Is Bangladesh’s apparel sector ready for industry 4.0?

The footprint of Bangladesh in the global apparel industry can be traced back to the early 1980s, and by now the industry has achieved phenomenal growth in exports.
24 October 2021, 18:00 PM

To understand communal violence, we must dig deeper

Communal tensions in Bangladesh have recently escalated to an alarming level.
24 October 2021, 18:00 PM

Are they the real masterminds?

There is no denying the fact that, had the law enforcement officials been more alert and pro-active, most of the attacks on Hindu houses, temples, and business establishments that occurred in various parts of Bangladesh since October 13 might have been prevented.
24 October 2021, 13:27 PM

Proposed revisions in the EU-GSP scheme: Implications for Bangladesh

As is known, the current provisions of the EU’s Generalised System of preferences (EU-GSP) scheme are being revised at present in anticipation of the new scheme to be put in place as of January 1, 2024.
23 October 2021, 18:00 PM

Resumption of regular flights at HSIA encouraging

It is reassuring to learn that our aviation sector is recovering at a quick speed after the second wave of Covid-19 in the country waned and many countries lifted their travel restrictions.
23 October 2021, 18:00 PM

The poisonous politics of communalism

While commenting on the unfortunate and shameful incidents triggered by the alleged desecration of Islamic scriptures in Cumilla,
23 October 2021, 18:00 PM

Elbowed out by an open mind; sequel to ‘mind block’

Our wedding feasts are not the usual places to showcase our best behaviour. Reaching out to fetch a bowl of rezala over the next guy, tossing a shami kebab to a needy friend beyond the reach of your spoon, and trying to cover spilt borhani with only one layer of tissue paper are all part of the gaiety.
23 October 2021, 18:00 PM

Ending Hunger Sustainably

In 2015, 193 countries gathered at the United Nations and pledged to end global hunger by 2030 as part of the Agenda for Sustainable Development.
23 October 2021, 18:00 PM

Crime, tensions in Rohingya camps only soaring

The killings of six Rohingyas in Moinarghona camp-18 madrasa in Cox’s Bazar’s Ukhiya upazila in the dead of Friday night has added to our concerns over the safety of the refugees within the camps.
23 October 2021, 12:53 PM

Uncontrolled food prices must be checked

It is really worrying how the rising prices of essential food items have continued to afflict ordinary people over the last few weeks.
22 October 2021, 18:00 PM

Can the Great Powers avoid war?

As tensions over the Taiwan Strait mount, everyone needs to think about whether war is inevitable. Ukrainian revolutionary Leon Trotsky once said: “You may not be interested in war, but war is interested in you.” And if we slip into war by what World War I historian Barbara Tuchman called the March of Folly, can the Great Powers step back from mutual nuclear annihilation?
22 October 2021, 18:00 PM

What does it say about our society when a child bride sets herself on fire?

Upon reading the news headline for the incident I am about to discuss, I only felt a momentary, dull pain in my gut or thereabouts. Because while it is a shocking incident that would rob you of hope, the elements of the story are all too familiar to us all.
22 October 2021, 18:00 PM

Climate response needs more investment in scientific research

The fact that greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions—caused by burning fossil fuels like coal, petroleum and natural gas, since the beginning of the industrial revolution—has led to the global climate crisis we face today was discovered by scientists over three decades ago,
22 October 2021, 18:00 PM

Our Shrunken Mentality

The sudden onrush of floodwater flowing into the country through the Teesta at a measured dangerous level—soon after the equally sudden disruption of peace and vandalism of temples and altars in different parts of the country—reminded me of the 1974 movie
22 October 2021, 18:00 PM

Time to take a hard look at our social media policy

The role of social media in creating communal tensions is once again under the spotlight after the recent spate of attacks on Hindus which, experts say, was set off by a hate campaign over the alleged desecration of Islamic scriptures at a Cumilla puja mandap.
22 October 2021, 13:33 PM

Column by Mahfuz Anam: Imbibing 1971 values in our post-liberation generation

Never on the soil of independent Bangladesh would anyone ever have to suffer because of his or her religion.
21 October 2021, 18:00 PM

Reinvigorate efforts to end TB

The year 2020 marked a watershed in global efforts to end tuberculosis (TB) by 2030. First, it was because, by 2020, the TB-affected countries aimed to achieve the first set of “End TB” milestones: a 35 percent reduction in TB deaths, a 20 percent
21 October 2021, 18:00 PM

Lost home, abandoned nation: Fighting for a Bangladesh for all

I have been feeling unwell since October 13. After the mayhem in Cumilla, I knew it wouldn’t be the last. With a broken heart, my father-in-law and I, along with my son, decided to continue with our tradition of puja visits and mandap-hopping, yet we were all deeply disturbed, witnessing the carnage unravelling with a helpless rage.
21 October 2021, 18:00 PM

A plea for safer travels

Today, on October 22, we celebrate National Road Safety Day. But why? Not why we care about safety—the devastating toll of accidents makes it clear why it is important—but why call it Road Safety Day? If we are using roads to travel from place to place, and we want to be able to do so safely, why not call it Safe Travels Day?
21 October 2021, 18:00 PM

Justice is key to ending communal violence

In an unexpected twist—or is it, really?—in the ongoing saga of communal violence, police have reportedly identified, from CCTV footage, the person who
21 October 2021, 18:00 PM