SILENT zones, or no-horn zones, in the capital of Dhaka have almost never been silent. They are, in fact, noisier than other areas where noise is usually high mostly because of a large number of vehicles honking horns. The interim government, after its installation on August 8, 2024 after the fall of the Awami League鈥檚 regime amidst the July uprising, declared the...
BANGLADESH observed International Literacy Day on September 8 without having any accurate statistics on the literacy rate in the country. During the Awami League regime, the government had manipulated the literacy rate on a number of occasions to falsely claim its success in the education sector. During their three consecutive terms, the literacy rate increased...
THE home adviser to the interim government finally admitting that the country鈥檚 law and order situation has deteriorated is a positive step, particularly as the government has so far persisted in denying any such decline. The adviser made the admission on September 7 while addressing the media. In his speech, he stated that there had been a 鈥榮light deterioration in law...
A GROUP of people said to be connected to diverse Islamist parties and groups on September 5 attacked a shrine, known as Nura Paglar Darbar, at Goalanda in Rajbari. The attackers vandalised the shrine, exhumed the body of Nura Pagla, whose given name is Nurul Haque Molla, who died on August 23 and was buried in a grave on raised ground, and burnt it. The clash...
AN ACUTE shortage of human resources and essential facilities at healthcare institutions in rural areas, especially at upazila and district public hospitals, shows the systemic neglect that has rendered rural health services inadequate. The situation also disproportionately burdens the poor and low-income people as they primarily depend on these hospitals. Ill-equipped...
CORRUPTION in Bangladesh remains persistent in the changed political context, the chair of the global Transparency International observed during his three-day official visit in Dhaka. The chair, Fran莽ois Val茅rian made the remark in...
THE Appellate Division on September 4 upheld the High Court鈥檚 acquittal of all the 49 accused in the cases of the August 21, 2004 grenade attack on an Awami League rally, nullifying the subordinate court鈥檚 conviction of the accused. The heinous...
The Roads and Highways Department coming to suspend its eviction drive to reclaim grabbed land after one of its surveyors was attacked by illegal occupiers speaks of the sorry state of reclamation efforts. The surveyor came under attack on September 2 during a drive to demolish illegal structures beside the Dhaka鈥揗ymensingh Highway at Sripur in Gazipur. Officials of...
MIGRANT Bangladeshi workers overseas are often reported to have run into problems, mostly because of offences such as overstaying visas, lacking valid documents and misusing permits. In the latest such incident, Malaysian immigration authorities, as 抖阴精品 reported on September 4, quoting the Malaysian national news agency Bernama, detained 770 migrant workers in...
THE death of another worker caused by police action over unpaid wages demonstrates the government鈥檚 continued disregard for worker rights. At least 25 others were also injured in the clash with law enforcers at the Uttara Export Processing Zone in Nilphamari on September 2. While the family and fellows of the victim claimed that the deceased was shot by law enforcers...
THE High Court verdict of September 2 that directed the government to establish a separate secretariat in the Supreme Court and to vest full disciplinary control over subordinate court judges in the apex court is a welcome development. The judgement came in response to a public interest litigation writ petition filed by a group of Supreme Court lawyers after the fall of...
THE High Court鈥檚 recent directive to restore the River Dhaleshwari and hold encroachers and polluters accountable is a welcome step. The river is under severe threat from unchecked encroachment and industrial pollution. The High Court directed the National River Conservation Commission, the deputy commissioner of Dhaka and the Inland Water Transport Authority...
THE call that government officials, development partners and rights activists have put out for a comprehensive social protection system covering all marginalised groups to build an equitable society is what the government should heed, especially at a time when Bangladesh, now a lower middle-income country, is set to graduate out of the bloc of least developed...
IT IS disconcerting that the education system in Bangladesh still cannot ensure the rights of children with disabilities. Teachers, students and parents have long been talking about the lack of infrastructural support and other resources needed for children with...
IT IS alarming that fresh tensions are erupting almost every day across the country, with clashes making frequent headlines. On August 31, incidents of violence occurred at three universities 鈥� the University of Chittagong, the University of Rajshahi, and...