Dhaka: Bangladesh and the United States today discussed cooperation in preserving the history of the 1971 Liberation War and the July 2024 Uprising, as well as welfare and rehabilitation programmes for the families of martyrs and injured participants.

The issues were discussed during a meeting between Liberation War Affairs Minister Ahmed Azam Khan and US Ambassador to Bangladesh Brent T. Christensen at the minister’s office, according to a ministry press release.

The minister and senior officials of the Ministry of Liberation War Affairs welcomed the ambassador before holding detailed discussions on efforts to preserve the historical records of the Liberation War and the July Uprising.

Digital Database of Freedom Fighters

During the meeting, the ministry highlighted progress in preparing an accurate and authentic list of Liberation War martyrs and heroic freedom fighters.

Officials said the National Freedom Fighter Council (JAMUKA) is using information technology and digital profiling to develop a neutral and reliable database of freedom fighters and martyrs.

The ministry also briefed the US ambassador on government initiatives for the rehabilitation and welfare of the families of those killed and injured during the July 2024 Uprising.

According to the ministry, the July Mass Uprising Directorate has compiled a database of 843 martyrs and 15,030 injured fighters.

Financial Assistance and Medical Support

Under the government’s support programme, families of martyrs are receiving Tk 30 lakh in National Savings Certificates along with a monthly allowance of Tk 20,000.

Injured participants are receiving one-time financial assistance of Tk 5 lakh, Tk 3 lakh and Tk 1 lakh under Categories A, B and C, respectively, in addition to monthly allowances in accordance with government regulations.

The ministry said 154 critically injured individuals have so far been sent to Thailand, Türkiye and Russia for advanced medical treatment at government expense.

An allocation of Tk 448.11 crore has been earmarked for the sector in the 2026–27 fiscal year to continue rehabilitation and support programmes.

US Appreciates Government Initiatives

Ambassador Christensen praised the ministry’s initiatives, particularly its use of digital technology to prepare comprehensive databases of Liberation War martyrs and freedom fighters.

He also appreciated the government’s rehabilitation programmes for those affected by the July Uprising.

At the conclusion of the meeting, Liberation War Affairs Minister Ahmed Azam Khan presented the US ambassador with commemorative books and souvenirs, including President Zia: A Political Biography and Begum Khaleda Zia: The Life and Story.

Dhaka: Samsung has resumed manufacturing operations in Bangladesh after an 18-month hiatus, providing an early boost to the government’s ambition of transforming the country into a global electronics manufacturing hub by 2030 through long-term policy support and investment incentives.

Production has already restarted at Fair Electronics’ manufacturing facility in Shibpur, Narsingdi, where Samsung refrigerators are now being produced.

According to the company’s roadmap, production of washing machines will begin in September, while Samsung smartphones will return to local production in November. Locally manufactured Samsung mobile phones are expected to reach the domestic market by January next year.

Government Incentives Encourage Investment

Speaking to BSS, Fair Group Chief Marketing Officer Mohammed Mesbah Uddin said the government’s latest fiscal measures have created a more favourable environment for the electronics industry.

He noted that the FY2026-27 national budget reduced VAT on locally manufactured refrigerators, freezers, air conditioners and compressors from 15 percent to 7.5 percent, a move expected to lower retail prices by around 5 percent after overall cost adjustments.

“The latest fiscal measures are encouraging for both manufacturers and consumers,” he said.

The government’s broader strategy aims to provide the electronics and consumer electronics industry with long-term policy support similar to that previously extended to the ready-made garment sector, encouraging investment, local manufacturing and exports while positioning Bangladesh as a regional technology hub by the end of the decade.

Samsung Production Resumes

Fair Electronics became Samsung’s official distributor in Bangladesh in 2014 and established the country’s first Samsung smartphone manufacturing facility in 2017, launching locally assembled Samsung smartphones the following year.

Mohammed Mesbah Uddin said smartphone production remained suspended from mid-2024 until the end of 2025 due to the sharp depreciation of the taka, which significantly increased production costs.

He added that the industry’s transition from 4G to 5G devices also required major technological upgrades and new manufacturing equipment.

The company is currently installing 5G testing equipment, after which smartphone production will officially resume in November.

Regarding refrigerator production, Mesbah Uddin said manufacturing has resumed on a limited scale this year, with plans to increase annual production to 40,000–50,000 units next year.

Although the factory has the capacity to manufacture approximately 2.5 million smartphones annually, the company does not expect to utilise its full production capacity during the first year after restarting operations.

Expanding Electronics Manufacturing

Fair Group has invested approximately Tk 10 billion in electronics manufacturing, including about Tk 3 billion in smartphone production, creating modern production facilities capable of manufacturing multiple consumer electronics products.

Alongside Samsung products, the company continues to manufacture Hisense refrigerators and plans to produce approximately 150,000 refrigerators annually under the two brands by 2027. Current annual Hisense production stands at 40,000–50,000 units.

The factory now carries out much more than final assembly. Its automated production lines perform metal body fabrication, component assembly, foam insulation, compressor installation and final quality inspection locally before products are released to the market.

The company’s future expansion plans also include local production of air conditioners, televisions and smartphones from early 2027, reflecting Bangladesh’s growing capability in diversified electronics manufacturing.

Toward a Regional Manufacturing Hub

The FY2026-27 national budget identifies electronics and consumer electronics manufacturing as one of the four strategic pillars of the government’s ICT and telecommunications policy, alongside connectivity, digital public infrastructure, and data centres and artificial intelligence.

To support the sector, the budget extends duty exemptions on raw materials used in manufacturing mobile phones, refrigerators, air conditioners, washing machines, computers and other digital devices until June 30, 2030, while reducing taxes on key manufacturing inputs.

During a visit to the Fair Electronics factory on July 22, South Korean Ambassador Jijoon KIM described the company as a successful example of technology transfer, local manufacturing and industrial cooperation between Bangladesh and South Korea.

He said Bangladesh’s large and skilled workforce, combined with Korean technology and investment, could help transform the country into a regional manufacturing hub for Korean companies.

Fair Group Chairman Ruhul Alam Al Mahbub called for stronger measures against grey-market and unofficial mobile phone imports, saying a more supportive policy environment would encourage local manufacturing, attract greater investment, increase government revenue and generate employment.

Meanwhile, Samsung Bangladesh Managing Director Jungmin Jung reaffirmed the company’s long-term commitment to Bangladesh and its partnership with Fair Electronics to expand local manufacturing while maintaining Samsung’s global quality standards.

The prosecution on Monday filed formal charges against former prime minister Sheikh Hasina and 40 others in a crimes against humanity case over the deaths that occurred during the Hefazat-e-Islam rally at Shapla Chattar in Dhaka’s Motijheel in 2013.

Prosecutor Zahirul Amin submitted the formal charge sheet to the registrar of the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) at around 10:45 am. Prosecutor Marzina Raihan was also present during the submission.

A hearing on the charges is scheduled to be held later in the day before a three-member bench of ICT-1, headed by Justice Md Golam Mortuza Majumder.

According to prosecution sources, the investigation report names 41 accused, including former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, former army chief General Aziz Ahmed, journalists Mozammel Babu and Farzana Rupa, and writer Shahriar Kabir.

The case stems from the events of May 5, 2013, when Hefazat-e-Islam Bangladesh held a rally at Shapla Chattar demanding the implementation of its 13-point charter.

Following a day of tensions and clashes, members of the Bangladesh Police, the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) conducted a joint overnight operation to clear the area.

Subsequent allegations that numerous people were killed during the operation led the International Crimes Tribunal to investigate the incident for alleged crimes against humanity.

The tribunal is expected to consider the prosecution’s formal charges during the scheduled hearing before determining the next course of proceedings.

Malé: Bangladesh and the Maldives discussed establishing a direct shipping link between the two countries to strengthen bilateral trade, improve maritime connectivity and deepen their longstanding friendly relations.

The issue was discussed during a bilateral meeting between Foreign Minister Dr Khalilur Rahman and his Maldivian counterpart Iruthisham Adam in Malé, according to a Foreign Ministry press release.

During the meeting, the two foreign ministers reviewed the overall state of bilateral relations and explored opportunities to expand cooperation in migration and expatriate welfare, tourism, education, healthcare, the blue economy and maritime connectivity.

A key focus of the discussions was the proposed direct shipping service, which both sides believe would facilitate trade, reduce transportation time and strengthen economic ties between the two South Asian countries.

The ministers also exchanged views on arranging high-level bilateral visits to further deepen diplomatic engagement and broaden cooperation across sectors.

Reaffirming the government’s “Bangladesh First” foreign policy, Dr Khalilur Rahman stressed the importance of strengthening people-to-people contacts and expanding practical cooperation between the two friendly nations.

The meeting reflected the shared commitment of Bangladesh and the Maldives to enhancing bilateral relations through greater connectivity, increased trade and closer collaboration in areas of mutual interest.

Maldives’ State Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr Mohamed Fahmy Hassan and Bangladesh High Commissioner to the Maldives Dr Md Nazmul Islam were also present during the meeting.

Dhaka: The government has set a target to increase Bangladesh’s public food grain storage capacity to 3.4 million metric tons over the next five years, despite maintaining food reserves well above the country’s current food security requirements.

According to the latest data from the Ministry of Food, Bangladesh held a total official food grain stock of 2,374,763 metric tons, including floating reserves, as of July 23.

The current reserve exceeds the country’s long-standing safe stock benchmark of 1.35 million metric tons by approximately 1.02 million metric tons, reflecting a strong national food security position.

Storage Capacity Expansion Underway

To further strengthen food security, the government has launched initiatives to expand the storage capacity of public warehouses to 3.4 million metric tons.

Officials said the Ministry of Food has already begun implementing measures to achieve the target.

According to the Directorate General of Food, government warehouses currently hold 1,960,746 metric tons of rice and 295,689 metric tons of wheat.

An additional 168,605 metric tons of paddy is in stock, which has been converted and included in the total rice inventory, while floating rice reserves stand at 8,735 metric tons.

Successful Boro Procurement

Under the ongoing 2025–26 Boro procurement programme, the government collected 1,365,431 metric tons of paddy and rice by July 23.

The procurement includes:

• 459,498 metric tons of paddy
• 989,420 metric tons of parboiled rice
• 76,814 metric tons of Atap (sun-dried) rice

In addition, 523 metric tons of wheat were procured during the same period.

Imports Support Food Supply

During the first 23 days of the 2026–27 fiscal year (July 1–23), Bangladesh imported 320,800 metric tons of food grains.

Public-sector imports totalled 116,500 metric tons, comprising 78,300 metric tons of rice and 38,200 metric tons of wheat.

Private-sector imports reached 309,150 metric tons, including 294,000 metric tons of rice and 15,150 metric tons of wheat.

Officials said no food grain imports were required under international food assistance programmes during the period.

The Ministry of Food said procurement operations and reserve levels are being monitored continuously to maintain market supply, stabilise prices and ensure uninterrupted distribution through government food programmes.

Officials Express Confidence

Speaking to BSS, Mohammad Kamrul Islam Chowdhury, Joint Secretary of the Procurement Branch of the Ministry of Food, said this season’s domestic procurement campaign had been implemented successfully.

“Our domestic food grain procurement drive for the current season is being implemented successfully and satisfactorily,” he said, thanking farmers and other stakeholders involved in the programme.

He added that existing rice and wheat stocks provide a strong foundation for ensuring national food security and maintaining uninterrupted supplies under social safety net programmes.

Firoz Al Mahmud, Research Director of the Food Planning and Monitoring Unit (FPMU), said the government is continuously aligning food reserves and storage capacity with rising national demand.

Meanwhile, Md Jamal Hossain, Additional Director General of the Directorate General of Food, described the country’s overall food security situation as “extremely satisfactory.”

He said the government is placing equal emphasis on maintaining adequate grain stocks, preserving food quality and ensuring transparent procurement from marginal farmers at fair prices.

According to Jamal Hossain, public warehouse capacity has already increased from 2.4 million metric tons to 2.7 million metric tons, with work underway to achieve the government’s target of 3.4 million metric tons within the next five years.

He also noted that, in view of population growth and the expansion of social safety net programmes, the government plans to raise the national safe food reserve benchmark from 1.35 million metric tons to 1.6 million metric tons.

Dhaka: Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has said that building a healthy, talented, disciplined and confident younger generation is the government’s highest priority, stressing that the integrated development of education, sports, culture and technology will lay the foundation for Bangladesh’s future progress and prosperity.

In a post published on his verified Facebook page on Sunday (July 26), the Prime Minister said sports should be viewed not only as a means of physical fitness, entertainment or competition, but also as a viable professional career. He noted that the government has taken initiatives to integrate sports into the national education curriculum with that objective.

Tarique Rahman said sports play a vital role in building a healthy, energetic and compassionate society, describing them as a powerful tool for human resource development, national unity and enhancing Bangladesh’s international image.

Talent Development from the Grassroots

The Prime Minister said the government is implementing continuous programmes to identify sporting talent from the grassroots and develop athletes capable of competing at the international level.

He described the national sports talent hunt initiative as an important step toward establishing a sustainable foundation for the country’s long-term sporting development and congratulated everyone involved in the programme.

Highlighting the importance of sports in youth development, Tarique Rahman said today’s children and adolescents are the future of Bangladesh.

“There is no alternative to sports for nurturing hidden talents, strengthening physical and mental abilities, and developing young people into responsible citizens with positive values,” he said.

He added that participation in sports helps instil discipline, perseverance, leadership, mutual respect, tolerance and patriotism.

‘Notun Kuri Sports’ to Expand

The Prime Minister described ‘Notun Kuri Sports’ as a landmark government initiative designed to identify, nurture and develop sporting talent among children aged 10 to 14 from remote parts of the country.

He expressed confidence that the programme would become a strong foundation for producing future national athletes capable of representing Bangladesh with distinction on the global stage.

Reaffirming the government’s commitment to modernising the country’s sports sector, Tarique Rahman said talented athletes would receive long-term training, necessary institutional support and priority admission opportunities at the Bangladesh Krira Shikkha Protishtan (BKSP).

He also reiterated the government’s commitment to ensuring that talent, hard work and merit remain the only criteria for success in sports.

New Events Added

The Prime Minister announced that table tennis and volleyball will be included in the upcoming ‘Notun Kuri Sports 2026-27’, increasing the total number of events from eight to ten.

He also said the participant age limit has been expanded from 12–14 years to 10–14 years, enabling more young athletes to take part in the programme.

Expressing optimism about the future, Tarique Rahman said he hoped these young athletes would one day proudly carry Bangladesh’s red and green flag on the international stage and bring honour to the nation.

Concluding his message, the Prime Minister congratulated the young athletes, coaches, judges, organisers, volunteers and all others associated with the successful implementation of the inaugural ‘Notun Kuri Sports 2025-26’, while wishing success for its closing and prize-giving ceremony.