United News of Bangladesh

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Friday evening watched an English film at a cinema hall in the capital with his daughter Barrister Zaima Rahman. He went to the Shimanto Shombhar cinema hall in Dhanmondi and watched the American science fiction film 'Project Hail Mary', said his Additional Press Secretary Atikur Rahman Rumon. “The Prime Minister came to the cinema hall in the evening to watch the film. His daughter, Barrister Zaima Rahman, accompanied him,” Rumon said. He said Tarique Rahman watched the film as part of leisure on a holiday. The additional press secretary said the show began at 7:10pm and ended at around 10:10pm. Project Hail Mary is currently being screened at Star Cineplex’s Shimanto Shombhar branch. It is a 2026 American science fiction film produced and directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller and written by Drew Goddard, based on the 2021 novel by Andy Weir. It stars Ryan Gosling (who also produced the film alongside Weir), Sandra Hüller, James Ortiz and Lionel Boyce. The film follows the story of Ryland Grace, a man who wakes up on an interstellar spacecraft with no memory of how he got there.

Amid increased engagement from both sides to retune bilateral relations, Foreign Minister Dr Khalilur Rahman and his Indian counterpart Dr S. Jaishankar are set to meet in New Delhi next week, a move that could usher in a new phase of cooperation on a range of issues important to both Dhaka and Delhi and lend genuine momentum to the relationship, officials said. This will mark the first high-level visit to India since the BNP government, led by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, assumed office, following a period of significant strain in bilateral relations. However, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has yet to make any official announcement regarding the planned brief visit. “The meeting between the two foreign ministers will be held in New Delhi on April 8,” a senior official told UNB, without elaborating further on his arrival and departure information.  The Indian side usually does not announce incoming visits but officially announces outgoing visits.   Bangladesh and India share deep-rooted bonds of history, language, culture, and multitude of other commonalities, said an official, noting that in any bilateral meeting all issues of mutual interest comes up for discussion. . The two Foreign Ministers are likely to discuss cooperation in the areas of energy, water sharing, border management, visa, people-to-people ties, he said adding that a future visit of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman to India may also come up for discussion at the meeting. 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. “I take this opportunity to invite you, along with Dr Zubaida Rahman and your daughter Zaima, on a visit to India at a mutually convenient time. A warm welcome awaits you in India,” Modi said in his 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. Bangladesh-US relationship matters more than ever: Paul Kapur Prime Minister Modi said he looks forward to working closely with Prime Minister Tarique to strengthen their multifaceted bilateral relations, enhance regional cooperation, and advance their common goals in wide-ranging areas of connectivity, trade, technology, education, skill development, energy, healthcare, as well as cultural and people-to-people exchanges. Asked whether the Prime Minister would consider India for his first bilateral visit, a diplomatic source told UNB that Bangladesh would take a decision “creatively” on the matter. Water Sharing Issues The subject of water is widely seen as a sensitive issue and Bangladesh always keeps talking about its long pending request for concluding the agreement on the sharing of the waters of the Teesta River, the draft of which was finalised in 2011. The two countries share 54 common rivers, including the Teesta. In India’s federal scheme of things, nothing is done without consultations with the State Government and any agreement that they conclude will have to be acceptable to the State Government of India; at the same time, it would also have to be acceptable to Bangladesh, officials said. The Bangladesh-India Ganga/Ganges Water Treaty was signed on December 12, 1996 and is expiring in December this year. Dhaka, Delhi discuss defence cooperation As discussions for its renewal are yet to commence between the two countries, officials said this might be one of the issues to be discussed this time. In July 2024, the governments of Bangladesh and India had decided to begin discussions on renewal of the Ganga Water Treaty. The discussions are yet to commence in this regard and no fresh agreement has been ratified between the two countries. The Indian side had offered to renew it in 2024 but the interim government did not pursue it at that time, a diplomatic source in New Delhi told UNB.  Inputs on drinking water and industrial water requirements have also been received from all stakeholders including from the government of West Bengal, which have been taken into account while formulating the Indian government’s views. Visa Issues Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Pranay Verma, in his recent meetings with the Ministers in Dhaka, explored new areas for future collaboration in people-centric domains aligned with the respective developmental priorities of the two countries based on mutual interest and mutual benefit. Bangladesh intensifies energy diplomacy with US, Russia amid diversification push The two sides also discussed various aspects of Bangladesh-India economic cooperation, including ways to strengthen transport, energy and digital connectivity between the two countries. At the foreign minister–level meeting, the Bangladesh side is expected to raise the visa issue as tourist visas for Bangladeshis have remained suspended since July 2024 on security grounds. Indian visa centres in Bangladesh are still understaffed, suggesting that a full resumption of services may take time, a diplomatic source said, adding that the restart will be announced once finalised. India thinks the two countries can truly become catalysts for each other's sustainable growth, work for each other's security and enable mutual prosperity as two fast-growing economies and aspiring societies. Bangladesh and India on Thursday discussed ways to enhance bilateral defence cooperation, including joint training initiatives. The issues were discussed when Bangladesh High Commissioner to India M Riaz Hamidullah met Indian Chief of Army Staff General Upendra Dwivedi at the South Block. They also explored opportunities for deeper collaboration aimed at promoting regional peace and security. The envoy said he was pleased to meet General Upendra Dwivedi and reflect on Bangladesh-India ties, including defence cooperation.

The government has decided to reduce office hours and take a series of austerity measures to cope with the ongoing global energy crisis triggered by instability in the Middle East. The decisions were taken at a Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Thursday night. Cabinet Secretary Nasimul Ghani announced the decisions at a briefing after the meeting. Under the new arrangement, all government and private offices will remain open from 9:00am to 4:00pm from Sunday, instead of the existing schedule. Banking hours will be from 9:00am to 3:00pm, while banks will close by 4:00pm. Briefing reporters after the meeting, Cabinet Secretary Nasimul Ghani said the discussion mainly focused on how to tackle fuel and energy price volatility caused by disruptions in global supply chains due to the Middle East war “All offices have reduced working hours by one hour. Both public and private offices will operate from 9:00am to 4:00pm,” he said. As part of energy-saving measures, the Cabinet Secretary said all shops, markets and shopping malls will have to close by 6:00pm, although hotels, pharmacies, essential service outlets and kitchen markets will remain exempt. He also said specific directives regarding educational institutions would be issued from Sunday, considering various factors. The Cabinet Secretary said the government would implement austerity measures for the next three months to cut public expenditure. “No new vehicles, watercraft, aircraft or computer equipment will be purchased during this period,” he said. Ghani also said internal training programmes would be reduced by 50 percent, while all foreign training funded by the government would remain suspended until further notice. Expenditure on meetings and seminars will also be cut by 50 percent, he added. Ghani said government spending on fuel, electricity and gas will be reduced by 30 percent, while unnecessary travel expenses will also be curtailed by 30 percent. Besides, he said decorative lighting at social events, including weddings, has been prohibited as part of the energy-saving drive. The Cabinet Secretary said that efforts are also underway to increase fuel imports from alternative sources to ensure a stable supply. “Initiatives have already been taken to import fuel from Malaysia, Indonesia and Kazakhstan.” Besides, he said the government has taken a plan to introduce electric buses for school-going students instead of private cars. “Educational institutions that take part in the initiative will be able to import buses duty-free. The private sector will also get this facility, although a 20 percent duty will apply in commercial cases.” However, Ghani said no used buses will be allowed—only new buses can be imported. The Cabinet meeting began at around 8:45pm at the Cabinet Room of the Jatiya Sangsad complex and continued till about 11:30pm. Cabinet meetings are usually held at the Secretariat on Thursdays, but the venue was shifted to the Parliament complex due to the ongoing session of Parliament.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Wednesday told Parliament that the current government will take effective steps to recover money siphoned off from Bangladesh and spend the recovered funds for the welfare of the people and the country. “You can be assured that this government will take the way and the step whichever is effective to bring back the public money, Inshallah,” he said, while replying to a supplementary question from treasury bench lawmaker Md Abul Kalam (Cumilla-9) during the question-and-answer session. The prime minister said the laundered money is the assets of the people. This government, elected by the people, has a responsibility towards them and the country, he said. “So, it is only natural that recovering the people’s money and spending it for the people and the country is one of the major responsibilities of this government,” he added. Replying to a starred question from the same lawmaker, Tarique Rahman said since assuming office the government has been trying to use the taxpayers’ money the best way in the interest of the people and the country by choking the throat of corruption and plugging leakages in various sectors. He said the current government is working giving the highest priority to recovering money siphoned abroad as US$ 234 billion money was laundered from Bangladesh between 2009 and 2023, as per a white paper prepared during the interim government. “The present government is working, giving the highest priority to the recovery of assets siphoned abroad as an important part of a broader strategy to combat corruption, money laundering and financial crimes,” he said. The Prime Minister said the amount of illicit capital outflow from Bangladesh is US$234 billion between 2009 and 2023, which averages about US$16 billion per year, according to the data of the white paper preparation committee formed by the interim government. Since the laundered money was allegedly transferred to multiple countries, it has been strengthening cooperation with the concerned countries through information exchange, asset identification and mutual legal assistance, he said. 23,865 politically motivated cases withdrawn: Law Minister To this end, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is working closely with all relevant ministries and agencies to sign Mutual Legal Assistance Treaties (MLAT) and facilitate the exchange process of Mutual Legal Assistance Requests (MLAR), he added. The prime minister said ten countries—the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Switzerland, Australia, Thailand, the United Arab Emirates, Singapore, Malaysia and Hong Kong (China)—have been initially identified as possible destinations of the laundered money. Among them, Malaysia, Hong Kong and the United Arab Emirates have already agreed to sign agreements, while the process is underway with the remaining seven countries, he said. Tarique Rahman said an inter-agency task force has been formed under the chairmanship of the Governor of Bangladesh Bank. Legal procedures are currently underway to recover laundered He added that 11 Joint Investigation Teams (JITs) have been formed to investigate these priority cases under the leadership of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC). The teams were formed with representatives from the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of Bangladesh Police, the Central Intelligence Cell of the National Board of Revenue and the Customs Intelligence and Investigation Directorate. Highlighting progress since the formation of the JITs, the prime minister said courts have so far ordered the attachment and freezing of movable and immovable assets worth Tk 57,168.09 crore within the country as of March 25, 2026. In addition, assets worth Tk 13,278.13 crore traced abroad have also been attached and frozen following court directives, he said. “Altogether, movable and immovable assets worth approximately Tk 70,446.22 crore at home and abroad have been attached and frozen by the courts,” the prime minister said. He further said 141 cases have already been filed to recover the laundered money, of which 15 cases have seen charge sheets submitted and six cases have already received court verdicts. The prime minister mentioned that the government’s election manifesto emphasized publishing a comprehensive white paper after investigation in money laundering and corruption committed during the previous fascist Awami League regime as well as taking legal action against those identified as responsible. Replying to a supplementary question from opposition Jamaat lawmaker Md. Mujibur Rahman (Rajshahi-1), the PM said the government will take all steps as per laws against those who looted the public money. Replying to a supplementary question from opposition Jamaat lawmaker Md Mujibur Rahman (Rajshahi-1), the prime minister said the government will take all steps in accordance with the law against those who looted public money. Noting that the law will take its own course, he said, “Those who looted or siphoned off the people’s money will face punishment as per the existing laws of the country,” he said.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Tuesday heard the grievances of a group of BCS (Health) cadre officials who have long been deprived of promotions during an impromptu meeting at the Secretariat. The officials went to the Secretariat to seek an appointment with the Prime Minister to present their long deprivation, justified demands and administrative compensations. However, they unexpectedly got an opportunity to meet the Prime Minister and handed over a written application to him directly. PM Tarique Rahman visits BNP central office in Nayapaltan During the brief meeting, the officials highlighted issues of administrative disparity, delays in promotion and the difficulties they have been facing for years. Without any formalities, the Prime Minister received their application with courtesy. During the unexpected informal meeting, the promotion-deprived BCS (Health) cadre officials shared their grievances with him, highlighting administrative disparities, delays in promotions and the hardships they have been facing. They also drew his attention to the broader human impact of the situation. Prime Minister’s Additional Press Secretary Atikur Rahman Rumon said the Prime Minister listened to them attentively and assured that the matter would be considered with importance. According to the application, a total of 1,821 BCS (Health) cadre officials have long been facing promotion-related problems. They claimed that despite meeting all necessary qualifications and seniority requirements, they were not promoted during the previous interim government without valid reasons. The officials also said the situation has created imbalances in the administrative structure, with some junior officers promoted ahead of their seniors.

Barrister Zaima Rahman, daughter of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Monday observed the ongoing parliament session from the VVIP lounge at the Jatiya Sangsad. She entered the VVIP lounge after the session began at 3:00pm and took a seat in the front row. Prime Minister’s Additional Press Secretary Atikur Rahman Rumon said, she was  present since the start of the session and was watching the question-answer segment. Prime Minister Tarique Rahman was present in the House during the session, alongside Local Government Minister Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, Finance Minister Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury and Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed. Zaima Rahman was also seen working on a laptop while observing the proceedings. The first session of the 13th parliament began on March 12. On that day too, Zaima Rahman, along with her mother Zubaida Rahman, observed the proceedings from the VVIP lounge.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, in a letter addressed to Amir of the State of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, has conveyed Bangladesh’s solidarity with the leadership, government and brotherly people of Qatar in the context of the current regional situation. Foreign Affairs Adviser to the Prime Minister Humaiun Kobir met Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Sultan bin Saad Al Muraikhi and handed over the personal letter from the Prime Minister of Bangladesh. The Foreign Adviser arrived in Qatar’s capital Doha on Sunday as the Special Envoy of Prime Minister and is expected to visit few other Gulf countries after Qatar, said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Monday. President, PM pay last respect to Speaker’s wife Dilara Hafiz In the letter, the Prime Minister expressed appreciation for Qatar’s continued hosting of approximately 450,000 Bangladeshi expatriates and for the measures taken by the Qatari authorities to ensure their safety and well-being.

The government will take tougher measures against fuel hoarding and smuggling as Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Saturday directed the authorities concerned to act against those creating an artificial oil crisis in the country. He gave the directives chairing the meeting of the BNP Parliamentary Party at the Ruling Party’s Meeting Room at the Parliament Secretariat in the afternoon, a day before the first session of the 13th parliament will resume after a 14-day recess. Tarique Rahman, also the Leader of the House, asked the Members of Parliament (MPs) to be vigilant against the artificial fuel crisis and price hike, said Chief Whip Nurul Islam Moni while talking to reporters after the meeting. PM Tarique Rahman visits BNP central office in Nayapaltan “Our leader has given a directive to the MPs to remain vigilant everywhere so that fuel price would not go high and the government, in coordination with the district administration and other (field-level) administrations, can take action wherever necessary,” he said. The Prime Minister also directed the Power, Energy and Mineral Resource Minister Iqbal Hassan Mahmood to deliver a speech under the Section 300 of the Rules of Procedure in the House on Sunday with a tough message against the fuel hoarding. The Chief Whip said the government provides Tk 200 crore subsidy every month to keep fuel prices under control. “The government is trying to keep the price of oil stable by subsidizing about 200 crore taka every month. But some unscrupulous syndicates are trying to create an artificial crisis,” he said. Noting that fuel is smuggled from the country due higher prices in a neighbouring country, the Chief Whip informed that the Prime Minister asked the Home Minister to take tough action against fuel smuggling. “Besides, operations will be conducted against those who hoard fuel or try to create an artificial crisis simultaneously,” said Nurul Islam while raising the PM’s directives given in the meeting. 

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Friday urged all to work together to build an inclusive and self-reliant Bangladesh, ensuring that everyone can live well together. “Let the pledge of this Independence Day be that not just one section of society, but all of us will live well together. We will all strive to live well together, and we will do so, Insha’Allah,” he said, while addressing a discussion marking Independence and National Day. The programme was organised by BNP at the Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh (IEB) auditorium in the capital, where the Prime Minister attended as the chief guest. Tarique said the current democratic government has been formed by the people and belongs to them. “This democratic government has been established by the people of this country,” he said. The Prime Minister said although the people’s aspirations are vast, the country’s resources remain limited, and there is a gap between the nation’s ambitions and its means. “But as a citizen and a political worker, I firmly believe that if we move forward in unity and work together for the country, we will surely be able to build our desired self-reliant Bangladesh. On this great Independence Day, I would like to convey this message to all democracy-loving people, my party colleagues across Bangladesh,” he said. To achieve that goal, the Prime Minister said the government has taken various initiatives targeting different sections of society, including the introduction of family cards, farmers’ cards and canal excavation programmes. He said steps have already been taken and their implementation has begun to improve people’s living standards. Referring to the Liberation War, Tarique paid tribute to BNP founder and Liberation War proclaimer Ziaur Rahman and all martyrs who sacrificed their lives for the country. He said the people of Bangladesh had secured victory against one of the strongest armies of the time. “So, the glorious history of our independence and the Liberation War will continue to be discussed and researched for generations to come, and that is only natural.” Tarique, however, said nothing should be done or said in the name of discussion, criticism or research that could in any way undermine the glorious history of the country’s independence and the Liberation War. “If we remain trapped in the past, we lose sight of the present. But if we forget the past, we lose our direction entirely,” he said. The BNP leader said while the past must not be forgotten, it should not be overemphasised either, as excessive focus on the past—even in the recent period—has hindered the country’s progress towards a prosperous future. Drawing the attention of the younger generation, he said briefly that martyred President Ziaur Rahman was an indispensable character in Bangladesh’s independence and the Liberation War. Tarique said attempts had been made in the past to undermine Ziaur Rahman’s contributions, but those efforts in fact proved that he was indeed a key figure in the Liberation War. He said Ziaur Rahman did not suddenly make the declaration of independence, but had long been prepared for it. The Prime Minister said that Ziaur Rahman was not a political activist in his early life, but a military officer. “But, the dream of Bangladesh’s independence was something he nurtured in his mind, and this is reflected in one of his writings. From that writing, we can clearly understand that he held the idea of independence and had long made mental preparations for a sovereign Bangladesh,” he said. The Prime Minister referred to Ziaur Rahman’s article titled “Birth of a Nation”, published on March 26, 1972, in the Dainik Bangla. “In the article, he (Zia) wrote about the historic moment of 2:15am on March 26, 1971, describing it as a day the people of Bangladesh would remember forever…What happened at 2:15am on March 26, 1971, I believe, is an important piece of evidence for those who research the history of independence and the Liberation War,” he said  Tarique said when Ziaur Rahman’s article was first published, the Liberation War had just ended and those who had been directly or indirectly involved were still alive, but no one raised any objection or made any statement contradicting the contents of the article. He said the article was later republished in the weekly Bichitra in 1974 and was never challenged at the time, indicating its credibility. He said that neither the then government nor any political figure had challenged or attempted to refute any part of Shaheed Ziaur Rahman’s article at the time, as those present then knew that every sentence and word in it was true. Highlighting the value of independence, the Prime Minister said only those who struggle for freedom can truly realise its importance. “We achieved independence in 1971 through immense sacrifice, and in recent times too, people have made sacrifices to protect democracy and the country,” he said. Tarique said the people Bangladesh achieved independence in 1971 through immense sacrifice and defended it again in 2024 amid adversity. Recalling recent struggles, he said many lives were lost in movements for democracy, adding that the ultimate goal of all struggles—from 1971 to 1990 and 2024—was to establish a democratic Bangladesh based on equality, human dignity and social justice. Fakhrul hopes for democratic, happy Bangladesh under Tarique Rahman The discussion began at 3:00pm with a recitation from the Holy Quran. The Prime Minister arrived at the venue at 3:57pm. At the beginning of the event, a munajat was offered seeking eternal peace for the souls of the party’s founder, martyred President Ziaur Rahman, former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia, and those who were martyred in the Liberation War. BNP Standing Committee members Dr Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan, Nazrul Islam Khan, Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury and Salahuddin Ahmed, among others, spoke at the programme, with BNP Secretary General and Local Government Minister Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir in the chair.

A recent statement by the state minister for sports and youth affairs, Aminul Haque, regarding Zaima Rahman’s early involvement in football, has drawn widespread public attention, prompting further clarification and renewed discussion about youth sports development. The former goalkeeper of the national football team claimed that Zaima Rahman, who is the only daughter of current Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, once had the opportunity to play for the Chelsea Football Club in the United Kingdom. According to the state minister, she was a very talented athlete, and described her as a promising goalkeeper during her early years, noting her height and athletic aptitude for the position. The comments generated considerable discussion online, with many questioning the claim in the context of Bangladesh’s limited historical representation in top-tier English football. But as the debate online continued, a voice from the past came forward to provide the context. A former coach, Mohammad Hakim, who trained Zaima during her time at the International School Dhaka (ISD), shared recollections and archival photographs of her participation in school-level football.