Strongly denouncing the recent Israeli announcement about building new settlements in Palestinian territory, Bangladesh yesterday reiterated its stance on the two-state solution for Palestine and Israel.

Bangladesh also reaffirmed its support for the people of Palestine.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina reiterated her country's strong stance on the issue during the official talks with Palestine President Mahmoud Abbas at her office.

She earlier received the visiting president at the office around 3:30pm. She had a one-to-one discussion with the president for around 15 minutes before joining the talks.

Briefing reporters after the meeting, PM's Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim said the bilateral talks were held in a cordial atmosphere.

The two countries later signed a Memorandum of Understanding on forming an intergovernmental joint committee to hold foreign office consultations on a regular basis, he added.

Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali and his Palestinian counterpart Riad NA Maliki signed the deal on behalf of their respective sides in presence of the Palestine president and the Bangladesh PM.

Addressing the press briefing, Foreign Secretary Shahidul Haque said the two countries earlier signed an MoU on energy cooperation.

“Through this visit [of the Palestine president], Bangladesh has reiterated its support for Palestinian nationhood as the Palestine movement had inspired the people of Bangladesh during the Liberation War,” he added.

The PM remembered with deep gratitude late Palestine president Yasser Arafat for his unflinching support towards Bangladesh's Liberation War and his deep friendship with Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Shahidul told journalists.

Abbas expressed gratitude to Hasina for providing training and scholarship to Palestinian students in civil and military sectors. He also paid deep homage to Bangabandhu, describing him as a great world leader.

Replying to a query, the foreign secretary said although Palestine recognised Israel, Bangladesh was yet to do so. “The Palestine president thanked the Bangladesh prime minister for this.”

He said the 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.

He informed reporters that a Palestine business delegation would soon visit Bangladesh to see in which areas of trade and commerce cooperation could be strengthened.

Shahidul hoped the foreign office consultations between the two countries would be held in the later part of this year.

Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed, Planning Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal, Law Minister Anisul Huq, PM's International Affairs Adviser Gowher Rizvi, State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid and PM's Principal Secretary Kamal Abdul Naser Chowdhury were present during the official talks.

For the first time in about 20 years, Israel on Wednesday announced it would build a new settlement in the West Bank, according to media reports.

The announcement came within two weeks of US President Donald Trump taking office.

ABBAS MEETS HAMID

President Abdul Hamid yesterday stressed the need for immediate removal of all the barriers that stand in the way of making Palestine an independent state.

“Bangladesh always expresses its condemnation over the illegal Israeli occupation and settlement in Palestine and Arab land. We want to see Palestine as an independent state,” he said when Palestine President Mahmoud Abbas met him at the Bangabhaban in the evening.

President's Press Secretary Joynal Abedin briefed reporters after the meeting.

Welcoming his Palestinian counterpart to Bangladesh, Hamid said the two countries have deep and historical relations.

Bangladesh is proud of the fact that it is one of the countries who acknowledged Palestine as an independent state, added Hamid.

He remembered the lifelong struggle of Yasser Arafat for relalising the rights of Palestinians and thanked the Palestine government for publishing the “Unfinished Memoirs of Bangabandhu” in Arabic.

Hamid also hoped the existing bilateral relations between the two countries will be strengthened further in future.

He said Bangladesh will continue offering scholarships to Palestinian students and armed forces officials for higher studies and different training courses.

Abbas thanked Bangladeshi people for giving support and cooperation to the Palestinians.

He appreciated Bangladesh's stance against Israeli settlements in Palestine and expressed optimism that bilateral relations and mutual cooperation between Palestine and Bangladesh would make further progress in future.

Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali, Foreign Secretary Shahidul Haque and senior officials of the Bangabhaban and the foreign ministry were present, among others.

Later, Hamid hosted a cultural event followed by a dinner at the Darbar Hall in honour of the visiting Palestine president.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury, Chief Justice SK Sinha, Opposition Leader Raushan Ershad, Finance Minister AMA Muhith, former president HM Ershad, Palestine Foreign Minister Riad NA Maliki and Palestine Chief Justice Mahmoud SA  Alhabbash, among others, attended the dinner.

ABBAS PAYS HOMAGE TO MARTYRS

President Mahmoud Abbas paid tributes to the martyrs of the Liberation War at the National Memorial in Savar yesterday.

He placed a wreath at the Memorial, signed the visitors' book and planted a sapling there.

He also visited the Bangabandhu Memorial Museum in the capital's Dhanmondi to pay respect to Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, who along with most of his family members was brutally assassinated on Aug 15, 1975.