Bangladesh President Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has stated that he will perform his state duties with full impartiality and in the best interest of the nation. He remarked, "Before taking on the role of President, I stepped down from my party, parliamentary position, and cabinet role. I am now a fully impartial individual. I will carry out my responsibilities without bias." He made these comments during his inaugural gathering with the officials and staff of Bangabhaban, held in the Bangabhaban Darbar Hall. He further noted that following his tenure as President, he will hold neither resentment nor favoritism toward anyone. The welfare of the country, the state, and its citizens will be his sole focus. He stressed the importance of earning public trust and upholding honesty, loyalty, sincerity, and a sense of duty in all circumstances. The President addressed the Bangabhaban officers and employees, saying, "We must show love, respect, and loyalty toward our country and its people." He urged them to carry out their responsibilities with dedication, sincerity, and integrity. Reflecting on the heritage and legacy of Bangabhaban, he described it as a symbol of national pride and sovereignty, emphasizing that its prestige must be preserved. He also highlighted that the daily operations of Bangabhaban and all matters involving significant state decisions must be handled with strict confidentiality to safeguard national security. Additionally, he called for prudence and accountability in state spending and the elimination of waste. The President pointed out that government resources and facilities are funded by the taxpayers' money, so their use must be proper, responsible, transparent, and accountable. He encouraged the officers and employees to maintain discipline in their personal lives and to consistently work on building strong character and morale. He paid heartfelt tribute to the martyrs of the 1971 Liberation War. He also honored the memory of the great architect of independence, martyred President Ziaur Rahman, and former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia for their contributions to rebuilding the nation after the war. Additionally, he respectfully acknowledged all former Presidents. Addressing the Bangabhaban staff, the President said, "We are one family here. Everyone works in the same place. Whenever we get the chance, we will engage with one another and work to resolve issues." He expressed his optimism about collaborating with everyone in the days ahead.

He gave the instructions at a meeting organized by the Prime Minister's Education Assistance Trust at the Cabinet Division meeting room of the Bangladesh Secretariat on Monday afternoon. The Prime Minister's Deputy Press Secretary Shahadat Swadhin confirmed this information. He said that the meeting emphasized on preparing a clear proposal by reviewing the estimated cost, number of beneficiaries, implementation strategy and its possible social and educational outcomes if the universal stipend is reintroduced. The Deputy Press Secretary further said that the Prime Minister was briefed in detail about the ongoing activities of the Trust, its goals and objectives, and the role of the Trust in retaining students in their educational life and preventing dropouts through financial assistance. In addition, the meeting also discussed the issue of providing stipends based on merit and ability to encourage boys to study. The impact and success of the universal stipend program for girls launched during the tenure of former Prime Minister Late Begum Khaleda Zia was also reviewed in the meeting. The Prime Minister's Deputy Press Secretary said that issues such as increasing school attendance of girls, their continuation of education and the positive role of universal stipend in preventing child marriage came to the fore. The meeting gave equal importance to improving the quality of education along with ensuring the nutrition and health of students. Various issues such as management of mid-day meal programme at the school level, nutritional value of food and ensuring safe preparation and distribution of food for children were discussed in detail. The Prime Minister stressed that the food provided to the students should be nutritious, safe and of good quality and there should be no compromise on the quality of food. Shahadat Swadhin said that the meeting also discussed two alternative methods of implementing the mid-day meal programme, considering the issues of cost, management capacity, local level involvement and food quality control. The Prime Minister directed to launch one pilot project of each method in two different districts to verify the effectiveness, feasibility and possible results of both the methods. Education Minister ANM Ehsanul Haque Milon, Prime Minister's Education Advisor and Spokesperson Mahdi Amin, Education Secretary Abdul Khalek, Prime Minister's Additional Press Secretary Atiqur Rahman Rumon and other concerned officials were present at the meeting.

Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury today said the aspirations of the July uprising, the Liberation War and the anti-autocracy movement would be fulfilled if the government fully implements the 31-point programme announced by BNP.

“We have presented a manifesto and we must implement it in full. We have given the 31-point programme. If we can implement it completely, the July uprising, the Liberation War and the anti-autocracy movement will attain their true fulfillment,” he said.

The finance minister was speaking as the chief guest at a discussion organised at Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) marking the ‘July Mass Uprising Remembrance Programme 2026’.

Recalling his experience during the July uprising, Amir Khosru said thousands of leaders and activists had spent difficult days in prison. Those detained had very limited information about the situation in the country during the mass uprising, he said.

He said the news that Sheikh Hasina had left the country reached the prisoners soon afterwards, triggering a strong reaction inside the jail. When the jail superintendent requested him to help maintain calm, he appealed to the prisoners to remain peaceful, which helped ease the situation.

The finance minister said people’s expectations are now much higher after years of movements, struggles and sacrifices.

“People have long experienced a lack of voting rights, human rights, rule of law and economic equality,” he said, adding that business and commerce had been concentrated under the patronage of a particular group, depriving ordinary people of adequate opportunities to participate in economic activities.

He said BNP had formulated its manifesto taking into account these expectations of the people and outlined plans to establish citizens’ rights and build a “new Bangladesh”.

“If the 31-point programme is implemented, the sacrifices of July, the spirit of the Liberation War and the objectives of the movement for restoration of democracy will be fulfilled,” Amir Khosru said.

He said two issues have been given particular importance in the BNP’s declared programme — “Bangladesh First” and “democratisation of the economy.”

Explaining the concept of “Bangladesh First”, he said its fundamental objective is to give the highest priority to the country’s independence, sovereignty and the interests of its people.

On economic democratisation, the finance minister said every citizen should have the opportunity to participate in economic activities and enjoy the benefits of development.

“Political democracy alone is not enough; democracy must also be established in the economy,” he said.

Amir Khosru said the government is placing particular emphasis on the creative economy to bring rural artists, artisans, sportspersons, cultural workers and people from various professions into mainstream economic activities.

He stressed the need to create opportunities for skills development, access to loans, design support and market expansion for people engaged in these sectors.

“If we can bring the sports economy, small entrepreneurs and traditional industries into the mainstream economy, people’s incomes and living standards will improve,” he said.

He also emphasised connecting traditional rural products such as shital pati and pottery with modern markets.

Describing the country’s economic situation when the government assumed office, the finance minister said the economy was in a difficult condition, with major crises in the banking sector, stock market and government financial management.

“We did not start from zero; rather, we started from minus,” he said.

Despite financial constraints, he said, initiatives such as the Family Card, Farmer Card and primary healthcare programmes have been undertaken.

The Family Card, he added, would help deliver assistance to low-income families and contribute to improvements in their health, education and nutrition.

Amir Khosru said a comprehensive support system covering citizens from birth to death must be ensured to realise the spirit of the July uprising.

“Effective initiatives must be taken to improve the living standards of women, children, workers, persons with disabilities and people from all sections of society,” he said.

The finance minister said the true objectives of the July movement would be achieved only when the government is able to fulfill the expectations of the people.

BUET Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr Ekramul Haque chaired the discussion.

State Minister for Youth and Sports Md Aminul Haque and Dhaka-7 lawmaker Hamidur Rahman Hamid attended the programme as special guests.

Turning to the government’s welfare priorities, the Prime Minister said the effective implementation of the Family Card and Farmer Card, allowances for imams and muezzins, and efforts to raise future generations as responsible citizens must be expedited. He also reaffirmed the government’s commitment to modernizing agriculture and generating employment opportunities for young people by establishing new mills, factories, and industrial enterprises. “Unless we place people at the center and prepare them properly, we cannot move the country forward. No matter how grand our slogans are, if we cannot make people self-reliant and ensure economic independence for every citizen, we will never succeed in building the nation,” he said. Tarique Rahman stated that the government’s primary objective is to build Bangladesh as a self-reliant and welfare-oriented state, rather than simply copying the model of another country. “We want to build a Bangladesh where every segment of society receives from the state the dignity and support they deserve based on their needs and abilities,” he added. Highlighting the role of women in national development, the Prime Minister said women make up half of the country’s population and no nation can progress by leaving them behind. He said the Family Card was introduced as a “groundbreaking” initiative to empower women, promote self-reliance, and provide every family with a stronger economic base. The government is also enabling women to study free of charge up to the graduate level, along with support for those who achieve good academic results, he added. Referring to government initiatives for farmers, Tarique Rahman said ensuring farmers’ economic self-reliance remains a priority. “That is why the Farmer Card has been introduced. Agricultural loans of up to Tk 10,000, including interest, have already been waived, directly benefiting 13 lakh farmers,” he added. The Prime Minister said the government had also planned to excavate 250 kilometres of canals across the country to improve irrigation facilities and address water shortages. Outlining a new approach to education and youth development, the Prime Minister said students would be developed as well-rounded individuals with skills in sports, cultural activities, and languages alongside formal academic qualifications. He also announced that the “Notun Kuri” competition, introduced during the tenure of Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman, would be revived to create opportunities for nurturing talent and creativity. “Opportunities are being created in every field to ensure the proper development of talent and potential,” the premier added. Tarique Rahman said the government is providing social allowances to imams, muezzins, khatibs, and religious leaders of other faiths to help them remain self-reliant as guides of society. “Besides, state assistance continues for disadvantaged people, persons with disabilities, and meritorious students,” he said. The Prime Minister said the current BNP government had resolved the retirement benefit complications of 123,000 teachers who had been deprived of their dues during the previous regime and had completed the payment process. He said BNP practices politics aimed at transforming the lives of the people. “BNP’s politics is about creating employment, supporting education, helping farmers increase their production, and establishing mills and factories. This is BNP’s politics,” he said. The Prime Minister said every pledge made before the election is being implemented gradually, and the people are witnessing the development journey. “Our goal is to work for the country and for the people and to change their fortunes. Only by changing the fortunes of the people can we change the fortunes of the country,” he said. Chaired by Social Welfare Minister Professor AZM Zahid Hossain, the event was also addressed by State Minister for Textiles and Jute Shariful Alam, and lawmakers Fazlur Rahman, Mazharul Islam, and Jalal Uddin.