Morning fog is quite natural but certainly not at this time of the rainy season. But recently the residents of Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) have been experiencing fog that envelops roads and alleys for a while. This fog is, however, not natural and moist. It is the fumes that are released fr
Dhaka is adjudged one of the most polluted cities in the world in various international rankings. Due to high percentage of carbon compounds, lead and various particulate objects, air pollution in the city have reached such an alarming level that increasing number of people, especially children, ar
The proliferation of motorcycles, driven by various incentives for mobility, has made them a popular alternative to public transport. In the first seven months of this year, a staggering 153,468 new motorcycles were registered across the country, with Dhaka alone accounting for 36 per cent. T
A disturbing piece of news recently went viral on social media - the hanging and beating to death of a dog in Barisal. Several youths killed the poor creature on camera like it was nothing. The main culprit faced a lenient punishment - Tk. 5,000 fine - awarded by an executive magistrate while three
The conversational AI chatbot, ChatGPT, can create texts like humans. So, writing of essays, reports, theses, answers to question in examinations at schools and colleges etc., are now being done by this AI tool. In other words, the machine is doing the job of thinking for us. In that case, shouldn'
The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) has approved a Tk 28.41 billion project for the infrastructural development of Dhaka University (DU). The five-year project, scheduled for completion by June 30, 2030, includes the construction of six academic buildings, four resident
As the anniversary of the July mass uprising continues, it is also time to examine the achievements and disappointment of this historical event critically. The task is challenging and also problematic due to the complex nature of the mass uprising and subsequent developments in the country over the
The recent reduction in US tariffs on Bangladeshi apparel exports marks a significant turning point for our industry—and perhaps one of the most promising windows of opportunity we’ve seen in recent years. Initially, the proposed 35 per cent tariff was nothing short of alarming. It thr
Consumers in Bangladesh are the ones whose rights have long been overlooked. Though some consumer protection mechanisms have been developed and put in force over the last couple of years here, the consumers still fall far behind their peers in enjoying their rights. In fact, consumer protection in
A Bangladesh trade mission, as reported, is scheduled to meet for the third time with the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) in Washington, D.C., on July 29 and July 30 to see if the 35 per cent reciprocal tariff that the Trump administration has imposed on Bangladesh's exports
Beginning as a protest against quota in government services, the July-August movement gained strength to sweep the length and breadth of this land relying on the rallying cry of making the nation discrimination-free. As many as 11 reform commissions were formed apart from a 12-member committee to p
Around 34 years after the fall of the autocratic regime of Ershad, the country has witnessed another mass uprising against the authoritarian regime of Sheikh Hasina in the last year. Although the two events are not entirely comparable due to differences in intensity and complexity of the dynamics,
Human lives are unimaginably cheap in Bangladesh. Hundreds of lives slip away every year here not due to natural disasters or foreign adversaries but because, collectively, we undervalue human lives. We lose our most priceless asset in efforts to save a few taka or a small amount of time, cutting c
