United News of Bangladesh

State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed has said on Friday afternoon that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is working through diplomatic channels to resolve the ongoing issue of push-in incidents from India. She said Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) remains on alert along the border areas and is actively preventing attempted push-ins from across the border. She also said the foreign ministry has already sent 12 to 13 letters to New Delhi requesting an end to such incidents. Peacekeepers risk their lives to uphold national honour: Shama Obaed The state minister made the remarks at Saltha Press Club in Saltha upazila of Faridpur. She further said that there are clear international procedures regarding the repatriation of illegal nationals of any country. Bangladesh expects the Indian government to follow those established norms. “If any illegal Indian nationals are found in Bangladesh, the country will also return them following diplomatic procedures,” she said. She emphasized that no country should push back individuals under the cover of darkness, adding that such actions violate established norms. The event was presided over by Saltha Upazila Press Club President Nurul Islam Nahid. Later, the state minister inaugurated a road built at a cost of about 1.5 crore taka in Saltha Upazila Bazar.

A protest rally and demonstration were held in Khagrachhari on Friday against alleged killings of Bangladeshi citizens along the border, push-in incidents and various other border-related violations. The demonstration was organised under the banner of an “11-party alliance” and began in the afternoon from Shapla Chattar in Khagrachhari town. The procession marched through several roads of the town, passed Mohajanpara and later returned to Shapla Chattar, where a brief protest rally was held. During the rally, protesters displayed placards demanding justice for border killings of Bangladeshi citizens, an end to push-in incidents, and effective measures to protect the country’s independence and sovereignty. Speakers at the event included Khagrachhari district Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Professor Syed Abdul Momen, lawyer Advocate Ayakub Ali Chowdhury, and NCP leader Chaithoai Marma. Professor Syed Abdul Momen alleged that India was unlawfully pushing its citizens into Bangladesh to pressure the government, while also claiming that innocent Bangladeshi nationals were being shot dead at the border and that the Bangladesh Border Guard was being threatened. He also called on the government to play a stronger role in protecting the country’s independence and sovereignty. Speakers at the rally further demanded effective diplomatic and administrative steps to safeguard national security and dignity.

Bangladesh Islami Chhatra Shibir’s central assistant international affairs secretary Zisan Pradhan has gone missing, prompting a written complaint to the police and subsequent protest by party activists on Friday afternoon. His elder brother, Advocate Russell Ahmed, filed the complaint with Daudkandi Model Police Station in this regard. According to the complaint and family sources, Zisan Pradhan went missing on Thursday (June 11) after offering Isha prayers at Daudkandi Model Mosque. He is a resident of Birbaggoali village under Daudkandi upazila. Family and party sources said Zisan had returned to his home district from Dhaka on Thursday. On his way, he stopped at Daudkandi Model Mosque and offered Isha prayers. After that, all communication with him was lost.

Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Adviser Iqbal Hassan Mahmood on Friday visited Power Grid Bangladesh PLC (Power Grid) and the National Load Dispatch Centre (NLDC) to review the country’s power management, existing challenges and future development plans. During the visit, officials of Power Grid briefed the minister on the overall power system situation, key technical and operational challenges, and ongoing initiatives to strengthen the national grid. The minister, who was visiting the organisation for the first time since assuming office, inaugurated a newly established Protection & Automation Laboratory and a day-care centre at the Power Grid premises. Party affiliation won’t protect extortionists: Tuku Officials informed him about national grid operations and efficiency enhancement measures, the power supply situation in the Mymensingh region, distribution system management, steps taken to maintain grid stability, and progress in developing the Dhaka Ring Transmission Network. Speaking at the event, Mahmood said the country had limited time left to complete preparations for the commissioning of the first unit of the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant, targeted for November this year. “We are moving forward with preparatory work involving all relevant stakeholders to achieve the target,” he said. The minister observed that while power generation and transmission capacities had improved over the years, corresponding upgrades in the distribution network had not kept pace. “As a result, despite adequate generation and transmission capacity, shortcomings remain in the supply system,” he said, adding that the previous government had expanded electricity access in an unplanned manner without ensuring effective coordination across the sector. He said many areas continue to experience prolonged power outages mainly because of weaknesses in distribution lines rather than generation or transmission constraints. Mahmood said discussions had already been held with Power Grid Bangladesh PLC (PGCB) on identifying and addressing the problems. He instructed officials to submit detailed proposals for resolving the issues so that corrective measures could be taken promptly. Referring to capacity payments in the power sector, the minister said the previous government had left a significant financial burden through capacity charge obligations. “However, the new government cannot change everything overnight. These issues must be addressed through legal processes,” he said, adding that the Law Ministry is reviewing the matter and that existing contracts are being examined for possible action. At the briefing, Power Grid officials said that operating gas-fired power plants in and around Dhaka, including those at Ghorashal, Haripur, Siddhirganj, Meghnaghat, Mymensingh and Ashuganj, along with the Barapukuria coal-fired power plant, at full capacity would enable more efficient and cost-effective management of the national grid. They said this would reduce the need for long-distance power transmission, lower system losses and help maintain voltage stability while ensuring quality electricity supply to consumers. Officials also informed the minister that Power Grid had successfully completed the necessary transmission infrastructure and operational capacity enhancement work required to safely, reliably and continuously evacuate electricity from the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant to the national grid. Regarding Mymensingh, officials said local electricity demand significantly exceeds local generation capacity. Several key transmission projects have faced delays due to various complications. However, the commissioning of the Shambhuganj and Tangail grid substations and associated transmission lines within the current year is expected to substantially improve power supply in the region. The meeting also highlighted concerns over unnecessary tripping and the practice of manually shutting down feeders during adverse weather conditions, which officials said negatively affect national grid stability. Greater coordination, accountability and technology-driven management among all distribution utilities were stressed to ensure grid security and reliability. Power Grid officials further briefed the minister on progress in constructing the high-capacity Dhaka Ring Transmission Network, aimed at meeting growing electricity demand in the capital and surrounding areas while improving transmission system capacity, safety and reliability. The minister was also informed about the establishment of the Grid Studies and Innovation Facility (GSIF), developed to support the government’s renewable energy expansion plans. The facility enables domestic analysis and simulation studies on renewable energy integration, grid stability and other complex technical issues under the supervision of PGCB engineers. Officials said the newly inaugurated Protection & Automation Laboratory would serve as a modern “simulation-to-solution” platform and is expected to evolve into a world-class research centre for the transmission sector. The facility will support fault and disturbance analysis and the implementation of advanced grid protection systems, contributing to greater reliability of the national grid, particularly in preparation for the operation of the Rooppur nuclear plant.

Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Minister Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Friday said China has been supporting Bangladesh’s development efforts and expressed hope for greater cooperation in the future. He made the remarks while addressing a programme for the distribution of school bags and educational materials among students in Thakurgaon under a joint Bangladesh-China initiative at Shaheed Mohammad Ali Stadium in the district town. Rebuilding country from ‘ruins’ is BNP’s new challenge: Fakhrul Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Yao Wen attended the event as the guest of honour. Held under the theme “Developing Young Talent, Building a Brighter Future,” the programme distributed school bags, notebooks, pens and other educational materials among around 6,500 students in Thakurgaon. Speaking at the event, Fakhrul said China is one of the world’s most advanced countries and continues to make remarkable progress. “China has been contributing to the development of people in different countries, and it is also supporting Bangladesh’s development,” he said. The minister said he wanted to involve Chinese partners in several development projects in Thakurgaon.

BNP Standing Committee Member Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan on Friday said the current government will take Bangladesh to a respectable position in the world. He also highlighted former President Ziaur Rahman’s contributions to the country's economic recovery, agriculture, labour sector, fisheries, foreign policy and international diplomacy. Moyeen Khan made the remarks while addressing a discussion organised by the Jatiyatabadi Matsyajibi Dal at the Jatiya Press Club, marking the 45th death anniversary of BNP founder and former President Ziaur Rahman. He said the budgets introduced by Ziaur Rahman were not designed for the privileged residents of Dhaka's affluent areas but for grassroots people living in villages across Bangladesh. The BNP leader said the economic policies pursued by the former President helped Bangladesh recover from what he termed the devastation of the 1972-75 period and enabled the country to stand on a stronger economic footing. He said within a short period, Ziaur Rahman introduced three budgets and transformed the country's economy through market-oriented reforms, the promotion of the garments industry and the creation of opportunities for overseas employment, which increased the flow of foreign remittances into Bangladesh. According to Moyeen Khan, these measures contributed to changing Bangladesh's image internationally, and he referred to reports that described Ziaur Rahman as having transformed a "basket case" into a "success case." He said the younger generation should learn these aspects of Ziaur Rahman's legacy and understand his role in the country's development.  

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami on Thursday staged a protest rally in the capital immediately after the presentation of the proposed national budget for the 2026-27 fiscal, describing it as “anti-people but loot-friendly,” and expressing their dissatisfaction with the additional tax burdens it imposes on citizens. Speaking at a rally before the procession, Jamaat Assistant Secretary General and former MP Dr AHM Hamidur Rahman Azad alleged that the government had presented the budget to sustain party loyalists at the expense of ordinary people. “The government has imposed a burden of taxes on the people while presenting a budget aimed at maintaining party workers,” he said. Referring to the proposed Tk 9.38 lakh crore budget, the largest in Bangladesh’s history, Azad claimed it failed to reflect the aspirations of the July Uprising and instead followed the conventional pattern of previous budgets. He described the budget as heavily dependent on loans and taxation, arguing that it would place an additional burden on citizens while increasing the country's debt liabilities. Azad alleged that the size of the budget had been expanded to facilitate corruption and misuse of development funds by ruling party activists. “Those who formulated the budget belong to the affluent class, which is why it is a pro-rich budget. They do not understand the suffering of poor people and therefore failed to present a people-oriented budget,” he said. He also criticised the allocation structure, claiming that nearly 70 percent of the budget would be spent on operational expenditures, leaving limited benefits for the general public. Azad said Jamaat had proposed a budget that was Tk 100,000 crore smaller than the government’s proposal, arguing that such a budget would reduce opportunities for corruption and ensure resources were used directly for public welfare. He urged the government to revise its proposed budget by incorporating Jamaat’s recommendations. The Jamaat leader further said the government had set a revenue collection target of Tk 6.95 lakh crore, including Tk 6.04 lakh crore from the National Board of Revenue (NBR), which he said would result in higher indirect taxes, customs duties and advance taxes that would ultimately affect ordinary consumers. Although the tax-free income threshold has been proposed to increase from Tk 350,000 to Tk 375,000, Azad argued that rising indirect taxes would increase living costs for middle- and lower-income groups. He also expressed concern over the proposed budget deficit of Tk 2.43 lakh crore, saying the government's plan to borrow Tk 1.12 lakh crore from the banking sector could reduce private-sector access to credit and hamper investment and job creation. Addressing the rally, Jamaat Assistant Secretary General Advocate Moazzem Hossain Helal alleged that the proposed budget would primarily benefit ruling party-linked businesspeople, extortionists and political activists rather than the general public. “If the government cannot present a truly people-oriented budget, it should follow Jamaat’s proposed framework,” he said. The rally was chaired by Advocate Dr Helal Uddin, Nayeb-e-Ameer of Jamaat’s Dhaka South unit, and conducted by Muhammad Delawar Hossain, assistant secretary of the city unit. Among others, Jamaat leaders Dr Abdul Mannan and Muhammad Shamsur Rahman also addressed the gathering. In his presidential speech, Dr Helal Uddin claimed that instead of meeting public expectations for a new Bangladesh following the July uprising, the government had presented a conventional budget based on the old system. He criticised the proposal to require Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) certificates for opening bank accounts, claiming it would place an additional burden on ordinary citizens. Following the rally at the north gate of Baitul Mukarram National Mosque, participants brought out a protest procession that marched through Paltan intersection and Vijaynagar. The demonstrators demanded that the government revise the proposed budget and announce what they described as a truly people-friendly budget.

The National Citizen Party (NCP) on Thursday dismissed the government's proposed Tk 9.38 lakh crore budget for fiscal year 2026-27 as overly ambitious and detached from economic reality, warning that the actual deficit could be nearly double the official figure. Reacting to the budget placed before parliament by Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury, NCP's Shadow Budget Committee chief and joint convener Atik Mujahid said the stated deficit of around Tk 2.5 lakh crore masked a far graver fiscal picture. "The actual deficit could approach Tk 4.5 lakh crore," Mujahid said, adding that the revenue collection target of Tk 6.95 lakh crore, equivalent to 10.2 percent of GDP, was simply unattainable under present economic conditions. "I believe the revenue shortfall alone could exceed Tk 2 lakh crore." While acknowledging that the proposed outlay is the largest in Bangladesh's history, NCP argued it may equally go down as the country's biggest deficit budget in real terms. The budget, tabled Thursday in the Jatiya Sangsad, projects total expenditure at 13.7 percent of GDP, up by Tk 1.48 lakh crore from the previous fiscal year. Development spending stands at Tk 3.16 lakh crore, including Tk 3 lakh crore under the Annual Development Programme, while non-development and other expenditures are pegged at Tk 6.21 lakh crore. Revenue income is projected at Tk 6.95 lakh crore, of which Tk 6.04 lakh crore is to come through the National Board of Revenue and Tk 91,000 crore from other sources.

Dr. Zubaida Rahman, Vice President of the Ziaur Rahman Foundation (ZRF) and wife of the Prime Minister, on Wednesday called for a green revolution through tree plantation, saying it can help protect the environment and build a more livable world.  “Ziaur Rahman had taken the initiative to plant what became known as the ‘Zia Neem Tree’ in the desert of Saudi Arabia, and that many Hajj pilgrims still benefit from its shade,” she said  while inaugurating a month-long tree plantation programme and the “Search for Future Scientists Science Fair 2026” as the chief guest. Ziaur Rahman Foundation (ZRF) organised the event marking the 45th death anniversary of former President Ziaur Rahman. Dr. Zubaida inaugurated the tree plantation programme by planting a neem sapling on the premises of Curzon Hall at the University of Dhaka. She later inaugurated  “Search for Future Scientists Science Fair 2026” at the Central Gallery of the Department of Botany. At the outset of her speech, Dr. Zubaida paid tribute to martyred president Ziaur Rahman and former prime minister Begum Khaleda Zia. Highlighting the role of science and environmental protection, she said teachers and students could make significant contributions to safeguarding the environment and finding scientific solutions to the country’s various challenges. “We must leave behind a greener, more beautiful and more livable world for future generations. Every village and every city of the country can be transformed into places of natural beauty and environmental harmony,” she said. She said tree plantation should not remain a routine programme but could be transformed into a green revolution through public participation that promotes economic, social and intergenerational development. Dr. Zubaida proposed initiatives such as green volunteerism, climate youth fellowships and environmental startup funds. She also suggested incorporating green volunteer activities into school curricula to raise environmental awareness among students. She invited university students, teachers and young researchers to participate in the science competition aimed at identifying future scientists. “We can certainly help our country through innovative scientific solutions,” she said, referring to contributions from various fields including medical science, botany, chemistry, physics and information technology. Zubaida Rahman said many of the country’s problems could be solved through scientific innovation, provided there is determination, initiative and perseverance.“Scientific innovation can greatly reduce human suffering,” she said. Describing students and teachers engaged in scientific pursuits as a source of hope for both the country and the world, she said the future of Bangladesh would advance on the strength of their scientific thinking. “The Science Fair in Search of Future Scientists has come to your doorstep to encourage your participation. I wish every success of this competition,” she added. Dhaka University Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr ABM Obaidul Islam attended the programme as a special guest, while ZRF Acting Executive Director Professor Dr Morshed Hasan Khan presided over the event.

Bangladesh Jatiyatabadi Jubo Dal on Tuesday expelled a leader of the dissolved Ramna Thana unit under Dhaka South unit over allegations of involvement in various unethical activities. Besides, Ramna Thana Jubo Dal committee was dissolved. According to a press release, the expelled leader is Lutfor Rahman, member secretary of the dissolved Ramna Thana Jubo Dal committee. The decision was approved by Jubo Dal Central Executive Committee President Abdul Monayem Munna and General Secretary Mohammad Nurul Islam Nayon. The expulsion came a day after the affiliated wing of BNP dissolved the Ramna Thana Jubo Dal committee and expelled its convener, Didarul Islam Babu, who was also a member of the Dhaka South Jubo Dal convening committee. In a separate press release issued on Monday, Jubo Dal said Didarul Islam Babu had been expelled from the organisation over violating party discipline and engaging in activities against the organisation, while the Ramna Thana Jubo Dal committee was simultaneously dissolved. The decisions were also approved by Jubo Dal President Abdul Monayem Munna and General Secretary Mohammad Nurul Islam Nayon.