United News of Bangladesh

Expressing optimism over strengthening the Dhaka-Delhi relations, Foreign Minister Dr Khalilur Rahman has said there will be a visit by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman to India at the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, but the dates have not yet been finalised.    Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has already invited Prime Minister Tarique, his wife Dr Zubaida Rahman, their daughter Barrister Zaima Rahman to pay a visit to India at a convenient time, an official told UNB, referring to Prime Minister Modi’s letter to his Bangladesh Prime Minister. “A warm welcome awaits you in India,” Modi said in his recent letter handed over to PM Tarique by Speaker of the Indian Lok Sabha Om Birla who represented the government of India at the swearing-in ceremony of the newly elected government of Bangladesh. “There will be a visit. We have not yet done the dates. Of course, in the run-up to the visit, we will have activities,” Dr Khalilur told the Indian media during his visit to Mauritius.  Talking to World Is One News in Mauritius, the Foreign Minister said leaders of the two countries had not only exchanged letters but had also spoken.  He said both the leaders wanted to advance the relationship and it is a relationship that is consequential for both the countries. The Foreign Minister returned home on Saturday after visiting India and Mauritius, a senior official told UNB. “The visit and the meetings that I had (in India) were very productive. We talked about how to carry it forward. So, I am hopeful in this objective that we will be carrying forward our work in next few weeks and I feel reasonably optimistic,” Dr Khalilur said in Mauritius, adding that both the countries are willing to engage and talk to take the relationship forward.  External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar met Foreign Minister Dr Khalilur Rahman in New Delhi on April 08. Prime Minister’s Foreign Affairs Adviser Humaiun Kobir was also present at the meeting. The Indian External Affairs Minister reiterated India's desire to engage constructively with the new government and further strengthen bilateral ties. The two sides agreed to explore proposals for deepening the partnership through the relevant bilateral mechanisms. Follow-on official meetings are expected to take place at an early date, said the Indian side, noting that both sides exchanged views on regional and global issues of mutual interest. During the visit, Foreign Minister Rahman also met the National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri.

Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Pranay Verma has underlined the deep cultural affinity between the two countries  as a source of strength for their relationship. The High Commission of India and IGCC celebrated the 77th anniversary of the founding of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) as the “ICCR Day” on Friday on the IGCC premises in Gulshan, to mark the enduring cultural partnership between Bangladesh and India. Speaking on the occasion, the High Commissioner highlighted the role of ICCR in fostering a vibrant cultural dialogue between the two countries. He described ICCR as the ‘cultural heartbeat’ of Indian diplomacy, fostering cultural dialogues transcending borders. The event included an art camp by ICCR alumni and senior artists of Bangladesh and a special cultural programme with musical, dance and yoga performances by IGCC students and ICCR alumni from Bangladesh. Acclaimed singer and ICCR scholar Priyanka Gope of Dhaka University presented a special performance of Rabindra Sangeet and classical songs. Marking the occasion, the High Commissioner also inaugurated a two-day art camp — “Sampriti” —  hosted by IGCC, which brought together over thirty celebrated artists and ICCR scholars from Bangladesh including luminaries like Farida Zaman, Jamal Ahmed, Md. Eunus, Nissar Hossain and Ranjit Das. The art works created by them during the camp will be displayed publicly at a two-week art exhibition at IGCC scheduled to be inaugurated on April 30, said the High Commission on Saturday. During the event, the High Commissioner also paid heartfelt tributes to senior artist and ICCR scholar from Bangladesh, Tarun Ghosh, who had accepted the invitation to join the art camp Sampriti, but tragically passed away on April 9.

Seeking collective action amid the global energy crisis, Foreign Minister Dr Khalilur Rahman has said there might be a ceasefire, but the energy issue is not going to be resolved within two weeks. "All of us are in trouble, as the current energy challenges are creating disruptions. That will reverberate through the coming years. Even if the energy situation improves, we still face the larger problem of a decline in multilateralism," he said. The Foreign Minister made the remarks while speaking at the 9th Indian Ocean Conference in Mauritius on Friday. Indian External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar, among others, also spoke at the conference. Bangladesh on Wednesday thanked the Indian government for the recent supply of diesel and requested an increased volume of diesel and fertiliser. The Indian side indicated that it would consider the request “readily and favourably.” Dr Khalilur said the larger challenge - the loss of trust and confidence in the global system - will have to be addressed through their own actions. "If we stay strong on our home front, it will be much easier for us to overcome the storms coming from outside," he said. The Foreign Minister said some analysts believe this crisis will have implications much greater than the twin oil shocks of the 1970s. "So, if the effects of the current crisis are going to be larger than the shocks of the 1970s, we can imagine the type of risks we are facing. This is the immediate problem, but perhaps a larger issue is the context in which it is happening," he said. "The kind of orderly world, which was not entirely orderly, but orderly enough for us to believe that the global system would take care of our problems is now coming under very serious pressure," the Foreign Minister said. He said they are witnessing assaults on multilateralism and an increasing prevalence of unilateral actions within global frameworks. "They are no longer helping us effectively in dealing with these issues. So, we face a significant challenge, one that exists within an even larger context. This is a time for collective action because individual countries will not be able to meet these challenges on their own," he said.  

Nepal's Deputy Chief of Mission in Dhaka Lalita Silwal has shed light on the growing economic engagements between Nepal and Bangladesh and emphasised the notable progress made in the areas of trade, connectivity, energy and tourism. The Embassy organized an interaction programme on ‘Enhancing Nepal-Bangladesh Economic Partnership’ Friday evening in Sylhet, Bangladesh. Speaking on the occasion, she also underscored the crucial role of business community in Sylhet in promoting trade and tourism linkages and encouraged them to explore opportunities in Nepal while building meaningful partnerships with their Nepali counterparts. Nepal, Bangladesh foreign ministers meet on sidelines of Indian Ocean Conference

Akbar Hossain, who had been serving as Minister (Press) at the Bangladesh High Commission in London, has resigned from his position. In a message shared from his verified Facebook account on Friday night, he confirmed the development, noting, “I have resigned from my position as Minister (Press) at the Bangladesh High Commission in London.” Hossain explained that personal and family reasons have made it difficult for him to continue carrying out his responsibilities. Bangladesh envoy in London Abida Islam withdrawn: Adviser Humaiun "Due to personal and family reasons, it is not possible for me to continue fulfilling my responsibilities there," he said. “This decision is not related to any other matter,” he added. The former BBC journalist was appointed by the interim government in November 2024 on a two-year contractual basis.

Nepal's Minister for Foreign Affairs Shisir Khanal held a meeting on Friday with Bangladesh Foreign Minister Dr Khalilur Rahman on the margins of the Indian Ocean Conference in Port Louis, Mauritius. Both sides expressed satisfaction over the cordial state of bilateral relations. They deliberated on diverse sectors to further consolidate cooperation and enhance mutual ties. Prime Minister’s Foreign Affairs Adviser Humaiun Kobir was also present at the meeting, an official told UNB. Bangladesh envoy joins Nepal PM’s meeting, emphasises bilateral ties Foreign Minister Dr Khalilur  is now in Port Louis, the capital of the East African country Mauritius, to attend the 9th Indian Ocean Conference (IOC-2026), which began on Friday.

Australian Speaker of the House of Representatives Milton Dick has highly appreciated the contributions of the Bangladeshi community in Australia to Australian society and the economy. The visiting Australian parliamentary delegation, led by the Speaker, met with State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam at the National Parliament House on Thursday. The visit marks the first-ever visit by an Australian Speaker to Bangladesh in the 125-year history of the Australian Parliament, said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. During the meeting, the Australian Speaker noted that Australia was among the first few countries to recognize Bangladesh following its independence. Congratulating Bangladesh on holding a recent free, fair, and peaceful election, he emphasised the importance of strengthening parliamentary democracy across the world. State Minister Shama Obaed highlighted the importance of greater participation of women in Parliament. She thanked Australia for continued support for the Rohingyas sheltered in Bangladesh. Both sides underscored the need for enhanced connectivity, exchanges, and the sharing of experiences between the two parliaments. They stressed on introducing inter parliamentary programs among the parliamentarians of the two countries. They also discussed the possible impact of the ongoing war in the Middle East, particularly in relation to an acute fuel supply crisis. The Australian Parliamentary delegation also met Prime Minister Tarique Rahman and Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmad Bir Bikram in the Parliament. The delegation had a tour of the Parliament Building and observed the Parliament proceedings. They paid tribute to the grave of Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman and Late Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia. They also visited the July Memorial Museum and met civil society representatives during the visit.

Pranay Verma, current Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh, has been appointed as the next Ambassador of India to the Kingdom of Belgium and the European Union. The Ministry of External Affairs of India announced his appointment on Friday, noting that he will be accredited as Ambassador of India to the European Union. Pranay Verma is expected to take up the assignment shortly. Diplomatic sources told UNB that High Commissioner Verma is likely to continue here for one or two months as the new Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh has yet to be announced. Pranay Verma, who served as Ambassador of India to Vietnam, arrived in Dhaka on September 21, 2022. He joined the Indian Foreign Service in 1994 and has held diplomatic assignments in Hong Kong, San Francisco, Beijing, Kathmandu and Washington. Pranay Verma has served as the joint secretary of the East Asia Division at the Ministry of External Affairs in New Delhi since June 2017. Earlier, he also served as the joint secretary for external relations at the Department of Atomic Energy looking after India's nuclear diplomacy. Pranay Verma has a Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering. Before joining the Indian Foreign Service, he started his professional career at India's steel manufacturing company, Tata Steel. He also holds a Master's degree in the Chinese language from the Middlebury Institute of International Studies, California, US.

Foreign Minister Dr Khalilur Rahman is now in Port Louis, the capital of the East African country Mauritius, to attend the 9th Indian Ocean Conference (IOC-2026), which begins on Friday. It will bring together leaders, policymakers, and experts from across the Indian Ocean Region to deliberate on shared responsibilities, cooperative frameworks, and the future of regional governance. On the sidelines, Dr Khalilur is expected to hold discussions with counterparts from other participating nations, a senior official told UNB, noting that this is also an opportunity to seek support for Bangladesh’s candidacy for the presidency of the 81st United Nations General Assembly (2026–27). Prime Minister’s Adviser Humaiun Kobir is also accompanying the Foreign Minister. The India Foundation, in association with the Government of Mauritius and the Ministry of External Affairs of India, is organizing the 9th Indian Ocean Conference. The Foreign Minister had a number of meetings in New Delhi on Wednesday and left for Mauritius on Thursday morning. Indian External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar is also attending the 9th Indian Ocean Conference. He will deliver the keynote address at the event. The visit, India said, underscores its ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy, Vision MAHASAGAR, and commitment to the Global South. The Indian Ocean Conference was started in 2016 by the India Foundation in association with think tanks and institutions from the region, with participation from 30 countries. In recent years, the conference has emerged as a flagship forum for countries to discuss and deliberate on issues of mutual interest. Nepalese Minister for Foreign Affairs Shisir Khanal will also address the 9th Indian Ocean Conference (IOC) at the invitation of Jaishankar.

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has announced the appointment of Major General Mohammad Asadullah Minhazul Alam (Bangladesh) as Force Commander of the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP). Major General Alam succeeds Major General Erdenebat Batsuuri (Mongolia), to whom the Secretary-General expressed his deep appreciation for his dedication and service, according to the UN. Alam brings to the position over 30 years of leadership and command experience in the Bangladesh Army.  Most recently, he joined Army Training and Doctrine Command as the General Officer Commanding. Before that, he served as General Officer Commanding the 10 Infantry Division and Area Commander Cox’s Bazar (2024-2026), and as Commandant of the Defence Services Command and Staff College (2024). Earlier in his career, Major General Alam held multiple command and staff appointments across infantry formations, including leadership roles in counterterrorism, internal security, disaster response, and intelligence‑based operations.  He also served in United Nations peacekeeping missions, as Sector Commander in United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) (2020-2021) and Military Observer in United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNTAET) (1999-2000). Major General Alam holds a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in International Relations from Jahangirnagar University (Bangladesh), a Master of Science (MSc) in National Security Strategy from the National Defense University in Washington, D.C. (United States), a master’s degree in Defense Studies from the National University of Bangladesh, and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the Royal University of Dhaka (Bangladesh).