Bangladesh will buy oil from whoever gives a “comfortable price,” Honourable Prime Minister (HPM) Sheikh Hasina said, as the South Asian country looks to secure supplies and ensure prices don’t spiral further during an International Monetary Fund program. She also reiterated her country’s economic condition enabling her to pay back IMF loans saying “her nation is in a position to pay back IMF loans”. On the other hand, she also highlighted her government’ commitment for ensuring a “free and fair” election slated for less than seven months.

A renowned economist of Johns Hopkins University of the USA has found out that Bangladesh is a happier country than Belgium, Canada, Ireland, Finland, Bahrain, New Zealand, Saudi Arabia and Sweden. The professor of applied economics measured the happy or misery state of the 157 countries around the world and came up with the result that Bangladesh is even a happier country than its Asian peers, surpassing Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Myanmar and even India. The higher the rank the happier a country is while the lower the rank the miserable it is as per the Hanke's Annual Misery Index (HAMI).

During a recent visit to Doha, HPM Sheikh Hasina has joined the opening session of the third Qatar Economic Forum as part of her three-day trip. The forum's main objective is to find a solution by increasing cooperation among the international community to deal with global challenges and crises and the adverse economic consequences arising from them. Moreover, on the sidelines, the Bangladesh premier has delivered another address before a crowd of Qatari students gleaned from her own experiences, to the students of Qatar for becoming future leaders.

During a visit to Qatar, Honourable Prime Minister(HPM) Sheikh Hasina met Amir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani at Amiri Diwan. Different issues, particularly bilateral cooperation on energy, business, investment and Bangladeshi manpower, as well as Muslim Ummah, development of Bangladesh prominently came up in the discussion. Praising HPM Sheikh Hasina’s leadership, the Amir of Qatar said that they once knew that Bangladesh was a disaster and poverty-stricken country but when after HPM’s return to power, she removed food deficit from Bangladesh.

The United Nations has awarded 'Dag Hammarskj"ld Medal' to five fallen Bangladeshi peacekeepers for their supreme sacrifice in UN Peacekeeping operations. The award was handed over on Thursday at the General Assembly Hall by the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in a ceremony to honor 103 peacekeepers from 39 countries who sacrificed their lives in the line of duty in 2022. The respective Permanent Representatives received the awards on behalf of their countries. Ambassador Muhammad Abdul Muhith, Permanent Representative of Bangladesh to the UN in New York, received the medals on behalf of the fallen peacekeepers of Bangladesh.

The Ashrayan project- home for the homeless- is seen as a “Sheikh Hasina Model” for inclusive development. So far, around 1 million families received such homes across the country, giving shelter to more than 3.5 million people. According to the officials, in the first phase of their project, a total of 63,999 houses were distributed among poor while 53,330 houses were given in the second phase and 59,133 houses in the third phase. With the success of the Ashrayan Project-1 the government initiated for the Ashrayan Project-2. And under the project, a total of 39365 houses have so far been allocated among poor, bring their total number of houses to 2,15,827.

In an effort to increase the production of Aman paddy, the government has taken a decision to provide BDT 300 million incentive to around 50000 small and marginal farmers across the country, said the Agriculture Ministry. Under the scheme, a farmer will get five kgs of seeds of high yielding (Ufshi) variety of T-Aman paddy, 10 kgs of DAP and MOP fertilizers free of cost, according to media reports. The incentive is being given from the regular budget and rehabilitation assistance and seeds sector of the Agriculture Ministry.

According to State minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid, the potential gas reserves at Shahzadpur, Bhola North and Ilisha gas fields will be 2.23 TCF as per the geological data and Drill Stem Test (DST) report. “Referring to the report about 200 billion cubic feet (BCF) gas is reserved at Elisha-1 well in Bhola. It is a big good news for the people of the country,” he was quoted as saying. According to media reports, average gas production rate will be 20 million cubic feet (mmcfd) per day from Elisha-1 well, of which the government can extract gas from the well around 25/26 years.

The Mango export procedures officially started this year with exports of 10 tonnes of mango to four countries. This year the target for export is 4,000 tonnes--double than last year’s. Bangladeshi mangoes have a good reputation all over the world. More than 2.4 million tonnes of mangoes are produced in the country. The Ministry of Agriculture has implemented the Exportable Mango Production Project in 2022 -2027 in 46 upazilas of 15 districts of the country while the country has emerged as the seventh largest mango producer in the world.

Days after the restriction on visa policy has been announced by US, an armed group of cadres from Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) led by a senior leader Nipun Roy Chowdhury, vandalized the party office of Awami League, leaving around 30 activists injured. A number of videos revealed how unruly activists, loyal to Nipun, armed with sticks and sharp weapons, swooped on AL activists. In a separate development, another group of BNP leaders, set fire on a vehicle in the capital, let alone clashed with cops in demand of “ouster” of the government.