United News of Bangladesh

French Ambassador to Bangladesh Marie Masdupuy on Sunday said democracy is about ‘liberty, equality, fraternity and inclusivity’ and noted that the country is now heading towards truly ‘democratic elections’ under the ‘wise and remarkable’ leadership of Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus. “The road is paved with many obstacles but courage and determination will no doubt allow removing them,” she said while speaking at a reception marking France’s National Day. Food Adviser Ali Imam Majumder attended the reception as the chief guest. The Ambassador said freedom of expression, freedom of assembly and press freedom are also cornerstones on that tortuous path and they must go along with fair justice of course. “Between 1789 and the consolidation of democracy in France, it took us almost 100 years. I am confident you will achieve it much faster than we did,” she said, adding that in the context of the ongoing transition, they understand the need to be patient. France reaffirms commitment to help solve Rohingya crisis Ambassador Masdupuy said France’s main leading objective in relation to Bangladesh remains to see the country gaining more and more strategic autonomy. She announced that, in the coming months, they will be working towards strengthening bilateral spatial cooperation. “The main goal will be to enhance Bangladesh's sovereign capacity in understanding climate change through satellite data,” she added. Masdupuy said some projects are under review as there was too much corruption and fighting against it should indeed be an absolute necessity. As far as the development projects are concerned, the Ambassador hoped they can continue to be implemented for the greater benefit of the population. She mentioned particularly the water treatment plants in Gandharbpur and Saidabad who will bring potable water to millions of people in Dhaka as well as our contribution to the sewerage system in Chittagong. Ambassador Masdupuy said France has been in the last 10 years an important development partner of Bangladesh and intends to remain so. “Our focus on adaptation to climate change is particularly relevant in your country and I am convinced the world would benefit from listening to your locally-grown solutions,” she said, adding that together, they can act to promote it in the multilateral forums in order to shift the current financial focus on mitigation in an appropriate and fair manner. In the cultural field, Ambassador Masdupuy said their activities have been thriving in the last months, as they celebrated the 65th and 60th anniversary of Alliances Françaises in Dhaka and Chittagong. “More than ever, we have been supporting Bangladeshi artists and bringing French artists to Bangladesh in many different fields like music, theatre, cinema, visual arts etc,” she said, noting that the France Bangladesh week last April in Paris was an immense success reaching wide audiences. Ambassador Masdupuy said their education cooperation is also being strengthened with Bangladesh’s public and private universities and they are looking forward to host more Bangladeshi students in France. Bangladesh is going to graduate soon from the least developed country category.  As a major European actor, the Ambassador said France advocates for a fair, mutually-beneficial, rules-based trade. It is under these principles that Bangladesh benefits from the EU zero-tariff policy since 2001, said Ambassador Masdupuy. "We also stand ready to support reforms in the sector of education and health. Improving the education system will be of utmost importance to reduce the migratory pressure," she said. "Indeed, more and more unskilled illegal migrants end up in our country. They wrongly think they will find an Eldorado there but they are in fact confronted with the harsh difficulties of life. We must join our efforts to design a strategy to curb this trend," Ambassador Masdupuy added.  It is important for Bangladesh, given the weight and position, that the country strongly diversifies its partnerships and keep independent decision-making capacity, the Ambassador said. This is more and more relevant given the overall geopolitical context, she said, adding that Bangladesh can become a critical actor in the Indo-Pacific as it increasingly asserts itself. "It’s now time for me to thank the incredible team who with determination and faith has been supporting our activities here in Bangladesh, from the Embassy, our school, our Alliances françaises and our Development agency. A big thank you also to our sponsors without whom this evening wouldn’t be so beautiful. And finally special mentions to Intercontinental hôtel, our dear partner, Olivier, and to Samiul Alam from Aarong who is our bridge in fashion between France and Bangladesh," she said. She said 236 years ago, the people of Paris took over the Bastille, a political prison and a symbol of monarchy. This marked a turning point in what has since then been known as the French Revolution.  

A consignment of mangoes, sent by Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a goodwill gesture between the two neighbours, is scheduled to reach New Delhi on Monday. The consignment containing 1,000 kilogrammes of renowned mango variety 'Haribhanga' will reach New Delhi on Monday, an official at the Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi told UNB. The mangoes will also be shared with dignitaries from the Indian Prime Minister's Office, diplomats and other officials within the next couple of days as part of a friendly exchange between the two neighbouring countries. The interim government is also sending mangoes to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. Chief Adviser Prof Yunus on Thursday sent 300 kilogrammes of the popular Haribhanga mangoes as a gift to the Chief Minister of India’s Tripura state and other dignitaries. The mangoes were sent through Akhaura land port around 5:15 pm on Thursday, packed in 60 cartons. Spirit of mutual respect, understanding to guide 2 nations to work together: Prof Yunus to PM Modi Every year, the Bangladesh government sends seasonal gift items to Tripura’s state government and key individuals. In return, Tripura sends Bangladesh its famed and juicy Queen variety pineapples as goodwill gifts. This year’s mango gift was arranged by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and delivered through an exporter. Officials handed over the consignment to representatives of the Bangladesh Assistant High Commission in Agartala. This form of outreach, often referred to as "mango diplomacy," was also practiced under previous administration, and this continues to serve as a symbol of goodwill and exchange.

Dhaka remains optimistic that a positive outcome can be achieved within the stipulated time as Bangladesh and the United States have agreed on some more issues on the third and final day of the second round of trade talks between the two countries.  Some issues, however, still remain unresolved, said Chief Adviser’s Deputy Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad Majumder on Saturday.  Starting on August 1, 2025, US President Donald Trump said they will charge Bangladesh a tariff of only 35% on any and all Bangladeshi products sent into the United States, separate from all sectoral tariffs. Both sides have decided that inter-ministerial discussions will continue among themselves and the representatives of the two countries will sit in on the talks again.  The talks can be held virtually and face-to-face, Azad said, adding that the time and date is expected to be decided very soon.  Commerce Adviser Sk Bashir Uddin, Commerce Secretary and Additional Secretary are returning to the country from the US. If required, they will go again, Azad said.  As the three-day talks ended, the Commerce Adviser Sk Bashir Uddin and National Security Adviser Dr Khalilur Rahman are optimistic that a positive position can be reached within the stipulated time. Suspected Militancy: Dhaka concerned over arrest of Bangladeshis, to coordinate with KL  Commerce Adviser Sk Bashir Uddin led the Bangladesh delegation in Washington DC. National Security Adviser Dr Khalilur Rahman, the Chief Adviser's Special Assistant on Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology Faiz Ahmad Taiyeb joined the talks virtually from Dhaka. Senior Commerce Ministry officials also attended the meeting in the US capital. Senior US officials from agriculture, energy, commerce and copyrights agencies joined the meeting. The three-day discussion was coordinated by the Bangladesh Embassy in Washington, DC. Earlier, the Office of the US Trade Representative (USTR) invited Bangladesh to the second round of negotiations on the agreement on reciprocal tariff during July 9-11. Bangladesh is among the first countries to restart negotiations following the issuance of President Donald Trump's letter to leaders of 14 countries on July 7. President Trump in his letter to Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus said, "We look forward to working with you as your trading partner for many years to come. If you wish to open your heretofore closed trading markets to the United States, and eliminate your tariff, and non-tariff, policies and trade barriers, we will, perhaps, consider an adjustment to this letter."   Trump said these tariffs may be modified, upward or downward, depending on their relationship with Bangladesh. "You will never be disappointed with the United States of America," President Trump wrote to Prof Yunus. China, Canada foresee ‘renewed collaboration’ in trade, investment with Bangladesh "Please understand that the 35% number is far less than what is needed to eliminate the trade deficit disparity we have with your country. As you are aware, there will be no tariff if Bangladesh, or companies within your country, decide to build or manufacture products within the United States and, in fact, we will do everything possible to get approvals quickly, professionally, and routinely - In other words, in a matter of weeks," Trump said.  

UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, on Friday said essential services for the whole Rohingya population are at risk of collapsing due to acute global funding crisis, noting that 150,000 Rohingyas entered Bangladesh over the last 18 months. With the acute global funding crisis, UNHCR spokesperson Babar Baloch said, the critical needs of both newly-arrived refugees and those already present will be unmet. This movement of Rohingya refugees into Bangladesh, spread over months, is the largest from Myanmar since 2017, when some 750,000 fled the deadly violence in their native Rakhine State. Bangladesh is now hosting over 1.3 million Rohingyas in Cox’s Bazar and Bhasan Char. The UNHCR and humanitarian partners are mobilizing to respond to the needs of up to 150,000 Rohingya refugees who have arrived in Cox’s Bazar in Bangladesh over the last 18 months. UNHCR and humanitarian partners also called on the international community to stand in solidarity with Bangladesh and other countries in the region hosting Rohingya refugees. "Until there is peace and stability in Myanmar’s Rakhine State, conducive to safe and voluntary return, the international community must continue to support efforts to provide life-saving assistance to Rohingya forced to flee," said Baloch. Among the new arrivals, nearly 121,000 had been biometrically identified by the end of June, with more believed to be residing informally in the already overcrowded refugee camps. The overwhelming majority are women and children. More humanitarian support is urgently required as the new arrivals are largely dependent on the solidarity of those living in the camps, overstretching severely diminished resources, the UN agency said. Biometric identification has allowed humanitarian partners in Bangladesh to provide the new arrivals with basic services, including food, medical care, education and essential relief items. However, this will soon dry up without an immediate injection of funds. Access to shelter and other key necessities is also insufficient in the face of limited resources. Unless additional funds are secured, health services will be severely disrupted by September and essential cooking fuel (LPG) will run out. BSF pushes 31 people, including 14 Rohingyas into Sylhet "By December, food assistance will stop. Education for some 230,000 children – including 63,000 new arrivals – is at risk of being discontinued," UNHCR Spokesperson said. "Refugees in the camps have already felt the impact of these reductions. They fear more cuts are looming," Baloch mentioned during the media briefing in Geneva. This is fuelling a sense of desperation and anxiety, and driving some to embark on dangerous sea journeys to other countries in search of safety and a more dignified life for their families, the UNHCR thinks. The border between Bangladesh and Myanmar remains "officially closed" and under surveillance by Border Guard Bangladesh. UNHCR and humanitarian partners are "grateful" that the government of Bangladesh has authorized newly-arrived Rohingya refugees to access emergency assistance and key services in the camps in Cox’s Bazar. "As the conflict in Myanmar continues unabated, however, we are advocating with the Bangladeshi authorities to provide managed access to safety and asylum for civilians fleeing the conflict," Baloch said. Over the years, the Spokesperson said, the generous support from Bangladesh and the international community has been critical in meeting Rohingya refugees’ most basic needs and providing protection. Every aspect of the refugee response is affected by the funding scarcity, Baloch said. Targeted violence and persecution in Rakhine State and the ongoing conflict in Myanmar have continued to force thousands of Rohingya to seek protection in Bangladesh. Bangladesh has generously hosted Rohingya refugees for generations.

Foreign Adviser Md Touhid Hossain, now in Kuala Lumpur, on Friday expressed concerns over the arrests of Bangladeshi nationals on charges of terrorism. He said the government of Bangladesh will work with Malaysia to investigate allegations of militancy against Bangladeshi nationals who were arrested recently by the Malaysian Police. The issues were discussed during a bilateral meeting with Malaysian Foreign Minister Haji Mohamad Bin Haji Hasan held in Kuala Lumpur on the sidelines of 32nd ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) ministerial meeting.  Adviser Hossain reiterated the firm stand of the government against terrorism and sought Malaysia's cooperation in its own investigation into the allegations through exchange of information and findings.  The Malaysian Foreign Minister assured Dhaka of facilitating access and cooperation to Bangladesh authorities. Photographs taken by two Mt. Everest summiteers on display in Dhaka Earlier, the Foreign Advisor met UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy where the two held discussions on diverse bilateral, regional and multilateral issues.  Both sides discussed, among others, the ongoing reforms in Bangladesh, Rohingya crisis, post-LDC graduation support, according to the Bangladesh Mission in Kuala Lumpur.  The Foreign Adviser also called on Winston Peters, the Foreign Minister of New Zealand, Hon Vijitha Herath, the Foreign Minister of Sri Lanka, and Park Yoonjoo, the Vice Minister and Head of Delegation of the Republic of Korea where a wide range of bilateral and multilateral issues came for discussions.  Bangladesh became a member of ARF in 2006, a forum established in early nineties to promote confidence and trust among its 27 members that include countries in the broader Asia-Pacific.  At present, Bangladesh is co-chairing two of the ARF priority areas, “Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime” and “Disaster Relief.”  The next session of the ARF ministerial meeting is scheduled to take place in Manila in 2026. In the afternoon, the Foreign Adviser delivered the national statement at the Ministerial Meeting of ASEAN Regional Forum where he called for greater attention to the Rohingya crisis, in consideration of its national and regional security implications.  China, Canada foresee ‘renewed collaboration’ in trade, investment with Bangladesh The Foriegn Adviser also urged the ASEAN members to positively consider Bangladesh’s bid to become Sectoral Dialogue Partner.  The Foreign Adviser was accompanied by Md Shameem Ahsan, the High Commissioner of Bangaldesh to Malaysia, Md Forhadul Islam, Director General of Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other senior officials of the Bangladesh government.    

Nepal's Deputy Chief of Mission Lalita Silwal on Friday inaugurated the three-day photography exhibition ‘Sea to Summit’, which is showcasing the photographs by two inspiring Mt. Everest summiteers — Ikramul Hasan Shakil from Bangladesh and Tashi Gyalzen Sherpa from Nepal. Speaking on the occasion, Silwal congratulated Shakil and Sherpa and stressed that their joint ascent was reflective of the enduring values of courage, determination and resilience shared by both Nepali and Bangladeshi peoples. Shakil made history by trekking 1,372 kilometers from the Bay of Bengal in Cox’s Bazar to the summit of Mt. Everest in just 84 days. MoU inked to promote Dhaka-Bangkok trade Meanwhile, Sherpa achieved a milestone by scaling Mount Everest four times within a span of just 15 days. The exhibition is being organized by the Bangladeshi Mountaineering Trekking Club, from July 11 to 13 at the Bangladesh National Museum in Dhaka.

Bangladesh-Thai Chamber of Commerce & Industry (BTCCI) has recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Thai-Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce (TBCC), Thailand to foster closer cooperation between the members of both organisations. Shams Mahmud, president of BTCCI and Shahjada Mohammad Ali Khan, representative from the TBCC, signed the MoU on behalf of their respective organisations, said a media release on Friday. Charge d'Affairs of Thai Embassy, visiting Thai delegation and BTCCI members were present during the signing ceremony. China, Canada foresee ‘renewed collaboration’ in trade, investment with Bangladesh Both parties expected to get visible benefits from the respective members to boost up the business between two countries. Panom Thongprayoon, charge d'Affairs of the Thai Embassy, Dhaka, Md. Munir Hossain, Senior Vice President, Hossain A Sikder, Vice President, Khemathat Archawathamrong, Honorarydirector of BTCCI, Adul Chotinisakorn, advisor to the TBBC, Pojjana Paniangvait, Honorary Consul of the people's Republic of Bangladesh in Chonburiprovince, Kriangkrai Chavaltanpipat, representative of Ranong Chamber of Commerce were present among others.

Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus on Thursday sent 300 kilograms of the popular Haribhanga mangoes as a gift to the Chief Minister of India’s Tripura state and other dignitaries. The mangoes were sent through Akhaura land port around 5:15 pm on Thursday, packed in 60 cartons. Every year, the Bangladesh government sends seasonal gift items to Tripura’s state government and key individuals. In return, Tripura sends Bangladesh its famed and juicy Queen variety pineapples as goodwill gifts. This year’s mango gift was arranged by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and delivered through an exporter. Officials handed over the consignment to representatives of the Bangladesh Assistant High Commission in Agartala. Chapainawabganj mango farmers struggle amid bumper harvest Md Jahangir Alam, revenue officer at the Akhaura Land Customs Station, said the mangoes were sent from the chief adviser’s office to the Bangladesh High Commission in Agartala. “All customs procedures were completed before the shipment was dispatched,” he said. In addition to the seasonal mango-pineapple exchanges, the Bangladeshi government also allows the export of Hilsa fish to India for a limited time during Durga Puja as a special goodwill gesture.

China and Canada foresee ‘intense collaboration’ with Bangladesh in trade diversification and investment and assured continued support for humanitarian assistance to forcefully displaced Myanmar nationals. This was conveyed by the Foreign Ministers of China and Canada on Thursday during meetings with Foreign Adviser Md Touhid Hossain on the sidelines of 32nd ASEAN Regional Forum taking place in the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur. The Foreign Adviser is leading the Bangladesh delegation to the 32nd ARF Ministerial Meeting that is scheduled to be held on Friday. While having a meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, both sides expressed confidence in the future prospects of the bilateral ties. The Chinese Foreign Minister expressed China’s full support to the reform initiatives of the government of Bangladesh and assured China's cooperation in many priority areas, such as, medical tourism and water management, said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. China keen to deepen ties with Bangladesh’s next elected govt: Fakhrul Recalling the recent Investment Conference of China in Bangladesh, he expressed China’s interest to work with Bangladesh in the field of textiles, energy, light engineering, among others. The Foreign Adviser acknowledged with deep appreciation the political and development support extended by China to the current Government led by Professor Muhammad Yunus. He reiterated Bangladesh’s call for urgent and immediate solution of the Rohingya crisis and solicited China’s support in this regard. Hossain also urged China to support Bangladesh in regional and multilateral platforms, including in the United Nations. Later in the afternoon, the Foreign Adviser met Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand where both sides discussed possible means to expand bilateral relations, especially in the field of trade, including through trade diversification and resilience building. The Canadian Foreign Minister also expressed Canada’s support in addressing the longstanding Rohingya crisis. China keen to set up industries at Mongla: Press Secretary The Foreign Minister was accompanied by Ambassador Shameem Ahsan, High Commissioner of Bangladesh to Malaysia, Md Forhadul Islam, Director General of Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other senior officials of Bangladesh.

Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (Bimstec) Secretary-General Indra Mani Pandey on Thursday said plastic pollution is a shared global and regional threat, demanding shared solutions. “BIMSTEC stands ready to deepen regional cooperation to achieve a plastic-smart Bay of Bengal region,” he said while speaking at a dialogue that brought together brought together government leaders, private sector champions, youth activists, innovators and international stakeholders to accelerate solutions for sustainable plastic management. In a decisive move to confront the escalating plastic pollution crisis, the Department of Environment (DoE) of Bangladesh, in partnership with United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) and Bimstec, hosted the seminar titled “Accelerating Solutions for Plastic Pollution in Bangladesh”. The event, held at the Department of Environment's Conference Room in Dhaka, was aligned with the 2025 World Environment Day theme. Country Manager of UNOPS for Bangladesh and Bhutan Sudhir Muralidharan inaugurated the session. Secretary of the Ministry of Industries Md Obaidur Rahman also spoke at the seminar chaired by Director General of the Department of Environment Dr Md Kamruzzaman. “Plastic pollution is not just an environmental issue - it is an infrastructure and behavioral challenge that demands bold, collective action. UNOPS is committed to supporting Bangladesh through scalable solutions and regional partnerships to turn ambitious targets into measurable impact,” said Sudhir Muralidharan. As plastic pollution continues to threaten ecosystems, economies, and public health, Bangladesh’s leadership, coupled with regional synergy through UN and Bimstec, signals a new era of coordinated, future-focused environmental governance. With over 87,000 tons of plastic waste entering Bangladesh’s marine ecosystems annually, the country faces an urgent imperative to reimagine its waste management trajectory, according to the UNOPS. The discussion reinforced Bangladesh’s commitment to its National Action Plan for Sustainable Plastic Management (2020–2030), which aims to reduce plastic waste by 30%, recycle 50%, and eliminate 90% of targeted single-use plastics by 2026. The speakers explored innovative financing mechanisms and behavioral change strategies. Insights were shared on national policy implementation and petrochemical industry innovation and media as a catalyst for public awareness on plastic pollution. Among the anticipated outcomes are a Joint Communiqué, and the identification of pilot initiatives to accelerate cross-border collaboration on marine plastic pollution. The event also aims to foster public-private partnerships, catalyze green financing, and promote technological innovation to enable a circular economy. “We must embed sustainability into every level of industrial development. This seminar is an important step toward aligning environmental responsibility with industrial transformation,” said Obaidur Rahman. Kamruzzaman said the Department of Environment is committed to operationalising their plastic action plan through innovation, accountability, and inclusive collaboration across sectors and borders.