United News of Bangladesh

Gas supply across the country has increased significantly following Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s directive, and the improvement is expected to continue in the coming days, said Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) Spokesperson Mahdi Amin on Wednesday. “The implementation of what the Prime Minister said began within a very short time. Gas flow has increased significantly, and we can see visible improvement in the supply situation. InshaAllah, this positive trend will continue in the coming days,” he said. Mahdi made the remarks at a press conference at the PMO, marking seven months of the government led by Tarique Rahman. He said the Prime Minister has recently held meetings with business leaders and the media personalities to address the gas supply crisis and directed the authorities to take the maximum possible steps to restore the situation based on reality and ensure that industries could resume normal operations. “The objective was to ensure that industries become fully operational again and that Bangladesh’s economy can continue on its potential and onward trajectory,” the spokesperson said. He said the government made “positive progress” in public welfare during its seven months in office, although it could not resolve all problems in such a short period. Mahdi said the government is working with specific action plans and accountability, while tackling challenges ranging from foreign debt pressures and administrative reforms to corruption-free public services, education, healthcare and strengthening Bangladesh’s position in diplomacy. “From every step, the government’s commitment to the country and its people is reflected,” he said The PMO spokesperson said the government is rebuilding Bangladesh from what he described as the “ruins” left after 17 years of the previous rule. “It is difficult to solve all problems 100 percent within just seven months. But in the current elected and accountable government, whose only source of power is the people, the highest level of sincerity and goodwill is visible in every step,” he said. Mahdi called for unity beyond political and other differences to build a prosperous, self-reliant, humane, safe and people-oriented Bangladesh. He said the government’s measures over the past month could broadly be divided into seven areas: youth empowerment, education, information technology and innovation; overall public welfare and improvement of living standards; women’s advancement, universal welfare and social protection; environment-friendly energy and climate-resilient industrialisation; modern health infrastructure and public health; transport infrastructure and traffic management; and institutional good governance, public diplomacy and foreign relations. The spokesperson highlighted the approval of a new national pay scale for government employees, ranging from Tk20,000 to Tk1.56 lakh, as one of the measures taken to improve the financial well-being of public servants. Other measures, he said, included extending institutional mobile allowances to government employees of all grades, increasing the maximum net pension of retired employees by up to 100 percent and providing a monthly allowance of Tk3,000 for their children with special needs. Mahdi said the government also withdrew the requirement for prior Finance Division approval for recruitment and renewal of outsourced manpower to speed up official activities and took steps to prevent long-term postings of officials at the same workplace in the land administration sector. He said the government passed legislation ensuring parents’ lifetime possession and use of property even after transferring ownership through donation. The spokesperson also mentioned initiatives to provide special national awards of Tk 1 lakh each to 100 meritorious teachers, increase grants to the Journalist Welfare Trust and expand programmes such as Family Card, Farmers' Card and regular government allowances for imams and muezzins. On women’s welfare, he said the government has taken an initiative to establish a joint institutional framework with an international cyber security network to prevent harassment and violence against women in cyberspace. Mahdi said plans are also being formulated to provide universal stipends to all female students in primary and secondary educational institutions and ensure nutritious food at schools. He said 20,000 tea workers in Sylhet, Moulvibazar and Habiganj will receive modern raincoats as part of measures to protect the health and safety of women working in the tea industry. On the energy sector, the spokesperson said a programme to drill 150 new gas wells nationwide has begun as a medium-term measure to address the gas crisis, with another 150 wells planned in the next phase. He said plans have been taken to increase the number of floating storage regasification units (FSRUs) from the existing two to five in phases, and efforts are underway to launch a third FSRU before 2028, if possible. The government has also given in-principle approval to import 18 LNG cargoes through direct procurement from global suppliers, Mahdi said. For long-term energy security, international financing of $1 billion has been secured for expansion of the Eastern Refinery in Chattogram, and work had begun, he said. In the power sector, the spokesperson said 1,046.73 megawatts of electricity that remained suspended from the national grid due to technical problems have been restored. He also highlighted plans for a 500MW power plant and a large fertiliser factory in Bhola, addition of 200MW of solar power to the national grid and a five-year plan to convert all diesel-powered irrigation pumps to solar energy. Mahdi said the government has taken measures to ensure uninterrupted agricultural production, including maintaining a fertiliser stock of 5.155 million metric tonnes, 1.568 million tonnes above projected demand through February. He said a central control room has also been planned to monitor fertiliser supply. The spokesperson also mentioned the return to production of Chittagong Urea Fertiliser Limited after a six-month shutdown and initiatives to gradually reopen factories that had remained closed for various reasons. In the health sector, he said the government plans to build 15-storey specialised general hospitals in Dhaka and the country’s other eight divisional cities. Mahdi said a policy decision has been taken to operate the newly built super-specialised hospital under a modern international corporate management model. Plans are also underway to expand affordable dialysis services to every district and upazila and increase the number of beds at Bogura Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Medical College Hospital to 1,800, he said The spokesperson mentioned the foundation-laying for an international-standard specialised burn and plastic surgery centre at Rangpur Medical College, plans for a national e-health platform and steps to restore the supply of essential medicines and modern medical equipment to community clinics. He said 19.771 million children have been vaccinated against measles and rubella across the country over the past five months, exceeding the target. Mahdi also referred to the government’s three-month nationwide dengue prevention and cleanliness campaign, which began in the presence of the Prime Minister, as part of efforts to curb the spread of dengue. He said a feasibility study and detailed design have been prepared for installing electric traction to operate electric trains on the Dhaka-Chattogram corridor. Plans are also underway to construct a four-lane uninterrupted expressway from Dhaka to the City Gate in Chattogram and extend the Dhaka-Cox’s Bazar intercity express train service, Mahdi said. He also said the government directed the introduction of a fully cashless automated radio-frequency identification toll system within the next four months. Among other measures, the spokesperson mentioned plans to relocate Karwan Bazar’s wholesale kitchen market to Gabtoli and the Fulbaria bus terminal to Keraniganj to ease traffic congestion in Dhaka. On governance, he said seven leaders of what he described as the “fascist organisation” have been sentenced to death by a court for genocide-related offences, while orders have also been issued to confiscate 50 percent of the movable and immovable property of five of those sentenced to death. Mahdi said the government has also formally handed permanent appointment letters for government jobs to eligible members of 74 families of those killed in the July mass uprising. He highlighted the formation of parliamentary standing committees, regular parliamentary oversight of ministries, the decision not to use honorific terms such as “Mahamanaya” or “Mananiya” before the President and Prime Minister in official documents, and the introduction of biometric attendance at land offices in phases. Mahdi said the government has repaid $2.0476 billion, equivalent to Tk25,163 crore, in foreign loans and interest over the past five months. He also cited a 13.1 percent increase in remittances over six months, initiatives to reopen the Malaysian labour market, progress in sending Bangladeshi workers legally to Italy and Oman, and progress in trade negotiations with the European Union. The spokesperson said Bangladesh has successfully resolved 48 of 61 trade barriers identified by the EU. He also mentioned a bilateral investment protection and promotion agreement with Hong Kong, financing of up to £2 billion under UK Export Finance for infrastructure development and procurement, and $1 million in emergency humanitarian assistance to Nepal following severe floods. On defence and aviation, Mahdi said the government has begun the final process of procuring 20 J-10C fourth-generation fighter aircraft from China and is taking steps to equip the Border Guard Bangladesh with surveillance drones. On fuel prices, the spokesperson said diesel is comparatively cheaper in Bangladesh than in many other countries, particularly neighbouring countries. He said the government was providing a high level of subsidy on fuel to prevent additional pressure on the people. At the briefing, Prime Minister’s Press Secretary Saleh Shibly and Additional Press Secretary Atikur Rahman Rumon also highlighted various public welfare measures taken by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman. PM’s Speechwriter ASM Mahfuzur Rahman, Deputy Press Secretaries Jahidul Islam Rony and Md Suzauddhowla, Assistant Press Secretaries Md Nazmul Haque Khan, Abdullah Al Mahmud Shahriar,, Asrofa Emdad, Media Coordinator Tariqul Islam and PM’s physician ANM Manowarul Kadir Bitu, among others, were present at the briefing.  

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Monday sought support from business leaders and the media in implementing the government’s plans to address the country’s power and energy challenges, saying the government should be given an opportunity to execute its plans without instability during its tenure. He also hoped that gas supply to industries will return to its previous level from Tuesday evening. Speaking at a three-hour view-exchange meeting with business leaders and media personalities at his office at the Bangladesh Secretariat, the Prime Minister warned that any instability in the country could hurt business, trade and the economy, said Prime Minister’s Deputy Press Secretary Hasan Shiplu. “The people will decide at the appropriate time whom they want to entrust with running the government. But whichever government is in office at a given time should be allowed to complete its planned work,” he said. Describing the current crisis in the power and energy sector as a problem inherited by the government, Tarique Rahman said it will not be possible to resolve it fully within six months or a year. “But we have identified the problems, prepared plans and are now at the stage of implementing those plans,” he said. The Prime Minister said the government is working according to specific timelines to restore normalcy in power and energy supplies. “If we can implement these plans, not only business and trade but the overall economy will benefit,” he said. “We hope, Insha-Allah, from tomorrow evening the gas supply will return to something like the level it was at one to one and a half months ago,” Tarique Rahman added. State Minister for Power and Energy Aninda Islam Amit made a presentation titled “Challenges and Future Roadmap of Bangladesh’s Power and Energy Sector” at the meeting. Explaining the current gas crisis, the Prime Minister said gas supplies were disrupted after an accident at one of the country’s two floating LNG terminals, affecting industries and other sectors. He said the problem caused by the accident has already been resolved. Tarique Rahman said the government is also taking steps to install a third floating LNG terminal to address the supply shortfall. He said preparations for the installation of another terminal on a government-to-government basis were largely completed over the past month and work on it will begin soon. The government expects to connect the third terminal to the gas supply system by December 2027, the Prime Minister said. He said the problems in the power sector are also longstanding. After taking office, the government reviewed the problems, held discussions with the relevant stakeholders and prepared plans to address them, Tarique Rahman said, adding that implementation of those plans is now underway. “Planning for anything and implementing it takes time. This problem in energy and power has been inherited. It is not possible to solve it within six months or a year simply by wishing to do so,” he said. The government also presented business leaders with tentative timelines for completing various planned initiatives. The Prime Minister said the timelines could shift slightly during implementation, but the government has a clear plan and timeframe before it. Seeking cooperation from the business community, he said any damage to business and industry will have an overall impact on the country’s economy. “So, solving the power and energy problem is not only a matter of interest for the business community. It is linked to the overall economic progress of the country,” Tarique Rahman said.  

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Sunday stressed the need for reducing Bangladesh’s dependence on imports of agricultural and food products by increasing domestic production of crops that can be grown in the country. He also asked officials of the Ministry of Agriculture to take effective measures to boost the production of locally viable agricultural commodities, while ensuring food security and making farming more productive and profitable, said a release issued by the PM’s Press Wing. The Prime Minister gave the directives at a meeting with officials of the ministry at its conference room in the Bangladesh Secretariat in the afternoon. He directed officials to focus not only on increasing agricultural productivity but also on reducing farmers’ production costs and ensuring fair prices for their produce. “We must gradually reduce our dependence on imports of agricultural and food products that can be produced domestically. To this end, we need to put greater emphasis on increasing domestic production by quickly taking research findings, improved varieties, modern technologies, irrigation facilities and mechanisation to farmers,” Tarique Rahman said. Earlier, the Prime Minister walked from his office to the agriculture ministry and took the stairs instead of using the lift to reach the ministry’s conference room. At the meeting, officials presented the overall situation of the agriculture sector, ongoing activities of the ministry and its future plans. The ministry informed the meeting that mustard production has increased significantly as part of efforts to reduce dependence on imported edible oil. Mustard production rose from 8.24 lakh tonnes in 2021-22 to 15.34 lakh tonnes in 2024-25 and 15.41 lakh tonnes in 2025-26. The meeting was also informed of initiatives to increase onion production and storage capacity. “Measures include introducing air-flow technology for onion storage at farmers’ level and expanding summer onion varieties.” The ministry is also working to expand climate-resilient crop varieties tolerant to salinity, drought and waterlogging at the field level. Highlighting progress in agricultural research, officials said a total of 1,090 crop varieties have so far been developed, including 155 rice varieties. More than 1,000 agricultural technologies have also been developed, according to the presentation. The meeting stressed greater emphasis on agricultural mechanisation to reduce labour and production costs while increasing productivity. The government is working to increase domestic production of agricultural machinery and make equipment such as combine harvesters, reapers and rice transplanters available to farmers at affordable prices. The expansion of solar-powered irrigation was also discussed. There are currently 2,617 solar irrigation systems in the country, and expanding renewable energy-based irrigation could help reduce farmers’ irrigation costs and dependence on conventional fuels, officials said. The meeting also reviewed the Farmers’ Card programme aimed at ensuring direct delivery of government support to farmers. The agriculture ministry has set a target of bringing 43 lakh farmers under the card programme in the 2026-27 fiscal year. Preparations are underway to distribute cards to around 1.10 lakh farmers in the first phase, the meeting was informed. The meeting also discussed canal excavation, tree plantation, and storage and marketing of farm produce.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Saturday called upon people from all sections of society including businesspeople, young entrepreneurs and researchers to work together to build a prosperous and desired Bangladesh. “Your cooperation is needed. Your coming forward is needed for the state. Let us work together to build such a state we aspire to build,” he said while inaugurating Bangladesh Innovation Fair-2026 at Novo Theatre in the capital. Seeking cooperation from entrepreneurs, businesspeople and researchers, the Prime Minister said the government would always stand beside them with all possible support. He called for greater collaboration among the government, entrepreneurs, investors, researchers and financial institutions. Tarique said the speeches and presentations by speakers at the event have broadly outlined the country’s course of action for the coming days. “Through the issues raised by the previous speakers, particularly Dr Anisuzzaman in his presentation and speech, our course of action for the coming days has broadly been determined,” he said. The Prime Minister said the country would be able to achieve its desired goals if the important issues highlighted by the speakers could be gradually implemented. “If we can gradually implement these issues, we will be able to reach our desired goal.” Highlighting the role of innovators and businesspeople in the country’s overall progress, the Prime Minister urged everyone to come forward with innovative ideas in response to the present needs of the state and government. “On behalf of the government, I seek cooperation from all of you. Your support is essential for the state,” Tarique said. Science and Technology Minister Faqir Mahbub Anam, Prime Minister’s Adviser on Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology Rehan Asif Asad, Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Ministry of Science and Technology M Ruhul Quddus Talukder Dulu, BUET Professor Dr Muhammad Anisuzzaman Talukder and Science and Technology Ministry Secretary, among others, addressed the programme.  

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Saturday sought people’s cooperation in keeping their homes and surroundings clean to prevent dengue, saying collective efforts over the next three months can significantly reduce the disease. “Let us keep ourselves healthy, our families healthy, our society healthy and try to keep our country healthy,” he said while inaugurating the three-month nationwide ‘Dengue Prevention and Cleanliness Campaign-2026’ at the South Plaza of the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban. The Prime Minister urged people to spend at least one hour every week cleaning their homes, schools, colleges, workplaces and other surroundings to help prevent dengue. “This work is not very difficult. Today you may have to make a little effort, but if every week you give one hour to cleaning the place where you live, work or study, we will certainly be able to succeed quickly,” he said. Tarique stressed that preventing mosquito breeding is the safest and easiest way to tackle dengue, as discarded plastic, paper and other waste can collect stagnant water and create breeding grounds for dengue mosquitoes. PM opens  3-month nationwide dengue prevention, cleanliness campaign “Let us all work together to solve this problem. Perhaps we will not be able to do it 100 percent, but at least we can do 80 percent,” he said referring to the three-month campaign.  

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Saturday inaugurated a three-month nationwide campaign aimed at preventing dengue and promoting cleanliness, as the country braces for the peak dengue season. The Prime Minister formally inaugurated the ‘Dengue Prevention and Cleanliness Campaign-2026’ at 9:30am at the South Plaza of the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban. Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Ministry, Dhaka North City Corporation and Dhaka South City Corporation jointly organised the inaugural programme. The campaign carries the slogans “Keep your own surroundings clean, let us all stay healthy” and “Remove stagnant water every day.” Organisers said around 25,000 volunteers and workers including cleaning workers of Dhaka North and South city corporations, members of Bangladesh National Cadet Corps (BNCC), Girl Guides, Scouts and Bangladesh Red Crescent Society, as well as students from different educational institutions were present at the programme. Members of the Cabinet, MPs, secretaries and other senior government officials also attended the programme. Representatives of all 64 district administrations joined the event virtually. The campaign will continue for three months, from Sept 12 to Dec 12, considering the period a high-risk season for dengue. The programme will be implemented in a coordinated manner at the city, divisional, district and upazila levels, involving local administrations, volunteer organisations and students. The respective city corporations will coordinate activities in metropolitan areas, while deputy commissioners will coordinate the programmes at the district level. At the upazila level, upazila nirbahi officers (UNOs) will oversee local activities. The cleanliness and awareness campaign will involve volunteers from the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief along with Scouts, BNCC, Girl Guides, Bangladesh Red Crescent Society volunteers and students from schools and colleges. Local Government Minister Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan, Health Minister Sardar Sakhawat Husain, Information and Broadcasting Minister Andaleeve Rahman, State Minister for Health MA Muhit, State Minister for Local Government Mir Shahe Alam, Education Secretary Abdul Khaleque, and Dhaka South City Corporation Administrator Abdus Salam, among others, spoke at the programme. The campaign was launched as the prevalence of dengue has increased in Dhaka and different parts of the country. The decision to launch the campaign was taken following the Prime Minister’s directive at a recent meeting on dengue prevention at the Secretariat,.  

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Friday provided financial assistance to various religious institutions in Dhaka-17 constituency, including mosques, madrasas and Hindu temples. The Prime Minister handed over cheques to representatives of the respective mosques and temples at the BNP Chairperson’s Office in Gulshan in the afternoon. A total of 28 mosques in Dhaka-17 received Tk 247,000 each. Besides, 10 temples received Tk 300,000 each, totalling Tk 30 lakh, ahead of the Sharadiya Durga Puja. The financial assistance was provided to support the activities of the religious institutions and help ensure smooth arrangements for the Durga Puja celebrations.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Thursday called upon all to unite against the culture of abusive language, stressing the need for responsible behaviour in public discourse. He made the call while delivering his concluding speech at the third session of the 13th Jatiya Sangsad. “The fascist regime had taken away all democratic rights of the people, including freedom of speech. At present, there is a democratic environment in the country and freedom of speech is unrestricted. But we must remember that freedom of speech should not cross the limits of civility,” Tarique Rahman said. He said no one wants the people of the country to be subjected to a fascist, authoritarian regime again. “Likewise, no conscious person or patriotic politician will want our political culture to turn into a culture of abusive language. That is why all of us, irrespective of party affiliation, must play a responsible role,” the Prime Minister said. He questioned why words that people will not feel comfortable using in a family environment should be used in the public domain. “Why should we use such words in public life? Why cannot we refrain from using such words in the public sphere? Through you, Mr Speaker, I want to leave this question before all members of this House and all conscious citizens of the country,” he said. “If we are genuinely united on this issue, let us all play a united role against the culture of abusive language,” Tarique Rahman said. Members of Parliament repeatedly thumped their desks in support of the Prime Minister’s remarks. Conflict, division may revive fascist forces Prime Minister Tarique Rahman also called for unity among democratic forces, warning that conflict and division could create a path for the ousted fascist forces to return. He called on members of both the ruling and opposition benches to work together to build a welfare-oriented state. “My appeal to the people and to the forces of democracy is this: let us not forget that divisions and conflicts among the pro-democracy forces may ultimately revive the ousted fascist evil forces and perhaps pave the way for them,” Tarique Rahman said. He said everyone must continue working together to rebuild the state for the sake of future generations and as part of their duty to the martyrs. The Prime Minister said differences of opinion and political competition are natural in a democratic system, as such differences exist around the world and political competition is also part of democratic practice. “But we must remain vigilant so that differences of opinion do not turn into hostility,” he said. Tarique Rahman said people sacrificed their lives at different times during the movements for protecting the country’s independence and sovereignty and restoring democracy. He said people were also killed “like birds” during the anti-fascist mass uprising in 2024. The Prime Minister said establishing justice and good governance is a sacred duty and a way of repaying the debt owed to the martyrs. He said the people have entrusted one party with running the state and another with playing the role of the opposition, and urged both sides to work together to build a welfare-oriented state. Tarique Rahman reiterated his message: “Bangladesh first, Bangladesh for all.” He said people had repeatedly entrusted the BNP with running the state whenever they had the opportunity to cast their votes freely and fairly. Referring to the 1991 election held after the anti-autocracy movement of 1990, the Prime Minister said the people had entrusted the BNP with running the country, while the party received support from Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami at the time. He said the government led by then Prime Minister Khaleda Zia had expanded education, brought about a revolution in female education and created greater opportunities for women to participate in the labour market alongside men. Around 2 crore people were also able to come out of poverty during that period, Tarique Rahman said, attributing the achievement to the BNP government. He said after the 2001 election, the BNP was again entrusted with running the country to bring the state back on the right track and establish good governance. The Prime Minister said Bangladesh had previously been placed at the top of global corruption rankings under the government that came to power in 2009, and that the BNP government subsequently worked to free the country from the stigma of corruption. He said the country had later been burdened with huge loans due to mismanagement, corruption, looting and money laundering during the subsequent regime. Tarique Rahman said the BNP government now has the responsibility of freeing Bangladesh from the burden of defaulted loans. He said the actual volume of defaulted loans has been much higher than the figure shown during the previous regime. The Prime Minister said the amount of defaulted loans, which had been shown at around 11 percent in 2024, was found to be 35.5 percent after a forensic audit conducted during the interim government in 2025. He said the ratio has now declined to 32.6 percent following various measures taken by the BNP government, compared to 35.5 percent after the previous election, describing the decline as an indication that the situation has started to improve. Tarique Rahman said the BNP government will work to free Bangladesh from the stigma of loan default that it inherited in 2026. He said the government inherited a country heavily burdened with foreign debt, while many of those responsible for creating the debt burden left the country. “Those who burdened Bangladesh with debt have fled the country, but Bangladesh still has to repay those loans,” the Prime Minister said. He said the government has paid a record $2.0476 billion in principal and interest on foreign loans during the past five months. Tarique Rahman said Bangladesh still has to bear a huge foreign debt burden due to the looting and money laundering committed under the previous regime. He also agreed with the opposition leader that the country has inherited a fragile situation in various sectors, including education, health, banking, insurance, financial institutions, administration and law enforcement. The Prime Minister said some of the problems still persist in specific areas and that the erosion of religious, social and family values in the state and society is also visible. Parliament to be centre of all activities Tarique Rahman said the government wants the current Parliament to become the centre of all activities, expressing confidence that both the ruling and opposition sides have demonstrated their commitment to working in the interests of the country and its people. He said he has no doubt that both sides have discussed issues and tried to take effective initiatives in the national and public interest during the session. The Prime Minister thanked all MPs present for keeping Parliament effective and vibrant. He said people expect Parliament to discuss their problems and ease their sufferings to some extent, while bringing peace and prosperity to their lives. The final sitting of the third session began at 3:00pm with Deputy Speaker Kayser Kamal in the chair. After Maghrib prayers, Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmad read out the President’s order proroguing the session. As per parliamentary tradition, Leader of the Opposition Shafiqul Rahman spoke first, followed by Leader of the House and Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, who began his speech at 7:44pm and concluded it at 8:17pm. The third session of the 13th Jatiya Sangsad began on August 27.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Thursday assured the people that the government will gradually resolve the ongoing gas and electricity crisis, urging the opposition to present the actual situation to the people instead of resorting to provocative behaviour. “We are firmly hopeful that, Insha-Allah, we will be able to resolve the problems of gas and electricity over time and take the country and its people out of this crisis,” he said. The Prime Minister made the remarks while delivering his winding-up speech at the third session of the 13th Jatiya Sangsad. He said the government is now working on longer-term solutions. “The measures and initiatives the government is going to take, I firmly believe, will enable us, if we can successfully implement the solar power generation plan, to become not only consumers but also producers of solar power. We have that capability.”

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Wednesday ordered the law enforcement agencies to take stricter action to stop the unchecked use of polythene and plastic in a bid to control environmental pollution. He also asked the ministries, departments and agencies concerned to properly discharge their responsibilities in enforcing measures against the use of polythene and plastic. Tarique gave the directives at a review meeting on controlling environmental pollution at Secretariat in the morning, said a release issued by the PM’s Press Wing.