United News of Bangladesh

Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus has sought assistance from European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde to recover billions of dollars stolen from the country during Sheikh Hasina’s  "dictatorship." "It was a massive highway robbery," Prof Yunus said, adding that the oligarchs first took over banks and then took loans, which they never paid back. The two dignitaries met in the Swiss city on Wednesday on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum annual meeting. Dr Yunus engages with global leaders, seeks support to bring back stolen money Lamiya Morshed, SDGs Affairs Principal Coordinator, and Ambassador Tareq Md Ariful Islam, Bangladesh Permanent Representative in Geneva, also joined the meeting. Prof Yunus told Christine Lagarde, also a former chief of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), that some 17 billion dollars alone were taken out from the country's banking system by "oligarchs close to the dictatorship" and 16 billion dollars were siphoned off annually during the 15 years of Hasina rule. FIFA chief plans to visit Bangladesh by March to support women's football Lagarde said she would support the interim government's move to recover the money, and  recommended that Bangladesh should also take help from the IMF to recover and repatriate the money back home, said CA's Deputy Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad Majumder. During the talks, they also discussed the July uprising and Bangladesh's reform initiatives. Lagarde also voiced her support for Bangladeshi educational institutions.

Celebrated Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli called on Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum annual meeting in the Swiss city on Wednesday and hoped that Yunus' visionary leadership would transform the country. Bocelli, a visually impaired opera singer, congratulated the Chief Adviser on his assumption of the leadership of the Interim Government. Dr Yunus engages with global leaders, seeks support to bring back stolen money

The Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) has said that the WhatsApp message claiming that a Dhaka-bound Biman flight from Rome was carrying explosives originated from a Pakistani phone number. DMP Deputy Commissioner (Media and Public Relations) Muhammad Talebur Rahman said on Wednesday night that while the WhatsApp number is from Pakistan, they could not confirm the location from which the message was actually sent. Bomb threat: Passenger's immigration delayed pending completion of search Earlier, Kamrul Islam, executive director of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, informed the media in a message: “A bomb threat was received at Dhaka’s Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport from an unknown number. Following the threat, Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight BG-356 made an emergency landing at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at 9:20 am on Wednesday (January 22).” Later, the Bomb Disposal Unit conducted searches inside the plane. The flight had departed from Leonardo da Vinci Airport in Rome at 8:00 pm local time on Tuesday (January 21).

Foreign Secretary Md Jashim Uddin on Wednesday underscored the importance of boosting economic activities between Bangladesh and the Republic of Kosovo to enhance bilateral trade and investment. Newly appointed Ambassador of the Republic of Kosovo to Bangladesh Lulzim Pllana had his first meeting with Foreign Secretary Jashim Uddin at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. During their discussion, Ambassador Pllana conveyed his commitment to strengthening bilateral relations, particularly by enhancing cooperation in areas such as education, culture, trade, and people-to-people interactions. The FS encouraged the Ambassador to connect with members of the business community and the Bangladesh Investment Development Authority to explore potential areas for collaboration. Additionally, the Foreign Secretary advocated for the recruitment of more Bangladeshi workers and called for a more streamlined visa process, particularly for workers and students, to minimize delays in visa approvals. Bangladesh, Kuwait explore trade and food security ties The Ambassador assured him that he would strive to make the visa processing smoother. Both sides recognized the significance of leveraging the young workforce and engaged in discussions about future bilateral and multilateral collaborations.

Citing food security as a new area of cooperation, Foreign Secretary Md Jashim Uddin on Wednesday said Kuwaiti investors could take advantage of investing in Bangladesh’s agro-base products and food processing sector in the Exclusive Economic Zones. Newly appointed Ambassador of the State of Kuwait to Bangladesh Ali Tunyan Abdul Wahab Hamadah welcomed the idea and responded positively. During a courtesy meeting with Foreign Secretary Jashim, the envoy expressed Kuwait’s readiness to engage with the Bangladesh’s proposal on food security initiatives especially as well as development of halal food industry in Bangladesh. The meeting focused on reviewing the existing areas of bilateral cooperation including employment of workers, trade, energy, food security and forging cooperation in new areas. During the meeting, Ambassador Hamadah expressed the Kuwaiti government’s keen interests to enhance engagement with the Government of Bangladesh and underlined the need to increase cooperation in bilateral trade, business and investment area. Both sides discussed the ways and means to explore opportunities and potential and identify key areas for a structured collaboration aimed at boosting investment and trade for mutual benefits of the two countries, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.  The Foreign Secretary described the bilateral cooperation as a role model adding that employment of workforce in Kuwait, people-to-people contact, energy security and defense and development cooperation were the pillars of this longstanding bilateral ties. Japanese Ambassador sees Bangladesh's bright future The envoy expressed deep appreciation for the contribution of the Bangladesh workforce in Kuwait praising them as loyal, hard-working and committed adding that they have been  contributing to the economic development of both the brotherly countries. He said that Kuwait was ready to recruiting more Bangladesh workforce specially in skilled and professional trades and in technical fields like doctors, nurses, IT experts etc. The Foreign Secretary thanked the government of Kuwait for employing a good number of nurses in the recent time under the MoU signed between the two countries.  He also expressed a positive response to the Kuwaiti intent to recruit domestic aides and their proposal for signing a legal instrument with the government of Bangladesh for the smooth regulation and management of domestic workers’s employment and rights in their workplace. Recalling the excellent defense collaboration between the two countries, they also appreciated the professionalism and dedication of military professionals serving in Kuwait.      Dr Yunus engages with global leaders, seeks support to bring back stolen money Ambassador Hamadah took a positive note of the Bangladeshi proposal for simplifying visa procedures for business people and investors, acknowledging the issue as a vital step in strengthening economic collaboration. Both sides underlined the need to work towards expediting the pending visit of Kuwaiti delegation led by Assistant Minister for Asian Affairs to Dhaka to attend the Foreign Office Consultations between Bangladesh and Kuwait and the proposed visit of Kuwaiti Foreign Minister to attend the Joint Commission (JC) to be hosted in Dhaka. The two sides also exchanged views and expressed satisfaction over the mutual collaboration in the international fora including the Asian Cooperation Dialogue (ACD). The meeting concluded with both sides reaffirming their commitment to deepening cooperation in the existing areas as well as new arena of collaboration in a structured and target-oriented manner.

While the economic case for gender parity seems clear-cut, there has been a growing backlash against the push for women’s equal rights. This backlash could be explained by elements of tokenism, which have also failed to lead to sustainable change. Making real, lasting change will mean tackling things like deeply ingrained socio-cultural attitudes and gender roles. Time and time again, research shows that if men and women were to have the same opportunities — educational, professional, health, to name a few — it would pay off, quite literally. Dr Yunus engages with global leaders, seeks support to bring back stolen money Alessandra Galloni, Editor-in-Chief, Reuters, Canada; Anna Bjerde, Managing Director, Operations, World Bank, Washington DC; Katherine Garrett-Cox, Chief Executive Officer, Gulf International Bank Asset Management, United Kingdom; Lutfey Siddiqi, Special Envoy of Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus; Michael Ensser, Chairman, Egon Zehnder, Switzerland; spoke in "Adding Trillions with Gender Parity" session at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2025. “If you had women participating as actively as men in the economy, the GDP of the world would be 20% higher,” pointed out Anna Bjerde, Managing Director of Operations at the World Bank, in a session at Davos. Case closed. Or, as another panellist in the session, Michael Ensser, Chairman of executive search firm Egon Zehnder, put it: the business argument for gender equality is “an absolute no-brainer.” And yet, what once seemed like a consensus view — that gender equality was something worth fighting for — has increasingly been called into question. For example, around the world, women’s access to sexual and reproductive healthcare has come under attack. Lutfey Siddiqi, a special envoy of the head of Bangladesh’s interim government, has a theory. “One of the problems that we need to confront is that there have been elements of tokenism and virtue-signalling in the way we’ve approached this,” he argued, citing examples where companies have “tried to parachute people in from the top as opposed to building an inclusive culture from the bottom.” UN chief Guterres meets Dr Yunus in Davos Not only was this approach ineffective, it possibly accounts for the push-back we’ve been seeing in some countries when it comes to gender equality, Siddiqi said. “Some of the ESG scores are very reductionist, they look for a single score. And then in organizations it becomes adopted by HR and compliance, and all of a sudden you’ve defenestrated the manager who could have taken some ownership of this thing.” But Siddiqi emphasised  that even if this might offer an explanation for the backlash, it doesn’t justify that backlash. “We can’t throw out the baby with the bathwater,” he argued. “To say, well, because it was done in a tokenistic way in that instance, I’m going to give up on that altogether, that would be a silly way to go.” "It’s quite embarrassing that we are having this conversation in 2025,” Katherine Garrett-Cox, Chief Executive Officer at GIB Asset Management, said during the session. “I wonder if it’s that some people think it’s too hard?” UAE invites Dr Yunus to attend World Governments Summit in Dubai While specific solutions might not be obvious, one thing the session made clear: we should all agree that achieving gender parity is a priority. “We have a lot to learn from each other,” conceded Bjerde. “But let’s not abandon this topic.”  

Education Adviser Prof Dr Wahiduddin Mahmud has said that there are major complaints of financial transactions in the MPO registration of private teachers. “If necessary, recruitment and MPO registration will be done together through the Non-Government Teachers Registration and Certification Authority (NTRCA),” he said. Speaking during an exchange of views with the Education Reporters Association, Bangladesh (ERAB) at the planning ministry on Wednesday, he emphasised the government’s commitment to streamlining the process and ensuring transparency. The adviser dismissed the possibility of forming an education reform commission at this stage, citing the sector’s current disarray. “First, the chaos in the education sector must be addressed and corruption eradicated to establish good governance,” he said. He proposed the formation of an ‘Education Sector Advisory Council’ comprising eminent educationists once stability is restored. He revealed plans to hold universities accountable for their admission processes, particularly those outside the cluster system. The University Grants Commission (UGC) has been tasked with reviewing financial records to assess the costs and earnings of universities in and out of the cluster. Don’t know when all students will get textbooks: Education Adviser The adviser reiterated his commitment to curbing corruption in education administration. “Corruption in education administration cannot be resolved overnight. We will issue warnings first and if evidence is found, strict actions will be taken to set an example,” he said. The adviser pointed to historical policy errors, including the conversion of reputable colleges into university colleges in 1972, as contributing to the decline in education standards. He criticised the proliferation of National University-affiliated colleges, which he argued have exacerbated unemployment among graduates. “In developed countries, 70 percent of students pursue technical education. Here, the focus on honours and master’s degrees is producing unemployed graduates,” he said, urging a shift towards technical and vocational training. EFT system eliminates inconvenience of MPO-enlisted teachers: Education Adviser Highlighting the plight of Ebtedayi Madrasa teachers, he described their salaries as unfair compared to those in nationalised primary schools. “The salary for Ebtedayi Madrasa teachers is only Tk 1,500, while head teachers earn Tk 3,000. Their grievances are valid, but instead of resorting to hunger strikes, we need time to prioritise and address their concerns effectively,” he added. ERAB President Faruque Hossain, General Secretary Solamain Salman and other association leaders were present during the discussion.

A 9-year-old boy drowned in a pond in Kajli village of Sreepur upazila in Magura on Wednesday. The deceased was identified as Jabir Hasan, son of Taimur Islam from Tokholpur village of the upazila, said Sreepur Police Station Officer-in-Charge Md Idris Ali. Jabir's aunt, Sumaiya, said that he had been visiting his maternal grandfather's house in Kajli village as Taimur had left for work in Dhaka, leaving his wife and children there. Two college students die in Sylhet road accident Jabir family members were busy with household chores when he fell into the nearby pond. When they could not locate him at home, they searched and discovered him in the pond. Later, family members rescued him and took him to the Upazila Health Complex, where doctors declared him dead upon arrival. Father ‘kills’ daughter in Habiganj over ‘mobile addiction’ An unnatural death case has been filed in this regard, said the OC.

Convener of Jatiya Nagorik Committee Nasiruddin Patwary on Wednesday said they do not want any ‘ism’ like Ziaism (Ziabad) and ‘Mujibism (Mujibad)’ in Bangladesh “Following the 2024 mass uprising, we do not want any ethnic hatred. We do not want any terrorist activities. We want to move away from the ideological divisions that exist in Bangladesh. We don’t want any ‘ism’ like Ziabad or Mujibbad,” he said. Nasiruddin Patwary was addressing a discussion titled “The 1974 Famine: Its Impact on Bangladesh's Politics and Development Policy” in the city. The Jatiya Nagorik Committee arranged the event as the third episode of a political discourse series in its central office. Terming the 1971-1975 period a dark chapter of the history, he said the issues like famine occurred in the period were kept hidden from the eyes of the people through fascism. The issues are not studied in our primary, secondary schools and universities, he added. The Jatiya Nagorik Committee Convener said Bangladesh will face many crises day by day due to its geopolitical location and its existing political landscape. These issues (like the 1974 famine) will show a path to overcome these crises and Bangladesh will be able to learn from them, he said. He said all the country’s institutions -- Economic, cultural and political ones -- were destroyed. “Even a single institution out of all the political institutions established in the last 53 years has not been able to work according to our expectations. But, that opportunity has come before you,” he said pointing at the Zen-G of the 2024 mass uprising. “The people will be at the prime place of sovereignty…. We want to fight for the people by focusing on the people,” said Nasiruddin Patwary.

Japanese Ambassador to Bangladesh Saida Shinichi has pledged to work closely with Bangladesh to further enhance the strong bilateral relations between the two nations, promising to elevate the existing excellent ties to even a greater height. Bangladesh now has a precious opportunity to seize towards a brighter future, he said, adding that the road to a new nation-building will not necessarily be a smooth one. "The relationship between Japan and Bangladesh is firmly bound together by trust and friendship. I would like to ask for your kind understanding and cooperation in this endeavor," the Ambassador said in a message shared on Wednesday marking his recent assumption of office. Dr Yunus engages with global leaders, seeks support to bring back stolen money Ensuring the safety of Japanese nationals is of utmost importance to all Japanese diplomatic missions abroad, said the Ambassador. Taking the tragedy of the 2016 Dhaka terrorist attacks to heart, the envoy said, he will carry out his duties at the vanguard of the Embassy’s efforts for the safety and security of Japanese nationals residing in Bangladesh. Known as the “Golden Bengal” boasting a rich culture and nature, Ambassador Saida Shinichi said Bangladesh is a beautiful country filled with the warmth of its people’s hearts. Located in a zone of strategic importance facing the Bay of Bengal and connecting the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia, he said Bangladesh plays a pivotal role in regional development. "I am deeply honored to be able serve as Ambassador to this country," said the envoy. For more than half a century since the establishment of diplomatic relations with Bangladesh in 1972, Saida Shinichi said Japan has been nurturing friendly relations with Bangladesh. Especially recent years have witnessed the bilateral relations realising remarkable progress in a wide range of areas under the “Strategic Partnership”. New US Secretary of State Rubio meets Indian External Affairs Minister Jaishankar First, the envoy said, the deepening of economic relations: In the field of development cooperation, Japan, as the largest bilateral development partner of Bangladesh, has been developing infrastructure such as the Dhaka Metro, while at the same time steadily building up cooperation in the social development areas such as health and education. On the business front, he said, as many Japanese companies continue to expand in Bangladesh, efforts are being made to improve the trade and investment environment through public-private partnerships. In addition, Saida Shinichi said, in view of Bangladesh’s graduation from the LDC status in 2026, both Governments are vigorously pursuing negotiations to conclude an Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA). Second, the strengthening of political and security cooperation: Various exchange and cooperation programs are actively underway between the two countries, including port calls by naval vessels and exchanges between military units. Besides, under the vision of a “Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP)”, the Japanese Government has selected Bangladesh as one of the first beneficiary countries of a new cooperation framework, “Official Security Assistance (OSA)”. Patrol boats will be provided to the Bangladesh Navy under this framework. Will support you, German Chancellor tells Dr Yunus on Bangladesh's transition to democracy Third, there has been notable progress in people-to-people and cultural exchanges between the two countries, whether in business, study abroad or culture. The Japanese language and culture are attracting growing interest in this country, with many young Bangladeshis seeking opportunities to study or work in Japan. The development of such a friendly cooperative relationship is a significant achievement of the steadfast efforts by many people in both countries, including those in the private sector and at the grassroots level. "For my part, I would like to further advance the bilateral relations while cherishing the strong ties that unite the people of the two countries," said Saida Shinichi. The political uprising that took place in this country last summer has led to the formation of an interim government led by Dr Yunus, the Chief Adviser, said the envoy. "A number of challenges may lie ahead. All the more, respectful of ownership of the interim government led by Chief Adviser Yunus, Japan will firmly stand by them to support their reform efforts and will actively cooperate with them to ensure that Bangladesh achieves a democratic political transition through free and fair elections, thereby making strides on a path toward stable development," said the Ambassador. "With this policy in mind, I will earnestly fulfill my duties as Ambassador of Japan at this historic juncture," he said.