United News of Bangladesh

Prime Minister’s Adviser on Finance and Planning Rashed Al Mahmud Titumir on Wednesday said three major reform initiatives have been launched in the country’s revenue system, asserting that reducing tax evasion, tax exemptions and tax fraud will automatically boost revenue collection. He made the remarks while addressing a dialogue on the proposed national budget for fiscal year 2026-27, jointly organised by the Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI) and the Policy Research Institute (PRI) at the MCCI headquarters in Gulshan. PRI Director Ahmad Ahsan presented the keynote paper titled "Macroeconomic Outlook and Budget Priorities: Stability as the Foundation for Restoring Growth" at the event. MCCI President Kamran T Rahman delivered the welcome address, while PRI Chairman Dr Zaidi Sattar and MCCI Vice President Habibullah N Karim also spoke. Outlining the government's economic strategy, Titumir said Bangladesh is pursuing a three-phase recovery plan: Recovery, Restoration, and Reconstruction for Acceleration, with emphasis on consumption, investment, public expenditure and export diversification. On fiscal reform, he said separate task forces are now operating in the income tax, customs and VAT sectors, each guided by monthly work plans and milestone targets, with progress reviewed every month. The adviser acknowledged that revenue data presented in the past often did not reflect ground realities, and said efforts are underway to bring greater transparency to fiscal reporting. He warned against the growing imbalance between operational and development spending, noting that while recurrent expenditure has been rising rapidly, the ADP or capital expenditure has not kept pace, a trend he described as a long-term challenge. Criticising the slow pace of project implementation, Titumir said the country currently has around 1,300 projects at various stages of execution, some running for 12 to 14 years with multiple revisions. He announced plans to introduce a dashboard-based real-time monitoring system for development projects and also emphasised implementing an open data policy, saying making BBS data and other institutional data publicly accessible will improve transparency in policymaking. In his keynote presentation, Ahmad Ahsan described the FY27 budget as “ambitious, imaginative, and broadly inclusive”, essentially a budget for everybody, but raised significant concerns about the macroeconomic framework underpinning it. He noted that the domestic economy is exhibiting stagflationary signs, with private investment growth turning sharply negative for the first time in decades, and warned that the current slowdown is not a one-year dip but “the latest, sharpest leg of a longer downturn.” Ahmad Ahsan said the budget's revenue projections appear “out of norm,” noting that while the budget introduces several innovative tax policy measures, including mandatory TINs and BINs, turnover taxes for small businesses, quarterly e-VAT submissions and duty reductions on solar, EVs and semiconductors, it lacks high-impact reforms such as a unified VAT rate or a reduction in tax expenditures that could significantly improve compliance. On foreign financing, he said the budget targets a gross external inflow of Tk 1,558 billion, some 89 percent above what FY26 actually delivered, calling the projection overly optimistic given fiscal stress in high-income countries and the FY26 pattern of significant underperformance against targets. The PRI director urged the government to prepare a credible “Plan B”, a mid-term revised budget, with a clearly prioritised core expenditure package to be protected if revenues and foreign financing fall short. The PRI paper flagged major unrecognised contingent liabilities in the energy and banking sectors. Ahmad Ahsan said the off-budget fuel import exposure through BPC and Petrobangla, estimated at around US$ 12 billion annually, remains entirely outside the fiscal framework. On banking, he said the 2026 asset quality reviews put the true contingent liability at Tk 7.40 lakh crore, roughly 13.7 percent of GDP and about 18 times the Tk 40,000 crore allocated for bank recapitalisation this year, with no costed multi-year resolution framework in the budget. Ahmad Ahsan also called for addressing Bangladesh’s persistent anti-export bias, particularly in light engineering, agro-processing, pharmaceuticals and leather goods, noting that the bias is worst exactly where diversification is most needed. He drew comparisons with Vietnam's success in attracting export-oriented FDI as a model Bangladesh should emulate. On public spending, the PRI director stressed the need to strengthen expenditure monitoring institutions, including giving the Implementation Monitoring and Evaluation Division (IMED) real enforcement powers, modernising BBS data systems, and cutting the roughly eight-month lag in monthly fiscal reporting to enable mid-year course correction. He also proposed a public works programme targeting light infrastructure, upazila and rural roads, canal cleaning and sewage clearance to generate productive employment for several hundred thousand workdays while yielding strong economic returns.  

Foreign Minister Dr Khalilur Rahman on Wednesday said the government is maintaining diplomatic engagement with countries hosting undocumented Bangladeshi migrants to expand opportunities for their regularisation stressing that the issue ultimately depends on the laws and policies of the respective host states. Responding to a starred question from ruling party lawmaker Md Jahandar Ali Miah (Madaripur-3) in Parliament, he said Bangladeshi expatriates are making an outstanding contribution to national development and remain a key driving force behind the country's economic progress. The Minister said the present government attaches the highest importance to the welfare, rights and dignity of Bangladeshi nationals living overseas. He said Bangladesh continues diplomatic contacts and discussions at various levels with countries where Bangladeshi nationals are residing or working without proper documentation. "Within the framework of the laws and regulations of those countries, we are pursuing diplomatic engagement so that opportunities for regularisation can be expanded for eligible and employed Bangladeshi nationals," he told Parliament. Dr Rahman said Bangladeshi missions abroad are actively providing consular support and facilitating participation in regularisation and amnesty programmes announced by host countries. "Whenever a country announces an amnesty or regularisation programme for irregular migrants, our embassies provide necessary information, guidance and overall assistance to undocumented Bangladeshis residing there," he said. Referring to recent developments in Europe, he said the initiative of Spain to legalise nearly 500,000 undocumented migrants could benefit around 20,000 Bangladeshis. "As you are aware, the Spanish government has undertaken an initiative to grant legal status to approximately 500,000 irregular migrants. As a result, an estimated 20,000 Bangladeshi citizens are expected to gain opportunities for legal residence and employment," he said. However, the Minister emphasised that the regularisation of undocumented migrants remains a sovereign decision of the host country. "The legalisation of irregular migrants residing in a foreign state primarily depends on that country's own laws, policies and decisions. Therefore, despite all efforts and goodwill on the part of the Government of Bangladesh and its embassies, regularisation cannot be guaranteed through unilateral initiatives by Bangladesh alone," he said. "Irregular migration often exposes our citizens to human trafficking, labour exploitation, legal complications and other risks. For this reason, the government gives the highest priority to legal, safe and orderly migration," he said. Dr Rahman said Bangladesh is working to preserve existing labour markets and open new ones through bilateral and multilateral engagements with countries in Europe, East Asia, Africa and South America. He informed the House that memorandums of understanding are currently being processed with Cambodia, Thailand, Malta, Mauritius, Spain, Serbia, Russia, Turkey, Fiji, Albania, Austria and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Discussions are also underway with Guyana regarding the recruitment of healthcare workers, he added. Dr Rahman underscored skills development as the cornerstone of labour market expansion. "The government considers skills development to be the foundation for expanding overseas employment opportunities," he said, adding that special emphasis is being placed on international-standard technical training, language education, skills certification and workforce preparation based on global market demand. He noted that skills development programmes have already begun under the European Union Talent Partnership initiative, while free Japanese language training has been introduced at Technical Training Centres (TTCs) across Bangladesh. The Minister also highlighted a memorandum of understanding signed between Bangladesh and the Philippines on April 1, 2026, covering nursing training and cooperation in the health sector. In addition, he said, Australia has recently launched a six-million-dollar project to enhance the skills of Bangladeshi workers by drawing on Australia's TAFE and TVET experience. "We believe that every Bangladeshi working abroad is a valuable national asset and an important partner in our economic progress. But irregular migration is harmful both to the migrant and to the country's reputation," he said. "To prevent irregular migration from the outset, we are working with the International Organization for Migration and also engaging bilaterally with various countries," he added.  

The government is reviewing a proposal to reduce passport fees for Bangladeshis living abroad while continuing efforts to simplify passport services for migrant workers and expatriates, Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed told Parliament on Wednesday. Responding to a tabled starred question from ruling party lawmaker Khairul Kabir Khokon (Narsingdi-1), he said Bangladesh had a total of 25,433,063 active passport holders as of June 4, 2026. Regarding passport services for migrant workers, Salahuddin said a proposal submitted by the Department of Immigration and Passports to lower passport fees for Bangladeshis residing in different countries is currently under review by the Ministry of Home Affairs. He highlighted a number of initiatives already undertaken to make passport services more accessible for Bangladeshi expatriates. The minister said arrangements have been made to process passport applications through Mobile Enrolment Kits (MEK) in remote areas under Bangladesh missions abroad, enabling Bangladeshis abroad to apply for passports conveniently. He also said initiatives have been taken to provide passport services for expatriate workers through outsourcing companies engaged by Bangladesh missions overseas. To ensure faster delivery, passports are being sent to Bangladeshi embassies and high commissions abroad through the international courier service FedEx, Salahuddin added. He further informed the House that steps are underway to introduce home delivery services for passports through outsourcing companies, making passport collection easier for expatriates. The minister also said the government has already introduced the issuance of 10-year passports for all Bangladeshi citizens aged 18 and above.  

Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed on Wednesday described the killing of innocent Bangladeshi citizens by Indian Border Security Force (BSF) along the border as deeply unfortunate and a clear violation of human rights. “The killing of innocent Bangladeshi nationals by the BSF is extremely regrettable and constitutes a clear violation of human rights,” he told Parliament. Responding to a written question from ruling party MP Nilufar Chowdhury Moni (Women Seat-10), the Minister said Bangladesh has consistently protested the use of lethal weapons by the BSF along the border and has continued to press for accountability and compensation through diplomatic and bilateral engagements. He said the issue has been raised strongly by Bangladesh during border conferences held between the chiefs of the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and the BSF. Salahuddin Ahmed said there has been no specific institutional discussion or formal agreement under which the Government of India directly provides financial assistance to the families of Bangladeshis killed in BSF firing incidents along the border. However, he said Bangladesh has repeatedly voiced strong objections during bilateral meetings to the BSF’s practice of using lethal weapons under the pretext of self-defence. Through these engagements, Bangladesh has also indirectly exerted pressure regarding compensation and accountability for such incidents. Highlighting the outcomes of discussions between the two countries on border killings, the Minister said Bangladesh’s sustained diplomatic and strategic efforts have yielded some positive commitments from the Indian side. Under continued pressure from Bangladesh, the BSF has on several occasions pledged to refrain from using lethal weapons and instead employ non-lethal means in managing border situations. He also said that cooperation between the BGB and BSF has been strengthened to reduce border deaths and curb cross-border crimes. As part of these efforts, night-time joint patrols have been increased in vulnerable and sensitive border areas to enhance surveillance and prevent untoward incidents. The Minister further informed Parliament that mechanisms have been put in place to address any unexpected border incidents promptly through flag meetings at the company and battalion commander levels. “Whenever any undesirable incident occurs along the border, local-level flag meetings between the respective commanders are convened swiftly to bring the situation under control and prevent escalation,” he said. Bangladesh has long maintained that the use of deadly force against unarmed civilians along the border is unacceptable and has repeatedly called on India to adopt a policy of zero deaths at the frontier.

A group of 7-8 people allegedly gang-raped a woman after abducting her at Kurchai village in Gafargaon upazila of Mymensingh district early Wednesday. Quoting locals, Officer-in-Charge of Pagla Police Station Aminul Islam said the women along with her husband and a three-year-old child used to live at her mother’s house at the village. Around 1:00am, a group of masked miscreants, numbering 7-8, swooped on the house and beat her husband up. Later, they picked the woman up after tying her husband at the house and took her to an abandoned house around 200 metres away, where they violated her in turns. Later, the family members rescued the woman and her mother filed a case at Pagla Police Station. The OC said they sent the woman to Mymensingh Medical College Hospital for medical test. He said they were investigating the matter and legal action is under process. Locals said the woman got divorced with her husband one and half months ago over family dispute. However, the couple continued to live together.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Wednesday said the government will make all possible efforts to lower or rationalise the Hajj package prices for 2027 as part of its plan to develop an affordable Hajj system. “The government has a plan to reduce the cost of Hajj in the future. In our election manifesto it has been pledged to develop an affordable, accessible, humane and expatriate-friendly Hajj system for religious citizens. State and diplomatic initiatives will be taken to reduce the cost of performing Hajj,” he said. The Prime Minister made the remarks while replying to a starred question from opposition lawmaker Salah Uddin (Gazipur-4) in Parliament. He said Hajj is managed through a bilateral arrangement between Saudi Arabia and Bangladesh government with expenses divided into two components. Tarique Rahman said the three-fourths of the total cost is  determined by the Saudi authorities, while the remaining one-fourth of the expenditure is incurred in Bangladesh, mainly covering airfares and other local expenses. He said the minimum Hajj package for 2026 was fixed at Tk 467,167, including the cost of Qurbani. Of the amount, Tk 300,797 was spent on the Saudi Arabia portion while the rest was spent in Bangladesh  including Tk 154,830 for airfare. The PM said the minimum Hajj package in 2025 was Tk 478,242, but it was reduced by Tk 11,075 for 2026, allowing pilgrims to benefit from the decrease. “Considering the global situation and the expenses announced for the Saudi segment, the government will make every effort to reduce or rationalise the Hajj package prices for 2027 for the benefit of common religious Muslims,” he said.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Wednesday announced his government’s firm stance against the siphoning of money abroad, stressing that public money belongs to the people and should be used to improve their lives and change their fortunes. “We will take a tough position from today against those who have laundered money from this country and those who want to siphon off people’s money abroad,” he said while addressing a programme marking the inauguration of the third-phase Family Card distribution programme at the Victoria High School ground in Sreemangal. The Prime Minister said the country’s people should also remain vigilant so that no one can siphon off the country's wealth. “If we all keep our eyes and ears open, no one will be able to launder the country's assets abroad. We will work together and use that money to change the lives of our people,” he said. When Tarique Rahman asked whether people will stand with the government in that effort, thousands of attendees, including tea workers and local residents, responded in unison with a resounding “yes.” Calling for collective commitment, he said, “Let our pledge on this joyous day be one thing: work for the country and put Bangladesh first.” The Prime Minister also coined a new slogan, saying: “We will work, we will build the country. Bangladesh first, Bangladesh for all.” "We have seen over the past 17 years how public money was siphoned out of the country. Instead of being spent on the people, it was sent abroad by a political group," he said. Referring to opposition’s questions about funding government’s welfare initiatives, Tarique Rahman said some people often ask where the money for Family Cards and Farmers' Cards would come from. "I want to tell them that we will no longer allow people's money to be siphoned abroad," he said. He said public funds will be used for the welfare of citizens and the development of the country. "People's money will be spent on the people. It will be used for the country's development and for changing the fate of its citizens. So, there will be no shortage of money, Insha-Allah," the Prime Minister said. The programme, organised by the Ministry of Social Welfare, began with recitations from the Holy Quran and other religious scriptures. The national anthem and the BNP party song were also played. The Prime Minister personally handed over Family Cards to 10 women representing beneficiary families before formally inaugurating the third phase of the programme by pressing a button. He also distributed grants of Tk 200,000 each as housing support for tea workers, scholarships for children of tea workers and financial assistance cheques for people with disabilities. Referring to the government's welfare initiatives, Tarique Rahman said Bangladesh is both the first and last address of its citizens and the government's sole objective is to improve the lives of the people. “We have to build this country ourselves. The 40 crore hands of our 20 crore people must be turned into productive hands. Only then can we transform Bangladesh,” he said. The Prime Minister also warned people against what he described as attempts to spread misinformation about government’s welfare programmes. Addressing those who question the funding of the Family Card and Farmers’ Card programmes, he said the assistance distributed among tea workers, students and people with disabilities on Wednesday was being provided from public funds. Referring to allocations for Family Card and Farmers’ Card programmes in the proposed 2026-27 national budget, Tarique Rahman criticised those describing the budget as anti-people despite the government's decision to remove duties on 60 essential products. “You have seen that though we have allocated funds in this budget for ordinary working people, some have refused to accept it. We have allocated funds for mothers through the Family Card programme, for farmers through the Farmers’ Card scheme, for persons with disabilities, for students and for improving healthcare services,” he said. The Prime Minister lamented that the opposition is comparing the budget to “chanachur”, saying such remarks undermine efforts to improve people's lives. “This is a people’s budget. Through these allocations, we want to change the lives of our citizens. We have set aside funds for healthcare, for farmers and for ensuring that our children receive the best possible education. Yet some describe it as an anti-people budget,” he said. Tarique Rahman also noted that the government has withdrawn duties on 60 essential commodities but said a political party was still portraying the budget as anti-people. “When a budget contains measures for the welfare of citizens and relief for consumers, can those who oppose it truly claim to be friends of the people? The answer is no,” he said, urging people to remain alert to what he termed efforts to create confusion and instability, both inside and outside Parliament. “If those who want to create unrest get the opportunity, it will become difficult to continue programmes like Family Card, support for persons with disabilities, assistance for poor students and tax relief on essential commodities,” Tarique Rahman said. He stressed that public unity is essential to sustaining development and protecting democracy. “If people remain united, no conspiracy can succeed and no one will be able to undermine democracy in Bangladesh,” he said. The Prime Minister also claimed that forces opposed to democracy had historically worked together despite public differences, while the BNP had always stood by the people. “The greatest strength of the BNP is the people. That is why we always say that the people are the source of all power,” he said. Recalling past political struggles, Tarique Rahman said late BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia had never left the people during difficult times. “Bangladesh was her first address and her last address. We are the soldiers of Khaleda Zia,” he said. State Minister for Social Welfare Farzana Sharmin, Moulvibazar district BNP Convener Faizul Karim Mayun, lawmaker Mujibur Rahman Chowdhury, Additional Secretary Kamal Uddin Biswas and beneficiaries Shiuly Rani Das and Wajeda Begum also spoke at the programme with Social Welfare and Women and Children Affairs Minister AZM Zahid Hossain in the chair.

Urging India to stop brutal expulsions, the Human Rights Watch (HRW) on Wednesday said both Bangladesh and Indian governments should ensure that border management never again comes at the cost of basic human dignity. The New York-based rights body said the Indian authorities are forcibly expelling ‘ethnic Bengali residents, mostly Muslims’ from West Bengal state, to Bangladesh without basic due process. “No one, whatever their nationality, should be left to spend nights in an open field between two lines of armed border guards,” said Meenakshi Ganguly, deputy Asia director at Human Rights Watch. Ganguly said the Indian authorities are cruelly dumping families into Bangladesh or leaving them stranded at the border, ignoring their basic human rights. “The government (of India) should stop unlawfully expelling people, ensure procedural safeguards, engage with Bangladeshi authorities to verify citizenship, and end this dismaying animosity toward Muslims.” Bangladeshi border guards have reported that since June 1, 2026, they have foiled 21 attempts by the BSF to push more than 200 people, including children, into Bangladesh’s border districts. The chief minister of India’s West Bengal state, Suvendu Adhikari, who took office after the Hindu-majoritarian Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won the March elections, said that the government under his “detect, delete and deport” policy had detained hundreds of “Bangladeshi infiltrators” and forced nearly 5,000 people “to go back.” The Human Rights Watch interviewed nine people who witnessed Indian border security troops bring groups of people to the border at night and push them through cuts in the barbed wire fencing into Bangladeshi territory. In several cases, Indian border guards eventually allowed people to return after the Bangladesh border force denied them entry, it said in a statement. Just ahead of March elections in West Bengal, India’s election commission had carried out a hurried and controversial revision of voter lists that dropped over nine million names, triggering threats of detention and deportation, said HRW. A flawed and discriminatory citizenship verification process in Assam state in 2019 had already left over 1.9 million people stateless and thousands of Bengali-speaking residents of the state have been held in detention centers, while many were expelled unlawfully. The BJP chief minister in Assam, Himanta Biswa Sarma, has repeatedly lashed out at Bengali-speaking Muslims in the state, calling them “illegal immigrants.” Recently he said: “We take them to a convenient location near the border, and literally push them across the border. Now, such an atmosphere has been created in Assam that several illegal Bangladeshis have started going back on their own.” Indian officials contend that numerous Bangladeshis are living in India illegally and have offered to help them return voluntarily. Genuinely voluntary repatriation, including with assistance, is compatible with international human rights standards, but India should not coerce repatriation or forcibly expel people, the HRW said. “Nor should they, as some of those interviewed allege, strip them of documentation, money, and personal belongings.” Bangladeshi authorities have said they will not accept people pushed across the border outside legal channels, insisting that any returns must follow proper verification and established repatriation procedures, according to the HRW. Leaving people without food, water, shelter, or medical care may amount to cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment, it said. The Indian government should ensure access to fundamental procedural safeguards for anyone subject to expulsion. This includes access to full information about the grounds for deportation, the right to legal representation, and an opportunity to appeal a decision to expel them. Expelling or stranding children violates the Convention on the Rights of the Child, which obligates states to respect children’s right to preserve their nationality and prohibits their arbitrary deprivation of liberty. India and Bangladesh have bilateral mechanisms that provide for verification of nationality and orderly transfer of nationals. Indian authorities’ circumvention of these procedures has repeatedly left people trapped between two border forces in conditions that violate their fundamental rights, Human Rights Watch said.

The Cabinet Committee on Government Purchase on Wednesday approved procurement proposals worth more than Tk 704.7 crore including the import of urea fertiliser and sulphur for the country's agricultural and industrial needs. The decisions were taken at a meeting of the committee atSecretariat with Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury in the chair. Import of 40,000 metric tonnes of urea fertiliser through the Direct Procurement Method (DPM) at a cost of Tk 348.56 crore was among the proposals. The proposal submitted by the Ministry of Industries involves the purchase of urea from UAE-based Delta Star Trading FZ-LLC through its local agent Ibedita Trading, Dhaka. The per-metric-tonne price has been fixed at US$707.01. The committee also recommended approval of another fertiliser import proposal under a government-to-government arrangement. Under the proposal, 25,000 metric tonnes of bulk granular urea will be imported from Saudi Arabia's SABIC Agri-Nutrients Company . The Ministry of Industries estimated the procurement cost at Tk 185.13 crore, with the fertiliser to be supplied at a price of US$600.83 per metric tonne. The committee approved another proposal for importing 15,000 metric tonnes of rock sulphur/bright yellow sulphur for TSP Complex Limited (TSPCL) at a cost of Tk 171.01 crore. The proposal was also submitted by the Ministry of Industries, with Seychelles-based M/s Fabsco Construction Limited selected as the supplier. According to the proposal, the sulphur may be sourced from a range of internationally recognised producers and refiners, including Formosa Petrochemical Corporation of Taiwan, Turkmengas of Turkmenistan, Mongstad Refinery of Norway, ADNOC of the UAE, Duqm Refinery of Oman, SOMO of Iraq and Reliance Industries of India, among others.

A Chattogram court on Wednesday sentenced prime accused Abir Ali to death for killing five-year-old girl Alina Islam Ayat four years back. Judge of Chattogram Additional Metropolitan Session Judge Court-6 Muhammad Ali Akkas handed down the punishment in presence of the convict. According to the prosecution, Ayat went missing on November 14, 2022 on her way to a mosque where she used to learn Arabic at Bandartila area in Chattogram. The victim’s father, Sohel Rana, lodged a general diary with the local police station after she went missing. Abir, a former tenant of the victim’s family, kidnapped the girl for ransom and strangled the girl to death as he failed to secure a place to keep her hostage. She later chopped her body into six pieces after taking to a residence on Akmal Ali Road in the city and dumped the body wrapped in two bags in the sea in the city’s Kattali area. Ayat’s body parts were found from different parts of the city on November 30 and December 1, 2022. On November 9, 2023, Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) officer of the case Monoj Kumar Dey submitted chargesheet against Abir Ali.