Views / Opinions

Why is Bangladesh among the unhappiest countries?

Why is Bangladesh among the unhappiest countries?

Happiness is the sole reason for every human action. No matter what we do, we do it to make ourselves happy. However, going by this year's World Happiness Report, brought out by the United Nations, we in Bangladesh are not a happy nation. On a list of 137 countries, Bangladesh has ranked 118th, dro


Independence Day thoughts

Independence Day thoughts

Few nations have the experience of their day of independence like that of Bangladesh. The traumas of panic and genocidal killings distinguished its night of 25th March, 1971. On March 26, the nation emerged as an independent nation, dumping away all the vestiges of Pakistan into the past. The Benga

Getting social order right

Getting social order right

More than five decades after its independence, Bangladesh is yet to establish a social order.  Though the country has emerged as a vibrant economy defying many odds, the lack of a sound social order is a big drawback.  Not that the social order is at its worst form, or there is a perennia

Permanence of books, art works and movies

Permanence of books, art works and movies

Thanks to the supervision and care of an institution like Biswa Bharati, all publications of Rabindranath Tagore are still available to the interested readers. The institution holds the copyright of all published books by Tagore. However, a number of books have already been declared free of copyrig

It's time to make a move

It's time to make a move

Most national dailies have been carrying reports on the unabated hike in prices of essentials for the past few months. Indeed, the rate of price increase for a few items--- poultry birds and red meat and fish in particular---has been astronomical. Consumers have meanwhile resigned to their fate. Th

Unrelenting price hike of essentials

Unrelenting price hike of essentials

That prices of essential foods in Bangladesh would become dearer on the eve of the holy month of Ramadan has become unavoidable. Reluctantly people have to bear with this yearly price ordeal. What is different this year of course is that prices have been soaring ever since the war began in Europe.

Let's not kill St. Martin's Island

Let's not kill St. Martin's Island

The tiny coral-rich island, the St. Martin's, located close to the southernmost tip of Bangladesh, Teknaf, is facing an existential crisis. As with climate change, it is again human action, greed, to be specific, that is playing its part. This beautiful piece of land in the sea with its abundant fl

Aggressive mob mentality taking hold

Aggressive mob mentality taking hold

A slew of events happening one after another in recent times is a clear indication of impatience and aggressive mob mentality to the extent of a kind of psychological disorder. When lawyers of the highest court engage in scuffles and physical aggression over holding the polls to the Supreme Court B

Creating gender equality platforms to move forward

Creating gender equality platforms to move forward

On the occasion of the International Women's  Day, 2023, observed on March 8, several interesting and significant denominators have emerged throughout the world.  Analysts and leaders came forward to underline the need for positive action at a time when gaining fundamental rights for wome

Deepening sleep problems in a chaotic city

Deepening sleep problems in a chaotic city

In this city of chaos and indiscipline, millions of inhabitants are deprived of a sound sleep. Though there is no extensive data to confirm the assertion, sleep deficiency is most likely widespread in Dhaka. From children to elderly people, almost everybody in the city faces the problem of inadequa

Getting the priorities right

Getting the priorities right

The government is out to narrow the infrastructural gap that has been hurting the country's development process for decades. A few major infrastructural projects have already been completed and some more are on the way to completion. The Padma Bridge, built at a cost of over Tk 300 billion and open

Why not DUCSU elections?

Why not DUCSU elections?

The tenure of the last Dhaka University Central Students' Union (DUCSU) expired in June 2020. And since then, there have been no DUCSU elections at Dhaka University (DU). However, every DU student has to pay an annual fee of Tk 60 for DUCSU and another Tk 60 for the hall student union. It is a smal

Declining women's participation in RMG

Declining women's participation in RMG

According to an FE report titled 'The declining women workers in Bangladesh RMG industry', the participation of women workers in readymade garments (RMG) industry has apparently dropped significantly to about 54 per cent. The Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI), GiZ and Brac University jointly conduct