TO CONQUER a place is to fundamentally subdue its population. This must be clearly differentiated from 鈥榦ccupation鈥�, a specific legal term that governs the relationship between a foreign 鈥榦ccupying power鈥� and the occupied nation under international law, particularly the Fourth Geneva Convention...
A POOR state of the energy sector 鈥� where industries almost halve their production, power plants sit idle by the dozens, queues grow longer at filling stations and households wait until midnight to cook meals all because of constraining inadequacy in energy supply, especially gas 鈥� has come to be a grim reminder of a bad energy planning of the interim government...
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...
THE politicisation of police and the exertion of political control over law enforcement undermine the integrity and impartiality of policing. When police forces become subject to political influence, their priorities may shift from enforcing the law equitably to serving the interests of particular political groups or individuals. This erosion of neutrality can lead to selective...
IN THE United Nations General Assembly of 2000, heads of member states signed the historic Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), committing to a set of measurable targets ranging from reducing extreme poverty and hunger to promoting gender equality and lowering maternal and child mortality by 2015. As a UN member state, Bangladesh made notable progress...
ORPHANED children in Bangladesh remain among the most vulnerable segments of society. Yet, despite the urgency of their situation, they are often overlooked in national statistics and policy planning. The Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey 2019 notes that approximately 4.1 per cent of children in Bangladesh live without parental care. However, this figure barely...
THE nuisance that errant motorcyclists create on footpaths is no less severe than the hazard that they create on roads. According to different studies, motorcyclists tend to violate traffic rules more than others while motorcycles are consistently found to be involved in the maximum number of road accidents every year...
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...
