ON THE night of April 29, slipping inexorably into the 30th, 1991, I stood on the deck of the BNS Osman, a young officer clad in the ceremonial austerity of the Red Sea Rig. It was a moment of professional pride, for I had only recently earned my certificate of competency 鈥� a tangible symbol of merit in a tradition-bound service. I harboured quiet dreams of one day...
DOMESTIC workers, mostly women and children, continue to work without any policy protection in Bangladesh. The labour and women鈥檚 affairs advisers, when discussing domestic workers鈥� demands, including their employment status and workplace safety on April 27, proposed the idea of setting up a complaint mechanism for domestic workers. Many domestic workers...
HISTORY is a tireless teacher. It reminds us that wars between India and Pakistan have only hardened enmities, deepened poverty, and imperilled the broader region鈥檚 stability. Today, as tensions mount once again over the Indus Waters Treaty, a sobering truth confronts both New Delhi and Islamabad: peace is not an idealistic luxury 鈥� it is a survival imperative...
POLICE legitimacy, the public鈥檚 confidence in law enforcement鈥檚 authority to act in the community鈥檚 best interest, is essential for building trust, fostering cooperation, and encouraging voluntary compliance with the law. It shapes citizens鈥� willingness to report crimes, support policing efforts, and uphold societal order. Rooted in procedural justice 鈥� transparency...
THE employment landscape of Bangladesh is highly concentrated towards the informal sector, accounting for 84.07 per cent of total employment, according to the Labour Force Survey (2023). The survey figured that informality is prevalent at a higher rate among women, with 95.7 per cent engaged in informal jobs and only 4.3 per cent in formal roles. Again, an...
THE term 鈥榦pposition to inequality鈥� has re-emerged with striking political significance in the wake of the August student-popular uprising led by the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement. But this resurgence raises a pressing question: Is opposition to inequality merely a slogan to mobilise mass sentiment, or does it hold practical significance in dismantling the...
UNIVERSITY of Dhaka students demanding elections to the Dhaka University Central Students鈥� Union and hall unions in three to six months is a legitimate demand. The demand came once again through a survey that the advisory committee formed by the university administration conducted in March 23鈥揂pril 6. About 75 per cent of the respondents say that the authorities...
MORE than a thousand 鈥� 1,375 to be precise 鈥� of the 5,753 firearms that were looted during the August 2024 political changeover having still not been traced is said to have exposed law and order to a threat of worsening. Official data show that the police are yet to recover 2,57,849 ammunition of the 6,12,982 of various types that were looted that time. The government...
AFTER the dastardly incident at Pahalgam in India-held Kashmir, Pakistan immediately distanced itself in unequivocal terms from the perpetrators...
THE picturesque town of Pahalgam, once fondly dubbed the 鈥楽witzerland of India,鈥� now bears the weight of a tragedy that marks a troubling shift in India鈥檚 socio-political landscape. The deadly gun attack in this Himalayan resort town, which claimed the lives of at least 26 people, including foreign nationals and a naval officer, is not merely another terror incident. It is a...
THE police, tasked with maintaining law and order, preventing crime, and protecting citizens, their role extends beyond traditional law enforcement to safeguarding fundamental human rights. In a democratic society, the police are not only enforcers of the law but also guardians of justice and equality. Upholding human rights lies at the core of modern policing, ensuring...
