Bangladesh Has Been Affected by Anti-Russia Sanctions, Import Problems, Foreign Minister Says

People shop for vegetables at the Kutupalong Rohingya refugee camp in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, Tuesday, June 2, 2020UNITED NATIONS (Sputnik) – Bangladesh has been very affected by the sanctions imposed against Russia and is calling on a peaceful dialogue to bring the Ukraine conflict to an end, Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen told Sputnik on Thursday.In August, Bangladeshi Ambassador to Russia Kamrul Ahsan told Sputnik that Bangladesh is trying to negotiate supply of oil with Russia despite Western sanctions as Dhaka is rocked by protests over fuel price hikes.When asked how the talks on Russian oil imports are going, Momen said, “I don’t want to say anything about it.””The Ukrainian war is causing difficulties to many countries, including the country like Bangladesh which is far away from the war territory,” Momen stated. “It’s only because sanctions, it’s because you know we used to import some products from both Russia and Ukraine and those stopped now.”The good news is, he added, they have resumed imports of products like corn.”But it’s disrupted the supply chain,” he added. “The war has also disrupted the financial transaction chains which are very important.”Istanbul Grain DealRussia Urges EU to Disclose Final Destination of Ukrainian Grain Exports14 September, 10:58 GMTMomen stressed that Bangladesh does not want the Ukraine conflict to continue.”We want no war. We want the war should end as quickly as possible for the well-being of the people because when there is a war, people are suffering,” he said. “Sanctions are imposed to punish Russia but unfortunately Russia is not being punished that way, it is punishing even those who imposed the sanctions – common people, the poor people these are the ones who are being affected. And therefore we would urge that there should be some dialogue for resolution of this problem amicably through peaceful means.”Though the United States and its allies have said that sanctions do not apply to food products and fertilizers, Russia points out that restrictions on bank settlements, insurance, and shipment of goods hinder its exports.

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