United News of Bangladesh

On the occasion of 29th Anniversary of establishment of BIMSTEC, I extend, on behalf of the BIMSTEC Secretariat, my warm greetings and best wishes to the Governments and Peoples of the 7 BIMSTEC member States (Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand). 7 BIMSTEC member States, located contiguous and close to Bay of Bengal, the largest Bay of the world, face similar developmental and transnational security challenges, which, they realize, they cannot deal with alone. Hence, they are keen to forge regional cooperation under BIMSTEC. Their shared historical experiences, cultural linkages and civilization legacies provide a strong foundation for forging regional cooperation. BIMSTEC is an Inter-Governmental Regional Organisation, with its Permanent Secretariat located in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Established in June 1997 by its 4 founding members - Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka and Thailand - as a non-political platform to facilitate cooperation amongst the countries of South Asia and South East Asia, BIMSTEC has emerged as a vibrant regional organization. Seven BIMSTEC member States are home to 1.8 billion people; they had in 2024 a combined GDP of over $5.0 trillion and a combined external trade of almost $3.0 trillion. A significant part of global trade and energy flows through the waters of Bay of Bengal. Since its inception, 29 years ago, BIMSTEC has made significant progress. It has adopted its own Charter and has institutionalized the requisite core and sectoral mechanisms for forging regional cooperation. It has its vision enshrined in BIMSTEC Bangkok Vision 2030, which provides a roadmap for expanding and deepening regional cooperation. As a non-political organization, BIMSTEC has focused on promoting tangible cooperation, based on shared priorities of the member States. BIMSTEC has a comprehensive agenda, comprising 18 sectors of cooperation, clubbed in 7 Groups with designation of 7 member States as the Lead member State for one of the 7 Groups. Bangladesh leads Trade & Investment, Women Development and Blue Economy Sectors; Bhutan leads Environment & Climate Change and Mountain Economy Sectors; India leads Security, Energy and Disaster Management Sectors; Myanmar leads Agriculture & Food Security and Fisheries & Livestock Sectors; Nepal leads Culture, Tourism, People-to-People Contact Forums and Poverty Alleviation Sectors; Sri Lanka leads Science, Technology & Innovation, Health and Human Resource Development Sectors; and Thailand leads Connectivity Sector. The Agenda of BIMSTEC has been developed with consensus amongst the member States and is fully aligned with the UN SDGs Agenda 2030. BIMSTEC has held numerous Summits of Heads of the Government and Ministerial and Senior Officials Meetings, including Sectoral Ministerial and Senior Officials Meetings. There are numerous sectoral Joint Working Groups, Expert Groups and their Sub-Groups to identify areas of cooperation in various sectors, delineate Plans of Action and monitor their implementation. In order to institutionalize cooperation in various sectors, BIMSTEC has established Centres of Excellence, such as BIMSTEC Centre for Weather and and Climate and BIMSTEC Energy Centre, both in India. Further, BIMSTEC Cultural Industries Observatory has been set up in Paro, Bhutan, and BIMSTEC Technology Transfer Facility is being set up in Colombo, Sri Lanka. 8 more Centres of Excellence are being set up in order to enhance regional cooperation in areas of agriculture, culture and tourism, disaster management, sustainable maritime transport, skill development, tropical medicine, traditional medicine, Supreme Audit Institutions etc. BIMSTEC has already concluded two Conventions: BIMSTEC Convention on Cooperation in Combating International Terrorism, Transnational Organized Crime and Illicit Drug Trafficking, which has entered into force since March 2021, and BIMSTEC Convention on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters, which has not yet entered into force. 3 more Conventions on Extradition; Human Trafficking; and Transfer of Sentenced Persons are being concluded. The BIMSTEC Agreement on Maritime Transport Cooperation, which was signed in April 2025, has entered into force for the 4 member States, which have ratified it. Besides, a number of MoUs and MoAs have also been concluded. BIMSTEC has been seeking developmental partnerships with the non-Members as well as the UN, International and Regional Organisations. It has signed MoUs for cooperation with ADB, IFPRI, IORA and UNODC. It has been engaged in forging cooperation with WB, WIPO, WHO, ITU, UNDRR, UNESCAP, UN Women, ISA and CDRI etc. BIMSTEC is open to engage in partnerships with other regional organizations as well as UN and International Organizations. With measures being taken to reform and revitalize it, including through implementation of the recommendations contained in the Report of the Eminent Persons’ Group, BIMSTEC is poised to emerge as a dynamic and successful platform for forging regional cooperation and to play a crucial role in realizing security and sustainable development of its member States. It is also emerging as a shining example of South-South cooperation. I express my deep gratitude to the BIMSTEC member States for their continued guidance and support to the BIMSTEC Secretariat. The Secretariat remains fully committed to carrying out the tasks entrusted to it in a timely, efficient and effective manner and supporting the member States in translating their shared vision for regional cooperation into tangible outcomes. Indra Mani Pandey is the Secretary-General of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC)

Our lives are intimately connected to forests, rivers, mountains, and seasons. We are part of nature and nature is part of us – it shapes our values, our perspectives, our livelihoods, and our relations to other people and the environment around us. Over the years, I have had the privilege of travelling across mountain regions and ecosystems around the globe. Whether in the Himalaya, the Arctic, or other fragile landscapes, I have seen a common truth: where nature thrives, communities thrive. When ecosystems are degraded, the consequences are felt first and most deeply by people. The Labandaha River: Vanishing Under Encroachment and Pollution This is why the World Environment Day 2026 theme, "Inspired by Nature. For Climate. For Our Future.", resonates so strongly with me. It reminds us that the solutions we need are often already present in the ecosystems around us. If we are willing to learn from them, invest in them, and create the conditions for them to thrive. The Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) sustains the lives and livelihoods of more than two billion people. Protecting its ecosystems is therefore not simply an environmental imperative; it is one of the smartest investments we can make for our collective future. To achieve this, we need enabling policies, innovative financing, and incentive mechanisms that reward communities for their stewardship of nature and encourage investments in green enterprises and sustainable development. Women, as key stewards of nature, are at the heart of a greener future. ICIMOD has worked with governments to support women-led businesses, making restoration work inclusive while strengthening livelihoods. When we turn ecosystem restoration into real investment opportunities, we unlock private sector support and help governments pursue green growth. Investing in nature is truly investing in our future. One example close to our work at ICIMOD is springshed management. Across the mountains, springs are often the lifeline of communities, yet many are drying up due to changing climate and land-use patterns. By restoring recharge zones, promoting sustainable land-use practices, and empowering communities to become stewards of their natural resources, springs that once ran dry can flow again. Such approaches not only improve water availability but also enhance biodiversity and rebuild resilient ecosystems. The HKH is also blessed with immense clean energy potential, estimated at 3.5 terawatts. Yet only a fraction of this potential has been harnessed. Accelerating the transition to clean energy offers an opportunity to strengthen livelihoods, improve energy security, and build a low-carbon and climate-resilient future for the region. Realising these opportunities will require more than good intentions. It will require policies that reward environmental stewardship, financing mechanisms that value ecosystem services, and investments that enable communities and local enterprises to become active partners in conservation and climate action. Farmers, herders, medicinal plant collectors, entrepreneurs, local governments, and policymakers all have a role to play, and all must share in the benefits. At ICIMOD, we are working with our Regional Member Countries and partners to help build these enabling conditions. Through our work on the land-water-energy nexus, nature-based solutions, climate resilience, and sustainable mountain development, we seek to demonstrate that environmental protection and economic progress can and must advance together. Nature has inspired generations before us. Today, it is also showing us a pathway forward. On this World Environment Day, I encourage all of us to see nature not merely as something we conserve, but as a source of innovation, resilience, and opportunity. If we learn from it and invest in it wisely, nature can help us build a future that is more prosperous, more secure, and more climate resilient for all. Therefore, let us be there for nature just as we expect nature to be there for us. Pema Gyamtsho is the Director General of International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development.

By now, majority in Bangladesh have heard of the USAID funding cut to the development sector in the country worth more than $700 million, resulting in job losses of more than 50,000 development professionals in Bangladesh (The Daily Star, May 2025). Elsewhere, trusted donors i.e. The Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation has planned phase out of its bilateral programs in Bangladesh by 2028 (swissinfo.ch, March 2025). Globally, only four countries have met commitments in 2025 towards the United Nations goal that urges economically advanced nations to spend at least 0.7 per cent of their Gross National Income (GNI) on Official Development Assistance (ODA) to support developing nations. On the other hand, 25 countries decreased their ODA, leading to a 23 percent overall drop from 2024 to 2025. (United Nations, April 2026) Economic Downturns and Shifting Priorities While some blame such misfortune to post-covid inflations, economic down turns and rising costs of war by the west, others infer that the donors are perhaps shifting priorities or their limited foreign aid resources to poorer countries in Africa while Bangladesh is set to graduate from its Least Development Country status. Others allege that they are perhaps redirecting funds to humanitarian crises in places such as Ukraine and Palestine, if not the Rohingya camps. The Job Crisis In this regard, the harsh reality is that the non-profit sector in Bangladesh has been responding to foreign aid diminutions with not only downsizing, downgrading and salary reductions of employees, but also outsourcing to both people and AI. While some grieve assuming that organizations are trying to first safeguard the positions of their home country staff abroad, others walk through as organizations nationalize positions to save costs. For the unemployed and those hanging in uncertain contracts about to end, options lay ahead to either reskill or upskill with the growing labor market trend, or perhaps even switch employment to the private sector if they would kindly welcome. Others wonder about challenging themselves by exploring higher paid, mobile and agile international development sector or humanitarian jobs in crises affected and hardship locations such as Afghanistan and South Sudan. Business Strategies Business strategies by non-profit organizations for coping or rather trying to cope to sustain to serve the poor have been diverse – from localization to operational restructuring to fundraising portfolio diversification to social enterprise models. Localization, regionalization ‘Localization’ has been the buzz word agenda of most development actors, packaged as capacity development interventions for organizational development of national actors, with dual agendas towards cost efficiency. International NGOs (INGOs) in this regard, with formerly relative strength in fundraising are finding themselves no longer as only disbursers and monitors of funds to national NGOs, but also increasing competing with the national space at large. As such, increasingly, INGOs are not only forming consortiums with national or local NGOs with more favorable terms for joint fundraising, but some such as ActionAid Bangladesh have overhauled into nationalized governance structures, while others such as Oxfam have phased into localized partner-led modalities in countries such as Sri Lanka and Pakistan. Elsewhere, INGOs such as Action Contre la Faim (ACF) and Christian Aid, as also relevant for their operations in Bangladesh, have shifted to multi-country operational modalities with shared resources to save costs. INGOs have also been increasingly considering shifting their focus more where they have comparative technical advantages such as in areas as advocacy, campaigns and research, versus services which local / national organizations could otherwise deliver more cost efficiently, while at the same time encouraging donors to directly fund local / national organizations through modalities such as pooled funds. Operational (Re)structuring At the same time, other INGOs have also been seen with a different outlook of either juggling with direct service delivery themselves versus partner-led interventions, and / or shifting their bases instead closer to the beneficiaries for both efficiency as well as effectiveness. For example, many INGOs are increasingly moving out of their comfort zones from Cox’s Bazar Sadar to Ukhiya for Rohingya response. Side by side, UN agencies have been pooling of shared HR and ERP services in Bangladesh and globally for quite a while, including a transport and logistics pooling model by WFP abroad. Portfolio Diversification At the same time, diversification of funding pipelines has been the priority of the actors in the sector for quite a while. INGOs, national NGOs and the Unted Nations agencies alike have not only been reaching out to traditional bilateral donors, but are also seeking partnerships with public and private sector entities, including financing or co-financing and public-private partnerships with Bangladesh government entities. Some private sector players collaborating with the sector for either corporate social responsibility or brand building and marketing include, but not limited to, Unilever, Marico, C&A, M&S, Lindex, BSRM, and DBL Group. At the same time, development actors have also experienced civil society back lash when they apparently failed due diligence checks with certain private sector organizations such as UN Women with BlackRock. Side by side, NGOs are arguably seen also launching competitions for for-profit consultancy assignments. Others argue, that only those NGOs which have micro-credit or micro-finance operations seem to be surviving at scale with much self-finance. Prevalent individual or community giving models and / or crowd funding models are also utilized by organizations such as BRAC, Jaago Foundation, WFP and World Vision. Social enterprises, social businesses While, Bangladesh is famous as the sustainability pathway and home to social enterprise or social business models such as by BRAC or Grameen Bank, such modalities of operation still lack legal recognitions such as in terms of tax holidays. INGOs at both home and abroad are also seen experimenting with social enterprise models such as Oxfam shops in the UK, Caritas in Bangladesh. Like the business sector, the non-profit sector may also draw insights from the business sector, thriving for their own “Blue Ocean Strategies” to achieve success by creating new, uncontested market spaces rather than fiercely competing in saturated, existing markets. “People want to fund your impact, not your existence.” - Beth Brodovsky. Mehzabin Ahmed is a development professional.

As I leave Bangladesh moving on to my next assignment as the Ambassador of India to Belgium and European Union, there are so many thoughts that come to my mind. We stayed in Dhaka for nearly four years — longer than the usual three-year tenure. We saw multiple transitions during this time. Each very different from the other. Each with a new set of interlocutors. Each with its own prism for looking at relations with India. It could be challenging at times. But when I look back, it was an enriching and rewarding experience. My wife Manu and I will carry many indelible memories from here. Many people touched our lives in remarkable ways, building bonds of friendship that will far outlast our diplomatic association with this country. Working in Bangladesh, I have realized how truly special and unique our relations are. At one level, we are connected by shared geography, history, language and traditions. We have a cultural affinity and empathy that is difficult to find between any other two societies. At a deeper level, we are emotionally connected by our shared sacrifices of 1971 during the Liberation War of Bangladesh. Ours is also a relationship of significant interdependencies and interlinkages. A prosperous Bangladesh is in India’s interest, as much as a prosperous India is in the interest of Bangladesh.I am convinced that it is this reality of our societal, cultural and emotional connections, and it is this logic of interdependence and mutual benefit that will continue guiding and taking forward our relations. Both India and Bangladesh have come a long way in the 55 years since Bangladesh was born. We both are more capable, more confident, more connected and more aspirational societies than we ever were. We both are important stakeholders in the peace, stability and development of our shared region. Cooperation between our two countries is critical to address shared challenges like climate change and environmental sustainability. As the two largest economies of the region, we both have to be the anchors for closer regional integration. Because we are so different today from our past, I also believe that we need a new, future-oriented agenda for our engagement. An agenda that is aligned with our new capabilities, new aspirations and new national development priorities. An agenda that is driven by our strong cultural and economic linkages. And an agenda that is based on mutual interest, mutual benefit and mutual respect. As two rapidly growing countries, our geographical proximity is an asset for both of us, not a liability. And we must constantly endeavour to transform this proximity into new opportunities for both of us. I am hopeful that all well-wishers of India-Bangladesh relations will come together to build upon this shared vision and its realization. I leave Bangladesh, feeling ever more optimistic about the future of our relationship. Four years is a long time, but not long enough with the fondness and emotional attachment that we have developed for this country and its people. Despite its share of ups and downs, our time in Bangladesh will remain etched in our memory as the most cherished posting for both me and my wife, simply for the incredible friendships we struck here and the warmth and affection we received from its people all across the country. We look forward to remaining in touch with many kind-hearted, gracious friends from literally all walks of life in Bangladesh who touched our hearts so deeply. We hope our paths will cross again — sometime, somewhere! Until then, all I want to say is — Aabaar Dekha Hobe!   Pranay Verma is the outgoing High Commissioner of India

Since the outbreak of the war between Iran and the United States, Italy has acted together with its European partners, the G7 and multilateral organisations to promote a cessation of hostilities, ensure the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and restore stability in the Middle East. Within this framework, our country has expressed its willingness to take part, once the conflict has ended, in an international defensive coalition aimed at restoring freedom of navigation in the Strait. As I recalled in recent hours in my address to a parliamentary committee in Italy, for our Government the blockade of Hormuz is not a mere regional crisis, but a global shock destined to affect energy security, industrial competitiveness and international economic balances. This is a particularly significant risk for all countries in the region, but also for an exporting country such as Italy, whose exports account for around 40% of GDP. The Strait of Hormuz, as we know, is a strategic hub of global trade: around 20% of global oil, a quarter of liquefied natural gas exports and a significant share of raw materials essential to international supply chains pass through it. The insecurity of trade routes and rising energy prices have already begun to affect European households and businesses. Despite the slowdown in global trade and the impact of tariffs, in 2025 Italian exports still grew by 3.3%, confirming how essential the stability of maritime routes is to the national economy. What concerns us, however, is not only the impact on domestic industry. Alarm is also growing over the consequences for the most fragile countries in Africa and the wider Mediterranean region. Around 30% of global fertiliser exports pass through the Strait of Hormuz, and these are essential for the food security of many vulnerable economies. The case of Sudan, where one of the world’s most serious humanitarian crises continues to unfold, is emblematic. Rising energy and fertiliser prices risk reducing agricultural production, fuelling inflation and worsening instability, famine and migratory flows towards Europe. For this reason, at the beginning of May we convened a meeting together with my Croatian counterpart — the current President of the MED9 — inviting thirty countries from the Mediterranean, the Middle East and the Balkans, as well as the FAO, to launch the “Rome Coalition for Food Security and Access to Fertilisers”, a permanent forum to identify immediate and concrete solutions. Our assessment is that the Hormuz crisis reflects a broader conflict rooted in decades of tensions between the United States, Israel and Iran. In this context, we continue to maintain that diplomacy remains the only viable path, and we reiterate that Tehran must not acquire nuclear weapons or missile systems capable of further destabilising the region. We cannot forget the repression of youth protests in Iran, brutally suppressed by the regime. This repression continues today through arrests and capital executions against opponents. In recent weeks, Tehran has indiscriminately struck residential areas, hotels, hospitals and energy infrastructure in several Gulf countries. These ongoing attacks have been firmly condemned by us, and we have expressed solidarity with the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman and Saudi Arabia. On the diplomatic front, I have maintained constant contact with my friend the US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, whom I met in Rome in recent days. We agreed on the need to preserve the transatlantic bond and to work jointly for international peace and stability. I also confirmed support for ongoing negotiations in Pakistan, which we consider essential to keeping a diplomatic perspective open. I have continued dialogue with the Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, stressing the need for Tehran to negotiate in “good faith” and resume cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency, while at the same time rebuilding positive relations with Gulf countries. In recent weeks I also travelled to China, where I met Foreign Minister Wang Yi, whom I urged to play a more active role for Beijing in mediating with Tehran. At the same time, Rome maintains a direct channel with Gulf regional partners, considered indispensable interlocutors for any lasting diplomatic solution and for the future restoration of freedom of navigation in the Strait. On the operational level, Italy stands ready to make available the experience gained in European naval missions in the Red Sea, the Indian Ocean and the Mediterranean. In particular, we consider it necessary to strengthen the European mission ASPIDES, which currently sees only Italy and Greece engaged in patrols in the Red Sea to ensure maritime transport security. In the multinational mission that will be launched in the Strait of Hormuz, Italy could contribute to mine-clearing operations and to the safety of commercial navigation. We nevertheless believe that lasting peace in the Middle East cannot be achieved without stability in Lebanon. The Italian Government supports the dialogue between Israel and Beirut mediated by the United States and has offered its willingness to host direct talks between the parties. During my mission to Lebanon last April, I reiterated to President Joseph Aoun Italy’s support for a process that turns the current ceasefire into a genuine peace process. Washington and Brussels increasingly look to Rome as a key actor in strengthening the statehood of Beirut, an issue I also addressed during my recent meeting at the Farnesina with the Lebanese Foreign Minister. We also remain fully attentive to the security of our military personnel engaged in the UNIFIL mission, the bilateral MIBIL mission and the Italian-led Military Technical Committee for Lebanon. At the same time, we will continue to call for the protection of Christian communities in the country, following violence by extremist Israeli settlers against villages in southern Lebanon, including those with Christian majorities. The issue of violence by extremist Israeli settlers was also addressed in Brussels, where European ministers have just approved new, significant sanctions against them. In the same session, further sanctions were approved against Hamas terrorists, whose disarmament remains an absolute priority. Italy continues to closely monitor the situation in Gaza and the Palestinian Territories, maintaining an active role in humanitarian assistance and in future reconstruction efforts, with the aim of achieving two states able to live side by side in peace and security. In this context also falls the arrival in Italy, in recent days, of 72 Palestinian students awarded scholarships at Italian universities: an investment we consider part of the training of the future Palestinian ruling class.   Antonio Tajani is the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Italy

Recently, I accompanied a high-level Bangladeshi delegation on a visit to Beijing’s E-Town area, which is now home to more than 300 robotics companies and a complete industrial chain. In just half an hour, several members of the delegation — including advisers to Bangladesh’s new government and members of parliament — were immersed in what felt like a real-life “world of the future.” They shook hands with robots, watched them dance and make coffee, and even held a conversation with a humanoid robot named “Einstein.”  A young student leader, Md Amanullah Aman, filmed almost every moment of the visit to the robotics exhibition center. He told me he planned to take the video back to Bangladesh to show his friends and classmates. “If one day more young people in Bangladesh can also master robotics technology, it will not only create more employment opportunities for local youth, but also bring the country closer to its dream of prosperity and strength,” he said. What I sensed from the delegation was more than curiosity about new technology; it also reflected the new Bangladeshi government’s interest in deepening ties with China, especially in areas related to innovation, advanced manufacturing, and digital transformation, as well as the strong aspiration of Bangladeshi politicians and the public to accelerate the country’s transition toward high-tech development. Bangladesh’s ambition in technology is not new. Since the launch of the “Digital Bangladesh” initiative in 2008, the country has steadily expanded its ICT sector and built a foundation for digital development. Nationwide telecommunications coverage has improved significantly, and 4G penetration continues to rise. Infrastructure projects involving Chinese companies have also helped strengthen the communications network needed for emerging technologies such as cloud computing and big data. Another major advantage is Bangladesh’s young and dynamic population. Nearly one-third of the country’s citizens are between the ages of 15 and 34, according to the country’s English-language daily newspaper The Daily Star. Universities such as the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology and the University of Dhaka offer programs in data science and AI engineering, producing a growing number of skilled graduates each year. With strong English proficiency and relatively low labor costs, Bangladesh is also becoming an increasingly attractive destination for global outsourcing in AI-related services. On the policy front, Bangladesh is moving quickly toward “deep tech.” In recent years, it has placed biotechnology, electronics, artificial intelligence, and robotics within its broader national development agenda. The government has also been working on a more comprehensive AI policy framework to guide research, application, and talent development. These efforts show that Bangladesh is no longer focused only on digital access, but is increasingly looking toward advanced technology and industrial upgrading. China-Bangladesh cooperation in high technology has already moved beyond concept and into practice. In 2024, the two countries upgraded their relationship to a comprehensive strategic partnership. A joint statement highlighted China’s support for building a “Smart Bangladesh,” including cooperation in digital innovation laboratories, cloud computing, and digital trade platforms. For Bangladesh, partnering with China in high-tech development is a strategic choice: It can help upgrade the industrial structure and reduce dependence on low-end growth. With its geographic advantages, demographic dividend, and supportive policies — combined with China’s full industrial chain capabilities — Bangladesh has the potential to focus on sectors such as artificial intelligence, software services, electronics manufacturing, and data processing. During this visit, these were exactly the areas the Bangladeshi delegation was most eager to explore. In addition to the robotics exhibition in Beijing’s E-Town, the delegation also traveled to Hefei in Anhui Province, where they visited the production base of JAC Motors. There, they toured advanced new energy vehicle production lines and observed how workers and automated equipment operate in close coordination. They paused frequently to look closely and ask questions as they moved through the facility. The precision, efficiency, and scale of China’s manufacturing system left a strong impression on them. Md. Ismail Zabihullah, Hon'ble Adviser to the Prime Minister and Adviser to the Chairman of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, told me that he was especially surprised and impressed by the robotic surgery demonstration he saw in E-Town. He said Bangladesh’s large population is both a pressure and a resource. What the country needs, he noted, is labor-intensive industry, but it also hopes to bring advanced manufacturing and technological capabilities back home. In his view, China has both. From Beijing’s E-Town to Anhui’s new energy vehicle production base, I watched the Bangladeshi delegation observe robots and AI systems coming to life, as well as advanced manufacturing with genuine curiosity and excitement. In their expressions, I could sense a quiet but powerful sense of possibility. They were not only looking at China’s present — they seemed to be imagining Bangladesh’s future. #By Chen Qingqing The author is deputy director of the news desk with the Global Times.

It is easy to think of Sundarbans conservation as a distant effort involving park rangers and wildlife experts protecting trees and tigers. But what if the story is far more intimate? What if a single awareness program at a local school is actively shaping the safety, resilience, and daily lives of an entire coastal village? During a recent EarthScout School Campaign at Burirdabur SESDP Model Secondary School in Dacope, Khulna, WildTeam offered a deceptively simple explanation. The initiative traces a chain of impact that begins with a student in a classroom but extends deep into the mangrove forest. “By learning to respect the forest ecosystem today, you, the students, are preparing to become the true guardians of this World Heritage site tomorrow,” explained Md Obaidul Islam, Officer-in-Charge of the Loudobe Forest Camp and Chief Guest at the event. This is the architecture of community-led conservation. Why Awareness Matters In ecosystems like the Sundarbans, human activity dictates the health of the forest. Without intervention and education, destructive practices such as poison fishing and wildlife poaching can spiral unchecked, stripping the mangroves of the biodiversity that sustains the region. Supported by German Cooperation GIZ and the Bangladesh Forest Department, the EarthScout campaign aims to regulate these behaviors by engaging the next generation. At Burirdabur, this meant bringing together 320 participants—including 180 female students, 120 male students, and 20 teachers—to understand how every species is connected. The Forest-Community Connection In landscapes where communities actively protect their environment, the ecosystem behaves differently. The mangroves stand stronger, acting as a buffer against cyclones and tidal surges. “The Sundarbans acts as a natural shield for our coastal areas, but it needs our protection from destructive human activities,” Md Obaidul Islam pointed out. Instead of the forest slowly degrading, it flourishes, anchoring the soil and providing a secure barrier for the villages nestled along its edge.

In today’s fast-paced, hyper-connected world, stress has become an unavoidable part of daily life. While a certain amount of stress is natural and even helpful for growth and survival, excessive or unmanaged stress can seriously harm physical health, mental clarity, emotional balance, and overall well-being. Modern lifestyles filled with constant demands, competition, and digital distractions have turned stress into a silent epidemic affecting people of all ages. Stress can be understood as a state of inner imbalance, where the body, mind, emotions, and consciousness are not aligned with each other. For example, the body may be physically present in one place, while the mind is wandering elsewhere, emotions are unsettled, and awareness is disconnected. In such a condition, a person may feel tense, restless, confused, or physically uncomfortable. Simply put, stress arises when the intensity of a situation exceeds a person’s inner capacity to handle it. Therefore, stress management is not only about reducing external problems but also about increasing inner strength, flexibility, and awareness. Modern life presents numerous sources of stress. Financial instability is one of the most common triggers, especially worries related to income, loans, job security, and future savings. Health-related stress is another major factor, including chronic illnesses, persistent pain, or even fear of disease. Relationship conflicts, such as lack of communication, emotional neglect, divorce, or unresolved childhood trauma also contribute significantly to mental exhaustion and emotional distress. Overambition and workload imbalance have become widespread stressors, particularly among young professionals. Trying to manage multiple responsibilities, unrealistic goals, and constant deadlines often leads to burnout. Poor time-management, procrastination, and lack of planning intensify pressure, especially for students and working individuals. Excessive use of gadgets, continuous social media engagement, and digital overload disturb sleep patterns, reduce productivity, and increase anxiety. In addition, substance use, such as alcohol, tobacco, and drugs, is often mistakenly used as a coping mechanism to escape stress. However, science and experience clearly show that these substances worsen stress over time by disturbing the nervous system and emotional balance. Instead of providing relief, they create dependency and long-term health complications. Stress affects multiple layers of the human system. At the physical level, pain, illness, fatigue, or discomfort directly influence mood and behavior. Physical suffering often leads to irritability, lack of focus, and social withdrawal. At the mental level, stress arises when the mind lacks clarity, direction, or purpose, constantly shifting between past regrets and future worries. Emotional stress develops through uncontrolled emotions such as anger, jealousy, guilt, and resentment. These emotions disturb inner peace and weaken relationships. At the level of consciousness, lack of awareness and purpose creates confusion and vulnerability, making individuals more susceptible to stress and distraction. Stress can be classified in different ways. Based on its nature, stress is divided into positive stress(eustress), negative stress(distress), and neutral stress(neustress). Eustress is beneficial and motivating, helping individuals grow and perform better. Situations such as starting a new job, preparing for a presentation, participating in competitions create healthy stress that encourages development. Distress, on the other hand, occurs when demands exceed coping capacity. It is overwhelming, persistent, and harmful, leading to anxiety, burnout, reduced motivation, and health problems. Neustress is neutral stress that neither benefits nor harms significantly, such as hearing distant news or watching informational documentaries. Stress can also be categorized by duration. Acute stress is short-term and arises from immediate challenges like arguments, interviews, or exams. Episodic acute stress involves frequent episodes of acute stress, often seen in people with hectic lifestyles, constant worry, or poor self-organization. Chronic stress is long-term and deeply damaging, resulting from ongoing problems such as poverty, unhappy marriages, job dissatisfaction, or prolonged health and family issues. Negative and chronic stress gradually affects the body and mind. Research indicates that stress is an underlying cause of nearly 80% of illnesses, and 75–80% of hospital visits are linked to stress-related conditions. Physical symptoms include headaches, heart palpitations, sleep disturbances, unexplained fatigue, body pain, digestive issues, weight changes, excessive sweating, and trembling etc.. Mental and emotional symptoms include anxiety, fear, sadness, mood swings, anger, guilt, social withdrawal, poor concentration, and difficulty making decisions. Stress triggers the release of cortisol, a vital hormone that regulates energy, blood sugar, inflammation, blood pressure, and the sleep–wake cycle. While cortisol is essential, imbalances-either too high or too low can severely affect physical and mental health. Chronic stress keeps cortisol levels higher, weakening immunity and increasing disease risk and drag towards suicide. Alarming global data shows that suicide claims a life every 40 seconds, with nearly 800,000 deaths annually, particularly among young people aged 15 to 29. Fortunately, stress can be reduced naturally through simple daily habits. Spending quality time with friends and family, sharing joys and challenges and maintaining social connections provide emotional support. Proper time management, balanced schedules, and hobbies restore mental freshness. Aligning with nature by waking early, walking barefoot on natural ground, and receiving early morning sunlight improves energy and mood. A light, natural, plant-based diet, adequate hydration, regular body relaxation, and periodic fasting help detoxify the body and calm the mind. Yoga, pranayama, and meditation form a complete system for stress management. Yoga asanas improve physical health and flexibility, pranayama regulates breath and emotions, and meditation enhances focus and awareness. These practices help balance energy centers, calm the nervous system, and harmonize the body-mind connection. Regular practice leads to stable heart rate, improved oxygen utilization, balanced blood pressure, better immunity, and regulated stress hormones. These practices also boost the production of “happy hormones” such as endorphins, serotonin, melatonin, dopamine, oxytocin, and DMT, promoting joy, relaxation, deep sleep, bonding, and inner peace. Studies, including research from Harvard University, show that yoga and meditation can be as effective as medication for managing conditions like high blood pressure, chronic pain, and digestive disorders. Consistent practice has even been associated with increased life expectancy. In conclusion, stress is not just an emotional reaction but a multi-layered imbalance affecting the body, mind, emotions, and consciousness. By cultivating awareness, discipline, and healthy daily practices, stress can be transformed from a destructive force into a source of strength, clarity, and personal growth. Anima Bhandari is currently serving as a Trainer at Jeevan Vigyan Foundation and as the Branch Manager of Nabil Bank at its Kantipath Branch  

There was a time when sailboats swayed on its crystal-clear waters, and the songs of boatmen painted a timeless picture of rural Bengal. Today, the Labandaha river of Gazipur stands among the most endangered rivers in the country — like a wounded body, barely breathing. In the iron grip of encroachment and pollution, this river is losing its glory. Only its memory remains, alongside a suffocating shell of what it once was. The death of Labandaha is not merely the story of one river; it is a long tale of neglect, greed, and indifference. Choked by plastic waste, industrial effluents, and municipal garbage, it ranks among the most polluted rivers in the country. In fact, calling it a river at this point is generous — "canal" or "drain" would be more accurate. Experts say that the burden of unplanned development across the country is falling squarely on its rivers. Tragically, waterways are now considered the ideal dumping ground for waste from virtually every sector. And since rivers are now recognised as living entities, their deaths will ultimately be measured in terms of the human lives they endanger. Climate Change and Health Impacts – An Economic Case for Investment in Bangladesh A Research WarningA recent study covering 56 major rivers found Gazipur's Labandaha among the three most polluted. Conducted by the River and Delta Research Centre (RDRC) in 2022–23, the study measured water quality across these rivers and found that plastic and industrial pollution has spread not only to urban and semi-urban rivers, but even to those in remote areas. For Labandaha, all four water quality indicators necessary to sustain aquatic life and biodiversity are now at alarming levels. Under the Environment Conservation Policy 1997, the ideal pH level of river water should fall between 6 and 9. Labandaha's pH stands at just 5. The Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) should be 200 mg per litre, but here it is recorded at 46 mg/L. Dissolved Oxygen (DO), which should range between 4.5 and 8 mg/L, has collapsed to just 0.21 mg/L. Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD), with a standard of 50 mg/L, registers at 34.2 mg/L. These figures tell the story of a river on the brink of total collapse. A River That Was Once a SeaLocal lore has it that Labandaha was once so vast it was called the "Lablong Sagar" the Lablong Sea. The river originates at the confluence of the Kshiru river in Bhaluka Upazila of Mymensingh district, flows through Sreepur Upazila in Gazipur, and eventually merges with the Turag river near Mirzapur. But who devoured this once-mighty river? How did it shrink into a tiny drain? Today it functions as little more than an open sewer. Research shows that while plastic pollution is a common ailment, it is primarily factory effluents and municipal waste that have finished off Labandaha. A look at the industrial concentration around the river makes the cause clear. The RDRC study identified 250 factories along its banks, every one of them discharging chemical waste directly into the river alongside all the municipal waste from Sreepur town. Pollution extends across roughly 30 kilometres through the Sreepur section alone. Around the Gazipur stretch, 39 industrial units have been established, all with waste pipelines connected directly to the river. On top of this, 15 municipal sewage lines and 11 dumping stations drain into it. According to the NGO Nodi Paribrajak (River Wanderers), when both registered and unregistered factories are counted, approximately 2,000 factories surround the Labandaha river. The result: an once-mighty river has been encroached upon and filled in until it is now little more than a canal or a drain, stripped even of the conditions necessary for fish and aquatic life to survive. The Spreading DamageThe impact of Labandaha's pollution has rippled outward into surrounding farmland and, ultimately, into the Turag river at its end. Chemical contamination from factory waste has rendered thousands of bighas of agricultural land in the surrounding area incapable of producing crops. Saif Chowdhury, President of the Nodi Paribrajak group's Sreepur chapter, explains: "Labandaha is responsible for 70 to 75 percent of the pollution in the Turag river. From Maona Uttarpara to Gargoria Masterbari alone, thousands of bighas of farmland have been abandoned. These fields have become wastelands where they receive factory waste, medical waste, municipal waste, and domestic waste alike." He further adds: "There are poultry feed factories, pharmaceutical factories, metal factories, and garment dyeing units between one and a half to two thousand factories in total. As a result, heavy metals including chromium, manganese, and lead are mixing into the water and soil here. The farmland is finished. Serious diseases are even spreading among the local population." According to the Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments, Sreepur Upazila alone has 438 active industrial units, with 73 of them concentrated in Maona Union. The Gazipur District Agriculture Extension Department reports that factory waste has already damaged 380 hectares of farmland across the district. The fear is real: Gazipur, once fertile, may soon be entirely stripped of its agricultural capacity. An unplanned industrial zone is killing a river; crop production faces an existential threat; and human lives hang in the balance. Environmentalists argue that proper waste management from factories and municipalities could have prevented all of this. The Law and the Way to Save LabandahaThe country's Supreme Court has declared Bangladesh's rivers to be "living entities" juristic or legal persons granting them fundamental rights similar to those of human beings. Yet neither factory owners, nor encroachers, nor even municipal authorities seem to pay any heed to this. Environmental lawyers point out that killing a river amounts to killing a living being. A river may be a living entity in the eyes of the law but it cannot walk into a courtroom to plead its own case against pollution or its own slow death. Someone must stand on the river's behalf. But that "someone" is rarely found. And in most cases, that someone likely lacks the power to stand against such influential forces. And so the river dies, its stench forcing a threat upon the lives of the people around it. The path to saving Labandaha and all other at-risk rivers follows a similar route. River experts say that the monsoon season is the greatest natural blessing for river restoration. But to make use of the monsoon, all forms of waste from factories and every other source must first be managed properly within regulations. Then, before the rains arrive, the river must be dredged. If these steps are taken, even a near-dead river can be brought back to life by the monsoon. Public awareness must also be raised alongside these efforts. Researchers say that development planning must be built on the understanding that rivers are public assets and that protecting them is essential to human survival. There is absolutely no justification for killing rivers in the name of unplanned development or job creation. Experts believe that if we do not want the list of polluted rivers to grow any longer, planned development, enforcement of the law, coordinated projects, and collective public awareness are all urgently needed. Rivers cannot be saved by budgets and projects alone; what they need is genuine liberation. And in this struggle for liberation, let a river-loving, youthful Bangladesh rise and roar. Only then will the rivers be saved and when the rivers are saved, the country will be saved. And the lives of the people will become easier.

WildTeam has launched the Training Programme on Safety Measures and Awareness Building for Forest-Dependent People – 2026 in Joymoni under the Chandpai Range of Mongla and Kolbari under the Satkhira Range of the Sundarbans, reinforcing a vital message at the forest edge: protecting human life and conserving wildlife must go hand in hand. The initiative is being implemented under the five-year programme “Protecting Bengal Tiger and Biodiversity of the Sundarbans,” supported by Echotex and Echoknits, a Bangladesh–UK joint venture. Designed for people whose lives and livelihoods depend on the forest, the training equips participants with practical knowledge on forest safety, human–tiger conflict mitigation, wildlife and forest laws, compensation provisions, basic first aid, and the sustainable harvesting and processing of forest resources. Safety kit boxes have also been distributed among participants to improve emergency preparedness and reduce risk while entering or working near the forest.