United News of Bangladesh

The Managing Director of US-Bangla Airlines, Mohammed Abdullah Al Mamun, on Sunday announced an ambitious expansion plan under which the carrier aims to operate flights to 30 destinations in 20 countries by December 2027, alongside the launch of a second airline under the US-Bangla Group.  Speaking at a Meet the Press programme in Cox's Bazar, Mamun said US-Bangla, which began operations in 2014, has grown into one of Bangladesh's largest private airlines and remains committed to expanding both its domestic and international network. He said the airline currently operates scheduled flights on six domestic routes and to 14 international destinations across 10 countries. Mamun said the group would operate two separate airlines—one as a full-service carrier and the other as a low-cost carrier (LCC)—to cater to different categories of passengers. An official announcement regarding the new airline will be made on July 29 at a programme in Dhaka.

A four-member high-level delegation from the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) held a courtesy meeting with Secretary of the Bridges Division and Executive Director of the Bangladesh Bridge Authority Mohammad Abdur Rouf on Sunday, aimed at boosting sustainable investment and technical cooperation in the country's transport and communication infrastructure sector. The AIIB delegation was led by Rajat Misra, Director General of the bank's Public Sector Clients Department (Region 1). Opening the meeting, the Bridges Division secretary welcomed the delegation and highlighted the success and socio-economic impact of Bangladesh's mega projects, particularly the Padma Bridge, Jamuna Bridge and Dhaka Elevated Expressway. He noted that under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, Bangladesh is moving toward building world-class infrastructure. Both sides held detailed discussions on the potential for AIIB-financed, environment-friendly and technology-driven communication infrastructure in line with Bangladesh's development goals. They expressed positive interest in investment opportunities in several key projects, including measures to ease traffic congestion, modern toll management systems, the Dhaka-Chattogram Elevated Expressway, the Dhaka East-West Elevated Expressway, a subway system, and a second Jamuna Bridge. The Bridges secretary emphasised that loan terms and conditions must be affordable and sustainable in keeping with Bangladesh's socio-economic context. He said regular technical-level communication between the two institutions would continue to expedite the investment process. Rouf requested AIIB to submit a formal written proposal outlining the terms and areas of investment, which would be reviewed before further steps are taken subject to government approval. He also reaffirmed the Bridge Authority's commitment to implementing projects with transparency and accountability, in line with the head of government's declaration. Delegation leader Rajat Misra praised Bangladesh for breaking away from conventional patterns of infrastructure development through the successful application of modern technology. Citing Bangladesh's emerging economic strength in South Asia, he said AIIB is keen to establish a long-term partnership with the country.

Bangladesh is set to adopt a new five-year action plan to strengthen its trade capacity, improve the investment climate and enhance competitiveness in international markets ahead of its graduation from the Least Developed Country (LDC) category, Commerce Secretary Ataur Rahman Khan said on Sunday. The initiative will be carried out through implementation of the Country Programme Document (CPD), prepared for the third phase of the World Trade Organisation's (WTO) Enhanced Integrated Framework (EIF), the commerce secretary said at a validation workshop on the Country Programme Document, held at the conference room of the Ministry of Commerce. EU and G77 express support for Bangladesh's smooth  LDC graduation Ataur said Bangladesh's economy is passing through a critical juncture, with the country needing to prepare for LDC graduation while simultaneously addressing non-tariff barriers to exports, international compliance requirements and challenges in improving the investment climate. He said recommendations made during earlier phases of the EIF have been incorporated into the Country Programme Document, which includes 12 activities aligned with Bangladesh's trade capacity development and reform needs. The commerce secretary stressed that formulating policies or research reports alone would not suffice, and that successful implementation remains the key priority. "Alongside studies, there must be clear guidance on how reforms can be made effective at the implementation stage. The benefits of these reforms must reach ministries, directorates and related offices down to the grassroots level." He added that emphasis is being placed on improving Bangladesh's business environment through trade facilitation, liberalisation, relevant laws and regulations, and coordinated action among various ministries. Additional Secretary (WTO) at the Ministry of Commerce, Khadiza Nazneen, said the WTO's Enhanced Integrated Framework supports LDCs in building trade capacity, with funding provided by several development partners, including the United Kingdom, the European Union and Sweden. She said Bangladesh has already implemented two phases under the EIF, the first from 2009 to 2015 and the second from 2016 to 2024, with the third phase now set to begin. Based on the Country Programme Document prepared for this phase, Bangladesh will receive funding support, with the five-year programme likely to start this year. Former Additional Secretary and EIF consultant Hafizur Rahman said the Country Programme Document was prepared taking into account Bangladesh's existing policies, strategies and recommendations from earlier studies, particularly the Diagnostic Trade Integration Study (DTIS), export policy, industrial policy, trade policy, the Trade Facilitation Agreement and investment facilitation initiatives. "Initially, around 52 projects were identified. Later, considering the possible support from development partners and implementation capacity, these were narrowed down to 12 priority activities," he said, adding that the activities give importance to boosting export capacity, trade facilitation, improving the investment climate, strengthening institutional capacity, training and research, as well as the use of artificial intelligence (AI). Participants at the workshop expressed hope that implementation of the third phase of the EIF programme would play a crucial role in helping Bangladesh retain its competitiveness in international trade and attract fresh investment after its graduation from the LDC category.

Labour and Employment Minister Ariful Haque Choudhury on Sunday urged the visiting Director General of the International Labour Organization, Gilbert F Houngbo, to expedite the resolution of a long-standing Article 26 case against Bangladesh, citing sweeping reforms in the country's labour sector. An Article 26 complaint is the ILO's highest-level investigative procedure, used when a member state violates a ratified convention. The Article 26 complaint case against Bangladesh was filed in 2019 over non-observance of Conventions No. 81 (Labor Inspection), No. 87 (Freedom of Association), and No. 98 (Right to Organize), according to information available on the ILO's website. Bangladesh embarking on new journey to improve work ambience: Shama Obaed The call came during a bilateral meeting between the two at the minister's office, where discussions focused on modernising Bangladesh's labour sector, labour law reforms, job creation and strengthening bilateral cooperation to ensure international labour standards. Welcoming the ILO chief, Ariful said the government remains fully committed to protecting workers' rights and ensuring a safe working environment, noting that labour reform is an ongoing process that recently culminated in the enactment of the Bangladesh Labour (Amendment) Act, 2026.

Bangladesh Railway's revenue increased by Tk 221 crore in the 2025-26 fiscal year, but it continued to spend significantly more than it earned despite a modest improvement in its operating ratio. According to a Bangladesh Railway press release issued on Sunday, it earned Tk 2,066.38 crore in FY26, up from Tk 1,845 crore in the previous fiscal year. Its total operating expenditure, including salaries, allowances, pensions and maintenance of tracks and rolling stock, stood at Tk 3,955 crore, resulting in an expenditure-to-income ratio of 1.91, an improvement from 2.09 in FY25. Bangladesh Railway sets sights on new locomotives to revamp services: Sheikh Moinuddin The railway attributed the increase in revenue mainly to passenger services, which generated Tk 256 crore more than in the previous fiscal year. However, freight income fell by Tk 8.34 crore due to a shortage of locomotives, while earnings from the transport and commercial sector, covering bidding licences and other miscellaneous income, dropped by around Tk 24.34 crore. On the positive side, income from land and property assets rose by Tk 3 crore, and leasing of optical fibre infrastructure brought in an additional Tk 11.52 crore. The railway authorities argued that their roughly Tk 1,000 crore annual pension expenditure should not be classified as an operating cost. Excluding pension payments, total expenditure stands at Tk 2,955 crore, bringing the operating ratio down to 1.43, meaning the railway's non-pension expenditure exceeds its income by 43 percent. Bangladesh Railway claimed that train fares have not been revised since 2016. Meanwhile, costs for maintenance materials, imported goods, driven up by exchange rate fluctuations, staff salaries, pensions and fuel prices have all continued to rise over the same period. Had fares been rationally adjusted in line with prevailing costs in other transport sectors and current market prices, the gap between income and expenditure would have been narrowed significantly. It maintained that, in light of these factors, it would be unfair to characterise Bangladesh Railway as a loss-making organisation.

International Labour Organization (ILO) Director-General Gilbert F Houngbo arrived in Dhaka on Sunday morning on a two-day visit to Bangladesh. Houngbo is scheduled to hold a courtesy meeting with Labour and Employment Minister Ariful Haque Choudhury today, and meet Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Monday, according to a press release issued by the Ministry of Labour and Employment. Discussions during the visit are likely to cover the improvement of labour standards, workplace conditions, workers' rights, social protection, skills development and labour market issues in Bangladesh, sources concerned said. Talks are expected to particularly focus on the ready-made garment sector, the informal labour market and the implementation of international labour standards. Houngbo, a national of Togo in West Africa, took office as the 11th director-general of the ILO in October 2022. He is the first African to lead the organisation in its century-long history.

The National Board of Revenue (NBR) has intensified nationwide monitoring and verification of tax compliance, asking tax zones across the country to deploy special teams to ensure proper deduction and deposit of taxes at source under the Income Tax Act, 2023. The revenue authority said the special drives are being conducted as per Section 147 of the Income Tax Act, 2023, which empowers tax officials to inspect businesses and verify whether taxes deducted at source have been correctly deposited into the government treasury. The NBR urged all businesses, organisations and taxpayers to remain aware of the legal authority vested in tax officials under the law and to cooperate fully during inspection and verification activities. According to the revenue authority, Section 147 authorises tax officials to enter any commercial or economic establishment, business premises or office without obstruction for on-site inspections. During such visits, officials are empowered to examine and requisition account books, vouchers, bank statements, receipts and any other documents related to financial transactions or business activities. The law also permits tax officials to inspect information stored in computer systems, cloud servers, digital records or electronic devices. Where necessary, they may gain access to password-protected or encrypted systems to verify tax-related information. In addition, officials are authorised to temporarily seize and retain account books, documents, electronic records or digital devices if required to verify the accuracy of taxes deducted at source. They may also collect copies of documents, images or account records and place identification marks or official seals on them for verification purposes. The NBR said these powers are aimed at ensuring transparency in withholding tax administration and preventing revenue leakage through inaccurate or incomplete tax deductions. The revenue authority also reminded taxpayers that Section 147(2) of the Income Tax Act provides for penalties against any individual or organisation that obstructs, resists or fails to cooperate with tax officials in carrying out their statutory duties. The NBR urged all withholding tax deductors to deposit taxes deducted at source into the government treasury through the electronic challan (e-Challan) system, ensuring that the correct legal provision and the appropriate economic code are mentioned while making payments. To address concerns over the implementation of Section 147, the NBR advised taxpayers facing any ambiguity, operational difficulty, alleged harassment or grievance to contact the member secretary of the NBR’s Section 147 Committee directly via email at [email protected]. The latest move comes as the tax authority seeks to strengthen compliance, improve monitoring of withholding tax collections and enhance revenue mobilisation through stricter enforcement of existing tax laws. It has been assigned an ambitious revenue collection target of Tk 6.04 lakh crore for the 2026-27 fiscal year. This historic target accounts for the majority of the overall Tk 6.95 lakh crore total government revenue collection goal for the period.

Ha-Meem Group on Saturday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Robonauts Ltd. to accelerate the adoption of Industry 4.0 technologies and develop a future-ready workforce for Bangladesh's ready-made garment (RMG) sector. The MoU signing ceremony was attended by senior representatives from both organizations. Representing Ha-Meem Group were  Rohit Gopalakrishnan Nair, Chief Operating Officer; Mr. M M Motiur Rahman, Zonal Executive Director – Tonzi Zone; Mr. Nizam Uddin, Assistant General Manager, Human Resources; and Mr. Washiful Islam Shadvi, Strategic Management and R&D Officer. Representing Robonauts Ltd. were Md Moonzoor Morshed, Chief Executive Officer; Mr. Ishraque Rafin, Chief Business Officer; and Mr. Tonmoy Khan, Executive Director. The partnership aims to combine Ha-Meem Group's manufacturing expertise with Robonauts' capabilities in robotics, artificial intelligence (AI), industrial automation and engineering education to strengthen the competitiveness of the country's apparel industry. According to the companies, the collaboration will focus on three key areas: workforce development, industrial automation and industry-academia collaboration. Under the agreement, Robonauts will design and implement upskilling programmes for both white-collar and blue-collar employees, covering robotics, AI, automation systems, digital manufacturing, smart factory operations and other Industry 4.0 practices. Leadership development programmes will also be introduced to help managers lead digital transformation initiatives. CEO of Robonauts Md Moonzoor Morshed said the partnership will also support the adoption of robotics, AI, machine vision, intelligent sensors and other smart manufacturing technologies across Ha-Meem Group's operations. Planned initiatives include automation assessments, process optimisation, AI-based quality inspection, predictive maintenance, automated material handling, production monitoring and customised automation solutions for the RMG sector. The two organisations also plan to work with universities, engineering institutions and research organisations to promote innovation, research, internships and industry-academia collaboration, aiming to develop the next generation of engineers and technology professionals. COO of Ha-Meem Group Rohit Gopalakrishnan Nair said the initiative reflects its long-term strategy to embrace Industry 4.0 and strengthen its global competitiveness through technology-driven manufacturing. The companies said the partnership marks the beginning of a long-term collaboration to promote innovation, knowledge sharing and sustainable industrial growth, while supporting Bangladesh's ambition to remain a global leader in intelligent and technology-driven apparel manufacturing. Robonauts Ltd. also expressed its heartfelt gratitude to Mr. Sajid Azad, Director of Ha-Meem Group, for his vision, encouragement and valuable support in making the collaboration possible.

The DSE Brokers Association of Bangladesh (DBA) has welcomed the initiative of the Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission (BSEC) to amend the Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission (Margin) Rules, 2025. In a message on Saturday, the DBA said the pragmatic and market-friendly initiative marks a positive step for the country's capital market. It said the amended Margin Rules, 2025 would help establish a balanced, modern and forward-looking regulatory framework that would play a significant role in ensuring the orderly, transparent and sustainable development of Bangladesh's capital market. The association expressed hope that the draft of the amended margin rules would soon be published to seek public opinion, adding that it would submit detailed feedback and recommendations to the commission after reviewing the draft, if deemed necessary. DBA President Saiful Islam said the association fully supports the reform initiatives undertaken by the BSEC to make Bangladesh's capital market stronger, more modern and investment-friendly. He said the DBA would remain ready to work closely with the BSEC on all necessary reform initiatives for the development of the country's capital market in the future as well.

China signaled on Friday that the United States could restore Hong Kong 's preferential privileges, saying Washington confirmed it will not renew an executive order that revoked the city's special trading status. The Commerce Ministry said that the U.S. made commitments on Hong Kong issues and other matters during the U.S.-China trade talks in Madrid last year. The U.S. recently confirmed to China that the President’s Executive Order on Hong Kong Normalization would end, the ministry said in a statement responding to media questions. “The U.S. side’s actions represent an important step in fulfilling the consensus reached during the bilateral economic and trade talks. China appreciates it,” it said. It is not immediately clear what all the implications of the decision are. The White House referred questions about the executive order lapsing to the Treasury Department. The U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control said in a statement Friday that the national emergency declared in the executive order had expired and that it delisted people who were sanctioned under the order. But it said people who remain sanctioned under another act related to Hong Kong have been added to a different sanction list. The statement showed Hong Kong leader John Lee and his predecessor, Carrie Lam, were removed from the first list but added to the second one. The U.S. decision came two months after President Donald Trump met with his counterpart Xi Jinping in Beijing. It could warm ties between them ahead of Xi's expected visit to the U.S. later this year. Earlier this month, a pastor of a prominent underground church who was detained in China in October was released after Trump brought up his case with Xi. Trump signed the now-expired executive order in July 2020, during his first term in response to Beijing imposing a national security law that year. Trump's order was last renewed for a year in July 2025. Under the order, Trump said Hong Kong was no longer sufficiently autonomous to justify differential treatment in relation to mainland China under certain laws. It eliminated the preferential treatment for Hong Kong to the extent permitted by law and in the national security, foreign policy, and economic interest of the United States. China considers the national security law for Hong Kong necessary to restore stability in the city after massive anti-government protests in 2019. The pro-democracy movement back then posed one of the biggest challenges to the Communist Party in Beijing and the Hong Kong government since the former British colony returned to Chinese rule in 1997. Six years after the law's introduction, many leading activists, including pro-democracy former media tycoon Jimmy Lai, were imprisoned under it. Critics say the Western-style civil liberties that Beijing promised to maintain for 50 years after the handover have declined. Hong Kong government said in a statement that it noted the “positive shift in the U.S. policy” toward the city. “Safeguarding Hong Kong’s prosperity and stability serves the common interests of China and the US, and also aligns with the general expectation of the international community,” it said. It said it hopes the U.S. will respect China's sovereignty and the rule of law in Hong Kong and resume normal economic and trade exchanges with the city.