United News of Bangladesh

Education Minister Dr ANM Ehsanul Hoque Milon on Wednesday said the country must move towards ensuring quality technical education to meet future workforce demands. “We have higher technical education. We just need to improve the quality of that education,” he said while speaking at the “IUT Excellence Award 2026” ceremony held at the Islamic University of Technology (IUT) in Gazipur, an institution run under the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). The minister said the government is committed to improving the quality of higher education, adding that IUT is playing an important role in producing skilled graduates. The programme was organised to recognise IUB’s outstanding contributions to education, research, and institutional development. Awards and honours were presented to teachers, students, and officials for academic excellence, research achievements, and contributions to the university’s development. IUT Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Mohammad Rafiqul Islam presided over the event.  

Prime Minister’s Education Adviser Mahdi Amin on Tuesday said Bangladesh must develop a more skilled, capable and responsible young generation to build the prosperous and democratic nation people aspire to, stressing the need for a modern and inclusive education system. “To build the Bangladesh people aspire to, we must make our young generation more skilled, capable and responsible citizens,” he said at a national workshop titled “Transforming Higher Education in Bangladesh: Roadmap to Sustainable Excellence” at the Nabab Nawab Ali Chowdhury Senate Bhaban of University of Dhaka. He described education as the backbone of the nation and said Bangladesh’s large youth population represents a major demographic opportunity. Addressing academics, policymakers and dignitaries, Mahdi Amin said, “If we want to move the country forward, we must utilise your wisdom, intellect, creativity and guidance to strengthen democratic Bangladesh and ensure people’s empowerment,” he said. Referring to the historical role of Dhaka University, he said the institution had played a vital role in every major political transformation in Bangladesh including the July uprising. Mahdi Amin said the government formed through a ‘free, fair and acceptable election’ three months ago, is working relentlessly to fulfil its electoral pledges under the leadership of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman. He emphasised the need to modernise the education system and integrate civic values, technological skills and professional competence into schools, colleges and universities. The adviser also highlighted the role of researchers, teachers and education experts in implementing the government’s development plans through research, policy advice and methodological innovation. Outlining the government’s future vision, Mahdi Amin spoke of a technology-driven welfare system aimed at improving the lives of ordinary citizens. He said farmers would receive subsidies and agricultural support directly through digital farmer cards while modern technology and weather forecasting tools would help improve agricultural productivity. He also said the government plans to introduce E-health cards to ensure access to treatment through public-private partnerships, allowing patients in remote areas to receive healthcare services free of cost under government schemes. Mahdi said the government aims to improve the status and skills of teachers through initiatives such as the “One Teacher, One Tab” programme which would provide digital devices and international-standard training to educators. He said the government wants to ensure that the country’s future generations are equipped to compete globally through a modernised and digitised curriculum. Prime Minister Tarique Rahman opened the workshp around 11am and deliverd a speech. Arranged by the University Grants Commission of Bangladesh, the inaugural session was presided over by its Chairman Prof Dr Mamun Ahmed. Prof Dr Mamun Ahmed presented a crest to Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on behalf of the UGC.      

Dhaka University Medical Centre is facing a shortage of physiotherapy services amid a growing number of patients, law professor and former adviser to the interim government Dr Asif Nazrul has said. In a post on his verified Facebook account on Sunday, he said he had been receiving physiotherapy at the medical centre due to muscle pain above his knees caused by prolonged sitting or sleeping. He noted that his condition had improved after three consecutive days of treatment, but the pain returned as the medical centre remained closed on Friday and Saturday. “I rushed to the medical centre after class today and found no one available to provide physiotherapy. Many others were also waiting,” he wrote. “It was learned that a new official has been appointed to a very high position at DU. They went to give him flowers greetings.” “The veranda of the Medical Centre is filled with patients and their relatives. There is no fragrance of flowers, only the smell of sweat and suffering,” he added.

Officials and employees working under the ‘Urban Primary Health Care Services Delivery Project (2nd Phase)’ on Thursday demanded retention of jobs for 4,382 skilled workers and uninterrupted operation of 192 health centres during the ongoing transfer process from the Local Government Division of the Ministry of Health. The demand was raised at a press conference held at the Sagar-Runi Auditorium of the Dhaka Reporters Unity (DRU) in the capital. Speakers at the event said the project, implemented under the Local Government Division with financial support from the government and development partners including the Asian Development Bank (ADB), provided primary healthcare services in selected urban areas until June 30, 2025. Under the project, a total of 192 facilities — including 45 urban maternity centres and 147 urban health centres — were established across 11 city corporations and 18 municipalities. Since July 1, 2025, the centres have been directly operated by city corporations and municipalities. At present, healthcare services are being managed through 18 non-governmental organisations (NGOs), three municipalities and one city corporation’s own health department. According to the organisers, the project has been delivering 16 types of essential healthcare services in 45 partnership areas, primarily targeting low-income urban populations. The services include antenatal, delivery and postnatal care, newborn and child healthcare, EPI services, family planning, control of communicable and non-communicable diseases, and support services for women facing violence. Under existing policy guidelines, at least 30 percent of services at these centres are provided either free of cost or at subsidised rates for poor patients. The speakers said the project has provided healthcare services to around 17 million people since March 1, 2018, including 3.46 million antenatal care services and ensuring the safe delivery of nearly 190,000 children. They expressed concern that the ongoing transfer of the programme to the Health Ministry has created uncertainty over the future of the 4,382 experienced workforce engaged in the project. The employees urged the authorities concerned to retain all existing staff and ensure uninterrupted primary healthcare services for urban residents during the transition period. They also sought the Prime Minister’s intervention in this regard.

Education Minister ANM Ehsanul Hoque Milon has said that the government wants children to remain engaged in both sports and studies throughout the year. “This will help develop their talent and intelligence,” he said, while inaugurating Notun Kuri Sports-2026, organised by the district administration at Chandpur Stadium on Saturday afternoon. He also expressed hope that the future generation will help place Bangladesh on the global map as a new nation. He added that Chandpur's children will do well in sports in the coming days. The minister said Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman launched the Notun Kuri programme across the country, through which many talented individuals emerged. He added that BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman is now continuing efforts to find talented people across the country through ‘Notun Kuri Sports’. He said Bangladesh has not yet received its fair share in global sports. The programme has been introduced to help children prepare for the future and participate in international-level sports. He also said the younger generation had become socially affected in the past and many had fallen into drug addiction. He alleged that the previous government did not take effective steps in this regard. He said the government now wants “education through joy” and has started initiatives like Notun Kuri to improve children’s lives through sports. The minister mentioned that the Ministry of Education has already introduced sports activities at primary, secondary, college and university levels, and this trend will continue. Chandpur-3 MP Sheikh Farid Ahmed Manik, Chandpur-4 MP MA Hannan and Chandpur-5 MP Engineer Mominul Haque spoke as special guests at the programme.   END/UNB/Corr/SIS/ssk

The election of the executive committee of the Khulna University Journalists’ Association (KUJA) for 2026 was held on Thursday. Md. Ibrahim Khalil, Khulna University correspondent of The Daily Amar Desh, was elected president, while Nahid Hasan of The Daily Jugantor was elected general secretary. Chief Election Commissioner Professor Dr Md Ashik Ur Rahman announced the results in the afternoon at the association’s office after the completion of voting. Other office-bearers are: Vice-President Sanzida Akter, Joint General Secretary Fahad Khandakar, Organising Secretary Md Abid Hasan, Treasurer Zahida Sultana Rima, Office Secretary Mahmud Sheikh, and Publication and Publicity Secretary Md Maruf Ahmed. The executive members are Yusuf Sadiq, Mehedi Hasan, and Sohan Sakib. Former and current members of the association were present during the announcement of the results. Assistant Professor Majidul Islam of the Mass Communication and Journalism Discipline and Associate Professor Dr Md Tarek Bin Salam of the Soil, Water and Environment Discipline served as assistant election commissioners.

The National Board of Revenue (NBR) has granted a complete waiver of all customs duties and taxes on the import of electric buses for transporting students of schools, colleges and universities. The exemption was announced through an SRO issued on April 27, 2026, covering customs duty (CD), regulatory duty (RD), value added tax (VAT), supplementary duty (SD), advance tax (AT) and advance income tax (AIT). According to the notification, both educational institutions importing electric buses directly and third parties importing on their behalf for student transport will be eligible for the tax benefits. To qualify, the buses must be used exclusively for transporting students and painted yellow. The vehicles must also clearly display markings such as “School”, “College”, “Student Bus” or “Transport” in a visible manner. Importers seeking to avail the facility will need to apply to the NBR, which is required to dispose of applications within 10 working days without any duty or tax payments. Officials said the move is aimed at encouraging the adoption of environmentally friendly transport for students at an affordable cost. It is expected to help educational institutions provide modern and comfortable transport, enable large numbers of students to commute regularly, ease traffic congestion and reduce fuel consumption. The initiative is also likely to significantly cut transportation costs for parents. Meanwhile, the government is actively considering reducing duties and taxes on the import of electric buses for general passengers. Officials believe such a move would encourage people to shift from private cars to modern electric buses, leading to further fuel savings and lower travel costs for the public.

The government will start providing free uniforms, shoes and bags to primary and secondary levels students from July, Education Minister ANM Ehsanul Hoque Milon said on Wednesday. The announcement was made at an inter-ministerial meeting held at the Education Ministry’s Secondary and Higher Education Division at Secretariat in the morning. According to the presentation at the meeting, the programme will initially begin in government primary schools across 25 upazilas or thanas in eight divisions, covering around 3,522 schools and nearly one lakh students. The initiative is aimed at ensuring equal access to essential educational materials for students, with both public and private sectors contributing, the minister told reporters after the meeting. “The government has taken the initiative to provide school dresses, shoes and bags free of cost. Alongside the public sector, the private sector has also extended support. BGMEA has promised uniforms for one lakh students,” he said. He added that the programme will start as a pilot in July and later be expanded gradually. “We will begin with government primary schools and then include Ebtedayee madrashas. After completing the primary level, we will extend it to secondary schools,” the minister said. Each student will receive one set of uniform, shoes and a bag under the pilot programme, he added, noting that expansion will depend on future capacity. Regarding the uniform design, he said all government primary school students will have a standard dress, with separate designs for boys and girls. Ebtedayee students will have a slightly different uniform, and the colours will be announced soon, he added. The Education Minister said the programme will be implemented by the Education Ministry with support from the Ministry of Culture, Ministry of Textiles and Jute, and Local Government Ministry. Senior government officials, including advisers and state ministers from multiple ministries, along with representatives from BGMEA and other business bodies, attended the meeting.

A policeman was assaulted at a filling station in Chapainawabganj on Sunday afternoon, prompting police to detain three people, including the station manager. The incident took place at a filling station in Rohanpur municipality area under Gomastapur upazila. According to local sources, Shakhawat Hossain, a police officer posted at Nachole Police Station, went to the station to refuel his vehicle when an argument broke out with the staff. The situation escalated, and the pump owner’s son along with several associates allegedly beat him, leaving him injured. Locals rescued the injured officer and took him to the upazila health complex, where he received primary treatment. Following the incident, police conducted a drive and detained three individuals, including the filling station manager, and took them to the police station. Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Gomastapur Police Station, Nure Alam, said the detainees are being questioned and legal action will be taken against those involved.  

Prime Minister's Adviser on Education and Primary and Mass Education Mahdi Amin has said the government maintains a “zero-tolerance” policy on question paper distribution, warning that strict legal action will be taken against anyone involved in spreading rumours or fraud in the name of leaking SSC examination questions. In a Facebook post on Sunday, he said social media platforms are being monitored round the clock to prevent misinformation, while cyber surveillance and digital tracking have been strengthened to identify and stop malicious activities through digital platforms. Govt dismisses SSC question leak claim as rumour, urges people to stay alert Mahdi Amin, also the Prime Minister’s Office spokesperson, advised students not to fall into such dishonest traps in the hope of securing better results, saying the government’s efforts to build a culture of “joyful learning” are completely incompatible with such fraudulent practices. He said four members of a fraud syndicate have been arrested by the Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime (CTTC) unit for cheating SSC examinees by taking money in the name of providing question papers. Citing police, the adviser said the arrested individuals had attempted to disrupt a transparent, fair and well-managed examination system for illegal financial gain. They also spread rumours of question paper leaks, creating panic, frustration, anxiety and moral confusion among students and guardians. He cited a private television channel’s report on the alleged leak, saying the analysis clearly shows that it was not an actual question leak, but rather a well-planned fraud operation. Mahdi Amin also said due to lack of real evidence, the TV channel later withdrew its report on its own. Despite various global challenges, the government’s visible progress and positive initiatives within just two months have been widely appreciated, and in this context, a group has been trying to spread misinformation and confusion, which is unfortunate, he said. According to one examinee quoted in the report, the fraudsters repeatedly delayed sending the so-called question paper at night, giving excuses such as “technical problems” and “it will be sent shortly.” Yet the next day, they claimed the questions had already been provided, the adviser said, adding that this clearly indicates that they had no real access to the question paper. He said the syndicate first attracted students with tempting advertisements, collected money, delayed delivery and eventually disappeared by shutting down their groups. Another tactic involved collecting the actual question paper after the exam had started and replacing the previously uploaded fake images with the real ones, so they could later claim that their leaked questions had matched the original, Mahdi Amin said. “This deceptive method was designed to trap more students and create the false impression that the syndicate had genuine access to leaked papers.” Meanwhile, misleading campaigns have already spread across social media. Several fact-checking platforms have also confirmed that this was not a question paper leak, but a planned fraud scheme. Despite various technological challenges, the authorities are making every effort to ensure maximum security of question papers so that no leak occurs under any circumstances, the adviser said, seeking cooperation and responsible behaviour from all stakeholders to make these efforts successful. He said the government remains committed to reforming the education sector and wants everyone to contribute from their respective positions to building the nation. During the 16 years of fascist rule, Bangladesh’s education system was severely damaged, Mahdi Amin said. “Teachers’ dignity and status were undermined, distorted history and controversial content were included in textbooks, and political loyalty was prioritised over merit. This weakened critical thinking and rationality among future generations.” On the other hand, ensuring quality education is a key priority of the present government elected by the people, he said. Under the directive of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, multiple initiatives have been taken to build skilled human resources and implement a competency-based education system, the adviser said, hoping that a merit-based and discrimination-free Bangladesh will be established through a quality education system.