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...
IN A world already fraying at the seams with endless wars, deepening divisions, and mounting anxieties, something far more ancient and ominous seems to be stirring 鈥� something that does not come draped in ideology or diplomacy. Nature, the most silent of all forces, seems to be shouting now. And her voice is one of flames, floods, quakes, and storms...
A HORRIFYING statistic hovers over the poorer nations: 3.4 billion people now live in countries that spend more on interest payments for public debt than on education or health.
A FEW days ago, I tried to access DeepSeek on my mobile phone. I was taken to a verification page, which wanted to make sure I was a human, not a robot or a mindless automaton. This prompted some thoughts about AI, humanity, and their...
BENJAMIN Franklin once warned, 鈥楧on鈥檛 put off till tomorrow what you can do today.鈥� In Bangladesh, this wisdom is reversed, distorted and institutionalised within bureaucratic practice as a strategy for self-aggrandisement. Their unspoken motto seems...
OVER the past four decades, there have been at least three tectonic shifts in the geopolitics of the Middle East, often referred to as efforts at 鈥榗hanging the map鈥� of the Middle East.聽 In 1982, Israeli defense minister Ariel Sharon invaded Lebanon in order to destroy the threat of Yasir Arafat鈥檚 Palestine Liberation Organisation.聽 In 2003, the Bush administration created...
THE government of China has formally embarked on constructing what is projected to become the world鈥檚 largest hydropower dam on the Yarlung Zangbo river, known downstream as the Brahmaputra in India and Bangladesh. This mega-dam will comprise a cascade of five hydropower stations situated in Nyingchi, southeastern Tibet and will be capable of generating...
THE most heart-rending accident of a BAF training fighter jet鈥檚 crashing into a city school and catching fire has caused irrecoverable losses to the nation as it has so far left dead 35 learners who had a long way to bloom in life as better human beings than us. It is a disaster beyond enduring limit for the parents bereaved of their most loved ones in life. It is not to...
FOR decades, countless US officials have proclaimed that the bonds between the United States and Israel are unbreakable. Now, the ties that bind are laced with genocide. The two countries function as accomplices while methodical killing continues in Gaza, with both societies directly, and differently, making it all possible...
IN A sunlit classroom at Bangladesh Agricultural University, final-year students gather around a miniature canal model, tracing the path of water as it flows towards a simulated paddy field. It may seem like a simple academic exercise, but for these young engineers-in-training, it symbolises a quiet revolution. This is where Bangladesh鈥檚 future is being engineered...
BANGLADESH may be far from achieving equality and its social stratification is so stark that a university student, a rickshaw puller, a street vendor and a day labourer are put in the same bracket on one count. They largely skip meals. They are forced to skip meals, especially breakfast...
PROPORTIONAL representation is often praised for making electoral systems fairer. It can ensure more accurate vote-to-seat ratios, greater inclusion of small parties, better minority representation, and coalition-based governance that reflects diverse voices. However, it also comes with serious risks 鈥� policy gridlock, coalition instability, empowerment of extreme factions, and weakened accountability...
