Despite significant economic growth and declining national poverty rates, extreme poverty remains persistently concentrated among specific communities in Bangladesh. Nowhere is this paradox more visible than in Sonaimuri upazila of Noakhali, located in a district officially recorded as having one o
Prime Minister Tarique Rahman recently inaugurated the Khal Kata, or Canal Excavation Programme, promising to improve water flow, support farmers, and strengthen irrigation nationwide. This initiative reminds us of the widely popular canal excavation programme launched by his father, Shaheed Presid
The human body was not designed for the chair. It was designed for movement -- for walking across uneven ground, bending toward things, reaching upward, standing still only briefly before moving again. And yet most office workers in Dhaka spend six to eight hours a day folded into the same position
A mixed feeling of disbelief and surprise has taken over readers who recently came across the news of arrest of a man for smuggling of ants at Nairobi's Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA). Yes, you have read it right -- the charge against a Chinese national is the violation of international
There are so many different ways a life is lived. What is wrong today is right tomorrow due to changes in social practices and vice versa. Again, the practices are place-dependent. Not easy as we move from one to another. My cousin was stopped at Heathrow airport by a sniffing dog as she had 'paan'
Teaching is an honoured vocation, but being an expert in a subject does not automatically make someone a good teacher. Some countries, recognizing this distinction, have made teacher training mandatory for all teachers, including university teachers. For instance, Sri Lanka, Norway, Finland, and De
An article regarding the Bangladesh audit market has indicated that the top 100 audit firms conduct 87 per cent of audits, i.e., the overwhelming majority of statutory audits, with individual partners at leading firms reportedly signing off on as many as 388 audits per year. At the first glance, th
Bangladesh's economy is now very big. After 55 years, the size of the country's economy has increased a lot. Our population has also increased. In 1971, the population was only 75 million, now it stands at more than 180 million. As the economy has grown, so has corruption and various disasters. On
Humans are not certainly known for the strongest physical power. At the top of the raw power order among land animals, elephant has no match. Then come rhinoceroses, hippopotamus, bison, buffalo and the likes. Yet these animals are not called the king of the wild. A far smaller animal, lion holds t
International Women's Day, observed every year on March 8, is more than a symbolic celebration of women's achievements. It is a global moment of reflection on the progress made toward gender equality and the challenges that remain. In 2026, the observance carries special significance because the wo
War is in human blood. In case of contentious issues, first there is a war of words and then conflicting claims leading to physical violence. It may be inter and intra-family feuds, clannish or tribal conflicts, violence between two villages or municipality wards, onslaught by nations against each
As I sit in my office, the familiar hum of a university campus filtering through the door, I am struck by a quiet realization. This International Women's Day, as the world rallies behind the theme "Give to Gain," I find myself looking at my students through the dual lens of an educator and a daught
Traditionally, weddings are a form of celebration where family, friends enjoy food and music, following the custom while two people get married. Nonetheless, within the recent past, the nature of wedding ceremonies within South Asia has been changing from being mere cultural events to, basically, c
