United News of Bangladesh

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Saturday decided to build a highway along the Hijla-Mehendiganj-Bhola route to connect the island district of Bhola with the country’s main road network. The decision was taken at a meeting at the Prime Minister’s Office in Tejgaon, said his Deputy Press Secretary Hasan Shiplu. The meeting discussed three proposals for establishing direct road connectivity between Bhola and Dhaka and Barishal. Of them, the Roads and Highways Department’s proposed Barishal-Rahmatpur-Hijla-Mehendiganj-Bhola route was selected. The proposed highway will involve widening existing roads, constructing new road sections and building three small bridges, according to officials concerned. The Prime Minister stressed the need for an integrated road network to overcome geographical barriers and ensure uninterrupted connectivity, while also expanding opportunities for trade and commerce. He directed the authorities concerned to move forward quickly with the initiative to connect Bhola to the country’s main road network. Officials said the project’s feasibility and viability would be assessed at the earliest. Once implemented, the project is expected to establish direct road connectivity between Bhola, Barishal, Dhaka and other parts of the country, reducing both travel time and transportation costs. Surrounded by rivers, Bhola has long depended heavily on waterways for communication. The new road link is expected to reduce that dependence. Officials at the meeting said the Hijla-Mehendiganj-Bhola route could offer a shorter, faster and more cost-effective alternative, particularly for travel between Bhola, Barishal and Dhaka. Road Transport and Bridges and Railways and Shipping Minister Shaikh Rabiul Alam, State Minister for Shipping and Bridges Division Rajib Ahsan, Prime Minister’s Special Assistant Shakirul Islam Khan, Road Transport and Highways Division Secretary Mohammad Ziaul Haque, Bridges Division Secretary Mohammad Abdur Rauf and Roads and Highways Department Chief Engineer Md Moniruzzaman, among others, attended the meeting.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s first visit to India should be a bilateral visit rather than a meeting on the sidelines of multilateral platforms such as BRICS or the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), PM’s Foreign Affairs Adviser Humaiun Kobir said on Thursday. “The first visit should be bilateral. We should invite each other to our homes, understand?” he said, describing Bangladesh and India as two important countries. Talking to private TV channels at his office, Adviser Kobir said any visit should have a clear outcome, with mutual respect and engagement in place. “There are issues related to the interests of the two countries and these are not something to rush into,” he said. “When we see that the timing is right, we are willing to visit.” He said groundwork needs to be done on several issues before the two sides can reach a consensus. The Adviser said that in recent days, Bangladesh has seen a fairly positive conversation from India, along with a strong realisation on the Indian side that the events of August 5 have deeply affected the sentiments of the people of Bangladesh. “If India truly means resetting relations, then it must realise today’s Bangladesh,” Kobir said, noting that “in today’s Bangladesh, a terrorist like Sheikh Hasina or her party does not exist.” “So, by recognising this reality, we have to take the relationship forward,” the Adviser said. India’s promise to give the Prime Minister Tarique Rahman an “honourable welcome” during his visit makes New Delhi’s intent unmistakably clear, Indian media The Print reports, noting that the ball is now in Dhaka’s court. Acknowledging that there are issues between the two neighbours, Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Dinesh Trivedi on Tuesday night called on Bangladesh and India to move beyond their differences and work together to build a relationship based on “mutual and unconditional trust,” saying such differences can be resolved through engagement and dialogue. “I can tell you I fully understand there are issues, but these issues can definitely be sorted out once the Prime Minister of Bangladesh (Tarique Rahman) and our Prime Minister Narendra Modi meet,” he said. The Indian envoy also conveyed what he described as an assurance from Prime Minister Narendra Modi regarding a future visit by the Bangladesh Prime Minister to India. “After meeting the Prime Minister here, I went straight to Delhi and had a great meeting with our Prime Minister. He (PM Modi) just mentioned one thing: we need to meet,” he said. “You can tell them on my behalf that you have the Prime Minister of India’s assurance that when the Prime Minister of Bangladesh visits India, he will have such an honourable reception as he deserves,” he added, quoting the Indian Prime Minister. The visit, Trivedi said, would be “a memorable visit” whose benefits would ultimately reach people and businesses on both sides. On August 16, Bangladesh urged India to act expeditiously on its request and help create a “propitious environment” for Prime Minister Tarique Rahman to make a bilateral visit to India. "We are of the view that a propitious environment needs to be created for the visit," said A.K.M. Shahidul Karim, spokesperson at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Officials of Bangladesh and India have been in touch with each other for several weeks on the possibility of a bilateral visit by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman to India. However, spokesperson Karim said, this process was “vitiated” by the open press interaction in New Delhi on 5th August by Sheikh Hasina who has been convicted by the International Crimes Tribunal for committing crimes against humanity. "We have made our position clear on this matter," he said while reading out a written statement. The spokesperson, however, did not take any question.  To this end, Bangladesh requested the Indian authorities to expeditiously act on its request to extradite Sheikh Hasina and other fugitive criminals, and to hand over to Bangladesh the accused killers of Shaheed Sharif Osman Hadi in compliance with their bilateral extradition treaty. "We are awaiting their response," said the spokesperson. Bangladesh reiterated that they will continue to pursue their "Bangladesh First" policy to promote friendly bilateral relations with other countries, including their neighbours, on the basis of sovereign equality, national dignity, non-interference in each other's internal affairs and mutual benefit. On Hasina’s extradition request, the Indian government has recently said that the matter is being examined as part of ongoing judicial and internal legal processes. Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal told reporters in New Delhi on Friday evening that they have extended an invitation to the Prime Minister of Bangladesh for a bilateral visit. “We've also extended an invitation to the Prime Minister of Bangladesh for a visit to India for the outreach session of the BRICS Summit. So, these invitations have been extended, and I shall keep you updated if there is any progress in this regard,” he added.

The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) on Wednesday approved 10 projects but put two others on hold to review possible duplication and overlapping activities with similar projects. State Minister for Planning Zonayed Abdur Rahim Saki said this while briefing reporters after the ECNEC meeting chaired by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman. One of the projects kept on hold is the acquisition of two product oil tankers with a capacity ranging from 4,000 to 55,000 deadweight tonnes, estimated to cost Tk 1,457.80 crore from government funds. Saki said the project was deferred as the government is reviewing its possible overlap with another initiative involving the purchase of four similar vessels, for which a memorandum of understanding was signed during the Prime Minister’s recent visit to China. He said the Planning Ministry has been working with different ministries to identify similar projects, eliminate duplication and, where possible, merge them into coordinated initiatives. “The review process is now at an advanced stage. The tanker project will be considered again after examining it alongside the similar project so that duplication can be avoided,” he said. The other project put on hold is the “Metro Dhaka Project: Goran Chatbari Retention Pond and Turag River Protection and Conservation Project”, under the Ministry of Water Resources and to be implemented by the Bangladesh Water Development Board. The project has an estimated cost of Tk 567.04 crore, including a World Bank loan of Tk 424.73 crore and government funding of Tk 142.31 crore. The state minister said the project was deferred in view of an ongoing initiative to prepare an integrated plan covering the rivers and water bodies from the Turag to the Buriganga in Dhaka.  “We have a preliminary understanding that around 11 projects are currently operating in different ways in this area. We need to coordinate these projects and avoid duplication,” the state minister said. He added that the government wants to bring Dhaka’s overall water management and water bodies under a comprehensive plan before taking a final decision on the project. The state minister said the two projects would be reviewed through further meetings before being placed for approval again. The state minister also said Prime Minister Tarique Rahman unveiled two volumes of a five-year strategic framework prepared by the General Economics Division (GED) of the Planning Ministry. The GED initiated preparation of the strategic framework after the government assumed office. Its draft was approved on May 18 and subsequently endorsed by the Prime Minister at a meeting of the National Economic Council. The framework has now been finalised and formally unveiled, Saki said.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Saturday apologised to the people for the ongoing power and gas shortages and assured that his government was taking urgent steps to ease the crisis, expressing hope that the gas situation would improve significantly within the next few days. Addressing a cheque distribution and doa mahfil programme at the Mohakhali Wireless TNT field under Dhaka-17 constituency, he also urged opposition political parties criticising the government over the crises to come up with concrete, workable plans to resolve the problems instead of creating confusion among the people. “I sincerely apologise to the people for the suffering caused by the power crisis…I hope that, with Allah’s mercy, the gas crisis will ease considerably within the next few days,” Tarique Rahman said. The programme was arranged marking the 81st birth anniversary of former prime minister and BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia. Cheques were distributed among 681distressed, helpless and sick people at the programme. The Prime Minister said the government was aware that people in different parts of the country were suffering from electricity shortages. He said the government was taking necessary steps to address both the immediate crisis and the structural weaknesses in the energy sector. Tarique Rahman said the current gas shortage was linked to Bangladesh's limited LNG storage and regasification capacity. “Gas was once a natural resource of Bangladesh. But over the past 17 years, the autocratic government did not explore new gas fields and instead left the entire sector dependent on foreign sources,” he said. Tarique Rahman said soon after his elected government assumed office, it had decided to expedite gas exploration on Bangladeshi soil through Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation, with the aim of keeping control of the country’s gas fields in the hands of Bangladeshis. “At present, we have to import a large portion of our gas. The facilities for storing it through the vessels used to bring in gas were limited to only two vessels. During the previous government, arrangements were made for another vessel, but the interim government later cancelled that initiative. As a result, when an accident suddenly occurred involving one of the two existing vessels, the current gas crisis emerged,” he said. The Prime Minister, however, said they have already addressed the technical problems. “We are working to free people from this hardship as quickly as possible.” He said the government was working with China and other countries to expedite the construction and deployment of the vessel. Tarique Rahman also said he had spoken to Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim seeking assistance with the country's gas requirements. He urged people to remain patient, noting that specialised LNG vessels require considerable time to build and are produced by only a limited number of countries. Tarique Rahman challenged political parties criticising the government over the power and gas shortages to present concrete plans for solving the problems. “If you believe you have a responsibility towards the people, bring your plans before them. If your plan can solve the problems within six months, we will implement those plans,” he said. The Prime Minister initially challenged political parties to offer solutions within three months, before extending the timeframe to six months. He said political leaders who only seek to confuse people would have to apologise to the public. “A politician's responsibility is not simply to confuse the people; rather, a politician's responsibility is to show the people the right path,” Tarique Rahman said. He urged political parties to abandon what he described as politics of confusion, lies, violence and provocation and instead present practical proposals for the country's development. “Bring forward what you can do for the people and what plans you have that will benefit the country and its people,” the Prime Minister said. He said the government was preparing a long-term plan to address Bangladesh's energy problems. The Prime Minister said the government would present in the upcoming session of parliament its plan for resolving the country's energy crisis over the next 10 years. “We are not denying that there is a gas problem. There is a gas problem. But the BNP is working for the people and has a plan for how we will solve the country's energy problems,” Tarique Rahman said. The Prime Minister said the government had been working since taking office to rebuild key sectors, including energy, but cautioned that it was unrealistic to expect all accumulated problems to be resolved within six months. “Even a child takes around 15 to 18 months to learn to walk, even when holding someone's hand. The age of your elected government is only six months,” he said. Tarique Rahman, also the MP from Dhaka-17 constituency, said the people wanted development, accountability and improvements in their living standards, rather than street agitation and disorder. He said the country's 20 crore people represented 40 crore hands that needed to be transformed into productive and skilled workers to change Bangladesh's economic fortunes. “What I received is not the most important thing; what I could give to this country and its people is what matters,” Tarique Rahman said. He also paid tribute to Khaleda Zia on her 81st birth anniversary and called for renewed commitment to building the country along the path of development and democracy. A special munajat was offered seeking forgiveness and blessings for Khaleda Zia, the late mother of the Prime Minister. Tarique said the occasion should be used to renew the commitment to work for the people and build the country. The programme was presided over by Abdurr Rahman Sani, the prime minister's representative for Dhaka-17, while Rezauar Rahman Fahim and BNP leaders from different thanas and wards of the constituency also spoke.

Despite brief tensions that surfaced between Dhaka and New Delhi following former prime minister Sheikh Hasina’s recent speech in New Delhi, Bangladesh and India are heading toward renewed engagement, signaling their intent to take bilateral relations forward constructively. Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Dinesh Trivedi, who submitted his credentials to the President on June 25, is set to meet Prime Minister Tarique Rahman for the first time on Monday. Issues of mutual interest are likely to be discussed at the meeting. Ahead of his meeting with the Prime Minister, the High Commissioner met Foreign Minister Dr Khalilur Rahman at state guesthouse Padma on Sunday afternoon as both sides continue efforts to engage constructively. Neither side briefed reporters on the outcome of the meeting. "I can only tell you it's a pre-arranged meeting, and I don't know what they discussed," a senior official aware of the meeting told UNB, adding that the meeting between the Prime Minister and the Indian envoy will be held in the first half of the day.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Wednesday formed a high-level committee to review and address the challenges facing the country's textile industry. The committee was formed during a meeting with leaders of the Bangladesh Textile Mills Association (BTMA) at the Prime Minister's Office in the Bangladesh Secretariat, said Prime Minister's Deputy Press Secretary Hasan Shiplu. During the meeting, the BTMA leaders discussed the current state of the textile industry, its export potential and a range of challenges. They highlighted the textile industry's contribution to the national economy and sought the government's support for its sustainable growth. They also urged the Prime Minister to provide policy support to strengthen the sector's competitiveness in the global market. Prime Minister Tarique Rahman praised the textile industry's contribution to industrialisation, employment generation and export earnings and assured the industry leaders of the government's continued support for the sector's development. BTMA President Shawkat Aziz Russell, Vice-President Shamim Islam, former President A. Matin Chowdhury, former Director Syed Enayet Kabir, Engineer Rajib Haider, Directors Chowdhury Mohammad Hanif Soyeb and Badsha Mia, Amanat Shah Group Chairman Helal Mia and Munnu Fabrics Managing Director Samiul Islam were present at the meeting.

BNP Chairman and Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Saturday evening chaired a meeting of the party's highest policy-making body, the National Standing Committee, to discuss the country’s flood situation. The meeting began around 8:00pm at the BNP Chairman’s Gulshan political office, said BNP Media Cell member Sayrul Kabir Khan. Standing Committee members Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan, Nazrul Islam Khan, Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury, Iqbal Hassan Mahmood Tuku and Selima Rahman were present at the meeting, which was presided over by Tarique Rahman.

Parliament on Saturday unanimously adopted a motion expressing thanks to Prime Minister Tarique Rahman for what lawmakers described as the "extraordinary success" of his official visits to Malaysia and China. The motion was moved at the beginning of the day's sitting by LGRD Minister Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and was passed by voice vote following a brief discussion. Prime Minister Tarique Rahman visited Malaysia and China from June 21 to 26 and returned home from China on Friday. Placing the motion, Mirza Fakhrul said the tour was of great significance for Bangladesh as it further strengthened the country's relations with Malaysia and China. He said the Prime Minister concluded a number of agreements during the visit and helped deepen bilateral ties on the basis of mutual respect. "The elected leader has established a strong national and international standing after leading the long struggle against fascism," he said, adding that the Prime Minister is working firmly for the welfare of the people and has set new standards in governance. The minister also noted that, unlike former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who used to receive public receptions before and after foreign visits, Tarique Rahman had instructed that no such receptions be organised. Highlighting the outcomes of the China visit, Fakhrul said Bangladesh signed 17 memorandum of understanding (MoUs) with China and that Chinese President Xi Jinping held extensive and cordial talks with the Prime Minister. He said both Malaysia and China reaffirmed their commitment to supporting Bangladesh's economic development and indicated their willingness to assist in resolving the Rohingya crisis. Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury, speaking in support of the motion, said the Prime Minister had introduced a new political culture by avoiding large ceremonial receptions at airports during official visits. He said the Malaysia and China tour reflected Bangladesh's foreign policy based on mutual respect, mutual interests, non-interference and national sovereignty. "The Prime Minister has established a benchmark for Bangladesh's future relations with the world and the policy was consistent with the diplomatic principles introduced by late President Ziaur Rahman,” he said. He said discussions in Malaysia focused on Bangladesh's labour market, energy cooperation and trade interests, while talks with China covered infrastructure development, reducing the bilateral trade gap and increasing Bangladeshi exports. Leader of the Opposition Dr Shafiqur Rahman also endorsed the motion, saying Bangladesh should pursue a genuinely independent foreign policy based on equality and mutual respect. "The country belongs to all of us. As the opposition, we assure the government of our cooperation wherever it serves the national interest," he said. Describing Malaysia and China as long-standing and trusted friends of Bangladesh, he stressed the need to diversify exports beyond the ready-made garments and overseas workforce sectors through short-, medium- and long-term planning. Dr Shafiqur also urged the government to place all major international agreements before Parliament in the interest of transparency and accountability. "We do not want anyone to interfere in our independent foreign policy. The country's interests must come first," he said. He also expressed the hope that Parliament would remain the centre of all major state affairs and that both the government and the opposition would be judged by people through their performance. The motion, adopted unanimously by voice vote, stated that Parliament expresses its gratitude to Prime Minister and Leader of the House Tarique Rahman for the "extraordinary success" of his June 21-26 visits to Malaysia and China.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman was accorded a warm red-carpet welcome by Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim on Monday as the two countries moved to deepen cooperation in trade, investment, labour migration and other key sectors. Anwar Ibrahim and his spouse, Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, warmly received the Bangladesh premier and his wife, Dr Zubaida Rahman, at Perdana Putra, the Malaysian Prime Minister's Office in Putrajaya, around 9:00am local time (7:00am Bangladesh time). Both leaders, accompanied by their spouses, proceeded through the red carpet to the dais to receive the guard of honour. A smartly turned-out contingent of the Malaysian Armed Forces presented a guard of honour. The national anthem of Bangladesh was played first followed by the Malaysian national anthem. After the guard of honour inspection, Anwar Ibrahim introduced members of his cabinet and senior government officials to the Bangladesh Prime Minister. Tarique Rahman, in turn, introduced the members of his delegation to his Malaysian counterpart. The Bangladesh Prime Minister later signed the visitors' book at Perdana Putra before proceeding to official engagements. The welcoming ceremony marked the beginning of Tarique Rahman's official engagement abroad since assuming office and underscored the importance both countries attach to their long-standing friendship and growing partnership. The atmosphere around Putrajaya reflected the significance of the visit. Bangladeshi and Malaysian national flags lined both sides of the wide boulevard leading to Perdana Putra, creating a colourful display ahead of the Prime Minister's arrival.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Saturday said he does not want to transform Bangladesh into another Singapore or Canada, but rather build “a better Bangladesh,” stressing that such a goal can only be achieved through collective efforts. Speaking at an interaction with local civil society members and politicians at Long Beach Hotel in Cox’s Bazar at night, he called upon all citizens to work together for the country’s development. “We often heard promises that Bangladesh would be turned into Singapore or Canada. I do not want to make Bangladesh something else. I want to make Bangladesh a little better. If we can make our country a little better, that will be good for all of us,” the Prime Minister said. He said the goal cannot be achieved by the government alone. “We all have to work together.” Highlighting the importance of developing Cox’s Bazar into a cleaner and more organised town, Tarique Rahman said he noticed a large signboard while entering the town describing it as home to the world’s longest sandy sea beach. “You all represent Cox’s Bazar. If you want to showcase Cox’s Bazar to the world, all of you must come forward. You can build Cox’s Bazar as a clean town,” he said. The Prime Minister also stressed the need for discipline in urban management and traffic movement. “You can make Cox’s Bazar a disciplined town where vehicles follow traffic rules, park properly and move in an orderly manner ...It should be a town where people feel safe while walking,” he added. Questioning why Cox’s Bazar had not witnessed expected development over the past 17 years, Tarique Rahman said many projects that should have been completed long ago have remained unfinished. “Since returning to Bangladesh, I have travelled to different parts of the country over the last four and a half months. Everywhere I went, I felt that many of the projects now being discussed should have been completed during the last 17 years. But they were not,” he said. The Prime Minister said a large amount of work has accumulated over the years and must now be addressed.