In international relations it’s difficult to please everyone, and Bangladesh is learning this to its bitter cost. Days after Bangladesh abstained from voting on Russia in a UNGA resolution condemning Russia, Lithuania has canceled its decision to donate Covid-19 vaccines to Bangladesh. Earlier this month, the Lithuanian government had announced that it will donate 444,600 Pfizer vaccines to Bangladesh.

The decision came as Bangladesh abstained during the United Nations General Assembly vote on condemning Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Rasa Jakilaitiene, a spokeswoman for the Lithuanian prime minister said, according to a news report by UNB.

Earlier, Lithuania had announced donation vaccines to Dhaka as humanitarian assistance. So far Lithuania - which borders Russia - has already donated vaccine doses to Ukraine, Latvia, Moldova, Georgia, Armenia, Tajikistan, Taiwan, and Vietnam.

Bangladesh Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen said that his country abstained from the UN General Assembly vote on a resolution over the Ukraine crisis “for the sake of peace”.

He further added that Bangladesh assessed that the final text of the resolution was tilted towards blaming one side (Russia), rather than stopping the war, hence they could not support it, reported Prothomalo.

“We voted for peace,” he said, although Bangladesh actually abstained, neither voting for nor against the resolution.

A total of 35 countries, including Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka, and Pakistan, abstained from voting on the resolution condemning Russia for its military actions in Ukraine.

Bangladesh has maintained a neutral foreign policy, staying away from  big-power bloc politics, and enjoys cordial ties with both the US and China.

(SAM)