United News of Bangladesh

Highlighting the significant demand for Bangladeshi workers abroad, Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus on Sunday said all forms of fraud, related to skills training certificates, must be stopped to unlock the country’s untapped employment potential overseas. “All these frauds must be stopped. The reputation of the country’s workforce is being undermined due to fraud and forgery related to skills training certificates,” he said, stressing that if employers lose trust, all skill development initiatives would fail. The Chief Adviser made the remarks while presiding over a meeting of the Governing Body of the National Skills Development Authority (NSDA) at his office. Prof Yunus instructed the concerned authorities to take effective measures to prevent the forgery of skill development training certificates and the use of fake credentials in order to safeguard Bangladesh’s reputation in the international labour market. Stressing the importance of building the country’s brand image, he said, “Employers should say that workers who come from Bangladesh will definitely do well.” Established in 2018, this was the second meeting of the NSDA Governing Body. The first meeting was held in 2022. Prof Yunus said the NSDA has provided a strong framework for developing skilled human resources in line with the needs of both national and international labour markets. With the growing demand for Bangladeshi workers abroad, he added, the role of the authority will become even more important. Expressing optimism, the Chief Adviser said the NSDA’s initiative to introduce a unified standard certification system across all training institutions would play a crucial role in preventing such fraud. “Our young generation is highly creative and full of potential. Our responsibility is to open doors of opportunity for them,” he said. Prof Yunus happy over polls preparations, says next ‘week very crucial’ Prof Yunus also emphasised the need for necessary initiatives and coordination to enable private entrepreneurs to operate in a more transparent and effective manner. The meeting reviewed the implementation progress of decisions taken at the previous Governing Body meeting and decided to establish an integrated skills ecosystem. Under this ecosystem, uniform curricula and standards will be ensured for training programmes conducted by different ministries. Once fully implemented, the system is expected to enhance the quality and credibility of certificates in the international market, reduce the wastage of public funds, and facilitate centralised and effective planning and implementation for assessing industrial labour demand and workforce development. The Governing Body approved the long-term goals of the NSDA to address global challenges following Bangladesh’s graduation from Least Developed Country (LDC) status. Key components of these long-term plans include conducting skills gap analyses in emerging sectors, bringing all development projects under NSDA curricula and competency standards, aligning the Bangladesh National Qualifications Framework (BNQF) with international benchmarks, and bringing the large informal-sector workforce under national skills certification through recognition of prior learning. Among other issues, the meeting discussed the provision of Continuous Discharge Certificates (CDC) to students trained at the Institutes of Marine Technology (IMTs) under the Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment. Dhaka, Beijing cooperation must continue with new govt: Prof Yunus Shipping and Labour and Employment Adviser Brigadier General (Retd) Dr M Sakhawat Hussain, Industries Adviser Adilur Rahman Khan, Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA) Executive Chairman Chowdhury Ashik Mahmud Bin Harun, Chief Adviser’s Principal Secretary M Siraz Uddin Miah, NSDA Executive Chairman Dr Nazneen Kawshar Chowdhury, secretaries of different ministries, and other senior officials attended the meeting.

Another fighter injured during the July–August uprising  in 2024 died at a hospital in the capital on Sunday. Thirty-two-year-old Ashraful succumbed to his injuries around 8:00 am while undergoing treatment at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the National Institute of Neurosciences and Hospital in Dhaka. Md Abu Shadik (Kayem), Vice-President of Dhaka University Central Students’ Union (DUCSU), shared the information in a Facebook post in the afternoon. According to the post, Ashraful was shot in Mirpur-10 on August 5, 2024, during the uprising. He had been receiving medical treatment in Thailand for 14 months before being brought back to Bangladesh on February 4, 2026. He was then admitted to the ICU of the National Institute of Neurosciences, where he later died. Visit July Uprising Museum at Gonobhaban to witness brutal history: CA

The interim government will not lease out the New Mooring Container Terminal at Chattogram Port during its tenure, said the head of the country’s investment authority, dismissing the reported move over finalising a deal with global port operator DP World. Chowdhury Ashik Mahmud Bin Harun, executive chairman of the Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA), told a press briefing in Dhaka on Sunday that DP World has asked for additional time to review a draft agreement, effectively ruling out the possibility of finalising any lease deal before the interim administration leaves office. “DP World has asked for time. As this government has no more than two working days left, it can be stated with certainty that no port lease agreement will be signed during the interim government’s tenure,” he said. Ashik said DP World sent a letter to the Chief Adviser’s Office on Sunday morning, expressing satisfaction with the discussions held so far with Bangladesh. “They are hopeful that the negotiations will move in the right direction in the future. We have sent them a draft agreement, which they want time to review. After the election and the end of this government’s term, negotiations will resume,” he said. Govt to take tough stance over Ctg port strike: Shipping Adviser He said discussions with DP World have been ongoing since 2019, with more intensive negotiations taking place over the past month at various levels of the government. “We hope the dialogue will continue in the days ahead.” Meanwhile, an indefinite strike has disrupted operations at Chittagong Port since Sunday morning, protesting any move to lease out the terminal. The strike, called by the Chittagong Port Protection Movement Council, has brought jetty and outer anchorage activities to a near standstill. According to port sources, 12 vessels are currently berthed at the main jetty, while more than 50 cargo vessels remain stranded at the outer anchorage, with unloading operations halted. Law enforcement agencies have been deployed in large numbers in and around the port area since morning. Port workers had earlier observed three days of eight-hour work stoppages from January 31, followed by continuous work abstention from last Tuesday, severely disrupting container transportation. The strike was suspended for two days after talks with the Shipping Adviser on Thursday, but resumed after port authorities sent letters seeking travel bans and asset probes against protest leaders. Earlier in the day, Shipping Adviser Brig Gen (retd) M Sakhawat Hussain told reporters that the DP World issue remains under discussion. “They have written to the Chief Adviser seeking more time. Negotiations will continue, even after the election if necessary.” Strike halts operations at Chattogram Port for second time Issuing a warning to the strikers, the adviser said a handful of people were trying to hold the entire port hostage. “They are holding 180 million people hostage. This cannot be allowed. The government has decided to take a hard line. Some have already been detained, and others will be arrested.” The protesters are continuing the strike pressing four demands, including cancellation of any lease deal, removal of the port chairman, withdrawal of punitive actions against protesting employees, and assurance that no legal action will be taken against the agitators.

Bangladesh’s point-to-point general inflation edged up slightly to 8.58 per cent in January 2026 from 8.49 per cent in December 2025, mainly due to higher food prices, according to the latest data from the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS). The BBS data showed food inflation rose to 8.29 per cent in January from 7.71 per cent in the previous month, while non-food inflation fell to 8.81 per cent from 9.13 per cent. Both rural and urban areas saw modest increases in overall inflation. In rural areas, the general point-to-point inflation stood at 8.63 per cent in January, up from 8.48 per cent in December 2025, though it was higher at 10.18 per cent in January 2025. Rural food inflation climbed to 8.18 per cent from 7.67 per cent while non-food inflation decreased to 9.04 per cent from 9.26 per cent. In January 2025, rural food and non-food inflation were 10.61 per cent and 9.77 per cent respectively. In urban areas, general inflation rose slightly to 8.57 per cent in January from 8.55 per cent in December. Urban food inflation increased to 8.61 per cent from 7.87 per cent, whereas non-food inflation fell to 8.54 per cent from 8.99 per cent. In January 2025, urban food and non-food inflation were 10.95 per cent and 9.25 per cent respectively.  

Bangladesh Navy and the United Kingdom have signed a government‑to‑government sales agreement for the former HMS Enterprise, an Echo‑class hydrographic and oceanographic survey vessel. The sale of the HMS Enterprise highlights the UK’s continued partnership with Bangladesh in enhancing maritime security and contributing to a prosperous, stable, free and open Indo-Pacific and Bay of Bengal, said the British High Commission in Dhaka on Sunday. The signing ceremony was held at Bangladesh Navy Headquarters following extensive technical engagement between the Bangladesh Navy, the UK Ministry of Defence and Royal Navy. The vessel, known for its distinguished service in survey operations, humanitarian support, and disaster‑response missions, will now help strengthen Bangladesh’s maritime security and regional stability efforts, said the UK government. It will also provide hydrographic, oceanographic and scientific research capability and offer significant research opportunities for Bangladeshi universities. From the Bangladesh side, Admiral M. Nazmul Hassan, Chief of Naval Staff, and Rear Admiral Jahangir Adil Samdany, Assistant Chief of Naval Staff (Logistics), were present.  

Shipping Adviser Brigadier General (retd) M Sakhawat Hossain on Sunday said the government will take a hard line to end the ongoing strike at Chattogram Port. “The ongoing strike at Chattogram Port cannot be allowed to continue,” the adviser told reporters at the Bangladesh Secretariat. An indefinite strike by Chattogram port workers resumed at 8am on Sunday in protest against the plan to lease the port’s New Mooring Container Terminal to a foreign company and to press four other demands. Sakhawat Hossain said a handful of people are trying to hold the entire port hostage at a time when Ramadan is approaching. “Chickpeas, lentils and edible oil are lying idle at the outer anchorage. They have taken 18 crore people hostage. This cannot be allowed to continue,” he added. He said several people have already been arrested and the rest will also be brought to book.  

The Election Working Alliance (EWA) on Sunday voiced deep concern over a sharp rise in violations of the electoral code of conduct, violence, intimidation, hate speech targeting women, and other threats as the polling day approaches. The concerns were raised at a roundtable titled “Ensuring a Violence-Free and Fair Election: Essential Responsibilities of the Election Commission and the Government,” organised by the organisation at the Jatiya Press Club. Presenting field-level data collected nationwide, Rafiquzzaman Ruman, head of the Department of Journalism and Media Studies at Manarat International University, said at least 275 incidents involving code violations, violence, harassment, humiliation and attacks against women have been documented, supported by visual evidence. He said violations ahead of the election are geographically widespread and structurally repetitive, with incidents reported from more than 36 districts. Such developments  undermine the neutrality and equality of the electoral environment and threaten the safety of candidates, campaign workers, supporters and voters, he added. The discussion was chaired by former government secretary and EWA President Professor Dr Md Shariful Alam. Among the speakers were North South University Professor Dr Tawfiq M Haque, Professor Dr Waresul Karim Bulbul, former diplomat Abdul Motaleb Sarker and EWA Vice President Dr Golam Rahman Bhuiyan. Professor Dr Tawfiq M Haque said that while grassroots enthusiasm for the election is visible, several risks are emerging alongside it. To address these risks, he said, responsibility lies not only with the Election Commission but also with law enforcement agencies and political parties. Former diplomat Abdul Motaleb Sarker said the upcoming election is crucial not only domestically but also internationally. He stressed that all stakeholders in the electoral process, not just the Election Commission, must act responsibly, and urged the Commission to learn from past shortcomings and move quickly toward stricter enforcement. Several speakers expressed dissatisfaction with the recent role of law enforcement agencies, including their conduct toward media outlets, and called for professionalism and political neutrality. EWA President Professor Dr Md Shariful Alam said ensuring compliance with the electoral code of conduct is the Election Commission’s primary responsibility. “It is evident that the Election Commission is failing in this regard,” he said, adding that without a firm and impartial stance from the Commission, field administration and law enforcement agencies will not remain politically neutral. He said there is still time for the Election Commission to take a strong and neutral position and fulfil its constitutional duties.  

Speakers at report launching event on Sunday said minority concerns must be treated as national issues to sustain democracy in the country. They said the rule of law has been dragged onto the streets through mob pressure while manifestos have no real value without accountability. Gaps in oversight, enforcement, and institutional independence have created widespread doubts about election management, they observed. The Center for Governance Studies (CGS) organised the report launching event titled “From Pledges to Practice: Political Inclusion &  Democratic Accountability– Bangladesh’s Polls 2026.” CGS announces new Board of Directors for CGS USA During the event, research findings and recommendations were presented on ensuring an inclusive, safe, and reliable election for minority and marginalised communities as Bangladesh approaches the national election. The discussion highlighted the electoral realities and obstacles faced by religious minorities, ethnic groups, and gender-diverse populations, as well as the implementation of constitutional pledges regarding equality and non-discrimination. Prominent economist Dr Debapriya Bhattacharya said he had no disagreement with the data and analysis presented in the CGS report and expressed agreement with its core findings. He noted that justice, reform, and elections were the government’s three main priorities, with security as a critical fourth. In his view, the most significant change has been in people’s expectations. Those who had long remained marginalized are now visible, speaking out, and present in the public sphere. He credited this shift to ordinary citizens, the media, and civil society. Dr Debapriya added that political parties could have offered more progressive and inclusive manifestos, though what has been presented should not be dismissed outright. However, he said, without accountability, even the most extensive manifestos hold little value. The deficits in inclusivity and participation are difficult to articulate fully. Bangladesh, he said, remains capable of holding a participatory election, but those unwilling to do so do not view voting as beneficial to society. "Without ensuring the safety of marginalized communities before and after elections, the democratic process will remain fragile," Dr Debapriya said. Minorities must not be treated as mere vote banks: CGS roundtable He further stated that if the interim government succeeds in delivering a free and credible election at the end of its tenure, that achievement will be remembered in history. "In reality, minority representation in elections has continued to decline, and even minority representatives in previous parliaments were unable to effectively raise minority concerns within the legislature. To sustain democracy, minority issues must be treated as national issues and never trivialized or politicized," Dr Debapriya said. Failure to address the concerns of religious and minority communities could lead to broader national security challenges, he said. He noted that while the Chief Adviser has spoken of unity across religions and identities under one umbrella, that umbrella has yet to be fully opened in practice. Dr Debapriya concluded by asking whether the country truly seeks accountability and whether the expectations for change can be translated into action. Without ensuring minority representation across administrative structures, challenges will only deepen, he said. Bangladesh seeks change, he said, and he expressed optimism and satisfaction at being part of that process. At the beginning of the event, CGS President Zillur Rahman said although the research report was prepared with the upcoming national election in mind, its significance goes far beyond a single electoral cycle. The report reflects a long-standing democratic crisis and structural inequalities. He recalled that the core pledge of the 1971 Liberation War was to establish an egalitarian society, yet more than five decades after independence, that promise remains unfulfilled. The 2024 mass uprising, he said, was fundamentally directed against inequality. "Today, inequality persists across Bangladesh—between men and women, across religions and identities, and between the center and the periphery." Dr. Badiul Alam Majumdar said over the years there has been no meaningful improvement in the conditions of marginalized communities, including women and all forms of minorities. Despite numerous proposals and recommendations for electoral reform, most have not been implemented in practice, he said. As a result, he said serious doubts remain about whether the upcoming election will be genuinely free, fair, and inclusive. Dr. Selim Jahan said although the Constitution guarantees equal rights for all citizens and envisions an inclusive electoral system, the recurring question of how inclusive elections in Bangladesh truly are reflects a deep institutional failure. In practice, constitutional commitments have repeatedly been violated, and the rights and security of minority communities have not been adequately protected or prioritized. He noted that over time the state has failed to consistently recognize, safeguard, and ensure accountability for minority political participation, allowing structural patterns of exclusion to persist. The event was moderated by Zillur Rahman, President of the Center for Governance Studies (CGS). Politicians, teachers, economists, civil society members, media professionals, and representatives from minority communities were present at the event. CGS hosts dialogue to strengthen democratic practices among young politicians

As political parties release their manifestos for the 13th national elections, a research project has published the election manifestos of major political parties in Bangladesh since 1991 on a dedicated website. The website, www.votemanifesto.com, includes the manifestos already published for the upcoming national elections scheduled for February 12. Titled “Manifestos of Political Parties in the Elections of Bangladesh,” the research project has been conducted by Professor Ali Riaz and M.M. Musa. According to the project description, the database has been created to help researchers, journalists and citizens examine the promises and policy commitments made by political parties in their election manifestos since 1991. The project notes that elections are a vital part of a democratic system. In a parliamentary democracy, citizens elect their representatives through national elections, and free, fair and participatory polls allow people to take part in governance. Alongside nominating candidates, most political parties publish election manifestos outlining their ideology and future plans. These manifestos serve as a public promise and provide a basis for judging the performance of parties that come to power. Professor Ali Riaz is a Distinguished Professor of Politics and Government at Illinois State University, USA, and President of the American Institute of Bangladesh Studies (AIBS). He is currently serving as a Special Assistant to the Chief Adviser. M.M. Musa is a writer and researcher who has worked as a journalist and regularly writes on development issues and the lives of marginalised communities in various national media outlets.

The interim government has officially sought support from the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) for a fair and transparent investigation into the assassination of Shaheed Sharif Osman Hadi. OHCHR, headquartered in Geneva, is the principal UN entity dedicated to promoting and protecting all human rights, as established in 1993. It works to strengthen international rights, supports treaty bodies, and conducts field operations to monitor and report on human rights. Hadi murder: Accused Rubel remanded for 6 days As instructed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, a formal note verbale requesting for extending necessary assistance to the government of Bangladesh by the OHCHR to support the "fair, impartial and expeditious" investigation on the assassination of Shaheed Sharif Osman Hadi, and for justice for him, was sent on February 6. Bangladesh Mission in Geneva will keep the Ministry informed as soon as it receives a response from the OHCHR, reads a note sent by Bangladesh Ambassador Nahida Sobhan to the MoFA on February 8. On February 6, Chief Adviser’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam said the interim government remains steadfast in its commitment to ensuring full justice in this case and will extend all possible cooperation to such an investigation. Inqilab Moncho on Thursday staged a sit-in outside the Chief Adviser’s official residence, Jamuna, demanding an impartial investigation under United Nations supervision into the killing of its spokesperson Hadi. After the attack, Hadi was initially taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital, later to Evercare Hospital, and eventually flown to Singapore. Hadi died on the night of December 18 while undergoing treatment at Singapore General Hospital. Following the incident, Jaber filed a case of attempted murder with Paltan Police Station on December 14, which was later converted into a murder case.