United News of Bangladesh

The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock on Wednesday recommended that the ministry prepare a coordinated action plan on marine fisheries exploration and harvesting as well as expansion of international markets for fish exports, and present it to the committee.  The recommendation was made at the second meeting of the committee, held at the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban with its chairman Khairul Kabir Khokon in the chair. The parliamentary body stressed the need to continue efforts to increase fisheries and livestock production, ensure supplies at fair prices, protect consumer rights, establish sanctuaries in water bodies, support farmers at the upazila and district levels, and strengthen market monitoring.  It also recommended that the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock conduct market-based investigations and monitoring in coordination with the Ministry of Commerce, the Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protection and other relevant agencies to verify allegations of unreasonable price hikes, excessive profits by middlemen, artificial shortages and irregularities in the supply chain of fish, meat, milk and eggs.  The committee directed the ministry to present an update on the progress of ongoing recruitment processes across all its subordinate departments and agencies at the next meeting.  The parliamentary watchdog stressed completing development projects within their stipulated deadlines and ensuring accountability of the officials concerned.  Fisheries and Livestock Minister Mohammed Aminur Rashid was present on a special invitation of the committee chairman.  Committee members --State Minister for Fisheries and Livestock Sultan Salahuddin Tuku, Sk Md Rejaul Islam, Prof Nazrul Islam, MA Hannan, Ali Azam Md Abu Bakar and Md Amir Hamza-- attended the meeting.  The Fisheries and Livestock Secretary and top officials from relevant departments were present. 

Bangladesh Railway is preparing to invite a fresh tender for a vendor to manage its online ticketing system before its contract with Shohoz.com expires in February next year. The information was disclosed at the second meeting of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Ministry of Railways held at the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban on Monday. Committee Chairman Mohammad Ali Asghar chaired the meeting, which discussed measures to ensure transparency in the management of online railway ticketing. The Ministry of Railways informed the meeting that container trains operate regularly on the Chattogram-Dhaka route, while fuel and food grains are transported to different destinations by rail. However, the number of freight trains has declined due to a shortage of metre-gauge locomotives in Bangladesh Railway's fleet. The ministry informed the committee that a development project proposal (DPP) for procuring 30 metre-gauge locomotives has recently been approved, while a tender has already been invited to procure another 30 under a previously approved project. Once the two groups of locomotives are procured by 2029, Bangladesh Railway will be able to increase freight services carrying containers, fuel, food grains and other goods, thereby boosting its revenue, the ministry said. Procurement of another 20 metre-gauge locomotives under the World Bank-funded Green Railway project is also underway. The meeting was further informed that 200 broad-gauge coaches will be added to Bangladesh Railway's fleet in phases, with 18 already received. The committee reviewed progress in implementing the ministry’s budget for the 2026-27 fiscal year. It also reviewed reports on Bangladesh Railway's land holdings, including land in use, leased land and illegally occupied land, as well as revenue from leased land, lists of leaseholders and illegal occupiers, and land-related court cases. The installation of solar panels on railway land and structures was also discussed. The committee recommended that the ministry appoint lawyers for Bangladesh Railway's legal department and take steps to resolve pending court cases. It also asked the ministry to take gradual steps to make Bangladesh Railway profitable and ensure the appointment of adequate personnel at level crossings. The committee further suggested that the ministry conduct a feasibility study on a railway line from Bhanga to Barishal and introduce a morning commuter train service between Benapole and Khulna. Committee members, State Minister for Railways Habibur Rashid, Abdul Mohit Talukder, Esrat Sultana Elen Bhutto and Muhammad Azizur Rahman attended the meeting. The railways secretary, additional secretaries, the director general of Bangladesh Railway, other senior officials concerned and officials of the Parliament Secretariat were also present.

Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Ministry of Agriculture Md. Shahadat Hossain on Monday said now there is no fertiliser crisis in the country, with sufficient stocks available to meet demand. “The artificial crisis created around fertiliser distribution management has been resolved through prompt and effective intervention,” he said while chairing the second meeting of the committee at the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban. Shahadat Hossain said if fertiliser factories could continue production at full capacity, the country might be able to meet domestic demand and create opportunities to export surplus fertiliser in the future. Agriculture Minister Mohammed Aminur Rashid attended the meeting on invitation of the committee Chairman. Committee members Shohidul Islam, Mostafizur Rahman, Rokon Uddin Bablu, Mujibur Rahman Choudhury, Sabira Sultana and Golam Rasul attended the meeting. During the meeting, the ministry officials presented a detailed update on the progress in implementing the decisions taken at the first meeting of the parliamentary committee. The committee recommended taking necessary action over allegations of irregularities and inconsistencies in fertiliser dealer appointments in different areas. It suggested that contracts for dealerships where agreements have not yet been signed should remain suspended until the allegations are resolved. In cases where agreements have already been signed, the allegations should be properly investigated and necessary action taken, said the parliamentary body. The committee particularly recommended that allegations relating to dealer appointments in Lalmonirhat, Barguna, Satkhira, Faridpur, Naogaon and Jashore districts be considered seriously and addressed accordingly. Following a proposal by committee member Mostafizur Rahman, the committee formed a three-member body to conduct on-site inspections of fertiliser distribution, stockpiling and management to know whether there is any illegal stockpiling, marketing and other irregularities for identifying problems and formulating specific recommendations to address them. Mostafizur Rahman was made convener of the body, with Rokon Uddin Bablu and Sabira Sultana as members. Agriculture Secretary Salim Khan and chiefs of departments under the ministry were present.

The Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has sought detailed account of the recent execution of two Bangladeshi nationals in Saudi Arabia and measures taken to prevent similar incidents in the future. At its third meeting, held at the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban on Sunday with committee chairman Joharat Adib Chowdhury in the chair, the committee was informed that the ministry sought detailed information from the Saudi authorities regarding the executions. The committee recommended that the ministry inform it of the full details of the incident once the information is received, steps taken to prevent a recurrence and any action taken against the consular officials concerned if negligence is found. It also recommended that the ministry present its detailed modernisation plan to improve the quality of services provided by Bangladesh missions in Saudi Arabia. The committee further recommended that the ministry take necessary measures to ensure the protection of Bangladeshi women workers employed in Saudi Arabia and other Middle Eastern countries. The meeting discussed the activities and staffing of Bangladesh missions in Saudi Arabia in detail. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs made a presentation on the current state of Bangladesh-Saudi Arabia relations, the main activities of the missions, institutional cooperation, bilateral trade, employment and remittances, major challenges and opportunities in the labour market, labour welfare services provided by the Bangladesh Embassy in Riyadh and the Bangladesh Consulate General in Jeddah, and Hajj operations. State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humaiun Kobir attended the meeting at the special invitation of the committee. Committee members ABM Mosharraf Hossain, SK Azizul Bari, Sayeed Al Noman, Humam Quader Chowdhury and Sanjida Islam also attended.

A parliamentary standing committee on the Planning Ministry has decided to investigate the implementation of the Karnaphuli Tunnel project and the reasons behind its current financial losses. The committee took the decision at its second meeting at the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban on Saturday. The committee discussed the tunnel’s feasibility study, implementation process and financial losses, and decided to hold a detailed discussion on the matter at its next meeting. It also unanimously agreed to examine the project’s implementation and financial losses through a proper investigation, with the relevant authorities expected to provide the committee with necessary assistance. The meeting also reviewed delays in development projects under the Planning Ministry and the reasons for extending their implementation periods. According to the ministry, the implementation periods of 256 projects were extended in the 2025-26 fiscal year. The ministry attributed the extensions to complications in land acquisition, dependence on imports, difficulties in appointing project directors, inadequate feasibility studies, delays in releasing funds and conflicts between ministries, among other factors. The committee recommended effective measures by the relevant authorities to address these problems and reduce delays in project implementation. In line with an earlier decision, the ministry also provided members with a list of 1,153 ongoing projects under its jurisdiction and presented their five-year strategic plans, explaining how the projects are being implemented. The ministry informed the committee that work was under way to formulate a new policy for appointing project directors. It expressed hope that the policy, once finalised, would help resolve persistent problems in the appointment process. The meeting was also informed that efforts are being made to address regional disparities in project implementation and ensure equitable development of rural infrastructure. Regarding staffing, the ministry said recruitment of 65 officers and employees across different grades is at the final stage against 221 vacant posts.

A parliamentary panel has decided to conduct a feasibility study on installing solar panels at the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban complex, stressing that the project must not compromise the original architectural design by Louis I Kahn or affect the ecological balance and biodiversity of the area. The decision was taken at the committee’s first meeting at the Parliament building on Thursday, chaired by Deputy Speaker Barrister Kayser Kamal, also the committee convener. The meeting discussed assessing the total electricity demand of the Parliament building and its premises, reducing power consumption and system losses, and identifying suitable open spaces for installing solar panels. The committee decided to prepare a map identifying potential sites for solar installations and develop a three-dimensional (3D) animation of the proposed plan for presentation at its next meeting. It also recommended that the feasibility of the installations be assessed by Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) or another reputed institution to ensure that the building’s original architectural design and the ecological balance of the premises remain intact. A subcommittee comprising MPs Md Ashraf Uddin, Lutfullahil Majed and Mardia Momtaz was formed to examine the overall feasibility of the proposed installations and prepare a report. Officials from the Parliament Secretariat, the Dhaka Power Distribution Company Limited (DPDC), the Department of Architecture and the Public Works Department will assist the subcommittee. The meeting also decided that a report on the potential damage caused by keeping the air-conditioning system switched off outside parliamentary sessions would be submitted to the subcommittee within 15 days. The report is expected to assess the possible consequences of suspending air conditioning when the Parliament is not in session. The committee further decided that it would not take responsibility for the ongoing initiative to install solar panels on the roof of the MP Hostel, for which the Development Project Proposal (DPP) has already been prepared. The meeting was attended by committee members, including Opposition Chief Whip Md Nahid Islam, Md Ashraf Uddin, Lutfullahil Majed, Md Saiful Alam and Mardia Momtaz.  

A parliamentary standing committee on water resources has discussed Bangladesh’s national interests in the Ganges Water Sharing Treaty and expressed hope that the Padma Barrage project could be inaugurated in February 2027. The second meeting of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Ministry of Water Resources, chaired by its chairman Mohammad Shafiqul Haque Milon, MP, was held at the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban on Wednesday. The meeting discussed whether the existing Ganges treaty would continue or be renewed, but no final decision has yet been taken on the matter, according to a press release. It was informed that the relevant process was ongoing. The committee also discussed a proposed inspection of the Padma Barrage project site in Sujanagar upazila of Pabna district on October 25. At the beginning of the meeting, the minutes of the committee’s first meeting were confirmed subject to amendments. The committee then reviewed the implementation progress of two riverbank protection projects adopted at its previous meeting. The projects are aimed at preventing erosion along the Brahmaputra and Jinjiram rivers in Jamalpur district, and protecting the left bank of the Jamuna River, the Old Brahmaputra River and the Alai River as they flow through the district. Reports were also presented on the Barnoi River Re-excavation, Pollution Prevention and Encroachment Removal Project in Rajshahi and Natore districts. The committee reviewed the rehabilitation of polders 67/A, 67, 67/B and 68 along the Naf River in Ukhiya and Teknaf upazilas of Cox’s Bazar district. The project aims to improve border security along the Bangladesh-Myanmar frontier and is being implemented under its second revised version. The emergency maintenance and rehabilitation activities of the Ganges-Kobadak Irrigation Project were also discussed. The committee examined the implementation progress of all the projects and reviewed the reports presented at the meeting.

A parliamentary committee on Wednesday recommended taking necessary steps to request the chairman of the Bangladesh Public Service Commission (BPSC) to complete the recruitment process for 16 posts in the Bangladesh Parliament Secretariat as soon as possible. The posts include 15 first-class and one second-class position that can be filled through direct recruitment. The recommendation was made at the first meeting of the committee formed to deal with staffing-related issues of the Bangladesh Parliament Secretariat, held at the Sangsad Bhaban with Deputy Speaker Barrister Kayser Kamal, MP, in the chair. The meeting held detailed discussions on filling vacant posts in the Parliament Secretariat, evaluating the performance of officers and employees, taking effective measures to improve their efficiency and other important issues. The committee decided to publish recruitment advertisements in daily newspapers by the first week of November 2026 to complete the direct recruitment process for vacant third- and fourth-class posts. The meeting also discussed the recruitment of 86 people in light of a court verdict. The committee recommended keeping the relevant posts reserved and completing the recruitment process in accordance with the court's ruling. Besides, the committee formed on September 16, 2025, during the interim government to deal with these issues was declared dissolved with effect from October 14, 2026.

The fourth session of the current parliament will begin on November 9 next (Monday), according to a notification issued by the Parliament Secretariat on Wednesday. President Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has summoned the session to be held at 3:30pm on the day at the Sangsad Bhaban in the capital. The President summoned the session in exercise of the powers conferred upon him under Article 72(1) of the Constitution of Bangladesh, said a notification signed by Md Monir Hossain, director of the Public Relations Sub-division-1 of the Bangladesh Parliament Secretariat. This will be the fourth session of the current parliament constituted following the latest general election held on February 12, 2026. With this, the 13th parliament is going into the session after a 60-day recess as the third session was prorogued on September 10 last after only nine sittings.   Earlier, the second session, also known as the budget session, was prorogued on July 15 after 27 working days. During that session, Parliament passed the Tk 938,000-crore national budget for the 2026-27 fiscal year, the first budget under the current BNP government. The first session of the  Parliament commenced on March 12, following the general election held on February 12. During its first session, Parliament passed 94 bills, including 91 bills against ordinances promulgated during the interim government’s tenure, and formed several parliamentary committees. The first session commenced on March 12, following the general election held on February 12. During its first session, Parliament passed 94 bills, including 91 bills against ordinances promulgated during the interim government’s tenure. The maiden session was prorogued on April 30 after 25 sittings.

The opposition has been asked to nominate representatives to the Parliamentary Special Committee on Constitution Amendment to help build national consensus on implementing the July National Charter. The call came at the committee's seventh meeting, chaired by Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed, at the Cabinet Room of the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban on Tuesday. Different issues, including building national consensus on the implementation of the July National Charter and the participation of the opposition in the constitutional amendment process, were discussed at the meeting. The meeting stressed the need to advance necessary amendments to the Constitution to fulfil public expectations and the commitments of implementation of the July National Charter, according to a press release. Representatives of teachers who contributed to the July mass uprising, vice-chancellors of different universities, distinguished educationists and constitutional experts attended the meeting and presented their opinions and proposals on constitutional amendment. They exchanged views over effective mechanisms for amending the Constitution, the caretaker government system, judicial independence and jurisdiction, people’s sovereignty and the protection of fundamental rights. The meeting also discussed the introduction of an Upper House of Parliament in line with Bangladesh's state structure and possible mechanisms for ensuring representation of different classes and professional groups in the proposed chamber. Committee members gave due consideration to the opinions of academics and experts on implementing the July National Charter and making necessary constitutional amendments. Several participants have already submitted their written opinions, while others were requested to submit their proposals to the committee within the next two weeks, if any. The meeting also underscored the importance of building national consensus on implementing the July National Charter and moving forward with the necessary constitutional amendment process. Committee members – Chief Whip Nurul Islam Moni, Law Minister Md Asaduzzaman, Zainul Abedin, State Minister for Planning Md Zonayed Abdur Rahim Saki, State Minister for Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment Md Nurul Haque, State Minister for Land Mir Mohammed Helal Uddin, State Minister for Social Welfare Farzana Sharmin, Shakila Farzana and Md Mahmudul Hoque Rubel – attended the meeting.