Below is the text of the July Declaration that the chief adviser to the interim government Muhammad Yunus read out at a public gathering on the South Plaza of the National Assembly building in Dhaka on August 5, marking a year of the deposal of the authoritarian Awami League government...
JULY of 2024 was a happening month, in national sphere, in the newsroom and in my personal life. It did begin as other months do, but, for me, three events happened 鈥� two, in fact, did and one did not. I did not anticipate the two that happened and I was eagerly looking forward to the one that did not happen. I stepped into the University of Dhaka in July 1989 and 34...
PUBLIC health system stands at a crossroads. For a country that has made significant strides in maternal and child health and lowered infectious disease burdens, a deep contradiction now threatens to jeopardise further progress: the paradox of low public financing coupled with low budget utilisation. In plain terms, not only is Bangladesh spending too little on health...
THE July uprising, a watershed moment in the nation鈥檚 history, will be remembered not only for its political ramifications but also for the powerful and defining role played by women, specifically mothers and daughters. Their collective action, a potent blend of seasoned wisdom and youthful idealism, became the uprising鈥檚 driving force, shaping its character...
PALESTINIANS and international humanitarian groups were among those who denounced Friday鈥檚 (August 1) highly orchestrated tour of a Gaza aid distribution center run by a US-backed group condemned for its role in Israeli forces鈥� massacres of desperate people seeking food and other lifesaving aid...
MYANMAR is a complex geopolitical milieu in the Indo-Pacific region that directly affects the connectivity between South and Southeast Asia. During colonial time, it was one geopolitical unit, but it is now practically divided. There is tension brewing at the midpoint between these two sub-systems. The internal insurgency and national integration problems of Myanmar...
WATER has long been a source of both hardship and nourishment in Bangladesh鈥檚 coastal deltas and riverine plains. With more than 700 rivers, this low-lying country has long relied on its plentiful water supplies for human use, agriculture and fishing. However, the same water systems that formerly supported development are currently under attack from institutional...
IN RECENT decades, Bangladesh has made significant progress in promoting gender equality in areas such as education, health and employment. However, when it comes to politics 鈥� the sphere that defines who makes decisions and sets the direction of public life 鈥� women remain vastly underrepresented. While the country has been led by women prime ministers...
A COALITION of cross-regional states met in Bogot谩, Colombia in mid-July to discuss measures to disrupt Israel鈥檚 genocide of Palestinians. The subsequent commitments by some of those governments to end all material support to Israel and to uphold international law is an important development not just to end the genocide, but to counter the relentless militarism...
IN A world where capital flows increasingly shape the fortunes of developing economies, the importance of transparent and comparable financial statements cannot be overstated. International accounting standards, when properly applied, can help countries attract foreign investment, bolster financial credibility and unlock economic potential. But while the global...
A SIGNIFICANT number of underprivileged children continue to suffer from what is now recognised as learning poverty 鈥� particularly in developing foundational literacy and numeracy skills 鈥� despite the government鈥檚 considerable annual investment in primary education through the Primary Education Development Programme and additional efforts by...
