United News of Bangladesh

State Minister for Water Resources Forhad Hossain Azad on Monday inspected preparations for Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s upcoming visit to Feni, including the venue of a proposed roadside public meeting. The state minister visited Kheya Ghat in Parshuram upazila, areas along the Muhuri River and the proposed meeting venue. During the visit, he discussed the overall preparations with officials concerned. Forhad said people in Parshuram and adjoining areas of Feni are enthusiastic about the Prime Minister’s visit. “All departments concerned are working in coordination to ensure that the Prime Minister’s visit is completed smoothly, safely and successfully,” he said. The state minister also highlighted the importance of the Muhuri-Kahua flood control and drainage project, undertaken by the Ministry of Water Resources to address long-standing problems of flooding, waterlogging and river erosion in the river basin. “Once the project is implemented, it will bring positive changes to the livelihoods, agriculture, business and overall socioeconomic activities of people living across the riverbank areas. At the same time, people’s lives and properties and agricultural land will be better protected from flood damage,” he said. The approved cost of the project is Tk 1,542 crore, according to recent reports. Forhad instructed officials to give the highest priority to quality, environmental considerations and the interests of local people in implementing the project. He also stressed the importance of sustainable water management while taking into account the views and needs of local residents. Later, the state minister exchanged views with local journalists and said the Prime Minister’s visit would be significant for the people of Feni. He said implementation of the Muhuri-Kahua flood control and drainage project could help address the long-standing problems of flooding and waterlogging. “This will create opportunities to bring greater stability to agricultural production, transport and communications, local businesses and trade, and people’s normal lives,” Forhad said. “We want to permanently protect the people of Feni from the suffering caused by flooding and waterlogging. The Ministry of Water Resources is implementing necessary plans and activities to achieve this goal,” he said. “We hope the Prime Minister’s visit will further accelerate water management and development activities in this region,” he added. Feni-1 MP Munshi Rafiqul Alam, Feni-2 MP Joynal Abdin, Deputy Commissioner Mohammed Mahbubul Karim and officials of the Bangladesh Water Development Board, among others, were present during the visit.

State Minister for Planning Zonayed Abdur Rahim Saki on Monday called for stronger coordination among the government, business and industry, and academia to create new knowledge, develop skilled human resources and build a smart and innovative Bangladesh. “Effective coordination and partnership among the government, business and industry, and academia are essential for sustainable and dynamic development,” he said. The state minister was speaking as the chief guest at the inaugural ceremony of the ‘Bangladesh Innovation Fair 2026’ at the auditorium of Novo Theatre in Agargaon. He said stronger inter-ministerial coordination is also needed in development planning and project implementation to prevent overlapping and duplication of projects. “Coordination between the Planning Ministry and every ministry and division needs to be strengthened,” he said, adding that this would ensure the maximum and effective use of public resources and help reduce the time and cost of project implementation. If research and innovation could be linked to the practical needs of industries, he said, opportunities for developing new technologies, creating jobs and producing entrepreneurs would increase. The state minister also  said the government wants to strengthen coordination between government organisations and non-governmental organisations in every area of development. He said GO-NGO partnerships would be used to ensure the best use of shared platforms and infrastructure and accelerate inclusive development. Saki said Bangladesh needed to harness the innovative potential of its young people to build a knowledge-based and technology-driven economy. He said innovation fairs could create opportunities for young innovators, entrepreneurs, researchers, students and industry representatives to connect and exchange experience. Shahir Chowdhury, CEO of Shikho; Syed Almas Kabir, chairman of BIIN; Dr Nazneen Kawsar Chowdhury, executive chairman of the National Skills Development Authority; Akhter Uddin Mahmud, deputy managing director of Bank Asia; Durdana Chowdhury, director of Unilever Bangladesh; and Dr Sazzad Hossain, professor of the ECE Department at North South University, attended the programme as special guests. Speakers at the event discussed Bangladesh’s potential in innovation and skills development, the use of technology, industry-academia cooperation and ways to prepare young people for the future labour market.

State Minister for Health Dr MA Muhit on Sunday said the proposed national budget for the 2026-27 fiscal year prioritises disease prevention and comprehensive reforms in the healthcare sector rather than the unplanned construction of buildings and hospitals. “This huge investment is aimed not merely at constructing hospitals or bringing temporary improvements to public health, but at increasing life expectancy and enabling people to live healthy lives,” he said, adding that the health sector allocation has almost doubled from the outgoing fiscal year. Muhit made the remarks while taking part in the general discussion on the proposed budget in Parliament. He said the health sector allocation has increased to Tk 69,000 crore in the proposed budget from Tk 35,000 crore in the previous budget. The state minister said the country's economy and healthcare system deteriorated during the previous 15 years of misrule, making comprehensive reforms essential. The objective of this health budget is to rebuild the collapsed healthcare system and establish an integrated health service where people, regardless of their economic status, will receive free and easily accessible treatment, he said. “This budget has been designed to build an accessible, affordable and inclusive healthcare system,” Muhit said. Focusing on the country's major health challenges, he said around 71 percent of deaths in Bangladesh are now caused by non-communicable diseases (NCDs), including diabetes, hypertension, kidney diseases and other chronic diseases. He stressed the need to make healthcare services more effective by adopting modern technologies and improving health management. The state minister also expressed concern over the high cost of medical treatment, saying nearly 79 percent of healthcare expenditure in Bangladesh comes directly from patients' pockets. In Thailand, out-of-pocket expenditure accounts for only around 10 percent, while in the Maldives it is about 18 percent, he said. “There is no plan in this budget for indiscriminate construction of hospitals and buildings,” said the state minister. Criticising the opposition for not raising voice for health reform, he claimed that the opposition often talks about reforms and the July Charter, but they only speak of reforms that will give them a share of power. “They have never spoken about reforms in the health sector,” he said. Muhit stressed the need for strengthening health management, decentralising healthcare services and ensuring greater transparency and accountability in procurement in the health sector. “We will build a healthcare system where people in both urban and rural areas receive the same standard of services. Our healthcare system will be built on the foundation of primary healthcare,” he said. Citing that the health budget has been increased by 100 percent this time, the state minister said the government will place greater emphasis on disease prevention rather than treatment. “We will build a referral network (to ensure better delivery of healthcare services),” he said.

State Minister for Primary and Mass Education Bobby Hajjaj on Sunday said the government has introduced a new decentralised system for teacher transfers to make the process transparent, accountable and free from corruption. The teacher transfer process had long been known as a major area of syndicate control and corruption, which stood as a significant obstacle to improving the quality of education, he said while addressing the Validation Workshop on the Bangladesh Education Sector Analysis (ESA) 2026, organised by GPE and UNICEF at a hotel in the capital. Bobby Hajjaj said that under the directive of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman and the initiative of the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education, the teacher transfer process has been decentralised and brought to the local level. Under the new policy, separate committees are being formed at the upazila, district, divisional and city corporation levels to review transfer applications at regular intervals, he said. At the upazila level, a four-member committee headed by the Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) will scrutinise applications, while the Upazila Primary Education Officer will issue transfer orders based on the committee’s recommendations, he added. Besides, similar five- or six-member committees will operate at the district, divisional and city corporation levels to examine transfer applications and issue transfer orders, he said. Education and Primary and Mass Education Minister Dr A N M Ehsanul Hoque Milon attended the programme as the chief guest. Officials from the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education, relevant departments and UNICEF were also present at the event.

Bangladesh has expressed its willingness to work closely with Belarus to further strengthen the existing friendly relations. Non-resident Ambassador of Belarus to Bangladesh Mikhail Kasko paid a courtesy call on State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs recently and discussed issues of mutual interest. Both sides held productive discussions on enhancing bilateral cooperation in key areas, including agriculture, defence, textiles and RMGs, skilled and semi-skilled labour migration, IT sector, pharmaceuticals, and jute, the Ministry said. They also emphasised the importance of strengthening people-to-people contacts to further solidify the foundation of bilateral relations. Ambassador Kasko congratulated the State Minister on assuming office and conveyed the readiness of Belarus government to work with the new government of Bangladesh. Both sides agreed that different bilateral mechanisms, including Foreign Office Consultations, should be held more frequently to expedite discussions and advance cooperation in identified priority areas. The meeting concluded with both sides expressing appreciation for the warm and friendly exchanges and reaffirming their shared commitment to further deepen and broaden Bangladesh-Belarus relations in the coming years.

State Minister for Youth and Sports Aminul Haque on Monday told Parliament that the current government has taken a plan to build sports villages in 64 districts of the country. “The present government has a plan to build sports villages in 64 districts of the country as per its election manifesto. There will be arrangements for the development of cricket under this plan,” he said while replying to a starred question from ruling party lawmaker Mohammed Fakhrul Islam (Noakhali-5) in the House. Earlier, Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmad, Bir Bikram, tabled the question-and-answer session at the outset of Monday’s sitting. The state minister also said the government has initiated the process of undertaking a project titled "Construction of an International Standard Sports Tourism Complex in Cox's Bazar District". Under this project, an international standard cricket stadium will be constructed in Cox's Bazar district, he said. Besides, a plan has been taken to build an international standard cricket stadium in Purbachal, Dhaka, said Aminul Haque.

State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam on Sunday said Bangladesh expects its vessels including MV Banglar Joyjatra to pass safely through the Strait of Hormuz. “We expect all ships, including MV Banglar Joyjatra, to pass safely through the Strait of Hormuz. The energy ministry (Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry) will know better,” she told reporters at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs while responding to a question. On April 21, the Iranian Embassy in Dhaka said it will continue its efforts to facilitate the safe passage of Bangladeshi vessels through the Strait of Hormuz and has also facilitate the safe evacuation of 186 Bangladeshi nationals from Iran via Azerbaijan. The Embassy, in a press statement, called upon all concerned to refrain from any actions or statements that may create misperceptions, and to uphold the spirit of mutual respect that governs the enduring ties between the two brotherly nations. Iran reiterates its firm commitment to strengthening the close and amicable relations between the two nations.

State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam has appreciated Portugal’s continued support in hosting a significant number of Bangladeshi expatriates and called for the expanded recruitment of both skilled and semi-skilled workers. She underscored the importance of strengthening bilateral trade including increasing Bangladesh’s exports of jute and jute-based products to the EU market, and invited greater Portuguese investment. The State Minister met Portugal’s Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation Ana Isabel Xavier on the sidelines of the “Dakar International Forum on Peace and Security in Africa” held in Dakar, Senegal on April 20, said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday. They also discussed enhancing cooperation in areas such as sports, culture and women’s empowerment, and exchanged views on addressing the Rohingya crisis.

State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam has called for enhanced Japanese investment in key sectors including renewable energy, ICT, infrastructure, pharmaceuticals, agro-processing and manufacturing. The State Minister held a bilateral meeting with Japanese Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Onishi Yohei on the sidelines of the ‘Dakar International Forum on Peace and Security in Africa’ held in Dakar, Senegal on April 20, said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday. They discussed expanding cooperation in trade, investment, connectivity, technology, skills development and people-to-people exchanges. The State Minister expressed appreciation for Japan’s continued support in addressing the Rohingya crisis and sought further assistance to facilitate their early and sustainable repatriation to Myanmar.

State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam will represent Bangladesh at Dakar International Forum on Peace and Security, which will be held in Senegal from April 19–22. The State Minister left Dhaka for Dakar, Senegal, on Saturday morning to attend the Forum, said an official at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. She is expected to return to Bangladesh on April 24.