United News of Bangladesh

They are supposed to keep traffic moving, untangle gridlocks and enforce road rules. But on Dhaka’s crowded streets, traffic police are increasingly finding themselves in a different role — chasing snatchers, recovering stolen valuables and detaining people accused of other crimes. Positioned at major intersections and busy roads, traffic personnel often have something that crime investigators do not have at the moment a street crime occurs: proximity. Recent incidents show traffic police responding within minutes — and sometimes seconds — when snatching takes place in front of them, with pedestrians and local residents joining the pursuit. DMP Commissioner Mosleh Uddin Ahmed recently directed police to maintain round-the-clock surveillance in areas vulnerable to snatching, alongside stronger intelligence activities and regular anti-crime drives.

After nearly eight years of delays, design changes and repeated extensions, construction of the much-awaited Barui Para Bridge over the Nabaganga River in Kalia upazila is finally nearing completion. Around 95 percent of the project has already been completed and  workers now focusing on the remaining concrete work, approach roads and finishing touches. The Roads and Highways Department (RHD) expects the bridge to be ready for inauguration in October, officials said. The bridge is part of the Narail-Kalia regional highway and is expected to establish direct road connectivity between Narail Sadar and Kalia upazilas, easing the longstanding transport woes of more than three lakh people living on both sides of the river. For decades, residents have had to rely on ferries, take lengthy detours and spend additional time and money transporting people and agricultural produce. The project was approved by the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) in fiscal 2017-18. A work order was issued on April 18, 2018, at an estimated cost of Tk 65.03 crore, with the project scheduled for completion by June 30, 2019. But the deadline was extended seven times amid design changes, technical complications and repeated damage to a construction pier after being hit by bulkheads carrying sand. The design was subsequently revised to ensure safe navigation on the river and a steel arch span incorporated into the bridge. The repeated changes and delays pushed the project cost up to Tk 135.92 crore. The 651.83-metre-long and 10.25-metre-wide bridge has now seen most of its major structural work completed, including the steel span. According to project officials, one of the major challenges during construction was repeated collisions involving pier No. 9 and sand-laden bulkheads. The subsequent design revision was aimed at allowing vessels to pass safely beneath the bridge.  

For years, the Turag has been paying the price for Dhaka’s relentless urban expansion— its banks squeezed by encroachment, its water contaminated by industrial waste and its natural flow disrupted by land filling. Now, the government is betting Tk 567.04 crore including a major World Bank loan, on a broad effort to restore the river and  Goran Chatbari Retention Pond Area (GRPA), while easing drainage pressure on some of the capital’s most densely populated northern neighbourhoods. Metro Dhaka Project (Goran Chatbari Retention Pond and Turag River Protection and Conservation Project, Phase-I) has been prepared by the Ministry of Water Resources is scheduled to be implemented by December 2028 in Dhaka North City Corporation areas and Savar upazila in Dhaka district. Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) will implement the project, which is estimated to cost Tk 567.04 crore. Of the total, Tk 142.32 crore will come from the government and Tk 424.73 crore as project loan from the World Bank. A Planning Commission member said the project, if implemented properly, would help protect and preserve the Turag River and GRPA, increase their water retention capacity and prevent illegal encroachment. The project is also expected to improve drainage in Greater Mirpur, Pallabi, Rupnagar, Kalshi, Mirpur Cantonment, Mirpur DOHS, Eastern Housing, Greater Uttara, Airport and Bawnia areas. According to the project paper, the proposed intervention comes against a backdrop of growing pressure on Dhaka’s rivers and waterways. The Turag originates from the Bangshi River in Kaliakair upazila of Gazipur and splits into two branches at Birulia union in Savar. One branch joins the Karnatali River at Kaundia union, while the main branch flows into the Buriganga River at Aminbazar union. The river is around 65 kilometres long, with an average width of about 85 metres. It is a perennial river and serves as an important drainage route, carrying upstream water towards the Buriganga without passing through the core of Dhaka city. For decades, the Buriganga, Turag, Tongi Khal, Balu and Shitalakkhya rivers have played an important role in the ecological and economic life of the capital.  But industrial activities along their channels including textile and dyeing factories and mills have contributed untreated chemical and heavy-metal waste, while encroachment and land filling have increasingly disrupted natural water flows. The proposed project seeks to address some of these problems through a combination of dredging, waste management, ecological restoration and water-quality interventions. Under the project, about 26.90 lakh cubic metres of material will be removed from the Turag through grab dredging with waste management facilities. Another 13.03 lakh cubic metres will be excavated or dredged with waste management arrangements. The project also proposes the development of a 5,035-metre walkway and a 2-kilometre ecosystem improvement area, along with the development of eco-buffer zones along the Turag River and the perimeter of GRPA. Two automated mechanical trash racks will be installed at Dwigun Khal and Rupnagar Khal to improve solid waste management.  The project also includes the installation of 91 fountain-cum-aerators, one water-quality assurance plant and the rehabilitation or repair of three pump houses. A power facility will also be constructed to support the rehabilitation and repair of the pump houses. A 226-square-metre project management office is proposed as part of the implementation arrangements. The authorities said the project is designed not simply as a dredging operation, but as a broader effort to restore the ecological functions of the river and retention pond while improving the surrounding urban environment. Restoring Dhaka’s surrounding rivers and developing a blue network require improvements in river ecology and water quality, urban planning that incorporates water resources, better land management, improved river-flow management and rehabilitation of canals, according to the project document. Such measures could also create opportunities for improved water-based transport, while helping the city cope with drainage and climate-related pressures. However, the project document identifies continuing pollution, urban and economic expansion, fluctuations in river flows and climate change as major challenges to restoring waterways around Dhaka. The scale and complexity of these challenges require coordinated and integrated efforts across multiple sectors at both national and regional levels, it said. The proposed project is also aligned with the government’s 2026 election manifesto, as per the project document, particularly its commitments concerning water-resource planning, environmental conservation and sustainable development, protection of natural resources, waste management and pollution control. It is also consistent with SDG indicator 6.5.1, which promotes integrated water resources management. For residents of areas such as Mirpur, Pallabi, Rupnagar, Uttara and Bawnia, the significance of the project could ultimately be measured in practical terms: whether water drains faster after heavy rain, whether polluted waterways become healthier and whether public spaces around the river become safer and more usable. The proposed World Bank-backed investment therefore combines river restoration with urban resilience, reflecting the growing need to treat Dhaka’s waterways not merely as channels for carrying away excess water, but as essential parts of the city’s environmental and social infrastructure.

A Tk 1.08 crore government project to re-excavate canals in Naogaon’s Manda upazila has come under allegations of irregularities, including the inclusion of affluent people and political activists in the list of workers meant to provide employment to the ultra-poor. The 40-day project, implemented under the Employment Generation Programme for the Poorest (EGPP), was designed to create jobs for 250 ultra-poor people while improving water drainage and reducing waterlogging in the area. Under the project, canals stretching 3.6 kilometres were to be re-excavated in Kusumba and Varsho unions. The allocation included around Tk 50 lakh for workers’ wages, while the rest was earmarked for excavator operations, tree plantation and beautification. Local residents, however, alleged that no day labourers were actually seen working on the canal excavation. They also claimed that the worker list included businessmen, shopkeepers, financially solvent farmers and political activists instead of genuine poor people. According to project records, 250 workers were supposed to work every day, with 125 workers assigned to each of the two unions. Over the 40-day project period, the records showed 10,000 worker-days, with only 61 workers marked absent. As a result, just Tk 30,500 was returned to the government treasury. Local residents alleged that the project was implemented without properly addressing complaints from landowners whose private agricultural land was included in the excavation plan. Priti Rani of Kamarpur said 53 decimals of her land were included in the canal despite her complaints. Mokhlesur Rahman Dewan of Varsho said he did not see any day labourers working at the site during more than a month of the project. Farmer Anwar Hossain alleged that the project involved large-scale irregularities and claimed that political leaders from different parties had benefited from it. However, the allegation could not be independently verified. Project Implementation Committee Chairman and Kusumba UP Chairman Naufel Ali Mondal denied the allegations. He said four excavators were used and claimed the 250-member worker list was correct, though a few solvent people might have been included by mistake. According to the Project Implementation office (PIO), the canal was supposed to be 10 feet deep, with a 12-foot bed, 30-foot width and six-foot embankments on both sides. But local residents alleged that the actual excavation did not match the approved design at several points. Farmers also expressed concern that inadequate water-control measures could cause waterlogging in croplands during the rainy season. Manda PIO Md Ariful Islam, however, claimed that the project was properly implemented through the project committee and that 250 ultra-poor workers were employed for 40 days. He said 61 worker-days were recorded as absent and Tk 30,500 was deposited back into the government treasury. Asked why other upazilas returned much larger amounts after completing similar canal excavation projects, Ariful said those projects might not have been implemented properly or failed to ensure workers’ attendance. He claimed that Manda was the only upazila among Naogaon’s 11 upazilas where the canal excavation was properly completed and full attendance of ultra-poor workers was ensured. Manda Upazila Nirbahi Officer Akhter Zahan Shathi said she did not have detailed information about the canal re-excavation project and suggested contacting the PIO for details. District Relief and Rehabilitation Office data showed that Tk 87,039,397 was allocated for re-excavating 13 canals in 10 upazilas of Naogaon, excluding Sapahar. Actual expenditure stood at Tk 73,084,415. After completion of the projects, Naogaon Sadar returned Tk 41.50 lakh, Badalgachhi Tk 40.50 lakh, Porsha Tk 12.89 lakh, Mahadebpur Tk 12.50 lakh, Niamatpur Tk 9.83 lakh, Patnitala Tk 9.17 lakh, Atrai Tk 4.76 lakh, Raninagar Tk 4.67 lakh, Dhamoirhat Tk 3.46 lakh and Manda only Tk 30,500 to the government treasury.

A Tk 123.86 crore bridge built over the Teesta River to improve connectivity between Rangpur and Lalmonirhat, including the Burimari land port, is failing to deliver its intended benefits as heavy vehicles remain barred from using it. Trucks carrying goods from Burimari are now taking a detour of nearly 50 kilometres through Lalmonirhat town before reaching Rangpur, adding to transport costs, fuel consumption and travel time, traders and transport operators . The 850-metre-long bridge, known as the Second Teesta Bridge, connects Kakinia in Lalmonirhat’s Kaliganj upazila with Mahipur in Rangpur’s Gangachara. Another Tk 28 crore was spent on an 11-kilometre regional highway linking Burirhat in Rangpur city with Sirajul Bazar in Shankardaha, Gangachara upazila. The bridge was intended to provide a direct route between Rangpur and the four Lalmonirhat upazilas of Patgram, Hatibandha, Kaliganj and Aditmari, as well as the Burimari land port. Construction of the bridge began in 2012 and it was opened on September 16, 2018, according to the Local Government Engineering Department (LGED). However, heavy vehicles were kept off the bridge for the first four years because of the poor condition of the connecting roads. On January 11, 2022, the bridge was finally opened to all types of vehicles but the move proved short-lived. Within a year, sections of the connecting road began to deteriorate, prompting local students and members of a three-wheeler owners’ association to launch protests demanding a ban on heavy vehicles. Following the protests, the divisional commissioner ordered restrictions on heavy vehicles. On September 9, 2024, metal barriers were installed at the northern end of the bridge, preventing buses and trucks from using the route. At the time, authorities said the barriers would remain until the regional highway was made suitable for heavy traffic, warning that continued movement of loaded trucks could cause the road to collapse further. Nearly two years later, the restriction remains in place. During a recent visit, this correspondent found an iron-pipe barrier placed across the connecting road at Rudreshwar in Kakina Union of Kaliganj. Buses and trucks cannot pass through the barrier, while pickup vans, private cars and microbuses can use the road with difficulty. According to the LGED Rangpur office, construction of the 11-km regional highway from Burirhat to Sirajul Bazar began in November 2023 at a cost of around Tk 28 crore and was completed in March 2024. The paved section is 18 feet wide, with an additional six feet of brick paving and six feet of soil shoulders on both sides. Heavy trucks carrying imported goods, including stones from India, and passenger buses started using the road after its construction. But heavy traffic was later suspended following complaints that the brick and soil shoulders on both sides had started collapsing. Importers and leaders of truck and tanker-lorry workers said cargo trucks now have to travel through Lalmonirhat town, adding around 50 kilometres to the journey. The distance between Rangpur and Burimari is around 140 kilometres via Lalmonirhat town, while it would be about 90 kilometres if vehicles could use the Second Teesta Bridge. Businesspeople said transporting goods from Burimari to Rangpur currently costs Tk 17,000-18,000 per truck. Using the Second Teesta Bridge would reduce the cost to around Tk 9,000-10,000, while drivers and workers would also save nearly two hours. Truck driver Sakib said the road closure had increased their difficulties and urged the authorities to reopen it considering the interests of all concerned. Raj Mahmud, a businessman from Rangpur's Checkpost area, said the bridge had been built at a huge cost but was not benefiting businesses. “Higher transportation costs ultimately affect ordinary consumers. Heavy vehicles should be allowed to use the bridge as soon as possible,” he said. Mohammad Hafizur Rahman Hafiz, president of the Rangpur District Truck, Tank-Lorry and Covered-Van Workers' Union, said transport workers expected the Mahipur bridge to reduce their hardships. “Is the bridge only for pedestrians, vans, auto-rickshaws and three-wheelers? No one has clearly explained why heavy vehicles have been kept off the bridge,” he said, urging its immediate reopening in the public interest. However, Abdus Sattar, president of the Kaliganj Upazila Three-Wheeler Owners' Association in Lalmonirhat, said around 400-500 low-income people earn their livelihoods by operating three-wheelers on the Hatibandha-Rangpur route. He said the vehicles use the alternative route because three-wheelers are prohibited on highways. “When buses and trucks were previously allowed to use the road, it became damaged and severe traffic congestion developed,” he said, adding that they would have no objection to heavy vehicles if the road were widened and strengthened. He said allowing heavy vehicles on the damaged road could cause serious difficulties for thousands of patients travelling through the area. LGED Lalmonirhat Executive Engineer Md Kawsar Alam said heavy vehicles have been barred from the bridge following a decision by the divisional commissioner after protests. “There is no problem with the main structure of the bridge or road,” he said.

The government has given special priority to the creative economy, aiming to unlock its economic potential, bring the sector into the mainstream economy and raise its contribution to 1.5 percent of GDP while creating 500,000 new jobs. The government’s creative economy strategy seeks to open up new opportunities for young people, artists, artisans, content creators and creative entrepreneurs, while broadening the country’s economic growth drivers and enhancing Bangladesh’s cultural and creative footprint in global markets. According to the budget document, the government has also planned to strengthen coordination between the public and private sectors by formulating time-bound short, medium and long-term action plans for the sustainable development of the creative industries. The government is planning to establish Creative Hubs at national and regional levels featuring cultural venues, bookstores with reading facilities, cineplexes, small cafeterias and dedicated spaces for showcasing and marketing region-specific products. A 10-year investment strategy and time-bound action plan are being formulated to develop regional Creative Hubs across the country. A feasibility assessment is also being undertaken on an urgent basis to establish a world-class Central Creative Hub on 160 acres of land in Purbachal under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model. The government is also assessing the feasibility of establishing Creative Hubs on unused land at Karwan Bazar, adjacent to the Office of the Survey General in Tejgaon, and on vacant industrial plots under the Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries Corporation (BSCIC). Initiatives are being taken to establish Creative Hubs at divisional, district and upazila levels, as well as at the Bangladesh Shishu Academy and Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy. Innovation Hubs have already been established at engineering and technology universities, while a roadmap is being prepared to gradually establish such hubs at universities and undergraduate colleges across the country. The government is also focusing on identifying and developing creative economy-based products under its ‘One-Village, One-Product’ initiative. These include handloom products, pottery, weaving products, shital pati, shataranji, wooden toys, handmade jewellery and terracotta products. A ‘National Pool of Designers’ comprising leading local designers is being established to improve the quality and design of creative products. The BSCIC Design Centre will also be modernised and upgraded to international standards through a project in collaboration with universities and renowned fashion designers. The government has also undertaken programmes to promote cultural tourism through the restoration of cultural heritage, regional traditions and heritage buildings. Two pilot projects based on two to three themes will initially be implemented for heritage restoration and the organisation of international festivals. To promote tourism, a specialised international-standard training institute will be established, while an ‘International Hospitality Benchmark’ will be introduced to ensure internationally recognised training standards in tourism-related trades, including culinary arts. The government also plans to finalise an integrated Tourism Master Plan incorporating the sector’s potential, diversity and modern creative themes. For global marketing of creative products, the government will support Bangladeshi content creators and companies in accessing international markets. A national brand titled “Made in Bangladesh” will be launched to showcase the country’s creative potential at international festivals and markets. The government also plans to establish technologically advanced studios meeting international standards to support the film industry and participation in OTT platforms. A performance-based grant scheme will be introduced to provide financial support to new entrepreneurs and promote export-ready commercial projects in the creative sector. The budget document also said initiatives would be taken to integrate rural artisans into global value chains, improve product quality and diversify designs while bringing artisans into mainstream financing and development processes. A senior Finance Ministry official said the initial Tk 300 crore allocation would support development of the creative economy in FY2026–27. “In addition, a further Tk 500 crore will be mobilised from the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) sector of Bangladesh Bank,” the official said.

Once largely used as open river chars for seasonal cultivation and other activities, stretches along the Bishkhali River in Bagerhat are gradually turning green as 50,000 saplings planted by the Forest Department take root. The plantation, covering about 50 kilometres along both banks of the river in Morelganj and Kachua upazilas, is already creating a striking green landscape amid the monsoon. Neem, sissoo, mahogany, babla, jam, wood apple, amla, haritaki, wax apple, tamarind, guava, olive, arjun, casuarina and acacia are among the species planted on the river chars. The saplings have been planted in rows, about two feet apart, with each one supported by a stake. Many have already sprouted fresh leaves, while regular rain has helped them grow vigorously.

Dental services at Cumilla Medical College Hospital are being severely hampered by shortage of essential equipment, forcing many patients to return without treatment or seek care at private facilities. Although the dental department has 10 doctors, a shortage of necessary equipment and manpower has limited the number of dental surgeries that can be performed each day to 20. Patients who fail to secure a place on the daily list are often turned away. Mohammad Abu Jafar travelled from Muradnagar with his son for a tooth extraction but was unable to get treatment after arriving late and finding that all 20 surgery slots for the day had already been filled. “I came from far away to have my son’s tooth extracted. I requested the doctors several times, but they said the quota for the day was already full,” he said. Similarly, Kamrunnahar, who came from Mudaffarganj for dental treatment, was advised to have a root canal procedure at a private facility after being examined at the hospital. According to department sources, up to 20 patients can undergo dental surgery each day because of a shortage of surgical instruments. Complex dental surgeries are performed twice a week. A total of 522 patients underwent dental surgery at the department in the past six months, the sources said. One of the department’s major problems is the absence of an oral panoramic X-ray (OPG) machine. As a result, at least 20 patients a day have to undergo X-rays at outside diagnostic centres, increasing their costs and wasting time. The hospital also lacks an adequate supply of local anaesthetic used during tooth extraction, forcing many patients to purchase the medicine from outside. The department also lacks adequate equipment for dental fillings and root canal treatment, officials said. The shortage of dental chairs is another major obstacle. Although the department is supposed to have five chairs, only two are currently available, limiting the number of patients who can receive treatment simultaneously. The department is also operating without the staff it is officially supposed to have. Although two employees are sanctioned for the department, neither post is currently filled. The department has reportedly hired two workers with its own funds to assist patients. Doctors said they are unable to provide the expected level of treatment because of the shortage of equipment and are often compelled to refer patients elsewhere. Although the hospital has a designated dental ward, no patients are currently admitted there. Dr Rokeya Zaman, head of the dental department, said two beds had been allocated to the department but claimed that the beds were being rented from the ENT department. She said the dental ward could not be made operational because there are no sanctioned posts for maxillofacial surgery. However, Prof Dr Shajibur Rashid, head of the ENT department, disputed the claim, saying there is no provision for renting or leasing beds between departments at a government hospital. “No beds from the ENT ward have been rented to the dental department,” he said. Asked whether the dental department has submitted a requisition for the necessary equipment, Dr Rokeya said a demand was submitted in July 2025. She said no fresh requisition was submitted afterwards because the hospital director’s office did not ask the department to submit one. Cumilla Medical College Hospital’s acting Director Prof Dr Md Shahjahan confirmed that a requisition for the required dental equipment was submitted in July 2025. He said arrangements will be made to ensure the supply of necessary equipment, dental chairs and manpower, as well as to make the dental ward operational.

Carew & Company (Bangladesh) Ltd, the nearly 90-year-old state-owned industrial enterprise in Darshana of Chuadanga, is on course to post its highest-ever net profit, despite continued losses in its sugar production unit. According to the company's potential profit and loss account for the 2025-26 financial year, Carew's combined net profit from all its units could reach 165,24 31,000. If achieved, the figure will surpass its previous record profit of Tk 129,44,74,000, posted in 2024-25. The projected profit highlights a striking contrast within the company: while its traditional sugar factory continues to make losses, its distillery and other sugarcane by-product-based businesses are generating strong returns. Distillery drives record profit Carew's distillery unit is expected to remain the main source of profit in 2025-26. The unit is projected to earn Tk 2,23,79,32,000. Other profitable units are also expected to contribute to the company’s earnings, with the bio-fertiliser unit projected to earn Tk 1,47,84,000, the commercial farm Tk 5,47,000, the Akandbaria unit Tk 7,62,000 and the distillery pharmaceuticals unit Tk 3,79,000. After accounting for the losses of the sugar factory, the company's combined projected net profit still stands at Tk 1,65,24,31,000. Sugar factory remains a major burden The sugar factory, however, continues to weigh heavily on Carew's finances. Its projected loss for 2025-26 is Tk 60,19,73,000. The factory recorded a loss of Tk 62.35 crore in 2024-25, when Carew posted a record overall net profit of Tk 1,29,44,74,000. In the same year, the distillery earned Tk 1,90,26,77,000 in profit. Carew's net profit in 2023-24 was Tk 1,12,79,10,000. It rose by Tk 17,36,83,000 in 2024-25. If the latest projection is achieved, Carew's net profit will have increased by more than Tk 53 crore in just two years. Old sugar plant, strong by-products  

Release of International Monetary Fund (IMF) loan for Bangladesh remains stalled due to pending reforms in the financial sector, conditions to cut subsidies and climate resilience issues. The global lender has imposed nearly a dozen conditions, including reforms in the banking sector and banking laws, capacity building of the National Board of Revenue (NBR), single-click access to taxpayer information, removal of subsidies on fuel and electricity, setting a market-based foreign exchange rate and climate resilience issues. The government is seeking US $2.0 billion additional loan as budget support from the IMF along with the remaining tranches of the $4.7 billion loan program. The government is seeking to reactivate the suspended IMF loan program and secure new funding. However, the IMF has made macroeconomic reforms and climate risk management capabilities the primary preconditions for this financing. A high-level delegation from the IMF’s Fiscal Affairs Department recently completed their visit to Dhaka to review progress in key sectors and assess tax policies, which will determine the future of the loan program. According to relevant sources, financial sector reforms and climate resilience will be a major consideration in the IMF’s new credit program. The incomplete reform activities under the previous loan program with the IMF got priority under the new program. As a result, this visit was not limited solely to assessing climate policies, but also played a crucial role in setting the future direction of economic reforms. A six-member high-level delegation from the IMF’s Technical Assistance (TA) mission visited Bangladesh at a time when the country's capacity to address climate risks, economic reforms, and the potential for new international financing are moving in parallel. The main goal of the visit, which ran from July 19 to July 30, was to conduct a full evaluation of Bangladesh’s policies, financial structures, and institutional capabilities in tackling climate change. The findings of this evaluation will also carry significant weight in discussions regarding a potential new loan program. Led by Suphachol Suphachalasai, Senior Economist in the Climate Policy Division of the IMF’s Fiscal Affairs Department, the delegation's primary focus is the 'Climate Policy Diagnostic' (CPD). Through this diagnostic, Bangladesh’s climate change mitigation policies, financing framework, and risk management capabilities will be thoroughly examined. Additionally, the team reviewed the country's overall macroeconomic situation and discussed a potential new loan program with the government. The loan program under the Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF) is another major topic of discussion during this visit. Under the RSF, Bangladesh received a loan facility of 1 billion Special Drawing Rights (SDR), equivalent to approximately $1.4 billion. While two-thirds of the funds have already been released, the remaining portion remains suspended. Steps have now been taken to reactivate the program. Notably, Bangladesh was the first country in Asia to secure this facility. In a report on Bangladesh, the IMF noted that the RSF would complement the Extended Credit Facility (ECF) and Extended Fund Facility (EFF). The fund aims to support measures implemented by the Bangladesh government to counter the impacts of climate change, while also helping build climate resilience and mobilizing additional public and private financing. Meanwhile, the Finance Division recently launched the ‘Public Financial Management Reform Strategy 2025–2030.’ For the first time, this strategy document includes climate-smart public financial management and gender-responsive budgeting. Furthermore, in the FY2025–26 budget, approximately Tk 42,206.89 crore has been allocated across 25 ministries for climate-related expenditures, accounting for 10.09 percent of the total budget. The IMF delegation held a series of meetings with relevant ministries and divisions on economic matters. The mission also meeting with Finance Secretary Dr. Md. Khairuzzaman Mozumder. Then the meeting was also with Bangladesh Bank, Financial Institutions Division, NBR and the Ministry of Power and Energy, Ministry of Forest and Environment and some other ministries. Dr. Md. Khairuzzaman Mozumder told UNb that the IMF held separate meetings with officials from the Macroeconomic Wing and Budget Wing of the Finance Division to review progress on climate and disaster-related initiatives. Discussions covered the current status of the ‘Bangladesh Climate Development Partnership’ and the ‘National Strategy for Disaster Risk Financing,’ alongside a detailed evaluation of how climate risks are being integrated into macroeconomic planning, he said. “We hope that the IMF will consider different difficulties of Bangladesh to meet cent percent of the loan conditions. Despite some challenges, we are expecting the loans will be released in favour of Bangladesh,” said the finance secretary. Meetings with the Ministry of Water Resources addressed flood control measures, delta and coastal management, irrigation policy, and surface and groundwater management—considered key elements in assessing Bangladesh’s readiness to face the long-term impacts of climate change. According to officials, this IMF TA mission is not merely a routine evaluation; it represents a critical stage in shaping Bangladesh’s climate policies, economic reforms, and future international financing framework. The evaluations and recommendations from this visit are expected to play a decisive role in setting priorities for a new loan program. Commenting on the matter, economist Professor Abu Ahmed told UNB that reform measures must continue for the sake of the country's economy. He added that since Bangladesh is one of the countries most affected by climate change, enhancing national capacity to manage these impacts is an urgent necessity.