United News of Bangladesh

Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Yao Wen on Tuesday said China is willing to strengthen exchanges and cooperation with all sectors of Bangladesh, including the military, to help Bangladesh achieve better development. Delivering a lecture at the National Defence College of Bangladesh, he said China is committed to working with the international community, including Bangladesh, to champion an equal and orderly multi-polar world and a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalisation. “Hegemony, expansion or spheres of influence find no place in Chinese dictionary,” he said, adding that China advocates the establishment of a security concept that emphasises a common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable approach. Ambassador Yao laid emphasis on advancing the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative and the Global Civilization Initiative (GCI) and striving toward building a community with a shared future for mankind. He said China has consistently adhered to a friendly policy of good-neighborliness toward all Bangladeshi people and firmly advanced the development of China-Bangladesh relations. Redesign investment systems to ease pressure on resources: Rizwana Acting Commandant of NDC Rear Admiral AKM Jakir Hossain, together with more than 100 officers of Bangladeshi Armed Forces and representatives of foreign militaries, were present at the lecture. Yarlung Zangbo project only for power generation, Beijing informs Dhaka Ambassador Yao said that 2025 is a significant milestone, marking the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War. At the end of the lecture, Ambassador Yao had friendly interactions with the audience on the Belt and Road Initiative, Indo-Pacific Strategy, BRICS and the Rohingya issue.  

Secretary-General of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) Indra Mani Pandey on Tuesday emphasised that the organisation remains development-focused while also addressing security challenges that hinder the developmental aspirations of its member states. “The point about whether we are focusing more on security, I would like to reiterate that our focus is to deal with the sustainable development goals of the member states, and also in that context, the security challenges which impact developmental aspirations of our members, we could deal with them also,” he said. The BIMSTEC Secretary General made the remarks while responding to a question during an interactive session with the members of Diplomatic Correspondents Association, Bangladesh (DCAB) at the BIMSTEC headquarters. He said with Bangladesh as Chair and location of secretariat in Dhaka, there are opportunities for close coordination between the Chair and the Secretariat. “BIMSTEC member States are keen to utilise BIMSTEC as their preferred regional platform for addressing their shared security and developmental challenges. BIMSTEC is shifting its focus to implementation, from plans of action to action,” said the Secretary General. Noting that security is one of the sectors in their agenda, Pandey said he would not tend to agree that there is shift in progress and what he would say that their focus continues to remain on development and covering almost all the Sustainable Development Goals. India offers medical support for Uttara crash victims “If you look at our agenda, the effort of the member states has focused more on development, and almost all the dimensions of development have been covered in our agenda,” he said. In BIMSTEC, regional cooperation progresses with consensus of all the member states. “And if all the member states find that they would like to deal with a specific issue, they would decide to deal with,” the Secretary General said, noting the aspects of the security they are dealing with - human trafficking, drug trafficking, cyber security challenges and maritime security challenges. “If you look at all these challenges that we face, if you don't deal with them, and because they have a transnational dimension, then they will have an impact on development. So that is why member states have also identified a few aspects of the security for cooperation among themselves,” he added. Through the existing mechanisms, Pandey said, they will identify what are the challenges and where they need to deal with at regional level, and what are the challenges that they would continue to deal with at the national level. Asked whether he sees any challenge due to recent tensions between Bangladesh and India, the Secretary General underlined the commitment by all the governments, including India and Bangladesh, to work together through BIMSTEC. “The Member States, when it comes to their bilateral relationship, are competent to deal with challenges in those relationships, and I'm sure the countries find ways to deal with those challenges,” Pandey said. He said their success depends on how often and how frequent their different mechanisms meet, how regular they are in their meetings. “We have different working groups, expert groups, subgroups under these groups. So, I think the Secretariat's effort is focused on working closely with our member states to make sure that we continue to have all these meetings taking place on a regular basis, and then we are able to make progress through these meetings,” said the Secretary General. Yarlung Zangbo project only for power generation, Beijing informs Dhaka Pandey said there is a commitment by all the member states. The challenge for the Secretariat, as well as Member States, is to translate those decisions into concrete action, and that is why they want to focus more and more on implementation of the decisions, he said. “Because, we have a very vast agenda…we do have a number of concrete initiatives for cooperation in different sectors,” he said.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has expressed deep condolences for the casualties in Monday’s fighter aircraft crash in Uttara and conveyed heartfelt sympathies to their bereaved families and injured. In a message to Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain, he wished the injured a swift recovery, said the Chinese Embassy in Dhaka on Tuesday. Yarlung Zangbo project only for power generation, Beijing informs Dhaka “I was shocked to learn that a military aircraft of Bangladesh crashed in Dhaka, which has inflicted heavy casualties,” said the Chinese Foreign Minister. The death toll from the Bangladesh Air Force (BAF) aircraft crash rose to 31 on Tuesday, according to the Inter Services Public Relations Directorate (ISPR).

Indian High Commission in Dhaka has formally written to the government of Bangladesh asking for sharing information on any critical medical support that may be needed to be arranged in India for those injured in the tragic incident. The Indian High Commission on Tuesday said it will extend all necessary facilitation. The communication came as a follow-up to the message from Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, expressing condolence on the tragic Milestone School plane crash and offering all possible support and assistance. Milestone College students stage protest during visit of advisers Asif Nazrul, CR Abrar “India stands in solidarity with Bangladesh and is ready to extend all possible support and assistance," Indian Prime Minister Modi said in a message on Monday. "Deeply shocked and saddened at the loss of lives, many of them young students, in a tragic air crash in Dhaka. Our hearts go out to the bereaved families,” he said. Modi said they pray for the swift recovery of those injured.

Bangladesh’s international friends on Monday mourned and expressed solidarity with Bangladesh as a Bangladesh Air Force F‑7 BGI training aircraft crashed into the Milestone School and College campus in the Uttara, killing 20 people, including the pilot and injuring over 171, many critically. India, China, the United States, the United Kingdom, Japan, the European Union, Pakistan, Kosovo have issued separate messages ex-pressing solidarity with Bangladesh. “Deeply shocked and saddened at the loss of lives, many of them young students, in a tragic air crash in Dhaka. Our hearts go out to the bereaved families,” said Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a message. He said they pray for the swift recovery of those injured. “India stands in solidarity with Bangladesh and is ready to extend all possible support and assistance.” The Chinese Embassy in Dhaka, in a message, said, they deeply saddened by the loss of lives in the plane crash in Dhaka. "The Chinese Embassy offers deepest condolences to the victims and sympathies to the bereaved families and the injured and wishes the injured a speedy recovery," the message reads. The United States said they are deeply saddened by the tragic crash of the Bangladesh Air Force training aircraft in Uttara. "Our thoughts are with those injured and the families who lost their loved ones during this difficult time," said the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs in a message. British Minister for Indo-Pacific Catherine West said, "I am deeply saddened by reports of a Bangladesh Air Force jet that has crashed into a school in Dhaka, with many children affected." "My thoughts are with all those who have suffered, especially the families of the victims and the injured," she added. Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said he is deeply saddened by the tragic loss of lives in the aircraft crash at Milestone School in Dhaka. “My heartfelt condolences to the people of Bangladesh, especially the families of the victims, many of them young children,” he said, adding that Pakistan stands in solidarity with the government and people of Bangladesh in these difficult moments. Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar said they are deeply saddened at the loss of precious lives due to the crash of an air force jet over an educational institution in Dhaka. “Offer heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims and wish the injured a speedy recovery. My deepest sympathies are with the government, its leadership, and the people of Bangladesh in this hour of grief,” said in a message shared on X. Chargé d’Affaires ad interim, the Embassy of Japan in Bangladesh Naoki Takahashi said, “We stand in solidarity with Bangladesh during this challenging time, commending the efforts of the authorities, hos-pitals, and others in handling the situation with the utmost care.” The Japanese diplomat said they sincerely hope for the swift recovery of those injured. “On behalf of the Embassy of Japan in Bangladesh, I would like to extend my deepest condolences and heartfelt sympathies to the victims of the tragic crash of a Bangladesh Air Force aircraft at the Milestone School and College campus in Uttara area of Dhaka,” Takahashi said, adding that, “Our thoughts are also with the bereaved families, friends and all those who have been injured.” He said Milestone School and College holds a special significance, having recently collaborated with JICA in conducting the First Peace Flower Essay Contest. The EU Delegation in Bangladesh is “deeply saddened” by the crash of a Bangladesh Air Force F‑7 train-ing jet into Milestone School and College in Uttara. “Our hearts are with the victims, their families, and all those affected,” said the EU Embassy in a mes-sage.                                                             The Embassy of Switzerland in Dhaka said, “We are saddened by the tragic crash of a training aircraft into a school building in Dhaka. Our thoughts are with the victims, their families and all those affected.” Kosovo also expressed their deepest condolences following today’s tragic crash of a training aircraft into a school building in Dhaka. "Our thoughts are with the victims’ families and the people of Bangladesh in this time of grief, and we wish the injured a swift and full recovery," said the Embassy of Kosovo in Dhaka in a message. Flight Lieutenant Mohammad Towkir Islam, pilot of the aircraft, tried to steer the FT-7 BGI fighter aircraft away from densely populated areas and toward a sparsely inhabited zone, said ISPR. Despite his efforts, ISPR said, the aircraft tragically crashed into a two-storey building of Milestone School and College in the Diabari area of Dhaka.

China on Monday conveyed to Bangladesh that the Chinese hydro-power project on Yarlung Zangbo River is solely for power generation. "China will not withdraw or use any water from the project and the project will not affect downstream countries," Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Yao Wen informed Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain during a meeting at the ministry. Bangladesh delegation leaves for China to promote investment opportunities During the meeting, both sides exchanged views on issues of mutual interest. The Chinese envoy briefed the Foreign Adviser on follow-up actions of the recent visit of Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus to China which included bilateral collaboration in trade, infrastructure, healthcare, agriculture, fisheries, green energy, disaster management and tourism. The Chinese envoy also referred to the meetings of the Chinese Foreign Minister with the Foreign Adviser recently in Kuala Lumpur, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Both sides underscored the need for enhanced collaboration and people to people exchange during celebration of the 50th anniversary of Bangladesh-China diplomatic relations this year. 

Ambassador of the European Union (EU) to Bangladesh Michael Miller has said education is one of the most powerful investments they can make for a "more just, inclusive and prosperous" society. "The EU is proud to partner with Bangladesh’s education reform agenda and our shared goal of building a future-ready, skilled generation," he said on Monday as the European Union provided EUR 26 million to strengthen Bangladesh's education system. The EU has disbursed EUR 26 million to the government of Bangladesh to support ongoing reforms in primary education and technical and vocational education and training (TVET) sectors. This grant financing recognises significant progress made by the Government in implementing key reforms aligned with the National Education Policy, the National Skills Development Policy and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The EU is Bangladesh’s long-term partner for the education sector, a priority issue for the country’s inclusive economic development. "This disbursement is recognition of real progress and a reaffirmation of our partnership to ensure that girls and boys, persons with disabilities, and youths from marginalised communities are empowered through quality education and vocational skills for decent work and active citizenship," said Ambassador Miller. Looking ahead, the European Union encouraged Bangladesh to further align its education and skills development reforms with the EU’s Global Gateway strategy. Youths need to be equipped with entrepreneurial, technical skills in AI-era: Prof Yunus By investing in green and digital skills, promoting inclusive and gender-responsive systems, and strengthening regional and global mobility pathways, Bangladesh can unlock greater opportunities for its youth and workforce. Such alignment will not only support the country’s sustainable development but also enhance its role in future talent partnerships and global value chains, building stronger connectivity with the European Union and increasing employment opportunities. This substantial payment is part of the European Union's broader commitment to support Bangladesh's education system through a budget support operation of EUR 245 million for primary education along with TVET. Since 2018, the EU has provided EUR 219.125 million in grants for these two education sub-sectors. Another EUR 6 million is being provided to help implement reforms and institutional capacity building through technical assistance. With this financing, Bangladesh achieved tangible progress in the primary education sector, said the EU Embassy in Dhaka. Supported by tailored teaching-learning materials and standardised assessment tools, a remedial education programme was piloted to address the gaps in foundational literacy and numeracy. This will play a critical role in laying the foundation for future scale-up. The government also prioritised inclusive infrastructure, with over 35,000 gender-segregated WASH blocks constructed and functional. Besides, more than 3,400 primary schools were converted to single-shift operations, increasing instructional time and improving classroom effectiveness. In the TVET sector, the European Union supported Bangladesh in driving forward key structural reforms. Investing in strong, inclusive social protection systems vital ahead of LDC graduation: EU Ambassador Miller A Bangladesh National Qualifications Framework (BNQF) policy was developed and is awaiting approval, while a Quality Assurance Manual was formally adopted to standardise institutional practices. The government also published its first Annual Sector Performance Report (ASPR) for TVET, marking a step forward in transparency and accountability. The recruitment of over 1,470 new TVET instructors also helped address teacher shortages and improve the quality of vocational education across the country.

The Chinese Embassy in Bangladesh on Sunday hosted a reception for the Grameen Bank and grantees delegation ahead of its departure for China. Yao Wen, the Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh, attended the event and delivered a speech. Prof. Abdul Hannan Chowdhury, Vice-Chancellor of North South University and Chairman of Grameen Bank, along with 15 delegation members, attended the reception.  

Environment Adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan on Sunday underscored the need for redesigning investment frameworks to ease pressure on natural resources, alerting that the growing demand for clothing could aggravate resource strain. Speaking at a dialogue, Rizwana highlighted progress in three key areas, noting that the textile industry is shifting towards more sustainable production. She said an Industrial Water Use Policy is in the works to help conserve groundwater by introducing usage-based costs, while a binding chemical regulation is also pending to curb the use of harmful substances in locally manufactured products. In energy, the Adviser said, the government aims to achieve 30% renewable energy use by 2030, with plans to transition government offices as well. For the tobacco sector, she noted that future regulations will be shaped through consultations with stakeholders and businesses. The American Chamber of Commerce in Bangladesh (AmCham) hosted the dialogue on ‘Fostering Sustainable Investment’ supported by RecoverTM, Phillip Morris Bangladesh Ltd, and Chevron Bangladesh. AmCham Bangladesh President Syed Ershad Ahmed mentioned Bangladesh stands at a pivotal moment balancing LDC graduation and climate commitments with the urgent need for sustainable development. Despite strong economic growth, environmental degradation poses serious risks to health, business, and investor confidence, he said. “While private sector efforts toward green initiatives are commendable, policy gaps and enforcement challenges persist,” he said, adding today’s dialogue seeks to foster stronger public-private collaboration to position sustainability as a core pillar of Bangladesh’s economic future. Three AmCham members highlighted their ongoing efforts in green and sustainable investments. Fehmi Muhsin Yüksel, CFO of RecoverTM, a US company and global leader in large-scale recycled cotton, emphasized that sustainability is now essential in the textile industry. Countries falling behind risk losing competitiveness, especially as India and China advance with strong incentives. While Bangladesh has made progress, further action is needed, particularly a robust policy framework, stable raw material supply and a national circularity strategy. Given the textile sector’s economic importance and Bangladesh’s near-total reliance on virgin cotton imports, increasing recycled cotton use is a major opportunity to diversify and produce cotton ‘Made in Bangladesh’. Bangladesh, in fact, hosts the world’s largest and most advanced cotton recycling facility, owned by Recover, which remains firmly committed to supporting the country’s sustainable development. Reza Mahmud, Country Manager of Philip Morris Bangladesh Ltd., highlighted that while smoking harms health and the environment, offering less harmful alternatives like e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products can support public health. Citing the US FDA’s science-based approval of such products, he stressed that bans are not the solution. Instead, Bangladesh should adopt a science-driven regulatory approach, as seen in countries like the USA, New Zealand, and Saudi Arabia, to promote public health, generate tax revenue, curb illicit trade and prevent youth access. Muhammad Imrul Kabir, Director of Corporate Affairs, Chevron Bangladesh, highlighted Chevron’s 30-year commitment to Bangladesh's economic growth and community development. As the country’s largest producer—supplying 60% of domestic gas—Chevron has invested $4.2B, including $634M in local contracts. With 97% local workforce, it focuses on capacity building and efficiency. Over $15M has supported programs reaching 120,000+ people through clinics, MSMEs, tree planting, disability aid, training centers, and environmental efforts—advancing 9 of 17 UN SDGs. Chevron values its long-standing partnership with the Government and Petrobangla, sharing a vision for energy security and sustainable growth, and is exploring onshore opportunities using existing infrastructure, expertise, and advanced technologies. Forrest E. Cookson, Economist and Former AmCham President stressed that with global inaction on emissions, Bangladesh must prepare for rising heatwaves and sea levels by relocating its population northward and establishing 15 new cities. He urged a national focus on cooling tech, skilled engineers, and a global cooling industry—stressing the need for nuclear energy, electric transport, and AI-driven infrastructure, requiring a strategic shift by the Planning Ministry. The dialogue concluded with a call to foster more such discussions where key challenges can be openly raised and considered by relevant ministries and regulatory bodies. These platforms are essential for bridging the gap between government institutions and businesses, enabling all stakeholders to work collaboratively toward practical, coordinated solutions. After the presentation and remarks, attendees shared their challenges and suggestions for policy alignment in the sustainability in trade and investment climate.  

A high-level delegation led by Ashik Chowdhury, Executive Chairman of the Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA) and the Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority (BEZA), has left for China to promote and facilitate foreign direct investment. The delegation includes senior officials from BIDA, BEZA and representatives from the banking sector  including HSBC, Standard Chartered Bangladesh, and Citi NA. BIDA presents final recommendations of National Semiconductor Task Force to CA “We are pleased to have received considerable interest in our visit. We look forward to engaging with Chinese companies and providing them with the information and support they need to invest in Bangladesh,” said Ashik Chowdhury ahead of the trip.  The delegation will hold a series of engagements in Shanghai and Guangzhou from 20 to 26 July. A key highlight of the visit will be a business seminar in Shanghai on 21 July jointly organised by BIDA and the Embassy of Bangladesh in China with participation expected from over 100 Chinese investors and companies in sectors such as electronics, textiles, agribusiness, biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, and medical devices.