THE Fourth Industrial Revolution promises a dazzling future: hyper-connected cities, intelligent automation, ubiquitous sensors and AI-driven efficiency. For Bangladesh, embracing these technologies is not merely aspirational; it is considered essential for economic leapfrogging, enhanced governance and improved quality of life for millions. Yet, as we rush headlong into...
THE odious idea of a camp within a camp. The Gaza Strip, with an even greater concentration of Palestinian civilian life within an ever-shrinking stretch of territory. These are the proposals ventured by the Israeli government even as the official Palestinian death toll marches upwards to 60,000. They envisage the placement of some 600,000 displaced and houseless...
The crash of the F-7 aircraft over Dia Bari is not merely a tragic accident; it is the tragic symptom of a deeper and chronic institutional pathology. What we are witnessing is not the result of a single point of failure, but rather the slow-motion collapse of an organisational logic that tolerates decay, rewards negligence and defers accountability 鈥� until the cost is measured in human lives...
CONVENTIONALLY, a parliament member鈥檚 responsibilities tend to be seen in terms of scrutiny of legislation, development and constituent service. Observers talk about their formal roles. How about informal and less visible responsibilities? My collaborative research with the University of London, SOAS (2014-17), on this issue suggests that the MPs do their duties around...
In a stunning development that shook North American trade diplomacy, President Donald Trump announced on Truth Social that the United States is 鈥榯erminating ALL discussions on trade with Canada鈥� in retaliation for Ottawa鈥檚 implementation of a digital services tax, DST, targeting US tech firms. Trump, known for his aggressive trade posturing, condemned Canada鈥檚...
IN THE misty hills of Bandarban, the southern part of Chittagong Hill Tracts, an indigenous Marma family was torn apart by a war not of their making. Two brothers, raised side by side, found themselves on opposing sides of a battlefield: the elder in the military and the younger with the Shanti Bahini, fighting for the political rights of the indigenous peoples. The...
The starvation and genocide in Gaza and Israel鈥檚 unconstrained colonial and imperial arrogance have reached a point beyond redemption. Benjamin Netanyahu鈥檚 endless wars now bleed into Syria, attacking the heart of Damascus with absolute impunity. Meanwhile, the United States, supposedly the world鈥檚 leading superpower, remains tragically mired in subservience to...
THE Police Reform Commission once proposed a five-tier model for the use of force in crowd control. The first two stages emphasised non-contact measures 鈥� verbal communication, negotiation, and the use of barricades to maintain distance and prevent escalation. The third stage cautiously introduced physical force through non-lethal means: batons, gas sprays...
AT THE heart of the long-established structure of US foreign policy are powerful special interests (lobbies). Interests that are capable of substituting their parochial interest for national interest. The most powerful and successful of these special interests is the Zionist lobby. This is so despite the fact that the Zionists act as agents of a foreign power to assure American...
IN THE quiet corners of Bangladesh, where the rhythmic clatter of looms once echoed through village lanes and along riverbanks, silence is spreading. The handloom sector 鈥� an industry that for centuries wove the cultural fabric of the nation 鈥� is now rapidly unravelling. Once celebrated as the backbone of rural artistry and self-sufficiency, it today stands...
UNDERSTANDING the concept of environmental crime is a complex attempt that seeks consideration of the overall socio-cultural as well as political structure of a particular area. And the narrow view of criminology and criminal justice theories are changing over time. The idea of environmental justice within the criminological literature started to become prevalent in the...
CHAR-DWELLERS of Bangladesh have to fight against river erosion and natural calamities frequently. Despite having difficulties, they do not want to migrate to the cities because of the open space on the chars, the carefree life and a lack of financial wherewithal. Here, every resident is turned humble financially through the process of river erosion. Nowhere in...
ISRAEL is aggressively implementing plans to shape Palestine鈥檚 future and the broader region, sculpting its vision for the 鈥榙ay after鈥� its genocide in Gaza...
BANGLADESH has long been familiar with the wrath of nature. Nestled in the low-lying delta formed by the Ganges, Brahmaputra and Meghna rivers, the country endures relentless exposure to floods, cyclones, landslides, and the slow erosion of riverbanks. These threats are not new, but climate change has lent them a sharper edge. The Global Climate Risk Index...
