At the very start, I say with as much vehemence as I am capable of that a game is a game is a game.

When we refer to our glorious period of journalism, we usually mean the pre-liberation period. Ironically, compared to today, the media was at its most rudimentary stage at that time.

Never on the soil of independent Bangladesh would anyone ever have to suffer because of his or her religion.

The contribution of the Daily Ittefaq to the formation of our nationhood is well-known. Its editor-publisher, Tofazzal Hossain Manik Miah, remains an icon of journalism in this part of the world, and a source of inspiration and pride for those of us who have tried to follow in his footsteps.

Our next election is not due for two years—at the end of 2023. For many countries, it is too early to talk about it. But not in our case. To hold a proper election, there will be endless talks, mostly one-sided, as we have not made any progress in sitting together and accommodating each other’s positions and moving on.

We are delighted that Jhumon Das finally walked out of prison on Tuesday, after being incarcerated for nearly seven months for a Facebook post in which he criticised Hefazat-e-Islam leader Mamunul Haque.

What happened recently in Barishal between a local mayor and an Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) is not the real story. Why it happened is. And in that story is hidden many facets of the crucial issue of the state of our governance.

We journalists have some experience of fighting governmental repression of the media.

History unfolds in ways that may appear to be totally incomprehensible to us. It may not fit into our logic, may appear to be contrary to the facts that are at hand and our own analysis, which, often guided by our prejudice, may have indicated a different outcome.

If the section of the government dealing with the overall management of the Covid situation continuously flip-flops on its decisions, then doesn’t the image of the government suffer?

Simplistically put, it is a “procedure vs patient” issue—meaning a “bureaucracy vs ultimate beneficiary” tussle. We, of course, need procedures to work within, otherwise systems would collapse.

Expatriate workers are our goose of Aesop’s Fables that lays the golden eggs.

About the just-concluded West Bengal assembly elections, there are three things to celebrate and one to be worried about.

In this column and through our reports, commentaries and editorials, we have repeatedly stressed the need for accountability of all public institutions run by taxpayers’ money. Of them, the accountability of law enforcement agencies is most important.

I remember the first time when, in utter horror, we heard the news of the assassination of Bangabandhu along with his whole family, save the two daughters.

Here we were, sailing quite smoothly after the first wave of the pandemic and congratulating ourselves for having “handled” it well. Even the WHO paid us compliments. But suddenly, within a few weeks, we seem to have gone right back where we started.

Myanmar is our only other neighbour, with India being the overwhelming first. To the credit of our policymakers, we have tried our best to maintain good relations with Myanmar notwithstanding their treatment of Rohingyas, forcing nearly 300,000 of them upon us thirty years ago, in the early nineties.

It was extremely bold as a vision, highly ambitious as a project, without parallel in scope, crucial in terms of fulfilling a need, exemplary in its execution and unprecedented as a private project in which people’s participation was the main driving force.

My generation and others close to it formed the bulk of the Mukti Bahini in 1971. The majority of Dhaka University students of the time were an integral part of it, as it was my distinct privilege.

At 50, it’s time we acted in a manner that reflects a confident country, not one that is nervous and insecure fearing that the slightest criticism will cause us harm.