Since the pandemic hit Bangladesh in early 2020, the poverty rate has doubled—for every five people in Bangladesh, two are now living below the poverty line.

We are alarmed at the recent rise in Covid-19 positive cases in the country, and especially in areas along our borders.

The finance minister on Thursday presented the 50th annual budget of the country which amounted to Tk 603,681 crore, up from last year’s budget of Tk 568,000 crore. Here are our initial reactions to it, and a more detailed analysis will follow.

We’re shocked to know that a hundred steel almirahs which would normally cost Tk 23,000 each have been bought at Tk 96,000 each by the

Over the past week, there has been a worrying surge of coronavirus cases in border districts, with some displaying positivity rates that range from 20 percent to a whopping 40 percent.

We are pleased to hear that students of public and private universities are going to receive the Covid-19 vaccine on a priority basis, once they are available.

Only a couple of days ago, we had opined in these very columns that the government should opt for a strict lockdown in the border districts if we are to avoid a situation like the kind that India is facing presently.

We’re worried about the instances of plagiarism which appear to be on the rise in the country’s universities. After three Dhaka University teachers were demoted over plagiarism in their research papers four months ago,

According to a report published by The Daily Star yesterday, people of coastal regions are still in government shelter homes where they had gone before cyclone Yaas was about to strike the region. They cannot go back to their houses, which are submerged under rising levels of saline water.

We are shocked by a report published by The Daily Star yesterday that describes how, the drug Lysergic Acid Diethylamide (LSD) has been smuggled

The government should have gone for a complete lockdown of the bordering districts long ago, at the time when the virus started spreading in

We commend the expatriates’ welfare ministry’s decision to provide Tk 20,000-25,000 as aid for unvaccinated migrant workers who have to quarantine at hotels upon their arrival in Saudi Arabia.

The picture of forlorn children holding pictures of their fathers forcibly disappeared for six or eight years or more, as was published yesterday, are heart-breaking reminders of this abhorrent practice that has only resulted in unease and lack of public trust towards the government.

According to a report published by The Daily Star on May 27, even after six years the Bangladesh Railway (BR) still has not been able to decide on introducing an electric train service in the country which could make this mode of transport both more efficient and environment friendly.

Bangladesh is no stranger to cyclones. The people of this land have had to live with such extreme weather events since as far back as modern history goes, with increasing frequency in recent years.

Once again, the dreaded Digital Security Act is being used against journalists and media officials, this time to sue two journalists and one official of Somoy TV over airing a report on corruption allegations against a Noakhali court official. In addition to these three members of the press, three other individuals have also been made accused in the case.

It is quite frustrating to see most industries operating in a business-as-usual manner even amidst a still-dangerous Covid-19 situation while students of all levels have been suffering from varying degrees of learning loss since March of last year,

We commend the government’s quick action in securing more vaccines for the citizens during the Covid-19 pandemic, especially since we have recently seen a spike in cases, prompting another round of lockdown across the country.

It is extremely disturbing to learn of the plight of Bangladeshi expats in South Africa, as over 400 Bangladeshi-owned shops have been vandalised and looted in Free State’s capital, Bloemfontein, since May 16.

We would like to join the call for an impartial investigation into the death of Hafizur Rahman—a Dhaka University student—whose death remains shrouded in mystery.