Editorial

Freeing railway lands from grabbers

Freeing railway lands from grabbers

The High Court's directive to the concerned bodies of the government to prepare a list of the persons illegally occupying railway lands in the country and submit the same to the court within 30 days sounds loud and clear to bring to book the grabbers who have been merrily feasting on public propert

Of technology transfer

Of technology transfer

As Bangladesh has long stepped onto the road of graduation from the least developed country (LDC) status, a vital prerequisite for it is technological self-sufficiency. The technological skills and innovations of developed nations can help the country attain that goal. That the concept of 'technolo

Losing time and money in Dhaka's traffic gridlock

Losing time and money in Dhaka's traffic gridlock

Despite all the hoopla about how Dhaka city's traffic situation is improving thanks to the introduction of metro rail and projects such as the Dhaka Elevated Expressway, these measures are not truly making a dent in the horrendous traffic jams in a city the size of Dhaka. The reality is that only o

Reining in rampant sand-mining

Reining in rampant sand-mining

It is common knowledge that unregulated and illegal extraction of sand from the country's rivers have been continuing unabated causing incalculable damage to the watercourses, their ecosystems and the environment. This has been going on despite the existence of a law,'Quarry and Soil Management Act

Growth sidelines the marginalised

Growth sidelines the marginalised

So far as economic growth is concerned, Bangladesh has come a long way off. But this is based more on oligarchy than on equalitarianism. In fact, all capitalist society suffers from unequal distribution of wealth largely because of the privileged individual ownership of means of production and prof


Containment of dengue: A losing battle?

Containment of dengue: A losing battle?

That the incidence of the vector-borne disease, dengue, has reached alarming proportions this year is to say the least when a record 928 deaths and 190,758 cases were reported till the morning of September 25. Given that the responsible government agencies including the local government bodies and

Dhaka after a six-hour deluge and tall promises

Dhaka after a six-hour deluge and tall promises

A six-hour heavy downpour on September 21 (Thursday) evening, measuring 113 millimetres, severely disrupted life and traffic movement in Dhaka city. Though its intensity was less than two record rainfalls the capital city had experienced on September 14, 2004 (341mm) and July 28, 2009 (333mm), last

Electronic salary payment

Electronic salary payment

In the age of digital financing, or fin-tech, the introduction of electronic payment of salaries in the country doesn't sound too extraordinary. Scores of vital sectors in socio-economic life have adopted digital technologies. In accordance with this trend, Bangladesh has stepped into its largely u

Country's decrepit bridge infrastructures

Country's decrepit bridge infrastructures

Sadly, the Roads and Highways Department (RHD) has been sorely lacking in fulfilling one of its primary duties over the years. The fact that it has taken 23 years for this government agency to inspect 5,188 bridges to ascertain their condition speaks volumes about its lack of capacity and a general

Legal protection for domestic workers' rights

Legal protection for domestic workers' rights

Domestic workers are the most neglected lot so far as the labour laws of the country are concerned. Of course, there is the Domestic Workers Welfare and Protection Policy, 2015, which defines elaborately what is meant by domestic work. It also bans employment of children under 12 in household work

More