United News of Bangladesh

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Wednesday said the government has taken practical steps to modernise onion storage, reduce post-harvest losses and ensure fair prices for farmers. Responding to a question from Faridpur-4 MP Md Shohidul Islam during the Prime Minister's question-answer session in Parliament, he said a number of projects are being implemented to improve onion and garlic storage and marketing across the country. Govt committed to restoring investors’ confidence in capital market: PM "The government has taken practical measures to prevent wastage of onion and garlic, ensure fair prices for farmers and modernise the storage system," the Prime Minister said. He said 3,500 air-flow machines have already been distributed under a project aimed at improving onion storage in major hubs affected by climate change. Tarique Rahman said another ongoing project on modernising onion and garlic storage and improving marketing has already built 900 model storage houses in major producing districts, including Faridpur. “Each storage unit has a capacity of 10 to 12 tonnes and is helping farmers preserve their produce.” The project also provides farmers with technical knowledge, training and market linkages to reduce spoilage and improve marketing opportunities, he added. The Prime Minister said 19,000 farmers received air-flow machines during the 2025-26 fiscal year under a government incentive programme for onion storage. He also said a new project is being prepared to further modernise onion and garlic storage and marketing. “Once implemented, it will install 8,000 air-flow storage machines in major producing districts, including Faridpur.” Tarique Rahman said the modern technology will significantly reduce post-harvest losses and enable farmers to store their produce and sell it later at fair prices.

Chief Whip Md Nurul Islam on Tuesday called on newly elected lawmakers to work collectively to make the 13th Jatiya Sangsad the most effective Parliament in Bangladesh's history and strengthen its role as the centre of democracy. "We want to see the present Parliament as the best in Bangladesh's history. My expectation from the elected members of the 13th Jatiya Sangsad is that you will make this Parliament more effective and establish it as the centre of democracy," he said. The Chief Whip made the remarks while addressing the seventh briefing session of the Budget Helpdesk 2026, organised by the Budget Analysis and Monitoring Unit (BAMU) at the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban. Members of the newly elected 13th Parliament attended the briefing. During his presentation, Nurul Islam explained the constitutional mandates and functions of the parliamentary standing committees, including the Committee on Public Accounts, the Committee on Public Estimates and the Committee on Public Undertakings. He said the effective functioning of these standing committees is essential for ensuring parliamentary accountability, maintaining financial discipline and strengthening good governance. The Chief Whip stressed that active participation, a sense of responsibility and greater engagement of Members of Parliament in committee activities are indispensable for building an effective legislature. He also emphasised that parliamentary oversight through the standing committees plays a vital role in improving transparency and accountability in public administration. The eighth briefing session featured State Minister for Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Mir Shahe Alam, who spoke on budget allocations for institutions under the Local Government Division at different administrative levels. Officials of the Bangladesh Parliament Secretariat and other stakeholders were present at the programme.

Parliament on Tuesday passed a Tk 9,38,000 crore national budget for 2026-27 fiscal year, setting ambitious targets to accelerate economic growth to 6.5 percent and bring inflation down to 7.5 percent after prolonged price pressures eroded living standards for much of the population. The budget, the first presented by Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury, is 19 percent larger than the Tk 7,90,000 crore budget for the current fiscal year. The fiscal deficit has been projected at Tk 2,43,000 crore, equivalent to 3.6 percent of the country's gross domestic product (GDP), while the overall budget size represents 13.7 percent of the projected GDP for FY2026-27. As part of the government's economic roadmap, the finance minister unveiled a "3R Strategy" aimed at reviving the economy and supporting Bangladesh's ambition of becoming a $1 trillion economy. The strategy comprises Recovery and Stabilisation, Restoration, and Reconstruction for Acceleration, and will be implemented in three phases over a period of one to five years. Key features of the budget include a revenue collection target of Tk 6,95,000 crore, of which the National Board of Revenue (NBR) is expected to collect Tk 6,04,000 crore. To facilitate implementation of the budget, Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury moved the Appropriation Bill, 2026, seeking authorisation for government expenditure amounting to Tk 15,15,439 crore. The bill was passed by voice vote. Earlier on Monday, Parliament passed the Finance Bill, 2026 with several significant amendments, including raising the tax-free income threshold and abolishing the provision requiring disclosure of investments. Before passage of the Appropriation Bill, ministers concerned presented justifications for expenditure under their respective ministries through 59 demands for grants covering both development and non-development spending. The House also rejected, by voice vote, 1,343 cut motions submitted by opposition lawmakers against the 59 demands for grants. A total of 43 MPs from Jamaat, the National Citizen Party (NCP) and independent members moved the cut motions and participated in discussions on 36 ministries and divisions. The 36 ministries, divisions and offices included in the opposition's list for cut motions are: the Prime Minister's Office, Cabinet Division, Ministry of Public Administration, Bangladesh Public Service Commission Secretariat, Finance Division, Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General of Bangladesh, Internal Resources Division, Financial Institutions Division, Economic Relations Division, Planning Division, Implementation Monitoring and Evaluation Division (IMED), Ministry of Commerce, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Law and Justice Division, Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Primary and Mass Education, Secondary and Higher Education Division, Ministry of Science and Technology. Besides, Health Services Division, Information and Communication Technology Division, Ministry of Social Welfare, Ministry of Women and Children Affairs, Ministry of Labour and Employment, Ministry of Housing and Public Works, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Ministry of Youth and Sports, Ministry of Industries, Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Ministry of Land, Ministry of Water Resources, Road Transport and Highways Division, Ministry of Railways, Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism, Posts and Telecommunications Division, and the Anti-Corruption Commission. Upon the request of Opposition Leader Dr Shafiqur Rahman the Speaker expedited the passage of the demands for grants imposing guillotine. Opposition and independent MPs were present in the House when the Appropriation Bill was passed and did not object to its adoption.

The operational and maintenance costs of the Karnaphuli Tunnel in Chattogram are more than double its monthly toll earnings, with the government spending nearly Tk 6.95 crore a month against an average monthly income of Tk 3.37 crore from toll collection, Parliament was told on Monday. Road Transport and Bridges Minister Shaikh Rabiul Alam disclosed the information while responding to a starred question from NCP MP Md Abul Hasnat of Cumilla-4 in the tabled question. He attributed the higher expenditure to the need for uninterrupted power supply inside the tunnel, lighting, ventilation, fire safety systems, CCTV surveillance and traffic management. Rabiul Alam said immediately after the tunnel was opened, its daily operation and maintenance cost was around Tk 37 lakh. However, through the government's austerity measures and efforts by the Bangladesh Bridge Authority to reduce less essential expenditures, the daily cost has now been brought down to around Tk 22-23 lakh. He also informed Parliament that the government has taken several initiatives to make the tunnel financially viable. Responding to another question from reserved seat MP Mosammat Nazmun Nahar, the minister said the government plans to launch the country's first Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) service along the 20.5-kilometre corridor from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport to Shibbari in Gazipur to ease traffic congestion. He said the government is considering ways to improve the project further to ensure maximum public benefit. On measures against unfit vehicles, the minister, replying to a question from Narayanganj-4 MP Abdullah Al Amin, said vehicles whose fitness certificates expired more than 10 years ago and have not been renewed are being removed from roads and their registrations cancelled. Vehicles whose fitness certificates expired five years ago are being targeted for renewal, while lists of both categories have been sent to police and notices issued to owners, he added. Replying to Bhola-4 MP Mohammad Nurul Islam, Rabiul Alam said the government has undertaken an initiative to install GPS devices in all public transport vehicles to improve highway discipline, ensure passenger safety and monitor vehicle movements. The system will enable authorities to take legal action against drivers and owners of vehicles exceeding the prescribed speed limits, he said. On the proposed second Jamuna Bridge, the minister told Parliament, in reply to Jamalpur-3 MP Md Mostafizur Rahman Babul, that the process of appointing a consultant to conduct a feasibility study is underway. Negotiations with the selected consulting firm have already been completed and the agreement is expected to be signed soon, he said. The minister said three possible alignments are under consideration: from Sariakandi in Bogura to Madarganj in Jamalpur, from Balashi in Gaibandha to Dewanganj in Jamalpur, or another suitable corridor. Responding to reserved seat MP Selina Sultana on battery-powered rickshaws, Rabiul Alam said the government is preparing regulations requiring the vehicles to operate on local feeder roads instead of highways, making registration compulsory, requiring drivers to hold licences and introducing strict route control for three-wheelers and similar vehicles. Meanwhile, replying to reserved seat MP Nipun Roy Chowdhury, the minister said Bangladesh Railway, with technical support from BUET, has launched a pilot project to install automatic barriers at three separate level crossings in Dhaka. Based on the results, similar systems will be introduced at all important authorised level crossings. The government also plans to install cameras and smart gate systems at major level crossings in the future, he added.

Railways Minister Shaikh Rabiul Alam on Monday told Parliament that the government has no immediate plan to establish a metro rail or monorail link between Dhaka and neighbouring Narsingdi to improve connectivity. Replying to a starred question from BNP MP Khairul Kabir Khokon (Narsingdi-1), the minister said there is currently no proposal to introduce either a metro rail or monorail service connecting Narsingdi with the capital. Dhaka's Mass Rapid Transit system is more popularly known as the 'metro rail'. However, he said the revised Final Report on Updating the Revised Strategic Transport Plan (URSTP) includes a long-term proposal to extend both MRT Line-1 and MRT Line-5 (Northern Route) to Purinda in Araihazar upazila of Narayanganj in the third phase of implementation. The minister said the network could later be extended further to Narsingdi. Shaikh Rabiul Alam also said that, in line with the current government's election manifesto pledge to introduce monorail services in Dhaka and other metropolitan cities, the Dhaka Transport Coordination Authority (DTCA) has included a monorail feasibility assessment in its action plan to improve feeder transport services in the capital. He said a project proposal titled "Pre-Feasibility Study of Monorail Alignment Integration with Mass Transit Networks in Dhaka Metropolitan Region", prepared by the DTCA, is currently under review by the ministry. The minister added that no final decision has yet been taken on the implementation of a monorail system in Dhaka.

Education Minister Dr A N M Ehsanul Hoque Milon on Sunday told Parliament that 8,486 posts of teachers remain vacant in the country's technical education institutions against a total of 15,844 approved positions. Responding to separate questions from Jamaat-e-Islami MP Md Nurul Islam of Chapainawabganj-3 and National Citizens Party (NCP) MP Md Abdul Hasnat of Cumilla-4, the minister said requisitions have already been sent to the Bangladesh Public Service Commission (PSC) seeking recommendations for the recruitment of 2,204 teachers. Govt aims to clear teachers' retirement benefit backlog in six months: Minister The replies were tabled during the question-answer session of the House with Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmad in the chair. The minister said 7,074 teachers are currently serving in technical educational institutions under the Technical and Madrasah Education Division, leaving 8,486 positions vacant. He said instructors (Grade-9) and junior instructors (Grade-10) are recruited through the PSC based on the Bangladesh Civil Service (BCS) cadre and non-cadre examinations. The PSC has already recommended the appointment of 97 cadre and 349 non-cadre teachers from the 45th BCS examination and they will be appointed after completion of police verification, the minister said. Milon also said vacant posts are filled through promotion whenever possible but promotions could not be made to 4,131 promotional posts because there were no eligible personnel in feeder positions. In reply to a question from NCP MP Abdullah Al Amin of Narayanganj-4, the minister said a new textbook titled Technical Education will be introduced for Class VI students in the general education stream from the 2027 academic year. He said the initiative aims to equip students with practical skills and provide them with knowledge about technical education, employment opportunities and higher education prospects. The minister further said another new Class VI textbook, Learning with Happiness, will also be introduced from the 2027 academic year to make learning more enjoyable and participatory while fostering creativity, innovation, self-expression and the overall development of students' talents. Responding to another question from Abdullah Al Amin, Milon said mother tongue-based multilingual education (MLE) has already been introduced for indigenous communities in the hill districts to overcome language barriers. He said training for teachers has begun in five languages—Chakma, Marma, Tripura, Garo and Sadri—which is expected to improve learning outcomes for indigenous students. Replying to a question from MP Sheikh Manjurul Haque of Bagerhat-2, the minister said the Education Ministry has taken steps to clear outstanding MPO salary and allowance arrears of teachers and employees affected by criminal cases filed during the previous Awami League government. He said eligible applicants who submit the required documents under the prescribed procedures will have their arrears considered in accordance with existing rules. Answering questions from ruling party MP Lutfur Rahman of Cox's Bazar-3 and MP Lutfullahel Majed of Mymensingh-8, the minister said Bangladesh currently has 174 universities including 56 public, 116 private and two international universities. Of the public universities, 30 are general universities, 18 are science and technology universities, while eight are specialised institutions, including engineering, agricultural and medical universities. In response to another question from Nurul Islam, the minister said the Non-Government Teachers and Employees Retirement Benefits Board has a total of 80,320 applications, including 64,775 pending applications submitted up to June 30, 2025, and an estimated 15,545 new applications during the 2025-26 fiscal year. He said approximately Tk 96.38 billion is required to settle all applications, while the board expects to generate only Tk 24.62 billion in the current fiscal year, leaving a funding shortfall of around Tk 71.76 billion. At present, nearly 59,820 applications are awaiting disposal. Replying to a question from MP Abdus Sattar of Nilphamari-1, the minister said Bangladesh currently has three government and 8,229 non-MPO madrasas. In response to a question from MP Abul Kalam of Cumilla-9, Milon said the University of Dhaka has continued to make significant progress in education, research, innovation and internationalisation, resulting in notable improvements in global university rankings.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Saturday told Parliament that his recent visits to Malaysia and China were guided solely by the interests of Bangladesh and its people, saying any achievements from the tours belong to the nation rather than any person. "What I have tried to do, Honorable Speaker, from my position is to speak for the interests of my country and the people of my country and to protect those interests," he said. The Prime Minister said this while extending thanks and gratitude to all members of Parliament, including the Opposition Leader, for unanimously adopting a thanksgiving motion in the House on his recent six-day visit to Malaysia and China. He said the people of Bangladesh entrusted his government with the responsibility of safeguarding their interests. “The core issue here is that the people of Bangladesh have given us the responsibility to look after their interests,” Tarique Rahman said. Referring to his party’s ‘Bangladesh First’ slogan, he said guided by that principle they tried to uphold and protect the interests of Bangladesh and its people during the visits. “None of us has any personal issue here. If any positive thing has been achieved, it is an achievement for Bangladesh. If the people of the country have gained any achievement through these visits, that achievement belongs to them,” he said. On Friday, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman returned home from Beijing, wrapping up his six-day maiden overseas visit to China and Malaysia.

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.

The government has undertaken a series of infrastructure and procedural reforms to ensure faster delivery of imported goods and containers through Chattogram Port and ease container congestion, Shipping Minister Shaikh Rabiul Alam told Parliament on Thursday. Responding to a tabled starred question from Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami MP Shahjahan Chowdhury, he said the Chattogram Port Authority (CPA) has increased the port’s yard capacity from 53,000 TEUs to 59,000 TEUs, added modern container-handling equipment and constructed new yards and sheds as part of its infrastructure development efforts. The minister said several procedural reforms have also been introduced to ease container congestion and improve operational efficiency at the country’s busiest seaport. Among the key measures, he highlighted efforts to implement a Pre-Arrival Process that will allow customs documentation to be completed before a vessel arrives at the port. Rabiul aid the CPA has repeatedly urged the National Board of Revenue (NBR) and Chattogram Customs House to take the necessary steps, and the NBR has already initiated actions to implement the system. Once introduced, the process is expected to accelerate container delivery, reduce dwell time and ease congestion at the port, he added. The minister also said initiatives have been taken to expedite the auction of containers eligible for disposal through Chattogram Customs House. In addition, auctionable containers stored inside the port have been safely transferred to off-site yards, creating additional storage capacity within the port premises. However, he stressed the need for customs authorities to complete the auction process more quickly. To simplify services for port users, online payment facilities have been introduced for port charges, while an e-gate pass system has been launched to facilitate smoother vehicle entry into the port, Rabiul said. He further said efforts are being intensified to establish connectivity between the National Single Window (NSW) platform and the Terminal Operating System (TOS) as part of broader trade facilitation measures. Referring to Benapole Land Port, the minister said only 11 containers entered the port during the 2025-26 fiscal year under a single consignment on May 17, 2026. No other containers entered the port before or after that date during the fiscal year. The containers are currently stored at TTI Yard-38 of Benapole Land Port and will be released after completion of customs and port formalities, he said. Rabiul said the Bangladesh Land Port Authority is implementing extensive infrastructure development projects at Benapole and other land ports to improve Bangladesh’s position in the ease of doing business index. According to him, the newly constructed Cargo Vehicle Terminal at Benapole has significantly reduced traffic congestion inside the port. Indian trucks carrying imported goods now remain at the terminal until unloading begins, helping streamline cargo handling, loading and unloading operations, and the return of vehicles to India. The minister also said the process of acquiring an additional 2.08 acres of land to expand the existing International Passenger Terminal and enhance passenger facilities is at its final stage. Furthermore, another 52 acres of land are being acquired under an access project, he said. Once the land acquisition and related infrastructure development are completed, the port’s handling capacity will increase substantially, making the facility more attractive to traders, Rabiul added.

Cultural Affairs Minister Nitai Roy Chowdhury on Thursday said Bangladesh has 50 gazetted ethnic communities and their total population stands at 1.65 million, accounting for around one per cent of the country's population. The minister made the statement in Parliament while replying to a question from BNP reserved-seat lawmaker Selina Sultana. The figure is based on the preliminary report of the Population and Housing Census 2022, which counted both scheduled and other ethnic communities, he said. Among the ethnic communities, the Chakma constitute the largest group, accounting for 29.29 per cent of the total ethnic population, or 483,299 people, the Marma community makes up 13.59 per cent, with a population of 224,261, while the Tripura community accounts for 9.49 per cent, or 156,578 people. The Santal community represents 7.82 per cent of the ethnic population, numbering 129,049. The minister said Chattogram Division is home to the highest number of ethnic community members with a population of 990,860. Of the total ethnic population, 22.60 per cent reside in Rangamati district, amounting to 372,864 people, while 21.17 per cent live in Khagrachhari, with a population of 349,378. Bandarban hosts around 12 per cent of the country's ethnic population, or 197,975 people, he added. Responding to another question from MP Md Anwarul Islam of Kurigram-1, the minister said a project titled "Construction of Cultural Centres at Upazila Level" is currently under consideration by the Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy under the Ministry of Cultural Affairs. The proposed project includes provisions for allocating one floor of each centre as a public library to promote reading habits, spread knowledge among citizens and help protect young people from drug abuse and cultural degradation through the development of healthy cultural practices. Replying to a question from Jamalpur-3 MP Mostafizur Rahman Babul, the minister said the government has a specific plan to expand cultural programmes in educational institutions to promote the practice of music and fine arts. As part of the initiative, the subject of "Arts and Culture" is being incorporated into the new national curriculum in coordination with the Ministry of Education. He said the Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy is also distributing musical instruments to educational institutions, organising school- and college-based theatre festivals and holding creative talent competitions. District and upazila-level Shilpakala Academies are involving local youth directly in these programmes. In response to a question from Dhaka-18 MP SM Jahangir Hossain, the minister said the Ministry of Cultural Affairs has been working relentlessly to preserve indigenous culture, heritage, history, the spirit of the Liberation War, contemporary arts and literature, while promoting free thinking, research and intellectual development. He further said that the Capital Development Authority (RAJUK) has already allocated 41 kathas of land in Sector 17 of Uttara for the construction of a cultural complex.