Eresh Omar Jamal

Over the years, the air quality in Bangladesh and particularly in cities like Dhaka has undoubtedly been getting worse.

The Rohingyas are a people struck by tragedy. Persecuted in their home country, Myanmar, over 65,000 of them have fled to Bangladesh between October 9, 2016, and January 5, 2017, according to a report from the United Nations Office of Coordination for Humanitarian Affairs.

Following an investigation launched in October 2015 by the Directorate General of Anti-Dumping and Allied Duties (DGAD) under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry of India, on January 5, 2017, India imposed substantial 'anti-dumping duty' on imports of jute and jute goods from Bangladesh.

On January 9, 2012, Zubair Ahmed, a final year English student at Jahangirnagar University, died succumbing to his injuries after being severely tortured the day before. Five years since his death, four of his killers are still roaming free today. Three of them had fled a Dhaka court dock on February 23, 2015, after their bail was denied. The other, never showed up to court and has remained on the run ever since.

The conscious and intelligent manipulation of the organised habits and opinions of the masses is an important element in democratic society.

On December 18, as appointed by the United Nations General Assembly, the international community recognises and celebrates the rights of migrants around the world.

In 1977, following the late Yasser Arafat's speech at the United Nations General Assembly on November 13, 1974, where he

The son of a wealthy landowner, Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz was born on August 13, 1926. A towering figure during the Cuban

"What I want to say is that the way the government is behaving with indigenous people now is violating their human rights.What is the solution? The government must provide them with protection. They must prosecute and punish those who are committing such crimes."

No renovation or repair work had been done to the building since being constructed 20 years ago. And no alternative arrangement has been thought of since the Primary Education Office issued its warning.

How could Rafsan Hossain Rubel, accused of raping an indigenous girl aged, 18, flee while in police custody? The man the authorities let flee was not only an alleged rapist, but according to them, had confessed to his involved in extortion, robbery and abduction – seemingly a seasoned criminal. With his laundry list of crimes, the man is a clear menace to society and danger to public safety. His craftiness in escaping from police custody is only further proof of this.

Worldwide, there is an increasing trend of decreasing privacy for the mass of the people that, I believe, we should all be worried about.

A court acquits Shahadat Hossain and his wife on charges of torturing a minor girl employed at his house as a maid.

The vicious attacks on Hindu homes, establishments and temples since October 30 indicates an increase in the level of bigotry among certain sections of the society. The question is how did these miscreants get the courage to carry out these crimes? The Daily Star talks to some individuals who have been directly affected or are speaking out against these hate crimes.

If the government can successfully address its own issues, it can, and should make a strong case at the conference to the rest of the world for greater compensations from developed countries and other international donors, rather than loans to deal with issues for which, Bangladesh, in all honesty, is least responsible, if at all.

The draft Digital Security Act 2016, intended to address the need for cyber-crime legislation, according to the authorities, was approved on August 22, 2016, by the Cabinet. But members of civil society, media and activists have already expressed their concerns over the draft law impinging upon people's freedom of expression.

On his return from an extensive speaking tour in China recently, historian, researcher and bestselling author, William F. Engdhal wrote that “a Eurasian Century at this point is unstoppable” (“The Eurasian Century is Now Unstoppable”, New Eastern Outlook, October 10).

Much was expected prior to the Chinese President's visit to Bangladesh, and surely enough, he did not disappoint. The milestone visit — the first to Bangladesh by a Chinese President in 30 years — was capped off by the largest ever pledge of assistance to Bangladesh by any single country.

Two very positive economic developments have recently come to light. One is Bangladesh moving up a notch to rank 106th among 138 countries in the Global Competitiveness Index. Second, that the country's extreme poverty has declined to 12.9 percent in the financial year (FY) 2015-16 from 18.5 percent in 2010, according to the latest Bangladesh Development Update released by the World Bank (WB).

Professor of English at Dhaka University and writer, Syed Manzoorul Islam talks to Eresh Omar Jamal on the core purpose of a university education...