Bishakha Devnath

It is one of those intense moments when you immerse yourself in the television and follow every move of the actor; his grimace makes you frown and speculate what would happen next. Right then, the broadcaster fills half of the screen with an ad of what to use to be fair, if not fairer.

Mothers, who have overcome all challenges to become successful professionals and be role models to their sons and daughters, say that teaching sons to share their familial and social space equally with girls is the first step for removing the double standards that have been instilled in generations.

Running between ministries, passport office and court is over. Fifteen-year-old Jesmin Akter and seven other children are now excitedly ready -- with all their documents -- to fly to the UK tomorrow to play cricket.

Feroz, 13, leaves Habib from time to time in his makeshift wheelchair outside the High Court Mazar gate and disappears into the distance. The young boy was hired seven days ago to wheel around Habib -- who earns his living by begging.

Rabeya boarded a launch for the first time when she was eight. As she arrived in Dhaka from Barishal, her grandmother abandoned her. Thus began Rabeya's life as a victim of sex exploitation.

Globally, 45 percent women are employed, far less than their male counterparts -- 71 percent. This gender gap can be reduced by

Dulali Khatun loves to introduce herself as one of the “Kallyanis” -- someone who tries to improve people's lives by offering goods, services and access to digital information.

Arif Hossain* has been worried about his future since his name and photo was put on a list of “suspended” workers outside his garment factory in Ashulia in the middle of January.

About a decade ago, Bivuti Chakma and his companion Jyoti Chakma pondered on how to penetrate the digital world with their native language. Far away from them, Manik Soren, from the Santal community, embarked upon doing the same.

Seven-year-old Rohan complains of being confined to a bed all day long. At the assurances of his caregivers that he will recover soon enough, Rohan's youthful, wide eyes dart between their faces and the tubes protruding from his arms and leading to a saline drip, placed next to his bed.

A 15-year-old boy died in 2005 following intake of Levofloxacin that is prescribed to treat bacterial infections. He had suffered severe forms of adverse drug reaction, but it was too late by the time it was diagnosed.

Depending entirely on the autopsy report, detectives had been claiming that Nilufa Akhter died by suicide in February 2016. The focus of Nilufa's case had shifted to suicide from murder after police got the forensic results.

Shaila, 14, came out of the garment factory she works for in the capital's Mohammadpur Beri Bandh area and saw her ex-boyfriend Billal, employed at the same RMG unit, waiting outside.

The trial of the sensational Risha murder case can finally resume as the Children's Act, 2013, has been amended plugging loopholes the defence exploited to stall the proceedings.

The administration together with the law enforcement agencies played a role to influence the December 30 polls outcome in favour of the ruling Awami League, the Left Democratic Alliance candidates have alleged.

The manifestoes of different political parties came one after another over the last three weeks, and to the dismay of women's rights activists, promises made ahead of the 11th general elections lack any determination to even try and establish a fair, equal society for women.

Social challenges have held back women's economic participation over the last decade, despite headway made in education, training, entrepreneurship, and jobs overseas.

It has now been over a month that Bhajan (not the real name) travelled to Munshiganj with his family. He doesn't get enough work to make a living there, but he feels it is safer than his home in Monirampur of Jashore ahead of the upcoming national election.

Mazkura Ayub, once an active homemaker, is now leading a life limited to watching television and taking occupational and physiotherapy at a rehabilitation centre. Neither the 63-year-old can walk with ease nor can she move three of her fingers on the left hand.

Plastic banners are everywhere -- on lampposts, walls, flyover pillars and footbridges. Politicians use them for their publicity.