Finance Adviser Dr Salehuddin Ahmed on Tuesday said Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) has failed in many cases to properly recognise the government’s ongoing reform initiatives, arguing that not all reforms are immediately visible. He made the remarks while speaking to reporters at the Secretariat after a meeting of the Advisers’ Council Committee on Government Procurement. Responding to a question about a recent TIB observation that the interim government’s reform and development efforts were less substantive than they appeared, Dr Salehuddin said the organisation’s assessment overlooked several fundamental changes. “TIB cannot see everything. They do not have divine vision or perfect sight. Even if they want to see, they cannot always see many things,” he said. He stressed that reforms should not be judged only by legislation, pointing to procedural and administrative simplifications carried out by the government. “Do not just look for reform laws. We have simplified many processes. For example, earlier one had to seek permission under the outward wage scheme. We are not saying it is automatic now, but the process has been eased. Why do people not see what we have done?” he asked. When journalists noted that Dr Salehuddin had previously praised TIB and that organisations often face criticism once governments come to power, he rejected the suggestion that he was attacking the watchdog. “No, no — I am not criticising or defaming TIB. I still acknowledge their role. But I am saying: look at the fundamental issues. If someone does not want to see, then many things can be ignored,” he said. He added that he had never engaged in baseless criticism while outside government and had always focused on core policy issues. Referring to the fact that TIB Executive Director Iftekharuzzaman had been a member of the government’s reform commission, the finance adviser said public expectations regarding reforms were understandably high. “People definitely have expectations. We also thought we would carry reforms forward smoothly. But reform requires cooperation and a proper process,” he said. Drawing on his experience within the administration, Dr Salehuddin said systemic weaknesses and procedural flaws made reform implementation extremely difficult. “I have seen from inside how flawed the processes are — more than you can imagine. Still, we have pushed many things through the Ministry of Finance. The finance secretary and others worked quickly. I provided immediate solutions where possible,” he said, adding that several advisers were frustrated due to institutional constraints. He said his background in the civil service had helped him navigate the system more effectively than many others. “I was trained in the civil service. I know how things work. Not everyone has that experience. Without cooperation, reform becomes very difficult,” he said. Frankly acknowledging the challenges, Dr Salehuddin said working within Bangladesh’s administrative framework was particularly demanding. “This is a very difficult place to work. The processes are extremely complicated, with too many interventions. Untangling them is like solving a knot,” he said. When asked whether bureaucracy was the main obstacle, he said it was certainly a major factor, but not the only one. “There is definitely a bureaucratic element. But the system itself and the laws that were drafted earlier were not done properly,” he said. Citing the banking sector as an example, he said governance standards had weakened over time. “During my time, two or three directors from the same family were allowed in a bank. Later, that number suddenly increased to six or more. This is moving backwards instead of forwards,” he added.

Bangladesh was shaken by two moderate earthquakes on Tuesday night within 17 minutes near the Myanmar border, with earlier tremors also reported in the southwest of the country. According to the US Geological Survey (USGS), the first quake, measuring 5.9 on the Richter scale, struck at 9:33 pm local time, followed by a 5.2-magnitude tremor at 9:51 pm. Both originated roughly 67.8 km below the surface. The twin night tremors were felt across multiple districts, including Chittagong, Cox’s Bazar, and Sylhet, triggering brief panic among residents, though no immediate reports of damage or casualties were received. Earlier in the day, at 4:36 am, Satkhira in the southwest experienced a lighter tremor measuring 4.1 on the Richter scale, according to the Earthquake Monitoring Centre. Assistant meteorologist Farzana Sultana described the early-morning quake as “light,” causing minimal impact and no structural damage. Residents in Dhaka also reported feeling tremors during the night, causing minor disturbances in high-rise buildings. Many people took to the streets in precaution, though authorities confirmed that the central region experienced only mild shaking. Seismologists note that Bangladesh sits in a seismically active zone due to the ongoing collision of the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates. While major earthquakes are rare, moderate tremors are not uncommon, particularly in the southeastern and northeastern regions bordering Myanmar and India. “The twin night tremors were moderate but significant enough to be widely felt across eastern and southeastern districts,” said a senior official at the Earthquake Monitoring Centre. “Residents are urged to remain calm, follow safety protocols, and avoid crowded or high-risk structures until authorities confirm all is safe.” Authorities in affected districts have urged people to remain vigilant, while emergency services reported being on standby. Structural inspections are being conducted in vulnerable areas as a precautionary measure. This series of tremors underscores the need for increased earthquake awareness and preparedness in Bangladesh, particularly in urban centres such as Dhaka, Chittagong, and Sylhet, where population density increases the potential for disruption. Residents are advised to keep emergency kits ready, follow official guidelines, and report any structural damage to local authorities. Meteorologists and seismologists continue to monitor the situation for potential aftershocks.

Regional power United Arab Emirates urged Iran and the United States on Tuesday to use the resumption of nuclear talks this week to resolve a standoff that has led to mutual threats of air strikes, emphasizing that the Middle East does not need another war. Iran and the United States will discuss Iran's nuclear programme on Friday in Turkey, Iranian and US officials told Reuters on Monday. US President Donald Trump said that with big US warships heading to Iran, "bad things" would probably happen if a deal could not be reached. Tehran's view of the talks is neither optimistic nor pessimistic, an Iranian diplomatic source told Reuters on Tuesday, adding that the Islamic Republic's defensive capabilities are non-negotiable and that it is ready for any scenario. "It remains to be seen whether the United States also intends to conduct serious, result-oriented negotiations or not," the source said. Iranian sources have said Trump is also seeking to limit Iran's ballistic missile programme, which Iranian officials say is an essential component of the country's defence. Earlier the UAE, a highly influential Gulf Arab oil producer and close US ally, said the region cannot afford another conflict. "I think that the region has gone through various calamitous confrontations," the UAE president's adviser Anwar Gargash told a panel at the World Governments Summit in Dubai. "I don't think we need another one, but I would like to see direct Iranian-American negotiations leading to understandings so that we don't have these issues every other day." Iran should rebuild its relationship with Washington to reach a wider geo-strategic deal which could help Tehran repair its economy ravaged by US sanctions, Gargash said. IRAN FEARS US STRIKE MIGHT IMPERIL RULE, SOURCES SAY Gulf Arab states are worried that Iran will carry out its threat to target US bases on their territory should Trump attack the Islamic Republic again. In June, the United States struck Iranian nuclear targets, joining in at the close of a 12-day Israeli bombing campaign. Since then, Tehran has said its uranium enrichment work - which it says is for peaceful, not military purposes - has stopped. Recent satellite imagery of two of the targeted sites, Isfahan and Natanz, appears to show new roofing over two previously destroyed buildings, according to the imagery provided by Planet Labs and reviewed by Reuters, which showed no other signs of rebuilding. US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi will meet in Istanbul to try to revive diplomacy over the long-running dispute about Iran's nuclear programme and dispel fears of a new regional war. A regional diplomat said representatives from countries such as Saudi Arabia and Egypt would also participate. The US naval buildup near Iran follows a violent crackdown against anti-government demonstrations last month. Trump, who stopped short of carrying out threats to intervene, has since demanded Tehran make nuclear concessions and sent a flotilla to its coast. He said last week Iran was "seriously talking", while Tehran's top security official Ali Larijani said arrangements for negotiations were under way. The priority of the talks in Istanbul is to avoid any conflict and de-escalate tensions, a regional official told Reuters on Tuesday. Regional powers including Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Egypt, Oman, and the United Arab Emirates were also invited to the foreign minister-level talks, he said. Iran’s leadership is increasingly worried a US strike could break its grip on power by driving an already enraged public back onto the streets, according to six current and former officials. In high-level meetings, officials told Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei that public anger over last month's crackdown - the bloodiest since the 1979 Islamic Revolution-- has reached a point where fear is no longer a deterrent, four current officials briefed on the discussions said. Iranian sources told Reuters last week that Trump had demanded three conditions for resumption of talks: Zero enrichment of uranium in Iran, limits on Tehran's ballistic missile programme and ending its support for regional proxies. Iran has long said all three demands are unacceptable infringements of its sovereignty, but two Iranian officials told Reuters its clerical rulers saw the ballistic missile programme, rather than uranium enrichment, as the bigger obstacle. One Iranian official said: "Diplomacy is ongoing. For talks to resume, Iran says there should not be preconditions and that it is ready to show flexibility on uranium enrichment, including handing over 400 kg of highly enriched uranium (HEU), accepting zero enrichment under a consortium arrangement as a solution." Tehran's regional sway has been weakened by Israel's attacks on its proxies - from Hamas in Gaza to Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Houthis in Yemen and militias in Iraq - as well as by the ousting of Iran's close ally, former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.