United News of Bangladesh

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Thursday congratulated the Bangladesh cricket team on securing their first-ever ODI series victory against Australia. In a congratulatory message, the Prime Minister said he expects Bangladesh's success in international cricket to continue in the years ahead and inspire more young people across the country to take an interest in sports. “By maintaining team unity, discipline and self-confidence, the Bangladesh cricket team will achieve even greater success in world cricket,” he said in the message issued by the PM’s Press Wing. Tarique Rahman extended his heartfelt congratulations and best wishes to the players, coaching staff and all those associated with the achievement. Bangladesh sealed the three-match series with a game to spare after defeating Australia by five wickets under the DLS method in the second ODI at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur. The Tigers earlier won the first ODI by 86 runs, also under the DLS method, at the same venue.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Thursday unveiled a commemorative postage stamp, marking the FIFA World Cup 2026. The Prime Minister unfolded the Tk 10 commemorative stamp at his office in the Jatiya Sangsad Secretariat in the morning, said a release issued by the PM’s Press Wing. He also released a souvenir sheet with an envelope priced at Tk 50 and a Tk 5 data card on the occasion. A special cancellation seal was used during the ceremony. Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology Minister Fakir Mahbub Anam, Secretary of the ministry Bilquis Jahan Rimi, Prime Minister’s Additional Press Secretary Atikur Rahman Rumon and Additional Director General of the Directorate of Posts SM Harunur Rashid, among others, were present.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Wednesday said the government will begin the recruitment process for vacant posts in different government offices as soon as possible to make public services more efficient and accessible. He made the remarks while replying to a supplementary question from BNP lawmaker Abul Kalam of Cumilla-9 during the Prime Minister's question-answer session in Parliament. “I would like to inform the House that there are a number of vacant posts in different government institutions. Filling these positions is important to make government activities more dynamic and to ensure services reach people more easily and efficiently,” the Prime Minister said. He said the government is giving the matter serious consideration and reviewing it with importance. “We will start the recruitment process for these vacant posts as soon as possible, Inshallah,” Tarique added. While answering a starred question originally submitted by BNP lawmaker Shamsur Rahman Shimul Biswas (Pabna-5), which was raised in the House by AKM Selim Reza Habib, MP from Pabna-2, the Prime Minister said the government has decided to recruit 500,000 public employees. He said recruitment activities are already underway to fill 2,879 vacant posts under the Ministry of Public Administration and its subordinate departments and agencies. The parliamentary sitting began at 3pm with Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmad in the chair. The first 30 minutes of the sitting were allocated for questions to the Prime Minister. Of the five starred questions listed for him, Tarique Rahman answered three and also responded to supplementary questions from lawmakers. Govt believes in balanced development Responding to a supplementary question from BNP lawmaker Anisur Rahman Talukder Khokon (Madaripur-2), the Prime Minister said the government is committed to ensuring balanced development across the country regardless of political affiliation. Referring to a recent meeting of the parliamentary business advisory committee attended by the Leader of the Opposition, Tarique said concerns were raised that some opposition lawmakers did not receive certain forms of government assistance distributed before Eid. “After the meeting, I immediately instructed the Local Government Minister and the State Minister to ensure that any opposition MPs who had not received the assistance were included without delay,” he said. Through the directive, the Prime Minister said he wanted to make it clear that the present government believes in balanced development across the country. “Just as ruling party lawmakers work for the development of their constituencies, opposition lawmakers will also receive full cooperation from the government. We will try to ensure that development activities are carried out equally in their areas as well,” he said.  

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Tuesday provided financial assistance for the construction of a house for national women’s football team player Ritu Porna Chakma. The Prime Minister handed over a cheque for the grant to Ritu Porna Chakma at the Prime Minister’s Office at the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban in the afternoon, according to the Prime Minister’s Press Wing. Youth and Sports State Minister Aminul Haque, Chattogram Hill Tracts Affairs State Minister Mir Helal Uddin, Textiles and Jute State Minister Shariful Alam and Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) President Tabith Awal were present at the programme. The assistance comes as part of efforts to support the national footballer and her family.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Tuesday ordered an investigation into the prolonged delay in completing the Khulna Shipyard Road Expansion and Development Project which has remained unfinished for more than a decade despite repeated extensions. The directive came at a meeting of the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC), held at the Public Administration Conference Room of the Cabinet Division at the Bangladesh Secretariat. PM now rejects RCC administrator’s France trip An official present at the meeting said the project, which was approved by ECNEC in July 2013 was originally scheduled to be completed in 2015. However, implementation began only in January 2022, causing significant delays. The official said the project has now achieved around 70 per cent physical progress in over three years of work. However, the contractor reportedly became untraceable after withdrawing bills, and the road improvement work was left incomplete for a long period, leading to the cancellation of the contract on August 7 last year. At the ECNEC meeting, the official said the issue of repeated delays and the failure to achieve expected progress was discussed in detail, and the Prime Minister expressed his displeasure over the matter. Contacted, Prime Minister’s Press Secretary Saleh Shibly said even after 12 years and repeated extensions, the desired target has not been achieved in the Khulna Shipyard road project. “So, the Prime Minister has directed that the reasons behind the 12-year delay be thoroughly investigated and those responsible be identified and brought under action,” he said. Originally, the project was awarded to a joint venture of Ataur Rahman Ltd and Mahabub Brothers Pvt Ltd under the Khulna Development Authority (KDA) at a cost of Tk 98.90 crore, with a two-year completion target set for June 2015. However, the work did not begin on time and multiple extensions were granted—first for one year, then two years, followed by several further revisions—eventually extending the timeline by nearly a decade. Despite these extensions, the project remained incomplete, with only partial physical progress achieved. The cost of the project also increased significantly over time, rising to around Tk 259 crore before being slightly revised to Tk 254 crore. Officials said the Prime Minister also stressed ensuring accountability in public project implementation to prevent similar delays in future. LGRD and Cooperatives Minister Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, Finance and Planning Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury, Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed, Power and Energy Minister Iqbal Hassan Mahmood Tuku, Commerce Minister Khandakar Abdul Muktadir, Water Resources Minister Md Shahiduddin Chowdhury Anee, Health and Family Welfare Minister Sardar Md Sakhawat Husain, Agriculture Minister Aminur Rashid Yasin, Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Md Asaduzzaman, Education Minister ANM Ehsanul Hoque Milon, and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Shaikh Rabiul Alam, among others, attended the meeting. State ministers, advisers and secretaries of different ministries were also present. The ECNEC meeting was held ahead of the upcoming national budget for the 2026–27 fiscal year.

A meeting of the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) is underway with Prime Minister Tarique Rahman in the chair. The meeting began on Tuesday morning at the Public Administration Conference Room of the Cabinet Division at the Bangladesh Secretariat, said a release issued by the Prime Minister's Press Wing. LGRD and Cooperatives Minister Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, Finance and Planning Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury, Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed, Power and Energy Minister Iqbal Hassan Mahmood Tuku, Commerce Minister Khandakar Abdul Muktadir, Water Resources Minister Md Shahiduddin Chowdhury Anee, Health Minister Sardar Md Sakhawat Husain, Agriculture, Fisheries and Livestock Minister Mohammed Aminur Rashid, Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Md Asaduzzaman, and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Shaikh Rabiul Alam, among other ECNEC members, have joined the meeting. Senior officials from the relevant ministries and agencies are also present to place and discuss various development project proposals. The meeting is expected to consider a number of projects from different sectors aimed at supporting the country's economic growth and development.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has declined to approve a proposed visit to France by the Rajshahi City Corporation (RCC) administrator to learn about energy-efficient street lighting technology, reinforcing his stance against unnecessary overseas trips by public officials. However, he allowed the corporation’s Executive Engineer (Electrical) ABM Asaduzzaman Sweet to make the visit, if required. No need to go abroad to learn mosquito control: PM The decision came in a directive issued by the Prime Minister on a proposal sent by the Local Government Division to the Prime Minister’s Office, seeking approval for the France visit of two RCC officials. According to the directive, knowledge gained from the programme will be useful for the city corporation if acquired by an engineer. “As the administrator of Rajshahi City Corporation is not an engineer, his participation does not carry any significance. Only the proposed executive engineer (Electrical) may attend the visit, if necessary,” the directive said. The Prime Minister also suggested involving the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) and other engineering universities in similar innovative initiatives in the future. Contacted, Prime Minister’s Press Secretary Salah Shibly confirmed the authenticity of the directive. The proposal was sent to the PMO following an invitation from Signify Bangladesh Ltd. Under the proposal, RCC Administrator Md Mahfujur Rahman Riton and Executive Engineer Sweet were scheduled to visit France to tour Signify France’s Outdoor Lighting Application Centre and gain first-hand knowledge of new energy-saving street lighting technologies. The decision follows a recent move by the Prime Minister to reject a proposal for a visit to the United States by Chattogram City Corporation mayor and five officials to learn about mosquito control measures.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Sunday extended thanks to the Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister and the Home Minister for ensuring the swift investigation and bringing perpetrators of the murder of eight-year old Ramisa to justice. He also praised the effective role played by the relevant ministries and law enforcement agencies in quickly identifying the perpetrators and bringing them under the law. The PM expressed his appreciation during a meeting of the parliamentary business advisory committee held at the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban before the 13th Parliament went into its first budget session at 3:00pm, said a press release issued by Parliament Secretariat. He said the government's strong commitment to maintaining law and order was reflected in the swift investigation, identification and arrest of the perpetrators in the brutal and heartbreaking murder. The Prime Minister expressed optimism that the judicial process in this case would be completed swiftly and fairly and the convicts would get appropriate punishment in accordance with the existing laws of the country. He also called upon members of the law enforcement agencies, investigation officials and all concerned to continue demonstrating the same level of professionalism and dedication in ensuring public safety. Other members of the business advisory committee, who were present at the meeting, also highly appreciated the prompt measures taken in connection with the incident and expressed the hope that the government's zero-tolerance policy against crimes would continue in the future. Earlier on Sunday, a Dhaka tribunal sentenced prime accused Sohel Rana and his wife Swapna Khatun to death in the case filed over the rape and murder of eight-year-old Ramisa Akter in the city’s Pallabi area. The judgment in the sensational case was delivered in just 19 days following the incident, which sparked widespread outrage and prompted the government to pledge quick justice. On May 21, two days after the murder, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman visited the house of Ramisa Akter and consoled the family.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Sunday stressed the need for mandatory internships, apprenticeships and stronger industry-academia collaboration to make higher education more job-oriented and reduce unemployment among graduates. “Many graduates remain unemployed despite completing higher education. One of the main reasons, many believe, is that while students earn academic qualifications, they often fail to acquire the practical, applied and technological skills,” he said. The Prime Minister made the remarks while inaugurating a national training programme, titled “Inclusion of Skills-Based Education in National University Curriculum”, at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Centre in the capital. Considering the situation, he said, the government wants to take effective steps to expand apprenticeship and internship opportunities and strengthen collaboration between universities and industries to make higher education more practical and relevant to the needs of the job market. “To make the higher education system more technology-driven and employment-oriented, greater coordination between universities and the industrial sector, as well as mandatory internship and industry-academia linkage programmes, is now the demand of the time,” Tarique Rahman said. Initially, he said the programme will be implemented through partnerships between universities in divisional cities and local industries and business establishments. As a result, the Prime Minister said, students will be able to gain practical skills alongside their academic studies while still studying, reducing the likelihood of unemployment after completing their education. He said the government is also taking initiatives to create entrepreneurs directly from campuses. As part of the plan, Tarique Rahman said, the government has decided to provide “seed funding” or “innovation grants” on a competitive basis for the commercialisation of innovative business ideas in colleges and universities. He expressed hope that many young entrepreneurs will emerge through these initiatives and contribute to the country’s economy instead of waiting for jobs after graduation. The programme was organised by the National University as part of its initiative to train 12,000 college teachers across the country in vocational and technical education. Highlighting the importance of developing skilled human resources, the Prime Minister said Bangladesh could emerge as a global role model if its youth and student population are transformed into a workforce equipped with knowledge, science and technology-based skills. “The day is not far when Bangladesh can become a prosperous and self-reliant nation if we succeed in building a skilled generation,” he said. Addressing young people, Tarique Rahman urged them to prepare themselves for the challenges of a rapidly changing world through education, skills and character building. He encouraged students to acquire technological knowledge while remaining committed to the country’s long-standing religious, social and moral values. The Prime Minister also underscored the importance of learning foreign languages, saying proficiency in a third language alongside Bangla and English will significantly enhance employment opportunities both at home and abroad. He said the government is committed to building a knowledge-based and merit-based state and society where education, research, creativity, competence and innovation receive the highest priority. Tarique Rahman called upon teachers, educationists and students to work together for national development, describing it as a collective endeavour rather than the responsibility of any single institution or individual. “The government expects cooperation from universities, teachers, students, parents, civil society and the industrial sector in this journey,” he said. The Prime Minister expressed confidence that the country’s progress will remain unstoppable if all stakeholders work in unity. “Let us build an employment-oriented education system that will not only award certificates but also create skilled human resources. It will transform our population into productive assets,” he said. Tarique Rahman also said education should not merely produce job seekers but should also nurture entrepreneurs. “It should serve not only as a driver of economic growth but also as a foundation for social transformation, accelerating national prosperity beyond individual or group interests.” Referring to the rapid technological transformation worldwide, he said the world has already entered the era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, where artificial intelligence (AI) is creating both challenges and opportunities. “Automation and AI-driven technologies have put many traditional jobs at risk, while at the same time creating opportunities in many new sectors,” the Prime Minister observed. He also stressed that subjects like artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, forensic science, programming, digital entrepreneurship, leadership, communication skills and financial literacy should become integral parts of modern education curricula. Tarique Rahman mentioned emerging fields such as genetic engineering, biotechnology, quantum computing, nanotechnology, 3D printing and fifth-generation wireless technology, saying success in future workplaces will become difficult without knowledge of such areas. He said the government has already begun reforming the curriculum from primary to higher education levels to make it more practical, technology-oriented and employment-focused. “Curriculum reform is a continuous process in this age of research, innovation and technological advancement.” The Prime Minister appreciated the National University authorities for taking steps to modernise and update the curriculum in line with present-day demands. He urged them to give greater importance to students’ mental health, social inclusion, environmental protection and ethical development alongside technological advancement. “There is no alternative to moral education in becoming a compassionate and responsible human being,” Tarique Rahman said. Speaking about the National University, he said the institution could play the most important role in expanding modern and technology-based higher education because it has more than 2,000 affiliated colleges and nearly 40 lakh students across the country. The Prime Minister recalled that former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia established the National University in 1992 to expand access to higher education for students in both urban and rural areas. He formally inaugurated the training programme by pressing a button on a laptop around 11:25am. During the programme, NU Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr ASM Amanullah and other teachers presented the Prime Minister with a commemorative crest and a sapling. Education Minister Dr ANM Ehsanul Hoque Milon, Prime Minister’s Adviser on Education, and Primary and Mass Education Mahdi Amin, and Amanullah also addressed the programme.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Sunday inaugurated a national training programme for college teachers aimed at integrating skills-based and technical education into the curriculum of the National University (NU). The programme, titled “Inclusion of Skills-Based Education in National University Curriculum,” was launched at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Centre in the capital's Agargaon area. The Prime Minister formally inaugurated the programme by pressing a button on a laptop around 11:25am. The NU has undertaken the programme to develop a skilled teaching workforce capable of delivering employment-oriented and technical education. Under the initiative, 12,000 college teachers from across the country will be trained in phases.