A delegation from the Dhaka WASA Nationalist Employees Union (3185)-CBA paid a courtesy visit to the Minister for Local Government, Rural Development and Co-operatives, Dr. Abdul Moyeen Khan, at his Secretariat office.

​During the meeting on Thursday (October 1), the CBA delegation greeted the minister with a floral bouquet. The delegation included Azizul Alam Khan, President of the Dhaka WASA Nationalist Employees Union, Md. Monir Hossain Patwary, General Secretary, and Kamrul Hasan, Vice-President.

​Following the courtesy call, the delegation briefed the minister on the overall situation and various ongoing issues at Dhaka WASA. Minister Dr. Abdul Moyeen Khan listened to their points attentively.

​During the meeting, the minister expressed optimism that the CBA would play a proper and responsible role from its position to provide maximum and quality services to the city dwellers. In response to the minister's call, the CBA assured him of playing an effective role in ensuring the highest level of service.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has directed the authorities to significantly reduce consultancy costs in Development Project Proposals (DPPs) and ensure strict accountability for delays in project implementation without logical justification.

State Minister for Planning Zonayed Abdur Rahim Saki disclosed this while briefing journalists at the NEC conference room in the city after the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) meeting held at the Bangladesh Secretariat with ECNEC Chairman and Prime Minister Tarique Rahman in the chair.

The Prime Minister directed that consultancy expenses included in DPPs should be scrutinised and reduced significantly across development projects, said the State Minister.

“The Prime Minister also stressed that project timelines should not be extended without valid and logical grounds. If a project deadline is extended without proper justification, the officials and executing agencies responsible for the delay will be held accountable,” Saki said.

The state minister said executing agencies would now have to provide clear explanations for seeking extensions, which would be subject to rigorous scrutiny.

The government is giving the highest priority to ensuring that ongoing and new development projects are implemented within their approved timeframes and budgets, he added.

The State Minister said the Prime Minister also emphasised the need to rethink the existing practice of conducting feasibility studies merely as an administrative formality.

“Feasibility studies have to be conducted with adequate depth and technical accuracy so that design changes, cost escalation and implementation complications can be avoided later,” he said.

Regarding procedural anomalies in the development project for Jashore, Saidpur and Shah Makhdum airports, the Prime Minister ordered a formal investigation.

Saki said budget adjustments made by the Cabinet Committee on Government Purchase (CCGP) in 2023 were not reflected in the Development Project Proposal in a timely manner, prompting the Prime Minister to order an investigation into the matter.

The Implementation Monitoring and Evaluation Division (IMED) has already submitted investigation reports on eight projects to the Prime Minister, while reports on four more projects will be submitted shortly, he said.

The reports are being forwarded to the respective ministries and divisions for taking necessary corrective measures, according to the State Minister.

Highlighting the government's efforts to reduce regional disparities, Saki said a Tk 1,600-crore rural infrastructure project is being implemented in Rangpur Division to construct roads, culverts and bridges in rural areas.

He said the project is aimed at improving rural connectivity and addressing regional economic disparities.

The government is also working to integrate eight major automation initiatives under a high-level committee to strengthen digital governance and financial oversight, said the State Minister.

The initiatives include automation systems involving the National Board of Revenue (NBR), Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG), Integrated Budget and Accounting System (iBAS++), Bangladesh Bank and the “One Citizen, One Number, One Wallet” initiative.

He said the integration would help ensure interoperability among digital systems, reduce human intervention in the distribution of social safety-net benefits and strengthen digital monitoring of the banking sector.

The initiative is also expected to help strengthen oversight to prevent non-performing loans (NPLs) and financial irregularities, he added.

The Bangladesh Public Service Commission (PSC) has published a recruitment circular for appointing 5,000 assistant surgeons and assistant dental surgeons through the 51st Special BCS Examination 2026.

According to a PSC notice issued today, 4,700 assistant surgeons and 300 assistant dental surgeons will be recruited through the BCS to fill vacant posts in the health cadre.

According to the notice, candidates must hold an MBBS, BDS or equivalentdegree to participate in the special BCS examination.

It said the online application process will begin at 10am on October 1 and continue until 6pm on October 25. Candidates who receive user IDs within the stipulated period will be able to pay the fee through Teletalk SMS until 6pm on October 28 (the subsequent 72 hours).

The application fee has been fixed at Tk 205, including a Tk 5 information verification fee.

For candidates from ethnic minority communities, persons with disabilities and third-gender candidates, the total fee has been fixed at Taka 55, including the Taka 5 information verification fee.

Candidates must be aged between 21 and 32 years as of September 1, 2026. They can apply through the PSC-designated websites, bpsc.teletalk.com.bd and bpsc.gov.bd.

The notice said candidates who have appeared in the final-year MBBS or BDS examinations can also apply. However, they must complete their written examinations by October 25 and subsequently obtain their final degrees.

Meanwhile, candidates holding foreign degrees must produce an equivalence certificate issued by the Bangladesh Medical and Dental Council (BMDC) at the viva voce examination.

The 51st Special BCS Examination will be held for a total of 300 marks, comprising a 200-mark written (MCQ) examination and a 100-mark viva voce examination.

For each wrong answer in the written examination, 0.50 marks will be deducted.

Male candidates must have a minimum height of 152.40 cm and weight of 49.99 kg, while female candidates must have a minimum height of 147.32 cm and weight of 43.54 kg.

The notice further said candidates with disabilities who require a scribe during the examination must submit a written application to the Commission by November 3.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman today said his government wants to build a "Healthy Bangladesh" where healthcare starts at home and in the community, placing Primary Health Care at the heart of the country's health reform agenda with a particular focus on women and children.

"My government is transforming our health system, guided by a simple principle: 'Prevention is better than cure.' We want to build a Healthy Bangladesh, where healthcare begins in the home and community," he said.

The Prime Minister was opening a high-level side event titled "From Commitment to Action: Integrating Midwifery into Primary Health Care to End Preventable Maternal and Newborn Deaths" at the United Nations Headquarters here.

Bangladesh co-hosted the event with Sweden in partnership with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) on the sidelines of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly.

The Prime Minister outlined Bangladesh's plans to strengthen community-based primary healthcare and expand the role of professional midwives as part of multidisciplinary Primary Health Care teams.

He said his government intends to recruit 100,000 additional health workers, 80 percent of whom will be women, to connect families with the health system, identify risks early and support timely care.

"One professional has a particularly important role in this continuum: the midwife," he said, adding, "A professional midwife can become a woman's trusted health professional from preconception through the postnatal period."

Tarique Rahman said his government has decided to recruit 25,000 professional midwives across Bangladesh and the process has begun.
He said the midwives will provide essential reproductive care, support antenatal care, promote safe and respectful childbirth, identify complications early and facilitate referrals.

They will also support mothers and newborns through breastfeeding, immunization and healthy childhood development, he added.

The Prime Minister said Bangladesh has built an important foundation in professional midwifery, laid by former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia.

"We have established professional midwifery education, strengthened regulation, and deployed midwives across district, sub-district and Union-level facilities," he said.

Bangladesh now has more than 11,000 licensed midwives, with the objective of reaching 25,000 by 2030, he said. "Our partnership with Sweden and UNFPA has made an important contribution," he added.

With UNFPA's cooperation, Bangladesh expanded midwifery-led care across 22 districts, where skilled midwives supported more than 154,000 births and managed critical maternal cases, he said.

"These are not merely statistics. They represent mothers returning home safely, and newborns beginning life with hope," the Prime Minister said.

The government, he said, is also building an integrated digital health ecosystem, envisioning that every citizen will have a Health Card linked with a digital health record and electronic referral system.

"For a woman in rural Bangladesh, her care can be registered close to home, her visits tracked, and her risk factors recorded. If referred to a higher-level hospital, the necessary information should travel with her," he said.

Tarique Rahman said the government's vision for women's health extends beyond pregnancy and childbirth and covers women's health across the life course.

This includes adolescent health, reproductive health and family planning, as well as prevention and early detection of cervical and breast cancers, he said.

"Midwifery must therefore be part of a broader platform for women's health within Primary Health Care," the Prime Minister said.

He stressed that the next phase must be driven by national ownership and sustainable domestic investment.

As the discussion opened, the Prime Minister said his ambition was to ensure that every woman has access to a skilled professional midwife as part of her Primary Health Care team close to where she lives.

"For Bangladesh, this means deploying midwives nationwide, strengthening community health services and referral pathways, and connecting citizens through a modern digital health system," he said.

"Together, these steps will help us build a healthy, thriving Bangladesh. And this is how we move from commitment to action," he added.

The Prime Minister expressed his expectation to hear the perspectives of the participating ministers, partners and experts at the event.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman today held a bilateral meeting with Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic on the sidelines of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).

The meeting was held at the UN Headquarters at noon (New York time), said Prime Minister’s Assistant Press Secretary KM Nazmul Haque.

During the meeting, the two leaders discussed ways to further strengthen friendly relations between Bangladesh and Croatia, particularly by expanding trade and investment and enhancing cooperation in areas of mutual interest.

They stressed the need to broaden cooperation in economic partnership, trade and investment, skilled manpower, education, technology and other promising sectors, Nazmul said.

The two prime ministers also discussed strengthening cooperation at multilateral forums, including the United Nations and enhancing coordination on international issues of common interest.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman today held separate meetings with Bhutanese Prime Minister Dasho Tshering Tobgay and Maldives Vice President Uz Hussain Mohamed Latheef on the sidelines of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).

The talks took place at the UN Headquarters in New York as the Prime Minister attended thehigh-level General Debate of the 81st UNGA, Prime Minister's Assistant Press Secretary KM Nazmul Haque said.

During the meetings, the leaders discussed ways to further strengthen the existing friendly and cordial relations between Bangladesh and the two countries, as well as issues of mutual interest and regional and international cooperation.

They also exchanged views on exploring new areas of collaboration to expand bilateral cooperation for the mutual benefit and welfare of the peoples of the respective countries.

A one-stop service is being introduced to reduce the long-standing suffering of getting plans or designs approved by the Rajdhani Unnayan Kartik (RAJUK). At the same time, the tendency of contracting companies to extend the duration and budget of various government development projects will no longer be allowed.

Committee member Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Iqbal made these remarks to reporters after the first meeting of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Ministry of Housing and Public Works in the National Parliament on Monday (September 21).

RAJUK's plan will be available in one-stop service.
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Iqbal said, "This government will not allow the suffering that people have experienced in the past to happen."

The common people had to visit various departments including the Fire Service and the Department of Environment for years to pass the RAJUK plan. This not only hindered the country's development but also affected the professionals concerned.

He said that the Secretary has proposed to introduce a one-stop service to reduce suffering. The Minister and the RAJUK Chairman have agreed to it.

A specific time frame will be set so that people can apply in one place and receive their plans quickly.

Strict committee to ensure accountability
Regarding negligence in project work and contractors' attempts to extend budget and term, the MP said, "The parliamentary standing committee has been given the responsibility to ensure accountability. We will inspect and monitor each project and verify its rationality. If any kind of opacity or corruption is found, strict action will be taken. The contracting company will not get the opportunity to extend the term unnecessarily in any way."

Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Iqbal said, "We have instructed the officials to work in the way the Prime Minister wants to work with transparency and accountability."

DAP and housing rules coming soon.
In response to a question from journalists about the low-cost flat and housing crisis, he said, "Due to some laws in the previous urban rules, housing or flat work is not progressing. Especially due to the complexity of the 'FAR' (Floor Area Ratio) rules, land developers are not able to do housing. Experts are reviewing the matter."

The MP said that one is the DAP rules and the other is the Urban Housing Rules - these two are in the process of getting legal form. It is hoped that it will be passed before the next meeting. If the rules are amended, the number of flats will increase and the common man will be able to buy flats at a cheaper price.

Preventing unplanned urbanization
Regarding unplanned buildings, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Iqbal said that measures will be taken to stop unplanned urbanization. However, the meeting also discussed the issue of legalizing those who have constructed buildings according to the rules but have not passed the plan by imposing specific fines or punishments as per the rules of RAJUK.

Bangladesh and China have agreed to further strengthen bilateral cooperation in cyber security, law and order, technological capacity building and training exchange.

The understanding came at a meeting between Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed and outgoing Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Yao Wen at the minister's office at Bangladesh Secretariat yesterday, said a press release.

The meeting discussed various aspects of security, maintenance of law and order, combating cybercrime, enhancing technological capabilities and exchanging training between the two countries.

At the outset, Yao Wen informed the minister that he would leave Bangladesh after completing his tenure in early October.

He also conveyed greetings to the home minister from China's Minister of Public Security and handed over an invitation for Salahuddin Ahmed to visit China and attend a public security forum, where the two countries' home ministers could hold a bilateral meeting.

Both sides stressed the importance of technological capacity building and cooperation in tackling cybercrime.

Yao said China had trained more than 100 Bangladeshi law enforcement personnel over the past two years in cybercrime, public security management, traffic and transportation management, immigration and UN peacekeeping operations.

Salahuddin thanked China for the cooperation and said the Bangladesh government was taking steps to establish a specialised Cyber Security Unit for the police and develop the necessary infrastructure.

He said plans were being implemented to establish digital forensic and cyber laboratories from the thana, district and divisional levels up to the central level.

Yao suggested sending a team of Chinese experts to Bangladesh to visit cyber laboratories and exchange technical expertise on preventing cybercrime.

In response, Salahuddin announced that Bangladesh would send a five-member high-level delegation to China led by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), comprising an additional inspector general of police, an additional deputy inspector general and cyber and digital forensic specialists.
The delegation will observe China's cyber laboratories and technologies and prepare specific proposals for establishing forensic laboratories and procuring equipment in Bangladesh.

Yao said China was currently Bangladesh's largest development partner and a leading investor, and requested the minister to ensure the overall security of Chinese citizens, businessmen and investors working in Bangladesh.

In response, the minister said, "China is not only our leading investor but also one of our major strategic development partners."

He reaffirmed the government's commitment to ensuring the highest level of protection and security for Chinese citizens, businessmen and personnel working on development projects in Bangladesh.

Inspector General of Police Md Ali Hossain Fakir, Additional IGP and CID chief Barrister Mohammad Mosharraf Hossain and Additional Secretary of the Political and Immigration Division of the Ministry of Home Affairs Dr Ziauddin Ahmed, among others, attended the meeting.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman left here for New York early this morning to attend the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).

“A Turkish Airlines flight carrying the Prime Minister, his wife Dr Zubaida Rahman and other entourage members departed Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at 6:05am,” Prime Minister’s Press Secretary AAM Saleh Shibly told.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister’s Additional Press Secretary Atikur Rahman Ruman said, “The Prime Minister is scheduled to address the UNGA session on September 24 as he is leading a 26-member delegation to New York .”

LGRD and Cooperatives Minister Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan, BNP Acting Secretary General Advocate Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, Chief Whip Nurul Islam Moni, Cabinet Secretary Nasimul Gani and PM's principal secretary ABM Abdus Sattar were present at the Airport to see the Prime Minister off.

After a flight of about eight hours and 45 minutes, the airline's carrier is scheduled to arrive at Istanbul Airport at 11:35am (Turkey time), en route to New Work.

The flight is scheduled to leave for New York at 2:10pm (Turkey Time) and arrive at John F Kennedy (JFK)International Airport at 5:55pm (New York Time) after a two-hour-and-35-minute stopover in Istanbul,

The Prime Minister will be received by Permanent Representative of Bangladesh to the United Nations in New York Irene Zubaida Khan and Bangladesh Ambassador to the United States Tareq Md Ariful Islam at the airport.

A motorcade will then escort him to the Hyatt Grand Central New York, where he will be staying during his visit.

Earlier, Foreign Secretary Asad Alam Siam at a Dhaka press conference, said the Prime Minister will attend a welcome breakfast hosted by UN Secretary-General António Guterres for heads of state and government on September 22.

He will subsequently join other world leaders at the opening of the session and attend a reception hosted by the US President in honour of heads of state and government and their spouses in the evening.

On September 23, the premier will exchange views with representatives of international charitable and humanitarian organisations at a breakfast meeting.

Later, he will address a meeting on tackling the global inequality crisis, jointly organised by Brazil, South Africa, Norway and Spain.

He will also attend a high-level meeting titled "Climate Action and the Just Transition," convened at the initiative of the UN Secretary-General.

On the same day at a side event on the Rohingya crisis, he will seek effective international cooperation to ensure the earliest possible repatriation of the forcibly displaced Rohingyas to Myanmar.

Foreign Secretary Asad Alam Siam said at the climate-related meetings, the Prime Minister will articulate Bangladesh's position as a climate-vulnerable country, with particular emphasis on climate finance, adaptation, technology transfer, loss and damage, and climate justice.

On September 24, the premier will deliver the opening remarks at a high-level meeting on the existential threats posed by sea-level rise. He will also attend two important side events hosted by Bangladesh.

He will address another side event on maternal and newborn health and midwifery as the chief guest on the same day.

Tarique Rahman will highlight the new government's initiatives and future plans for protecting maternal and child health and stress the importance of skilled and professionally trained midwifery services.

On the sidelines of the UNGA, the premier is scheduled to hold bilateral meetings with the Crown Prince of Kuwait and the prime ministers of Croatia, Bhutan, Thailand, Pakistan and Haiti.

The talks are expected to cover political and economic relations, trade and investment, development cooperation, the Rohingya crisis and other issues of mutual interest.

The Prime Minister is also scheduled to meet the UN Secretary-General, the President of the European Council, the President of the World Bank Group, the UN Secretary-General's Special Envoy on Myanmar, and the UN high commissioners for refugees and human rights.

He is also expected to meet the President of the International Peace Institute.

As part of the government's economic diplomacy, the premier will hold meetings with senior representatives of Meta, Wall Street and several other business organisations.

The Prime Minister is scheduled to leave New York for Dhaka from JFK international airport at 11:00pm (New York time) by Emirates flight EK202 on September 25.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman will address the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York on September 24 for the first time as the third member of the Zia family.

His father, martyred President Ziaur Rahman, addressed the United Nations General Assembly for the first time on August 26, 1980. His mother, former Prime Minister, the late Begum Khaleda Zia, addressed the General Assembly for the first time on October 1, 1993.

Tarique Rahman's speech next Thursday will mark a new chapter in the Zia family's more than four-decade-long relationship with the United Nations General Assembly.

In his address to the 11th special session of the United Nations General Assembly, late President Ziaur Rahman emphasized the growing disparity between rich and poor countries, poverty and hunger, economic development, and the need for greater international cooperation.

Martyred President Ziaur Rahman addresses the United Nations General Assembly. Photo: Collected.

He questioned why poverty and hunger persist despite international commitments to development, and called for a world built on peace, human dignity, justice, and mutual responsibility among nations.

Exactly 13 years after this speech, former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia addressed the 48th session of the United Nations General Assembly on October 1, 1993.

Later, she addressed the General Assembly several more times. These included the commemorative meeting on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations in 1995 and the 27th special session on children in 2002. Begum Khaleda Zia also addressed two separate meetings of the 60th session in 2005.

According to UN documents, Begum Khaleda Zia addressed the General Assembly proceedings a total of five times from 1993 to 2005.

This is the first time that Tarique Rahman, as the Prime Minister of Bangladesh, is going to speak on the same international stage.

State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaid Islam said that Prime Minister Tarique Rahman will leave Dhaka for New York on September 21 to attend the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly. He is scheduled to address the General Assembly on September 24.

Former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia addresses the United Nations General Assembly. Photo: Collected.

He further said that the issue of climate change will receive special importance in the Prime Minister's speech. Bangladesh will present its position and priorities to the international community on this issue.

State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humayun Kabir said the Prime Minister will present Bangladesh's new vision and future plans to world leaders. This will focus on the country's democratic transformation, future development priorities, global peace, and sustainable solutions to international crises.

He said that the issues of poverty alleviation, economic prospects, climate change mitigation and climate finance will also feature in the Prime Minister's speech. In addition, the Rohingya crisis will be considered as a major priority during the visit.

In addition, this year's 81st session carries additional significance for Bangladesh because Foreign Minister Dr. Khalilur Rahman is currently serving as the President of the United Nations General Assembly.

According to the UN's preliminary schedule, the general debate of the 81st session of the General Assembly will take place from September 22 to 26 and September 28.

The chapter that began with the speech of martyred President Ziaur Rahman in 1980, and continued with the participation of Begum Khaleda Zia from 1993 to 2005, will open a new horizon in that chapter with the first speech of Tarique Rahman in 2026.

The BNP Parliamentary Board has interviewed three candidates interested in the party's by-election for Thakurgaon-1 parliamentary constituency. However, the nomination will be announced later.

The interview was conducted at the political office of BNP Chairman and Prime Minister Tarique Rahman in Gulshan, the capital, on Friday night.

BNP media cell member Shairul Kabir Khan said that Thakurgaon District BNP President and former municipality mayor Mirza Faisal Amin, Thakurgaon District BNP Vice-President Obaidullah Masud and Sultanul Ferdous Namrachaudhury gave interviews before the parliamentary board.

Present at the meeting, chaired by BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman, were BNP Acting Secretary General Advocate Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, National Standing Committee member Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, Dr. Abdul Moin Khan, Nazrul Islam Khan, Salahuddin Ahmed, Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury, Begum Selima Rahman, Dr. AZM Zahid Hossain, Aman Ullah Aman, Ismail Zabiullah and Dr. Farhad Halim Doner.

After the meeting, Ruhul Kabir Rizvi told reporters, "This meeting is a meeting of the nomination board. According to the party constitution, the standing committee serves as the nomination board of BNP. We have interviewed our interested candidates. However, the decision (who will get the nomination) will be announced later."

Incidentally, the then BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir won the Thakurgaon-1 constituency in the 13th National Parliament election. But after he was elected President, the seat was declared vacant. Now, a by-election will be held in that constituency.

According to the schedule announced by the Election Commission, the by-election will be held in Thakurgaon-1 constituency on October 29. The last date for submitting nomination papers is September 27. The selection of nomination papers will be done on September 29, and the last date for withdrawal of candidacy is October 7. The symbol will be allotted on October 8.

Bangladesh has sought Bhutan's cooperation to reactivate the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC).

Bangladesh has sought Bhutanese Prime Minister Dasho Tshering Tobgay's support in revitalizing SAARC for the collective welfare of the region and its people during his brief stopover at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport today.

During his brief stopover, the Bhutanese Prime Minister was welcomed at the airport by Minister for Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Dr. Abdul Moin Khan and Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Humayun Kabir.

During this time, the two ministers highlighted the vision of late President Ziaur Rahman for a prosperous South Asia.

During the brief conversation, the two Bangladeshi ministers conveyed warm greetings from the Prime Minister of Bangladesh to the Prime Minister of Bhutan.

The two ministers expressed Bangladesh's interest in contributing to the development of Bhutan's 'Gelephu Mindfulness City' (GMC), especially by providing professionals and skilled and semi-skilled manpower.

They also discussed bilateral issues of mutual interest. They also highly appreciated the long-standing friendly relations between the two countries, which have developed since Bhutan was the first country to recognize Bangladesh in 1971.

The Bhutanese Ambassador to Bangladesh and senior officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs were present at the meeting.

Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay stayed in the VVIP lounge for about an hour before departing for Germany.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman today said the government would try to recognise whatever good achievements the country’s children make through their merit and competence, as he hosted a reception for Bangladeshi Hafez who won prizes at an international Holy Quran competition last month in Saudi Arabia.

“You have won the prizes, and this is not just your achievement, I think it is an achievement of all Muslims of Bangladesh,” he said, referring to the prize-winning Hafez who took part in the 46th King Abdulaziz International Holy Quran Competition held in Saudi Arabia.

The reception was held at the meeting room of the Cabinet Division at Bangladesh Secretariat here, said Prime Minister’s Deputy Press Secretary Hasan Shiplu.

Referring to the initiative to encourage and honour the Hafez, Tarique Rahman said, “Almost all of you have mentioned that the Hafez have been encouraged and honoured after a long time.

“It is the policy of the government to recognise at the state level the good achievements made by the country’s children, who are the future of the country, through their merit and talent,” he said.

The Prime Minister stressed the need for encouraging meritorious people and properly evaluating their achievements, saying, the future generations and the country would certainly be benefited if meritorious people could be encouraged and properly evaluated. The country will be benefited, and the people of the country will be benefited.”

He said the government has been trying to encourage meritorious and competent people since it assumed office, and inviting Hafez who won prizes in international competitions was part of the initiative.

At the programme, teachers of the prize-winning Hafez drew the Prime Minister’s attention to some of their concerns. The Prime Minister assured them that he would look into the issues in consultation with the concerned minister.

Tarique Rahman also assured them of government support for participating in international competitions in the future.

“There may be more such competitions ahead. If you need any government assistance to participate in such competitions in the future, inform us in accordance with the rules. We will take measures from the government to the extent possible,” he said.

He added, “We want our boys and girls to participate in such international competitions and, through their participation, bring honour and glory to themselves, the country and the people of the country.”

The Prime Minister also called for collective efforts to establish peace and bring about positive changes in the country.

“Our ways of working may be somewhat different, but our goal is the same — to establish peace in the country so that we can all live well, live together in peace, and live with dignity as human being. That is our effort, that is our initiative,” he said.

Seeking everyone’s cooperation and prayers for the government, Tarique Rahman said, “We want to work for the country and its people. We want to move forward together with everyone. We want to bring about positive changes in the country together with everyone.”

At the reception, the Prime Minister presented books to the winners. Earlier, he listened to the Quran recitation of the Surahs through which the Hafez won their prizes.

At the competition held in Saudi Arabia, Bangladeshi Hafez Mohammad Zakaria secured first place in the 15-Para Hifz, Tajweed and beautiful recitation category among contestants from 133 countries.

Sheikh Mohammad Mahmudul Hasan Ashrafi won third place in the 30 Para Hifz, Tajweed and beautiful recitation category. Hafeza Rabeta Binte Ramzan secured third place in the 15 Para category, while Hafeza Musfira Binte Mahmud won third place in the 30 Para Hifz, Tajweed and beautiful recitation category.

Religious Affairs Minister Kazi Shah Mofazzal Houssain Kaikobad, State Minister Mohammad Shamim Kaiser, Cabinet Secretary Nasimul Gani, Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister ABM Abdus Sattar and Maulana Rafiqul Islam were present on the occasion.

Teachers of the prize-winning Hafez, including Kaiyum Molla, Muinuddin Majumdar, Abu Bakar and Sajeda Khatun were also present.