United News of Bangladesh

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, during a meeting with members of the Newspaper Owners’ Association of Bangladesh (NOAB) on Tuesday, expressed his government’s strong stance on ensuring press freedom. “He (Prime Minister) said his government believes in press freedom. He also expressed his government’s firm stance in favour of press freedom,” said his Additional Secretary Atikur Rahman Rumon. He said the Prime Minister also told NOAB members that he regularly reads newspapers and watches television.   The Prime Minister said he keeps track of how the country is portrayed in the media and, when necessary, gives instructions to the relevant authorities to look into the issues, Rumon added. He said Tarique Rahman listened patiently to the views of NOAB members and said such meetings with NOAB members will be held regularly after a specific time. The meeting between the Prime Minister and NOAB members was held at the Cabinet Division conference room in the Secretariat. The meeting began at 2:20pm and ended around 3:30pm. Rumon said the Prime Minister also joined NOAB members for lunch and later a group photo. This was the first formal meeting with NOAB after the formation of the BNP government. At the beginning of the meeting, NOAB President and Manab Zamin Editor-in-Chief Matiur Rahman Chowdhury spoke. He highlighted the challenges facing the newspaper industry and sought the Prime Minister’s cooperation in resolving them. Rumon said NOAB members congratulated the BNP on its victory in the 13th parliamentary election and Tarique Rahman on becoming Prime Minister.   He said they also recalled that the newspaper industry was declared an industry during the BNP government in 2001, noting that it has now turned into a struggling sector. The Additional Press Secretary said NOAB members pointed out that large government advertisement bills outstanding from previous governments remain unpaid, and sought the Prime Minister’s support in this regard. He said they also stressed the importance of regular meetings between the government and newspaper owners and suggested that such meetings should be held every three months. Rumon said the NOAB delegation also drew the Prime Minister’s attention to cases filed against journalists and the issue of the arrest of journalists made during the interim government period, seeking his cooperation for withdrawal of cases and bail for those in custody. The meeting was also attended by NOAB Vice-President ASM Shahidullah Khan, Treasurer Altamash Kabir, members AK Azad, Prothom Alo Editor and Publisher Matiur Rahman, The Daily Star Editor and Publisher Mahfuz Anam, Inqilab Editor AMM Bahauddin, Bonik Barta Editor Dewan Hanif Mahmud, Karatoa Editor Mozammel Haque, Purbokon Editor Ramiz Uddin Chowdhury, and Financial Express Publisher Nasim Manzur. Information and Broadcasting Minister Zahir Uddin Swapon, State Minister Yeaser Khan Choudhury, Information Adviser Dr Zahed Ur Rahman, Prime Minister’s Press Secretary Abu Abdullah M Saleh, widely known as Saleh Shibly, and Additional Press Secretary Atikur Rahman Rumon were also present.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Monday urged the people of the country to remain vigilant, alleging that “clandestine forces” that do not believe in Bangladesh’s existence and independence are conspiring to create unrest by misleading the public. “Today, we sense the smell of conspiracy… You must remain united and alert against these conspirators,” he said while addressing a public rally organised by the BNP’s Bogura district unit at the Altafunnessa Playground. Tarique Rahman, also the BNP Chairman, said these forces have historically attempted to mislead the nation at different critical times, including before and after independence. “These clandestine forces tried to confuse people during the election using similar tactics. They have once again started spreading confusion,” he said. PM vows independent judiciary, access to justice for all

Prime Minister and BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman on Monday visited his ancestral home “Zia Bari” in Bagbari of Gabtali upazila in Bogura after nearly two decades, drawing waves of emotion and excitement among locals who had long awaited his return. He arrived at the house around 4:00pm, accompanied by his wife Dr Zubaida Rahman. This is his first visit to the family home since December 24, 2006. Before going to his ancestral home, the Prime Minister inaugurated an emergency measles-rubella vaccination campaign at Ziaur Rahman Gram Hospital in the same area, and distributed Family Cards among women at the Shaheed Zia Degree College ground. PM launches e-bail bond system in 7 districts, opens Bogura District Bar building

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Monday launched a canal excavation programme and the 2nd phase of the ‘Family Card’ scheme at his ancestral village – Bagbari – in Gabtali upazila of Bogura. He formally inaugurated the excavation work on the Chowkidah canal at Nasipur around 3:45pm by cutting soil with a spade. Earlier, the Prime Minister launched the 2nd phase of the ‘Family Card’ programme, distributing cards among 911 beneficiaries at the Shaheed Zia Degree College ground in Bagbari. PM launches measles-rubella vaccination campaign in Bogura

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman arrived in Bogura on Monday on his first official visit to his hometown since assuming office. A bus carrying the Prime Minister and his entourage arrived at Bogura Circuit House around 10:00 am, said his Additional Press Secretary Atikur Rahman Rumon. This is his first visit to Bogura since assuming office as Prime Minister on February 17. The visit has created great enthusiasm among leaders, activists and supporters. Banners and festoons have been put up across Bogura along the roads welcoming the Prime Minister. People from different wards of Bogura town began lining both sides of the roads from 9:00am to welcome him. Abdul Halim, an elderly man from Sonatala, said, “Tarique Rahman is the pride of Bogura. He is now the Prime Minister of Bangladesh. I am standing by the roadside to pray for him. May Allah grant him a long life.” Another resident, Sujauddin of Sonatala, said, “President Ziaur Rahman was from Bogura, and his son Tarique Rahman is now the Prime Minister. This makes us very proud.” Bogura District BNP President and Member of Parliament from Bogura Sadar, Rezaul Karim Badsha, said, “The Prime Minister is a son of Bogura, the beloved leader of the people of Bogura and of the country. He has visited Bogura many times before, but this visit is special as he is coming as the Prime Minister.” He also said people’s excitement and emotion are much higher this time as they eagerly waited to welcome their leader and see him. The Prime Minister left his Gulshan Avenue residence for Bogura at 6:10am accompanied by his wife, Dr Zubaida Rahman. Rumon said the Prime Minister has a busy schedule in Bogura. His programmes include the distribution of family cards, the launch of a measles-rubella vaccination campaign, and addressing a public rally. He will also visit his ancestral home at Bagbari. After completing the day’s programmes, he is expected to return to Dhaka by road at night. The prime minister unveiled the plaque of the newly constructed Bogura District Bar Association building at 11:15am. Later, he inaugurated the e-bail bond system at the district court. He will also unveil a plaque at the Bogura municipal building. At about 12:45pm, he will launch an emergency measles-rubella vaccination campaign at Ziaur Rahman Gram Hospital in Gabtoli’s Bagbari area. He will distribute family cards at Shaheed Zia Degree College ground at 1:00pm, and later inaugurate excavation work of the Chowkidah Canal in Nasipur. He will then visit his ancestral home at Bagbari. In the afternoon at 4:00pm, the Prime Minister will address a public rally organised by the district BNP at Altafunnessa Playground. After the rally, he will also inaugurate the new building of Bogura Press Club and the reconstruction work of Baitur Rahman Central Mosque.      

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman left Dhaka for Bogura by road early Monday on his first visit to his hometown after assuming office. He started the journey at 6:10am from his Gulshan Avenue residence accompanied by his wife Dr Zubaida Rahman, said his Additional Press Secretary Atikur Rahman Rumon. He said the Prime Minister is travelling by bus with his entourage. The additional press secretary said Tarique is set to have a busy day in Bogura with several programmes including distribution of family cards, inauguration of a measles vaccination campaign, and addressing a public rally. He is also scheduled to visit his ancestral home there.

Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) spokesperson Mahdi Amin on Saturday described the 60 steps taken by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman in the first two months of his government as “remarkable achievements”. “Under the leadership of the Prime Minister, the government has taken up an unprecedented range of activities at a fast pace. The 180-day action plan covering all sectors and aimed at improving people’s lives is itself a remarkable achievement,” he said. Mahdi, also an adviser to the Prime Minister, made the remarks while presenting a summary of the government’s activities at a press conference at the PMO to mark the completion of the first two months of the BNP government. He said last Friday marked two months of the current government and within this short time, work has begun to implement the promises made in the election manifesto. “Reflecting the aspirations of the people, the Prime Minister has taken a number of effective steps over the past two months to ensure the progress of the state and every citizen, of which 60 are particularly notable,” Mahdi said. He said people had lost trust in the government and the state system, but Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has now restored that confidence, re-established transparency and accountability, and begun implementing the promises made in the election manifesto, which he described as a unique achievement. The PMO spokesperson expressed hope that with collective efforts, the government will be able to take further positive initiatives and build the desired Bangladesh. Following a landslide victory for the BNP in the February 12 national election, party chairman Tarique Rahman was sworn in as Prime Minister on February 17. The spokesperson highlighted a wide range of initiatives taken by the government, covering social protection, economy, healthcare, education, infrastructure and governance. He said the Prime Minister’s 60 steps include introducing family cards and a pilot farmers’ card scheme, waiving loans of up to Tk 10,000 for 1.2 million small and marginal farmers, and disposing of 133 ordinances in Parliament, with 16 of them — including those related to the Human Rights Commission and prevention of enforced disappearance — being reviewed for reintroduction as bills. Mahdi also mentioned commitments to implement the July charter, excavate canals, keep prices of essentials under control and continue imports of daily necessities, alongside providing monthly allowances to imams, muezzins and other religious leaders, and appointing special assistants for minority communities. Other measures include distributing relief materials and gifts during Eid-ul-Fitr, modernising the zakat system, plans to introduce a probashi card, reducing Hajj costs by Tk 12,000 per ticket, and providing Nusuk Hajj cards to pilgrims within the country before their departure. The PM’s adviser said the government has also adopted plans to fill 468,220 vacant posts in phases, reopen closed state-owned industries to create jobs, and identify underutilised economic zones and develop them, economic zones, BSCIC areas and high-tech parks by linking them with universities. He said steps have been taken to strengthen the economy through inclusive policies, with short-, medium- and long-term plans to transform Bangladesh into a trillion-dollar economy by 2034, alongside a five-year strategy for stable, investment-led growth. To ease foreign investment, Mahdi said the requirement for prior central bank approval for repatriation of up to Tk 100 crore has been withdrawn, while workers in industrial sectors have been ensured timely payment of wages and bonuses before Eid. He also highlighted reopening of the Malaysian labour market, efforts to explore new labour markets in Europe, and initiatives to export skilled and semi-skilled manpower. Other initiatives include developing an agro-processing hub in northern Bangladesh, introducing PayPal and other payment gateways, recruiting 100,000 healthcare workers, launching e-health cards and strengthening hospital security. In the education sector, Mahdi said steps include scrapping annual re-admission fees, introducing merit-based admission systems, increasing benefits for teachers, doubling stipends, and providing financial support for higher studies abroad. He said plans have also been taken to recruit teachers, modernise madrasa education, expand technical training, introduce sports programmes, and improve school facilities, including free distribution of uniforms and learning materials. Mahdi also said measures have been taken to expand digital services in land management, launch the Padma Barrage project, promote use of jute products, and strengthen efforts to prevent dengue and restart measles vaccination. He said the government has also taken steps to improve law and order, build a people-friendly police force, introduce electric buses and women-friendly transport services, and expand free internet services at airports and on trains. In addition, the PM’s adviser said initiatives have been taken to promote renewable energy, strengthen economic diplomacy, improve foreign relations, recover laundered money, and address climate challenges, including river erosion in coastal areas. Besides, he said the government has increased subsidies to keep fuel prices stable amid the global energy crisis and is exploring alternative sources of energy. Mahdi said a rooftop solar programme and net metering have already added 35MW of electricity to the national grid, with a target of producing 10,000MW from renewable sources by 2030. Mahdi Amin also described several personal decisions of the Prime Minister as “landmark steps”, including not using the state residence Jamuna, living in his own house, using personal vehicles and reducing state expenditure. He also mentioned limiting official formalities during foreign visits and avoiding VIP protocols.  Addressing the press conference, Prime Minister’s Press Secretary Abu Abdullah M Saleh (Saleh Shibly) said public confidence in the government has returned in the past two months. “People had started losing trust in governments and political leaders. But in the last two months, confidence has come back — especially in Prime Minister Tarique Rahman,” he said. Shibly said the Prime Minister is trying to fulfil all promises made to the people. “In my view, the biggest achievement of these 60 days is that people have trusted Tarique Rahman, and he has trusted the people." Additional Press Secretary Atikur Rahman Rumon said the Prime Minister has taken office with a clear intention to serve the country. “You have seen his simple lifestyle. He has taken responsibility to serve the country and to deliver results,” he said. Rumon also said despite global challenges, including the energy crisis, the government has been able to reduce irregularities and improve administrative performance. PM’s Speech Writer Mahfuzur Rahman, Deputy Press Secretaries Jahidul Islam Rony, Mostafa Zulfikar Hasan (Hasan Shiplu), Md Sujauddoula and Shahadat Hossain Swadhin, and Assistant Press Secretaries Nazmul Haque Khan and Abdullah Al Mahmud Shahriar were present at the press conference.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Friday assured that the government will take steps to reduce the cost of the Hajj package and ease the suffering of pilgrims from next year. “We formed the government on February 18, while most of this year’s Hajj arrangements had already been completed earlier in the month. So, we had limited scope to do much and make major changes this time,” he told Hajj pilgrims during his visit to the Ashkona Hajj Camp. Even so, the Prime Minister said they tried their best and managed to reduce costs by around Tk 12,000. PM inaugurates first Hajj flights, visits Ashkona camp

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman inaugurated this year's Hajj flights at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport on Friday night. “The Prime Minister first visited the Ashkona Hajj camp, where he warmly embraced the pilgrims and exchanged greetings with them. Later, he boarded the first Hajj flight of Biman Bangladesh Airlines at around 11:30pm on Friday night,” said his Additional Press Secretary Atikur Rahman Rumon. He said the Prime Minister spoke to the pilgrims on board and offered prayers for their safe and smooth journey to Saudi Arabia. “Through this, he formally inaugurated the Hajj flights.” MP demands ‘Child FF’ recognition for PM Tarique Rahman

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has been named in the TIME magazine’s list of the 100 Most Influential People in the World for 2026, in recognition of his leadership, courage and contribution to restoration of democracy. The list published by the New York-based weekly on Wednesday also contains the names of US President Donald Trump, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Pope Leo XIV, Nepal's Prime Minister Balendra Shah and New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani. In his profile, TIME editor-at-large Charlie Campbell said Tarique Rahman was living a carefree life of exile in leafy southwest London just a few months ago. “But the 2024 ousting of Bangladesh’s autocratic Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina propelled the 57-year-old scion from opposition agitator to national leader in waiting – a destiny he fulfilled in February by winning an electoral landslide after 17 years estranged from his homeland.” It was a victory that meant Tarique Rahman had followed in the footsteps of his mother Begum Khaleda Zia, who was Bangladesh’s first female Prime Minister and who passed away just five days after his return to Dhaka, he said. “His grief was still raw when Rahman sat down with TIME in January, though he vowed to channel it into unifying his country of 175 million, while getting South Asia’s second biggest economy buzzing again. Bangladesh is beset by high inflation and youth unemployment, and relations with regional superpower India have reached a historic nadir. All require swift remedy.” Sharing the information on his verified Facebook account, Prime Minister’s Adviser on Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment Mahdi Amin described the recognition as a “historic moment” and a “democratic milestone” for Bangladesh. He said the global magazine recognised Tarique Rahman’s leadership, courage and contribution to what he described as the restoration of democracy on the international stage. The adviser said in a difficult time when democracy was restricted, people did not have the right to vote and there was no freedom of speech, Tarique Rahman came forward with determination, courage and unwavering faith. He instilled hope, strengthened the voice of the people, and spoke as the voice of the oppressed. “Under his leadership, Bangladesh has returned to the path of democracy after overcoming many struggles. His role in establishing free and fair elections, freedom of expression, protection of human rights and the rule of law is recognised on the world stage today,” he added. Mahdi Amin said the Prime Minister is working relentlessly according to his plan he announced on his homecoming to build a non-discriminatory, inclusive and integrated Bangladesh. The inclusion of the Prime Minister in this list by TIME is a strong recognition of his long fight for democracy, struggle and charismatic ability to lead the country, he said. “This honour from TIME belongs to all of us. It belongs to every citizen of Bangladesh who believes that democracy is invincible and that the power of the people never gives up. This global recognition is the victory of democracy, the victory of the people, the victory of Bangladesh. Alhamdulillah,” the adviser said.