United News of Bangladesh

The government has decided to distribute jute-made school bags and uniforms among students in primary educational institutions across the country in phases. The decision was taken at a meeting held on Wednesday morning at the Prime Minister’s Office in Secretariat with Prime Minister Tarique Rahman in chair, said Prime Minister’s Additional Press Secretary Atikur Rahman Rumon. “Today a meeting was held between the Prime Minister and the officials of ministries — Primary and Mass Education, Textiles and Jute, and Local Government. The meeting decided to provide jute-made bags and uniforms to students in two primary schools in each upazila. It will begin as a pilot project,” he said. Rumon said the initiative has been taken to protect the local jute industry and reduce environmental pollution. Following the meeting, Prime Minister’s Office spokesperson Mahdi Amin told reporters that the programme will start from July in two schools in each upazila. He said the local administration will select the schools for the pilot project. “In the first month, around one lakh students will receive free school bags and uniforms. In the first phase, two schools in each upazila will be covered. Gradually, all primary level students will be brought under the programme,” Mahdi said. He said the initiative has been taken under the Prime Minister’s directive to encourage the use of ‘Made in Bangladesh’ products. “It will promote local industries as well as spread a message of equality and fairness among students, helping reduce social inequality.” State Minister for Local Government Mir Shahe Alam said the programme will be implemented jointly by the three ministries. Textiles and Jute State Minister Shariful Alam said the main goal of the government is to restore the lost heritage of the jute industry. “To reduce environmental pollution caused by polythene, this programme has been taken to provide students with eco-friendly products,” he added.

The National Executive Committee of Bangladesh Scouts paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Wednesday. The meeting was held at the Prime Minister’s special conference room under the Cabinet Division at the Secretaiat, said his Additional Press Secretary Atikur Rahman Rumon. He said the delegation was led by Cabinet Secretary Nasimul Ghani. During the meeting, Rumon said the Scouts leaders briefed the prime minister on their ongoing activities and future plans. The prime minister listened attentively and praised the role of the scouting movement in developing the younger generation into skilled, patriotic and humane citizens. The delegation also informed him about an international Scouts conference scheduled to be held in Dhaka in December. At the beginning of the meeting, the prime minister was presented with a Scout scarf. The Scouts representatives highlighted their various programmes and sought the government’s continued support for their activities. Education Minister ANM Ehsanul Hoque Milon,, Prime Minister’s Adviser Mahdi Amin, Cabinet Secretary Nasimul Ghani, Principal Secretary ABM Abdus Sattar, Senior Secretary of the Ministry of Public Administration Md Ehsanul Haque were, among others, present.  

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Monday said access to justice is a constitutional right of every citizen and not a matter of charity or mercy, stressing that his government envisions a Bangladesh where all are equal before an independent and impartial judiciary. “We want to build a Bangladesh where there is no difference between the Prime Minister, ministers, police officers, public officials and ordinary citizens in the justice system. The judiciary will be fully independent and a strong pillar of justice,” he said while inaugurating the e-bail bond system at the Bogura District Court and six other district courts. He said the e-bail bond system would be a milestone in ensuring access to justice. “We believe in access to justice for all. Today’s digital initiative is a major breakthrough in ensuring that right,” Tarique said. Under the new system, he said a judge will verify bail orders and send them directly online to the prison authorities, enabling the immediate release of the person concerned once the order is received. “As a result, the e-bail bond or electronic bail system will put an end to unnecessary harassment and suffering in the judicial process,” Tarique said. He said the government also plans to integrate the e-bail system with Crime Data Management System (CDMS), court case management systems, and national ID verification, aiming to bring the entire process under a computerised system to modernise the judiciary and reduce public suffering. The Prime Minister alleged that in the past, thousands of people from opposition parties or with differing opinions were harassed through ghost and fake cases, false warrants, and delays in warrant withdrawal. He said the government will implement online systems for production warrants, release orders, and warrant recalls from police stations. If this is done, bail hearings will become easier when an accused arrested in one district is transferred to another through the rapid online transmission of documents, he said. Tarique said this would help eliminate the culture of police harassment and unlawful detention of general people through fake warrants. He also said that during previous authoritarian rule, the judiciary was turned into a partisan institution where justice was absent. The Prime Minister said in August 2024, freedom-loving people were liberated from that dark rule and the current government is committed to establishing justice and ensuring citizens’ right to justice. “Courts should not be places of harassment but safe spaces for justice,” he said adding that restoring public trust in the judiciary would also help reduce mob violence. Tarique said his government is working to establish a corruption-free, transparent, and independent judiciary. As part of this effort, he said the e-bail bond system has been introduced in seven districts: Bogura, Jhenaidah, Jashore, Magura, Rajshahi, Natore, and Kushtia. The Prime Minister expressed hope that nationwide implementation would reduce delays and inequality in justice delivery. “Delay in justice is equivalent to denial of justice.” He called upon the judiciary, prison authorities, and relevant institutions to work sincerely to advance the system. Tarique also shared his personal experience from his 18-month imprisonment during the one-eleven period. He said that around 30 per cent of prison inmates are poor people who often do not even understand why they are in jail. Many remain imprisoned simply because they cannot afford a good lawyer. He urged the Law Minister to find ways to address this issue and ensure legal aid for those who cannot afford proper legal representation, so that innocent or poor detainees can be freed from unjust imprisonment. Later, the Prime Minister inaugurated the e-bail bond system by pressing a button on a computer.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Monday began his official programme in Bogura by unveiling the plaque of the newly constructed Bogura District Bar Association building and inaugurating the e-bail bond system in Bogura and six other district courts. He inaugurated the newly built multi-storey building of the bar association around 11:15 am. Later, he inaugurated the e-bail bond system in seven district courts including Bogura district court. Earlier, a bus carrying the Prime Minister and his entourage arrived at Bogura Circuit House around 10:00 am, said his Additional Press Secretary Atikur Rahman Rumon. The Prime Minister left his Gulshan Avenue residence for Bogura at 6:10 am accompanied by his wife, Dr Zubaida Rahman. This is his first visit to Bogura since assuming office as Prime Minister on February 17. As per his schedule, the Prime Minister will unveil a plaque at the Bogura municipal building. At about 12:45 pm, he will launch an emergency measles-rubella vaccination campaign at Ziaur Rahman Gram Hospital in Bagbari area of Gabtoli. He will distribute family cards at Shaheed Zia Degree College ground at 1:00 pm, and later inaugurate excavation work of the Chowkidah Canal in Nasipur. He will then visit his ancestral home at Bagbari. In the afternoon at 4:00 pm, the Prime Minister will address a public rally organised by the district BNP at Altafunnessa Playground. After the rally, he will also inaugurate the new building of Bogura Press Club and the reconstruction work of Baitur Rahman Central Mosque.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Saturday shared a personal story involving Fatema Begum, a domestic worker who had long served his late mother Khaleda Zia, saying she has now become a member of their family. “Many of you may be familiar with a name — Fatema. This woman was also in jail with my mother when she was ill. She has been with her for a long time, for many years, and has now become a member of our family,” he said. Tarique, the eldest son of former prime minister Khaleda Zia, was speaking at the Upazila Health and Family Planning Officers (UHFPO) Conference-2026 at the Osmani Memorial Auditorium. The Health Services Division under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare organised the conference, with over 500 UHFPOs from across the country taking part. The Prime Minister also handed awards to the best-performing officers in six categories. Referring to a recent incident, Tarique said a relative of Fatema recently faced complications during delivery at her home in Barishal and was taken to a local hospital. “After being taken to the Barishal hospital doctors mentioned various complications and immediately decided to refer her to Dhaka,” he said. The Prime Minister said he later learned from his wife that even some basic treatment could not be provided at the local level. “They sent her to Dhaka right away. Fatema informed my wife and she spoke to a few people. As a result, her relative managed to receive better treatment,” he added. He expressed concern saying such support is not available to everyone. “But the question is, not everyone is Fatema, and not everyone is related to her. Because of that connection, my wife came to know about the matter and took care of it. The baby was born, though unwell, but the situation was somehow managed,” he said. The Prime Minister noted that many complications could have been avoided if those responsible at the hospital had been more attentive. “If those on duty had been a bit more careful and caring, many of the problems could have been avoided—if not all, at least a significant number,” he said. He urged healthcare professionals to be more responsible and compassionate in their duties. “As a citizen of this country, I request you to support us and support the government so that no one needs to depend on personal connections like Fatema’s case. Every person should be able to receive at least basic healthcare services,” Tarique said. Calling for a more humane and accountable healthcare system, he urged all concerned to work together to ensure fair and effective service delivery across the country.

Warning that the energy crisis has already taken a toll on Bangladesh’s economy, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Wednesday sought a US$2 billion fund from development partners to help overcome the crisis and stabilise the economy. “The situation before us demands urgency, solidarity and decisive action,” he said while addressing the Asia Zero Emission Community (AZEC) Plus Online Summit. The Prime Minister said immediate support for the most vulnerable countries must be at the top of the collective agenda of the summit. “In this regard, Bangladesh is seeking to mobilise US$2 billion from development partners to meet our immediate energy needs and safeguard our economic stability. We urge the international community to respond swiftly and positively to this call,” he said. The Prime Minister said the current global energy crisis is a stark reminder of global communities’ shared vulnerability and interdependence. No nation- regardless of its size or strength- can overcome this challenge in isolation, he said, adding that it demands a coordinated and forward-looking Asian response, to strengthen regional energy security, address immediate supply disruptions, and support the most vulnerable countries. “The energy crisis has already disrupted Bangladesh’s economy. In response, we have taken a range of short-term measures to contain the impact,” Tarique said. He said the measures include demand-side management through the rationing of government office and market hours; stabilisation fuel supplies through emergency imports and diversification of sourcing; and consumption controls, including fuel rationing and limits on retail sales to prevent hoarding and panic buying through initiatives such as 'Fuel App'. The Prime Minister said Bangladesh is concerned that the scale and consequences of this crisis could exceed those of the 1970’s oil shock, which triggered a decade of stalled development in the 1980s. Since gaining independence in 1971, he said Bangladesh has worked relentlessly to drive economic growth, lift millions of out poverty, and improve the quality of life for its people. “Today, these hard-own gains are in danger, facing the real threat of reversal.”  The Prime Minister said Bangladesh is not alone in facing this risk, nor can the country overcome it through national effort alone. “This moment calls for a decisive and co-ordinated global action, to contain the impact of the ongoing  energy crisis, particularly to protect vulnerable countries, including the Least Developed Countries (LDCs), from its severe economic and social impact,” he said. Tarique Rahman appreciated Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi for convening this timely and important Summit. Tarique Rahman addressed (AZEC Plus Online Summit from his Bangladesh Parliament Secretariat office. Bangladesh Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman and PM’s Foreign Affairs Adviser Humaiun  Kobir were present. Heads of state and governments of various countries, including Prime Minister of Japan Sanae Takaichi, also virtually spoke on the occasion. Heads of the government and the representatives of different countries, including India, Sri Lanka, the Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, Timor-Leste, the Republic of Korea (ROK), Australia, Brunei, Cambodia and Indonesia, participated in the online summit. The organisations from which representatives joined the session are International Energy Agency (IEA) and Asian Development (ADB).

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Tuesday reaffirmed that the July National Charter – as signed by political parties – will be implemented in full, warning that attempts to create instability over the issue will be resisted. Addressing a rally at Mawlana Bhashani Science and Technology University in Tangail, he alleged that opposition parties are trying to create anarchy in the country centring on the implementation of the charter. “I want to clearly say that the July Charter signed by political parties at the invitation of Dr Muhammad Yunus at the South Plaza of Parliament will be implemented in its entirety – every word, every line and every provision – Inshallah,” the Prime Minister said. He also warned against any attempt to obstruct government public welfare programmes, including canal excavation, Farmers’ Card and Family Card initiatives, saying the BNP, along with the people, will resist such moves. “What have we seen in Parliament? Those who have received only a small number of votes are now demanding that whatever they say must be accepted,” Tarique Rahman said. He said those who are now in the opposition had been uncertain and in confusion about whether they would sign the July Charter or not. “Another party did not even sign at first and only signed after the election. Why did those who raise their voices about the July movement not sign it earlier if they had so much concern?” “I am saying again clearly that the BNP will implement the July Charter that was signed by all political parties at the South Plaza of Parliament. Inshallah, we will implement it,” the Prime Minister said, urging all to remain alert and vigilant against any move to destabilise the country. “We must identify those who is being influenced again by the ghost of authoritarianism and who is trying to create unrest and instability in the country,” he said. Referring to the Sherpur-3 election and the Bogura-6 by-election held on April 9, Tarique Rahman said there were perhaps one or two minor incidents, but overall, the situation was peaceful. “There was no major complaint in any of the national newspapers. People are living peacefully and the situation is calm where elections were held. But tensions are rising around Baitul Mukarram. You are certainly aware of who are trying to destabilise the situation,” he said.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Wednesday said the government is implementing the Family Card programme based on the principle that the family, not the individual, is the main unit of development. “The present government has introduced the Family Card programme to ensure the social security rights of citizens of Bangladesh based on the principle that the family, not the individual, is the core unit of development,” he said. The Prime Minister made the remarks while replying to a tabled question from treasury bench MP AM Mahbub Uddin (Noakhali-1) during the question-answer session in Parliament. At the initial stage, the Prime Minister said Family Cards were distributed among 37,814 families in 13 districts and three city corporations on March 10. Tarique said the programme will gradually be expanded to cover around four crore marginal families across the country. He expressed hope that poor women from vulnerable families in Noakhali-1 constituency will be brought under the programme within a short time. The parliamentary session began around 11am, with Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmed in the chair, after a 30-minute delay due to a microphone problem. Four questions were listed for the Prime Minister during the session.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Wednesday said the government is implementing short, medium and long-term plans after identifying 43 priority areas to gradually increase the allocation for the education sector to 5 percent of GDP.  “The government has announced in its election manifesto a plan to gradually increase the allocation for the education sector to 5 percent of the GDP. In line with this goal, 43 priority areas in the education sector have been identified and short,  medium and long-term plans are being implemented,” he said. The Prime Minister made the remarks while replying to a tabled question from treasury bench lawmaker Selim Reza (Sirajganj-1) during the question-answer session in Parliament. He said the present government considers education the best investment for the nation and is committed to building a quality, life-oriented and inclusive education system. The Prime Minister said special importance has been given to improving primary education in the election manifesto. “As part of this, free school uniforms will be distributed among 200,000 students in government primary schools in the current fiscal year, with plans to expand it gradually to all upazilas,” he said. The government also plans to introduce school feeding or mid-day meal programmes across all upazilas in phases to meet the nutritional needs of primary students. The parliamentary session began at around 11 am with Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmed in the chair, after a 30-minute delay caused by a microphone problem. Four questions were listed for the Prime Minister during the session. Selim Reza raised the question regarding the government’s plans to prioritise education and equip the new generation with quality education, technology and skills in line with global standards. Responding to the question, the Prime Minister also said multimedia classrooms will be set up in primary, secondary and equivalent institutions to prepare students for global competition. To reduce the digital discrepancy, he said free Wi-Fi will be introduced in 1,500 institutions, including schools, colleges and universities, while a unique digital identity or “Edu-ID” will be provided to each student and teacher. Tarique Rahman also said the government plans to make technical education compulsory alongside general education at the secondary level. Technical schools and colleges will be established in all upazilas and polytechnic institutes in every district in phases, he added. The Prime Minister said steps have been taken to modernise technical and madrasa education, including launching free Wi-Fi in 2,336 technical institutions and 8,232 madrasa institutions within the next 180 days. He said smart classrooms will be introduced in madrasa institutions, along with training for teachers and inclusion of technical courses. Besides, the Prime Minister said that under the ICT Division, the Bangladesh Computer Council will provide training to students within the next six months in areas such as artificial intelligence, cyber security, mobile app development and designing using Flutter, Python programming and AI-based digital marketing.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Wednesday chaired a special meeting to determine necessary steps to tackle the fuel situation amid rising global oil prices triggered by the ongoing Middle East conflict. The meeting was held at the Secretariat in the morning with the Prime Minister in the chair, said his Additional Press Secretary Atikur Rahman Rumon. Earlier in the day, the Prime Minister arrived at the Secretariat at 9:02 am and attended to official duties before joining the meeting. He also unveiled a commemorative postage stamp marking Independence and National Day. The Prime Minister is scheduled to chair a Cabinet meeting at 4:00 pm at the Cabinet Division conference room at the Secretariat. Rumon said the Cabinet usually meets on Thursdays, but this week’s meeting was brought forward as Independence and National Day falls on Thursday.