United News of Bangladesh

A meeting of the National Committee on Hajj Management was held on Sunday, chaired by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman. The meeting was held at the Cabinet Room of the Prime Minister’s Office in the Bangladesh Secretariat, said Prime Minister’s Press Secretary Saleh Shibly. Various issues relating to the upcoming Hajj were discussed at the meeting, he said.  

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Sunday sought cooperation from people of all religions to build a happy, prosperous and better Bangladesh. “Let us all work together, regardless of religion or background, from our respective positions to build a happy, prosperous and better Bangladesh. People of all religions and communities must come forward for the greater cause of the country,” he said. The Prime Minister made the call while exchanging Easter greetings with leaders of the Protestant Church at the Cabinet Room of the Prime Minister’s Office in the Bangladesh Secretariat, said his Additional Press Secretary Atikur Rahman Rumon. A 13-member delegation, led by Bishop Philip P Adhikari, President of the Federation of Protestant Churches in Bangladesh, met the Prime Minister around 11:45am and exchanged views with him on the occasion of Easter Sunday. Addressing the gathering, Rumon said, the Prime Minister wished success and prosperity for the Christian community. Tarique Rahman explained his government’s position, saying, “We view people of all religions equally and love everyone in the same way. We believe religion belongs to individuals, but the country belongs to all.” Referring to the Bangladesh’s 13th parliamentary election held on February 12, he said people from all religious communities had voted for the BNP. “There was a perception that people of other religions do not vote for the BNP. This election has proven that wrong,” the Prime Minister said, adding that people from all walks of life supported the party and ensured its victory.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Wednesday expressed firm determination to implement his party’s electoral manifesto as the present government has already started keeping the commitments made before the people. “I would like say clearly that InshaAllah, we will continue to try our best to fulfill the promise we made to the people of Bangladesh,” he said, while replying to a supplementary question from treasury bench lawmaker ABM Mosharrof Hossain (Patuakhali-4) during the question-and-answer session in Parliament. The Prime Minister said the current government has begun the initial work of implementing the promises. “We’re determined to fulfill the promises we made before the people,” he said, adding that the government would implement its all programmes in phases.   Replying to a starred question from the same lawmaker, Tarique Rahman said the family card programme was launched on March 10, 2026 and in the initial phase, allowances have been provided to 37,817 female-headed households. In the remaining three months of the current fiscal year of 2025-2026, more 30,000 families will be brought under the programme, he added. “We’ll bring four crore families under the family card programme in phases throughout the country in the next four years,” said the Prime Minister. In reply to a starred question from ruling party lawmaker Tahsina Rushdi (Sylhet-2), the prime minister said all ministries and divisions are taking necessary initiatives to formulate action plans for the next 180 days, the next fiscal year and the next 5 years to implement the commitments announced in the government's election manifesto. “Significant progress has already been achieved in the implementation of some important activities announced in the election manifesto,” he said. To protect marginalized and low-income families, the initial phase of providing 'family cards' to 37,814 female-headed families in 15 wards of 13 districts has begun, he added. Tarique Rahman said the government has taken the initiative to provide farmers with comprehensive protection. In the initial stage, piloting will be done in 11 blocks of 11 upazilas of 10 districts of 08 divisions through the Department of Agricultural Extension, he said. Besides, in order to implement the election promise, the government has already waived agricultural loans up to Tk 10,000 in the crops, animal husbandry and fisheries sectors, he added. He said the honorarium was sent to the bank accounts of a total of 9,102 beneficiaries, including 3,295 Imams, 2,975 Muazzins, 2,604 Khadems, 114 Hindu temple priests and 83 servicemen, 15 principals and 16 vice principals of Buddhist monasteries/pagodas before Eid-ul-Fitr. A project to issue 2.5 million e-health cards in Khulna district under the pilot programme on 'issuance of e-health cards' is under the process, he said. The PM said the implementation of the 20,000 km canal excavation/re-excavation programme in the next 5 years has started from March 16, 2026 as per the government's election manifesto. Some 1.5 crore saplings of various species have already been produced for afforestation with the aim of planting 25 crore trees and creating green jobs in 5 years. The produced saplings will be planted in this monsoon, he said. Tarique Rahman said the government has a plan to distribute free-school uniforms to 200,000 children in government primary schools this fiscal year.

Prime Minister and Leader of the House Tarique Rahman on Monday held a brief meeting with Opposition Leader Dr Shafiqur Rahman at his chamber in the parliament secretariat. The meeting took place in the afternoon following the namaz-e-janaza of Professor Dilara Hafiz, wife of Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmed, at the South Plaza of the Jatiya Sangsad, said Prime Minister’s Additional Press Secretary Atikur Rahman Rumon. He said the Prime Minister brought the opposition leader to his chamber after the janaza and they spoke for around 20 minutes. “After the formalities of the janaza, the Prime Minister came to his chamber along with the opposition leader and held a brief discussion,” he said. After the meeting, Rumon said the Prime Minister came out of the chamber with the opposition leader and walked a short distance to see him off to his room. Local Government Minister and BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir was present during the meeting. Earlier, at around 12:00pm, the Prime Minister attended the janaza of Dilara Hafiz at the South Plaza. Opposition Leader Dr Shafiqur Rahman also joined the prayers. Before the janaza, Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, who was standing beside the Prime Minister, stepped aside to allow the opposition leader to stand next to him. After the janaza, the Prime Minister and the opposition leader were seen walking together through the South Plaza towards the parliament building, talking to each other. The Prime Minister then invited the opposition leader to his chamber where the meeting was held. Later, both the Leader of the House and the Opposition Leader entered the parliament session hall before the session began at 3:00pm.

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.  

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Thursday voiced optimism that Bangladesh will become a democratic, happy, and prosperous country under the leadership of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman. “People across the country are very hopeful and have strong confidence in Tarique Rahman. Under his leadership, we believe that Bangladesh will surely become a democratic, happy, and prosperous country,” he said. Fakhrul, who is also the LGRD and Cooperatives Minister, made the remarks while speaking to reporters after paying tribute at the graves of former President Ziaur Rahman and former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia in Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, marking the 56th Independence and National Day. He extended greetings to  people on behalf of BNP on the occasion of Independence Day. Fakhrul said this year’s Independence Day is being observed in a different context, recalling what he described as a long period of political struggle. “Despite repression and hardships, people continued their movement, and the July mass uprising created an opportunity to rebuild a democratic system,” Fakhrul said. He said Tarique Rahman, who led the party from abroad for years, is now working to rebuild the country with a fresh vision after forming the government. “He has already taken Bangladesh a long way forward under his leadership in just one month.” The BNP leader mentioned several initiatives taken by the government, including the introduction of family cards, allowances for imams and religious leaders, canal excavation programmes, and interest waivers for marginal farmers. At the beginning of his speech, Fakhrul paid deep respect to BNP founder Ziaur Rahman, who, by declaring independence, inspired the people of Bangladesh to take part in the Liberation War. He said Ziaur Rahman led the patriotic armed forces alongside the people of Bangladesh through nine months of battle to secure the country’s independence. On behalf of BNP, Fakhrul also paid homage to all those who were martyred in the Liberation War, as well as those who suffered and were injured, during the war. He also remembered former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia for her contributions to democracy and paid profound tribute to her. Earlier, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman paid tribute at the graves as head of government and later as BNP Chairman, accompanied by senior party leaders. They later joined a munajat seeking salvation for the departed souls of Ziaur Rahman and Khaleda Zia, as well as for the wellbeing of the country and its people.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s official vehicle carried the national flag for the first time on Thursday since he assumed office. The flag was seen on the Prime Minister’s car as he travelled to and from the National Memorial in Savar early in the morning to pay tribute to the martyrs marking Independence and National Day. Since taking charge on February 17, the Prime Minister had been using his personal white car, which does not carry the national or prime ministerial flag. However, on Thursday, he used the designated official vehicle bearing both the national flag and the Prime Minister’s flag, said his Additional Press Secretary Atikur Rahman Rumon. He said the Prime Minister left his Gulshan residence early in the morning and reached the National Memorial at 5:53am. Rumon said the Prime Minister maintained a limited protocol during the visit. Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed and Liberation War Affairs Minister Ahmed Azam Khan received the Prime Minister on his arrival at the memorial. The Additional Press Secretary said members of the Cabinet, chiefs of the three services and other senior officials travelled to Savar by bus this time. He said an estimated 4,500 litres of fuel are usually used to transport VVIPs and VIPs at such state events. “Considering fuel savings, limited protocol and fewer vehicles were used this time, and the VIPs travelled by bus,” he added.   Earlier, President Mohammed Shahabuddin and Prime Minister Tarique Rahman paid tribute to the martyrs of the Liberation War by placing wreaths at the memorial at 5:56am. After placing the wreaths, they stood in silence for a while as a mark of respect, while a contingent of the Bangladesh Army, Navy and Air Force presented a state salute and bugles played the last post. The Chief Justice, Cabinet members, chiefs of the three services, war-wounded freedom fighters, family members of martyrs, diplomats and senior civil and military officials were present. Later, the Prime Minister placed another wreath at the memorial along with members of his Cabinet. As BNP Chairperson, he also paid tribute with senior party leaders. The Prime Minister also exchanged greetings with war-wounded freedom fighters, family members of martyrs and other guests present at the memorial, and signed the visitors’ book. Later, he went to Sher-e-Bangla Nagar and paid tribute at the graves of former President Ziaur Rahman and former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia by placing wreaths. He first paid tribute as Prime Minister along with Cabinet members, and later as BNP Chairperson with party leaders. He later returned to his residence in Gulshan.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has instructed the authorities concerned to facilitate loans for students intending to pursue higher studies abroad. State Minister for Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment Nurul Hoque  Nur disclosed this while talking to reporters after a meeting with the Prime Minister at Secretariat on Tuesday morning. “The Prime Minister instructed us to provide loans of up to Tk 10 lakh through the Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment for students intend to go to countries like Korea, Japan, China and Germany, particularly to support bank guarantees or solvency requirements,” he said. Nur said the Prime Minister asked to designate Probashi Kallyan Bank, a bank under the ministry, to provide the loans so that they could be disbursed directly through the ministry. The state minister said discussions were also held on the potential challenges and opportunities for Bangladesh’s labour market in the Middle East amid the ongoing conflict. “Although a significant portion of our labour market depends on the Middle East, we expect that Bangladesh will not face major setbacks. Rather, there could be increased demand for our workers as infrastructure rebuilding will be needed,” he said. Nur said the Prime Minister also stressed the importance of learning  third languages noting that many Bangladeshi workers are forced to take low-paying jobs due to language barriers. The state minister said discussions were also held on expediting the process of sending 100,000 workers to Japan under an existingMemorandum  of Understanding , as well as exploring opportunities in Europe. He said the Prime Minister earlier instructed the Foreign Ministry to persuade European countries to provide consular services in Bangladesh to ease visa processing. “Some countries have already started offering consular services here, and the Prime Minister has asked to ensure that others do the same,” he said. Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment Minister Ariful Haque Chowdhury, Prime Minister’s Adviser Mahdi Amin, Foreign Secretary Asad Alam Siam and other senior officials attended the meeting, presided over by the Prime Minister.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Friday urged people to stand by the helpless and underprivileged on the occasion of Eid-ul-Fitr, sharing the festive happiness with all sections of society. In a message on the occasion of Eid, he greeted the people of the country and expressed hope that Eid-ul-Fitr will further strengthen national unity, mutual harmony and solidarity. “On this joyous day of Eid, let us stand by the helpless, the poor, and the underprivileged, and share the happiness of the festival with everyone. Let this be our commitment,” the Prime Minister said. He urged all to be inspired by the great ideals of Eid and work together to build a humane, developed, peaceful and prosperous Bangladesh. He prayed to Almighty Allah to shower the joy, mercy and blessings of Eid-ul-Fitr upon all. The Prime Minister also prayed that Allah will guide the country and the nation towards peace, progress and prosperity, and ensure the welfare of the entire Muslim Ummah. He said the true significance of Eid lies in reflecting the lessons of Ramadan in personal, family, social and state life. “Eid calls upon people to forget all divisions of rich and poor, young and old, and to be united in bonds of love and brotherhood.” Tarique said the holy month of Ramadan teaches restraint, sacrifice, service and self-purification.  He also said the month-long fasting helps people develop self-discipline and feel the suffering of others, creating a spirit of compassion and mutual cooperation in society. Noting that Eid-ul-Fitr is one of the two biggest religious festivals for Muslims, the Prime Minister said after a month of fasting and spiritual practice, Eid-ul-Fitr brings messages of joy, peace, harmony and brotherhood to people’s lives. “On the occasion of the holy Eid-ul-Fitr, I extend my heartfelt greetings and Eid Mubarak to the people of the country and all Muslims around the world,” he said.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Monday inaugurated a nationwide canal excavation and re-excavation programme by cutting soil with a spade at Sahapara canal in Kaharol upazila of Dinajpur. The programme was launched at around 12:27pm at Balrampur village under Ramchandrapur union of Kaharol upazila. After reaching the canal bank, the Prime Minister first looked at a map of the canal and then moved forward to cut the soil of the canal. The Prime Minister also inaugurated the excavation of 54 canals across the country by launching the digging of the 12-kilometre Sahapara canal in the district. Later, he planted a tree sapling on the bank of Sahapara canal. The initiative brings back a programme first introduced by BNP founder and former president Ziaur Rahman who started canal excavation work across the country. After introducing the Family Card programme earlier, the Prime Minister launched the canal revival initiative to fulfil another election pledge made by the BNP ahead of the 13th parliamentary election. Accompanied by ministers and BNP leaders, Tarique Rahman personally began re-excavating the Sahapara canal cutting soil with a spade. By cutting the first soil from the canal, he formally launched the nationwide programme, marking the start of similar activities across the country. By digging the canal with his own hands, the Prime Minister evoked the memory of his father, BNP founder and former President Ziaur Rahman. Nearly five decades ago, he had taken a similar initiative by personally digging canals to improve irrigation and increase agricultural production. Several thousand local people enthusiastically watched as the head of government himself dug the canal, following in the footsteps of his late father. The Prime Minister arrived at Syedpur Airport from Dhaka by air at 10:15am. From there, he travelled by road to the Balrampur Sahapara area in Dinajpur. Leaders and activists stood along both sides of the road to greet him as his motorcade passed. This is Tarique Rahman’s first visit outside the capital since assuming office as Prime Minister on 17 February. He also addressed a public meeting near the canal at Sahapara. The programme was jointly organised by the Water Resources Ministry and the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP). BNP Secretary General and Local Government Minister Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, Social Welfare and Women and Children Affairs Minister Professor AZM Zahid Hossain, Water Resources Minister Shahid Uddin Chowdhury Annie, Disaster Management Minister Asadul Habib Dulu and State Minister for Water Resources Farhad Hossain, among others, spoke at the programme. The Sahapara canal is about 12.2 kilometres long and is connected with the Punarbhaba River. According to local leaders, the canal was first excavated in 1977 by then president Ziaur Rahman with the participation of local villagers and party activists. PM Tarique’s canal re-excavation drive in Dinajpur evokes memories of Zia Speaking to journalists before the inauguration, Social Welfare and Women and Children Affairs Minister and Dinajpur-6 MP Professor AZM Zahid Hossain said once the entire canal re-excavation is completed, around 31,000 farmers in the region will benefit directly while nearly 350,000 people will gain overall benefits. He said the re-excavation would help solve the area’s waterlogging problem, increase crop production and improve the local economy.