Committee formed to reform Bangla Academy
The cultural affairs ministry on Monday formed a 19-member committee to bring about quality changes and reforms in Bangla Academy, an autonomous institution under the ministry...
Tags : Reform
Unease persists, many panicked at NBR
A week after the withdrawal of protests on June 29, the National Board of Revenue remains enveloped into a state of unease and gloom...
Banking reforms to fail if political influence persists, says governor
Bangladesh Bank governor Ahsan H Mansur on Monday said that no reform effort in the banking sector will be effective unless political interference is fully eliminated...
Reform, innovation and global alignment
BANGLADESH鈥橲 journey towards a knowledge-based economy will remain incomplete without meaningful reforms across all levels of education. Recent proposals such as the Bangladesh Nationalist Party鈥檚 pledge to enhance the economic and social standing of primary school teachers, alongside expanded training, deserve serious policy attention. International research...
Time for govt to act now
THE banking sector has for decades been grappling with persistent challenges that have left it teetering on the edge of credibility. Despite being a vital pillar of the economic growth, the sector remains marred by corruption, poor governance, political interference, and a weak regulatory framework. As a result, public trust has eroded significantly and urgent reform is necessary to prevent a deepening crisis...
No reforms yet in civil service job reservations unfortunate
REFORMS in the civil service job reservations that students sought, which sparked off protests on July 1, 2024, flared into a mass uprising later that month and toppled the Awami League government on August 5 that year, have worryingly remained unresolved 11 months inside the installation of the interim government. This is unfortunate of the interim government, which...
Govt job quota reform remains unresolved
A rational reform of the quota system in government jobs has remained unresolved even after a year of the anti-quota movement under the Students Against Discrimination platform in July-August 2024 that led to the fall of the Sheikh Hasina-led Awami League regime...
Political parties must not let reform opportunity slip away
The dismal prospect for reforms in areas such as governance, elections, administration and power structures, largely because of increasingly polarised positions of political parties, is disheartening. It is understandable that the political parties will not have similar stance on the issues, but drastically polarised stances of the parties disregard the hopes and aspirations that...
Media reforms stressed for ensuring press freedom
Journalists, academics, and political leaders on Thursday called for greater transparency, accountability, and structural reform in Bangladesh鈥檚 media sector to restore public trust in and safeguard press freedom...
IGP for police commission free from political interference
Inspector general of police Baharul Alam on Wednesday observed that the proposal of police reform commission downplayed the core issues of governance, including keeping police free from political interference and undue process...
IGP for independent police commission free from political interference
Inspector general of police Baharul Alam on Wednesday observed that the proposal of police reform commission downplayed the core issues of governance, including keeping police free from political interference and undue process.
鈥楳arch to NBR鈥� called for June 28聽聽
The NBR Reform Unity Council, a platform of the NBR officials who have been protesting against an ordinance that splits the revenue board into two divisions, on Wednesday said that it would hold a 鈥楳arch to NBR鈥� programme on June 28...
Govt fast-tracks聽public admin reform proposal
The interim government has decided to swiftly implement eight measures, based on the Public Administration Reform Commission鈥檚 recommendations, including reforming the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics to a commission, reviewing the...
Road transport sector should be on govt鈥檚 reform agenda
PUBLIC transport remains unsafe and the government has so far kept the sector off its reform platter. The Passenger Welfare Association of Bangladesh reports that at least 614 people died and 1,196 became injured in 597 road accidents in May. April was equally deadly, with the death of at least 583 people and injuries to 1,202 in 567 accidents. The highest 33.5 per cent of...
Ways to effect recommendations
THE health sector reforms commission was formed to propose ways and means to develop a people-oriented, easily available universal healthcare system. 鈥楶eople-oriented care鈥� must fulfill people鈥檚 health needs with quality. This will be possible only...
Legal reforms to protect labour rights a must
WORKER rights in Bangladesh continue to remain unprotected as reported in the most recent Global Rights Index of the International Trade Union Confederation. This is disconcerting. In the index made public on June 2, Bangladesh is ranked among the 10 worst countries with a score of 5, suggesting that the country has no guarantee for worker rights. For nine consecutive...
Commonwealth offers support in Bangladesh reform process
Commonwealth secretary-general Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey said on Tuesday that they were keen to support Bangladesh in political reforms ahead of the planned general election next year.
CJ calls for global support in judicial reforms
Bangladesh鈥檚 chief justice Syed Refaat Ahmed on Tuesday called for united global efforts to strengthen judicial independence and uphold human rights, especially during critical times for Bangladesh.
CJ urges journalists to be partners in judicial reforms
Chief Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed on Monday called on journalists to stand as active partners in the ongoing judicial reform efforts, emphasising the need for continued media engagement to raise public awareness and support for ensuring full independence of the judiciary.
Transport reform still stuck in traffic
EACH Eid, millions of Bangladeshis undertake long journeys to reunite with loved ones, carrying with them gifts, savings and hopes. These homecomings, rooted in ritual and emotion, are meant to be moments of joy. Yet, with alarming regularity, they are punctuated by devastating reports of road crashes. This year was no different. The Bangladesh Jatri Kalyan Samity...
NBR officials demand removal of chairman
NBR Reform Unity Council leaders on Monday demanded the removal of NBR chairman Abdur Rahman Khan by May 29, citing a lack of trust among officials and staff in his leadership.
Consensus needed for sustainable reforms
Civil society members said on Sunday that a national consensus was essential for sustainable reforms in various sectors...
Maitri Jatra for intersectional, transformative changes
AS A transnational feminist scholar of social movements, when the Women鈥檚 Affairs Reform Commission鈥檚 report came out on April 19, I became keen on reviewing the 433 recommendations under 15 thematic areas. I was initially a bit frustrated to see that the report primarily focused on 鈥榚quality between women and men鈥�...
NBR Reform Unity Council withdraws strike
The NBR Reform Unity Council on Sunday withdrew its previously announced full-fledged strike and welcomed the government鈥檚 announcement that all necessary amendments to Revenue Policy and Administration Reform Ordinance, 2025, will be made by July 31.
Re-assessing export-import policies stressed
Speakers at a seminar on Saturday said that export-import policy reform is key to resilience and long-term competitiveness while re-assessing such policies is necessary to meet the challenges of post-LDC period...
NCP rebuts link to student advisers
The National Citizen Party on Saturday said that the two student advisers in the interim government had no affiliation with it (NCP).
LABOUR REFORM: Implementation of commission recommendations demanded
Politicians, academics and garment labour leaders on Friday at a rally in Dhaka called on the interim government to take steps to establish rights of the workers, especially the garment workers.
Left parties oppose excluding proclamation of independence
Left-leaning political parties have strongly opposed the Constitution Reform Commission鈥檚 proposal to exclude Article 150(2) of the constitution, particularly the seventh schedule, which contains Bangladesh鈥檚 proclamation of independence signed on April 10, 1971.
Early execution of health sector reforms warranted
THE health sector reform report, of all the reforms commission reports, is better poised for a fast implementation, having faced little criticism and barriers as there is almost no contention about the report that recommends steps for the improvement in the health sector. What the authorities now need to do is to set strategic priorities and identify enablers and barriers to...
Identifying priorities, enablers,聽barriers suggested
Setting strategic priorities and identifying enablers and barriers are immediate tasks for implementing the Health Sector Reform Commission鈥檚 recommendations, said experts at a seminar held on Tuesday...