United News of Bangladesh

Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Iqbal Hassan Mahmood and State Minister Aninda Islam Amit met Prime Minister Tarique Rahman at the Secretariat on Sunday and briefed him on the country’s fuel situation. “They met the Prime Minister at his office at the Secretariat and informed him of the latest fuel situation,” said Prime Minister’s Additional Press Secretary Atikur Rahman Rumon. After the meeting, the Energy Minister told waiting journalists that the government had no alternative but to hike the prices as fuel imports require foreign currency, and the adjustment was necessary to keep the situation at a tolerable level. He said the country is going through a “wartime situation” amid global volatility in fuel prices. “Countries around the world have adjusted fuel prices. Even the United States has increased prices,” he said. The minister, however, said Bangladesh has fixed prices at a level that is still below the actual import cost. He said war always brings adverse impacts. “Not only Bangladesh, but the entire world has been affected, and we are also feeling that impact,” he said. Replying to a question, Iqbal Hassan said the government will need to provide subsidies even after raising fuel prices. Earlier, a meeting on water resources management was held at the Secretariat with the Prime Minister in the chair. Tarique Rahman arrived at his office at the Secretariat at 12:05pm. The first programme of the day was a meeting of the water management committee. Water Resources Minister Shahid Uddin Chowdhury Annie, State Minister Farhad Hossain Azad, water expert Ainun Nishat, and senior officials of the ministry attended the meeting. Later, Annie said discussions were held on preparations to face the monsoon, including possible floods and waterlogging. “We informed the Prime Minister of our plans and the measures needed in advance,” he said, adding that canal excavation programmes are ongoing, and the Prime Minister is expected to inaugurate such programmes in Jashore on April 27 and in Sylhet on May 2.  

Prime Minister’s Office spokesperson Dr Mahdi Amin on Saturday said the opposition is creating obstacles to the country’s development initiatives instead of cooperating with the government’s ongoing reform and development activities. “We thought that in this short period, (the opposition) would extend overall cooperation with the positive steps taken by the government under the leadership and guidance of the Prime Minister,” Mahdi said, at a press conference held at the PMO to mark the completion of the first two months of the BNP government. “But we have seen that instead of doing that, they chose alternative paths, including creating ruckus in Parliament, threatening protests on the streets, and spreading rumors and propaganda, which are obstacles to the country's progress." Mahdi, also an adviser to the Prime Minister, said such activities were undermining the government’s efforts to implement its development agenda. He also highlighted the government’s initiatives, including various welfare programmes, economic measures, and administrative reforms, taken over the last two months. Mahdi said it was a matter of “great pride” that the Prime Minister and "people’s leader" Tarique Rahman has been included in TIME magazine’s list of the 100 most influential people in the world this year. He said the recognition reflects the prime minister's “visionary leadership, courage, and contribution towards restoring democracy,” and brings international recognition to his role. He said the government has begun implementing its election manifesto within two months of assuming office, outlining a wide range of policy actions aimed at economic stability, social protection and administrative reform. Mahdi also presented a list of 60 key initiatives taken over the last two months under what he described as the government’s 180-day action plan. He said the government, led by the Prime Minister, had moved at “fast pace” to begin delivering on electoral commitments across multiple sectors. Among the major measures highlighted were the rollout of a pilot “family card” programme aimed at women’s financial support, under which 37,567 families have already received monthly cash assistance of Tk 2,500. He said the initiative is intended to strengthen household-level economic security. The adviser also mentioned the introduction of a “farmer card” scheme, which has started in 10 districts covering over 22,000 small and marginal farmers, including those involved in fisheries and livestock. He added that interest on loans for around 12 lakh small farmers up to Tk 10,000 has been waived. In the agriculture and water sector, he said the government has taken up a plan to dredge and re-excavate around 20,000 kilometres of rivers, canals and water bodies, with work already started in 54 districts. The adviser also said the government has continued to keep fuel prices stable despite global energy pressures, while increasing subsidies and strengthening international procurement efforts. In the energy sector, he noted that 35 megawatts of electricity have been added to the national grid through rooftop solar and net metering initiatives, with a target of producing 10,000 megawatts of renewable energy by 2030. A pilot fuel card system has also been launched. On food and market stability, the adviser said inflation and commodity prices have been kept relatively stable through imports and supply management during Ramadan and beyond. Mahdi Amin said the overall goal of the government is to build a more stable, inclusive and growth-oriented economy, with a long-term target of transforming Bangladesh into a trillion-dollar economy by 2034.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Friday assured that the government will take steps to reduce the cost of the Hajj package and ease the suffering of pilgrims from next year. “We formed the government on February 18, while most of this year’s Hajj arrangements had already been completed earlier in the month. So, we had limited scope to do much and make major changes this time,” he told Hajj pilgrims during his visit to the Ashkona Hajj Camp. Even so, the Prime Minister said they tried their best and managed to reduce costs by around Tk 12,000. PM inaugurates first Hajj flights, visits Ashkona camp

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Thursday assured the country’s people not to be worried over the global crisis caused by the Middle East war but urged them to exercise restraint and avoid extravagance in state functions and family spending. “Even amid the global war situation, we are trying to keep everything normal. Although fuel prices, including diesel, have been increased in all countries across the world, the current government has not raised prices in order to avoid public suffering,” he said. Addressing the ‘Independence Award-2026’ ceremony at Osmani Memorial Auditorium in the capital, Tarique said the government is spending hundreds of crores of taka every day in subsidies in the fuel and energy sector to maintain stability and keep the situation normal. He said the government is continuing all possible efforts to ensure public welfare as this is a government of people and accountable to them. He said the new BNP-led government has started its journey amid a fragile economy weakened by corruption and mismanagement along with a weak governance structure and a deteriorating law and order situation. Restoring peace and security in public life through improving law and order and strictly controlling corruption is one of the government’s key priorities, Tarique observed. Stating that Bangladesh currently has a large working-age population, he said creating employment opportunities for this group is one of the major challenges at present. “Not only the economy, the education system also suffered a major setback during the fascist rule. Unfortunately, even during the interim government period order in the education system has not been restored,” the Prime Minister said. In today’s competitive world, the education system must be modernised and made job-oriented to ensure survival, he said, adding that work has already begun to make the education system more practical. Tarique said more than half of the country’s population are women and no initiative can succeed easily unless a safe Bangladesh is ensured for them. He said the government has identified each sector and started implementing its action plans. The Prime Minister said the government earlier presented its election manifesto to people and signed the ‘July Charter’ with a commitment to state reform. PM confers ‘Independence Award’ on Khaleda, others “ People have supported all our commitments. Now it is time for implementation. We have already started working on fulfilling our promises,” he said. Tarique said his government will implement the party manifesto and every clause and word of the signed July Charter. “Personally, I believe that change in mindset is more important than changes on paper. The BNP government has proved it repeatedly whenever it has had the opportunity to run the state,” he said. The Prime Minister said Bangladesh gained independence at the cost of many lives and has now completed 55 years as an independent nation.“We have both achievements and shortcomings. To build a self-reliant and prosperous Bangladesh, we must avoid revenge, retaliation and unnecessary controversy,” he said. Quoting BNP founder and former President Ziaur Rahman, Tarique said, “National unity is our strength, division is our weakness.” Tarique said differences of opinion are natural in a democracy but they should not turn into hostility. “We must remain alert about the country’s interest as anti-Bangladesh forces are still waiting for opportunities.” He remembered the role and contributions of all national leaders of the country’s independence and Liberation War history including Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman, with deep respect and affection. “If we, for narrow partisan interests, fail to respectfully acknowledge the roles of our national leaders in history, then future history will not forgive us. I believe that hesitation in accepting historical truth reflects inferiority,” Tarique said. Earlier, the Prime Minister conferred the ‘Independence Award-2026’ on 15 distinguished individuals, including former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia and five institutions, in recognition of their outstanding contributions to the country. He recalled that BNP founder and former President Ziaur Rahman introduced the award. The Independence Award is the country’s highest civilian honour, given in recognition of outstanding contributions by individuals and institutions to the nation. Cabinet Secretary Nasimul Ghani conducted the programme and presented brief profiles of all the award recipients. Prime Minister’s spouse Dr Zubaida Rahman, daughter Barrister Zaima Rahman and Khaleda Zia’s sister Selima Islam were present at the programme organised by the Cabinet Division. Local Government Minister Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed, Leader of the Opposition Shafiqur Rahman, members of the cabinet, MPs, judges, chiefs of the three services, diplomats, senior civil and military officials, and other dignitaries were present at the programme. The Cabinet Division earlier announced the names of the nominees for this year’s Independence Award through a press release on March 5. The Independence Award is the country’s highest civilian honour introduced in 1977 and awarded annually on the occasion of Independence Day on March 26.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Thursday conferred the ‘Independence Award-2026’ on 15 distinguished individuals, including former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, and five institutions in recognition of their glorious and outstanding contributions to the country. The awards were handed over at a ceremony held at the Osmani Memorial Auditorium in the capital. Of the recipients, seven people were awarded posthumously. Cabinet Secretary Nasimul Ghani conducted the programme and presented brief profiles of all the award recipients. Khaleda Zia was awarded posthumously for her overall contributions to independence, democracy, women’s education and nation-building. On behalf of Khaleda Zia, her granddaughter and Prime Minister’s daughter Barrister Zaima Rahman received the award. Among others, Major Mohammad Abdul Jalil was honoured posthumously for his contribution to the Liberation War, while Faujdarhat Cadet College was recognised for its role in the war as an institution. In science and technology category, Prof Dr Zahurul Karim received the award, while Dhaka Medical College Hospital was honoured for its contribution to medical science. The award for literature went posthumously to Dr Ashraf Siddiqui. In the cultural field, Hanif Sanket (AKM Hanif) and Bashir Ahmed (posthumous) were honoured. Jobera Rahman (Linu) received the award in sports. For contributions to rural development, the Palli Karma-Sahayak Foundation (PKSF) was recognised. In the category of social service and public service, the recipients included Dr Zafrullah Chowdhury (posthumous), SOS Children’s Villages International in Bangladesh, Md Saidul Haque, Gonoshasthaya Kendra and Maherin Chowdhury (posthumous). Kazi Fazlur Rahman was honoured posthumously for his contribution to public administration. In research and training, the recipients were Mohammad Abdul Baki, Prof Dr MA Rahim and Prof Dr Sukomal Barua. Abdul Mukit Majumder (Mukit Majumder Babu) received the award for his contribution to environmental conservation. Prime Minister’s spouse Dr Zubaida Rahman and Khaleda Zia’s sister Selima Islam were present at the programme organised by the Cabinet Division. Local Government, Rural Development and Co-operatives Minister Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed, Leader of the Opposition Shafiqur Rahman, members of the cabinet, MPs, judges, chiefs of the three services, diplomats, senior civil and military officials, and other dignitaries were present at the programme. The Cabinet Division earlier announced the names of the nominees for this year’s Independence Award on March 5. The Independence Award is the country’s highest civilian award, introduced in 1977 and awarded annually on the occasion of Independence Day that falls on March 26.  

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Wednesday told Parliament that the government has specific plans to explore alternative labour markets in the context of recent instability in Iran and across the Middle East. “Bangladesh missions abroad have been instructed to explore labour markets and assess profession-specific demand for Bangladeshi workers. In addition, local lobbyist firms are being appointed in different countries as needed based on recommendations from Bangladesh missions overseas,” he said. The Prime Minister made the remarks while responding to a question from BNP MP Ashraf Uddin (Narsingdi-5 MP) during the question-answer session. He said initiatives have been taken to sign bilateral agreements to expand alternative labour markets in new countries including Serbia, Greece, North Macedonia, Romania, Portugal, Brazil and Russia. The Prime Minister said initiatives have been taken to arrange high-level visits to countries beyond the Middle East that recruit workers, aiming to strengthen bilateral relations. Mentioning that efforts are underway to reopen the Malaysian labour market, he said steps have also been taken to sign agreements with Thailand to open up employment opportunities there. The Prime Minister also said, given the high demand for Bangladeshi workers in Japan, the scope of Japanese language and skills training has been expanded to increase manpower exports to the country. He said Japanese language training is now being provided at 53 Technical Training Centres (TTCs), while steps have been taken to recruit instructors for Japanese, Russian, Arabic, German and Italian languages. “So far, 41 instructors in various languages have been appointed.” Replying to another question from Faridpur-3 MP Nayab Yusuf Ahmed, Tarique said Bangladeshi missions have been asked to assess the potential for employing Bangladeshi professionals including doctors, bankers, engineers in the Middle East as professionals from different countries are leaving the region due to the war situation. He said the loan limit for language student visas has been increased from Tk 300,000 to Tk 10,00000 without collateral. The Prime Minister said steps have also been taken to retrain returning workers and improve their skills so they can go abroad again based on international job market needs. He also said their previous education and work experience are being recognised and certificates are being provided. The parliamentary session began in the morning with Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmed in the chair following a recess on April 10, with the Prime Minister’s question-answer session scheduled first on the day’s agenda. Members of Parliament took part in the scheduled question-answer session at the start of the sitting.  

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Wednesday reaffirmed the government’s commitment to developing Bangladesh’s tourism sector in a planned manner, with a particular focus on preserving the natural beauty of Kuakata and strengthening tourism infrastructure in coastal areas. “In order to develop Bangladesh’s tourism sector in a long-term, sustainable and planned manner, the present government has made specific commitments. The Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism has already begun work to formulate a National Tourism Master Plan,” he said. The Prime Minister made the remarks while replying to a starred question from MP ABM Mosharraf Hossain (Patuakhali-4) during the question-answer session in Parliament. In formulating this master plan, Tarique said special importance is being given to preserving the natural beauty of Kuakata and developing the tourism sector. “Besides this, a feasibility study is currently underway for a proposed project titled ‘Development of basic facilities at Patenga–Anwara Beach’ in Chattogram district.” The Prime Minister said he had once visited Kuakata with his father and late President Ziaur Rahman and that the memory created a personal emotional attachment and special interest in the region. He said a comprehensive development plan is being implemented to boost tourism and infrastructure in Kuakata and surrounding areas. Tarique said the Ministry of Housing and Public Works has prepared a plan titled “Payra–Kuakata Comprehensive Plan Focusing on Eco-Tourism”, covering seven upazilas including Kalapara, Galachipa, Rangabali, Barguna Sadar, Patharghata, Amtali and Taltali. He said an action area plan is currently being developed to implement the initiative while the tourism component will be executed by the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism. “We hope that once this is finalised, it will accelerate the overall development of the tourism sector in Kuakata under Kalapara upazila,” the Prime Minister said. Responding to a question from a lawmaker, the Prime Minister said establishing an airport in Kuakata will depend on economic viability. “Air services can certainly be operated there, but if it runs at a loss, public money will be wasted. So commercially, it may not be very viable,” he said. Tarique, however, said that if a private company wishes to operate flights, the government would consider providing necessary infrastructure support after proper feasibility assessment. “But we must ensure that neither the government nor any private entrepreneur suffers losses due to an unviable project,” he said. Responding to a supplementary question from Shafiqul Islam (Patuakhali-2) on river erosion, the Prime Minister said the problem is not limited to one area but affects many parts of the country including regions such as Sariali Kandia in Bogura and several other northern and southern districts. He said river training is one possible solution although it is highly expensive and must be implemented as needed. Tarique also said that river erosion often intensifies during the monsoon season when water flow increases suddenly. In this context, he referred to past initiatives, including a canal excavation programme introduced during the tenure of late President Ziaur Rahman, aimed at addressing water management and river-related challenges. The Prime Minister said canal excavation remains an important tool for managing both flood and irrigation water needs especially in rural areas where farmers often face water shortages even during the rainy season. He further said that groundwater levels are gradually declining in many areas, making integrated water management essential. The Prime Minister said compared to costly river training projects, canal excavation remains a more practical and cost-effective solution for Bangladesh, and the government is placing strong emphasis on it. Earlier, the Prime Minister took part in a 30-minute question-and-answer session in Parliament where he answered four starred questions and several supplementary questions. He also responded to seven written questions.  

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Wednesday said the government is actively considering establishing an institutional framework in the 2026–27 fiscal year to ensure the sustainable and long-term development of the blue economy. “We are actively considering, if necessary, establishing an institutional framework in the 2026–27 fiscal year to ensure balanced coordination among marine resources, fisheries, tourism and environmental protection and to promote the sustainable and long-term development of the blue economy,” he said. The government has already taken steps to formulate a Maritime Spatial Planning (MSP) framework in view of the potential benefits and opportunities of the country’s maritime resources, the Prime Minister said while replying to a starred question from M Nurul Islam (Barguna-2) during the question-answer session in Parliament. He said the BNP’s election manifesto includes a plan for developing the blue economy through the science-based and sustainable use of the country’s vast maritime resources as well as the establishment of a National Blue Economy Authority. The Prime Minister said the then BNP government formulated the Coastal Zone Policy 2005, which marked an important milestone in the development and protection of coastal areas. In response to a supplementary question, he said the ruling party’s election manifesto also includes a fairly detailed plan on the blue economy. “A large population of Bangladesh lives in coastal and maritime areas including Bhola, Barguna, Patuakhali, Cox’s Bazar and Chattogram among others. Naturally, if we can gradually develop the various components of the blue economy by assessing their economic potential, we will be able to improve the living standards of many people,” he said. Tarique also said an extensive economic zone will emerge around the coastal region which will further strengthen the country’s overall economy. “Taking all these factors into consideration, we have placed special importance on the blue economy in our election manifesto and various ministries have already started formulating plans in phases,” he said. The parliamentary session began in the morning with Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmed in the chair following a recess on April 10, with the Prime Minister’s question-answer session scheduled first on the day’s agenda. Members of Parliament took part in the scheduled question-answer session at the start of the sitting.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Wednesday said the five-year ‘Fifth Primary Education Development Programme’ will begin on July 1, aiming to improve the quality of education and enhance teachers’ proficiency in English. “You will be happy to know that the five-year Fifth Primary Education Development Programme is set to begin on July 1, 2026. Under this programme, there are plans to provide English language training to more teachers,” he said. The Prime Minister made the remarks while replying to a starred question from Hummam Quader Chowdhury (Chattogram-7) during the question-answer session in Parliament. He said the government’s election manifesto puts strong emphasis on bringing all primary school teachers under specialised training programmes to improve the quality and effectiveness of teaching. The Prime Minister informed the House that there are currently 376,489 teachers in primary schools across the country. Of them, around 130,000 have already received English language training under the ongoing ‘Fourth Primary Education Development Programme’. In response to a supplementary question from Hummam Quader Chowdhury, he said the government has a policy in place for the operation of private schools. The parliamentary session began in the morning with Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmed in the chair following a recess on April 10, with the Prime Minister’s question-answer session scheduled first on the day’s agenda. Members of Parliament took part in the scheduled question-answer session at the start of the sitting.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman inaugurated a Baishakhi agricultural fair at the Tangail municipal park here on Tuesday. He opened the fair after attending the Farmers’ Card pre-pilot inauguration programme at the Shaheed Maruf Stadium earlier in the day. Prime Minister’s Additional Press Secretary Atikur Rahman Rumon said Tarique Rahman went to the fair venue adjacent to the stadium after completing the Farmers’ Card event and visited different stalls there. Govt aims to make farmers self-reliant, prosperous: PM He observed various agricultural products and activities being showcased at the fair and interacted with participants. During the visit, the Prime Minister also distributed fish fry among fish farmers and goats to some poor farmers. Agriculture Minister Mohammed Aminur Rashid, State Minister for Fisheries and Livestock Sultan Salauddin Tuku and senior government officials were present on the occasion.