United News of Bangladesh

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud has invited Prime Minister Tarique Rahman to visit Saudi Arabia. Saudi Ambassador to Bangladesh Dr Abdullah Jafar H Bin Abiyah handed over the invitation letter to the prime minister during a courtesy call at the Cabinet Division in the Bangladesh Secretariat around 9:40am. “The Saudi Crown Prince has also expressed interest in visiting Bangladesh,” Prime Minister’s Foreign Affairs Adviser Humaiun Kobir said at a press briefing at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He said the timing of the Prime Minister’s visit will be finalised through discussions between the two governments. "This is a significant moment in our bilateral relationship. The invitation to the Prime Minister and the Crown Prince's interest in visiting Bangladesh reflect the growing strength of ties between our two countries," he said. He added that the development demonstrated how the Bangladesh government has strengthened its brotherly relations with countries across the Middle East within a short period after assuming office. "I travelled across the Middle East as the Prime Minister's special envoy during the war, and this gesture from our Prime Minister has established tremendous goodwill for Bangladesh across the region," Humaiun Kobir said.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Saturday joined the July National Conference-2026, organised to mark the second anniversary of July mass uprising and honour those killed and injured during the movement. The programme began at 10:12 am at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Centre in Agargaon with a remembrance ceremony jointly organised by the July 24 Martyred Families Society and the central executive committee of Amra July Joddha. "The conference is being held in remembrance of the bloody July Revolution. The programme is dedicated to the martyrs," Prime Minister's Additional Press Secretary Atikur Rahman Rumon said. He said Prime Minister Tarique Rahman attended the programme as the chief guest. Families of those who were martyred in the July mass uprising and those who were injured attended the event. The programme began with the recitation of verses from the Holy Quran. A special munajat was then offered for the eternal peace of the souls of the July martyrs, followed by the national anthem. Chief Whip Nurul Islam Moni chaired the programme which was attended by cabinet members, lawmakers, political leaders, ambassadors and high commissioners, senior military and civil officials, and leaders of various professional bodies. The July mass uprising refers to the 2024 student-led movement that began with demands for reforms to the quota system in government jobs. It later grew into a wider anti-government protest, leading to the ouster of then prime minister Sheikh Hasina, who fled to India on August 5, 2024.  

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Monday proposed raising the income tax-free threshold for individual taxpayers over the next five fiscal years and urged the Finance Minister to withdraw several controversial provisions in the proposed national budget in response to public concerns. Taking part in the general discussion on the proposed budget for FY2026-27 in Parliament, Tarique said the tax-free income ceiling should be increased to provide greater relief to individual taxpayers. He proposed setting the tax-free threshold at Tk 400,000 for FY2026-27 and FY2027-28, Tk 450,000 for FY2028-29 and FY2029-30, and Tk 500,000 for FY2030-31. The budget had proposed thresholds of Tk 375,000, Tk 400,000 and Tk 450,000 respectively for those periods. The prime minister urged the finance and planning minister to incorporate the revised limits into the budget. Referring to the proposed provision relating to the disclosure of investments, Tarique said it has generated widespread public concern and misunderstanding. He explained that the proposal had originally been intended to spare taxpayers from complications arising because many land transactions are registered at mouza values rather than actual market prices. "Unfortunately, some people have interpreted it as an opportunity to legalise undisclosed money," he said. He requested the Finance Minister to withdraw the provision respecting public opinion. He also called for the withdrawal of two other proposed measures that have created confusion among the public – making the submission of Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) certificates mandatory for opening most bank accounts and for the registration of partition deeds and property mutations. The Prime Minister proposed reducing the income tax rate for private universities from the existing 10 percent to 5 percent. At the same time, he urged private universities to invest more in research and development, establish language laboratories to equip students with multilingual skills, and expand tuition-free education opportunities for poor but meritorious students. He also sought an expansion of tax exemptions for indigenous communities in the three hill districts as well as plain land, proposing that salary income, along with income from business, agriculture and other economic activities, be exempt from tax. To boost shrimp farming and exports, Tarique proposed withdrawing customs duties, regulatory duties, supplementary duties and VAT on imported shrimp feed, probiotics, vitamins, minerals and other essential inputs, as well as on necessary machinery. He called for duty concessions on imported raw materials used by local industries and requested the complete withdrawal of the 10 percent supplementary duty on imported honey used by pharmaceutical and other manufacturing industries. The Prime Minister also proposed reducing the proposed 10 percent import duty on PVC and PET resin, widely used as industrial raw materials, to 5 percent. He urged the withdrawal of proposed regulatory duties on imported cold-rolled sheets used in fire door manufacturing, coated chromium oxide used in flat steel products, and refined copper wire used by electrical cable manufacturers. He further proposed abolishing the proposed 15 percent VAT and advance tax on imported fire bricks. Tarique requested that the customs duty on unprocessed cashew nuts, imported as raw materials for the cashew nut processing industry, be reduced from 15 percent to 5 percent. He also proposed extending duty concessions on imported raw materials for locally manufactured LED lamps and prefabricated buildings until June 30, 2030. Highlighting support for entrepreneurship, the Prime Minister said the government had allocated Tk 500 crore for a startup funding initiative in the proposed budget—the first such allocation in the country's history. He expressed confidence that the fund would help young entrepreneurs build successful startups and create significant employment opportunities for the country's youth. To encourage formal payment channels for digital advertising, Tarique proposed reducing the existing 15 percent VAT on advertisements placed on social media platforms, OTT platforms, search engines, online marketplaces and other digital media to 5 percent. He argued that the lower VAT rate would discourage businesses from making informal overseas payments and increase government revenue through greater compliance. The Prime Minister also requested a review of VAT rates on gold, platinum, diamond and silver jewellery, the complete exemption of the 15 percent VAT applicable to revenue-sharing arrangements with the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC), and full VAT exemption at the supplier level for all fish supplies. To promote domestic automobile manufacturing, he proposed reducing VAT on the local production of double-cabin pickup trucks and microbuses from 15 percent to 5 percent. He also urged the government to relax coefficient filing requirements under the VAT system in selected sectors to simplify compliance for businesses.  

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Wednesday announced his government’s firm stance against the siphoning of money abroad, stressing that public money belongs to the people and should be used to improve their lives and change their fortunes. “We will take a tough position from today against those who have laundered money from this country and those who want to siphon off people’s money abroad,” he said while addressing a programme marking the inauguration of the third-phase Family Card distribution programme at the Victoria High School ground in Sreemangal. The Prime Minister said the country’s people should also remain vigilant so that no one can siphon off the country's wealth. “If we all keep our eyes and ears open, no one will be able to launder the country's assets abroad. We will work together and use that money to change the lives of our people,” he said. When Tarique Rahman asked whether people will stand with the government in that effort, thousands of attendees, including tea workers and local residents, responded in unison with a resounding “yes.” Calling for collective commitment, he said, “Let our pledge on this joyous day be one thing: work for the country and put Bangladesh first.” The Prime Minister also coined a new slogan, saying: “We will work, we will build the country. Bangladesh first, Bangladesh for all.” "We have seen over the past 17 years how public money was siphoned out of the country. Instead of being spent on the people, it was sent abroad by a political group," he said. Referring to opposition’s questions about funding government’s welfare initiatives, Tarique Rahman said some people often ask where the money for Family Cards and Farmers' Cards would come from. "I want to tell them that we will no longer allow people's money to be siphoned abroad," he said. He said public funds will be used for the welfare of citizens and the development of the country. "People's money will be spent on the people. It will be used for the country's development and for changing the fate of its citizens. So, there will be no shortage of money, Insha-Allah," the Prime Minister said. The programme, organised by the Ministry of Social Welfare, began with recitations from the Holy Quran and other religious scriptures. The national anthem and the BNP party song were also played. The Prime Minister personally handed over Family Cards to 10 women representing beneficiary families before formally inaugurating the third phase of the programme by pressing a button. He also distributed grants of Tk 200,000 each as housing support for tea workers, scholarships for children of tea workers and financial assistance cheques for people with disabilities. Referring to the government's welfare initiatives, Tarique Rahman said Bangladesh is both the first and last address of its citizens and the government's sole objective is to improve the lives of the people. “We have to build this country ourselves. The 40 crore hands of our 20 crore people must be turned into productive hands. Only then can we transform Bangladesh,” he said. The Prime Minister also warned people against what he described as attempts to spread misinformation about government’s welfare programmes. Addressing those who question the funding of the Family Card and Farmers’ Card programmes, he said the assistance distributed among tea workers, students and people with disabilities on Wednesday was being provided from public funds. Referring to allocations for Family Card and Farmers’ Card programmes in the proposed 2026-27 national budget, Tarique Rahman criticised those describing the budget as anti-people despite the government's decision to remove duties on 60 essential products. “You have seen that though we have allocated funds in this budget for ordinary working people, some have refused to accept it. We have allocated funds for mothers through the Family Card programme, for farmers through the Farmers’ Card scheme, for persons with disabilities, for students and for improving healthcare services,” he said. The Prime Minister lamented that the opposition is comparing the budget to “chanachur”, saying such remarks undermine efforts to improve people's lives. “This is a people’s budget. Through these allocations, we want to change the lives of our citizens. We have set aside funds for healthcare, for farmers and for ensuring that our children receive the best possible education. Yet some describe it as an anti-people budget,” he said. Tarique Rahman also noted that the government has withdrawn duties on 60 essential commodities but said a political party was still portraying the budget as anti-people. “When a budget contains measures for the welfare of citizens and relief for consumers, can those who oppose it truly claim to be friends of the people? The answer is no,” he said, urging people to remain alert to what he termed efforts to create confusion and instability, both inside and outside Parliament. “If those who want to create unrest get the opportunity, it will become difficult to continue programmes like Family Card, support for persons with disabilities, assistance for poor students and tax relief on essential commodities,” Tarique Rahman said. He stressed that public unity is essential to sustaining development and protecting democracy. “If people remain united, no conspiracy can succeed and no one will be able to undermine democracy in Bangladesh,” he said. The Prime Minister also claimed that forces opposed to democracy had historically worked together despite public differences, while the BNP had always stood by the people. “The greatest strength of the BNP is the people. That is why we always say that the people are the source of all power,” he said. Recalling past political struggles, Tarique Rahman said late BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia had never left the people during difficult times. “Bangladesh was her first address and her last address. We are the soldiers of Khaleda Zia,” he said. State Minister for Social Welfare Farzana Sharmin, Moulvibazar district BNP Convener Faizul Karim Mayun, lawmaker Mujibur Rahman Chowdhury, Additional Secretary Kamal Uddin Biswas and beneficiaries Shiuly Rani Das and Wajeda Begum also spoke at the programme with Social Welfare and Women and Children Affairs Minister AZM Zahid Hossain in the chair.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Saturday invited Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to visit Bangladesh in the near future. “He (the PM) extended an invitation to President Erdoğan to visit Bangladesh at a mutually convenient time in the near future,” said a press release issued by the Prime Minister’s Press Wing following visiting Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan’s meeting with Tarique Rahman. The meeting was held at the Prime Minister’s Office in the city’s Tejgaon area, marking the final engagement of the Turkish Foreign Minister’s three-day official visit to Bangladesh. The Prime Minister thanked the Turkish Foreign Minister for undertaking the visit. Visiting Turkish Foreign Minister Fidan conveyed President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's greetings to Prime Minister Rahman. Fidan said his visit constituted the first step towards elevating Bangladesh–Türkiye relations to a strategic level. During the meeting, Bangladesh and Türkiye agreed to hold annual Foreign Office Consultations at the level of Foreign Ministers. They also decided that annual 2+2 consultations would be held involving the Foreign and Defence Ministers of both sides in order to further deepen strategic relations. Besides, with a view to further strengthening political, economic and strategic cooperation between the two countries, a consultation mechanism in the form of a committee would be established under the respective Foreign Ministers, which would involve the relevant ministries of each side.

Newly appointed Force Commander of the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP), Lieutenant General Mohammad Asadullah Minhazul Alam, met Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Wednesday before leaving to assume his new assignment. The meeting was held at the Prime Minister’s Office at the Cabinet Division in the Bangladesh Secretariat in the afternoon, Deputy Press Secretary to the Prime Minister Hasan Shiplu said. He said they discussed Bangladesh’s contribution to UN peacekeeping operations, the professionalism of the country’s armed forces and ways to uphold Bangladesh’s reputation and prestige in the international arena. On April 9, Lieutenant General Minhazul Alam was appointed the 23rd Force Commander of the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP). He is the eighth Bangladeshi army officer to be appointed as a UN force commander. Minhazul is scheduled to leave for the United Nations headquarters in New York on Friday before assuming his new post. Before his appointment, Minhazul served as General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the Training and Doctrine Command of the Bangladesh Army. According to the Prime Minister’s Press Wing, a total of 10 military officers from different countries, including one Bangladeshi officer, are currently serving as force commanders in 10 UN peacekeeping missions around the world. Major General Mohammad Fakhrul Ahsan is now serving as Force Commander in Western Sahara. With Minhazul Alam’s joining in Cyprus, the number of Bangladeshi officers serving at the force commander level in UN missions will rise to two.  

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Saturday took part in a day-long programme distributing clothes and food items among poor and destitute people across 16 locations in Dhaka city, marking the 45th death anniversary of BNP founder and former President Ziaur Rahman. The programme began around 11:25am from the Rajdhani High School ground on Manik Mia Avenue, where the Prime Minister started distributing relief items among the needy. Relief distribution activities were held across the areas of the two Dhaka city corporations, including Shyamoli Square, Government Bangla College, Pallabi Metro Station, ECB Chattar, Kuril Bishwa Road, Fuji Trade Centre, Jatrabari, Jurain, Banglabazar and Dhanmondi. Speaking at different venues, the Prime Minister called for taking a pledge to build the country in line with Ziaur Rahman’s ideals, saying his politics was based on standing by people and nation-building. “We must take a pledge to build the country in line with the ideals of Shaheed Zia,” he said, urging party leaders and activists to remain close to the people and extend personal support to the needy alongside party initiatives. Tarique Rahman also called upon city dwellers to take responsibility for keeping Dhaka clean, saying cleanliness was not only the responsibility of city corporations but also of residents. “We must try to generate as less waste as we can. If we all act responsibly, the city will remain cleaner,” he said, adding that a clean environment will improve living conditions and make the work of sanitation workers easier. At Jurain, the Prime Minister said people often admire clean cities abroad and questioned why local streets could not be kept clean in the same way, stressing the need for public awareness and responsible behaviour.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman will take part in three programmes on the day of Eid-ul-Azha, including joining the main Eid congregation at the National Eidgah, on Thursday. Prime Minister’s Additional Press Secretary Atikur Rahman Rumon said Tarique Rahman will offer Eid prayers at the National Eidgah on the Supreme Court premises at 7:30am. “After the prayers, the Prime Minister will visit the graves of his parents – Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman and former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia – at Sher-e-Bangla Nagar and offer Fateha there,” he said. He will later return to his residence in Gulshan, the additional press secretary said. In the afternoon, Tarique Rahman will join the traditional “Barkhana” feast to be hosted by the Armed Forces at Dhaka Cantonment.

The BNP-led government has implemented a series of election manifesto pledges within its first 100 days in office, according to an e-book published by the Prime Minister’s Press Wing. It said the government, which assumed office on February 17 following a major political transition after 17 years, spent the first 100 days addressing political instability, a fragile economy, weak law and order and deep social divisions. The e-book, released by the PM’s Press Wing on Wednesday, said Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has been working with commitment to reach people directly and implement the public welfare-oriented promises. It also said the government has already taken a series of initiatives across key sectors, bringing visible changes in public life. Social protection and welfare According to the publication, 53,096 families have received Family Cards, while 20,748 families have been issued Farmers’ Cards. Besides, around 5.5 million families are receiving subsidised rice at Tk 15 per kg while senior citizens and persons with disabilities are receiving a 25 per cent fare discount on metro rail and train services. The government has also arranged advanced medical treatment abroad for 152 injured persons from the July movement in countries including Russia and Singapore. Economy and finance The e-book said foreign exchange reserves rose to 34.38 billion US dollars as of May 20, while inflation declined to 8.71 per cent. Besides, revenue collection increased by 13.6 per cent in the second quarter of the 2025–26 fiscal year. It also said the government has managed the cooking oil market through subsidies amid pressure. Agriculture, infrastructure and communication Canal re-excavation work has begun on 666 canals across the country. The final approval has been given for the “Padma Barrage” project, expected to directly benefit 37 per cent of the population. Meanwhile, a deal has been signed to add 14 Boeing aircraft to expand the national carrier’s fleet while land services have also been fully digitised. Education, health and employment The e-book said over 20 million children have been vaccinated against measles, achieving near universal coverage. Around 65,569 government primary schools have been brought under uninterrupted internet connectivity. The government ensured payment of salaries, bonuses and allowances before Eid for all industrial workers. Sports and religious affairs A “Notun Kuri” Sports” programme for students aged 12–14 is ongoing, while sports equipment has been distributed to 550 educational institutions and clubs. Monthly allowances are being provided to imams, muezzins and other religious leaders in nearly 6,000 institutions. Training has also been given to more than 38,000 butchers on scientific meat processing ahead of Eid. Defence, sovereignty and foreign affairs A modern “Ground Master-400” radar system has been installed to monitor airspace up to 650 kilometres inland and 833 kilometres over the Bay of Bengal. Besides, the government is also reintroducing the phrase “Except Israel” in Bangladeshi passports, which had been removed by the previous Awami League regime. Anti-corruption and governance The e-book said assets worth Tk 4,264 crore belonging to S Alam Group have been seized. “Agreements have been signed with three countries to recover laundered money, while negotiations with others are ongoing.” It also said 10 cabinet meetings were held by May 24, taking 60 decisions, of which 37 have been implemented and 23 are in progress.

BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi on Monday said Prime Minister Tarique Rahman is working to take the country forward, drawing inspiration from National Poet Kazi Nazrul Islam. “Prime Minister Tarique Rahman is trying to move the country toward development. Nazrul is the inspiration behind his work,” Rizvi said while speaking to reporters after paying tribute at the poet’s grave at the University of Dhaka on the occasion of Nazrul’s 127th birth anniversary. He also said National Poet Kazi Nazrul Islam was a major source of inspiration in the struggle against fascism. “When we were tortured in remand, Nazrul’s songs, poems and literary works inspired us to survive and resist,” he said. He said Kazi Nazrul Islam remains relevant in both national and social life. The BNP leader said the poet carried the banner of rebellion, equality and humanity, and people drew inspiration from his songs and poems during every national movement. “Kazi Nazrul Islam was the principal inspiration in the struggle against fascism.” Rizvi said Nazrul continues to inspire the implementation of the government’s electoral pledges and national vision. He further said Nazrul would be remembered throughout the year during the Nazrul anniversary celebrations.