015.
  10. 1 2 পাসপোর্ট থেকে ইসরায়েল প্রসঙ্গ বাদ: যা বলছে সরকার. Bdnews24.com. 23 May 2021. Archived from the original on 22 May 2021. Retrieved 23 May 2021.
  11. ↑ Bajwa, Muzaffar Ahmad Noori (2021-05-22). "Bangladesh's friendly move towards Israel... 'except Israel' removed from new passport". The Eastern Herald. Archived from the original on 2021-05-23. Retrieved 2021-05-23.
  12. ↑ "Will Bangladesh normalize ties with Israel? – DW – 05/31/2021". dw.com. Archived from the original on 2023-11-03. Retrieved 2023-10-24.
  13. ↑ "Travel ban remains: Dhaka reacts to Israel foreign ministry's tweet". The Daily Star . 23 May 2021. Archived from the original on 27 May 2021. Retrieved 27 May 2021.
  14. ↑ "Overwhelmed to see love and support here for people in Palestine: Ambassador". The Business Standard. 2023-10-12. Archived from the original on 2023-11-11. Retrieved 2023-11-11.
  15. ↑ "No diplomatic ties but B'desh earns from export in Israel". New Age . 20 May 2014. Archived from the original on 5 January 2019. Retrieved 1 February 2015.
  16. ↑ "Bangladesh exports unknown goods to Israel". Prothom Alo . 11 August 2014. Archived from the original on 11 July 2016. Retrieved 1 February 2015.
  17. ↑ "Time to decode Bangladesh-Israel trade". The Financial Express. Archived from the original on 2023-10-23. Retrieved 2023-10-19.
  18. 1 2 "Bangladesh and Israel's trade and security cooperation are growing despite not having formal ties". Global Defense Corp. 2023-10-18. Archived from the original on 2023-10-23. Retrieved 2023-10-19.
  19. ↑ "Israel eyes trade gateway to ME as Adani takes over Haifa port". The Daily Star. Reuters. 2023-01-31. Archived from the original on 2023-10-23. Retrieved 2023-10-19.
  20. ↑ "Abraham Accords bring opportunities for Israel-Bangladesh cooperation". Dhaka Tribune. 2023-03-05. Archived from the original on 2023-11-03. Retrieved 2023-10-24.
  21. ↑ "What are the prospects for Israel-Bangladesh relations?". The Jerusalem Post | JPost.com. 2022-01-13. Archived from the original on 2023-10-23. Retrieved 2023-10-24.
  22. ↑ "Bangladesh bought spyware from Israeli surveillance company". Al Jazeera. Archived from the original on 2023-06-08. Retrieved 2023-10-19.
  23. ↑ "Bangladesh bought spyware from Israeli surveillance company". Al-Jazeera . 2 February 2021. Archived from the original on 3 February 2021. Retrieved 4 February 2021.
  24. ↑ "Bangladesh Army denies procuring Mobile Interceptor Device from Israel". Dhaka Tribune. 2 February 2021. Archived from the original on 2 February 2021. Retrieved 4 February 2021.
  25. ↑ "Despite Ban, Bangladesh Bought Spyware Worth at Least $12 Million From Israeli Firms: Report". The Wire. Archived from the original on 2023-10-23. Retrieved 2023-10-19.
  26. ↑ "Report about govt purchase of Israeli spy technology rocks Bangladesh". Benar News. Archived from the original on 2023-10-23. Retrieved 2023-10-19.
  27. ↑ "In Response to Haaretz Investigation, Bangladesh Says It Made No 'Direct' Purchases of Spytech From Israel". Haaretz. Archived from the original on 2023-03-15. Retrieved 2023-10-19.
  28. 1 2 "Israel Recognizes Bangladesh". Jewish Telegraphic Agency. 7 February 1972. Archived from the original on 2022-12-06. Retrieved 2022-12-07.
  29. ↑ Verinder Grover (1 January 2000). Bangladesh: Government and Politics. Deep & Deep Publications. p. 674. ISBN   978-81-7100-928-2. Archived from the original on 2 July 2023. Retrieved 24 October 2016.
  30. ↑ "Israeli troops shoot Hezbollah militants". CNN. Archived from the original on 24 December 2018. Retrieved 2 April 2010.
  31. ↑ "UNIFIL Troop-Contributing Countries". unifil.unmissions.org. Information and Communications Technology Division. Archived from the original on 26 June 2015. Retrieved 25 June 2015.
  32. ↑ "Hasina accuses rivals of trying to topple govt". The Hindu. 19 May 2016. ISSN   0971-751X. Archived from the original on 24 December 2018. Retrieved 16 June 2016.
  33. ↑ "I met Israeli accidentally". The Daily Star. 11 May 2016. Archived from the original on 24 December 2018. Retrieved 16 June 2016.
  34. 1 2 "Bangladeshi minister blames Israel for string of gruesome murders". The Times of Israel . Archived from the original on 13 June 2016. Retrieved 16 June 2016.
  35. ↑ "Bangladesh calls for immediate ceasefire". The Dhaka Tribune. October 8, 2023. Archived from the original on October 11, 2023. Retrieved December 5, 2023.
  36. ↑ "Dhaka denounces Israel's killing of women and children in besieged Gaza". The Business Standard. 2023-10-15. Retrieved 2023-12-06.
  37. ↑ "Hasan: Not right to hold Palestinians hostage in name of war". The Dhaka Tribune. October 10, 2023. Archived from the original on October 11, 2023. Retrieved December 5, 2023.
  38. ↑ "Five nations seek war crimes probe in Palestinian territories". Reuters. 2023-11-17. Archived from the original on 2023-12-01. Retrieved 2023-12-06.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.