Category: Public concern
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Strict actions are needed for effective reforms
This op-ed was published on March 15, 2024. As Bangladesh continues to grapple with longstanding crises such as reserve management, corruption, and law enforcement, it’s evident that meaningful reforms are needed to overcome this uncomfortable situation and ease uneasiness. And such reforms demand resolute leadership. The aftermath of the recent elections, which saw the incumbent…
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Bangladesh’s drug problem is deep-rooted, unstoppable
Over the past four decades, Bangladesh has been alarmed by the rise of new synthetic drugs, the number of drug addicts among adolescents and young women, drug smuggling, drug-related crimes, substandard rehabilitation centres, and lax monitoring and enforcement of laws. During this period, successive governments have formulated new laws and modernized some age-old laws, increased…
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Instant gratification trap: Do you really need that?
Human brains, by default, tend to pick the choice, wish, or dream when it comes to making a decision, as the thoughts of a choice create excitement, forcing them to chase and accomplish it. Why so? It happens because humans wish for something that is aligned with their lifestyle or thoughts—be it buying a luxury…
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Entrepreneurship: How digital tools are helping people overcome financial crises
Since early 2020, the Covid-19 pandemic has caused thousands of layoffs, especially in the informal sector, and compelled daily wagers to stay home. The loss of earning sources devastated these families, and many left the capital for village homes to cut expenses. Even the income of many affluent people involved in wholesale and retail businesses,…
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Do humans learn from animals?
In the grand tapestry of life on Earth, humans have thrived by learning invaluable lessons from the myriad beings that share this planet with us. The wisdom that animals and nature have bestowed upon us is immeasurable, ranging from the straightforward tasks of gathering food to the intricate ones of building boats and aircraft. However,…
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US interests, accusations of ‘Arab Spring’, and Bangladesh’s path forward
In a recent twist of geopolitics, Russia has accused the United States of planning events to destabilize its close ally Bangladesh following the January 7 elections. The allegations, drawing parallels with the “Arab Spring”, shed light on the intricate dynamics of great power competition in South Asia. Earlier, China slammed the US for its alleged…
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What did the Biden administration seek from Sheikh Hasina?
Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League came under great pressure at home and abroad from the very beginning regarding the dramatic results of the 2018 parliamentary elections and allegations of vote rigging—that too after a lopsided election in 2014. Her government had to face one rumor after another, harsh controversies and criticisms for corruption, irregularities, inefficiency, nepotism…
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How US is modernizing Bangladesh Army
Despite calls by US politicians and Human Rights Watch to exclude members of the Bangladesh Army and police from the UN Peacekeeping missions, accusing them of violating human rights, the United States has continued providing Bangladesh with numerous new military capabilities to support the Army, Navy, Air Force and Special Operations units. This assistance comes…
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JUNE 22, 1971: US was nonchalant when Syed Nazrul sought recognition
The Nixon administration decided to keep mum when it received the first formal request for US recognition of Bangladesh in June 1971 and announced support for a unified Pakistan. Dated “Mujibnagar”, April 24, the letter requested President Richard Nixon’s immediate US recognition of the “sovereign independent People’s Republic of Bangladesh” and establishing diplomatic relations with…
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2023: Will the BNP be victorious between Eids?
The ruling Awami League has been in power since 2009. Its archrival BNP has often declared dates during intense public protests, notably before the general elections of 2014 and 2018, but has been unable to overthrow the ruling party. They abstained from the 2014 elections but decided to participate in the following one as a…
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May 10, 1971: Pakistani military ruler Yahya invites Awami League to form government
In early May during the Liberation War, Pakistan President General Agha Muhammad Yahya Khan was pondering the transfer of political power without holding fresh elections. He was in favour of the Awami League forming the nucleus of the government in East Pakistan as it swept a landslide victory in the December 1970 elections, except for…
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1952 Language Movement Series: Not 5, dozens were killed on February 21-22
Bangalees started getting united to thwart possible attempts to undermine Bengali in July 1947, a month before the establishment of Pakistan and India based on religion, as they sensed the political leadership in West Pakistan would prioritize Urdu. They were right. The initiatives, taken by the West Pakistani rulers and supported by some Bangalee Muslim…
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THE BLOOD TELEGRAM: How a US envoy exposed genocide by Pakistan Army
While the Nixon-Kissinger administration continued supporting military strongman General AM Yahya Khan, who launched a crackdown to “maintain the integrity of Pakistan,” a diplomat in Dhaka urged the US government to express shock, describing the atrocities in a telegram on March 27, 1971. “Selective Genocide” was the title of the telegram sent by Consul General…
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Chhtra League: Rejected or rewarded?
The ruling party’s student wing has gone mad, thanks to the party chief, Sheikh Hasina — the prime minister, who prefers to keep her violent youths on the streets as striking force! The problem is that two other violent parties — BNP and Jamaat — think and act the same way! Two persons among those…
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Nepal Earthquake rings alarm bell for many in Bangladesh
In modern days, people are so callous that they don’t tend to take precautionary measures but show enthusiasm to cover the loss incurred — be it natural disaster or those man-made ones. Here earthquake is the deadliest disaster that strike without a warning, anytime! History of earthquakes says they can come anytime and may revisit…
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One of the rapists of February 21 sex assaults at DU identified
Hats off to the Bangladesh Facebook users; you are doing something great! Since February 21, 2015, I had been frustrated to see no development in the sexual assaults of at least three girls on the Amar Ekushey Book Fair premises at Suhrawardy Udyan gate on Dhaka University campus. Only the Dhaka Tribune published photos of the rapists…
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Oporajeo workers need your support
Those who set #Oporajeo jute and cotton bag factory on fire last month wanted to cripple the noble and unique initiative… The factory at Savar employs around 35 surviving workers of the Rana Plaza factories and they were given medical and education facilities as well as profit share…some people who did not like the groundbreaking…
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There still are some pro-women men in Bangladesh
Please disregard the police quotes; they helped the attackers flee! On April 14, it’s the first day of Bengali new year in Bangladesh when hundreds of thousands of people celebrate the day with cultural festivity across the country. The largest congregations take place at Shahbagh and Dhaka University campus in the heart of the capital.…
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বাংলা নববর্ষ, বাঙালির নববর্ষ
কাল চৈত্র সংক্রান্তি, পরশু বাংলা নববর্ষ। আমি ঐতিহাসিক সত্যটা মানি। বিকৃত ইতিহাস পরিত্যাজ্য… মুসলিমপ্রধান বাংলাদেশের বাঙালি [কথিত হিন্দুয়ানী] সংস্কৃতিকে নানাভাবে বিকৃত করার এখনো চলমান। সম্প্রতি যোগ হয়েছে পশ্চিমা পণ্য সংস্কৃতির আগ্রাসন। ইতিমধ্যেই রাজনৈতিক অনেক ইসলামী নেতারা পহেলা বৈশাখকে ইসলামবিরোধী হিসেবে ফতোয়া দিচ্ছে। ২০০১ সালে রমনা বটমূলের অনুষ্ঠানে বোমা হামলার পেছনেও একই কারণ দেখানো হয়েছিল। এসবের…
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Be either secular or religious, not both
Secular scholars are killed, others threatened by radical Muslims of constitutionally-secular Bangladesh in 2015, a state which recognised Islam as the state religion, based on population, and declared by an army ruler in 1986!!! The party which introduced secularism in the first constitution of 1972, now in power with the deposed military dictator, amended the…
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No ordinary citizen familiar with this Bangladesh
For the past three years, some disgruntled political quarters have been in a #war against the floating voters to create a favourable atmosphere for capturing power and uproot the government. I’m, however, optimistic that someday, this #political #wargame will be held in stadiums, whenever situation arises! I’ll watch LIVE from my bed 🙂 This power-hungry…
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Reports say dozens of militant outfits operating in Bangladesh
More new groups may appear today or tomorrow. But here’s a long list of extremist Islamist groups, along with five banned outfits, international groups, suspected financier NGOs operating in Bangladesh. It’s shocking for the ordinary, unarmed and peace-loving people, no doubt! Radical Islmaists in Bangladesh have been abusing Islam, country’s state religion, for decades for…
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Please, train the law enforcers properly
RAB & policemen with #arms were watching when over a dozen ruling party men hacked #Bishwajit in broad daylight. They did not leave the spot to assist the ruling party men, who possibly thought Bishwajit was a BNP supporter. And we blame the #photojournalists and TV camerapersons and the ordinary people for not saving the…
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Sundarbans Oil Spill: Is Bangladesh capable of facing disasters?
Now Dolphins started dying after the Sundarbans oil spill. Fishes, birds, crabs are already dying. Next are the deer and tigers, and what not! However, it’s no big deal for this government and the administration of 2014 Bangladesh! Its minister says the oil spill will not harm the forest much! They are building two 1320MW coal-run power plants – despite knowing…
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Hang all 1971 war criminals
I’m not a patriot, not a nationalist, not even an Awami League supporter. But I want justice for the 1971 war crimes committed by the Pakistani Army with the help of local traitors led by Ghulam Azam. I’m aware of most of the historic events and politics since independence in favour of and against this…
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1971 controversies: Whose concern?
Waiting eagerly to see ruling of the Bangladesh War Crimes Tribunal on 1971 death count against a contempt petition regarding British-born Bangladeshi journalist David Bergman — also son-in-law of Dr Kamal, who, however, did not question the number of rape victims! How amazing developments!!! He did not raise the question while working with Gita Sahgal…
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Phulbari will resist Asia Energy, Awami League
In just another aggressive effort of the Awami League government and the GCM Plc (Asia Energy), its CEO Gary Lye visited Phulbari in Dinajpur Wednesday noon. He was for the second time in two years obstructed by the conscious locals who have been opposing an open-pit coal mining project of the US and UK-based firm…
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WikiLeaks: Khaleda’s son Tarique ordered release of JMB militant Khamaru
Mahtab Khamaru, the second-in-command of hanged JMB chief Bangla Bhai, was arrested in 2005 but subsequently released since then Prime Minister Khaleda Zia’s elder son Tarique Rahman had asked the home state minister to do so, says a US embassy cable leaked by WikiLeaks. He was one of several hundred JMB members to face arrest…
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