United News of Bangladesh

The Ministry of Home Affairs on Sunday launched the Repatriation Data Management System (RDMS) to streamline and better coordinate the process of bringing Bangladeshis who fall victim to human trafficking and illegal migration back home. The central digital platform was launched at a programme held at hotel InterContinental Dhaka in the morning, organised by the ministry with technical assistance from Justice and Care Bangladesh. Dr Ziauddin Ahmed, additional secretary (Political and Immigration) at the Ministry of Home Affairs, presided over the programme. Special guests included Special Branch chief Additional Inspector General Sardar Nurul Amin, SB Deputy Inspector General Jahangir Hossain and Australian High Commission Counsellor Ruben Grey. Joint Secretary Rebeka Khan delivered the welcome address, while Justice and Care Bangladesh Country Director Tariqul Islam highlighted the objectives and key features of the RDMS. Speaking at the programme, Ziauddin said the RDMS has already been linked to the National Identity Card (NID) database to preserve comprehensive information on returnees and survivors. “Work is also underway to integrate the system with birth and death registration and passport services to ensure accurate identification, particularly of children,” he said. The system will centrally store and manage repatriation-related case information, improve coordination among government agencies, speed up nationality and police-record verification, and enhance the accuracy, transparency and traceability of the repatriation process. It will also allow authorities to access case information more quickly, monitor progress in real time and generate reports, officials said. The initiative is expected to address delays in repatriation caused by the involvement of multiple agencies and the need to complete various steps, including nationality verification, police-record checks, preparation of documents and communication with authorities of the countries concerned. The RDMS will enable Bangladeshi missions abroad and other relevant agencies to submit and process repatriation requests in a more structured and coordinated manner, while facilitating the exchange of information required for nationality verification. The system also provides for secure storage and management of personal and sensitive information, officials said. The RDMS was developed by the home ministry with technical assistance from Justice and Care Bangladesh, while the Australian government supported its development and upgrading. Representatives from the embassies and high commissions of several countries, including the United States, India and Thailand, as well as officials from the Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other relevant agencies, attended the programme.

The Ministry of Agriculture has directed retailers involved in the distribution of chemical fertilisers to continue their activities until further instructions. According to a circular issued by the ministry, retailers will continue to purchase fertilisers from authorised main dealers and sell them to farmers at prices fixed by the government. The circular, signed by Joint Secretary Dr Mohammad Jahangir Alam, said the existing arrangement for the distribution and sale of chemical fertilisers through retailers will remain in force until further notice.

The government has appointed 184 more doctors under the 48th BCS (Special). The Ministry of Public Administration issued a notification to this end on Tuesday. Of these, 165 were appointed as assistant surgeons and 19 as assistant dental surgeons under the Bangladesh Civil Service (Health) cadre. The appointed candidates have been asked to join the designated office of the Health Services Division under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on September 7. If no further instructions are issued, they will join their respective ministries or departments on the same date. The notification said candidates who fail to join on the designated date will be considered unwilling to join the service, and their appointments will be treated as cancelled. Earlier, 3,263 candidates were appointed under the 48th BCS (Special) on January 22 this year.

The government has appointed Rear Admiral Md Moinul Hassan of the Bangladesh Navy as director general of the Bangladesh Coast Guard. The Ministry of Public Administration issued a notification to this end on Wednesday. According to the notification, incumbent DG Rear Admiral Md Ziaul Hoque has been transferred to the Armed Forces Division. Moinul Hassan currently serves as the Commander Chattogram Naval Area (COMCHIT). He joined the Bangladesh Navy on July 1, 1989, and was commissioned into the Executive Branch on January 1, 1992.

The Cabinet Committee on Government Purchase (CCGP) on Wednesday approved a proposal for the import of 115,000 tonnes of fertiliser from Canada, Russia and Saudi Arabia at a combined cost of Tk 564.24 crore to ensure adequate supply for the agricultural sector. The approval was given at a CCGP meeting held at the National Economic Council with Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury in the chair. Of the total, 75,000 tonnes will be muriate of potash (MOP) fertiliser, while the remaining 40,000 tonnes will be granular urea. The committee recommended the import of 40,000 tonnes of MOP fertiliser, with a provision of plus or minus 10 percent, from Canadian Commercial Corporation (CCC) under the 13th optional third lot of the state-level agreement between CCC and Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation (BADC). The procurement cost has been fixed at Tk 187.23 crore, with the price set at US$377.63 per metric tonne. The committee also recommended importing 35,000 tonnes of MOP fertiliser, with a provision of plus or minus 10 percent, from Russia’s JSC Foreign Economic Corporation (Prodintorg) under the fourth lot of the state-level agreement between the Russian entity and BADC. The procurement cost for the Russian fertiliser stands at Tk 163.83 crore, also at US$377.63 per tonne. Both proposals were placed by the Ministry of Agriculture. In another decision, the committee recommended importing 40,000 tonnes, with a provision of 10 percent, of granular urea fertiliser from SABIC Agri-nutrients Company of Saudi Arabia under the second lot for the 2026-27 fiscal year. The procurement cost has been set at Tk 213.19 crore, with the price fixed at US$430 per tonne. The Ministry of Industries placed the proposal. The latest procurement decisions come as the government continues to secure fertiliser supplies to meet the requirements of farmers during the 2026-27 fiscal year.

The Cabinet Committee on Government Purchase (CCGP) on Wednesday approved the purchase of 2 crore litres of refined palm olein in 2-litre PET bottles at a cost of Tk 368.20 crore to help maintain a stable supply of edible oil in the domestic market. In a meeting held at the National Economic Council with Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury in the chair, it also recommended the purchase of three LNG cargoes from Aramco Trading Singapore Pte Ltd at a price of $23.93 per MMBTU. CCGP approves purchase of two more cargoes of LNG The palm olein will be procured through the Open Tendering Method (OTM), following a proposal from the Ministry of Commerce. Shabnam Vegetable Oil Industries Limited was recommended as the bidder, offering the oil at Tk 184.10 per litre. The total procurement cost has been estimated at Tk 368.20 crore. Meanwhile, the LNG cargoes were proposed by the Energy and Mineral Resources Division through the international Request for Quotation (RFQ) process under Rule 105(3)(a) of the Public Procurement Rules 2025. The three cargoes are scheduled for delivery for the periods of August 26-27, August 29-30 and September 1-2, 2026. The committee recommended approval of the LNG procurement proposal at a unit price of $23.93 per MMBTU from Aramco Trading Singapore Pte Ltd. The decisions came as the government continues to strengthen supplies of essential commodities and fuel to meet domestic demand.

The government on Monday approved a purchase proposal of two cargoes of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from BP Singapore Pte Ltd at a combined cost of more than Tk 1,850 crore, including advance income tax, amid continued efforts to ensure uninterrupted gas supply. The decision was taken at the Cabinet Committee on Government Purchase (CCGP) meeting held at Bangladesh Secretariat with Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury in the chair. Govt resets fiscal clock, Apr-Mar cycle from FY29 The purchase proposal was placed by the Energy and Mineral Resources Division under the international Request for Quotation (RFQ) process in accordance with Rule 105(3)(a) of the Public Procurement Rules (PPR), 2025. According to the proposal, one cargo for delivery on Aug 23-24 was recommended for purchase from BP Singapore at $21.878 per million British thermal units (MMBtu), costing Tk 927,50,60,833.92 including AIT. Another cargo for delivery on Sept 4-5 was recommended from the same supplier at $21.778 per MMBtu, costing Tk 923,26,66,369.92 including AIT. The total cost of the two cargoes stands at around Tk 1,850.77 crore. The proposal was considered by the Cabinet Committee on Government Purchase, with the LNG procurement being placed under the applicable provisions of the PPR 2025. Separately, the government is also considering the purchase of two LNG cargoes from Blackcube International Ltd of the UK at a negotiated price of $15.50 per MMBtu for delivery on Aug 17-18 and Aug 22-23. The proposal noted that, under the LNG Sale and Purchase Agreements (SPA), LNG prices are determined on the basis of the Japan Korea Marker (JKM). According to the average JKM published by Platts for the period from June 16 to July 15, the applicable JKM price for LNG to be delivered in August 2026 is $16.808 per MMBtu. Blackcube initially quoted $13.00 per MMBtu, but the price was subsequently negotiated at $15.50 per MMBtu, taking into account market volatility, higher spot-market prices and the limited time available to arrange cargoes from alternative sources. The proposal said the spot LNG price at JKM stood at $21.289 per MMBtu on Aug 11. Considering the prevailing market conditions, purchasing the two cargoes from Blackcube at the negotiated price could save around $37.05 million compared with the spot market, it said. The government is also set to receive two LNG cargoes from MAXWELL International SPC, Oman, in 2026 at JKM plus $0.54 per MMBtu under the existing arrangement. The proposal said the negotiation for the Blackcube cargoes was conducted in accordance with the provisions allowing negotiation in direct procurement under the Public Procurement Act, 2006 and Rules 97, 98 and 99 of the PPR 2025. Bangladesh has been relying increasingly on imported LNG to meet domestic gas demand as domestic gas production has declined, making timely procurement of spot LNG cargoes important for maintaining gas supplies to power plants, industries and other consumers.

The Cabinet on Monday decided to shift Bangladesh’s fiscal year from the existing July-June cycle to April-March from FY2028-29, with FY2027-28 to serve as a nine-month transition period. The decision was taken at the Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman at the Secretariat. Bangladesh’s fiscal year runs from July 1 to June 30. The government has decided to introduce the new fiscal year cycle to facilitate the completion of infrastructure development activities before the monsoon season. Govt slashes import taxes on green chili, tomato Under the existing fiscal cycle, infrastructure development activities continue during July and August, when heavy monsoon rains often delay projects, affect the quality of work and cause widespread public suffering. The Cabinet considered April-March as a more appropriate fiscal year, as it will allow infrastructure development activities to be completed before the monsoon. A committee comprising representatives from the Cabinet Division, Bangladesh Bank, National Board of Revenue, Legislative and Parliamentary Affairs Division, Finance Division and other relevant stakeholders will determine the next course of action. Necessary amendments will have to be made to the Constitution of Bangladesh and the General Clauses Act, 1897, to bring change in the fiscal cycle. Besides, technological changes will also be required in various systems involved in the government’s financial management. The Cabinet decided to treat fiscal year 2027-28 as a transitional fiscal year, ending after nine months from July to March. From fiscal year 2028-29, all government activities will be conducted according to the new April-March fiscal year cycle.

The government on Monday approved a proposal to sharply reduce the tax burden on imports of green chili and tomato to ensure uninterrupted supply and keep their prices affordable in the domestic market. The decision was taken at a Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman at the Secretariat. Under the approved proposal, the existing total tax burden on the two items will be reduced from 61% to 20.5% for the first month after issuance of the relevant notification and to 31% in the following month, according to a press release issued by the Cabinet Division. The reduced duty-tax rates will apply to imports of green chili (HS Code 0709.60.19) and tomato (HS Code 0702.00.19) for the specified period. The proposal was placed by the Internal Resources Division. According to the proposal, the government takes policy measures from time to time to ensure food security, stabilise prices of essential commodities and protect consumers’ purchasing power. Prices of green chili and tomato often rise sharply due to seasonal production patterns, natural disasters, adverse weather, supply-chain disruptions and production shortages, it said.

The Cabinet on Monday cleared the draft of a law to establish a specialised unit named “Special Response Battalion (SRB)” under Bangladesh Police, abolishing the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB). The approval came at the Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman at the Secretariat, said a press release. The draft of the Special Response Battalion (SRB) Act, 2026 was approved in principle and also given final approval subject to vetting by the Legislative and Parliamentary Affairs Division. According to the draft law placed by the Ministry of Home Affairs, the existing RAB will be abolished and the SRB will be established as a specialised unit under Bangladesh Police.