United News of Bangladesh

A delegation of 21 physicians and nurses from Singapore, China and India met Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus at the State Guest House Jamuna on Sunday. The international medical teams are currently in Dhaka to provide specialised healthcare services to victims of the recent plane crash at Milestone School and College. During the meeting, Prof Yunus expressed his heartfelt gratitude for the rapid response and medical support extended by the healthcare professionals. He commended their dedication and solidarity at a time of national crisis and emphasised the importance of international cooperation in emergency healthcare, said Chief Adviser’s Deputy Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad Majumder. “These teams have come not just with their skills, but with their hearts,” said Prof Yunus. “Their presence reaffirms our shared humanity and the value of global partnerships in times of tragedy,” he added. The medical teams have been working tirelessly alongside local healthcare professionals to ensure critical treatment and trauma care for the injured, many of whom are young children. The Chief Adviser also acknowledged the swift diplomatic coordination that enabled the teams to arrive and begin their work without delay. He assured the visiting professionals of the government’s full support in facilitating their mission. The Chief Adviser also urged the physicians to maintain long-term connections with Bangladesh, even virtually, for institutional collaboration, medical education exchange, and sustained engagement in capacity building and innovation in the healthcare sector. He emphasised that such partnerships could lay the foundation for lasting cooperation in public health and emergency preparedness. Uttara plane crash: cultural figures express shock, grief over Milestone School tragedy Health Adviser Nurjahan Begum thanked the physicians and nurses for extending their hand during this difficult time. Professor Sayedur Rahman, special assistant to the Chief Adviser for the Ministry of Health, said many lives were saved as the foreign physicians rushed immediately. At the meeting, Prof Dr Md Nasir Uddin, Director, National Institute of Burn & Plastic Surgery (NIBPS), said it was proven again that doctors are without borders. Ten members from Singapore, eight from China, and four from India were present in the meeting. Among others, Chinese Ambassador to Dhaka Yao Wen and Singapore Head of Mission in Dhaka were also present in the meeting.  

Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus on Sunday proposed that Saudi Arabia could consider establishing its production sector in Bangladesh by utilising Bangladesh's geostrategic location, cheap labour and the country's resources. He also called for Saudi investment in the energy sector, including oil refineries, the healthcare sector, the health education sector and the pharmaceutical industry. The issues were discussed when newly appointed Saudi Ambassador to Bangladesh Dr Abdullah Zafer bin Abiyah, paid a courtesy call on the Chief Adviser at the State Guest House Jamuna. The Saudi Ambassador handed over the invitation letter of the Saudi Crown Prince and the Prime Minister to attend the 9th meeting of the Future Investment Initiative Forum to be held in Riyadh in October, said Chief Adviser’s Deputy Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad Majumder. Want to become part of ASEAN, says Prof Yunus seeking Malaysia’s support The Chief Adviser also expressed his gratitude to the Saudi Crown Prince for accepting the invitation to visit Bangladesh on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of Bangladesh-Saudi Arabia diplomatic relations at a given date. The Chief Adviser extended his warmest greetings to the Saudi Ambassador on assuming his duties in Bangladesh and expressed hope that the friendly relations between Bangladesh and Saudi Arabia would reach new heights during his tenure. He also pledged cooperation with his government during the Saudi Ambassador's tenure in Bangladesh. Referring to the depth of Saudi Arabia's relations with Bangladesh, he said there is an opportunity to further expand this relationship by increasing cooperation in various sectors. In response, the Saudi Ambassador mentioned his country's deep ties with Bangladesh. Dhaka-Delhi ties show positive signs, goodwill despite border worries He said Saudi the investment company Red Sea Gateway Terminal is engaged in the Patenga Container Terminal and Matarbari Deep Sea Port. He said the Saudi Government had allocated 20 million US dollars for construction of an Arabic Language Institute and 8 mosques in different cities in Bangladesh. The Chief Adviser presented the Saudi Ambassador with a collection of graffiti from July 2024 as a gift. Lamiya Morshed, senior secretary and Principal Coordinator on SDGs Affairs, was, among others, present on the occasion.

Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus on Sunday renewed his call for Malaysia to support Bangladesh's bid to become a member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). "We want to become part of ASEAN, and we will need your support,” said the Chief Adviser when Nurul Izzah Anwar, Vice President of Malaysia’s People’s Justice Party and daughter of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, met him at the State Guest House Jamuna. Bangladesh applied to become a sectoral dialogue partner of ASEAN in 2020. The Chief Adviser hoped Malaysia, the current chair of ASEAN, will take a proactive role in granting Bangladesh's application to become sectoral dialogue partner of ASEAN and, in turn, become a full member of the regional body, said Chief Adviser’s Deputy Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad Majumder. At the beginning of the meeting, Nurul Izzah offered her condolences over the recent fighter jet crash at Milestone School in Dhaka. “It’s a tragic and sad event for our country. We lost so many people,” the Chief Adviser responded. He greeted Nurul Izzah in her new role. “Congratulations on becoming the Vice President of your political party,” he said. The Chief Adviser highlighted Bangladesh's recent political changes and the reforms undertaken by the interim government. “We are going through a reform process. Our students took bullets on their chests and ousted the fascist Hasina regime. It started as a youth-led movement, but people from all classes joined,” he said, adding, “Students painted the walls and streets with the spirit of the July Uprising.” He encouraged Malaysian firms to invest in Bangladesh. “Asia is ageing rapidly, but Bangladesh has a lot of young people. Half of our population is under 27. Set up your industries here and export from Bangladesh. It will help both our economies,” he said. The Chief Adviser’s Special Envoy for International Affairs, Lutfey Siddiqi, and Senior Secretary and SDGs Affairs Principal Coordinator Lamiya Morshed were present at the meeting.  

French artist Clemence Vazard has been selected for an artistic residency in Bangladesh, as part of Villa Swagatam 2025, the flagship residency programme of the French Institute in India. This pioneering initiative fosters cross-cultural dialogue and creative collaboration between French and South Asian artists and writers, said the French Embassy in Dhaka on Sunday with a formal announcement. During her residency in Dhaka, she will collaborate with Bangladesh’s Brihatta Art Foundation. "Our warmest thanks to Alliance Française de Dhaka and Brihatta Art Foundation for making the second edition of Villa Swagatam in Bangladesh possible. We can’t wait to discover more!” said the Embassy. A total of 34 laureates have been selected for the third edition of this prestigious programme, which will run from August 2025 to August 2026. BIMSTEC for addressing security challenges that hinder dev aspirations Each laureate will spend one to three months at one of the partner residencies across India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and France. Clémence is a trans-disciplinary artist exploring the invisible connections between living beings and their environment. Her recent work uses natural dyeing to uncover relationships between humans, water, and plants within a collaborative ecological framework.

Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain left here for New York on Sunday morning to attend the United Nations high-level international conference on the ‘Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine and the Implementation of the Two-State Solution’. The Foreign Adviser is scheduled to return early Friday after attending the ministerial meeting, a senior official at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs told UNB. France and Saudi Arabia will co-chair the high-level international conference to promote a lasting peace in the Middle East and the implementation of the two-state solution. The conference will be held from July 28 to 30 in New York, under the auspices of the United Nations. This ministerial high-level session brings together the outcomes of the thematic roundtables and working groups convened under the auspices of the high-level conference on the implementation of the two-state solution. It provides a platform to consolidate key insights, highlight consensus across political, legal, economic, and humanitarian tracks, and articulate concrete next steps. France to recognize Palestine as a state: Macron The session is both a culmination of months of coordinated diplomatic work and a launchpad for action, and laying the groundwork for sustained international engagement, accountability, and implementation in support of a just and lasting peace. The aim of the conference is to contribute to the implementation of UN resolutions on the question of Palestine and the two-state solution in order to achieve a just, lasting and comprehensive peace in the Middle East. Initially scheduled for June, the conference was postponed due to the escalating violence in the Middle East at the time.

Providing emergency medical supplies to Bangladesh, China on Saturday said it will continue to provide assistance within its capacity based on the needs of Bangladesh. Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Yao Wen on Saturday joined senior officials of the Government of Bangladesh as China handed over emergency medical supplies to Bangladesh. Chinese medical team offers full support for Bangladesh in treating injured Md Saidur Rahman, Secretary of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare of Bangladesh, Prof Dr Md Abu Jafor, Director General of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), and Mohammad Nashir Uddin, Director of the National Institute of Burns and Plastic Surgery of Bangladesh, attended the event. The medical supplies include more than 2,000 items of essential medicines and surgical instruments, which were supplied by the Foreign Affairs Office of Yunnan Province and the Wuhan Third Hospital of China. Milestone tragedy: Chinese medical team in city The handover of materials is also part of the emergency medical assistance provided by the Chinese government to the Bangladesh side in rescuing the injured from the aircraft crash accident, said the Chinese Embassy in Dhaka. Aircraft Crash: Chinese FM Wang Yi shocked at heavy casualties

The relationship between Bangladesh and India has demonstrated some ‘encouraging signs of goodwill’ in recent days despite killings along the border and push-ins prompting concerns from Dhaka which keeps focusing on good working relations with New Delhi, officials from both sides said.  The arrival of an Indian medical team in Bangladesh, coupled with a symbolic gesture from Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus in the form of sending delicious mangoes to the Indian leaders, reflects the ‘underlying spirit of friendship and cooperation’ that continues to shape bilateral ties. Though tourists’ visas remain closed for nearly a year, official spokesperson at the Indian Ministry of External Affairs Randhir Jaiswal said they have been issuing visas to Bangladesh for various reasons - for various travels, medical emergencies and students. “We are issuing substantial visas.” The visit of the Indian doctors and nursing officials follows Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s assurance to extend all possible assistance and support to Bangladesh in the wake of the tragic incident of plane crash in Dhaka on July 21, 2025. The Indian medical team, now in Dhaka to help provide treatment to Milestone crash victims, held detailed medical consultations with senior officials of the Bangladesh Ministry of Health and doctors at the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery in Dhaka. They reviewed each of the critical cases, exchanged views on the treatment methodologies, and conveyed their assessment on future courses of treatment. Taking India’s medical team’s presence in Bangladesh positively, Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain said the interim government always wanted a good working relationship with India on the basis of reciprocity and mutual respect. “We always wanted that ... .from day one we said we want a good working relationship with India on the basis of reciprocity and mutual respect. Our position remains unchanged,” he said on Thursday, noting that they -- no one from the interim government -- never said they do not want good relations with India. Earlier this month, Prof Yunus sent mangoes to the Indian President and Prime Minister in a sweet gesture of goodwill. Often referred to as ‘mango diplomacy’, this tradition has become an annual gesture symbolising warmth and neighbourliness between the two nations and the gesture is seen as a seasonal reminder of shared culture and mutual respect. In addition to the President and Prime Minister of India, the recipients include the King and Prime Minister of Bhutan; the President, Vice President, and Prime Minister of Nepal; the President and Prime Minister of Pakistan; and the President of the Maldives. These mangoes were sent on behalf of the Chief Adviser, an official told UNB. Indian medical team for burn victims arrives

Brazil, the largest economy in South America, has shown interest in signing a trade agreement with Bangladesh to further boost economic relations between the two countries. If things go well, the agreement is likely to be signed at the Brazil-Bangladesh annual bilateral meeting to be held in Dhaka later this year. The issue was discussed when President of the Central Bank of Brazil Gabriel Galipolo had a meeting with Bangladesh Ambassador to Brazil Dr Md Tauhedul Islam recently. The current annual trade volume between the two countries has exceeded four billion dollars, according to the Bangladesh Embassy. Chinese medical team offers full support for Bangladesh in treating injured In the recent global economic context, especially due to the high tariffs imposed on both countries by the United States, the Ambassador elaborated on the arguments for a bilateral trade agreement. He presented a concept paper outlining a possible trade agreement to increase bilateral trade and investment, including reducing the tariffs imposed by both countries, resolving the issue of opening LCs by banks. President Gabriel will soon send a draft of the trade agreement from Brazil to Bangladesh. Visiting Indian medical team assesses burn victims of Milestone crash The Embassy sees this undoubtedly a historic opportunity for Bangladesh, noting that in the context of global trade contraction, Brazil’s forward-looking approach to address the trade challenges of Bangladesh after the LDC has created a unique opportunity and potential for the country's economy.

Algeria’s Minister of Mujahedeen and Rights Holders Eid Rebiga has signed the condolence book at the Bangladesh Embassy in Algiers following the tragic crash of a military aircraft in Dhaka that struck a school building, leaving dozens dead and injured. "In the wake of this tragic accident, we offer you, on behalf of the President of the Republic and on behalf of the Algerian government and people, our sincerest condolences and deepest sympathy and compassion,” Rebiga added. Milestone tragedy: Chinese medical team in city He affirmed Algeria's solidarity with Bangladesh, saying, “We are confident that the Bangladeshi people will be able to overcome the effects of this painful ordeal."

The United Nations General Assembly has adopted Bangladesh’s flagship resolution titled, 'Follow-up to the Declaration and Programme of Action on a Culture of Peace', with an overwhelming cross-regional support by UN Member States. During Friday’s session, the Permanent Representative of Bangladesh introduced the resolution emphasising the critical importance of nurturing a culture of peace in everyday life, particularly in the context of increasing global challenges and lack of empathy amongst nations. Hundreds of Muslims unlawfully expelled to Bangladesh by India: HRW The resolution was co-sponsored by 96 Member States from across the region, said the Bangladesh Mission in a media release on Saturday. Originally adopted in 1999 at the initiative of Bangladesh, the resolution promotes values such as respect for diversity, tolerance, solidarity and non-violence. It provides a framework for countries to promote peace through education, dialogue and cooperation.