United News of Bangladesh

US Ambassador to Bangladesh Brent T Christensen met Prime Minister Tarique Rahman at the Secretariat on Sunday. The meeting was held at the Prime Minister’s Office, said his Additional Press Secretary Atikur Rahman Rumon. Foreign Minister Dr Khalilur Rahman and Foreign Affairs Adviser Humaiun Kobir were present at the meeting.    

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Monday urged professional players not to associate themselves with any political party or group, asking them instead to represent the country through their sporting excellence. “In your professional sporting careers, you should not belong to any political party or group; rather, represent the country through your sporting excellence,” he said while addressing the inaugural ceremony of the sports card and allowance distribution programme at his Tejgaon office. Tarique encouraged players to achieve success on the global stage and uphold the country’s dignity in international sports. The Prime Minister said he believes that with patriotism, determination and team spirit, nothing can stand in the way of their progress. “I believe that if you have love for the country, strong determination and team spirit, no one will be able to hinder your successful journey,” he said. He also said that sports are no longer just a hobby, entertainment or physical exercise, but are now recognised worldwide as a profession. “Bangladesh will not fall behind.” “Just as accounting, engineering and the legal field are professions, sports is also becoming a profession. Bangladesh will not fall behind,” Tarique said. Earlier, the Prime Minister formally launched the programme by pressing a button on a laptop through which Tk 100,000 was transferred to each athlete via Sonali Bank’s online system.  He also handed over sports cards to 129 athletes and honoured those who achieved success at the international level. Tarique outlined his government’s plans to develop professional athletes and expand the country’s sports sector. He said the programme is unique as it brought together individuals who are completely non-political but have earned significant recognition for the country through their own merit. Referring to competition, Tarique said every winner has an opponent and it is through competition that victory becomes meaningful and enjoyable for both the individual and the nation. The Prime Minister said defeat in sports does not mean failure but is part of the journey towards success. Quoting Albert Einstein, he said a person who has never failed has never tried anything new, emphasising the importance of effort and perseverance in achieving success. The Prime Minister also said his government is working to ensure the financial safety and stability of the sportspersons.  “To ensure that a player who takes up sports as a profession does not suffer from financial uncertainty or hardship for themselves and their families, the current government has started bringing players under a salary structure based on a specific policy,” he said. The Prime Minister said his government had pledged to establish sports as a profession and has already begun implementing that commitment. Tarique said steps have been taken to gradually bring athletes under a structured salary system so that they can pursue sports professionally without financial uncertainty. Tarique said the government has also introduced various welfare programmes, including family cards, allowances for imams and religious leaders, and canal excavation projects to improve people’s living standards. He announced that the ‘Farmers Card’ programme will begin on April 14, adding that the ‘Sports Card’ initiative is part of the government’s broader effort to fulfill its promises. The Prime Minister said athletes with physical disabilities who can contribute to sports will also receive sports cards. Under the theme ‘Sports for All’, the government has taken initiatives to support underprivileged and peple with special needs in sports both at home and abroad. He said although cricket and football are the most popular sports in the country many other disciplines—such as archery, boxing, gymnastics, swimming, athletics, karate, table tennis, kabaddi, volleyball, wheelchair basketball, futsal and badminton—have strong potential to bring international recognition if given proper support. Referring to recent success, he noted that Bangladesh recently became champions in SAFF women’s futsal for the first time. The Prime Minister said the government has taken short-medium-and long-term plans to establish sports as a profession. He also said there are plans to make sports compulsory from Class IV in the education curriculum so that children can develop interest and skills from an early age. The Education Ministry has already started work to revise the curriculum to include sports, he said. Tarique also announced that ‘Notun Kuri Sports’ will be launched nationwide to identify young talent. The programme will begin from Sylhet on April 30. He noted that the original ‘Notun Kuri’ programme, launched in 1976, played an important role in discovering young talent and has recently been revived on Bangladesh Television.  

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Sunday made surprise visits to several ministries at the Secretariat soon after arriving at his office on the first working day. The Prime Minister arrived at the Secretariat at around 9:05am and immediately began the visits, said his Additional Press Secretary Atikur Rahman Rumon. He first went to the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources, where he entered different rooms, spoke to officials and staff, and advised them to prevent wastage and ensure efficient use of resources. He suggested reducing unnecessary use of lights, limiting air-conditioner usage, and making better use of daylight by opening curtains to cut electricity consumption. The Prime Minister also told officials that loving the country truly means caring for it from the heart. “This country belongs to all of us,” he said. During his visits to different ministries, he also advised officials and staff to maintain cleanliness of offices, including desks, chairs and other furniture, and to take proper care of government assets. “Government property is the country’s property, and it must be preserved with care,” he said. The Additional Press Secretary said the Prime Minister also visited the Ministries of Water Resources, Health and Family Welfare, Environment and Forest, Social Welfare, Fisheries and Livestock, and Housing and Public Works. Officials and employees appeared surprised by the sudden visits, with many seen becoming alert and active. After completing the visits, the Prime Minister returned to his office and attended a meeting of a special committee on the farmers’ card programme. Agriculture Minister Aminur Rashid, along with secretaries and senior officials of the relevant ministries, were present at the meeting.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Tuesday instructed the authorities concerned to revamp the traffic management system in the capital to reduce congestion and public suffering. The directive came during a special meeting on easing traffic congestion and modernising Dhaka’s traffic system, held at the Prime Minister’s Office at the Secretariat on Tuesday afternoon, his Additional Press Secretary Atikur Rahman Rumon said. Having foregone prime ministerial protocol to commute around the city as ordinary citizens do, the current premier's initiative and commitment to easing the capital's crippling traffic may carry more credibility. “At the meeting, the Prime Minister gave several directives to take swift and effective measures to ease traffic congestion in the capital. He also stressed the importance of modernising the traffic management system and making it suitable for present-day needs,” Rumon said. Officials expressed hope that the short-term plans, once implemented, could significantly ease traffic congestion in Dhaka by the end of April, while medium- and long-term measures would bring substantial improvements to the overall system. Key decisions taken at the meeting include introducing automated traffic signals using local technology in phases, covering 120 signals across the city; constructing new bypass roads around Dhaka, along with overpasses and underpasses within the city; removing unplanned bus counters; relocating five inter-district bus terminals outside the city for later use as city bus terminals; and clearing illegal occupation from roadsides while removing electric poles from the middle of roads to ensure smoother vehicle movement. The meeting also decided to introduce automatic signal lighting systems at railway crossings alongside existing manual systems, bring city buses under a GPS-based monitoring system, equip most foot overbridges with escalators, and install lifts using local technology at footbridges near hospital areas. Administrators of Dhaka North and South City Corporations said they expect to implement most of the proposed measures by April 7. Labour leader Shamsur Rahman Shimul Biswas, MP, will coordinate with transport owners and workers’ organisations to ensure effective implementation. Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed, Minister for Road Transport, Bridges, Railways and Shipping Sheikh Robiul Alam, State Minister for Railways Habibur Rashid Habib, labour leader Shamsur Rahman Shimul Biswas, MP, Administrators of Dhaka North and South City Corporations, RAJUK Chairman Riazul Islam Riju, BRTC Chairman Abdul Latif Molla, Inspector General of Police Ali Hossain Fakir, and other senior officials attended the meeting.  

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Monday directed officials concerned to explore ways to make the country’s zakat management system more effective and well organised. He gave the instruction at a meeting on zakat management held at the Cabinet Division in Secretariat, said Prime Minister’s Deputy Secretary Jahidul Islam Rony. The meeting was attended by Religious Affairs Minister Kazi Shah Mofazzal Houssain Kaikobad, Religious Affairs Secretary Munshi Alauddin Al Azad and As-Sunnah Foundation Chairman and eminent Islamic thinker Sheikh Ahmadullah, During the meeting, a decision was taken to reorganise the Zakat Board. “It was also proposed to form a committee led by the Religious Affairs Minister to review the issue and place recommendations before the Prime Minister,” Rony said. The proposed committee may include the khatib of Baitul Mukarram National Mosque Mufti Abdul Malek, Sheikh Ahmadullah and several leading Islamic economists and noted scholars. Officials said the Religious Affairs Ministry will propose the names for the full committee within the next ten days. The committee will then submit recommendations to the Prime Minister on improving zakat management and restructuring the Zakat Board. ‘Let’s go to war,’ PM says before leaving for work Earlier on Saturday, at an iftar programme held in honour of alem-ulema Islamic scholars and orphans, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman said a proper zakat management system could play an important role in reducing poverty in the country within the next 10 to 15 years. The meeting also discussed how an effective zakat management system could help reduce poverty in Bangladesh.  

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Sunday enquired about the condition of Bangladeshis living in the Middle East amid the ongoing conflict involving Iran. Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman and the Prime Minister’s Adviser on Foreign Affairs, Humayun Kabir, met the prime minister at the Secretariat in the morning, said PM’s Additional Press Secretary Atikur Rahman Rumon. “The prime minister enquired about the condition of Bangladeshis in Middle Eastern countries in light of the developments in Iran and gave necessary instructions,” he said. Iran fires missiles at Israel, Gulf states after US-Israeli strike kills Khamenei Rumon said the meeting also discussed the cancellation of many Middle East-bound flights and other related issues arising from the conflict. He said the prime minister is closely monitoring how stranded passengers at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport are being looked after. Rumon said the Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister and the State Minister are working in line with the prime minister’s directives. The state minister has been present at the airport since morning, while the Expatriates’ Welfare Minister has also been overseeing the situation. The additional press secretary said the prime minister arrived at his office at the Secretariat at 9:10am. As part of his day’s schedule, Disaster Management and Relief Minister Asadul Habib Dulu also met him. Rumon said the prime minister discussed post-earthquake disaster management and instructed the authorities to prepare an action plan to deal with such situations. After the meeting, Asadul Habib Dulu told reporters that the prime minister directed the authorities concerned to prepare one lakh volunteers in Dhaka to respond to post-earthquake emergencies. Later, the Power and Energy Minister also met the prime minister, the additional press secretary said.  

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman attended office on Saturday, although it was a public holiday, and called on officials to gear up the implementation process of the government’s election manifesto. The move, similar to last week’s holiday appearance, signals his push to maintain momentum in delivering key policy priorities. Tarique Rahman arrived at the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) in Tejgaon at 10:15am, said his Additional Press Secretary Atikur Rahman Rumon. He said the Prime Minister left his Gulshan residence in the morning and went to his office in Tejgaon, where he held a meeting with officials and staff members. During the meeting, Tarique Rahman sought their cooperation in implementing his election manifesto, Rumon added. Prime Minister’s advisers Mirza Abbas, Ismail Zabiullah, Humayun Kabir, Rashed Al Mahmud Titumir, Brig Gen (retd) ATM Shamsul Islam and Zahedur Rahman were present, along with Principal Secretary ABM Abdus Sattar. The additional press secretary said the Prime Minister is scheduled to attend an iftar hosted by Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Center in the afternoon. PM shares warm moments with children after Jum'a prayers at Banani Tarique Rahman assumed office as Prime Minister on February 17. Since then, he has been attending office every Saturday despite the weekly government holiday. Last Saturday, he worked at the PMO in Tejgaon for the first time.  

The global leaders, who attended the executive meeting of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), have expressed the confidence that Bangladesh will speedily attain political stability and accelerated development under the able leadership of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman. They expressed full support to Bangladesh's candidature for the Presidency of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly. Foreign Minister and Bangladesh candidate for the UNGA Presidency Dr Khalilur Rahman,  held bilateral meetings with leaders of a number of key participating delegations on the sidelines of the executive meeting of the OIC on Palestine in Jeddah and discussed issues of common interest, said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Friday. They include Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar of Pakistan, Vice Foreign Minister Waleed A. Elkhreiji of Saudi Arabia, Deputy Foreign Minister of Turkey Musa Kulaklikaya, Foreign Minister Dr. Varsen Ohanes Vartan Aghabekian and Foreign Minister Sering Modou Njie of Gambia, who is also the Chair of the Executive Meeting. Palestine has already withdrawn its candidature for the presidency of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) for the 2026–2027 term. Following the withdrawal of the Palestinian candidature, Bangladesh will now compete with Cyprus. Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has nominated Foreign Minister Dr Khalilur for the position, said the source. The leaders of the delegations, during meetings with Foreign Minister Dr Rahman, conveyed their heartiest congratulations to Prime Minister Tarique on the massive victory of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and his assumption of the responsibility as Prime Minister of Bangladesh. They also commended Bangladesh for its unwavering commitment to the cause of Palestine. Pak PM Keen To Visit Bangladesh Pakistan's Foreign Minister warmly recalled his meeting with the late Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia last year. He said Pakistan Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif eagerly look forward to visiting Bangladesh to personally great Prime Minister Tarique. Foreign Minister Dar expressed the hope that under the new government in Dhaka the relationship between the two countries will steadily prosper. Turkish Support Appreciated Turkish Minister Kulaklikaya recalled the historical relationship between Turkey and Bangladesh and hoped that the relationship between the two countries will expand steadily in multiple sectors in the coming days. Foreign Minister  Khalilur Rahman expressed sincere thanks to him for the help and support Turkey has been giving to the Rohingya refugees. The two sides resolved to work together to advance an early resolution of the issue. Foreign Minister Rahman handed over to the Turkish Minister an invitation address to Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan to visit Bangladesh after Ramadan. KSA Keen to Welcome PM The Saudi Minister expressed the hope that Prime Minister Tarique would visit the Kingdom at a convenient time in the near future. He also extended an invitation to Foreign Minister Rahman to visit Riyadh. He said the 'Vision 2030' of Saudi Arabia offered many opportunities for Bangladesh in a wide range of sectors. He expressed his government's readiness to work with Bangladesh in this regard. Foreign Minister Khalilur  Rahman pointed out that there are important opportunities for Saudi Arabia to invest in Bangladesh. The two sides resolved to work together to realise these potentials. Minister Elkhereiji also requested Bangladesh's support to undertake major reforms to enhance the performance of the OIC Secretariat. Unwavering Support to Palestinians During the meeting with the Palestinian Foreign Minister Aghabekian, the Foreign Minister reiterated Bangladesh's unwavering support to the cause of the Palestinian people. He stressed that the only solution to the Palestinian issue is the establishment of an independent and sovereign Palestinian state with the pre-1967 border and East Jerusalem as its capital. The Palestinian Foreign Minister lauded Bangladesh for its strong and consistent support to the Palestinian cause. The Palestinian Minister said that the Arab-Islamic flow will be for Bangladeshi candidature. Rohingya Crisis Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman offered sincere thanks to Foreign Minister Njie of Gambia for his government's continued active support to the cause of the Rohingya people, including the case it brought before the International Court of Justice against Myanmar for committing genocide against the Rohingyas. He said Bangladesh stood ready to support the important work of Gambia for the Rohingyas. Both sides agreed to hold an event on the Rohingya issue during the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers meeting in Baghdad in April this year. Foreign Minister Njie expressed full support to Bangladesh's candidate for the UNGA Presidency and offered to work with other African countries in support of it. Humayun Kabir, Adviser to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Mollah Farhad Hossain, Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and MJH Jabed, Permanent Representative of Bangladesh to OIC, were present during the meetings.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Thursday said efforts would continue to secure UN recognition for Bangla and proposed turning the Amar Ekushey Book Fair into an international event in the coming years. Speaking at the inaugural ceremony of the Amar Ekushey Book Fair 2026 at Bangla Academy, he also stressed the importance of promoting reading habits and increasing the publication of research-based books. “In the course of time, you may consider whether, in the coming years, the Amar Ekushey Book Fair could be organised as the Amar Ekushey International Book Fair,” the prime minister said. Tarique said an international Amar Ekushey Book Fair will not only introduce our citizens to world literature but also encourage them to learn about and understand multiple languages and cultures. “I believe that, in today’s global village, it is essential to be familiar with not only our mother tongue but also with several other languages,” he said. To achieve prosperity and dignity in this competitive world, the Prime Minister said there is no alternative to building a knowledge- and talent-based society. “We must enrich ourselves through knowledge, science, technology, and skill. At the same time, our efforts to secure recognition for Bangla as an official language of the United Nations will continue,” he said. The Prime Minister also reflected on the distinctive identity of Bangladesh’s book fair. He noted that while book fairs are held in many countries, the Amar Ekushey Book Fair is unique, symbolising the achievement of language rights and the establishment of Bangla as the state language. “Although the size and scale of the fair increase every year, there is currently scope for thought on whether research-based publications are increasing at the same rate, and whether citizens’ reading habits are developing accordingly,” the prime minister said. Recalling the supreme sacrifice of the language martyrs of 1952, Tarique said February 21 is now observed globally as International Mother Language Day. “We observe Ekushey every year with pride in memory of those who sacrificed their lives to establish the dignity of our mother tongue. The day now belongs not only to Bangladesh but also to the whole world,” he said. The Prime Minister said Bangla Academy carries the spirit of the Language Movement and that the Amar Ekushey Book Fair is one of its most important creative initiatives. He said the fair should not remain just a marketplace for selling books. “Let Amar Ekushey Book Fair become a centre for the growth of education and culture. Let it be a meeting place of hearts.”

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Thursday said education, research, arts and literature should remain free from political influence in a civilised society. “I believe that politicising education, research and the practice of arts and literature is never a mark of a civilised society,” he said while addressing the Ekushey Padak 2026 award ceremony at the Osmani Memorial Auditorium. The Prime Minister said the government is working to establish a liberal democratic state system with strong moral standards so that the country can move forward in all branches of knowledge, including education, literature, arts, science and technology. “In this journey, we certainly expect guidance and direction from the country’s wise and learned citizens,” he said. Although politicians are entrusted with the responsibility of running the state, Tarique said, wise and distinguished citizens play the role of guiding forces in society. PM promises UN recognition of Bangla, globalising Ekushey Book Fair He said the greater the number of accomplished individuals in a state and society, the more enlightened that society becomes in terms of prosperity and moral standards. “So, the state honours distinguished citizens out of its own need, and in doing so, it honours itself,” the Prime Minister added. Referring to the history of the award, he said Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman, the proclaimer of Bangladesh's independence, had introduced the Ekushey Padak for the first time in independent Bangladesh from this very realisation.   He said the Ekushey Padak is not merely an award. "Through it, the nation remembers historic events from the 1952 Language Movement to the present day."   At the same time, he said, the award introduces the people to those distinguished individuals who have enriched themselves, the state and society through their contributions to education, literature, arts and research. The Prime Minister described February 21 as a ‘symbol of Bangladesh’s identity’ and expressed hope that Bangla language and literature would one day shine in the world of global literature. “February holds special importance in our national history. February 21 is a marker of our identity. It is the lifeblood of our national consciousness. Bangla language and literature will surely one day spread light in the world of literature. We look forward to that proud day,” he added. The Prime Minister also congratulated this year’s awardees and wished them long, creative and meaningful lives. Tarique said February 21 represents both the struggle to establish the dignity of the mother tongue and a movement to assert rights against oppression. “So, February is a month of self-realisation and a month to rediscover our roots.” Paying tribute to the language martyrs, Tarique said, “With deep respect, I remember the language movement activists. May Allah accept their deaths as martyrdom.” The Prime Minister also said the state and the government would continue to fulfil their responsibilities to further promote education, research and cultural activities. Earlier, he handed over Ekushey Padak medals to nine distinguished individuals and one music band in recognition of their outstanding contributions in various fields. The ceremony, conducted by Cabinet Secretary Nasimul Gani, was also addressed by Cultural Affairs Minister Nitai Roy Chowdhury, State Minister Ali Newaz Mahmud Khaiyam and Cultural Affairs Secretary Md Mofidur Rahman.