United News of Bangladesh

State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam on Monday said their shared objective remains clear to ensure that migration is governed in a manner that upholds the dignity, protection, and rights of people on the move, while maximizing mutual benefits for countries of origin, transit, and destination alike. Speaking at a national preparatory consultation ahead of the International Migration Review Forum (IMRF) 2026, she said the consultation provides a valuable opportunity to reflect collectively on the progress achieved and the challenges that remain in implementing the Global Compact in Bangladesh. Shama Obaed credits govt for stable fuel prices amid global hike The International Migration Review Forum (IMRF) 2026 will be held at the United Nations Headquarters in New York from May 4 to 8. “I hope that our discussions today will offer thoughtful insights and practical recommendations to further strengthen our policies and institutional frameworks,” said the State Minister. Speakers at the national consultation emphasised on the importance of inclusive dialogues in shaping effective migration policies and the need for continued collaboration and innovation in addressing migration challenges. They reaffirmed Bangladesh’s commitment to advancing safe, orderly, and regular migration through strengthened partnerships and policy coherence. The government of Bangladesh, in collaboration with International Organization for Migration (IOM) as the Coordinator and Secretariat of the Bangladesh United Nations Network on Migration (BDUNNM) and with the support from the European Union (EU), convened the national preparatory consultation. The event brought together representatives from government ministries and departments, United Nations agencies, civil society, development partners, academia, and the private sector. The event, co-chaired by the Bangladesh Migration Compact Taskforce, aimed to assess Bangladesh’s progress in implementing the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration (GCM) and to identify key priorities for the years ahead. Adopted in 2018, the GCM provides a comprehensive framework for international cooperation on migration. The IMRF serves as the global platform to review its implementation. Bangladesh has demonstrated strong commitment to the GCM through sustained policy engagement and multi-stakeholder collaboration. The recent soft adaptation of the National Action Plan for GCM (2026–2030) marks a significant milestone in aligning national migration governance with global commitments, IOM said. Progress has been notable in areas such as labour migration, migrant protection, reintegration and addressing the diverse drivers of migration. State Minister of the Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment Md Nurul Hoque said the consultation brings together government institutions, civil society, and development partners to take stock of our progress and identify priorities moving forward. “Through inclusive dialogue and coordinated action, we aim to ensure that migration continues to contribute to the well-being of our migrant workers and the sustainable development of our nation,” he said. Asad Alam Siam, Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Md Mokhtar Ahmed, Secretary of the Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment; Giuseppe Loprete, Chief of Mission a.i. of IOM Bangladesh and Coordinator of BDUNNM; Jurate Smalskyte Merville, Counsellor, Team Leader of the Human Capital Development Team of EU; Giuseppe Di Giovanni, Migration Expert of the Embassy of Italy in Bangladesh; and Syed Saiful Haque, Chairman of WARBE DF; spoke among others. The consultation featured thematic breakout sessions focusing on ensuring safe and regular migration pathways; strengthening rights-based border governance; enhancing migrant protection and integration; and promoting evidence-based policymaking and public discourse. These sessions provided a platform for participants to share good practices, lessons learned, and emerging priorities. Key recommendations from the discussions will inform Bangladesh’s national position and contributions at IMRF 2026.

Emphasising the need to strengthen people-to-people ties with India beyond one-person driven engagement, Bangladesh Prime Minister’s Foreign Affairs Adviser Humaiun Kobir on Monday said Bangladesh wants to develop a new relationship with India, ending Hasina-era type relations with the neighboring country. “It’s a new relationship between Bangladesh and India. There is nothing like Hasina’s Awami League in Bangladesh now. Hasina is non-existent. She died politically long days ago,” he told reporters after a meeting between Prime Minister Tarique Rahman and Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Pranay Verma. The meeting comes ahead of Foreign Minister Dr. Khalilur Rahman’s scheduled visit to New Delhi starting Tuesday. During the trip, he is expected to meet Indian External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar, and hold talks with National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri. Adviser Kobir said that sustained openness and candid dialogue between the two sides could help address several longstanding challenges. At the meeting with PM Tarique, Indian High Commissioner Pranay Verma reaffirmed India’s intent to work together with the Government and the people of Bangladesh in a ‘positive, constructive and forward-looking manner’ based on mutual interest and mutual benefit. They discussed bilateral engagement with focus on people-centric cooperation in multiple domains aligned with the national development priorities of the two countries, said the High Commission after the meeting. The discussions focused  on enhancing cooperation in a wide range of areas including public health, financial inclusion, women‘s empowerment, rural development, bilateral trade and investment, ease of doing business, technology partnerships, and power and energy cooperation. The High Commissioner underlined that India-Bangladesh cooperation should transform their geographical proximity into new opportunities by strengthening economic and connectivity linkages, and by enhancing cultural and people-to-people exchanges. The Foreign Minister is scheduled to depart for New Delhi on Tuesday afternoon, before continuing on to Mauritius. Prime Minister’s Foreign Affairs Adviser Humaiun Kabir will accompany him during the New Delhi leg of the visit.

French Ambassador to Bangladesh Jean-Marc Séré-Charlet on Monday highlighted the importance of ensuring a fair and level playing field to encourage greater engagement of European companies in Bangladesh. France looks forward to working closely with the new government to deepen cooperation and advance new opportunities in trade, investment, and aviation. The French Ambassador paid a courtesy call on Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister Afroza Khanam Rita at Secretariat and discussed the issues of mutual interest. State Minister for Civil Aviation and Tourism M. Rashiduzzaman Millat was also present at the meeting. The meeting focused on the strong bilateral relations in the civil aviation sector and on exploring opportunities to develop existing links. Noting France’s role as a key development partner and export destination for Bangladesh, the Ambassador highlighted the strong collaboration between Thales and CAAB, especially at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka. He underlined the successful operational transition of the nationwide Air Traffic Management System, said the French Embassy after the meeting. He also emphasised the commitment of the European company Airbus to supporting the development of Bangladesh’s aviation industry. Bangladesh’s strategic location between South Asia and Southeast Asia offers significant potential for the country to emerge as a regional aviation hub, the French envoy said. The Ambassador said the partnership with Airbus would not only strengthen fleet capacity but also enhance the overall aviation ecosystem of Bangladesh. It would also demonstrate concretely the desire of Bangladesh to engage in a long-term partnership with the EU in the field of civil aviation.

Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Pranay Verma on Monday reaffirmed India’s intent to work together with the Government and the people of Bangladesh in a ‘positive, constructive and forward-looking manner’ based on mutual interest and mutual benefit. The Indian envoy  conveyed the intent when he paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister Tarique Rahman at his office. They discussed bilateral engagement with focus on people-centric cooperation in multiple domains aligned with the national development priorities of the two countries, said the High Commission after the meeting.

The UK Trade Envoy to Bangladesh, Baroness Winterton of Doncaster DBE has said Bangladesh and the United Kingdom (UK) share a strong, historic partnership, and the two countries continue to benefit from expanding trade and investment ties. “I look forward to engaging with government leaders, businesses, and entrepreneurs to identify new opportunities that support economic growth and prosperity for both nations," she said in a statement on Monday. Trade Envoy Baroness Winterton is visiting Dhaka to 'reinforce and expand the longstanding and mutually beneficial' UK–Bangladesh trade and economic partnership. Her third visit to Bangladesh comes at a pivotal time following the formation of Bangladesh's new elected government in February. She arrived in Dhaka on Sunday. This visit reaffirms the UK’s commitment to supporting Bangladesh’s transition toward a more diversified, resilient, and high‑value economy, said the British High Commission in Dhaka. Her visit underscores the UK’s commitment to deepening cooperation in trade, economic development, higher education, aviation and defence, said the British High Commission in Dhaka. During her visit, Baroness Winterton will hold meetings with senior ministers and other government and military officials, to discuss shared priorities for mutually beneficial growth and reiterate the UK’s commitment as a reliable and long-term economic partner for Bangladesh. The Trade Envoy will also meet with business leaders including representatives from UK companies operating in Bangladesh to explore avenues for increasing bilateral trade and investment and strengthening commercial ties. In addition, Baroness Winterton will visit Bangladeshi businesses that export to the UK using the UK’s Developing Countries Trading Scheme (DCTS). DCTS is one of the world’s most generous trade preference schemes. It is designed to support developing countries such as Bangladesh by providing duty-free market access for a wide range of products, simplifying rules of origin to make it easier for exporters to qualify, encouraging diversification of exports beyond garments and boosting long‑term, sustainable economic development through job creation. Bangladesh is the biggest beneficiary of duty-free access in the DCTS, supplying high quality goods to British consumers at competitive prices and supporting jobs in Bangladesh. British High Commissioner to Bangladesh Sarah Cooke said shared growth and prosperity are at the heart of the UK–Bangladesh relationship, and Baroness Winterton's third visit in a year reflects just how seriously they take that commitment. "This visit will further solidify our partnership as Bangladesh enters an exciting new chapter," she said. The UK remains one of Bangladesh’s largest export markets and a leading development and investment partner.

Ambassador of France to Bangladesh Jean-Marc Séré-Charlet on Sunday met Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives (LGRD) Minister Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and their discussion placed particular emphasis on AFD-supported flagship initiatives, including the Gandharbpur Water Treatment Plant project. This major infrastructure initiative, co-financed by international partners, is designed to ensure a sustainable and environmentally sound water supply system for Dhaka. Once fully operational, the plant is expected to provide safe drinking water to millions of residents while significantly reducing reliance on depleting groundwater resources, said the Embassy in Dhaka after the meeting. At the meeting, both sides discussed issues of mutual interest and explored avenues for strengthening bilateral cooperation. France currently stands as one of the largest bilateral development partners in Bangladesh’s local government sector, with commitments amounting to approximately €690 million in ongoing and planned projects. They discussed the Saidabad Water Treatment Plant Phase-III project, also a flagship initiative, co-financed by European Investment Bank, France, Germany and Denmark, which aims to increase water treatment capacity for Dhaka residents. The Ambassador also shared insights on France’s continued engagement with Bangladesh’s new government, emphasising readiness to deepen cooperation across sectors such as climate adaptation, urban development, and public service delivery. He congratulated the Minister and reaffirmed France’s strong commitment to Bangladesh’s development journey, particularly in the areas of urban infrastructure, water supply, and sustainable development. The Ambassador highlighted the longstanding engagement of the Agence Française de Développement (AFD), a key partner in supporting Bangladesh’s LGRD sector. He expressed optimism about further strengthening bilateral ties through increased collaboration, technical expertise, and investment.

The Consular Corps in Bangladesh (CCB) held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Sunday at Lamda Hall of Gulshan Club in Dhaka, where a new Executive Committee for the 2026–2027 term was elected. Nasreen Fatema Awal, Honorary Consul General of Mongolia, was elected President of the CCB. Reshadur Rahman, Honorary Consul General of Poland, will serve as Immediate Past President, according to a media release. Shahab Sattar (Cyprus) and Shakhawat Hossain (Portugal) have been elected Vice Presidents. Kazi Shah Muzakker Ahmadul Hoque Ishmam (Croatia) will serve as Secretary General, while Masud Jamil Khan (Ireland) has been elected Treasurer. The Executive Committee members include Faruque Hassan (Greece), Mohammad Iftekhar Jonaed (Vanuatu), Arik Morshed (Lao PDR), Mostafa Quamrus Sobhan (Uruguay), and Morshedul Alam Chaklader (Eswatini). The newly elected committee reaffirmed its commitment to enhancing cooperation among honorary consulates and advancing diplomatic engagement in Bangladesh.

Bangladesh and Russia on Sunday discussed some aspects of security including at the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) in connection with the upcoming commissioning of the unit number 1. The issues were discussed when Russian Ambassador to Bangladesh Alexander Khozin met the Prime Minister's Defence Adviser Brigadier General (Retd) Dr A K M Shamsul Islam. Russian Military, Air and Naval Attaché Colonel Pavel Ivashinnikov and his Assistant Lieutenant-Colonel Khamit Khalikov were also present at the meeting, said the Russian Embassy in Dhaka. The parties discussed military and technical cooperation between the two countries as well as some aspects of security including at the Rooppur NPP in connection with the upcoming commissioning of the unit 1, said the Russian Mission in Dhaka.

Foreign Minister Dr Khalilur Rahman on Sunday said Bangladesh needs to seek a waiver from the United States to purchase Russian oil as the US has imposed restrictions on all countries regarding such purchases. “Restrictions are in place for all countries regarding the purchase of Russian oil. Therefore, you need to seek a waiver from these restrictions,” he told reporters at after the first courtesy meeting between Prime Minister Tarique Rahman and US Ambassador to Bangladesh Brent T. Christensen. After the meeting, the US Ambassador described his meeting with Prime Minister Tarique as ‘very productive.” “I am looking forward to working together as we pursue common goals that benefit the people of both Bangladesh and the United States," said Ambassador Christensen.  

Given the inherent uncertainty, Bangladesh must continue to utilise the remaining pre-graduation period to advance substantive preparation for graduation including implementation of priority actions under the smooth transition strategy, regardless of whether any procedural engagement is pursued, according to the Bangladesh Graduation Readiness Assessment report. Securing additional time will require intensive and coordinated diplomacy including early engagement with the relevant committee and focused mobilisation of support for endorsement by the General Assembly, the report said.   It will also be essential to bring major development and trading partners into the discussions and demonstrate that any additional time would be used to accelerate and deepen the implementation of the smooth transition strategy through clearly specified, time-bound measures, rather than simply to defer adjustment. Bangladesh is approaching a pivotal milestone in its development journey as it prepares to graduate from the least developed country (LDC) category on 24 November 2026, having made considerable progress in income, human development and structural resilience. In this context, and with a view to ensuring that graduation is smooth, sustainable and fully aligned with national development aspirations, the government of Bangladesh requested the Office of the High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States (UN-OHRLLS) to facilitate an independent readiness assessment of the country’s graduation. Responding to this request, UN-OHRLLS commissioned the present graduation readiness assessment, undertaken through extensive consultations with government representatives, the private sector, civil society, development partners and other stakeholders in Bangladesh. The assessment was carried out by two independent experts, Mohammad Abdur Razzaque and Daniel Gay, who bring long-standing experience on LDC graduation, trade and development, and who worked in close cooperation with national counterparts and the United Nations system. This report does not revisit whether Bangladesh meets the formal criteria for graduation, which has already been firmly established by successive triennial reviews of the United Nations Committee for Development Policy and endorsed by the General Assembly. Rather, it examines the country’s preparedness to manage the transition out of LDC status in a way that safeguards development gains, addresses emerging vulnerabilities and strengthens the foundations for a more competitive, inclusive and resilient economy in the years beyond graduation. Almost all stakeholders consulted as part of the present graduation readiness assessment expressed concern that preparations for LDC graduation are taking place amid a deteriorating macroeconomic environment, rising vulnerability and a fluid political transition, which together have constrained policy manoeuvrability and implementation capacity. In this context, most stakeholders were of the view that additional preparatory time, if used in a disciplined and targeted manner, could help to reduce the risk of abrupt adjustment and safeguard hard-won development gains. At the high-level meeting on forging ambitious global partnerships for sustainable and resilient graduation of least developed countries, an outcome document was adopted in which ministers and officials took note of the Committee for Development Policy’s finding that, given current global uncertainties, a preparatory period of at least five years was necessary for countries to effectively prepare for a smooth transition. It recognised that, in the light of emerging and systemic risks, an extension of the preparatory period by an additional three years could be necessary, depending on the needs of a country in response to domestic or external shocks and evolving vulnerabilities. On the question of LDC graduation, Finance and Planning Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury ruled out any immediate move in that direction, stating that the BNP government has been working in line with its electoral manifesto to strengthen the economy. Bangladesh, Khosru emphasised, will consider LDC graduation only after achieving adequate economic preparedness.