United News of Bangladesh

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Saturday urged young people to take the lead in preventing dengue, protecting the environment and keeping the country clean and green, saying efforts to build a clean and healthier Bangladesh for future generations must begin now. “You will run this country in the future. So, we must start working now to build a beautiful, clean and healthy Bangladesh for the next generation,” he said. The prime minister made the call while addressing members of the Bangladesh National Cadet Corps (BNCC) and Scouts during a visit to Mirpur Bangla College in the capital. Tarique said Bangladesh is a densely populated country, particularly in Dhaka, where keeping the city clean is a major challenge. However, the prime minister said, it is possible through collective efforts. He said young people should not limit their cleanliness activities to organised programmes but also take initiatives on their own and encourage their friends, relatives and neighbours to keep their surroundings clean. Highlighting the close link between cleanliness and public health, the prime minister said people are more likely to remain healthy when their homes and surroundings are clean, while an unhygienic environment increased the risk of various diseases. “If so many people fall ill, it will be difficult to arrange enough doctors and medicines to treat everyone. So, our first task is to keep people healthy. And to keep people healthy, we must keep the environment clean,” he said. Stressing the importance of cleanliness in preventing dengue, Tarique said many people are infected with the disease every year and some die from it. “Destroying mosquito breeding grounds and keeping homes and their surroundings clean are among the most effective ways to prevent dengue,” he said. The prime minister said the government is placing special emphasis on conducting cleanliness drives every Saturday until November as part of its dengue prevention efforts. He urged people to keep the areas around their homes, schools, colleges, workplaces and other institutions clean, particularly by ensuring that water did not accumulate anywhere. Tarique also called for an end to the practice of dumping waste on roads, in canals, rivers and other water bodies, saying accumulated rubbish pollute the environment and created favourable conditions for the spread of germs and mosquito breeding. Urging BNCC and Scouts members to raise public awareness, he said they should try to explain the importance of cleanliness to anyone found throwing rubbish on the street and help them dispose of it in designated places if necessary. “Remember, you are working not just for yourselves but for the benefit of everyone,” the prime minister said. Expressing concern over Dhaka’s air pollution, Tarique said the capital often ranked among the world’s most polluted cities, which he described as embarrassing. He said protecting the environment required planting more trees as well as other measures. Recalling his past tree-planting initiatives, the prime minister said around 80,000 neem saplings have been planted in Dhaka alone in 2004-05 through an organisation established in his father’s name. Addressing the students, he said they should surpass his efforts by planting even more trees. “Now you have to go beyond me. You will plant more trees. InshaAllah, you can do it.” The prime minister also recalled the history of neem trees on Saudi Arabia’s Arafat plain. He said the area had once been almost treeless before then-President Ziaur Rahman sent neem saplings there. Neem was selected on the advice of Bangladeshi scientists because it was suitable for Saudi Arabia’s climate, he said, adding that the trees later spread across the area and became known as “Zia trees”. Citing Japan as an example of cleanliness, Tarique said its streets have very little rubbish, partly because people have developed the habit of not littering, rather than relying solely on cleaning services. He stressed the need to keep rivers, canals and other water bodies clean and prevent water and environmental pollution. “People should stop throwing plastic bottles, polythene bags, food packets and other waste indiscriminately.” The prime minister said collective efforts by BNCC and Scouts members and other citizens could help build a better Bangladesh. “The future belongs to you. You will run this country,” he said. Tarique visited Mirpur Bangla College as part of his surprise visits to hospitals and educational institutions to assess the dengue situation and cleanliness activities.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Monday sought Canadian support in energy, agriculture and climate finance, while stressing the safe, voluntary and dignified repatriation of around 1.3 million Rohingyas to Myanmar as the only sustainable solution to the crisis. He made the call when a Canadian delegation, led by its Secretary of State (International Development) Randeep Sarai, met him at his office at the Secretariat. The meeting discussed strengthening bilateral relations, expanding economic cooperation and exploring new opportunities for a strategic partnership between Bangladesh and Canada, said PM’s Deputy Press Secretary Shahadat Hossain Shadhin. Other key issues included technical and vocational education, food security, poverty alleviation and renewable energy. On the Rohingya crisis, Tarique Rahman said Bangladesh is hosting around 1.3 million Rohingyas, putting considerable pressure on the country’s economy and environment while it continues to address its own economic and social challenges. He said humanitarian assistance for the displaced people remained important, but their safe, voluntary and dignified repatriation is the only sustainable solution to the crisis, which originated in Myanmar and must be resolved there. Randeep Sarai agreed on the importance of ensuring the peaceful, safe and dignified repatriation of Rohingyas. The Canadian side expressed interest in cooperating with Bangladesh on energy supplies, particularly oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG), saying Canada could be a potential partner in these areas. Bangladesh said it will consider the proposal positively. Technical education and skills development Canada expressed interest in expanding cooperation in technical and vocational education and training (TVET) in Bangladesh. The two sides also discussed cooperation in establishing nursing training institutions and developing skilled nurses. Canada already has activities in this sector and plans to expand them further, the meeting was told. Agriculture and food security The meeting discussed opportunities to strengthen cooperation in the production and supply of agricultural commodities, including pulses and oilseeds. Canada expressed interest in supporting Bangladesh’s efforts to ensure food security. 

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk on Friday met with Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on the sidelines of the 81st United Nations General Assembly, discussing various issues of mutual interest. The meeting was held at the bilateral meeting room of the Prime Minister’s suite at the Hyatt Grand Central in New York City, where he has been staying during his visit Mentionably it was Turk's office that produced an influential report into the atrocities committed by Bangladesh's security/law enforcing agencies - at least in the vast majority of cases it was able to look at - during the student-led movement that culminated in the July Uprising of 2024.  That Uprising was a recurring theme in Prime Minister Tarique's maiden appearance at the UN's general assembly, in which he paid his sincere respects to “all those who were martyred and injured in the mass uprising of the brave students and people in July-August 2024 against fascism.”

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Tuesday morning joined the high-level General Debate of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) at the General Assembly Hall of the UN Headquarters in New York. He joined the General Debate around 9:00am after attending a welcome breakfast hosted by UN Secretary-General António Guterres for heads of delegation and their spouses, said Prime Minister’s Assistant Press Secretary Md Nazmul Haque Khan. At the breakfast, Tarique Rahman, accompanied by his wife, Dr Zubaida Rahman, joined other world leaders and their spouses for a photo session with Guterres and his wife. He also exchanged greetings with the UN secretary-general and his wife. Bangladesh’s delegation was seated in the front row of the General Assembly Hall, with the seating arranged alphabetically. Upon entering the hall, the Prime Minister greeted the President of the 81st session of the UNGA, Dr Khalilur Rahman, before taking his seat. Khalilur, Bangladesh’s foreign minister, was elected president of the 81st session of the UNGA on June 2, securing 99 votes in a contested election. After the Prime Minister entered the General Assembly Hall and took his seat, UN Secretary-General António Guterres delivered the opening remarks. State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humaiun Kobir and Bangladesh’s Permanent Representative to the UN Irene Khan were seated beside Tarique Rahman, while State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam, Prime Minister’s Adviser Mahdi Amin and Foreign Secretary Asad Alam Siam were seated behind him. Tarique Rahman is leading a 35-member delegation to the UNGA. The high-level General Debate of the 81st UNGA began on Tuesday, with US President Donald Trump scheduled to address the General Assembly on the first day. Tarique Rahman is scheduled to address the General Assembly on September 24, his first address to the world body as prime minister. He is expected to deliver his speech in Bangla. Alongside the UNGA sessions, the Prime Minister is scheduled to hold bilateral meetings and high-level engagements with heads of government of several countries and leaders of international organisations during his brief visit to New York.

US President Donald Trump has expressed hope of meeting Prime Minister Tarique Rahman soon, saying he believes Bangladesh and its people have a very bright future under his leadership. In a letter sent to the Prime Minister on Monday, Trump said the people of Bangladesh have been through much but expressed confidence that the country and its people will have a “very bright future” under Tarique Rahman's leadership. He also conveyed his warmest regards and love to the people of Bangladesh, according to the Prime Minister’s Press Wing. At the same time, Trump thanked the Prime Minister for his decision to purchase Boeing aircraft, saying Boeing will not let Bangladesh down. “I just received your letter concerning the purchase of Boeing Aircraft, and very much appreciate your decision of purchase. Boeing will not let you down, and I will not forget,” Trump wrote in the letter. The US President also thanked Tarique Rahman for his attention to the matter and said, “I look forward to meeting you in the not too distant future.”

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.