President Mahmoud Abbas' visit to Bangladesh extremely important: Head of mission

Palestine considers the official visit of its President Mahmoud Abbas to Bangladesh “extremely important” because it will expand the relations.

“I just want to say that as much as the visit is important to Bangladesh, it is extremely important for Palestine because we are keen to develop this relation and do everything possible to make this relations very firm one,” Palestine embassy’s Head of Mission in Dhaka Yousuf SY Ramadan told bdnews24.com on Tuesday in an interview.

Abbas will arrive in Dhaka on Wednesday in a special flight on a three-day visit at the invitation of President Md Abdul Hamid, who will receive him at the airport. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will see him off at the airport.

Bangladesh is a staunch supporter of Palestine’s cause and always in favour of establishing the State of Palestine on the basis of the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.

Dhaka consistently says that this support is based on principle, not any interest, which is derived from its constitutional obligation “to support oppressed peoples throughout the world waging a just struggle against imperialism, colonialism, or racialism”.

“We are extremely happy that the visit is taking place. We believe this visit will enhance the Bangladesh-Palestine relations. It will play an important role in the development of Bangladesh-Palestine relations,” the head of mission said.

“The basis of the relations is already there. And the president will come to build on that,” he said, “We are at the heart of the people of Bangladesh, we feel that.”

“We are extremely proud of such kind of people, such kind of relations. That’s why we should develop it, protect it, and cherish it,” he said while discussing the visit.

Through the visit, he said, the world would get “one clear message that no one will be able to endanger the relations between Bangladesh and Palestine. This is a very clear message. Both sides are very keen to maintain the relations”.

“The support will remain. This is firm and based on principle, not based on any interest,” he said.

Abbas will meet President Hamid and will have the bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Hasina when they will discuss bilateral, regional and international issues of “common interest,” the foreign ministry earlier said.

He will also visit the National Memorial in Savar to pay homage to the martyrs of Bangladesh’s War of Independence.

The Palestine president will also visit Bangabandhu Museum at Dhanmondi 32 where the Father of the Nation Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was assassinated in 1975.

Head of Mission Ramadan said Bangladesh’s Leader of the Opposition Raushon Ershad would also meet Abbas at Hotel Le Meridian where he will be staying.

Hamid will host a banquet in his honour at the Bangabhaban.

During the visit, an MoU on inter-governmental coordination of bilateral, regional and international issues headed by the two foreign ministers would be signed.

Ramadan said there would be an announcement of the waiver of visa for Palestinian diplomats.

The two leaders will also discuss relations on agriculture, energy and power, and also on future intelligence cooperation issues.

On Dec 11, 2016, both sides signed an agreement on energy and power sector cooperation under which Palestinian companies are invited to come to Bangladesh and invest.

At least 100 military and civil students are studying in Bangladesh on scholarships.

Dhaka always backs the demand for Palestine’s “full membership” in the UN.

The UN Security Council adopted a resolution demanding an end to Israeli settlement building in December after the United States abstained from the voting, breaking a long-standing approach of shielding Israel.

But President Donald Trump, who tried to intervene even before taking oath, promised to move the US embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, a move to back Israel that many have seen as endangering the peace process.

Replying to a question, the top Palestine diplomat in Dhaka said President Abbas' visit had been decided long before. “When the president made a stopover last year in February here, the foreign minister handed over an invitation letter of the president to him and he instructed the embassy to arrange the visit."

He said President Abbas was supposed to come seven months ago, but the visit did not take place as both sides could not agree time. This time he is coming from Pakistan and from here he will go to Jordan on Friday en route to Paris.

He, however, said Palestine does not believe that Trump would be able to move the embassy to Jerusalem.

“All the US presidents said the same thing before the elections. But there are advisers, administrators, and intelligence, they know if he (Trump} does such a thing, he will be putting a bullet in the head of the peace process. So they will not allow him to do so."

“If he does, there will be no peace in the Middle East. For us, Jerusalem is as important as the state of Palestine itself. It’s a red line.

“Jerusalem will be the capital of Palestine whether they like it or they don’t,” he asserted. “That is final. No matter how long it takes in the peace process or no peace process at all.”

Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki, Chief Justice Mahmoud al-Habbas, Spokesman Nabil Abu Rudeineh, Adviser to Diplomatic Affairs Majdi al-Khalidi and high-level military and civil officials will accompany the President.