SECULARISM is not the denial of faith. It is the protection of faith 鈥� every faith. It is the promise that the state will not favour one path to God over another, and that no citizen shall suffer or be silenced because of what they believe, or refuse to believe. It is the simple, sacred understanding that a government must serve all its people, not the followers of one religion...
SINCE its independence in 1971, Bangladesh has enshrined human rights at the heart of its national identity. The Constitution guarantees fundamental rights, equality before the law, freedom of expression and protection from discrimination, reflecting the nation鈥檚 founding vision of justice and dignity for all. Yet over five decades later, the human rights landscape...
IN DECEMBER 2022, Israeli ministry of energy launched the Fourth Offshore Bid Round offering new exploration licenses...
BANGLADESH stands at a political crossroads once again. Fourteen months after the August 2024 student uprising toppled Sheikh Hasina鈥檚 long-entrenched government, the nation鈥檚 political forces have signed what they are calling a historic social contract 鈥� the July National Charter 2025. The event was framed as the roadmap for a 鈥榥ew Bangladesh鈥�. It promises to...
THE country will observe the fourth World Statistics Day on October 20. This year鈥檚 theme, 鈥楧riving change with quality statistics and data for all鈥�, stresses the crucial role of reliable information in shaping policies and building trust. Since 2010, the day has been observed every five years by the United Nations Statistical Division and national statistical organisations...
A STORM of violence against women is sweeping, quietly engulfing lives and breaking families. Every day, women face threats not only on the roads but also within their houses, the very places that should offer them safety. From brutal assaults and domestic abuse to cyber harassment and emotional torture, the patterns of violence are deepening, yet society remains...
THE dream of living not just longer but healthier beyond the age of 70 has fascinated medical researchers, public health experts and ordinary people alike. Global life expectancy has risen steadily, particularly in countries where infectious diseases have been curbed and healthcare access has improved. Yet the real question is not simply how many years people live, but...
CHILD rights, as outlined by the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, form a crucial part of human rights aimed at ensuring the healthy physical, mental, spiritual and social development of children. These rights guarantee protection, education, healthcare, recreation and freedom from abuse and exploitation. Adopted in 1989 and ratified by almost every...
ANOTHER fire, another round of grief, and yet, another reminder that Bangladesh has not learned from its past. On October 14, a blaze tore through a garment factory and adjacent chemical warehouse at Rupnagar of Mirpur in Dhaka, killing at least 16 people and injuring many more. Firefighters battled for hours to bring the inferno under control, but for those...
PALESTINIANS under Israel鈥檚 24/7 aerial bombings and food, fuel, medicine, and water obstructions after the Hamas attacks on settlers of October 7, 2023, are also victims of relentless propaganda. It targets their humanity, portraying them as...
MY MOST recent trip to Bangladesh took me to our ancestral home in Chilmari in Kurigram district, where my elderly parents live. After spending a couple of days in this place of my birth, childhood and schooling, I was going to travel to Rangpur en route to...
BANGLADESH has made commendable progress in primary, secondary and higher education over the past few decades. However, when it comes to the quality of education, serious concerns remain. The decentralisation of education has not...
PUBLIC policy-making is a complex, multi-layered process that involves how governments identify issues, develop solutions and implement them to achieve socio-economic goals. In Bangladesh, this process is both dynamic and intricate, shaped by...
SATKHIRA is a district situated in the southwest of Bangladesh bordered by West Bengal of India and the Bay of Bengal. It is a place full of natural beauty, rich culture and heritage and enormous economic potential. The world-famous Mangrove Forest...
