United News of Bangladesh

Nine out of every ten children aged between 1 and 14 years in Bangladesh face physical punishment or psychological abuse, often inflicted by parents, teachers or guardians, according to a report presented at a national seminar in the capital on Monday. Citing data from UNICEF, the report also revealed that nearly 7 percent of children aged between 5 to17 are engaged in child labour, many in hazardous environments, said the speakers at a seminar titled ‘Community-Based Child Protection Mechanism for the Children of Garment Workers in Bangladesh’ held at a hotel in the capital. Terre des Hommes Netherlands (TDH-NL) and Breaking the Silence (BTS) and Village Education Resource Centre (VERC) jointly organised the seminar. Among the most vulnerable are the children of garment workers. Nurul Kabir, programme coordinator of TDH-NL, presented the report, highlighting that millions of children in the country are deprived of their right to identity. “Bangladesh has 102 child courts, over 23,000 cases involving children are still pending. Compared to last year, abuse against girl children has increased by 75 percent, and in the first seven months of 2025 alone, 306 children were victims of violence,” he said. Kabir also raised concerns about the growing risks posed by the internet. While online platforms provide children and adolescents with access to education and information, easy access to pornography and inappropriate content is having negative impacts on their mental and social development, he added. The digital space, he said, is increasingly a source of temptation, harassment and danger, potentially causing long-term harm to young minds. He further emphasised that children of garment workers face multiple vulnerabilities, as most are not covered by any formal or community-based child protection systems. These children are often subjected to abuse, exploitation, and hazardous labour, are denied education, and may even be exposed to criminal activities such as theft, drug use, and sexual abuse, he said. Government services for these children remain inadequate and local institutions, both public and private, often fail to prioritise their needs, leaving them deprived of basic rights, he observed. The seminar concluded with several key recommendations including establishing a child-friendly protection framework for children in garment communities, creating specialised child protection units within law enforcement agencies, ensuring that rape cases are adjudicated within 90 days, and developing an integrated national child protection system. Updates to laws and policies were also recommended to ensure a child-friendly justice system.

A Dhaka court on Monday ordered the freezing of investments held in seven companies in Thailand under the names of three children of the late Zainul Haque Sikder, former chairman of  National Bank. Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Judge Sabbir Foyez issued the order in response to an application from the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC)  ACC's Public Relations Officer Aktarul Islam said. ACC Assistant Director Md Ashikur Rahman submitted the application on behalf of the commission, where the amount worth 35.3 crore Baht will be equivalent to Tk133 crore. The application mentioned that the late Zainul Sikder, chairman of the Board of Directors of National Bank Limited, and members of his family and associates are anonymously accused of corruption, arbitrariness, embezzlement of public funds, illegal lending in exchange for bribes, and money laundering.  Two children of Zainul are Ron Haque Sikder and Rick Haque Sikder, while Parveen Haque Sikder is the daughter. According to court documents, their investments are spread across seven Thai companies: KOI Restaurant Company Limited, Sikder Group Limited, Sikder Holdings Limited, R&R Restaurant Group Limited, Zirara Company Limited, JR Architects International Company Limited, and Sikder & Garrett Development Company Limited. The application stated that a joint investigation team consisting of seven members has been formed to complete the investigation and ordered to submit a report on the "Allegations related to the Sikder Group." During the inquiry, it is known to reliable sources that the accused is trying to transfer their immovable and movable properties. If they can transfer within the process, the inquiry will be in hazard, it also stated. Such transfers could obstruct the investigation. In the interest of the government's authority to confiscate assets and ensure justice, it was necessary to seize the assets immediately, the ACC mentioned in the application.  

Top government officials, including former power and energy state minister Nasrul Hamid, reportedly colluded with several corporate entities in Bangladesh and India to secure controversial power deals under an indemnity law during the past Awami League regime. The national committee, commissioned to review the controversial power deals of the AL era, reportedly gathered sufficient circumstantial evidence to prosecute the corporate companies and their collaborators in an international arbitration court. The national committee comprising five members was formed in September last year, about three months before the controversial indemnity law—Quick Enhancement of Electricity and Energy Supply (Special Provision) Act 2010—was finally repealed 14 years after its promulgation. After the repeal, the incumbent government, which replaced the past AL government in August last year following a student-led uprising, cancelled all solar projects approved under the now-defunct law but retained all fossil fuel-based projects. A high official at the Bangladesh Power Development Board said that the government decided to file a case against Adani Power based on the findings of the national committee, which were not yet officially announced. “At least a dozen top government officials, including the then energy adviser, power and energy state minister, and secretaries, worked in collusion with three corporate companies, particularly,” said an investigator who has complete knowledge of the probe. “There is enough circumstantial evidence to establish collusion to secure controversial power deals,” the investor said on condition of anonymity.    The corporate companies, including SAlam and Adani, watched each other’s back and pulled strings in favor of each other to secure predatory power and energy tariffs, the investigator explained.    The investigation traced a pattern in the process of approving power and energy deals. International travels by top government officials preceded or succeeded the signing of such deals. The cost of such travels, which came with luxurious packages with stays in expensive hotels and gambling in casinos, was covered by the corporate companies, the investigator said. The international trips often resulted in the top government officials travelling to multiple countries. Transactions of large sums of money occurred in third countries during the foreign trips, the investigator said.   The investigation, however, could not give an idea about how much money was transacted during the signing of the controversial power deals.     “This network of people was actually part of an international money laundering network,” the investigator said. “We have proof that former PM Sheikh Hasina asked her close associates to smoothly facilitate the controversial deals,” said the investigator. Sheikh Hasina was the power and energy minister between 2009 and 2024, when Bangladesh’s installed power generation capacity increased about sixfold to over 28,000MW through the construction of power plants without bidding. Over 100 power plants, mostly based on fossil fuels, were constructed. The BPDB said that the AL government invested about $33 billion during its tenure in the power sector alone. Speaking on a particular finding, the investigator said that Adani Power secured a predatory power tariff for its 1,496 MW coal-based Godda power plant in a negotiation brokered by the S Alam group, which owns its own controversial coal-based 1,224MW power plant in Banshkhali, Chattogram. The construction of the Banshkhali power plant faced strong opposition from locals over its potential negative impacts on their livelihoods and the environment. At least four people were killed during protests that were suppressed by police and AL front-wing activists using excessive force. Besides the power deals signed with Adani Power and S Alam group, the national committee also reviewed other power deals, such as the ones signed for setting up 1,320MW coal-based Payra power plant, the 335 MW dual fuel-based Meghnaghat power plant, the 583 MW dual fuel-based Meghnaghat power plant, and the 584 MW gas- or LNG-based Meghnaghat power plant. In November last year, more than two months after the national committee came into being, a High Court bench had ordered the incumbent government to have all power and energy deals relating to Adani reviewed in 60 days. The order apparently stayed unheeded, said M Abdul Qaium, whose writ petition drew the HC order. The HC bench that had passed the order no longer exists. Qaium approached two separate HC benches to look into the matter, but no bench would hear him.    "This is frustrating,” said Qaium. “The incumbents are using a lot of anti-India rhetoric while allowing a controversial Indian company to operate,” he said. BPDB chairman Rezaul Karim said that the national committee had not yet submitted its report and that he knew nothing about its findings. A message was sent, and calls were made over the phone to the energy adviser Muhammad Fouzul Kabir Khan for a comment on the matter. He did not respond. Sheikh Hasina, many members of her cabinet, including Nasrul Hamid, and some former top government officials fled Bangladesh last year. Hasina's energy adviser, Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury, is currently behind bars. Controversial Adani Power Deal The power purchase agreement (PPA) signed with Adani Power allows the company to manipulate the coal price. Adani uses coal with a calorific value of 4,600 kcal/kg, but Bangladesh pays for coal with a calorific value of 6,322 kcal/kg. Quality differences could halve the coal price. The unique PPA also allows Adani to blend Indonesian and Australian coal indexes to get an average price payable by Bangladesh. Australian coal is of very high quality and more expensive compared with Indonesian coal. The PPA, which was never officially made public, also lacked the common discount provision that protects consumers against sudden fuel price inflation. The Payra power plant deal ensures up to a 40 per cent discount in the event of fuel price inflation. The discount provision applies if the coal price exceeds $115 a ton. A report by the Bangladesh Working Group on Ecology and Development estimated that Adani would have its investment returned in a maximum of six years. Even if Adani produces no electricity during its lifetime of 25 years, it would have earned $12 billion in capacity charges. Adani’s Godda investment was estimated to be $2 billion. The absence of the price discount provision, the BPDB explained in an estimate, allowed the Indian corporate giant to earn between $1.5 million and $66 million every month. The Washington Post had reported that the Adani power deal was the result of a direct favor of Sheikh Hasina to the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In 2023, a US-based short-seller in a report accused the Adani group of ‘manipulation’ and ‘fraudulence.’ The group’s owner, Indian billionaire Gautam Adani, had also faced an arrest warrant issued by a US court for fraud and conspiracy.

The National Pay Commission has begun its work with the goal of formulating recommendations for a fair, transparent, and effective pay scale. Four online questionnaires have been prepared to collect feedback from a wide range of stakeholders, said a statement issued by Md Farhad Siddique, member secretary of the Commission,  on Monday The questionnaires are tailored for different groups: One for employees, one for the general public, one for institutions, and one for associations. Pay Commission formed to recommend fair salary for govt employees  All questionnaires are accessible via the commission’s official website: paycommission2025.gov.bd Interested individuals, institutions, and associations are encouraged to submit their responses online by October 15, 2025. Associations wishing to meet with the Commission are requested to complete the relevant questionnaire and express their interest accordingly.  

All jewellery outlets across the country will remain closed on Tuesday (Sept 30) on the occasion of Durga Puja, said Bangladesh Jewellers Association (BAJUS) on Monday. In a press release, BAJUS said the shops will remain closed marking Maha Ashtami, one of the major days of the festival. BAJUS General Secretary Badal Chandra Roy said jewellery stores are kept closed every year on Maha Ashtami and the same decision has been taken this time. Gold trading will resume as usual from Wednesday.  

Industries Secretary Obaidur Rahman has said India has registered several of Bangladesh’s traditional Geographical Indication (GI) products in its own name, creating complications for Bangladesh in the international market. Speaking at a seminar titled ‘FGD on Branding and Marketing Challenges for CMSMEs: Unblocking Export Potentials’ organised by the Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) on Monday, the secretary said Bangladesh’s delay in registering GI products has allowed India to take the lead, which will cause trademark disputes in the global market. “India has registered the Tangail Saree as ‘Tangail Saree of Bengal’. We have filed a case, which is now pending with the Madras High Court,” said Obaidur. He said when India published a journal claiming ‘Tangail Saree’ as its own, Bangladesh did not register any protest. “As a result, we are now forced to take the difficult path of legal battles,” he added. Pointing to the lack of institutional support, the secretary said, “There is no association in our country for GI product branding. As a result, the responsibility has to be handed over to the concerned ministries, whereas it should have been done by dedicated associations.” Highlighting the government’s plans for small entrepreneurs, Obaidur said the SME policy-2019 is being revamped to make it more modern and inclusive. “We have proposed a 25% quota for women and small entrepreneurs in government tenders,” he said. The ministry has also urged city corporations and the Local Government Ministry to simplify the process of issuing trade licenses for e-commerce entrepreneurs, he added. “About 1.18 crore people are directly engaged in the SME sector, while nearly 3 crore are involved directly and indirectly. We have to think afresh about their future,” the secretary said. He also informed that the Industrial Policy 2022 will be updated in line with the 2025 policy framework. Expressing frustration over Bangladesh’s apparel sector, Obaidur said while ‘Made in Bangladesh’ garments are available abroad, there are no globally recognized Bangladeshi brands. “For 54 years we have been preoccupied with politics and elections, but we could not brand Bangladesh,” he lamented. He said SME entrepreneurs are struggling to survive against large corporations that dominate the market. “Big companies are marketing everything, leaving no space for small businesses.” Going forward, the secretary said, all ministries, business leaders and the National Board of Revenue (NBR) will work together to strengthen Bangladesh’s SME sector.  

Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) is set to add five more products including tea and salt from the month of November, said Commerce Adviser Commerce Adviser Sk. Bashir Uddin on Monday. “The inclusion of five new products in TCB’s ongoing sales programme will provide further relief to low-income families and contribute to curbing inflation,” he said while talking to reporters after a meeting on "Beneficiary Selection and Activation of TCB Smart Cards" at the Secretariat. Detergent and two types of soap are among the five new products. The government provided around Tk 5,000 crore in subsidies to support TCB operations, helping to stabilise market demand and supply, said the adviser. "As responsible officials, you must take proactive steps to ensure the proper selection of one crore beneficiaries. It must be ensured that no poor individual is left outside the social safety net,” he said. He also hoped that such efforts would help build a welfare-oriented state. “When issuing cards, the priority should be identifying those who are poor and vulnerable—they are entitled to government assistance," said the adviser. He also urged for visible progress in beneficiary selection and card activation across the country including in city corporations, within the next month. Commerce Secretary Mahbubur Rahman said identification is emerging as the main challenge in selecting the right beneficiaries. Currently, a total of 60,34,316 cards are active while 3,39,454 cards are pending activation. Administrators of Dhaka South City Corporation, Dhaka North City Corporation, Narayanganj City Corporation, and Gazipur City Corporation as well as additional deputy commissioners and Upazila Nirbahi Officers from Dhaka and other adjacent areas were present at the meeting.  

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Government of Bangladesh on Monday signed three agreements involving over $334 million in loans and grants to strengthen power distribution in the northwest, expand water supply services in Khulna, and improve basic infrastructure for displaced people from Myanmar and host communities. Md. Shahriar Kader Siddiky, Secretary of the Economic Relations Division (ERD), and Hoe Yun Jeong, ADB Country Director for Bangladesh, signed the agreements on behalf of Bangladesh and ADB, respectively, at a ceremony held at the ERD in Dhaka. The $91 million Northwest Distribution Network Modernization Project will enhance the quality, efficiency, and resilience of the power distribution network in Rajshahi and Rangpur divisions. It will integrate advanced smart technologies, reinforce climate-resilient infrastructure, install solar backup systems in critical facilities and shelters, and provide electricity-based livelihood opportunities for vulnerable communities, with a special focus on women and marginalised people in remote riverine islands, said a press release. The project also includes construction of new substations and switching stations, modernisation of existing ones, and installation of rooftop solar systems with battery storage. ADB keen to assist Bangladesh in capital market reforms Besides, a $2 million grant from the Japan Fund for Prosperous and Resilient Asia and Pacific (JFPR), financed by the Government of Japan, will strengthen disaster preparedness and resilience in flood-prone areas. The Khulna Water Supply Project (Phase 2), supported by a $150 million loan and a $4 million grant, aims to expand piped water services to 1.78 million people in Khulna city. The project will transition the city towards sustainable surface water use, addressing salinity during the dry season. It will also adopt smart water supply management, expand supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems, and reduce non-revenue water. The accompanying technical assistance grant will support studies on artificial recharge and groundwater management. Under the Integrated Services and Livelihood for Displaced People from Myanmar and Host Communities Improvement Project, Bangladesh will receive a $58.6 million grant from the Asian Development Fund and a $28.1 million concessional loan. The initiative will expand access to water, sanitation, hygiene, energy, and disaster resilience in Cox’s Bazar and Bhasan Char, while enhancing social cohesion between displaced people and host communities. Planned interventions include solar-powered streetlights, improved fecal sludge management, biogas production, nature-based drainage solutions, food distribution centers, cyclone shelters, mini piped water systems, and road connectivity improvements. ADB, Bangladesh sign $150m deal to boost technical training for employment creation “Through these initiatives, ADB is supporting Bangladesh’s priorities in advancing climate-resilient infrastructure, improving urban services, and fostering inclusive development,” said ADB Country Director Hoe Yun Jeong The projects will contribute to poverty reduction, disaster preparedness, and long-term sustainability, he added. Currently, Bangladesh hosts over 1 million displaced people from Myanmar, around 75% of whom are women and children, residing in 33 camps in Cox’s Bazar, with more than 36,000 relocated to Bhasan Char.

British High Commissioner to Bangladesh Sarah Cooke on Monday reaffirmed the UK's support for free, fair, credible and peaceful elections in Bangladesh in 2026. “I reaffirmed the UK's support for free, fair, credible and peaceful elections here in Bangladesh next year,” she said while talking to reporters after a meeting with Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin at the latter's office in the city's Nirbachan Bhaban. Sarah Cooke said the UK welcomes the announcement of the national election by the Chief Adviser a few months ago. Chevening prog reflects strong Dhaka-London partnership: Sarah Cooke Notting that she had a very good meeting with the chief of the Election Commission, she said, “We commend the efforts of the Election Commission and the interim government.” The envoy said the UK along with its international partners is supporting the Election Commission, particularly through national civic education programmes and particularly for vulnerable groups here in the country, and also the training of polling staff. So, the agenda of the meeting was to discuss the UK's support to the Election Commission, she added.

A vessel carrying 52, 500 metric tonnes of wheat from Russia has arrived at Kutubdia outer anchorage in the Bay of Bengal.    The vessel ‘MV PERTH I’ carrying the consignment imported under cash purchase agreement docked at Kutubdia, according to a media release sent from the Ministry of Food on Monday.    Wheat unloaded at Mongla Port for the first time Samples of the wheat on board have been examined and measures for unloading those have been taken, it said. Of the consignment, 31,500 metric tonnes will be unloaded at Chittagong Port and the remaining quantity will be dispatched to Mongla Port.