United News of Bangladesh

A young man, who was accused in six cases, was hacked to death by miscreants at Dhalirgati village in Abhaynagar upazila of Jashore district early Wednesday. The deceased was identified as Riaz Hossain, 29, son of Mansur Ali of the village. He was wanted in six cases, including that of robbery, mugging and drugs, police said. Officer-in-Charge of Abhaynagar Police Station Md Nuruzzaman said a group of miscreants waylaid Riaz at the Dhalirgati Govt Primary School ground around 2:00am. Later, they beat and stabbed him indiscriminately, leaving him injured. On information, police rushed to the spot and took Riaz to Abhaynagar Upazila Health Complex where doctors declared him dead. Medical Officer at the hospital Dr Mohammad Sabuj said he died due to excessive bleeding.  

The Cabinet Committee on Government Purchase on Wednesday approved a proposal to extend the existing contract for the online collection of motor vehicle (MV) taxes and fees for the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA). The recommendation came at a meeting of the committee held at the Secretariat with Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury in the chair. According to official sources, the proposal was submitted by the Road Transport and Highways Division to facilitate the continuation and expansion of services related to the collection of MV taxes and fees through the online banking platform. The original contract value stood at Tk 218.71 crore. A variation amounting to Tk 21.43 crore has been proposed, raising the revised contract value to Tk 240.14 crore, which is 9.8 percent higher than the original contract amount. The recommended contractor is Computer Network Systems (CNS) Limited.

Appreciating Bangladesh's rapid economic growth and investment-friendly environment, South Korean Ambassador Kim Ji-joon on Wednesday expressed his country's interest in investing in Bangladesh's electronics manufacturing and technology sectors. He also highlighted South Korea's interest in expanding cooperation and investment in renewable energy, information technology, manufacturing, and other promising sectors. The Ambassador discussed the issues during a meeting with the Prime Minister's Foreign Affairs Adviser Humaiun Kobir at the Prime Minister's Office in Tejgaon. During the meeting, the two sides discussed ways to further strengthen the longstanding friendly relations and enhance bilateral cooperation between Bangladesh and South Korea. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said both sides emphasised the importance of deepening collaboration in trade, investment, technology, industrialization, infrastructure development, human resource development, and skills enhancement. Humaiun Kobir praised the growing economic and development partnership between Bangladesh and South Korea and underscored the need to boost trade and investment, facilitate technology transfer, and further strengthen industrial cooperation. He welcomed increased South Korean investment in Bangladesh and assured the government's full support in facilitating such initiatives. Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to maintaining close cooperation on issues of mutual interest and expressed optimism about elevating Bangladesh-South Korea relations to new heights.

Four more children have died from measles-like symptoms in 24 hours until 8:00 am on Wednesday, raising Bangladesh’s combined tally of confirmed and suspected measles-related deaths to 661. According to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), the latest four deaths have been classified as suspected measles fatalities. With the latest update, the number of suspected measles deaths has risen to 568, while the number of laboratory-confirmed measles deaths remained unchanged at 93. A total of 966 new suspected measles cases were reported during the 24-hour period, taking the cumulative number of suspected cases nationwide to 88,895. Meanwhile, 111 new confirmed measles cases were recorded, bringing the total number of laboratory-confirmed infections to 10,634. Since March 15, a total of 73,277 patients with suspected measles have been hospitalised across the country, of whom 69,688 have recovered, according to DGHS data.

The tax and price structure imposed on tobacco and tobacco products in the proposed national budget for FY 2026–27 is insufficient to achieve the objectives of public health protection and revenue generation, said speakers. They warned that the marginal increase in the price of low-tier cigarettes and the unchanged prices and tax rates on bidis, zarda, and gul will effectively reduce the real prices of these products, making tobacco products more affordable and potentially increasing tobacco use among young people and low-income populations. These observations were made at a post-budget press conference on the national budget for FY 2026–27, organised by Dhaka Ahsania Mission at the Jatiya Press Club on Wednesday. The speakers noted that approximately 75 percent of the country's cigarette market is occupied by low-tier cigarettes, whose primary consumers are poor and young people. The proposed budget increases the price of a pack of 10 low-tier cigarettes by only BDT 2, setting the price at BDT 62—an increase of just 3.33 percent. Both per capita income growth and inflation rates are significantly higher than this increase and  the real price of low-tier cigarettes will decline, leading to increased consumption, they said. On the other hand, if the low and medium cigarette tiers were merged and the price of 10 sticks was set at BDT 100, a specific supplementary duty of BDT 4 per pack was imposed, and the prices of all tobacco products were increased, it would be possible to generate approximately BDT 44 billion in additional revenue compared to the current fiscal year. At the same time, nearly 400,000 premature deaths could be prevented in the long term. The speakers further stated that although the prices of medium, high, and premium-tier cigarettes have been increased to some extent, no fundamental reform has been introduced in the tax structure. Consequently, a significant portion of the price increase will translate into additional profits for tobacco companies, enabling them to further expand their tobacco businesses, posing a serious threat to public health. The proposed budget also leaves the prices and tax rates on bidis, zarda, and gul unchanged, making these inexpensive products even more affordable and accessible, thereby increasing health risks, particularly for women and low-income populations. Furthermore, by imposing taxes on nicotine pouches and heated tobacco products without considering the Ministry of Health's recommendation to prohibit these products, the government has effectively legitimized these emerging products, creating the risk of expanding new forms of nicotine addiction. The speakers also highlighted that more than 35 percent of adults in Bangladesh use tobacco and that tobacco-related diseases cause nearly 200,000 deaths annually. The economic cost of tobacco-related health and environmental damage is estimated at approximately BDT 87 billion per year. The speakers at the event included Masudul Haque, President of the Bangladesh Secretariat Reporters Forum (BSRF); M.M. Badshah, General Secretary of the Crime Reporters Association (CRA); and Iqbal Masud, Director of the Health Sector at Dhaka Ahsania Mission. The keynote paper was presented by Shariful Islam, Coordinator of the Tobacco Control Project. The speakers demanded that the final budget for FY 2026–27 include reforms to the tobacco tax and price structure, the merger of low and medium cigarette tiers with increased prices, the introduction of a specific tax system, higher taxes and prices on bidis, zarda, and gul, and a permanent ban on all emerging nicotine products, including nicotine pouches and heated tobacco products. They emphasised that these measures are essential to protect public health, safeguard the younger generation from nicotine addiction, and capitalize on the opportunity for increased government revenue.

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs on Wednesday approved three separate proposals including the import of urea fertiliser from Russia under the direct procurement method and agreements related to a Chinese-backed economic zone in Chattogram. The approvals came at a meeting of the committee following consideration of proposals submitted by the Industries Ministry and the Prime Minister’s Office. Finance Minuster Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury chaired the meeting held at  Secretariat. The fertiliser import proposal was placed by the Industries Ministry. The committee also approved the signing two agreements with Bangladesh CEIZ Company Limited, a Special Purpose Company (SPC) formed for the establishment of the Chinese Economic and Industrial Zone (CEIZ) at Anwara upazila in Chattogram district. The proposal, submitted by the Prime Minister’s Office, sought approval for the Development Agreement and the Land Lease Agreement to be signed with the company. The Chinese Economic and Industrial Zone is expected to attract foreign investment, facilitate industrialisation and generate employment opportunities in the region. The project is considered one of the majoBr angladesh-China economic cooperation initiatives. The committee also gave nod to another proposal submitted by the Prime Minister’s Office regarding the establishment of a Free Trade Zone. The proposal concerns approval of the portion recommended by the Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority (BEZA) based on a report submitted by the committee formed to examine matters related to the establishment of a free trade zone.

Two separate probe committees have been formed in connection with the killing of a seven-year-old girl presumably after rape in Aditmari upazila of Lalmonirhat district on Tuesday night. The local administration formed a four-member committee headed by Additional District Magistrate, said Superintendent of Rangpur Police Md Asaduzzaman. The committee has been asked to submit its report within 15 working days. Besides, police formed a three-member probe committee headed by Additional Superintendent of Rangpur police in this connection. The committee has been asked to submit its report within three working days. Superintendent  of Police Asaduzzaman said  Bidhan Chandra confessed to killing of Nandini. “He admitted that the murder took place out of anger stemming from a family dispute. As a result, no remand was sought for him. He also gave a confessional statement before a court,” said SP Asaduzzaman. Although the accused claimed the victim was not raped the matter will be ensured after receiving the autopsy report and completion of the investigation, the SP added. Earlier on Tuesday, police recovered the body of the girl, Nandini Kanta Roy, from a maize field at Falimari village under Bhelabari union, a day after she went missing. Police arrested Bidhan Chandra Roy and his father Ranjit Kumar from the spot in connection with the incident. Nalini Kanta Roy, father of the victim, filed a murder case on Tuesday naming three people including Bidhan and his father Ranjit. Bidhan’s mother Sabitri was also made accused in the case. A clash broke out between police and some agitated villagers when police were taking the two suspects to the police station from the scene, leaving 30 people including the Officer-in-Charge (OC) injured. During the violence, seven vehicles, including those used by the Deputy Commissioner (DC) and Superintendent of Police (SP) were vandalised. The agitated villagers reportedly confined the Deputy Commissioner, Superintendent of Police and other officials. The situation later turned volatile, prompting police and Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) personnel to disperse the crowd by firing sound grenades and take the detained suspects- Bidhan and his father- to the police station. Nandini went missing on Monday. Her body, packed in a sack, was recovered from a nearby maize field on Tuesday morning. Meanwhile, the body of Nandini was handed over to the family members of the deceased on Tuesday night. Later he was buried at a graveyard.    

A 24-year-old worker of a hotel died as the hotel owner’s son allegedly hit him with a hammer at Khamar Intersection in Rangpur city on Tuesday night. The deceased was identified as Shaon, resident of Nurer Chak of Aditmari upazila of the district. Sanatan Chakraborty, deputy commissioner of Rangpur DB police, said police arrested Mizanur Rahman Monu, son of hotel owner Amir Hossain, in this connection. During interrogation Mizanur admitted that he had an argument with Shaon over spitting betel leaf residue near a utensil storage area and  following the dispute he hit Shaon with a hammer at night, said police. Meanwhile, family members of Misanur claimed that he has been suffering from mental health problems for a long time. Legal steps will be taken after getting complaint from the family members of the deceased, said police.

Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) on Wednesday said the proposed national budget for FY2026-27 has taken several commendable steps to promote renewable energy but fossil fuels continue to enjoy discriminatory fiscal advantages, potentially undermining the country's energy transition objectives. CPD Senior Research Associate Helen Mashiyat Preoty came up with the observation while presenting  a paper titled "Proposed National Budget for FY2026-27: What is there on the Power and Energy Sector?" CPD Research Director Khondaker Golam Moazzem chaired the presentation event at its Dhanmondi office. The Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources received a total allocation of Tk 17,345 crore in the proposed budget, a modest 2.3 percent increase from the revised budget of FY2025-26. Of this, the development budget stands at Tk 17,193 crore, while operational expenditure is Tk 152 crore, up 7.8 percent. The think-tank flagged a worrying downward trend, the sector's share in the total national budget has declined steadily from 6.87 percent in FY2015-16 to just 1.85 percent in the proposed FY2026-27 budget. The Power Division received Tk 14,996 crore, a 3.9 percent decline from the revised allocation, while the Energy and Mineral Resources Division saw a sharp 72 percent jump to Tk 2,349 crore, driven largely by increased development expenditure. CPD acknowledged that for the first time, the proposed budget has offered substantial fiscal support to solar-based electricity generation. The government has proposed a zero percent tax rate on the solar power sector until 2035, a 5 percent tax rebate for consumers paying solar electricity bills, and elimination of import duty, regulatory duty, supplementary duty, and advance tax on essential solar components up to June 2030. Tax incidence on assembled solar panels has been proposed to drop from 28.7 percent to 22.2 percent, while that on lithium-ion batteries, critical for energy storage, is set to come down sharply from 61.8 percent to 26.3 percent. However, CPD cautioned that the benefits are tied to a restrictive list of conditionalities, primarily benefitting select solar power generation companies and firms operating under the RESCO model. This effectively excludes 63 percent of the country's electricity consumers, including residential users, small business owners, and rural solar irrigation farmers. “The proposed budget will encourage the private sector to move towards renewable energy transition, however, restructuring the fiscal treatment may be needed for end-user benefits,” the paper noted. Despite the government's stated ambition to reduce dependence on imported fossil fuel, CPD pointed out that LNG imports continue to enjoy full VAT exemption, resulting in a Total Tax Incidence (TTI) of only 9.5 percent for key LNG products. Besides, coal imports by power plants will also continue to enjoy concessionary duty benefits extended until June 2030. CPD recommended that the full VAT exemption on LNG be withdrawn and VAT be restored to 15 percent, arguing that the current arrangement artificially keeps LNG competitive and causes significant revenue foregone for the National Board of Revenue (NBR). The think-tank also raised concern over the budget speech's renewed emphasis on domestic coal exploration, including setting a production target of 6 lakh metric tonnes for FY2026-27 and undertaking new projects for the Barapukuria Second Phase and Dighipara Coal Field. “Such fiscal favours given to dirty coal is nothing but a hindrance towards energy transition,” the paper stated. Analysing the Annual Development Programme (ADP) for FY2026-27, CPD found that fossil fuel projects account for 98 percent of total generation-sector allocations, compared to a mere 2 percent for renewable energy projects. In the current ADP, only five renewable energy-related projects received allocations, three under the Power Division and two under the Energy Division. Notably, no new solar or renewable energy projects have been added in the current ADP, a development CPD described as concerning. Eleven renewable energy projects were left unapproved, including seven solar projects with a combined capacity of 640 MW, three grid modernisation projects, and a 25 MWh Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) pilot project. CPD warned this trajectory makes the government's target of achieving 20 percent renewable energy by 2030 extremely difficult, as it would require installing 1,662 MW of solar capacity per annum between January 2026 and December 2030. CPD said grid and transmission equipment continues to face some of the highest tax burdens in the energy sector, with TTI ranging from 33.6 percent to as high as 93.2 percent. The budget has proposed tariff reductions for only two components out of the full range of grid infrastructure items. Critical assets such as transformers, conductors, towers, and meters remain subject to multiple layers of taxation. The think-tank urged the government to reduce import, customs, supplementary, and regulatory duties on all grid infrastructure components to zero, noting that doing so would lower the TTI by roughly 30 percentage points and reduce the cost of grid expansion needed for renewable integration. The budget has significantly reduced the tax burden on electric vehicles (EVs), with import duties reduced from 93 percent to 64-80 percent depending on vehicle price and type. Import duties on EV charging equipment have been brought down from 39.75 percent to zero, a move CPD described as highly commendable. Annual income taxes on EVs have also been drastically reduced from Tk 2 lakh uniformly to between Tk 25,000 and Tk 1 lakh based on power capacity. Conversely, taxes on internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles have been increased to discourage their use, with one category of reconditioned cars now facing a TTI of 159.8 percent. CPD expressed disappointment that the budget has given little emphasis to solar irrigation for marginal farmers. The budget speech only mentions the installation of 98 solar-powered irrigation pumps and 27 solar-powered dug-wells. One solar irrigation project with a 40 percent completion rate received no allocation in the current ADP. “There is nothing much for solar irrigation in the proposed national budget FY2026-27,” the paper concluded. The budget proposes Tk 37,000 crore for electricity subsidy, up from Tk 36,000 crore in the revised FY2026 budget, primarily to offset Bangladesh Power Development Board's losses from purchasing electricity from IPPs, rental, and quick rental plants. CPD warned that while the government has signaled plans to rationalise electricity subsidies in coming years, the burden must not be passed on to consumers through tariff hikes. Instead, the government should phase out capacity payments to fossil fuel plants. CPD called on the government to increase allocations in the revised budget for projects nearing completion; approve more renewable energy projects through the revised ADP; shift NBR's fiscal approach from a restrictive entity-based model to an open, component-based zero-tariff framework; introduce targeted subsidies for solar irrigation farmers; and incorporate dedicated green grants for energy transition and smart grid development in the national budget.  

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman arrived at Sreemangal in Moulvibazar on Wednesday afternoon to distribute Family Cards among local residents. Prime Minister’s Additional Press Secretary Atikur Rahman Rumon said Tarique Rahman reached the Victoria High School ground in Sreemangal at 1:03pm. Earlier, he left Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhak at around 9:38am and arrived at Sylhet Osmani International Airport at approximately 10:20am. Political leaders from the Sylhet division and senior government officials welcomed the Prime Minister at Osmani International Airport. After exchanging greetings with the leaders present, he travelled by road to Moulvibazar. At the Victoria High School ground, the Prime Minister will inaugurate a Family Cards distribution programme. Under the initiative, 155 families from Ward No. 1 of Mirzapur Union in Sreemangal upazila will receive family cards. At 2:30pm, he will attend another Family Cards distribution programme at the Moulvibazar Government High School ground. Later in the afternoon, the Prime Minister will visit DuSai Resort to join a meeting with party leaders before travelling to Sylhet and returning to Dhaka.