United News of Bangladesh

Bangladesh and Türkiye on Saturday reached an understanding to form ministerial-level joint committees to strengthen cooperation in defence and political areas. The understanding came when visiting Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister Tarique Rahman at the Prime Minister’s Office in Tejgaon, said a release issued by the PM’s Press Wing. During the meeting, both sides agreed to hold Annual Foreign Office Consultations at the level of Foreign Ministers. They also decided that annual 2+2 consultations will be held involving Foreign and Defence Ministers of both sides in order to further deepen strategic relations. During the meeting, Minister Fidan conveyed President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's greetings to Prime Minister Rahman. He said his visit constituted the first step towards elevating Bangladesh–Türkiye relations to a strategic level. 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 will involve the ministries concerned of each side, said the PM’s Press Wing. Discussions focused particularly on the Rohingya issue, climate change, trade and investment, joint production and cooperation, and regional and international matters of mutual interest.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Saturday advised officials to select tree species for plantation programmes based on local soil characteristics and environmental conditions to ensure better survival rates and ecological benefits. He made the remarks at a meeting on the government's tree plantation programme held at the Prime Minister's Office, said a release issued by the PM’s Press Wing. “Not all regions of the country have the same type of soil. Trees should be selected and planted according to the soil and environmental conditions of each area,” the Prime Minister was quoted as saying. He also said such an approach would increase the survival rate of planted trees and contribute positively to maintaining ecological balance. Referring to the growing impacts of climate change, Tarique Rahman said seasonal patterns are changing and weather behaviour has become increasingly unpredictable. “Previously, regular rainfall was expected with the arrival of June, but that pattern has changed significantly. The decline in forest cover and tree resources is one of the important reasons behind nature’s adverse behaviour,” he said. The Prime Minister said tree plantation should be given priority to protect the environment, address the impacts of climate change and ensure a safer planet for future generations. The meeting also discussed the government's plan to plant 25 crore trees across the country over the next five years. The Prime Minister is scheduled to formally launch the nationwide programme on June 14 at Dulahazara in Cox’s Bazar. Environment and Forest Minister Abdul Awal Mintoo, Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister ABM Abdus Sattar, Environment Secretary Raihan Kawsar, Director General of the Department of Environment Lutfur Rahman, Additional Director General Ziaul Haque, Chief Conservator of Forests Amir Hossain Chowdhury and member of the 25 crore Tree Plantation Programme Cell Jamail Bashir JB, among others, attended the meeting.

The government is planning to introduce locally manufactured electric ambulances to strengthen emergency healthcare services and improve access to patient transport across the country including the rural areas. The issue was discussed at a meeting on the development of electric ambulances using local technology, held at the Prime Minister’s Office on Saturday morning with Prime Minister Tarique Rahman in the chair, said his Deputy Press Secretary Hasan Shiplu. PM chairs meeting on tree plantation campaign, World Environment Day programmes He said the government is working to ensure ambulance services are available closer to people's doorsteps. “To achieve this goal, the meeting was held today where detailed discussions took place and several decisions were made,” Shiplu said. He said the project will initially be launched in one upazila as a pilot programme. “If the initiative proves successful, it will help meet the country’s growing demand for ambulances and reduce dependence on imports,” the deputy press secretary added. The Prime Minister’s Press Wing said the government is considering a three-tier ambulance service system. Under the plan, different types of ambulances would be developed for transporting patients from villages to upazilas, from upazilas to districts, and from districts to the capital. Experts and officials told the meeting that the initiative could reduce reliance on imported ambulances and make modern ambulance services available at a lower cost. They also noted that the project would help improve the country's emergency patient transport system. According to the Press Wing, experts informed the meeting that the locally produced ambulances would include essential medical equipment, oxygen support systems and other emergency healthcare facilities. The vehicles would be designed taking into account Bangladesh’s geographical conditions and road network. Health and Family Welfare Minister Sardar Md Sakhawat Husain Bakul, State Minister MA Muhit, Prime Minister’s Special Assistant on Health SM Ziauddin Haider, Health Services Secretary Kamruzzaman Chowdhury, PM’s Principal Secretary ABM Abdus Sattar, and experts from Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (Buet) including Professor Muhammad Ehsan, Professor Ziaur Rahman, Professor Abdul Salam Akhand and Professor Jahangir Alam, attended the meeting along with senior officials.

A meeting of the Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, began at the Bangladesh Secretariat on Thursday evening. The meeting started at 7:00pm at the Public Administration Conference Room of the Cabinet Division, said a release issued by the PM’s Press Wing. Cabinet members and senior government officials concerned have attended the meeting. A number of important policy matters and administrative issues are expected to be discussed at the meeting.

Inqilab Moncho has announced a torch procession for Thursday, demanding a comprehensive investigation into India's alleged involvement in the killing of its spokesperson, Sharif Osman Bin Hadi. The procession will begin at 7:00pm from "Shaheed Osman Hadi Chattar" at Shahbagh in the capital, the organisation said in a Facebook post on Wednesday evening. It also called for the identification of local perpetrators of the killing, an update on government efforts to bring back the fugitive suspects, and a speedy trial in the case. Hadi was shot by assailants on December 12 last year at Box Culvert Road under Paltan Model Police Station in Dhaka, a day after the schedule for the 13th parliamentary election was announced. He was initially taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital, later shifted to Evercare Hospital, and eventually flown to Singapore. Hadi died on the night of December 18 while undergoing treatment at Singapore General Hospital. Following the gun attack, Inqilab Moncho Member Secretary Abdullah Al Jaber filed an attempted murder case at Paltan Police Station on December 14, which was later converted into a murder case.    

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.  

A delegation from Mitsui & Co., one of Japan’s largest trading and investment companies, met Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Wednesday and discussed investment opportunities in various sectors in Bangladesh. The meeting was held at the Prime Minister’s Office in the Cabinet Division at the Bangladesh Secretariat, said PM’s Deputy Press Secretary Hasan Shiplu. During the meeting, he said the two sides discussed ways to expand investment and business cooperation in Bangladesh. “Potential investment and expansion in various sectors, including food, agriculture, energy and ICT, were discussed at the meeting,” Shiplu said. He said the Prime Minister and others informed the delegation that the current government is pursuing an investment-friendly policy and is committed to providing maximum support to attract and facilitate foreign investment.  

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Tuesday rejected a proposal to rename the Keraniganj Technical Training Centre (TTC) after former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia, saying existing institutions should not be given new names. The Prime Minister also directed the authorities concerned to consider such names for new institutions rather than renaming existing ones, according to sources at the Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment. Contacted, Prime Minister’s Press Secretary Salah Shibly told UNB that the Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment had sent a summary to the Prime Minister’s Office on Tuesday, seeking approval to rename the Keraniganj Technical Training Centre as “Begum Khaleda Zia Technical Training Centre, Keraniganj.” However, the Prime Minister did not approve the proposal. Instead, he issued a policy directive, saying: “If necessary, name a new institution, not an existing one.” Shibly said the Prime Minister’s instruction was clear that existing institutions should keep their current names, while the proposed name could be considered for any new institution or initiative in the future. The Keraniganj Technical Training Centre is a government-run institution under the Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training (BMET). The centre provides practical training in a range of trades to help young people acquire skills and improve their employment opportunities both at home and abroad. Officials said the institution plays an important role in producing skilled workers to meet the needs of local industries and overseas job markets. As part of the government’s efforts to build a skilled workforce, the centre offers training programmes designed to equip young people with the technical and vocational skills required in modern workplaces.

A 15-member delegation of senior officials from the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) left for China on Tuesday on a week-long visit to participate in a training programme. The delegation departed Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at around 2:00pm on a China Eastern Airlines flight. The programme, being organised with the support of the Chinese government and the Chinese Embassy in Dhaka, will be held in Kunming, the capital of China’s Yunnan Province. Prime Minister’s Additional Press Secretary Atikur Rahman Rumon, who is a member of the delegation, said the training programme will continue until June 8. The delegation includes NGO Affairs Bureau Director General Mohammed Jakaria, Prime Minister’s Additional Press Secretary Atikur Rahman Rumon, Private Secretary-1 Mohammad Mamun Shibly, Private Secretary-2 Mehedul Islam, PMO directors Monirul Islam Patwari, Anwar Ul Halim, Mohammad Nasir Uddin Sarwar and Md Mahbubur Rahman. Other members include Protocol Officer-1 Md Ujjal Hossain, Assignment Officer-2 SM Parvez, Research Officer Abdus Sattar Patwari, Tariq Hasan, Private Secretary to Prime Minister’s Adviser Ismail Zabihullah, and officials Julia Moin, Jesmin Akter and Mohammad Jabbar. Earlier, speaking at a reception programme in Dhaka on Monday night ahead of the visit, Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Yao Wen said high-level exchanges and cooperation between Bangladesh and China strengthened further in recent times. He said the training programme would play an important role in enhancing mutual relations and exchanging experiences between the two countries. The ambassador expressed hope that the participating officials would be able to apply the knowledge gained from China’s development and modernisation experience to Bangladesh’s development efforts after completing the programme.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has questioned the necessity of a proposed visit to Florida of the USA by Chattogram City Corporation (CCC) mayor and five officials to learn about mosquito control measures, saying innovative solutions can be developed by observing mosquito breeding grounds at home. According to a press release issued by the Prime Minister’s Press Wing on Monday night, the Local Government Division sent a summary to the Prime Minister’s Office seeking approval for the visit by CCC Mayor Dr Sahadat Hossain and five officials to Florida. The proposed tour, to be funded by US-based Valent BioSciences LLC, was aimed at allowing the delegation to observe advanced mosquito control and eradication methods. Commenting on the proposal, the Prime Minister said: “There is no need to go to Florida in the United States to learn or observe mosquito eradication. One can develop many innovative methods of mosquito control simply by spending two or three hours beside any stagnant water body in the country after sunset.” Contacted, Prime Minister’s Additional Press Secretary Atikur Rahman Rumon said Tarique Rahman rejected the proposal for a visit to the United States by Chattogram City Corporation Mayor and officials to study mosquito control measures. “The previous government used to send officials abroad on various project-related visits, including mosquito control programmes, which often resulted in wastage of state funds,” he said. Rumon also said such visits, whether funded by the state or foreign agencies, did not produce any effective results.