United News of Bangladesh

The Cabinet Committee on Government Purchase (CCGP) on Wednesday approved two procurement proposals worth around Tk 219.87 crore involving a livelihood programme for Rohingyas and host communities and a solar power project at Bhasan Char. The decisions were taken at a CCGP meeting held at the Secretariat with Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury in the chair. The committee approved appointing Padakhep Manabik Unnayan Kendra as the consulting firm for the “Training Needs Assessment, Market Assessment, Module Development, and Skills Training for RSS Beneficiaries in a Livelihoods Programme Enhancing Social Care and Economic Empowerment in Chattogram Division” under the Department of Social Services. The consultancy will be financed under the ISO Component 05: Socio-economic Development of the Host Community and FDMN through Capacity Enhancement Project. The contract value has been estimated at Tk 45.69 crore. The proposal was placed by the Ministry of Social Welfare. The CCGP also approved a proposal under the Bangladesh Power Development Board’s (BPDB) “Electrification at Bhasan Char of Noakhali District” project. Under Package GD-1, Suhua Construction Group Co, Ltd-Power System Development Co Ltd Joint Venture (SUHUA-PSDC JV) has been recommended to implement the solar power plant with battery backup and associated distribution system on a turnkey basis. The contract has been estimated at Tk 174.18 crore. The proposal was submitted by the Power Division.

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs on Wednesday recommended in principle the approval of a proposal to shorten the international open tender period for procuring raw materials required for the production of urea, DAP and TSP fertilisers to ensure their urgent supply. The committee, chaired by Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury, took the decision at a meeting held at the Secretariat. Under the proposal placed by the Ministry of Industries, the committee recommended reducing the minimum tender submission period for international open tenders from 42 days to 21 days to facilitate the emergency procurement of raw materials used in producing urea, diammonium phosphate (DAP) and triple superphosphate (TSP) fertilisers. The committee said the measure will help expedite the procurement process to maintain uninterrupted fertiliser production and ensure adequate supply for the country’s agricultural sector. At the meeting, the committee also recommended in principle the approval of another proposal to include the Bangladesh Army’s 34 Engineer Construction Brigade in Chattogram as the executing agency under the delegated procurement method for road construction works in the Jungle Salimpur area of Sitakunda upazila. The proposal, submitted by the Local Government Division, relates to the second revised Development Project Proposal (DPP) of the project titled “Widening and Strengthening of Important Upazila and Union Roads in Chattogram Division (1st Revised).” Under the proposal, the 34 Engineer Construction Brigade will implement the paving of six connecting roads in Jungle Salimpur, an area of Sitakunda known for its challenging terrain and infrastructure needs.

The Cabinet Committee on Government Purchase (CCGP) on Wednesday approved a proposal to increase the cost of constructing a 10-storey administrative building under the “Further Development of Rajshahi University of Engineering and Technology (2nd Revised)” project by Tk 7.34 crore. The recommendation came at a meeting of the CCGP chaired by Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury at the Secretariat. According to an official decision, the committee recommended approving a variation of Tk 7,33,69,389, representing a 19.42 percent increase over the original contract value. The original contract for the construction package (Package No. RUET/FDRUETP/W/2020-2021/08; Tender ID: 575510) was awarded at Tk 37.77 crore. With the approved variation, the revised contract value will stand at Tk 45.11 crore. The construction work is being carried out by Bishwas Trading and Construction of Dhaka. The proposal was placed by the Secondary and Higher Education Division under the Ministry of Education.

State Minister for Planning Zonayed Abdur Rahim Saki on Wednesday said the government is preparing a series of policy reforms to cut lengthy delays in project implementation, strengthen accountability and improve the quality of public spending as part of broader efforts to accelerate economic recovery. Briefing reporters after a meeting of the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) at the Secretariat, he said eight of the nine projects placed before the committee were approved, while one project was sent back for revision after observations. Govt prioritising human resource development over mega projects: Zonayed Saki The only project returned for revision was a riverbank protection scheme aimed at safeguarding the Shibpur, Dhonia and Medua areas of Bhola Sadar and Daulatkhan upazilas from erosion by the Meghna River. Saki said the proposal will be revised in line with the observations made during the meeting and resubmitted at a future ECNEC meeting. He said Prime Minister Tarique Rahman and senior policymakers closely examined every project, focusing on financing, implementation, expenditure and eliminating unnecessary costs. “The Prime Minister has consistently emphasised identifying wasteful expenditure and ensuring that every taka is spent efficiently. Various observations and directives were given on each project and these will be incorporated during implementation,” the state minister said. He said the meeting also reviewed the preliminary findings of an investigation into a road construction project in Rupsha, Khulna, initiated following the previous ECNEC meeting. According to Saki, Tarique Rahman directed the authorities to take action against those found responsible after the investigation report is presented. He said the government is also reviewing both ongoing projects and those awaiting approval to determine whether their scope should be expanded, reduced or modified to better align them with the government’s election manifesto and development priorities. A policy framework is being prepared to facilitate this “rescoping” process, the state minister said. He acknowledged that Bangladesh’s project approval and implementation process remains excessively time-consuming. Saki said the period from preparing project concept papers and feasibility studies to Development Project Proposal (DPP) preparation, ECNEC approval, issuance of government orders, appointment of project directors and awarding contracts often takes around two years before implementation even begins. “In many cases, actual construction starts three, four or even five years later. This slows overall development activities and ADP implementation, affecting the expected economic momentum,” he said. The state minister said the government is giving top priority to shortening implementation timelines and will soon introduce new policies and guidelines to make the process more efficient. He said the Implementation Monitoring and Evaluation Division (IMED) has already submitted recommendations, while a draft policy on appointing project directors has been prepared. The government is also designing new training modules and institutional arrangements for project directors to improve implementation capacity, Saki said. He said the current administration, which has been in office for five months, inherited long-standing administrative practices and is working to introduce structural reforms gradually rather than overnight. Responding to questions about rising project costs, the state minister said the increased expenditure for the Dhaka-Ashulia Elevated Expressway was mainly due to changes in the exchange rate, adjustments in VAT and taxes, relocation of utility lines that were not included in the original project proposal, and the addition of five new project components. Rejecting suggestions of any manipulation in IMED’s implementation data, he said the Ministry of Planning is simultaneously working on four major reform initiatives. These include a five-year strategic development framework already approved by the National Economic Council, a digital dashboard for real-time monitoring of project implementation, reforms to address implementation bottlenecks, including new policies for appointing project directors, and an early review of the Revised Annual Development Programme (RADP) to eliminate project overlaps and ensure alignment with national priorities. Saki said the strategic framework has been completed and submitted to the Prime Minister, while the project monitoring dashboard is in its final stage and will be launched soon. The ministry is also working to integrate automation systems across several government institutions, including the Planning Division, Public Procurement Authority, Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics, National Board of Revenue, Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General, ICT Division and Bangladesh Bank, he said. The state minister said the government aims to complete these reform initiatives within the next 180 days. On project cost estimates, he said expenditures are generally calculated using schedule rates prepared by implementing agencies under different ministries. A committee formed on the Prime Minister’s instructions is reviewing the existing rate schedules and is expected to recommend revised generic and specialised rates to ensure more realistic project costing, Saki said. Regarding the revised Universal Social Infrastructure Development Project, he said the allocation has increased by Tk 368 crore, raising the total project cost to Tk 1,450 crore. The project includes the construction and renovation of graveyards, cremation grounds, mosques, temples, churches, pagodas, gurdwaras and Eidgahs. The state minister said the revised proposal incorporated additional demands received from different parts of the country after the current government assumed office.

The government has formed a panel of lawyers to take legal action against disinformation and cyber bullying, particularly to protect citizens, including women who are frequently targeted by online abuse, said the PM's adviser on the Information and Broadcasting Ministry Zahed Ur Rahman on Tuesday. The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has been working to combat disinformation and to some extent, misinformation, with particular concern over organised disinformation campaigns and online harassment, he said while speaking at a press briefing held on the government's ongoing activities at the Press Information Department (PID) conference room at the Secretariat. "We are especially concerned about disinformation and the cyber bullying that regularly targets women. A woman often faces severe online abuse simply for expressing a different opinion," he said. Zahed said the formation of the lawyer panel has been completed after going through administrative procedures, including public advertisements, interviews and verification. "The only remaining step is the formal notification, which will be issued within the next couple of days," he said. Describing the initiative as "good news" for the public, the adviser said the panel would help address harms caused through false information, fake images, manipulated videos and malicious online campaigns. "It is also bad news for those who spread disinformation and engage in cyber bullying. The state and the government are going to take these offences seriously, so they should be cautious," he warned. The government also recognises the importance of improving public media literacy to help people identify false or misleading content, he said. He also noted that while mainstream media follow editorial processes, social media platforms largely lack such safeguards, making it essential for users to verify information before sharing it. Zahed said the government would not tolerate disinformation or cyber bullying and that the lawyer panel would act both on the basis of specific complaints and on its own initiative where necessary. The panel would not be limited to addressing disinformation targeting the government but would also work to protect ordinary citizens from online harassment and false information, he added. He also urged people to report incidents of cyber bullying and disinformation, expressing hope that the new mechanism would help curb such offences once it becomes operational.

The government has transferred four deputy inspectors general (DIGs) of police in the latest reshuffle in the police administration. Besides, an earlier transfer order involving DIG Miah Masud Karim of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has been cancelled. The Ministry of Home Affairs issued a notification in this regard on Tuesday. Faruk Ahmed takes charge as Highway Police chief According to the notification, Mymensingh Range DIG Md Ataul Kibria has been transferred and posted as DIG of the CID, while Khulna Metropolitan Police Commissioner Mohammad Zahidul Hasan replaced Kibria. Sylhet Metropolitan Police (SMP) Commissioner Abdul Quddus Chowdhury has been posted as Chattogram Range DIG, while DIG Sarwar Murshed Shamim of the Police Headquarters has been appointed as SMP commissioner. The notification also said the earlier order issued on June 28 transferring CID's DIG Miah Masud Karim to the Armed Police Battalion has been cancelled.

Information and Broadcasting Minister Zahir Uddin Swapan on Sunday said the government has reduced its net expenditure for broadcasting the 2026 FIFA World Cup to almost zero by purchasing the media rights directly from FIFA and recovering most of the cost through sub-licensing. He said the government purchased the media rights for the 2026 FIFA World Cup directly from FIFA for US$3.85 million. It subsequently recovered most of the expenditure by sub-licensing the rights to four domestic broadcasters. Swapon alleges widespread irregularities in 2022 World Cup broadcast deal "So, the government's actual expenditure has now been reduced to between Tk 4 crore and Tk 5 crore, and we expect to recover the remaining amount through ongoing revenue-sharing negotiations," said the Information Minister at a press conference at the Secretariat. He said the previous World Cup in 2022 involved transactions worth around Tk 140 crore through intermediaries, whereas the current government eliminated middlemen by negotiating directly with FIFA. Drawing a comparison with the 2022 FIFA World Cup, Swapan said FIFA had sold the broadcasting rights for US$3.2 million, but the Bangladesh government did not acquire them directly. Instead, he said, a Singapore-based company initially purchased the rights before Bangladesh's Toma Construction acquired them. Bangladesh Television (BTV) later bought the broadcasting rights from the company for nearly Tk 98 crore. At the same time, Toma Construction separately sold the rights to two private companies for around Tk 40 crore, resulting in total transactions of nearly Tk 140 crore through intermediaries, the minister said. He said the 2022 process involved two layers of middlemen, while the current government procured the rights directly from FIFA, eliminating unnecessary costs and opportunities for a lack of transparency. "This has saved taxpayers' money and protected the state's financial interests," he added.

Agriculture, Fisheries and Livestock Minister Mohammad Amin Ur Rashid has warned the government will adopt a "zero-tolerance" policy against any irregularities or corruption in the distribution of seeds, livestock vaccines and other assistance for farmers affected by the recent floods. Speaking at a meeting with divisional and district-level officials at Chattogram Circuit House on Saturday, the minister said the flood-hit region has suffered extensive damage and that the government is working to help farmers and livestock rearers recover as quickly as possible. Govt mapping out flood damage to support affected farmers: Agriculture Minister "Although it is not possible for the government to compensate for all the losses at once, we are providing seeds, fertilizers, livestock vaccines and other essential support so that affected farmers can resume production," he said. He directed officials to ensure that no extra charges are collected from beneficiaries and that government assistance reaches genuine flood victims without discrimination. "The government will not tolerate any irregularities similar to those witnessed in the past," the minister said, warning that action would be taken against anyone found involved in malpractice. Highlighting livestock protection measures, he said all cattle in flood-affected areas would be brought under the Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) vaccination programme within the next 15 days. He also instructed officials to ensure booster doses are administered on schedule to animals vaccinated six months ago. "Every livestock death causes significant financial and emotional hardship for farmers. That is why the government is accelerating the vaccination campaign," he said. The minister asks officials to work with utmost responsibility to ensure that all government assistance reaches the intended beneficiaries and that no deserving farmer is deprived of support. He also warned that any allegation of negligence or irregularity would be investigated promptly and appropriate action taken.

The government has decided to restore the observance of National Youth Day on November 1 every year, reversing the previous decision to celebrate it jointly with International Youth Day on August 12. The Cabinet, in a meeting held at the Secretariat on Thursday with Prime Minister Tarique Rahman in the chair, approved a proposal placed by the Ministry of Youth and Sports in this regard. No one to be left behind in building new Bangladesh: PM Previously, National Youth Day was observed on November 1 and International Youth Day is marked on August 12 every year. However, the immediate past interim government decided to celebrate both days together on August 12, and the Advisory Council approved a proposal to this effect. The joint observance in 2025 faced significant challenges as August falls during the monsoon season, making it difficult to successfully organise key events such as youth rallies, youth gatherings and youth fairs. The young entrepreneurs faced difficulties in displaying and selling their products at the fairs, according to the proposal noted. It also said youth fairs held at any time other than National Youth Day fail to attract the expected level of public participation and commercial success. Besides, National Youth Day is financed by the government, but the International Youth Day is generally observed with the support of government agencies, non-governmental organisations and development partners. Considering these factors, the Cabinet meeting approved the proposal to observe the two occasions separately, with International Youth Day continuing to be celebrated on August 12 and National Youth Day being restored to its previous date of November 1 every year, said a press release.

The government has formed a seven-member high-level committee to recommend measures to enhance the effectiveness of mobile courts and remove the legal, policy and institutional barriers affecting their operations. The Cabinet Division issued a notification to this effect on Sunday. Adviser to the Ministry of Public Administration will chair the committee. Its members include the State Minister for Public Administration, the Cabinet Secretary, and the Secretaries of the Ministry of Public Administration, the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Finance Division and the Legislative and Parliamentary Affairs Division. According to the notification, the committee has been tasked to identify the legal, policy and institutional challenges facing mobile courts operated by various ministries, divisions, offices and organisations. It will also prepare short-, medium- and long-term recommendations to address those challenges. Besides, the committee will recommend measures to ensure the necessary supporting mechanisms, equipment, and logistical support required for the effective operation of mobile courts. The committee may invite representatives or experts from relevant ministries, divisions, offices, agencies and other institutions to its meetings, as necessary. Meetings will be held as required, while the District and Field Administration Wing of the Cabinet Division will provide secretarial support to the committee.