United News of Bangladesh

Finance Adviser Dr Salehuddin Ahmed on Thursday said that peacekeeping in the UN Mission is an immensely challenging task due to adverse environments, unfamiliar climates, and cultural differences. “The biggest challenge is staying ready for facing challenges and uncertainty all time, you have to remain alert all time, you have to remain alert mentally and physically,” he said while addressing a programme marking the International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers. The event was held at the Bangladesh-China Friendship International Conference Center in Dhaka. The day is being observed under the theme The Future of Peacekeeping.  Salehuddin stresses good governance in public investment Dr Salehuddin lauded the contribution of Bangladeshi peacekeepers saying they uphold the country’s image as a peace-loving and developing nation in the global arena. “Bangladesh does not seek peace only for itself—we are committed to promoting peace in every corner of the world,” he added. He said maintaining peace has become more difficult now than ever before. “Expansion of technology and complexities of the usage of technology make it harder, new threats are coming,” he said. He urged the peacekeepers to be well-prepared before joining any mission. “Technology learning is a continuous process, you need to continue that, it is a big challenge,” he said. Dr Salehuddin assured peacekeepers of the government's full support to ensure they are well-equipped for their missions. Chief of Army Staff General Waker-Uz-Zaman, Acting Foreign Secretary Md Ruhul Alam Siddique, and UN Resident Coordinator Gwyn Lewis also spoke at the event. The programme began with a minute of silence in honour of fallen peacekeepers followed by the screening of a short video documentary. Dr Salehuddin handed over honour crests to two injured peacekeepers—Soldier Md Alamin Hossain and Constable Mahmudul Haque—in recognition of their sacrifice during UN missions.  Next national budget will be business-friendly: Adviser Salehuddin He also unveiled a special peacekeepers’ journal and interacted with Bangladeshi contingents currently deployed across the world through video conferencing.

International aid organizations warned on Friday that Israeli efforts to take control of humanitarian aid distribution in Gaza—backed by a new U.S.-proposed system—risk worsening the humanitarian crisis in the war-torn enclave. The agencies urged Israel to end its three-month blockade of vital supplies, including food and medicine. U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee said a new American-designed aid framework would launch soon and encouraged U.N. and other relief agencies to join. However, the U.N. has rejected the plan, saying it “weaponizes aid,” could result in mass displacement, and lacks the capacity to deliver adequate assistance while violating neutrality principles. Gaza at critical risk of famine if Israel doesn't end its blockade: Food security experts As aid dwindles, scenes of desperation grow more frequent. In Khan Younis, thousands crowded around a charity kitchen, waving empty pots in hopes of receiving pasta—one of the few food sources left for Gaza’s 2.3 million people. Dozens of such kitchens have already shut due to supply shortages. Raed al-Zaharna, who left without food for his children, said, “I’m thinking now, ‘What will I feed them?’ I can’t find anything.” Since March 2, Israel has blocked food, fuel, medicine, and other supplies from entering Gaza. Officials say the move is meant to pressure Hamas to release hostages and disarm. The blockade resumed alongside renewed bombardments and troop advances following a collapsed ceasefire. Human rights groups have described the blockade as a form of “starvation tactic” and warned it could amount to a war crime. Israel has made clear it will not permit the current U.N.-led aid system to resume, accusing Hamas of diverting supplies—though no evidence has been presented. The U.N. counters that it strictly monitors aid and denies significant diversion. “Humanitarian aid should never be used as a bargaining chip,” said UNICEF spokesperson James Elder. “There is a simple alternative. Lift the blockade, let humanitarian aid in, save lives.” U.S.-Backed Plan Sparks Pushback Huckabee said details of the new system would be unveiled in the coming days, with deliveries expected to begin “very soon.” He emphasized the plan’s independence from Israel, noting that private contractors would manage distribution and perimeter security would be handled by Israeli forces from a distance. “I will be the first to admit it will not be perfect, especially in the early days,” Huckabee said. The system is to be operated by the newly formed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a group comprising former U.S. officials, ex-military personnel, private security contractors, and humanitarian specialists. Documents obtained by the Associated Press indicate the plan involves four secure distribution hubs, each serving 300,000 people—covering only about half of Gaza’s population initially. Joseph Belliveau, executive director of Medglobal, said that during a Geneva briefing led by U.S. envoy team member Aryeh Lightstone, aid groups objected to replacing the U.N.-led system with the new model. Belliveau said humanitarian groups have long followed rigorous protocols to prevent aid diversion. “What we need is to be just allowed (to work). We need that blockade lifted,” he said. U.N. Rejects Israeli Control Over Aid While Israel has yet to publicly disclose details of its intended aid mechanism, the U.N. has said that what has been communicated privately undermines core humanitarian principles. “As the Secretary-General has made clear, the U.N. will not engage in any arrangement that fails to uphold the humanitarian principles: humanity, impartiality, independence and neutrality,” the U.N. emergency aid office said Friday. Elder said the GHF plan appears “designed to reinforce control over life-sustaining items as a pressure tactic.” Aid groups fear the hub system will force Palestinians to relocate or travel long distances, potentially causing further displacement. None of the hubs appear set to be located in northern Gaza, where hundreds of thousands still reside. Israel has repeatedly urged civilians to leave the north due to ongoing combat with Hamas. Elder warned that this could solidify forced displacement “for political and military purposes.” Vulnerable populations—children, the elderly, and the ill—might be unable to access the hubs. Last month, 20 aid organizations warned the proposed plan would push people into “de facto internment conditions” clustered around the distribution hubs. Some aid officials also expressed concern over Israel's apparent intent to vet aid recipients, which could politicize distribution. GHF has said its plan is need-based. “More children are likely to suffer and risk death and injury as a consequence of this plan,” Elder said. Concerns Over Scale and Effectiveness Humanitarian officials argue that the new system won't come close to meeting Gaza’s immense needs. Hundreds of distribution sites, medical centers, shelters, and support services are currently coordinated by UNRWA, the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees. Israel barred UNRWA’s operations last year, claiming some staff were linked to Hamas. The agency maintains that it takes swift action against any staff with suspected ties and notes that Israel has not provided evidence of its allegations. UNRWA spokesperson Juliette Touma emphasized, “It is very, very difficult to imagine any humanitarian operation without UNRWA.” Ruth James, Oxfam’s regional humanitarian coordinator, said extensive networks are essential for delivering aid effectively. “That takes time and expertise,” she said. “Any new system that comes in this quickly and without humanitarian expertise and trust from communities will not be able to do that.” Huckabee urged U.N. agencies to support the new mechanism, but concerns remain unaddressed. Jens Laerke, spokesperson for the U.N. humanitarian office, said meetings with Israeli officials have failed to resolve those concerns. He dismissed the claim that aid theft is widespread. “The problem is the blockage of hundreds of aid trucks that should go into the Gaza Strip every single day. That is the root cause of the humanitarian crisis,” Laerke said.  

"The humanitarian situation throughout the Gaza Strip is beyond imagination," the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East warned on Sunday. The UN agency said on social media platform X that "as the complete blocking of supplies essential for survival enters its ninth week, there must be a concerted international effort to stop this humanitarian catastrophe from reaching a new unseen level," reiterating its call for an urgent ceasefire. Meanwhile, the Hamas-run media office warned of an imminent humanitarian disaster in Gaza due to the continued closure of the crossings and a stifling blockade lasting more than 60 days. The office said in a press statement that "the Israeli occupation continues to prevent the entry of baby formula, nutritional supplements, and all forms of humanitarian aid, leaving more than 70,000 children hospitalized due to severe malnutrition." Yemen's internationally recognized prime minister resigns over a political dispute It added that more than 3,500 children under the age of five are at imminent risk of death from starvation. The statement called on the international community to take urgent and immediate action to reopen crossings and allow the entry of baby formula and nutritional supplements into Gaza. Israel halted the flow of goods and supplies into Gaza on March 2 following the expiration of the first phase of a January ceasefire agreement with Hamas. The second phase has yet to be implemented due to a lack of consensus between the parties.

Chief Adviser's Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam on Friday said that the government will seek cooperation from the United Nations to assess the role of Bangladesh's media and journalists over the past 16 years and to present the truth to the global community. Speaking at a discussion titled 'Bangladesh after the July Uprising: Challenges for the Media' at Chattogram Press Club, he claimed that the current level of freedom of expression and freedom of writing enjoyed by the media in Bangladesh is unprecedented. Alam reaffirmed that the government is committed to upholding freedom of speech, including that of the media. Referring to the recent termination of three journalists from respective outlets, he said the government had no involvement in those decisions, which were made independently by the organizations. The press secretary also instructed the formation of a probe body to investigate allegations that some journalists handed over student protesters to the police during the anti-discrimination student movement in Chattogram in July and took a controversial stance in their reporting. He alleged that a neighboring country's media has been continuously spreading falsehoods and provocative news since the July uprising, in collaboration with elements supporting authoritarianism and allegedly with backing from the Awami League. Govt committed to independent journalism, says Deputy Press Secretary "Their disinformation campaign is expected to intensify ahead of the upcoming elections," he warned, urging everyone to remain vigilant and verify the authenticity of news. Chattogram Press Club and Chattogram Metropolitan Journalists' Union (CMJU) jointly organized the event. Chief Adviser's Deputy Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad Majumder delivered keynote speech. Chaired by Press Club's Member Secretary Zahidul Karim Kochi, BFUJ acting President Obaidur Rahman Shahin, Secretary General Kader Gani Chowdhury, CMJU President Md. Shahnewaz, engineer Jane Alam Selim, professional leader Dr. Khurshid Jamil, and Chittagong University's Journalism department Prof Dr Md. Shahidullah, among others, spoke at the event.

The United Nations considers political reforms in Bangladesh an internal matter, said BNP leaders following a roundtable discussion on reform proposals on Saturday. Speaking to reporters after the discussion, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said they told the UN that reforms should be implemented as soon as possible, with a focus on the election. "We have insisted that reforms must be carried out without delay. We were the first party to raise the issue of reforms. It is essential that these reforms, particularly in relation to the upcoming election, are completed promptly," he said. Fakhrul said they also talked about holding the next national election after completing the polls-related reforms. The BNP leader said they said the parliament that will be formed through the election will implement the remaining reforms. "We’ve said it’s a continuous process.” Party standing committee member Salahuddin Ahmed said, "The UN has said it’s an internal affair of Bangladesh, and it is for you (politicians) to sit together and determine what reforms will be made." He also mentioned that the UN expressed hope that a strong democratic government would be established in Bangladesh through the upcoming election that should be in line with the will of the people of Bangladesh. Elections to be useless without reforms, Nahid tells dialogue “He (UN Secretary-General) hoped that the upcoming elections will set a precedent in the world,” Salahuddin said. Replying to a question, Fakhrul said they did not discuss any time-frame for completing the reforms, as it is an internal matter of Bangladesh. "We are in talks with the reform commissions... we are in contact with them, and we have provided what they have asked for… So, there can be no questions regarding those matters. Why should we provide a time-frame to the UN Secretary-General?" he observed. The BNP leader also said they participated in the roundtable organised by the UN’s Dhaka office and shared their views on the reforms and the election. Basically, he said the UN Secretary-General was informed about the reform initiative and the commissions established by the government in this regard. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres joined the roundtable discussion on reform proposals participated by representatives of political parties, National Consensus Building Commission and other stakeholders. Apart from BNP, the leaders of Jamaat-e-Islami, National Citizen Party (NCP), Nagarik Oikya, CPB, AB Party and Ganosanhati Andolon participated in the event. On behalf of BNP, party Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and Standing Committee member Salahuddin Ahmed joined the meeting. UN Under Secretary General Rabab Fatima, Bangladesh’s Law Adviser Dr Asif, and representatives of different other political parties, Prof Ali Riaz, Dr Iftekharuzzaman, Badiul Alam Majumdar and UN Resident Coordinator in Bangladesh Gwyn Lewis were, among others, present at the dialogue held at Hotel InterContinental.

Without urgent new funding, monthly rations must be halved to US$6 per person, down from US$12.50 per person – just as refugees prepare to observe Eid, marking the end of Ramadan, said the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) on Friday. The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) warned of a critical funding shortfall for its emergency response operations in Bangladesh, jeopardising food assistance for over one million Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh. All Rohingyas receive vouchers that are redeemed for their choice of food at designated retailers in the camps. To sustain full rations, WFP urgently requires US$15 million for April, and US$81 million until the end of 2025. "The Rohingya refugee crisis remains one of the world's largest and most protracted,” said Dom Scalpelli, WFP Country Director in Bangladesh. UN to reduce Rohingya food aid by over half from April “Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh remain entirely dependent on humanitarian assistance for their survival. Any reduction in food assistance will push them deeper into hunger and force them to resort to desperate measures just to survive.” In recent months, new waves of Rohingya refugees, potentially exceeding 100,000 people, have crossed into Bangladesh, fleeing conflicts in neighbouring Myanmar. The continued influx of Rohingya seeking safety places an even greater strain on already overstretched resources. WFP has already begun communicating with the Rohingya community about the potential ration cuts. This coincides with the holy month of Ramadan – a sacred period for Muslims worldwide, including for the majority of the Rohingya – observed as a time for solidarity and support. “Now more than ever, the Rohingya need us to stand with them. These families have nowhere else to go, and WFP’s food aid is the difference between survival and despair. Immediate support is urgently needed to prevent this crisis from escalating further," added Scalpelli. In 2023, severe funding constraints forced WFP to reduce rations from US$12 to US$8 per person per month, leading to a sharp decline in food consumption and the worst levels of malnutrition among children since 2017 – reaching over 15 percent – above the emergency threshold. Rations were later increased when funding was received. Japan, Unicef sign $ 3.3mn deal to strengthen assistance for Rohingya children For a population with no legal status, no freedom of movement outside the camps, and no sustainable livelihood opportunities, further cuts will exacerbate protection and security risks. As in 2023, women and girls, in particular, may face heightened risks of exploitation, trafficking, prostitution, and domestic violence. Children may be pulled out of school and forced into child labour, while girls may be married off at a young age as families resort to desperate measures to survive. Refugee populations across the globe are often the first to face cuts to aid, despite being among the most vulnerable. As funding shortfalls grow and needs continue to rise, the Rohingya and many other communities are left with fewer resources to survive.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk has said the UN fact-finding mission on the atrocities during the July-August uprising is in a final stage and will be released by mid-February. He made the comments during a meeting with Bangladesh Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum annual meeting in the Swiss mountain city on Wednesday, said Chief Adviser's Deputy Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad Majumder. Türk said the report would also be shared with the Bangladesh side ahead of its publication from the UN rights office in Geneva. The fact-finding team is mandated to establish facts, identify responsibilities, analyze root causes, and make concrete recommendations for Bangladesh to address past human rights violations and prevent their recurrence. Dr Yunus thanked the UN rights office for investigating the crimes committed during the student-led uprising. He said reports of the six major independent commissions would also come out at around the same time. These reports might serve to complement each other, they observed. The chief adviser urged the UN human rights chief for his support in resolving the Rohingya crisis, which has worsened in recent months following the influx of tens of thousands of new refugees from Myanmar. Read: RAB fully cooperating with UN fact-finding team, says Director General While assuring of his full support, Türk said that he was in conversation with relevant stakeholders, including UN special envoy on Myanmar, Julie Bishop, in this regard. The deep human rights crisis in Myanmar needs the world’s attention, Turk said, after his meetings with key leaders including Special Envoy on Myanmar for talks on the urgent need for solutions and a coordinated response that prioritises peace and human rights. Yunus called for creating a UN-overseen safe zone inside Myanmar's Rakhine side in an effort to stop the fresh influx of Rohingyas. The chief adviser referred to the upcoming high-level conference on the Rohingya crisis, saying it will bring global focus to one of the worst humanitarian crises. Türk agreed that such a conference is very important to bring back the lost focus of the international community on the crisis. Read more: Govt to help UN fact-finding mission if they seek any help : Foreign Adviser Lamiya Morshed, SDGs Affairs Principal Coordinator (Senior Secretary), Ambassador Tareq Md Ariful Islam, Bangladesh's Permanent Representative in Geneva and M Riaz Hamidullah, Secretary (West) at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, among others, were present.

Foreign Secretary Md Jashim Uddin on Tuesday emphasized the government’s commitment to and national aspiration for "credible and inclusive" elections. He also highlighted that a significant number of first time voters are expected to exercise their franchise in the next election. The issues werw discussed when a three-member United Nations Electoral Needs Assessment team led by UN Resident Coordinator (UNRC) Gwyn Lewis called on the Foreign Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. During the meeting, they also discussed about the ways to ensure the voting rights of the Bangladeshi expatriates. The team is visiting Bangladesh at the request of the Bangladesh Election Commission to support their efforts to hold credible and inclusive elections in the country. Read: Time to make system transparent, accountable for Bangladesh: Danish Ambassador The team comprised of Sara Pietropaoli, and Aditya Adhikari, Political Affairs Officers of UN Division of the Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs (UN DPPA) and Najia Hashemee, Advisor of UNDP. During the meeting, the Mission informed the Foreign Secretary about their plan to engage with the electoral stakeholders of the country to assess the needs, based on which technical assistance can be provided for the next parliamentary election, according to the MoFA. Read more: UN team to meet every party it can think of in Bangladesh: Gwyn Lewis Upon consultation with different stakeholders, they are expected to provide recommendations to the Election Commission.

UN Resident Coordinator in Bangladesh Gwyn Lewis on Tuesday said they will meet every political party that they can think of in Bangladesh as the need assessment process begins in terms of UN's technical support to the Election Commission ahead of the next parliamentary elections. "As many as possible...they (need assessment mission) will meet every political party we can think of in Bangladesh," she said while responding to a question after the need assessment mission's meeting with Foreign Secretary Md Jashim Uddin at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The UNRC said her colleagues will assess what makes sense in terms of what the UN can offer as the Election Commission wrote to the UN requesting technical support. Lewis also made it clear that they are talking about parliamentary elections, not the local government elections, as the EC's request for technical support came for the national election. Asked about BNP’s desire to have elections by the middle of this year (by August), the UNRC said that is really a decision to be taken by political parties and the government. “We are not touching on timelines…that’s really a decision of the government of Prof Yunus and political parties to make.” Dr Yunus urges quick solution to KEPZ land rights issue Lewis said her colleagues are on a mission here at the request of the Bangladesh Election Commission which wrote the UN asking technical support for the upcoming elections. The need assessment mission is looking into areas where the UN can support and the election environment. During their meeting at the Election Commission earlier in the day, the EC came up with a list of support requests, said the UNRC. She said the team will be in Chattogram on Wednesday and they will have various meetings with the stakeholders in the coming days followed by a feedback session with the Election Commission. After coming back from Chattogram, they will meet civil society, academia, political parties and every stakeholder who will be involved in the election, said the UNRC, adding that they will have a very busy schedule within the 10 days of their engagements.      The need assessment process will be completed within 10 days following talks with the Commission and other stakeholders, including civil society, academicians and political parties. A UNDP delegation, accompanied by a need assessment mission came from New York, first met Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin and then four election commissioners and EC officials at the Nirbachan Bhaban in the capital. Based on the talks with stakeholders, there will be some recommendations made by the election commission over what technical support the UN could provide, said the UN resident coordinator. She said the UNDP may extend assistance for a wide range of issues, including capacity development, technology support, help over misinformation and disinformation. Noting that the door-to-door works are going to start to update the electoral rolls, she said some technologies might be needed there. Gwyn Lewis said the EC has made a request for technical support for different aspects of the works ranging from IT capacity development; help with misinformation and disinformation and a wide range of issues. Bangladesh seeks balanced trade with Malaysia: Commerce Adviser “The (need assessment) mission will finish it within 10 days and will come back here to present it before the EC,” she said. EC senior Secretary Akhtar Ahmed said the commission sought assistance from the UNDP for the election process. The assistance is related to technology --hardware and software—, training for capacity building, development of communication materials and other issues, he said, adding that the delegation came here to review the needs. “They have talked to us and will talk to other stakeholders.  They will come back to us with a proposal over the needs within 10 days,” he said.

Global food prices fell by 2.1 percent in 2024 compared to the average for the previous year, mainly due to declines in cereal and sugar prices, according to the latest report released Friday by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). The FAO Food Price Index for the whole year of 2024 stands at 122 points, 2.6 points lower than the average value in 2023, the report said. World food prices remain steady in August: FAO While the Index showed a steady upward trend in most of 2024, driven by dairy, meat, and vegetable oil prices, this increase was insufficient to fully offset the declines in cereal and sugar prices. The FAO Cereal Price Index for 2024 dropped by 13.3 percent compared to 2023, while the FAO Sugar Price Index fell by 13.2 percent year-on-year. According to the FAO, the decline in cereal prices in 2024 was primarily due to lower wheat and coarse grain prices. FAO distributes silo, cattle feed to 15 110 families in Jamuna river basin to safeguard livelihoods The report also noted that the FAO Food Price Index for December 2024 averaged 127 points, a month-on-month decrease of 0.5 percent, but a year-on-year increase of 6.7 percent.