The interim government's decision to increase food aid through vulnerable group feeding assistance during the lean days of ban on fishing to the fishermen families is a commendable move. Notably, the fishing ban comes on two occasions for 22 days between October 12 and November 2 to protect m
For many years now, remittances sent by Bangladeshis working abroad have been the single strongest pillar holding up the economy. Just as families wait for these earnings with hope, the nation relies on them with the same need. Crucially, these funds serve as an anchor of stability for the banking
A webinar titled "Economic Dynamics and Mood at Household Level in Mid 2025" has explored a wide range of issues of national life including payment of bribes for official services and optimism about the country's future. The Power and Participation Research Centre (PPRC) arrived at mostly disquieti
As the government moves to merge five crisis-ridden Shariah-based banks into a single state-owned entity, one pertinent question arises as to whether the same recipe would be applied to state-owned financial institutions. The state-owned commercial banks as well as specialised banks have long been
Bangladesh once stood out as a development success story, celebrated for its laudable performance in lifting millions out of poverty. Today, that narrative is fast unravelling. For the first time in decades, poverty rates are climbing rather than falling. The irony is bitter: the economy is still g
For Bengalis, Sarodiyo Durga Puja is not just a religious festival. It is a season of colour, music, artistry, and togetherness. Across towns and villages, city streets and riverbanks, the goddess is welcomed home with fanfare, her clay idols crafted lovingly by artisans who inherit centuries-old t
Repeated warnings by medical scientists and numerous studies conducted both by international as well as local research bodies have more than once come up with stark reminders against the dangers of improper, excessive and non-prescribed use and over-the-counter (OTC) sale of antibiotics. Still wors
In its three decades of existence, the members of the World Trade Organization (WTO) have negotiated only two new trade deals. The latest one is the Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies (AFS), which entered into force last week. At the 12th Ministerial Conference (MC12) in Geneva in 2022, the members o
One of the fundamental strengths of a country's democracy is the trust its people have in their courts. For democracy to function, citizens must believe that the judges who interpret the law and deliver judgments on disputes are free from pressure by the government or any other influence. This fait
That Dhaka City has long become an overturned cauldron in months marked by high temperature is known to its inhabitants. It is because they experience the scorching heat at its merciless sizzling worst. Now the World Bank in its report titled 'The unsustainable life: The impact of heat on health an
An independent, strong and effective human rights commission is indispensable for the protection and promotion of human rights. For decades, Bangladesh has faced censure both within the country and abroad for violation of human rights, particularly in the form of extrajudicial killings and enforced
In rural Bangladesh, the challenges facing agriculture are many and varied. Among these, the marketability of perishable products like potatoes presents a persistent problem. This is compounded by a lack of adequate transportation infrastructure that does not allow farmers to carry their produce di
Thunderstorms that batter South Asia each monsoon season now have a political echo: waves of popular revolt are sweeping away powerful regimes. After Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Nepal -- and to a lesser yet significant extent Indonesia -- mass upsurge by citizens has brought the collapse, or at leas
