UN Resident Coordinator meets CA, lauds his "highly successful" NY visit

United Nations Resident Coordinator here Gwyn Lewis today praised Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus for his "highly successful" visit to New York during the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) as she paid a farewell call on him at the State Guest House Jamuna. "During the meeting, Lewis commended the Chief Adviser for his highly successful mission to New York during High-Level Week when the professor joined the 80th session of the UN General Assembly last month, held bilateral meetings with more than a dozen world leaders and spoke at the landmark UN conference on the Rohingya crisis," said a press release of the Chief Adviser`s Press Wing. Lewis highlighted the powerful demonstration of national unity reflected in the diverse composition of the Bangladesh delegation, as it for the first time included six leaders of major political parties. The meeting also emphasised the importance of sustained collaboration, innovation, and inclusive growth as Bangladesh prepares for its upcoming national elections in February next year and enters a new chapter in its development journey. Reflecting on her tenure, Lewis shared, "Serving the people of Bangladesh over the past three and a half years has been one of the greatest honours and privileges of my career." "I have witnessed firsthand the resilience, creativity, and generosity that define this nation. Working alongside government, civil society, and development partners has been deeply inspiring," she said. "I hold immense respect for Professor Yunus and his lifelong dedication to social innovation and equity-his leadership continues to inspire millions around the world and shape global thinking on inclusive development," Lewis added. According to the release, during Lewis`s tenure, under the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (2022-2026), the United Nations has partnered with the government of Bangladesh to deliver impactful programmes aligned with the country`s 8th Five-Year Plan. These efforts span five strategic priorities: inclusive economic development, equitable human well-being, environmental resilience, participatory governance, and gender equality. A landmark achievement during this period was the opening of a new OHCHR mission in Dhaka, strengthening the UN`s human rights presence and deepening engagement on rights-based development. The UN also played a pivotal role in supporting Bangladesh`s preparation for graduation from Least Developed Country (LDC) status while advancing reforms in the labour sector and health and education systems. Climate action remained a cross-cutting priority, with integrated programming to strengthen environmental sustainability and disaster preparedness. Lewis further praised Bangladesh`s leadership in global initiatives such as Early Warning for All, Transforming Education, and the Food Systems Summit, all of which saw significant progress in 2023. "Our partnership with Bangladesh is rooted in shared values and a vision for a prosperous, climate-resilient future," she said. "We remain committed to ensuring that no one is left behind, with gender equality and human rights embedded in all our efforts," Lewis added.

Bangladesh to buy 20 Chinese J-10C fighter jets in $2.2bn deal

SAT Desk Bangladesh is preparing to purchase 20 Chinese-made J-10C fighter jets by 2027 to modernize the Bangladesh Air Force and strengthen national air defence. The deal, valued at approximately $2.20 billion (around Tk27,060 crore), will also cover training, maintenance, and other related expenses, according to government documents reviewed by The Business Standard. Officials said the procurement is likely to be completed under a government-to-government (G2G) agreement during the 2025–26 and 2026–27 fiscal years, with payments to be made in instalments over 10 fiscal years, until 2035–36. According to China’s Global Times and defence website The War Zone, the J-10C—also known as the “Vigorous Dragon”—is a fourth-generation multirole combat aircraft capable of conducting a wide range of missions. The jet has a top speed of Mach 2.2 (around 2,415 km/h) and a combat radius of 1,850 km. It can perform air-to-air and air-to-ground strikes, engage targets up to 200 km away, and operate in coordination with other aircraft and drones for surveillance and attack missions. The Chief Adviser`s Office has set the base price of each aircraft at $60 million, bringing the total fleet cost to about $1.2 billion (Tk14,760 crore). Another $820 million (Tk10,086 crore) will be spent on training, equipment, and transportation. Including insurance, VAT, agency commission, infrastructure, and ancillary expenses, the total cost amounts to roughly $2.20 billion. The finance ministry will allocate funds through FY 2035–36 to cover payments. During a four-day official visit to China on March 26, Chief Adviser Dr Muhammad Yunus discussed the potential purchase of multirole fighter jets. His press wing later confirmed that China responded positively to the proposal. In April, the government formed an 11-member inter-ministerial committee, headed by Air Chief Marshal Hasan Mahmood Khan, to negotiate and finalize the deal. The committee includes representatives from the Chief Adviser`s Office, Ministry of Defence, Finance Division, Economic Relations Division, and Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs. The committee will review the draft agreement, assess the feasibility of purchasing the aircraft directly from the Chinese government or its nominated agency, and negotiate key terms covering maintenance, training, spare parts, and payment conditions. Retired Major General ANM Muniruzzaman, president of the Bangladesh Institute of Peace and Security Studies, said the Air Force has long planned to acquire new fighter jets but the proposal remains under evaluation. He cautioned that global geopolitical dynamics—especially tensions between the United States and China—should be carefully considered before finalising the purchase. “However,” he added, “the need for modern combat aircraft in Bangladesh cannot be denied.” According to WarPowerBangladesh.com, the Bangladesh Air Force currently operates 212 aircraft, including 44 fighter jets—36 of which are Chinese-made F-7s. The fleet also includes eight Russian MiG-29B multirole fighters and Yak-130 light attack aircraft, along with a mix of older and newer helicopters.

Trio wins physics Nobel for quantum mechanical tunnelling

SAT Desk Briton John Clarke, Frenchman Michel Devoret and American John Martinis won the Nobel Prize in Physics on Tuesday for work on quantum physics in action, the Nobel jury said. The trio was honoured "for the discovery of macroscopic quantum mechanical tunnelling and energy quantisation in an electric circuit," the jury said. Quantum mechanics describes how differently things work on incredibly small scales. For example, when a normal ball hits a wall, it bounces back. But on the quantum scale, a particle will actually pass straight through a comparable wall -- a phenomenon called "tunnelling." Tuesday`s prize was awarded for experiments in the 1980s which showed that quantum tunnelling can also be observed on a macroscopic scale – involving multiple particles – by using superconductors. In a series of experiments, the researchers demonstrated that "the bizarre properties of the quantum world can be made concrete in a system big enough to be held in the hand," the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences said in a statement. The jury noted that the discoveries had "provided opportunities for developing the next generation of quantum technology, including quantum cryptography, quantum computers, and quantum sensors." "It is wonderful to be able to celebrate the way that century-old quantum mechanics continually offers new surprises. It is also enormously useful, as quantum mechanics is the foundation of all digital technology," Olle Eriksson, chair of the Nobel Committee for Physics, said in a statement. `Never occurred to me` Clarke, 83, is a professor at the University of California, Berkeley, and Devoret, 72, is a professor at University of California, Santa Barbara and is listed as a professor emeritus at Yale University. Martinis, born 1958, is also a professor at the University of California, Santa Barbara. "To put it mildly, it was the surprise of my life," Clarke told reporters via telephone during the prize announcement, about learning of his award. "It never occurred to me in any way that this might be the basis of a Nobel Prize," Clarke added. Clarke explained that the scientists were focused on the physics of their experiments and that they didn`t realise the practical applications that could follow. "It certainly had not occurred to us in any way that this discovery would have such a significant impact," Clarke said. The physics prize is the second Nobel of the season, after the medicine prize was awarded on Monday to a US-Japanese trio for research into the human immune system. Mary Brunkow and Fred Ramsdell, of the United States, and Japan`s Shimon Sakaguchi were recognised by the Nobel jury for identifying immunological "security guards." Last year, the Nobel Prize in Physics went to British-Canadian Geoffrey Hinton and American John Hopfield for their pioneering work on the foundations of artificial intelligence -- with both of them warning that their discoveries carried profound risks to society and humanity. The physics prize will be followed by the chemistry prize on Wednesday. The literature prize will be announced on Thursday, and the highly watched Nobel Peace Prize on Friday. The economics prize wraps up the 2024 Nobel season on October 14. The Nobel consists of a diploma, a gold medal and a $1.2 million cheque, to be shared if there is more than one winner in a discipline. The laureates will receive their prizes from Sweden`s King Carl XVI Gustaf at a formal ceremony in Stockholm on December 10. That date is the anniversary of the death in 1896 of scientist Alfred Nobel, who created the prizes in his will.

Bangladesh’s Sept PMI records faster expansion rate

Staff Correspondent, Dhaka The September reading of the Bangladesh Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) gained 0.8 points from the previous month to post a faster expansion rate at 59.1. This latest PMI reading was attributed to a faster expansion rate for the manufacturing index, but a slower expansion rate for the services index. The indexes of both agriculture and construction reverted to expansion readings. The agriculture sector reverted to an expansion reading. The sector posted expansion readings for the indexes of new business, business activity, and input costs, and the indexes of employment and order backlogs posted slower contraction readings. The manufacturing sector posted its 13th month of expansion, and at a faster rate. The sector posted expansion readings for the indexes of new orders, new exports, factory output, input purchases, finished goods, imports, input prices, and supplier deliveries. The employment index reverted to an expansion reading, and the order backlogs index posted a slower contraction. The construction sector reverted to an expansion reading. The sector posted expansion readings for the indexes of new business, construction activity, and input costs. The order backlogs index posted a slower contraction, and the employment index reverted to an expansion reading after recording 4 months of contractions. The services sector posted its 12th month of expansion, but at a slower rate. The sector posted expansion readings for the indexes of new business, business activity, employment, and input costs, and the order backlogs index posted a slower contraction rate. In terms of the future business index, faster expansion rates were recorded for the indexes of manufacturing, construction, and services sectors, whereas the agriculture sector posted a slower expansion rate. “The latest PMI readings indicate that the overall Bangladesh economy continued to expand at a slightly faster rate in September. Agriculture and construction sectors reverted to expansion after improvements in weather condition and gradual rollout of the new fiscal year budget. Meanwhile, the service sector posted a slower expansion reading, possibly due to persistent inflation, which is still the highest in South Asia,” said M Masrur Reaz, chairman and CEO, Policy Exchange Bangladesh. The PMI is an initiative that aims to offer timely and accurate insights into the country`s economic health to help businesses, investors and policy makers take informed decision. It was developed by MCCI and Policy Exchange, with support from UK Government and technical support from Singapore Institute of Purchasing & Materials Management (SIPMM).

Return to Dhaka after Durga Puja holiday triggers rush at terminals

Staff Correspondent, Dhaka As the four-day Sharadiya Durga Puja holiday concludes on Saturday, many are returning to Dhaka, leading to crowded transport hubs but relatively smooth traffic on the city’s main roads. On Saturday morning, crowded scenes were observed at Kamalapur Railway Station, Saidabad, Mayor Hanif Flyover at Jatrabari, Gulistan, Zero Point, Paltan, Kakrail, Gabtoli, and other central areas of the capital. At Kamalapur Railway Station, Habibur Rahman, an officer of a private office, said: “I got a long holiday, so I left for home on Tuesday afternoon after work. Since the office reopens tomorrow, I am returning to Dhaka today to avoid any inconvenience.” At Saidabad Bus Terminal, a female government office employee told Bangla Tribune: “Because of the long holiday, the return journey pressure is like Eid. To avoid hardship, I returned to Dhaka early in the morning.” Meanwhile, the main roads in the capital are still relatively clear. At noon, a field visit showed that areas like Malibagh, Shantinagar, Kakrail, Azimpur, and Paltan had light traffic similar to a holiday. However, there was a large number of auto-rickshaws. On the other hand, heavy traffic jams were observed in Saidabad, Dayaganj, and Dholaipar areas. It is worth noting that, combining the weekly holiday with the Durga Puja holidays, government offices, banks, and financial institutions were closed from Wednesday to Saturday last week. Wednesday and Thursday were Durga Puja holidays, and Friday and Saturday were weekly holidays. Therefore, government and private offices will resume activities from Sunday.

17 Bangladesh Navy warships deployed to protect mother ilish: ISPR

Staff Correspondent, Dhaka Like the previous years, a 22-day Mother Hilsa Conservation Campaign-2025 began today when harvesting, transportation, storage, purchase, sale and exchange of Hilsa will be completely prohibited. In addition, harvesting of all species of fish, including Hilsa, by all types of fishing vessels in the marine fishing areas has been banned. The Bangladesh Navy is deployed in the sea, rivers and coastal areas to implement this directive announced by the government, said an ISPR release here today. Under the “In Aid to Civil Power”, ships of the Bangladesh Navy are carrying out the Mother Hilsa Conservation Campaign-2025 in the sea and coastal areas and in the inland waters of the country. Seventeen warships of the Navy are deployed in 9 districts. As part of this campaign, BNS Dhansiri/Shaheed Farid and BNDB Gangchil are patrolling in the Chandpur area; BNS Atandra, Shaheed Mohibullah, Durjoy, Sagar and Shaheed Daulat in the Cox`s Bazar area; BNS Meghna, Chitra/Titas in the Khulna area; BNS Karatoya, Abu Bakar/Durgam in the Bagerhat area; BNS Salam and Kushiyara in the Pirojpur and Barguna areas; BNS Padma, Chitra/Titas in the Barisal area and LCVP-013 in the Patuakhali area. Round-the-clock surveillance is being carried out by the Navy`s warships and state-of-art maritime patrol aircraft to prevent intrusion of all types of domestic and foreign fishermen in the deep sea. Ships, crafts and boats of the Bangladesh Navy Fleet are deployed in the main breeding areas of Hilsa. They will work closely with the local administration, armed forces, coast guard, naval police and fisheries authorities to prevent illegal hilsa harvesting and the intrusion of foreign fishing trawlers. During the campaign, strict law will be enforced against the unscrupulous individuals and mechanical fishing vessels engaged in hilsa harvesting during the banned period and to increase public awareness. Navy personnel are always dedicated to protecting the breeding grounds of hilsa fish, creating opportunities for free reproduction, and ensuring proper conservation of mother hilsa as a national economic asset, the ISPR release said. Bangladesh Navy is working relentlessly to increase the abundance of national fish hilsa and enrich fishery resources by ensuring a safe breeding environment for hilsa in the country`s maritime borders and inland waters, it added.

Bangladesh strengthens anti-trafficking measures: US TIP report

Staff Correspondent, Dhaka Bangladesh has been placed in Tier 2 in the US Department of State`s 2025 Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report, recognizing the country`s significant and sustained progress in combating human trafficking despite ongoing challenges linked to governance transitions and global migration pressures. "The Government of Bangladesh does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking but is making significant efforts to do so. The government demonstrated overall increasing efforts compared with the previous reporting period; therefore, Bangladesh remained on Tier 2," read the report. According to the report, Bangladesh has made notable advances in victim protection, institutional capacity building, and inter-agency coordination to address trafficking in persons. The report commended the government for increasing victim identification and protection services, expanding training for frontline officials, and formally adopting a National Referral Mechanism (NRM), a milestone that strengthens the country`s structured response to trafficking. The government identified 1,462 trafficking victims, including 144 sex trafficking victims, 285 forced labour victims, and 1,033 victims of unspecified forms of trafficking. This compares with 1,210 victims identified in the previous reporting period. After identification, the government referred the victims to protection services, said the report. Authorities also provided access to health care, legal aid, and shelter through centers operated by the Women and Children Affairs, Social Welfare and Expatriates` Welfare and Overseas Employment ministries. In partnership with civil society, the government trained police, immigration officers, and labour inspectors on trauma-informed care and victim-sensitive procedures. These measures were praised as key steps toward aligning national practices with international anti-trafficking standards. The report also acknowledged Bangladesh`s ongoing cooperation with international partners, including INTERPOL, India, and South Africa, in investigating transnational trafficking networks. The government`s continued efforts to strengthen anti-trafficking tribunals and improve coordination among the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI), and Counterterrorism and Transnational Crime Unit (CTTC) were also highlighted. The government has maintained strong prevention efforts under the National Anti-Human Trafficking Authority, which coordinates policy implementation across ministries. The Ministry of Home Affairs (MOHA), serving as the lead agency, continued to implement the National Action Plan (NAP) 2018-2025, allocating Taka 621.49 million for prevention and awareness activities, a significant increase from the previous year. National and local-level Counter-Trafficking Committees (CTCs) conducted awareness campaigns through print, radio, and digital platforms in both Bangla and English. These campaigns helped raise public awareness about safe migration, labour rights, and the risks of fraudulent recruitment. The Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training (BMET) continued to operate 104 technical training centers and launched pre-departure training sessions for outbound workers, including a 30-day specialized course for women domestic workers. These initiatives aim to reduce workers` vulnerability to exploitation abroad. The government has strengthened bilateral labour agreements with major destination countries such as Malaysia, South Korea, and Brunei, establishing employer-paid recruitment models designed to protect migrant workers from excessive fees. It also drafted a National Reintegration Policy for returning migrants, including trafficking survivors, to support reintegration and livelihood opportunities upon return. Bangladesh continued to work with neighbouring countries under the 2015 Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with India to streamline victim repatriation and cross-border cooperation. The report also noted that Bangladesh is participating in a regional working group with India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Thailand to strengthen anti-trafficking coordination in the Bay of Bengal region. The TIP report acknowledged that Bangladesh faces challenges, particularly in addressing internal trafficking and improving law enforcement coordination. However, it emphasized that the country`s continued policy reforms, institutional development, and international engagement reflect strong political will to combat human trafficking in all its forms. Bangladesh`s Tier 2 ranking underscores its growing commitment to strengthening rule of law, protecting migrant workers, and ensuring justice for trafficking victims, as the government continues to invest in a more resilient and rights-based anti-trafficking framework.

Bangladesh seeks further reduction in US tariffs

Staff Correspondent, Dhaka National Security Adviser and High Representative for the Rohingya issue Dr Khalilur Rahman has requested Assistant US Trade Representative Brendan Lynch to consider further reduction in tariffs as the trade gap becomes narrower between the two countries. Dr Rahman made the request at a meeting with Lynch in Washington DC on Friday, according to a message received here today. During the meeting, they also discussed follow-up actions regarding the recently concluded tariff negotiations while Dr Rahman reiterated Bangladesh`s commitment to reduce the trade gap with the US. Lynch assured full consideration of the matter as the tariff agreement gets implemented and trade gaps get reduced. Dr Rahman also met some other senior US officials, including US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Allison Hooker, on the same day in Washington DC. Bangladesh`s new Ambassador to the US Tareq M Ariful Islam was present at those meetings. During the meeting, Hooker reiterated strong US support for the leadership of Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus and the steps taken by the interim government in regard to the upcoming elections in February next year. Apart from this, they also discussed regional political and security issues during the meeting. Hooker expressed support to Bangladesh`s efforts to resolve the Rohingya issue while Dr Rahman conveyed sincere thanks to the US for announcing $60 million in aid to the Rohingyas at the UN International Conference on the Rohingyas. Besides, Dr Rahman discussed a broad range of bilateral matters during his meeting with Nicole Chulick, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, and Andrew Herrup, Deputy Assistant Secretary.

Live Now

E-Paper

Bangladesh

Bangladesh’s Sept PMI records faster expansion rate

Trio wins physics Nobel for quantum mechanical tunnelling

Bangladesh to buy 20 Chinese J-10C fighter jets in $2.2bn deal

UN Resident Coordinator meets CA, lauds his "highly successful" NY visit

Worldwide

Protesters torch Nepali media house: Report

Trump and Putin end summit without Ukraine deal

Thailand: Is the military preparing another coup?

Arakan Army vows to block elections in its enclave

Business

Appoint July uprising injured to make police people-friendly: Commission

Bangladesh receives $7b remittance in 3 months

JB auctions properties of S Alam group to recover outstanding loans

Islami Bank holds board meeting

Nationwide

Two army officials made ambassadors

EC directs settlement of NID correction applications within 45 days

Students demand advisers from Rangpur and Rajshahi, threaten shutdown

Govt to form committee to identify fake freedom fighters

Opinion

US Elections: When American dream turns nightmare

US in the Middle East

Jews, Zionists and the media

Latest News
Most Popular

All News

Politics

Proportional electoral system not possible in Bangladesh: Fakhrul

Staff Correspondent, Dhaka The proportional electoral system, which has come in the spotlight amid discussions of constitutional reform, is not possible in the context of Bangladesh, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul said today (13 November). Speaking at a press conference at his residence in Thakurgaon`s Kalibari, he said, "We have rejected this electoral system. This system is not possible in the context of the country." Bangladesh currently uses the First Past the Post, or FPTP, system, where the candidate with the highest votes in an electoral constituency wins. The other system is the Proportional Representation system, where there are no constituency-based candidates. Voters cast their votes for party symbols, and the number of seats a party receives in parliament is determined in proportion to the percentage of votes it secures. At the conference, Fakrhul also urged for patience and unity among the people following AL`s "successful attempts to create divisions". "We want a united nation by removing this division. In a democratic society there can be different opinions. But there must be unity on the basic issues of Bangladesh`s independence — sovereignty, democracy, human rights. "As a nation, we must not be intolerant. It is not possible to remove the garbage of 17 years in 17 days or even 17 months. So, this government should be given time." Fakhrul said, "We have verified that the people want an impartial election with the participation of all. We think that all kinds of reforms are necessary to make this election fair. So we have been saying that elections should be held within a reasonable time. And this roadmap should be given to the government." On the issue of reforms, he said the government would not have to do most of those. "It will be done by a parliament which has been elected." At the conference, Fakhrul also warned that India`s continuous campaign against Bangladesh can pose a great danger. "Now a trend has started on social media. Some are trying to destroy the achievements of Bangladesh. We have to be careful as we cannot meet another disaster right now. There is danger over our heads as the mastermind of fascism is staying in India," he said. After the fall of the Awami League administration, several parties, including Jamaat-e-Islami, have called for the introduction of the PR system in the national parliamentary elections.