United News of Bangladesh

A multi-stakeholder community talk titled Combating Technology-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence: Current Landscape, Opportunities, Challenges, and Strategic Responses was held on Tuesday in Barishal. The event was organised by the Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication (BNNRC) as part of its ongoing project, Strengthening Resilience Against Technology-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence (TFGBV) & Promoting Digital Development. This initiative is part of the Nagorikata: Civic Engagement Fund (CEF) Programme, which is implemented with technical support from GFA Consulting Group and funded by the Embassy of Switzerland and Global Affairs Canada (GAC). The community talks brought together 42 participants from a wide range of sectors, including local administration, representative from Barishal Cyber Police unit, District Women Affairs officer, Educators, the Internet Service Provider Association, women-led NGOs and women's rights organisations, as well as representatives from SANAK, Bangladesh Mahila Parishad, The Hunger Project, MJF, the Web Foundation, youth organisations, and Aparajeyo Bangladesh. The event also engaged youth leaders, media professionals, YouTubers, content creators and academia. The primary objective of the talks was to foster community-driven solutions, encourage strategic networking, and build collaborative partnerships to create safer digital spaces and a resilient digital development ecosystem. AHM Shamsul Islam, Mission Head of Speed Trust, welcomed the participants, outlined the event's objectives and expected outcomes, and moderated the whole session. A key session titled Understanding Technology-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence was facilitated by AHM Bazlur Rahman, Chief Executive Officer of BNNRC. This session explored the definitions, forms, impacts, and existing legal and policy frameworks for addressing TFGBV. During her short visit to the programme, Katharina König, Deputy Team Leader of the Civic Engagement Fund (CEF), graciously provided an overview of the Nagorikata initiative. She thoughtfully articulated the CEF's objectives, key outcomes, stakeholders, governance structure, and targeted beneficiaries. She emphasised the three foundational principles guiding the CEF: the significance of collaborative partnerships and co-creation as essential practices, a commitment to leaving no one behind (LNOB) whenever feasible, and the importance of being versatile and responsive to change.

The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has taken steps to demolish illegal shops and cancel their licenses at the dunes of Cox’s Bazar sea beach. The ministry on Tuesday sent a letter to the Ministry of Land, asking it to take action against these structures. According to the ministry, the licenses for these shops were issued unlawfully. The illegal structures are posing a serious threat to biodiversity and the natural environment of the beach. According to the Bangladesh Environment Conservation Act, 1995, and the Ecologically Critical Area (ECA) Management Rules, 2016, no one is allowed to set up permanent or temporary structures that harm the environment in an ECA area. The ministry also warned that no such activities should be carried out in the future without approval from the Department of Environment. Cox’s Bazar-Teknaf sea beach was declared an Ecologically Critical Area (ECA) on April 19, 1999. The High Court and the Supreme Court have also issued several orders in the past, restricting the construction of establishments along the beach. Dipankar Bar, Public Relations Officer at the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, confirmed the development in a press release.

Bangladesh received US$2.09 billion in inward remittances in 22 days of September. During the same period the previous year, expatriates sent $1.7 billion in remittances. It shows remittance flow grew by 18.4 percent so far in September. The expatriates have sent $7.0 billion remittance in July to September 22 in the current fiscal year 2025-26. In the previous fiscal year, expatriates sent $5.9 billion in remittance in the same period. Accordingly, over $1.0 billion additional remittances came in the country in the current fiscal year so far. Bangladesh losing grip on Middle East remittance lifeline! The expatriates sent a record US$2.48 billion remittance in July and $2.42 billion in August. Bangladesh’s remittance earnings reached a new high, receiving $30.33 billion in the fiscal year 2024-25. This represents a 27 percent increase from the $23.74 billion received in the FY2023-24.

The Association of Bankers, Bangladesh (ABB), an organisation of bank executives, has called for greater flexibility in setting service fees and an increase in loan limits for housing and car purchases. ABB representatives placed their demands at a meeting on Monday chaired by Bangladesh Bank Governor Dr Ahsan H Mansur. Senior central bank officials were also present. The association proposed raising the maximum home loan limit to Tk 5 crore and increasing the loan-to-value ratio for buying cars and flats to 90 percent. According to central bank sources, the ABB had submitted these proposals in writing over several months, prompting Bangladesh Bank to arrange the meeting. While the central bank agreed in principle to some proposals, it rejected others to protect customer interests. Some decisions from the meeting are expected to be announced soon through a circular. The proposals included calls to digitise all transactions to eliminate delays in deposits, simplify the process for banks to raise capital through Tier-2 bonds, and introduce more flexible classification and provisioning policies for loans to the Cottage, Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprise (CMSME) sector. ABB also urged that banks be allowed to write off loans that have been non-performing for one year and requested additional time to adjust the excess portion of revolving loans, with the possibility of renewal until December. Farmers forced to take high-interest loans under syndicate pressure: CAB chief The association further sought the removal of fixed service charges, allowing banks to determine their own fees, and full permanent address verification using national identity cards during account opening. Besides, it proposed raising the home loan limit to Tk 5 crore, increasing the loan-to-value ratio to 90 percent, removing the loan limit for purchasing hybrid cars with up to 90 percent financing, and setting maximum limits of Tk 40 lakh for personal loans and Tk 50 lakh for credit cards. ABB Chairman and City Bank MD Masrur Arefin, along with managing directors of several banks, including Abul Kashem Md Shirin of Dutch-Bangla Bank, Mohammad Ali of Pubali Bank, Hasan O Rashid of Prime Bank, Ali Reza Iftekhar of Eastern Bank, Syed Mahbubur Rahman of MTB, Sohel RK Hossain of Bank Asia, and Naser Ezaz Bijoy, CEO of Standard Chartered Bangladesh, among others, attended the meeting.

Families of those killed and injured in the July 21 plane crash at Milestone School and College in Uttara on Tuesday demanded justice, compensation and long-term rehabilitation. Grieving parents, relatives, and guardians at a press conference at the Jatiya Press Club described the immense suffering they continue to endure and urged the government to take full responsibility for the tragedy. The accident has claimed 37 lives so far — including 28 students, three teachers, three guardians, one school staff member, and the pilot. At least nine more remain critically injured while many survivors face lifelong disabilities, they said. Ashraful Islam, father of deceased Nazia and Nafi, placed an eight-point demand for the rehabilitation of the injured victims. “This accident has devastated our families. We carried our children’s bodies on our shoulders, buried them, and are still running to hospitals for surgeries, dressings, and physiotherapy,” one grieving father said. “Our lives have stopped. Yet, apart from the school authorities, no one checks on us anymore,” he said. Their demands are- proper investigation and trial of those responsible for the July 21 crash, compensation of Tk 5 crore for each deceased and Tk 2 crore for each injured as mentioned in High Court writ 11842/2025, lifetime free medical treatment for the injured through government-issued health cards, rehabilitation and government jobs for those permanently disabled, National Mourning Day in schools every July 21 to honor the victims, permanent preservation of graves of the deceased in city corporation graveyards, Shahidi (martyr) status for all victims with certificates, gazette notification, and associated benefits , construction of a mosque in Uttara in memory of the deceased. Suman, father of injured Rayan Toufiq; Rezaul Karim Shamim, father of deceased Samiul and Sanjida Belayet, mother of injured Zayana Mahbub among others spoke at the press conference

The National Board of Revenue (NBR) has said it is working to simplify policies and expand bonded facilities for promising sectors like toy manufacturing, as the Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) seeks a clear policy framework to boost exports in the post-LDC era. Speaking at a focus group discussion (FGD) on ‘Diversifying the Export Basket: Innovation, Export Potential and Market Expansion of the Toy Manufacturing Industry’ at the DCCI auditoriums on Tuesday, NBR Member (Customs: Policy & ICT) Muhammad Mubinul Kabir said the revenue authority imposes tariffs in line with the 2023 Tariff Policy and aligns its strategies with donor recommendations to strengthen efficiency and overall capacity. He said the government may consider providing policy support for toy manufacturing in the upcoming budget although there is little scope for mid-year policy changes. “The RMG sector has enjoyed policy support for the last 40 years, but now it is time to rethink its capacity. Toy entrepreneurs should also focus on enhancing their own skills, innovation, and product development rather than relying solely on government incentives,” he added. British High Commission’s Deputy Development Director Martin Dawson said Bangladeshi toys have strong export potential and the UK government is keen to cooperate. He expressed the hope that if policy barriers are removed, exports to the UK could multiply, particularly as the UK has recently simplified Rules of Origin requirements. Presenting the keynote paper, Shamim Ahmed, President of Bangladesh Plastic Goods Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BPGMEA), said the domestic toy market is worth nearly Tk 400 billion, with around 250 of the country’s 5,000 plastic enterprises engaged in toy manufacturing, employing about 1.5 million people. Exports from this sector reached USD 276 million in FY 2023-24, up from just USD 15.23 million in FY 2016–17. Adviser Salehuddin defends central bank’s $2 bln dollar market mop-up  Despite this growth, toy exports stood at only USD 77 million in FY 2022–23 against a global market of over USD 100 billion. Shamim highlighted lack of product quality assurance, poor infrastructure, and lagging innovation as major challenges. He stressed cluster development, joint venture investment, infrastructural expansion, toy-specific policy formulation, and reduction of supplementary duties on machinery. Industry representatives including Md Juhirul Islam Shimul (Redmin Industries Ltd), Musa Bin Tareque (Hashy Tiger Company Ltd), Dr Abdullah Al Mamun (Department of Environment), Md Anisur Rahman (Premiaflex Plastics Ltd), Yasir Obaid (Cupcake Exports Ltd), and Belal Ahmed (Golden Son Ltd) also shared recommendations ranging from tariff cuts and bank interest reduction to strengthening supply chains, ensuring IPR and involving academia in research. Officials from the Ministry of Commerce, Ministry of Industries, and Bangladesh Trade and Tariff Commission (BTTC) echoed the need for better intellectual property protection and patent practices to sustain in the post-LDC era. DCCI Senior Vice President Razeev H Chowdhury, Vice President Md. Salem Sulaiman, members of the Board of Directors and industry representatives were present at the event.

Seven people were injured in an explosion at a filling station in Mohakhali area of the capital on Tuesday afternoon. The injured were Swapon Molla ,24, Kabir,18, Rubel, 28, Khairul,28, Masudur Rahman,44, Alamgir Hossain, 40 and Sajib 31. Dr. Shawon Bin Rahman, resident surgeon of the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery, said the seven victims were brought to the emergency department with burn injuries. Niyaz Mahmud, who brought the injured to the hospital, said the explosion occurred around 1 pm while cleaning the reserve tank at the Gulshan filling station at Amtoli. Seven people including the filling station staff were burned, he said.

The Advisers Council Committee on Economic Affairs on Tuesday approved major project revision involving over Tk 290crore for upgrading Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka and Shah Amanat International Airport in Chattogram. The approval came at a meeting of the committee held at Secretariat with Finance Adviser Dr Salehuddin Ahmed in the chair. For Shah Amanat International Airport, the committee approved a revision to the project titled “Strengthening of Existing Runway and Taxiway (1st Revised).” The original contract valued at Tk 472 crore will now increase by Tk 132 crore, raising the total to Tk 605 crore—a 16.39 percent rise. The project is being implemented by MIR AKHTER-CAMCE JV, based at Red Crescent Borak Tower in Dhaka. At Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, the project “Installation of CNS-ATM (Communications, Navigation and Surveillance-Air Traffic Management) System including Radar (1st Revised)” also received the committee’s approval. The original contract of Tk 658 crore will rise by Tk 158 crore, bringing the revised total to Tk 817 crore—a 24.13 percent increase. French aviation technology company THALES LAS FRANCE SAS has been appointed as the contractor. Officials said the upgrades at Shah Amanat Airport  significantly increase the load-bearing capacity of the runway and taxiway, paving the way for smoother operations of wide-body aircraft. Meanwhile, the CNS-ATM and radar installation at Shahjalal Airport will modernise Bangladesh’s air traffic surveillance and navigation systems, aligning them with international aviation safety and efficiency standards. The committee said both proposals are crucial for strengthening Bangladesh’s aviation infrastructure which has been under pressure from increasing passenger volumes and cargo traffic. The recommendations will now go to the Advisers Council Committee on Government Purchase for final approval before implementation. The Economic Affairs Committee also gave policy approval to several procurement and contract extension proposals including fertiliser and fuel imports as well as contractual extensions for consultants under the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB). The committee recommended policy approval for the import of Triple Super Phosphate (TSP) fertiliser from Agrofertrans Limited, UK, which has authorisation from Egypt-based NCIC, under a government-to-government arrangement. The proposal was placed by the Ministry of Agriculture. It also endorsed a proposal of the Energy and Mineral Resources Division to import 50,000 metric tons of gasoline 95 unleaded (octane) for the July–December 2025 period. The purchase, to be made from Indonesia’s PT Bumi Siak Pusako Japin (BSP) will cost an estimated Tk 413.44 crore based on the quoted premium and reference price. In another decision, the committee recommended extending the contracts of CAAB’s contractual consultants, including special inspectors, security inspectors, and financial consultants. The proposal came from the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism.

Bangladesh’s toy market is projected to double within the next five years, said President of the Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) Taskeen Ahmed on Tuesday. Speaking at a seminar, titled ‘Export Diversification: Prospects of Innovation and Export in Toy Manufacturing Industry’, at the DCCI office in Motijheel, Taskeen Ahmed said the domestic toy market, currently valued at Tk 4,500 crore, is expected to reach Tk 9,000 crore by 2030. Highlighting export opportunities, Taskeen said Bangladesh could play a significant role in global toy supply as the market is shifting due to US tariff policies and rising labor costs in China. “Once China alone produced 80 percent of the world’s toys, but now, due to high labor costs, that dominance is receding. This is a golden opportunity for Bangladesh,” he pointed. Bangladesh currently exports toys to over 80 countries, earning $77 million in foreign exchange last year from toy exports alone. BB Governor proposes tradable market for savings certificates Taskeen said further expansion of this sector could significantly reshape the country’s export basket. At present, there are 147 toy manufacturers in Bangladesh employing around 20,000 people, 80 percent of whom are women. “If this industry grows further, it will not only contribute economically but also create a strong pathway for women’s empowerment,” the DCCI president added. Speakers at the seminar also stressed strengthening supply chains, simplifying licensing procedures and expanding Bangladesh’s footprint in the international toy licensing market. Patent, Design and Trademarks Department Director General Md Jahangir Hossain, NBR Member Muhammad Mubinul Kabir and British Deputy Development Director in Bangladesh Martin Dawson also attended the event.

The Advisors Council Committee on Government Purchase has approved a proposal for importing 35,000 metric tons (±10%) of Muriate of Potash (MOP) fertiliser from Russia under a state-level agreement. The committee gave the nod to the Ministry of Agriculture’s proposal at its meeting on Tuesday. Govt recommends urea fertiliser import from UAE company The deal will be executed between JSC “Foreign Economic Corporation (Prodintorg)” of Russia and Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation (BADC) under the Ministry of Agriculture. As per the proposal, each metric ton of MOP fertiliser will cost US$361. The total value of the consignment has been estimated at Tk 154.90 crore.