Bangladesh's interim government chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus on Wednesday urged top Republican Party leaders to visit Bangladesh to witness the Interim Government鈥檚 efforts to restore democracy in the country, says a press release.
FREEDOM of speech, that most glorious of ideals, once envisioned as the beating heart of democracy, has devolved into a tragicomedy in many parts of the world. In some nations, it is a grand performance piece 鈥� hailed with great fanfare but existing only as a figment of collective imagination. Others prefer a more Kafkaesque approach...
THE demand for free, fair and transparent elections has become pronounced. The issue is reflected in a decision of the interim government to form the election commission reforms committee. Tasked with revamping the election commission to enhance its independence, transparency and public trust, the committee work represents a critical step...
BANGLADESH emerged as an independent nation in 1971 with a democratic beginning, but unfortunately it did not have smooth sailing. In the past 50 years, Bangladesh experienced...
Noor Hossain Day will be observed today commemorating the sacrifice of the young campaigner for democracy who was gunned down by the police at Zero Point in Dhaka on November 10, 1987.
The Bangladesh Nationalist Party on Thursday hoped that the interim government would be able to hold the next general election at an appropriate time.
The Democracy International has recently organised an event titled Amio Jitte Chai featuring discussion and theatrical performance at the Rajshahi College auditorium.聽
Speakers, including journalists, writers and academics said on Saturday that people鈥檚 freedom and democratic practice in the country were absent during 15 years of authoritarian rule of the Awami League...
Jatiya Party chairman GM Quader on Friday said that the country was in a state of crisis, affirming that his party would continue its protests and scheduled activities despite the recent attack.
Acting chairman of Bangladesh Nationalist Party Tarique Rahman on Thursday underscored the need for holding fair elections for continuation of democracy...
A close ally of detained Myanmar democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi was granted amnesty by junta authorities as he battles cancer, a party source said on Sunday...
Former Jahangirnagar University professor Anu Muhammad said on Friday evening that democratic governance would not be possible unless four types of inequalities namely class, ethnic, religious, and...
I believe that the selection of Professor Ali Riaz as head of the Constitution Reform Commission was an excellent decision. I support Professor Riaz鈥檚 proposal to rewrite the constitution rather than continuing with amendments...
THE cornerstone of an inclusive democracy lies in a free and fair electoral system. Electoral reform, therefore, is one of the interim government鈥檚 highest priorities. While restructuring the Election Commission is crucial, shifting public perception about the significance of voting is equally important. The interim government can swiftly restructure the...
THE democratic aspirations that Bangladeshis have nurtured, despite the former Sheikh Hasina-led government鈥檚 decade-long stringent suppression of dissent, have paved the way for a fresh political discourse through the July uprising. Riding the wave of renewed hope, the demand for a new political landscape has become stronger than ever...
REVOLUTIONS or mass uprisings have been both triumphs and tragedies in history鈥檚 archives, marked by the inevitable complexities that follow the overthrow of entrenched regimes. The July uprising, which brought down the Awami League鈥檚 16-year autocratic rule, is no exception. This student-led uprising was hailed as a watershed moment for democracy in Bangladesh,...
Voter turnout is diminishing around the world and the results of elections are increasingly questioned, a report on the state of democracy said on Tuesday.
Bangladesh Nationalist Party acting chairman Tarique Rahman on Saturday said that Bangladesh still had a long way to go to build a robust and strong democracy as weaknesses of...
IN THE 1960s East Bengal, now Bangladesh, witnessed a huge uprising in political and cultural awareness. This period is generally referred to as a political and cultural renaissance, driven by a deep desire for autonomy, democracy, the freedom of speech, secularism and justice. This collective awakening among the people of East Bengal laid the foundation for a non-sectarian, progressive society, which culminated in the 1969 mass uprising and played an important role in Bangladesh鈥檚 independence in 1971...
IN THE last month, Bangladesh has experienced a disturbing surge in violent incidents involving large groups acting outside the law. Recently, in less than a week, a teenage Hindu boy in Khulna was brutally assaulted and beaten by a mob in front of local police after being accused of defaming Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) on social media. Concurrently...
IN THE annals of human civilisation, democracy stands as a magnificent garden, a living, breathing ecosystem that requires constant care and attention. This garden, with its countless plants representing the diverse voices and ideals of society, is not a barren, untamed wilderness but a carefully cultivated space where the fruits of freedom and justice can flourish...
The Bangladesh Nationalist Party on Wednesday called a two-day programme to pay homage to those who were killed in the movements against authoritarian rule over the past 17 years and to mark International Democracy Day...
LORD Acton famously said, 鈥楶ower tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.鈥� When citizens fail to hold their government accountable, a regime can accumulate unchecked power, weakening even the strongest checks and balances and leading to autocracy. John Stuart Mill鈥檚 reminder that 鈥楾he price of liberty is eternal vigilance鈥� highlights...
The constitution contains a controversial clause that restricts members of parliament elected through a political party from exercising their voting rights in parliament according to their own will if it contradicts the party鈥檚 decision. Article 70 of the constitution empowers political parties to oblige their members of parliament to comply with party decisions...
Students and teachers on Tuesday at a discussion said effective academic practice, space for dissent and democracy with functioning students鈥� union could create a flourishing environment at universities in the country.
Bangladesh Nationalist Party secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Sunday said that the party would face all kinds of challenges in the process of establishing democracy...
IN A democracy, the judiciary is more than a mechanism for resolving disputes 鈥� it is a pillar that upholds the rule of law, safeguards human rights and ensures that every citizen is treated with fairness and dignity. The courts, as symbols of justice, are meant to be sanctuaries where the truth is sought and justice is served impartially...
The Bangladesh Nationalist Party on Monday said that that chief adviser Mohammad Yunus鈥檚 address to the nation lacked a roadmap for transition to democracy.
The Bangladesh Nationalist Party said on Thursday that Switzerland was ready to cooperate with any initiative taken by the Bangladesh government to recover laundered money and democracy...
THOSE who are currently students at universities in Bangladesh came of age during the autocratic rule of the now fallen prime minister Sheikh Hasina (2009鈥�2024). They never had a taste of democracy; they never saw any credible election in their country. All they saw was political repression and corruption at every tier of the government and at every level...