United News of Bangladesh

Jaipur, Indian state Rajasthan, Apr 26 (UNB): A renewed dialogue among SAARC leaders must begin immediately to foster peace, stability, and mutual cooperation across South Asia, speakers urged at an international conference held at Apex University in Jaipur, Rajasthan, on Saturday. They emphasised that the SAARC Journalists Forum — an organisation comprising journalists from the SAARC nations — can play a crucial role in facilitating this process. The two-day conference, titled "The Role of Journalism for Peace and Stability in South Asia", was jointly organised by the SAARC Journalists Forum, India Chapter, and Apex University. Raju Lama, President of the Forum's Central Committee based in Nepal, warned that South Asia is steadily drifting towards instability, raising fears of potential conflict. "The situation could worsen if urgent steps are not taken," he cautioned. Recalling a rare moment of diplomatic warmth at the 2016 SAARC summit, when Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif shook hands, Lama said Nepal has consistently worked for peace and remains committed to promoting dialogue among SAARC leaders. Addressing the conference, Apex University Pro-Vice Chancellor Dr Khemraj Chowdhury stressed that the urgency for cross-border dialogue among South Asian nations has never been greater. "It is no longer possible to establish peace through arms. We must awaken people's conscience and foster values that promote harmony," he said. Dr Chowdhury added that journalists have a significant responsibility to build public pressure through accurate and ethical reporting, reminding attendees that many wars throughout history have ended through dialogue. In a session focused on the challenges and prospects of journalism in South Asia, Prof Rakesh Goswami of the Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC) highlighted the growing threat of misinformation. "Today, social media spreads information rapidly, often without verification or responsibility, shaping public opinion before the truth emerges," he said. He cautioned that widespread misinformation and disinformation on social platforms have become major challenges for traditional media. Raising awareness about the dangers of false information is now more important than ever, he added. Representing Bangladesh, Rafiqul Islam Azad, former President of the Dhaka Reporters Unity, observed that freedom of expression and the health of the media are closely tied to the strength of democracy in each country across the region. "When democracy is weakened, freedom of the media and freedom of speech suffer alongside it," he said. The conference drew journalists, academics, communication experts, and journalism students from across SAARC member countries, all of whom shared a common belief: journalism can and must play a pivotal role in promoting peace, understanding, and cooperation in South Asia.  

Amid mounting global economic uncertainties, South Asia's growth outlook is showing signs of strain, with Bangladesh no exception, according to the latest assessment by the World Bank. The multilateral lender has warned that the region’s economic momentum is losing steam due to a confluence of external shocks, tightening financial conditions, and domestic vulnerabilities, casting a shadow over near-term development prospects. Bessent criticises IMF, World Bank; sees ‘big deal’ opportunity with China A significant decrease in export growth and low investment have contributed to economic slowdown in Bangladesh in FY24, but growth is expected to rebound in the medium term, says the World Bank in its twice-yearly update, released on Thursday. The latest Bangladesh Development Update highlights the recent economic developments and outlook for the medium term, with a special focus on financial sector stability. After a fall in real GDP growth to 4.2 percent in FY24 from 5.8 percent in FY23, economic activity slowed further in FY25. The economy continues to face significant challenges, including investment moderation, elevated inflation and vulnerabilities within the financial sector. Meanwhile, external sector pressures have apparently eased, with robust growth in remittance inflows and exports bolstering the current account balance in FY25. Reforms in key sectors could create millions of jobs in Bangladesh: World Bank Real GDP growth is projected to further moderate to 3.3 percent in FY25 due to declining private and public investment. Political uncertainty and rising costs associated with borrowing and inputs are expected to constrain private investment growth and keep industrial growth subdued. Public investment will decline as the government reduces capital expenditure in FY25. The fiscal deficit is expected to remain under 5 percent of GDP in the medium term, with capital expenditure increasing only gradually. Inflation is likely to remain elevated in the near term. World Bank’s Vice President for South Asia Martin Raiser said multiple shocks over the past decade have left South Asian countries with limited buffers to withstand an increasingly challenging global environment. “The region needs targeted reforms to strengthen economic resilience and unlock faster growth and job creation. Now is the time to open to trade, modernize agricultural sectors, and boost private sector dynamism.” World Bank Interim Country Director for Bangladesh Gayle Martin mentioned that the country will need bold and urgent reforms to bolster the financial sector, facilitate trade and enhance domestic revenue mobilization. Real GDP is expected to rise gradually in the medium term, if backed by critical reforms. Inflation is expected to gradually subside in the medium term on the back of tight monetary policy, fiscal consolidation and easing import restrictions on key food commodities. Rising trade uncertainties are expected to put pressure on the external sector. World Bank’s Senior Economist Dhruv Sharma, who is also the co-author of the report, said the risks to the outlook are on the downside as uncertainties related to trade, persistent inflationary pressure, weak demand in Bangladesh's major export markets and intensifying financial sector vulnerabilities could weigh on growth. The Bangladesh Development Update is a companion piece to the South Asia Development Update, a twice-a-year World Bank report that examines economic developments and prospects in the South Asia region and analyses policy challenges countries are facing. The April 2025 edition, Taxing Times, projects regional growth to slow to 5.8 percent in 2025—0.4 percentage points below October projections—before ticking up to 6.1 percent in 2026. This outlook is subject to heightened risks, including from a highly uncertain global landscape, combined with domestic vulnerabilities including constrained fiscal space. It includes a special chapter analysing the state of domestic resource mobilization in the region. Despite often higher tax rates, the region's tax revenues remain below the average for emerging markets and developing economies. The report outlines how countries can address inefficiencies in tax policy and administration to increase revenues so that they can enhance resilience amid an increasingly challenging global economic environment.  

After a period of growing tensions in a changed political scenario since August 5, Bangladesh and India are increasingly demonstrating their willingness to recognise the value of fostering stability, mutual trust, and cooperation in addressing shared challenges for greater prosperity on both sides. The winds of positive change in Dhaka-Delhi relations indicate a promising turn for the two South Asian neighbours though many feared that the relations would only deteriorate further with a growing anti-India sentiment. Recent diplomatic exchanges including the foreign secretary-level meeting have shown a commitment to sewing ties and addressing areas of discord. On January 1, Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain made it clear that maintaining good relationships with three big countries - India, China and the United States- is among the priorities in 2025. He stressed that Dhaka’s ties with Delhi will advance beyond a single issue. There are questions around on how the Bangladesh-India relations will navigate this year if Dhaka's request for returning former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina remains unaddressed. Adviser Hossain, however, addressed such a question saying this is one of the issues and the two countries have many bilateral issues. "I think both will continue simultaneously. We have many issues of mutual interest. We will advance with all these issues side by side," said the adviser. Dhaka's ties with Delhi won’t get stuck on single issue: Foreign Adviser Bangladesh is expecting a reply from India regarding its request for Hasina’s extradition and was supposed to send a reminder after a certain period if no reply is received from New Delhi. India has refrained from commenting further on Hasina's extradition request. "You know, a week back, I had confirmed that we have received a communication from the Bangladesh authorities in respect of former PM Sheikh Hasina. Further than that, I have nothing to add at this point in time," said Randhir Jaiswal, official spokesperson at the Ministry of External Affairs on January 3. Foreign Secretary of India Vikram Misri, during his official visit to Bangladesh on December 9, reiterated India's willingness to build a “positive and constructive” relationship with Bangladesh based on mutual trust, respect and mutual sensitivity to each other's concerns and interests. He also emphasized that people are the main stakeholders in Bangladesh-India relations and noted that India's development cooperation and multifaceted engagements with Bangladesh including in areas of trade, connectivity and other capacity building areas are all geared towards the benefit of the people of Bangladesh. “So, that has been our approach. There are several developments that are happening. There are developments happening on a daily basis, but our generic approach to Bangladesh is what I told you. We would like to foster these ties,” said MEA Spokesperson Jaiswal on January 3. India’s approach is to foster ties with Bangladesh was made very clear during the Indian foreign secretary's visit to Dhaka, where he highlighted India's support for a “democratic, stable, peaceful, progressive and inclusive” Bangladesh. India unlikely to extradite Hasina as heard: Adviser Mahfuj On December 31, Indian High Commissioner Pranay Kumar Verma welcomed Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus at the High Commission when Dr Yunus went there to pay tributes to former Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who passed away recently. New Delhi's reaction was rather soft when on January 2 a Chattogram court rejected the bail prayer of Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari, spokesperson for Bangladesh Sammilito Sanatan Jagran Jote and former ISKCON leader, in a sedition case.  It simply voiced expectation that the individuals who have been arrested receive a fair trial and the ongoing proceedings in Bangladesh will ensure that. “This is our expectation,” says MEA Spokesperson on January 3. Meanwhile, the reciprocal repatriation of 95 Indian fishermen or crew detained in Bangladesh and 90 Bangladeshi fishermen or crew detained in India began on Thursday. The process is expected to be completed on January 5. After the handing over on January 5 at the International Maritime Border, the Bangladeshi fishermen or crew, along with their fishing vessels, are expected to return to Chattogram in the afternoon of January 6. Essential commodities are coming from India to Bangladesh. In December, 2024, a consignment of 24, 690 metric tonnes (MT) of parboiled rice arrived at Chattogram Port from India. It was the first batch of rice imports from India since Yunus-led interim government assumed office.

Bangladesh has secured the third position in the South Asia region on the 2024 Global Peace Index (GPI), according to the latest report by the Institute for Economics & Peace (IEP).  Bangladesh ranks 93rd globally with an overall score of 2.126, reflecting a slight deterioration in peacefulness from the previous year. South Asia is the third least peaceful region globally, ahead of only the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) and sub-Saharan Africa. The region experienced a minor decline in peacefulness over the past year, with four of the seven countries recording deteriorations in their overall scores. The primary driver of this decline was an increase in military expenditure as a percentage of GDP and a reduction in payments for UN peacekeeping funding since 2012. Despite these challenges, there were improvements in the Ongoing Conflict and Safety and Security domains across the region.  Read more: Bangladesh ranks 141 out of 164 on the Freedom Index Bhutan emerged as the most peaceful country in South Asia, maintaining its top position since 2011 and ranking 21st globally. Bhutan also recorded the largest increase in peacefulness in the region, improving its overall score by 2.6 percent. In contrast, Afghanistan remains the least peaceful country in the region, ranked 160th globally. Afghanistan's peacefulness deteriorated due to increases in militarization and safety and security concerns, although some indicators have shown significant improvements in recent years. India, the largest country in South Asia, improved its overall peacefulness by 1.6 percent over the past year, achieving its highest level of peacefulness since the inception of the index. The improvement was mainly due to a reduction in the intensity of internal conflicts, particularly in the border regions. The 2024 GPI, now in its 18th edition, ranks 163 independent states and territories based on their level of peacefulness, covering 99.7 percent of the world's population. The index is widely regarded as the leading measure of global peacefulness, offering a comprehensive analysis of trends in peace, its economic value, and strategies for developing peaceful societies. Read more: US says it will remain Bangladesh’s steadfast partner in Rohingya refugee response

Speakers in 14th South Asian Economic Summit (SAES) have said regional connectivity, trade cooperation and liberal customs policy are needed alongside political stability for sustainable economic growth in this region. They said that cooperation amongst the countries is more important for expanding trade and better regional economy than competition. They made the observations at the inaugural session of 14th SAES, held in a Dhaka hotel, today with the theme ‘Reframing South Asian regional cooperation in the new context of national and global dimension.’ ‘About 2.8 mln U.S. middle, high schoolers use tobacco products in 2023’, reports says Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhary MP was present at the opening session, while Planning Minister MA Mannan was the special guest. Professor Rehman Sobhan, presided over the program. Among others, Dr P Nandalal Weerasinghe, governor, central bank of Sri Lanka; Dr Ishrat Husain, former governor, state Bank of Pakistan; Ambassador Durga Bhattarai, former foreign secretary, Nepal; Professor Sachin Chaturvedi, director general, Research and Information System for Developing Countries (RIS), India; Dr Abid Qaiyum Suleri, executive director, Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI), Pakistan; Dr, Paras Kharel, executive director, South Asian Watch on Trade, Economics and Environment (SAWTEE), Nepal; Dr Dushni Weerakoon, executive director, Institute of Policy Studies of Sir Lanka (IPS); and Dr Fahmida Khatun, executive director, CPD, spoke at the function. FBCCI urges Saudi’s entrepreneurs to increase investment in Bangladesh CPD is organizing the 14th South Asian Economic Summit, where researchers from South Asian countries and the World Bank joined. The summit will end on Sunday. The papers presented at the summit stated that South Asia accounts for only 4 percent of the world's surface area, yet the region is home to nearly 1.9 billion people, about one-fourth of the global population (World Bank, 2023). South Asia also has the highest population density in the world. The majority of its population still resides in rural areas. With only 36 percent of inhabitants living in urban areas, South Asia is one of the least urbanised regions in the world (World Bank, 2023). However, over the next decades, the region is expected to have a faster urban growth and may outpace the rest of the world. Nagad distributors fly for Umrah  South Asia has been growing at a remarkable rate and has played an integral part in reducing the number of people in the world living under USD 1.9 per day. Yet, this persistent growth has slowed down within the region with the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic as countries have experienced sluggish growth and a decline in per capita income. For instance, about 42 percent of the population in South Asia live under USD 3.65 per day as of 2021 (World Bank, 2022). Furthermore, most people classified as extremely poor are from South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa (Islam, Newhouse, & Yanez-Pagans, 2021). Besides, according to the 2123 Global Hunger Index (GHI), all the countries in the South Asian region, including Bangladesh, have GHI scores which are labelled as “serious” (data unavailable for Bhutan and Maldives). On the positive side, there is evidence of a declining trend compared to earlier decades.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday (May 16, 2023) called for economic cooperation among the countries in South and Southeast Asia for mutual benefits of the people in the regions.  The prime minister said this while outgoing Ambassador of Republic of Korea, Lee Jang-keun, called on her at her official residence Ganabhaban. PM’s press secretary Ihsanul Karim briefed reporters after the meeting. He said that PM Hasina admired South Korea’s success in transforming into a developed country within a generation. Also Read: PM delivers 4-point recommendations at 79th UNESCAP Session She mentioned that this success inspired Bangladesh in its endeavour to steer the nation towards development and prosperity. The PM recalled her two visits to South Korea, saying that during the second visit she witnessed the amazing development there. While highly appreciating the socio-economic development of Bangladesh under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the outgoing ambassador expressed deep appreciation for extensive cooperation and hospitality demonstrated by the PM and Bangladeshis during his tenure in Bangladesh. Ambassador Lee shared with the Prime Minister recent milestone development in relations between Korea and Bangladesh in multiple areas such as trade, official development assistance, expatriate workers and investment in the year of 50th anniversary of South Korea-Bangladesh diplomatic ties in 2023, the South Korean Embassy in Dhaka said. Read More:PM Hasina: Keep up the country’s dev momentum to foil anti-national conspirators Ambassador Lee explained that the trade between South Korea and Bangladesh crossed the $3 billion mark in 2022 and $2 billion in 2021 for the first time, which was stagnant at around $1.5-1.8 billion over a decade before the Covid-19 pandemic.

In Bangladesh, we may expect that whatever comes out of the tap will be drinkable. The data, however, suggests a very grim reality. Bangladesh scored 26.90 out of 100 in the 2022 Environmental Performance Index (EPI), meaning the local tap water is one of the most dangerous in the world. Bangladesh ranked fifth in terms of access to safe drinking water in South Asia and 128th overall. In South Asia, Bangladesh is only ahead of Nepal (25.90), India (18.30), and Pakistan (15.30). Read More: On India’s shore, rising salinity means daily water struggle Meanwhile, Sri Lanka ranked first in the region with a score of 46.70, followed by the Maldives (41.2), Bhutan (31.5), and Afghanistan (27.80). The Yale University’s EPI index looks at the quality of drinking water in 180 countries around the world based on the number of age-standardized disability-adjusted life-years lost per 100,000 persons (DALY rate) due to exposure to unsafe drinking water. All of the countries on the list are ranked by a score from 0 to 100, with a score of 100 indicating very safe drinking water and a score of 0 indicating the most unsafe. QS Supplies, one of the UK's largest independent bathroom wholesalers and retailers, has used EPI and CDC data to create a new set of data visualizations to illustrate the severity of the situation and to flag the countries where it is and is not safe to consume the tap water. Read More: Dhaka for enhanced international cooperation for advancing Water Action Agenda   The data from the CDC suggests that the water coming out of the tap in Bangladesh is “not safe to drink.” According to the World Health Organization (WHO), more than a quarter of the world's population lives in water-stressed countries, and a similar number uses a drinking water source contaminated with feces. These conditions cause diarrheal diseases including cholera, dysentery, typhoid, and polio to spread through drinking water each year. Common chemical contaminants include lead, mercury, pesticides, pharmaceuticals, and microplastics. Read More: Momen for sustainable water management for promoting global peace, stability While the large cluster of 100-rated nations in the centre of the data visualization consists entirely of European nations, the 24 countries with the lowest rating are all in Africa. Among the 180 countries, there are only 50 that the CDC lists as having drinkable tap water. The US disease control agency discourages drinking tap water in much of Asia and Latin America and in every country in Africa. According to the CDC's safety advisory on tap water, no country in South Asia has access to drinkable tap water. Read more: How to Build Dhaka as a Water Wise City

Newly appointed Ambassador of China to Bangladesh Yao Wen has described Bangladesh as the "Pearl of the Bay of Bengal, an important country in South Asia and a rapidly emerging economy." "Bangladesh is playing an irreplaceable role in regional and international affairs," said the ambassador who arrived here on Wednesday evening to serve as the 16th ambassador of China to Bangladesh. Yao thanked and paid a tribute to Bangladeshi friends from all walks of life for their kind help and stern support for the betterment of China-Bangladesh relations. He said under the strategic guidance of Chinese President Xi Jinping and Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the China-Bangladesh Strategic Partnership of Cooperation has been developing fast and steadily. "We keep enhancing mutual political trust, proactively synergize development strategies, promote cooperation in all fields, understand and support each other on core interests and major concerns, and jointly uphold international justice and true multilateralism," said the envoy. Acknowledging that China has embarked on a new journey toward a modern socialist country in all respects while Bangladesh is striving with no effort spared for the splendid dream of "Sonar Bangla" by following the country's Vision 2041 perspective plan, the envoy said their common goals would definitely bring about more powerful dynamics, more vigorous vitality, and an even brighter future for the bilateral relations. Yao said he is ready to work with friends from all walks of life to steadily implement the important consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, continuously explore new growth areas and write a new chapter for the Bangladesh-China Strategic Cooperative Partnership. Read more: Chinese envoy promotes Beijing's brand of international relations In his written remarks delivered upon arrival he said as the new ambassador of China to Bangladesh, he would like to keep extensive contact with all Bangladeshi friends, familiarise himself with and respond to expectations of local people towards China-Bangladesh relations, continuously explore new growth points, and let the bilateral relations better benefit the people and the community at large. "All happiness in life is the result of unswerving efforts. For a promising tomorrow of China-Bangladesh relations, let's trail the blaze, lead the way, and strive for the best," he said. Arriving at the Dhaka Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, the ambassador received "warm hospitality" from protocol officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bangladesh, and officials of the Chinese Embassy. Read more: China to work with IORA for global development: Envoy  

Beaches have always been the best place for enjoying vacations, leisure periods, and relaxation. It is a perfect getaway to distract the mind from worldly stresses and tensions through the heavenly combination of golden sands, gentle breeze, incessant waves, and a horizon that meets the sea at sight’s end. While every beach offers its own experience, there’s nothing quite like the ones found on the southern end of Asia. Why? Because the tropical climate of this region, combined with the temperate weather all year round, makes it the most splendid beach-going experience. Here you’ll find everything and some more. Let's take a look at the 9 top beach beaches in south Asia to plan your next getaway.  9 Most Exotic Beaches in South Asia  For this list, we will be covering the entire southern half of Asia, starting from the coral reefs of the Maldives to the steppes of Thailand and beyond. Let's get started.  Reethi beach, Fonimagoodhoo, Maldives  Kicking things off from the western coast of the island nation of Maldives. Fonimagodhoo, more commonly known as Reethi beach to the locals, is part of the Baa Atoll area of Maldives. It's one of the hundreds of small island that makes up the country of Maldives.  Read More: 10 Best Professions for Travelers

In the five decades of its independence Bangladesh achieved greater success than any of its South Asian neighbours in a plethora of social and economic indicators, Permanent Representative of Bangladesh to the UN Office at Geneva Sufiur Rahman said Saturday. He was speaking at a seminar organised by the Permanent Mission of Bangladesh in Geneva, marking Victory Day of the country. During the seminar, members of the Bangladeshi community discussed the successes and challenges of the current government. They highlighted the strong role that expatriate Bangladeshis could play in not only projecting Bangladesh's achievements but also stopping negative publicities against the country. Ambassador Sufiur said besides facing the challenges of LDC graduation and climate change, Bangladesh must prepare from now on to tackle different internal and external challenges hastened by geo-political reasons. Deputy Permanent Representative Sanchita Haque talked about the disappointing role of the UN during the 1971 Liberation War of Bangladesh during Cold War. Also, the national flag was hoisted, statements were read out, and a special prayer was offered in the morning. Before the evening seminar, a minute of silence was observed to pay tribute to the valiant martyrs of 1971. Afterwards, a documentary on the Liberation War was screened. Read more: Bangladesh’s achievements made it an example for other countries to emulate: UN