United News of Bangladesh

The new government is all set to place its first national budget with a financial outlay of Tk 9.38 lakh crore for the fiscal year 2026-27 in Parliament today, mapping out a strategy targeted at stabilisation and fiscal reform. Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury will present the proposed budget in the House at 3:00pm. According to high-level treasury sources, the government has set an ambitious overall revenue mobilisation target of Tk 6.95 lakh crore to fund the massive public expenditure. Out of the total revenue target, the National Board of Revenue (NBR) has been given the task of collecting Tk 6.04 lakh crore. Additionally, Tk 25,000 crore is expected to come from non-NBR tax sectors, while non-tax revenue (NTR) sources are projected to yield Tk 66,000 crore. A major portion of the resource allocation will be consumed by debt servicing obligations. The government has earmarked Tk 1.27 lakh crore solely for interest payments on loans. Of the amount, Tk 1.05 lakh crore will go towards servicing domestic debt, while foreign loan interest payments will require Tk 22,500 crore. The draft proposal estimates the overall budget deficit at Tk 2.43 lakh crore. To bridge this significant fiscal deficit, the government plans to borrow Tk 1.09 lakh crore from foreign funding sources. For domestic deficit financing, the administration will heavily rely on the country’s banking system, planning to borrow Tk 1.12 lakh crore from commercial banks. The remaining gap of Tk 15,000 crore is projected to be met through the sales of national savings certificates. Macroeconomic analysts indicate that the primary challenge for the new government will be controlling inflationary pressures and ensuring efficient revenue collection without disrupting industrial growth, as the country navigates a complex economic transition.  

Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) seized smuggled goods worth more than Tk 177.78 crore during operations conducted in border areas and other parts of the country in May 2026. BGB Public Relations Officer Md. Shariful Islam shared the information in a press release on Wednesday. According to the release, the seized items include 3.648 kg of gold, 4.1 kg of silver, 11,419 pcs sarees, 2,831 pieces of three-piece sets, shirt pieces, and blankets, 9,368 pieces of ready-made garments, and 4,514 metres of cloth. Border Security: Ansar-VDP on high alert alongside BGB in 11 districts Other seized goods include 1,28,928 cosmetics items, 37,154 pieces of imitation jewellery, 39,99,797 firecrackers, 6,017 cubic feet of timber, 7,007 kg of tea leaves, 65,700 Gillette blades, 3,310 kg of betel nut, 25,860 kg of coal, 3,465 cubic feet of stone and 170 cubic feet of sand. BGB also seized 405 mobile phones, 2,940 mobile displays, 56,148 mobile parts, 36,411 miscellaneous items, 13,053 glasses, 96,402 kg of cumin, 23,451 kg of sugar, 20,07,869 packets of food items, 4,691 kg of garlic, 597 kg of fertiliser, and 228 litres of fuel including diesel, octane, petrol and mobil oil. Other items include 2,642 packets of pesticides, 2,89,508 pieces of chocolate, 745 cattle including cows and buffaloes, and a number of vehicles, including trucks, covered vans, Mahindra vehicles, pickups, private cars, buses, trolleys, microbuses, CNGs, autorickshaws, motorcycles and bicycles. The recovered weapons include one foreign or local pistol, one rifle, two magazines, 258 rounds of ammunition, one rocket launcher and two other weapons. The BGB also reported a large quantity of narcotics seized during the month. These include 16,49,952 Yaba tablets, 3.883 kg of crystal meth (ice), 260 grams of cocaine, 337 grams of heroin, 2,807 bottles of Phensedyl, 8,605 bottles of foreign liquor, 268 litres of local liquor, 2,037 cans of beer, 1,752 kg of cannabis, 2,85,263 packets of bidi cigarettes, 3,35,729 narcotic tablets or injections, 5,58,059 bottles of various syrups, 1,900 tablets such as Anegra or Senegra, and 6,94,330 pieces of various medicines and tablets. During the operations, the BGB arrested 188 people involved in drug trafficking and smuggling. Legal action was also taken against 92 Bangladeshi citizens, six Indian nationals and 392 Myanmar nationals, who were detained during the drives  for illegal border crossing, reads the release.

Speaking at a seminar at the nation's premier institute of learning, Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Md. Asaduzzaman spoke of his personal opposition to the death penalty from a human rights perspective, before adding that even so, the Ramisa rape-and-murder case hit him differently. “Personally, I am against the death penalty," the minister said. "It is part of my campaign in support of human rights. However, when we see the way an eight-year-old child is murdered, in this social reality, if we move to abolish the death penalty right now, it could create a social backlash for us. We have to keep that in mind.” He made the remarks today at a seminar titled ‘Legal Representation in Death Penalty Cases in Bangladesh: An Empirical and Conceptual Analysis’ held by the Centre for Advanced Legal Studies, Faculty of Law, Dhaka University at Senate Building. The minister said, “When I see that an eight-year-old child was raped and murdered, and even after that the perpetrator was not satisfied, cutting off the child’s genitals and washing the body with water in an attempt to destroy all evidence, then as a member of this society and as a human being, I also feel why such people need trial.” Referring to the Ramisa and Asiya murder cases, he said, “When an attempt is made to rape a five-year-old child, and when demands emerge from society for the perpetrators to be hanged, there is often no social, political or legal reality that allows people to stand against those demands. Even moral considerations bow down before such realities. This is the reality we live in.” Mentioning that the accused in the Ramisa murder case was arrested within seven hours, the minister said, “We treated the case as a top priority and conducted DNA testing within 72 hours. The test report was corroborative. Even then, we could not proceed directly towards the death penalty, because we must uphold the rule of law.” “On June 1, the court fixed a date for framing charges. Then the issue arose that the accused had not been able to appoint a lawyer. We appointed a state defence lawyer in order to comply with the process of law. The state defence lawyer, for defending the client in this case, had to face humiliation on social media. Everybody was blaming him for taking part in such a trial. But under the general principles of the administration of justice, every accused person has the right to be defended. In the history of Bangladesh, we completed a fair trial in accordance with the law within only six working days.” Asaduzzaman said, the problem is that when cases reach the High Court Division and the Appellate Division, they often remain pending there for years. The paper books in death penalty cases are not prepared on time because of the backlog. “We are also trying to find a solution to that problem.” He said, “We can sometimes make popular or populist decisions. But our decisions must be the right decisions. Many times, when we bypass popular decisions and move towards the correct decision, we become victims of yellow journalism.” The minister said that every accused person has the right to be defended, not only in death penalty cases. “To that end, we have already strengthened the Legal Aid Directorate. We have established Legal Aid Committees in every district of Bangladesh. Under the supervision of the District Judge, these committees will begin functioning under the leadership of a Joint District Judge. We have also incorporated legal aid lawyers into the system.”

A total of 18,328 people have been arrested till June 10 in a nationwide special operation launched on May 1, according to Bangladesh Police Headquarters. Among those arrested, 13,020 were alleged smugglers and drug traffickers, while 2,211 were identified as muggers, robbers and dacoits. PHQ warns SI job aspirants against financial transactions Some 1,958 of the arrestees were accused of creating instability, planning such activities or assisting them. Besides, 808 alleged extortionists and terrorists were arrested during the ongoing drive. A total of 331 illegal arms holders were also detained during the period in question, according to the Police Headquarters.

Bangladesh's economy is projected to grow by 4.14 percent in the 2025-26 fiscal year, according to the provisional estimate released by the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS), marking an improvement from the 3.49 percent growth recorded in FY25. The provisional estimate shows that the country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) at current prices has increased to Tk 61,20,209 crore (US$501 billion) in FY26 from Tk 55,15,026 crore (US$456 billion) in FY25. BBS said the estimates were prepared based on available data and information, following the publication of the final GDP estimates for FY25. According to the provisional figures, the agriculture sector is expected to grow by 2.78 percent in FY26, up from 2.42 percent in the previous fiscal year, reflecting an increase of 0.36 percentage points. The services sector is also projected to register stronger growth, rising to 4.59 percent from 4.35 percent a year earlier, an increase of 0.24 percentage points. However, growth in the industrial sector is estimated to slow to 2.86 percent in FY26 from 3.71 percent in FY25, representing a decline of 0.85 percentage points. The BBS data also indicate a decline in key macroeconomic ratios. The investment-to-GDP ratio is estimated at 27.93 percent in FY26, down from 28.54 percent in FY25. Similarly, the domestic savings-to-GDP ratio has fallen to 21.38 percent from 21.98 percent, while the national savings-to-GDP ratio has declined to 26.93 percent from 27.67 percent. Compared with the previous fiscal year, investment decreased by 0.61 percentage points, domestic savings by 0.60 percentage points and national savings by 0.74 percentage points. Meanwhile, per capita income is estimated to have risen to Tk 368,873 (US$3,020) in FY26 from Tk 334,511 (US$2,769) in FY25. The increase represents a gain of Tk 34,362, or US$251, in per capita income over the previous fiscal year. The BBS regularly compiles and publishes statistics on population, agriculture, industry, demographics, the economy, socio-economic conditions, natural resources and the environment, with GDP estimates serving as one of the country's key macroeconomic indicators.

Two people died from electrocution at Babu Bazar in Sadar upazila of Nilphamari district on Wednesday. The deceased were identified as Mojibur Rahman, son of Abdur Rauf of Kuthipara and Jalal Uddin, 45, son of Majibur Rahman of Hazipara village in the upazila. A pump machine was installed at a pond to drain water for fish harvesting around 9 am, said Zillur Rahman, officer-in-charge of Sadar Police Station. At one stage, a cable of the pump fell into the water, electrifying the pond. Mojibur and Jalal died on the spot, while Mithu Islam, son of Mojibur Rahman, was injured after coming into contact with the electrified water while catching fish. The injured was taken to a local hospital.    

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Wednesday said women MPs elected to reserved seats have the same right to take part in development activities as directly elected lawmakers, explaining why ruling party women MPs have been assigned responsibilities in constituencies represented by opposition members. He made the remarks while replying to a supplementary question from Jamaat-e-Islami lawmaker Mir Ahmad Bin Quasem (Dhaka-14) during the Prime Minister’s question-answer session in Parliament. The lawmaker questioned the decision to assign ruling party women MPs elected from reserved seats to constituencies represented by opposition MPs. In response, the Prime Minister said women MPs elected to reserved seats do not have their own specific constituencies under the Constitution or the law, unlike directly elected lawmakers. “A few days ago, the women MPs were elected. They do not have any specific constituencies under the Constitution or the law. Naturally, based on our political and organisational structure, we have assigned certain areas to them so that they have places where they can carry out their responsibilities,” he said. Tarique said every elected MP has the right to contribute to the development of the people they represent. “As a public representative, you have every right to decide how you want to work for the development of your constituency. In the same way, since Parliament has elected these women leaders as MPs, they also have the right to work for the people and development of the areas assigned to them,” he said. The Prime Minister said the government is following the existing rules and practices regarding the allocation of responsibilities to women lawmakers elected from reserved seats. Addressing the MP who raised the issue, Tarique told the lawmaker that he could inform him if there is any development-related matter in his constituency where his cooperation is needed.“Let me know -- I will try to help directly,” he said.  

Shipping Minister Shaikh Rabiul Alam on Wednesday told Parliament that the operation of Patenga Container Terminal has significantly improved efficiency at Chittagong Port, bringing the average waiting time for vessels down to near zero. “The average waiting time for ships at the port has come down to nearly zero since the Patenga Container Terminal began operations,” he said while responding to a question from Jamaat-e-Islami MP Shahjahan Chowdhury elected from Chattogram-15 constituency. The terminal has been operational since June 2024, he said. The minister informed the House that the average turnaround time for container-handling vessels at Chittagong Port during the 2024–25 fiscal year was 2.58 days. Explaining the difference between Chittagong Port and major regional ports, he said Colombo and Singapore mainly function as transshipment hubs where containers are unloaded from large vessels and later loaded onto smaller ships. “At transshipment ports, customs examination and clearance activities are generally not required,” he said. In contrast, Chittagong Port primarily operates as a feeder port where customs examination, clearance, and other formalities must be completed, resulting in comparatively longer vessel turnaround times. The volume of transshipment containers handled at the port remains negligible, with nearly 100 per cent of incoming and outgoing containers intended for Bangladesh’s domestic market or exports from the country, he said. The minister said the port authority has taken various initiatives to modernise operations, including the addition of advanced equipment and measures to improve port management. “As a result, vessel turnaround time for container handling has already decreased and is expected to decline further in the future,” he added. The minister also expressed hope that the Bay Terminal project would become operational by 2030. Once operational, the Bay Terminal is expected to enhance container-handling capacity at Chittagong Port and allow mother vessels to enter without being constrained by tidal conditions and navigability limitations, he said. “This will help eliminate overall congestion at the port and significantly improve operational efficiency,” he said. While responding to a supplementary question from Shahjahan Chowdhury, the minister expressed optimism that all planned container terminals at Chittagong Port would be fully operational by 2029, significantly enhancing the country’s maritime trade capacity and reducing cargo handling times. Noting that the Laldia Container Terminal is being developed by Danish shipping giant A.P. Moller–Maersk under an agreement with the government, the minister said once developed, the facility will begin container terminal operations and strengthen the port’s capacity. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed with Singapore-based PSA International regarding the Bay Terminal project, he said. Discussions are also underway with Dubai-based DP World over Bay Terminal 2, while Bay Terminal 3 is planned to be developed by the Bangladesh government and the Chittagong Port Authority, he said. “With all these terminals becoming operational, we expect Chittagong Port to function at a level comparable to major international ports such as Singapore and Colombo,” he said. “At present, no ships are waiting at the deep-sea anchorage. They are berthing directly, although container handling still takes around 2.1 days. Once the new terminals become operational, I believe this can be reduced to nearly half a day,” he said. Responding to a separate supplementary question from Jamaat-e-Islami MP Nazrul Islam of Satkhira, the shipping minister said Mongla Port is already functioning effectively but has significant scope for expansion. A Chinese company is constructing three additional jetties at the port, which will substantially increase its handling capacity once completed, he said. The expanded facilities will particularly benefit businesses and importers in the southwestern region, including areas served by the Noapara river port and districts across Khulna and Faridpur divisions, enabling them to import and export goods more conveniently through Mongla Port, he added. Besides, cold storage facilities are being developed at the port and supporting infrastructure has already been strengthened, including the rail link connecting Mongla with Khulna, Jashore and Dhaka, he said. The government has already earned around Tk 110 crore in revenue from Mongla Port so far this year. He also expressed confidence that once the ongoing infrastructure projects are completed, Mongla Port will play a much greater role in facilitating the country’s import and export activities.  

Health and Family Welfare Minister Sardar Md. Sakhawat Husain informed Parliament on Wednesday that the government planned to provide e-health cards to all citizens by 2028 as part of its efforts to ensure a universal healthcare system and expand digital health services across the country. “There is a target of providing e-health cards to all citizens by 2028 through a technical assistance project,” he said, while replying to a scripted question from opposition lawmaker Nurunnesa Siddiqua (Women Seat-37). The health minister said the government is committed to ensuring healthcare as a fundamental right in line with its election manifesto. “So, the government is committed to gradually increase health sector allocations to 5 percent of the country's GDP,” he said. He also said the current government has a target to ensure universal health safety and provide health services to every citizen in line with its electoral manifesto. Citing different time-befitting and effective steps taken to expand digital health services system, he said the government will provide e-health card, enhance the capacity district hospitals, the upazila health complexes, the union-level health service institutions and the health services programmes in the hilly and remote areas. Besides, it will set up new hospitals, improve the existing infrastructures and management, ensure free quality primary health services, raise awareness about health and prevention of diseases, provide complete health service for mother and child, establish the drug and vaccine supply network, implement coordinated and modern nutrition programmes, control tobacco use related non-communicable diseases, he added. The Health Minister said the government plans to introduce a digital health ID and provide every citizen with an e-health card, enabling the creation of a nationwide digital health database. The initiative would help prevent duplication of medications, improve clinical decision-making, reduce unnecessary healthcare costs and ensure a more efficient, secure and patient-friendly health service system, he hoped. Besides, the current government has also taken more steps, including the establishment of modern secondary healthcare units in every district, recruitment of 100,000 health workers to address manpower shortages and expansion of public-private partnerships for the treatment of life-threatening diseases. Other planned measures include promoting healthy lifestyles, sanitation and nutrition awareness, ensuring safe drinking water supply, establishing a national ambulance pool and emergency service network, introducing AI-based national e-prescriptions and prescription audits, forming a national accreditation council for the health sector, and strengthening medical education.  

The Cabinet Committee on Government Purchase (CCGP) on Wednesday approved a proposal to procure 212 double-cabin pickup vehicles for operational use by Bangladesh Police. The proposal was placed by the Ministry of Home Affairs at a meeting of CCGP held at cabinet division meeting room with Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury in the chair. Under the proposal, the vehicles will be purchased through the Direct Procurement Method (DPM) at a total cost of Tk 182.32 crore. State-owned company Progoti Industries Limited has been selected as the supplier for the procurement. The procurement is aimed at strengthening the operational capacity and mobility of Bangladesh Police in carrying out law enforcement and public security activities across the country.