Views / Columns

Iraq ... or the brutalisation of a country

Iraq ... or the brutalisation of a country

Twenty years ago President George W. Bush and Prime Minister Tony Blair sent in their forces, along with those of their allies, into Iraq. It was an invasion based on the false premise that Iraq, led by President Saddam Hussein, was in possession of weapons of mass destruction (WMDs) that could end


Ramadan . . . when light permeates the soul

Ramadan . . . when light permeates the soul

Ramadan is all about values. And fasting is a reminder not merely of what the Almighty expects His creation to do in remembrance of His munificence but also a reassertion of the belief that there are the multitudes out there in need of the means of survival. In very broad terms, therefore, from Ram

API production for Pharma growth momentum

API production for Pharma growth momentum

Production of pharmaceutical raw materials commonly known as APIs (Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients) in the country is indeed a strong indicator of a hugely contributing factor to the growth of the sector. Recent developments do indicate that efforts are afoot to increase production of these vital

Right to potable water, sanitation

Right to potable water, sanitation

The recent newspaper photograph of rural women in Bangladesh carrying water in pitchers placed on their heads across the middle of an arid land points to one fact.  The rural areas of the country still suffer from the worst type of water crisis found in the poor and developing countries. In th

Economic emancipation a long way off

Economic emancipation a long way off

More than 50 years ago, the emergence of Bangladesh as a sovereign nation-state was puzzling to many. They were pessimistic about the future of the newly independent country-- and some even thought that the country would survive only to suffer from poverty, hunger and malnutrition.  Moreover,

Few women in RMG management

Few women in RMG management

A recent study, one that's funded by The Sustainable Textile Initiative: Together for Change (STITCH) with support from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands found some interesting facts about the readymade garment (RMG) industry, which contributes to the bulk of Bangladesh's exports.

Reviving Dhaka City's green spaces

Reviving Dhaka City's green spaces

A number of mega projects ---some of them completed, a few about to be completed and others slated for starting work soon ---are feathers in Dhaka City's cap. It has got its flyovers ready, overhead metro rail up and running half the route, elevated expressway becoming more and more visible, and ev

Jute packaging no longer on the cards!

Jute packaging no longer on the cards!

It seems -- and in all probability so -- that mandatory jute packaging has lost the urgency that just a few years ago came as a major initiative to curb pollution and water-logging, while also aiming at a breakthrough in the increased domestic consumption of jute materials. What is surprising is th

Letting jute goods survive in style

Letting jute goods survive in style

Despite being the producer of one of the finest varieties of jute, Bangladesh has yet to enjoy a handsome share of jute exports. Similar is the case with jute products. To speak forthrightly, the export of Bangladesh jute and the goods made of the fibre experienced a decline in 2022. Export of jute

Will repatriation of the Rohingya happen?

Will repatriation of the Rohingya happen?

A 22-member team of Myanmar immigration officials is visiting Rohingya refugee camps in Cox's Bazar to verify more than 400 Rohingya refuges as part of a pilot repatriation project. Does it hold out any hope for the forcibly displaced people to return to their ancestral homes in the Rakhine state o

Attracting FDI: opting for a non-traditional approach

Attracting FDI: opting for a non-traditional approach

It goes without saying that the benefit of foreign direct investment (FDI) for a developing country is immense. Economists have outlined a number of benefits with a great deal of empirical evidence to show the necessity of FDI. Though the patterns of FDI have changed over the decades, the ultimate

When online e-TIN systems collapse

When online e-TIN systems collapse

The online system of the Electronic Taxpayer Identification Number (e-TIN) went offline last Tuesday, March 14. According to a report published in this newspaper, the national board of revenue (NBR) confirmed that there have been some hardware-related problems which caused the system to crash. This

When teachers do not know how to evaluate students

When teachers do not know how to evaluate students

Educationists, scholars and experts in teaching are unanimous that the new education curriculum is quite appropriate for acquiring knowledge ---both theoretical and practical---and skills by young learners. But at the very outset, the controversy over two books' contents involving the progressive t