United News of Bangladesh

The Embassy of Bangladesh in Ireland formally began its operations on Thursday. The establishment of the mission marks an important milestone in the development of Bangladesh-Ireland relations and is expected to further strengthen bilateral engagement between the two countries, said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The embassy has initially commenced its administrative functions from a temporary Chancery Office at Alexandra House in the diplomatic area of Ballsbridge, Dublin. Ambassador-designate Mohammed Nore Alam assumed charge of the mission on Thursday. He is expected to present his Letters of Credence to the President of Ireland in due course. The opening of the embassy will facilitate enhanced diplomatic engagement between Bangladesh and Ireland and provide a dedicated platform for further advancing cooperation in areas of mutual interest. The mission will also work to strengthen its engagement with the Bangladeshi community residing in Ireland. An estimated 25,000 Bangladeshi nationals currently reside in Ireland. The embassy will, in due course, provide passport, visa and other consular services to Bangladeshi nationals and other eligible applicants. It is currently making the necessary arrangements for the commencement of consular services. The dates, procedures and other relevant information regarding passport, visa and consular services will be communicated through official channels in due course. The government of Bangladesh looks forward to further deepening the friendly and mutually beneficial relations between Bangladesh and Ireland through the establishment of the resident embassy.

The United States, through the USG-funded STRIDES Activity, is providing 500,000 US-made Dengue NS1 rapid diagnostic test kits to Bangladesh’s Health Ministry, advancing the America First Global Health Strategy and supporting Bangladesh’s efforts to detect and manage cases amid the country’s ongoing dengue surge. Chargé d’Affaires Trishita Maula presented the test kits to Health Minister Sardar Md Sakhawat Husain in a handover ceremony at Kurmitola Multicare Specialised Hospital (KMSH), said US Mission Spokesperson Poornima Rai on Thursday. He was joined by Health Services Division Secretary Dr ANM Bazlur Rashid, Director General of Health Services Dr Pravath Chandra Biswas, and KMSH Director Brigadier General Md Saydur Rahman. The delegation toured the hospital’s emergency room, dengue ward, and diagnostic laboratory, observing frontline health workers treating dengue patients and US-supported equipment strengthening diagnostic capacity.

State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humaiun Kobir on Thursday urged South Korea to take concrete measures to boost imports of Bangladeshi goods and services and gradually reduce the trade imbalance. He also called for streamlining food-safety inspection and quarantine procedures for Bangladeshi agricultural, fishery and food products. The State Minister held separate meetings on Thursday with Hyejin Kwon, Deputy Minister for Trade Negotiation at the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources of the Republic of Korea (ROK), and senior leadership of the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) in Seoul. The meetings focused on further strengthening Bangladesh-ROK cooperation in trade, investment, development cooperation and technology, among other areas, said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Outgoing Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Yao Wen has said the relations between Bangladesh and China have displayed vigorous vitality and a flourishing momentum, winning the unanimous support of all sectors of Bangladeshi society and its people. “Today, with deepening political mutual trust, fruitful economic and trade cooperation, and ever-warmer people-to-people exchanges, China-Bangladesh relations are at their best in history,” he said in a message marking the 77th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China that falls on October 1. Ambassador Yao said facts have proven that the friendship serves the fundamental interests of both countries and both peoples and conforms to the trend of the times; no storm can hold back the forward march of their relations. “Looking back fills me with deep emotion,” he said, noting that he has served in Bangladesh for three years and nine months, and he will bid farewell to this post shortly. Ambassador Yao said these more than 1,300 days and nights have been the most fulfilling and unforgettable chapter of his diplomatic career. “As I prepare to leave, my heart is filled with profound attachment and reluctance to part.” Over the past three years, the envoy said he has personally witnessed Bangladesh’s political transformation and the historic choices this nation has made at a critical juncture. “I hold deep admiration for the remarkable resilience and national dignity demonstrated by the Bangladeshi people, who, under the leadership of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, have embarked on a new path of reform and development,” he said in his message. This year also marks the 51st anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between Bangladesh and China, as well as the 10th anniversary of Bangladesh-China Belt and Road cooperation. “Through half a century of shared weal and woe, China and Bangladesh have always been good neighbors, good friends, and good partners who respect and treat each other with sincerity,” said the Ambassador. He said China supports the new Bangladeshi government in exercising governance, supports Bangladesh in safeguarding its national independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity, opposes external interference, and supports Bangladesh in playing a greater role in regional and international affairs. This year, Ambassador Yao said, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman paid his first visit to China, during which the leaders of the two countries reached a series of important understandings and elevated bilateral relations to a China-Bangladesh community with a shared future in the new era, injecting strong impetus into the long-term development of bilateral ties. Although the relations once faced headwinds, he said, “As the Chinese saying goes, strong winds reveal the strength of the grass and fierce fire tests true gold.” Over the past three years, the envoy walked through the streets and alleys of Dhaka and made field research to Chattogram, Sylhet, Rangpur, and beyond. “Dhaka’s traffic may be congested, yet the crowds on its streets always stride forward with bright eyes. What impressed me most is the optimism and drive of Bangladesh’s young people,” said Ambassador Yao. Over the past three years, the envoy said he made many Bangladeshi friends; those evenings of heartfelt conversations and days of walking side by side. “This friendship I will treasure forever.” “A bosom friend afar brings a distant land near. Departure is not an end, but a new beginning. Wherever I may be, my heart will remain closely tied to this land and to the cause of China-Bangladesh friendship,” Ambassador Yao said. He firmly believes that the future of Bangladesh-China relations will be ever brighter and the road of their friendly cooperation ever wider. “May the China-Bangladesh friendship remain evergreen forever! May both our countries enjoy prosperity and our people’s happiness and well-being!” From 2010 to 2025, China has remained Bangladesh’s largest trading partner for 16 consecutive years, according to the Chinese Embassy in Dhaka. In the first half of 2026, bilateral trade reached a new high of US$12.8 billion, representing a year-on-year increase of 10.6%. As of June 2026, China’s cumulative investment in Bangladesh had reached approximately US$3.6 billion, said the Embassy. In 2025, China’s direct investment in Bangladesh increased by approximately 50% year on year. Since the establishment of the new government, five Chinese-invested enterprises have cumulatively invested more than US$100 million in Bangladesh, creating nearly 20,000 jobs. In July 2026, the China Economic and Industrial Zone in Chattogram was officially launched, with a focus on developing key industries including textiles and garments, machinery manufacturing, electronics and information technology, biomedicine, and green energy. The zone has attracted intended investments totaling US$500 million. The Embassy said the Padma Bridge, constructed by a Chinese company, has been hailed as Bangladesh’s “Bridge of Dreams.” It connects Dhaka with 21 districts in southwestern Bangladesh and is estimated to contribute 1.23 percentage points to annual GDP growth while reducing the poverty rate by 0.84 percentage points.

Bangladesh’s engagement with Silicon Valley-based Plug and Play has opened opportunities for investment, innovation and technology partnerships, with the global innovation platform proposing a strategic pathway that could help mobilise more than US$500 million in foreign direct investment (FDI) for Bangladesh. A high-level Bangladesh delegation held discussions with Plug and Play leadership at its Silicon Valley headquarters on September 28, according to a press release. The meeting, facilitated by the Consulate General of Bangladesh in Los Angeles, focused on attracting international investment, strengthening Bangladesh’s innovation and startup ecosystem, developing AI capabilities, building technology talent and connecting the country with global corporations and investors. The delegation, led by Prime Minister’s Adviser on Finance and Planning Rashed Al Mahmud Titumir, included State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam, State Minister for Primary and Mass Education Boby Hajjaj, Prime Minister’s Adviser on Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology and Science and Technology Rehan Asif Asad, Protocol Officer-2 Kamrul Islam, Deputy Press Secretary Md Jahidul Islam, Bangladesh Ambassador to the United States Tareq Md Ariful Islam and Consul General of Bangladesh in Los Angeles Kazi Muhammad Jabed Iqbal.

Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Dinesh Trivedi on Wednesday laid emphasis on proper preparations by both sides before the meeting between Prime Minister Tarique Rahman and his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi, noting that there is no benefit in rushing. “We have to make sure that proper preparations are made because many issues will have to be discussed - trade, commerce, water - many issues. We are very positive about the future,” he told reporters in response to a question. After a courtesy meeting with Liberation War Affairs Minister Ahmed Azam Khan, the High Commissioner said they have to give both Prime Ministers a convenient time. “As far as the Prime Minister’s visit is concerned, the atmosphere is absolutely positive,” said the Indian envoy, noting that no discussion had been held about the timing or month, but the visit would definitely take place. He said there would be no issues for which a solution could not be found if the two leaders met and sat together. “See, challenges will be there. If we think there are no challenges - that would be wrong.” Meanwhile, Indian External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal on Tuesday evening said the two countries have a Joint Rivers Commission and that all matters relating to rivers - including the Ganga Water Treaty and other rivers shared by the two countries - would be discussed under the JRC. “To also let you know that, at the technical level, meetings on the Ganga Water Treaty have continued to happen,” he told reporters in New Delhi. State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humaiun Kobir on Tuesday said Bangladesh and India would overcome their existing challenges through dialogue and discussion, expressing optimism about positive outcomes in the near future and a visit by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman to India. “Of course, there are some challenges. We are hopeful that we can overcome these challenges through dialogue and discussion. And, of course, you know, at some point, with a conducive environment in place, a visit by the Prime Minister also… We had a very good discussion,” he told reporters at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the afternoon. Asked about the timing of the visit, he said it would be decided later through mutual discussion. “So, we will do a visit when the environment is conducive, based on mutual respect,” said the State Minister, noting that they had a “very good, cordial and productive” conversation. On speculation that November could be a possible timeframe, Kobir declined to comment. “There are many rumours, but I do not talk about rumours. I talk about reality, and the reality is that we had a very good meeting today,” he added. Indian High Commissioner Dinesh Trivedi on Tuesday described the overall state of Bangladesh-India relations as “absolutely positive”, saying Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s visit to India would take place at a mutually convenient time. “I am telling you again. Our invitation is open. I don't think there is a need for a hurry. Everything is very positive. But we must give due time,” he told reporters in response to a question at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Bangladesh underscored its commitment to working in a forward-looking and mutually respectful way with India on issues of mutual interest and for the benefit of the people.

British Council Chief Executive Scott McDonald arrived in Bangladesh on Monday on a three-day visit aimed at strengthening longstanding ties between Bangladesh and the United Kingdom through education, English language, arts and culture, and opportunities for young people. McDonald is visiting Dhaka and Rajshahi from September 29 to October 1, during which he is scheduled to meet government representatives, education leaders, teachers, students, young people and cultural partners. The visit will also focus on opportunities to deepen UK-Bangladesh cooperation in education reform, school system strengthening, higher education, English language teaching, cultural exchange and youth engagement. On the first day, Scott met Dr A N M Ehsanul Hoque Milon, Minister of Education and Minister of Primary and Mass Education, to discuss Bangladesh’s education priorities and opportunities for UK-Bangladesh collaboration.

India has sought “effective consular access” to persons claiming to be Indian nationals lodged in Bangladeshi prisons, while Dhaka says it works on each case promptly, though the verification process takes time. The Indian High Commission in Dhaka continues to pursue the matter with the Bangladeshi authorities concerned for expeditious consular access and the repatriation of Indian nationals upon completion of the requisite formalities. One of the Indian nationals, Charal Devi, has already completed her sentence, and the Indian Mission in Dhaka has formally taken up her repatriation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) through a Note Verbale. However, the Indian side claimed that it has received no response from the MoFA despite subsequent follow-ups, with the latest reminder sent on September 22 this year. “Consular access is a regular process, and it is usually sought by both sides,” a government source told UNB, noting that the process leads to regular repatriation once jail terms end. “I can’t tell you about a specific case. I can tell you that we work on each and every case very promptly. It takes time to complete the verification process, including establishing communication with the relatives,” the source said, adding that there are various categories of cases and a systematic process is followed. When asked about a media report that 45 Indian nationals at Jashore Jail were preparing to return home, sources at the Indian High Commission said the Mission has been consistently taking up with the MoFA the issue of effective consular access. While the MoFA has, in several cases, conveyed its approval for consular access in principle, actual access has not always been facilitated by the concerned prison authorities, including in cases where MoFA approval had already been received, the Indian side said. In the absence of effective consular access and direct interaction with the individuals concerned, it becomes difficult for the High Commission to ascertain their identity and nationality, the sources said.

Bangladesh and Malaysia should establish a ‘binding bilateral labor agreement’ governing migrant-worker recruitment that provides meaningful and enforceable protections for workers, Migrant Welfare Network (MWN) and Fortify Rights said on Wednesday. Previous bilateral memorandums of understanding (MoUs) have included safeguards for Bangladeshi migrant workers, yet workers continue to report excessive recruitment fees, debt bondage, wage theft, passport confiscation, unsafe working conditions, and other abuses. Unlike a non-binding MoU, a bilateral labor agreement should establish binding obligations between the two governments and provide a stronger basis for ensuring that worker protections are implemented and enforced, said the rights body. Any bilateral labour agreement must include safeguards against excessive recruitment fees, debt bondage, wage theft, passport confiscation, unsafe working conditions, and other abuses. “Migrant workers make an enormous contribution to Bangladesh’s economy, sending billions of dollars home to their families every year, but too many are still exposed to exploitation and abuse,” said Abdullah al Mamun, President of Migrant Welfare Network. “Recruitment should resume only if the abuses workers face in the past are not repeated.” “Before restarting formal migrant flows, Malaysia and Bangladesh must first put effective protections in place to safeguard migrant workers’ rights,” said John Quinley, Director at Fortify Rights. “The Malaysian and Bangladeshi governments must ensure that workers have access to effective remedies when rights are violated.” Malaysia stopped accepting new migrant workers from multiple countries in 2024. However, after the BNP took office in February this year, senior Bangladeshi officials have made concerted efforts to resume the recruitment of Bangladeshi workers, making at least three high-level visits to Malaysia, including Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s official visit in June. Previously, in December 2021, Bangladesh and Malaysia signed an MoU governing the employment of Bangladeshi migrant workers in Malaysia, replacing earlier MoUs signed in 2003, 2012 and 2016 which had been repeatedly suspended over allegations of labor abuse and corruption. The 2021 agreement reportedly included protections requiring employers to cover airfare, immigration-related expenses, housing, and health and medical insurance; to provide workers with a weekly day of rest and overtime pay for work exceeding eight hours per day; and to provide compensation for workplace injuries. The agreement also provided for annual leave under Malaysian law, as well as compensation and other benefits in the event of a permanent workplace injury or death. According to the Malaysian Ministry of Home Affairs, more than 800,000 Bangladeshis currently hold active work permits in Malaysia, positioning Bangladesh as the largest source of migrant labor in the country. Migrant workers in Malaysia are routinely employed in labor-intensive and hazardous sectors, including construction, manufacturing, and plantation work. Remittances from migrant workers are critical for Bangladesh’s economy and an important contributor to the country’s foreign-exchange reserves. Between July 2025 and April 2026, Bangladesh reportedly received US$29.33 billion in remittances, an increase of 19.5% compared with the same period the previous year. In April 2026, migrant workers and other Bangladeshis abroad reportedly sent home US$3.13 billion, marking the fifth consecutive month in which remittances exceeded US$3 billion. “Previous MoUs have failed to protect labour rights and exposed massive corruption, leading to their repeated suspension,” said John Quinley, Director at Fortify Rights. “What Bangladesh and Malaysia need is not another flawed MOU, but a legally binding bilateral labor agreement to avoid a repeat of such labor abuses and corruption.”

UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, on Wednesday said greater regional and international support is needed to advance a political solution to the crisis and end the hostilities in Myanmar. The UNHCR called on the international community to maintain support for countries in the region hosting refugees from Myanmar. “Until conditions in Myanmar allow for safe, dignified and sustainable returns, States must continue to provide access to asylum and uphold international protection obligations,” said the UN agency, noting that the UNHCR is “concerned” by Malaysia’s recent return of 1,476 people to Myanmar amid the country’s continuing conflict and dire human rights and humanitarian situation. “We are concerned by these returns at a time when people sent back to Myanmar may face serious risks, and some within the group may be in need of international protection,” said UNHCR Assistant High Commissioner for Protection Edem Wosornu on Wednesday. “While authorities say the returns are voluntary, those returned had been held in immigration detention. This raises serious questions about whether decisions to return were genuinely free and informed. UNHCR did not have access to the individuals to assess this.” UNHCR fully recognised Malaysia’s sovereign responsibility to manage asylum and migration. However, UNHCR urged Malaysia to ensure that all returns are subject to robust safeguards, including individual assessments and access to protection procedures. The UN agency said decisions to return must be voluntary and assessed outside detention settings. Under the principle of non-refoulement, no one should be returned to a country where they may face persecution, torture or other serious threats to their life or freedom. UNHCR said it remains ready to work with Malaysia to strengthen national asylum and protection arrangements.