The cost of Bangladesh’s intellectual exodus

Each year, thousands of Bangladesh's brightest leave for Canada, the US, the EU or Australia, seeking better pay, security, and respect.
9 January 2026, 06:00 AM

When law arrives after the video spreads

On a winter morning in Dhaka's Gulshan, a place better known for embassies, cafés and the illusion of order, a woman was tied to an electric pole and doused with water.
9 January 2026, 03:00 AM

Building inclusive societies, stronger together

Bangladesh stands in the middle of a democratic transition, a chance for a new start. At this defining juncture, the theme of this year’s Nordic Day, “Inclusive societies—stronger together,” serves as a timely reminder that inclusion is a pathway to democracy..The Nordic Day marks the sign
8 January 2026, 08:00 AM

Three competing nationalisms and the battle for Bangladesh

When we speak about Bangladesh today, we often pretend as if there is one clear national story.
8 January 2026, 04:00 AM

The interim’s unfinished conservation business

Bangladesh government is still inadequate in conservation actions.
7 January 2026, 08:00 AM

Alternatives Bangladesh can explore to move away from the debt trap

Last month, at a seminar on the state of the economy, the chairman of the National Board of Revenue said that Bangladesh has "already slipped into a form of debt trap."
7 January 2026, 07:00 AM

Can Dhaka become a 15-minute city?

The 15-minute city concept is simply about putting human needs at the centre of urban growth.
7 January 2026, 04:00 AM

Why we must better use our off-docks

Bangladesh's logistics system is under strain from pressures it was never designed to absorb.
7 January 2026, 02:00 AM

Democracy cannot survive on silence and fear

After a long stretch away from the country, Tarique Rahman's return to Bangladesh marks the beginning of a tougher chapter, one that's about real responsibility, not symbolic.
6 January 2026, 08:00 AM

Why we need microcredit banks

"Financial inclusion" has been a buzzword in Bangladesh for many years.
6 January 2026, 07:00 AM

Venezuela attack: When a president is abducted, sovereignty becomes conditional

The United States' overnight assault on Venezuela and the seizure of President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, are being sold as an anti-drug mission and a law enforcement action.
6 January 2026, 04:00 AM

Khaleda Zia as a shaper of history

The death of Khaleda Zia on December 30, 2025, has prompted an outpouring of emotion and political remembrance, and for good reason.
5 January 2026, 08:00 AM

The quiet strain behind economic headlines

Bangladesh’s economy seems to be stabilising at first blush. Reserve levels have climbed, imports have slowed, and officials are finding some signs of resilience in the aftermath of a tumultuous period. For a country accustomed to absorbing shocks, this narrative of cautious recovery sounds reas
5 January 2026, 03:00 AM

Memory, museums, and the danger of forgetting

Recently, while rereading The Museum of Innocence, I was struck again by Orhan Pamuk's insistence that memory does not disappear all at once.
4 January 2026, 18:00 PM

Venezuela attack and the geopolitics of oil control

The US strike in Venezuela has triggered a crisis with potentially global consequences
4 January 2026, 13:36 PM

Will the next government deliver truth and healing for victims?

Suffering is acknowledged rhetorically, yet accountability is consistently deferred in the name of stability, order, or political transition.
4 January 2026, 08:00 AM

Why is our logistics policy failing to deliver on its promise?

In 2024, Bangladesh announced its first National Logistics Policy, a crucial reform for an economy where logistics costs devour 15-20 percent of GDP—nearly double the global average.
4 January 2026, 06:00 AM

‘The interim has failed to curb inflation and unemployment’: A rebuttal

I write this in response to an article recently published by The Daily Star, titled The interim has failed to curb inflation and unemployment.
4 January 2026, 04:00 AM

Education reform: Too little, too late under the interim regime

The tenure of the interim government (IG) since August 2024 has not been particularly comforting for the country's education community.
4 January 2026, 03:00 AM

Why the long wait for elections has been an illuminating interlude

The delayed election, rather than being merely a period of political stagnation, has paradoxically served as a crucial and illuminating interlude for Bangladesh. Had the interim government, formed on August 8, 2024, acted as a caretaker, conducted elections within 90 days, and then departed, peo
3 January 2026, 08:00 AM