Views / Analysis

The lure of money

The lure of money

Money can be a source of worry for both rich and poor. For the rich, how to make it perform better. For the poor, how to balance the books. For those in between, it is even worse. These are people with a bit of savings, not knowing which way to go. Banks, the good ones, are supposedly safer. But th


Cultural awakening can fight sexual aberration

Cultural awakening can fight sexual aberration

This society's moral degeneration is taking place at an alarming pace. Or, how could 24 children fall victim to rape in just 20 days (May 1-20) of the current month? Five of these rape victims were killed and 12 more were subjected to rape attempt. The number of child rape victims stood at 118 and

Mapping major economic faultlines

Mapping major economic faultlines

Bangladesh is currently passing through a period of severe economic stress. A number of structural problems have persisted for years and already inflicted deep wounds in the economy. As a result, macroeconomic instability is gradually intensifying. In June, the government is expected to announce th

The fatal attraction of digital screens

The fatal attraction of digital screens

How much time is too much for children below 17 years of age to spend on digital screens? The World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends no screen time for children below two years of age, not more than an hour a day for children aged two to five and less than two hours daily for the age group betw

Celebrating resilience and empowerment The story of Lal Banu

Celebrating resilience and empowerment The story of Lal Banu

In Kurigram's char areas, where hardship is a daily reality with loss of lives, even the family's main and lone earning member leaving the household for unknown, Mosammat Lal Banu Begum has carved out a path of survival by building resilience through empowerment. After losing her father and only b

Tomorrow's World

Tomorrow's World

Technology can be a killer. This is how our weavers lost their fingers in the colonial days. Now it is targeting our cerebral workers. The process has been on for a while as computers were getting smarter. First it was the office typists and now it is the knowledge workers. Many of the past jobs ha

Which matters most?

Which matters most?

Choosing a university or a subject is a major decision for students in Bangladesh after they complete their higher secondary education. Every year, thousands of students take university admission tests hoping to get into a public or private university and study their preferred subject, which can le

How a temperate summer threatens country's food security

How a temperate summer threatens country's food security

The Bangla month Baishakh is about to come to an end but the peak summer has conspicuously been absent. Both Chaitra and Baishakh have relatively been cooler this time. In fact, so cooler that it would be impossible to remember any moderate summer like this in people's living memory! Temperature be

Safe workplaces, sustainable tomorrow

Safe workplaces, sustainable tomorrow

On May 1, 1886 thousands of workers participated in a peaceful protest in Chicago, USA, demanding an eight-hour workday. On May 4, the fourth day of the movement, a clash erupted at Haymarket Square between the police and workers. A bomb explosion, gunfire, and subsequent police action resulted in

Bad Bank for tackling NPLs

Bad Bank for tackling NPLs

It is always a big challenge to get information of the actual amount of non-performing loans [NPLs] of commercial banks in Bangladesh. In most of the cases, the published data does not reflect the true scenario of bad assets. By definition, NPLs include three types of classified loans viz. Substand

The quiet resignation

The quiet resignation

There is a kind of leaving that does not show up in your attrition reports. The employee is still at their desk. They are still answering their emails, attending their meetings, and submitting their reports on time. On paper, they have not gone anywhere. But they have. Internally, quietly, without

Building resilience through skill development

Building resilience through skill development

The Forcibly Displaced Myanmar Nationals (FDMN) in Bangladesh are in one of the largest protracted refugee situations in the world with an estimated 1,162,939 Forcibly Displaced Myanmar Nationals (FDMN) living in 33 overcrowded camps in Ukhiya and Tekanf subdistrict of Cox's Bazar and in one camp o