Russia will respond to Bangladesh's needs if in financial crisis following any action taken by western countries, the Russian envoy said Thursday, amid speculations centering recent rights issues.
"I can understand you're speaking about financial problems, and so- called sanctions which can be introduced. We do not recognise the unilateral sanctions imposed by a Western or any other country. We only recognise the sanctions imposed by the Security Council of the UN," Ambassador Aleksandr Mantytskiy categorically said.
"So, when there will be a problem, then it can be discussed. Now, you should understand and it will be discussed what kind of assistance or what can be done by the Russian Federation or any other institution to assist your country," he told newsmen in response to a question.
"Let us see what will happen. I hope that nothing will happen here, so drastic, as you say and that we are thinking. But we do not know whether such type of event will take place."
The diplomat of Russia--whose country faces a raft of sanctions slapped by the United States and its allies over the Ukraine war launched by Russia to prevent planned NATO expansion with Ukraine's accession-said about Moscow's opposition to such restrictions.
"But, please do understand well again, I would like to underline that we are against each of illegal sanctions which are introduced by Westerners. I don't know exactly how many, 15,000 or 17,000, sanctions are imposed against the Russian Federation but we do not recognise them," he said to assert how Russia circumvents the bans.
During the media interaction, organised by Swadhinota Sangbadik Forum, a platform of journalists, he pointed out that despite these 'heavy sanctions', the Russian economy is on track as it is going to have 3.1-percent growth this year.
In his word of assurance for Dhaka the envoy also mentioned that the bilateral trade with Bangladesh, which was hit by the western sanctions, is now rebounding to normal and has potential to unfold.
Bangladesh is Russia's second-largest trade partner in South Asia after India. Even the COVID-19 pandemic did not hinder it - in 2021, trade volume reached a historic high of $2.97 billion.
"In 2022, Western countries imposed illegal unilateral sanctions against Russia. The subsequent breach of production and logistics chains led to a setback in Russian trade with foreign partners, including Bangladesh, which resulted in the trade turnover decrease by $640 million. There is every reason to believe that this year our countries will approach the indicators of 2021," the envoy said.
"For example, Russia increases export of wheat and fertilisers to Bangladesh. Russian companies are ready to supply on G2G basis up to 1.0 million tonnes of grains, as well 500,000 tonnes of potassium chloride per year."
About the upcoming bilateral trade and development cooperation, the Russian ambassador said in 2022, Russian JSC "Glavkosmos" and Bangladesh Satellite Company Ltd signed a Memorandum of Cooperation in the field of promotion of products and services of the Russian space industry in Bangladesh, including manufacturing and the launch of Bangabandhu-2 Earth observation satellite system.
The project's technical parameters have been finalised and the commercial offer is on the table.
"Gazprom International is working on new orders for the designing and drilling of wells in prospective gas fields in Bangladesh. There are more offers and projects in the pipeline, such as supplies of Russian crude oil for further local refining, export of LNG, upgrade of local power stations, renewable energy technologies, and more," he said listing prospects with which Russia can help Bangladesh in the event of any restriction.
Furthermore, he said, Russia has demand for skilled manpower from Bangladesh, and in June, the first batch of Bangladeshi specialists left for Russia to work in shipbuilding and construction industries in the Primorye Territory in the Russian Far East.
Narrating huge untapped potential of trade and investment cooperation, he said Bangladesh's readymade garments (RMG) can have a vast market in Russia.
"Since 2022, many international brands have decided to leave Russia. So, Russian business circles are reorienting towards new suppliers, including those from Bangladesh. Investments, both state and private, can amount to billions of dollars," he added.
Russian companies are ready to participate in various joint projects in Bangladesh, in such spheres as ICT, pharmaceuticals, space and geological research, maritime, railway and air transport.
Recalling the immense contribution of Russia to the liberation war of Bangladesh, the envoy said, "Since then, our relations have always been built on the principles of equality, mutual respect and consideration of each other's interests."
About the flagship project of bilateral relations--Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant-- he said the construction of the power plant is moving fast as per the agreed schedule by using the most advanced engineering solutions and technologies based on the strictest safety standards.
"Rooppur NPP will make a considerable contribution to Bangladesh economic development and energy security. Russia's engagement is not limited to building the facility--we will assist our Bangladeshi partners throughout the entire lifecycle of the nuclear project, including our obligations for the long-term deliveries of reactor fuel, plant maintenance, and handling nuclear waste. Russia helps in creating an entire nuclear sector, a peaceful atom industry in Bangladesh," he added.
He mentions that Russia has been continuously contributing to the food security of Bangladesh being one of its key sources of food and agricultural products, including wheat and fertilisers.
"More than 1.0 million metric tons of agricultural products like milling wheat, legumes, mustard were purchased from Russian governmental and private entities by Dhaka in 2022. In 2023, according to our statistics, we have supplied till December around 2.7 million tons of wheat, including 200 thousand tons on G2G basis."
Turning to the much-talked-about Indo-Pacific strategy, pursued by the USA, he said the Indian and Pacific Oceans should not be an arena of rivalry, but a zone of cooperation between states within the framework of such regional structures as ASEAN, IORA, SAARC and BIMSTEC.
"The concept of a "free and open Indo-Pacific region" promoted by the United States has destructive rather than unifying potential. Its true goal is to divide the states of the region into "interest groups" such as QUAD and AUKUS, and weaken the multilateral principles of the regional system of interstate relations in order to establish its own dominance," notes the diplomat of Russia, the erstwhile second superpower after the USA, who both carry to this day a sort of Cold War rivalries on the geopolitical front.
Responding to a question he said Russia thinks the ambassadors of the United States and some Western countries are "interfering in the internal affairs" of Bangladesh.
He also thinks the UN officials are not playing a neutral role.
"Many times our foreign minister told…Mr. Gutierrez he should be neutral because he's working not only for the United States or Western countries but for the cool countries in the world. But there is no neutrality in his statements. The same is regarding the statements of officials from the UN."
His observations have implicit reference to those foreign countries and agencies making statements and remaining active over the upcoming general election in Bangladesh from which the main opposition camp stays away and demonstrates on a resistance plan.
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