The US Agency for International Development (USAID) has recently announced the suspension of various US aid programs for the repatriation of the Rohingya.

Development partners and other concerned people said that the US President's decision will have an adverse impact on Bangladesh and the whole world. There may also be extreme uncertainty about the future of various US cooperation projects in Bangladesh.

The website of the US international agency USAID stated that the United States has maintained a strong friendship with Bangladesh since its independence. The United States recognizes Bangladesh as a strategic partner in South Asia. The US partnership with Bangladesh is also determined by common interests.

According to USAID, USAID's program in Bangladesh is the largest in Asia. This program includes the world's most important food security and health programs, as well as strategically important democracy and good governance, basic education, and environmental issues. The United States oversees a large-scale humanitarian assistance program in Bangladesh to address the Rohingya crisis. USAID has been a long-standing partner in Bangladesh's progress towards becoming an upper-middle-income country by 2031.

The United States has been providing the most financial assistance to deal with the Rohingya crisis. Since August 2017, the United States has provided more than 250 crore dollars in assistance. Of this, 21 crore dollars is for the Rohingya and local communities in Bangladesh.

In addition to USAID, the United States provides assistance to Bangladesh through the Departments of State, Agriculture, Justice, Energy, and the Federal Trade Commission. In 2023, the United States provided 49 crore dollars (about Tk. 6000 crore) in assistance to Bangladesh. The partial amount of assistance for 2024 is also almost the same.

According to the executive order published on the website of the White House, the Office of the President of the United States, the United States is now going to reevaluate and implement its foreign assistance. The executive order states that the United States' foreign aid-supported industries and bureaucracy are not consistent with American interests and, in many cases, are contrary to American values. They disrupt world peace.

Regarding the policy, Trump's executive order states that the United States will no longer provide any assistance abroad that is inconsistent with the foreign policy of the President of the United States. U.S. development assistance abroad will be suspended for 90 days to assess the effectiveness and consistency of current U.S. foreign assistance programs.

According to Trump's executive order, the U.S. President's directive to suspend U.S. development assistance abroad for 90 days is mandatory for all relevant agencies to immediately implement. The heads of departments and agencies responsible for reviewing each foreign assistance program will determine the next steps in accordance with the Secretary of State's direction, in consultation with the Director of the Office of Budget and Management. After the review, the Secretary of State will decide whether to continue, modify, or terminate foreign assistance programs.

Bangladesh is closely monitoring President Trump's policies and implementation. The United States has withdrawn from the World Health Organization (WHO) under the suspension of foreign assistance. The United States has been providing significant funding to the WHO. The country's withdrawal from the WHO is likely to weaken the organization. This will have an impact on Bangladesh and the world.

Meanwhile, the U.S. State Department released a statement by Secretary of State Marco Rubio yesterday evening. It said that President Trump has given clear instructions to prioritize national interests in U.S. foreign policy. The US Secretary of State said, ‘We must answer three simple questions for every dollar spent, every fund spent, and every policy pursued. They are—does it (aid, policy) make America safer? Does it make America stronger? Does it make America more prosperous?’ Marco Rubio said, ‘We will build a more innovative, agile, and focused State Department to advance our national interests. This will require shifting some priorities, de-emphasizing some issues, and eliminating some practices.’

After sea, Pakistan is now going to establish direct communication with Bangladesh by air as well. Direct flights between the two countries will be launched anytime this year. Work is also underway to resolve visa complications to increase bilateral trade.

This time, Bangladesh High Commissioner to the country Mohammad Iqbal Hussain has announced plans to launch direct flights with Pakistan. This will further strengthen bilateral relations between the two countries.

This information was reported by Pakistani media outlet Express Tribune in a report on Sunday (January 26).

The media outlet said that while addressing a press conference in Peshawar, the capital of the country's Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province, Iqbal Hussain emphasized the deep and historical relations between the two countries and expressed his intention to launch direct flights to facilitate travel and communication.

He mentioned that such a step would increase cooperation between the two countries in various fields including tourism, education and trade. The High Commissioner also highlighted the growing trade and diplomatic ties between Bangladesh and Pakistan and said that these ties will only grow stronger.

He stressed Bangladesh’s commitment to freedom of expression and noted how social media has empowered the younger generation to speak out for their rights and has contributed to the strong culture of free speech in the country.

High Commissioner Iqbal Hussain also highlighted the huge investment opportunities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, especially in the healthcare and industrial sectors. He also noted the demand for Bangladeshi products in Pakistan and noted that trade between the two countries is ongoing through the shipping route connecting Chattogram and Karachi.

The High Commissioner also spoke about the upcoming elections in Bangladesh and reiterated his country’s focus on economic development as a top priority. He also praised the Pakistan Air Force for its exceptional capabilities in the defence sector.

The body of a 28-year-old Bangladeshi woman was found in Bengaluru, Karnataka, India. The local police believe she was raped and murdered.

The body was recovered from Kalkere Lake in Ramamurthy area on Friday (January 24).

The Times of India reported this in a report on Saturday (January 25).

The report said that the woman worked as a domestic help in an apartment. The incident occurred on Thursday after work. On Friday morning, locals found her body in a secluded area. They immediately informed the police.

The woman's husband is a cleaner. She lived in North Bengaluru with her husband and three children. They have three children.

A police officer said that the deceased woman is a Bangladeshi national who had been living here for six years. She did not have any valid documents. However, her husband has a valid passport and entered India on a medical visa.

On Thursday, the woman told her colleague that she had some personal work and might be late. So she asked her colleague to leave without her. However, when she was late returning home, her husband filed a complaint at the Ramamurthy Nagar police station.

The police officer further said that it is believed that the woman had voluntarily gone to a secluded place to meet someone she knew. However, her body was found on Friday morning. She had serious injuries on her head.

After receiving information about the incident, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) of East Division Devaraj visited the spot along with forensic experts and a dog squad.

BNP chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia has traveled to the house of son Tareq Rahman from the London clinic in the UK. His personal physician and BNP standing committee member Dr. A ZM Zahid Hossain said, Dr. Patrick Canady and Dr. He will undergo treatment under the supervision of Jennifer Cross.

After 18 days of treatment, he left the hospital on Friday (January 24) night local time with his son Tariq Rahman for his home in Kingston. Asking prayers for Khaleda Zia from the countrymen, doctor A ZM Zahid Hossain said, "If there is improvement like this, Khaleda Zia will return to the country soon."