DHAKA: Bangladesh has expressed its desire to build a stronger, more effective and results-oriented partnership with UNICEF to improve maternal and child health, ensure quality education, empower adolescent girls, strengthen child protection and enhance climate resilience. According to a press release issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs today, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam conveyed the government’s expectations during a meeting with visiting UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell at the Pan Pacific Sonargaon Hotel in Dhaka yesterday.

The meeting discussed various aspects of the longstanding cooperation between Bangladesh and UNICEF in promoting the development and welfare of women and children. Shama Obaed praised UNICEF’s contributions to the advancement and well-being of women and children in Bangladesh since the country’s independence. She said the government was committed to building an inclusive society that ensures dignity, equal opportunities and access to essential services for women and children.

She also highlighted the government’s priority initiatives, including the Family Card and Farmer Card programmes, noting that financial assistance to women-headed households would help strengthen women’s economic empowerment.

The State Minister outlined several government initiatives in education, including school feeding programmes, free textbook distribution and free education opportunities for female students up to the undergraduate level. Highlighting Bangladesh’s significant progress in reducing maternal and child mortality, Shama said the government had nearly doubled budget allocations for the health sector to strengthen healthcare services.

Reaffirming the government’s commitment to improving educational standards, she said investment in education would gradually increase, with the aim of raising education spending to 5 percent of gross domestic product (GDP). On child marriage, she stressed the importance of addressing its underlying socioeconomic causes, including poverty, social norms, school dropouts and limited opportunities for girls.

The meeting also discussed gender-related risks arising from climate change, violence against women, including online harassment, and juvenile crime. In this connection, Shama referred to her recent meeting with Meta officials in New York, where discussions included the possibility of establishing a local office of the company in Bangladesh to ensure faster responses to complaints. She also outlined various government measures aimed at addressing juvenile crime.

The State Minister expressed appreciation for UNICEF’s assistance in ensuring education, healthcare, nutrition and protection for Rohingya children in Bangladesh. UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell praised Bangladesh’s progress in reducing child mortality and stunting, increasing school attendance and birth registration, and expanding access to safe drinking water and sanitation.

Russell expressed gratitude for the government’s cooperation and reaffirmed UNICEF’s commitment to continuing its support for Bangladesh. Among those attending the meeting from UNICEF were UNICEF Bangladesh Representative Gillian Mellsop, Deputy Representative Emmanuel Abiru and Child Protection Specialist Shabnaz Zaherin Catherine.

Foreign Secretary Ambassador Asad Alam Siam and Director General Kazi Ehsanul Haque were also present. The meeting reaffirmed the shared commitment of Bangladesh and UNICEF to advancing the rights, protection and well-being of women and children through stronger cooperation and targeted development initiatives.

DHAKA – Bangladesh and Italy have expressed interest in strengthening defence cooperation, particularly in military modernisation, training, technical assistance and collaboration in United Nations (UN) peacekeeping operations. The interest was expressed at a courtesy meeting between Prime Minister’s Defence Adviser Brigadier General (retd) Dr AKM Shamsul Islam and Italian Ambassador to Bangladesh Antonio Alessandro at the adviser’s office at the Armed Forces Division (AFD) in Dhaka Cantonment today.

During the meeting, they held fruitful discussions on various aspects of the longstanding friendly relations between the two countries, according to an ISPR press release issued this evening. Both sides expressed interest in further strengthening and expanding cooperation between the armed forces of Bangladesh and Italy.

The discussion covered potential areas of cooperation, including defence capacity-building, military training and exchange of experience, technical and technological assistance, and the procurement of modern military equipment and defence materials.

They also held detailed discussion on the contributions of both countries to UN peacekeeping operations and explored opportunities for future cooperation and joint training in this field, the ISPR release said.

Highlighting the historic friendly relations between Bangladesh and Italy, the defence adviser stressed the importance of continued support from the Italian government for the development of the defence industry and enhancement of defence capabilities.

The Italian ambassador, meanwhile, reaffirmed Italy’s commitment to maintaining its partnership with Bangladesh and continuing cooperation in modernising the Bangladesh Armed Forces. Both sides expressed hope that high-level dialogue and continued engagement would further strengthen military ties and elevate the broader bilateral partnership between the two countries, the release added.

DHAKA — A court in Dhaka has ordered the detention of two people, including Al Nur Mohammad Ayash, president of the State Dialogue Forum, in a case filed over an attempt to erase a mural of Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore outside the Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy. The other accused is Marzia Khandaker Rimi.

Police produced the two accused before the Dhaka Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court on Tuesday after completing their remand. The investigating officer sought to keep them in custody until the investigation is completed, while their lawyers filed bail petitions. After hearing both sides, Metropolitan Magistrate Riyad Hasan rejected their bail applications and ordered that they be sent to jail.

On October 11, an additional chief metropolitan magistrate in Dhaka, Joshita Islam, had granted three days of remand for Ayash and two days for Rimi. The incident took place on October 10, when a group of young people allegedly attempted to erase Tagore’s mural on a wall outside the Shilpakala Academy. A confrontation reportedly broke out between the group and police after officers intervened to stop them.

A woman was seen applying black ink to the mural, according to the account of the incident. A police officer intervened to prevent her from doing so. Following the incident, Shahbagh Police Station Sub-Inspector Ziaul Haque filed a case alleging criminal conspiracy, the promotion of enmity between different groups, and hurting religious sentiments. The court’s decision to deny bail means the two accused will remain in jail while the investigation proceeds.