Although there has been much talk about free trade agreements (FTAs) in the offing between Bangladesh and other nations, things aren't as simple as that. FTAs are a tortuous process - takes years to sift through the demands and expectations of parties involved. Hence, the country would benefit if p
Boro has emerged as the number one provider of cereals for millions of people in Bangladesh, Aman being the second one. Improved farm technology has done the trick here. As the scorching heatwave tightens its grip on Bangladesh, and temperatures soaring and water bodies drying up, the adverse effe
The fire service department, forest guards, the Navy, Air Force, members of the Coast Guard and local volunteers who fought together to bring the latest fire in the Amurbania area of Chandpai range in the Eastern Zone of the Sundarbans under control undoubtedly did a commendable job. For, ami
Waves of protest by university students from the United States have now shaken not only the campuses of highest seats of learning in that country as well as Europe and Australia but also the world conscience that went into hibernation or has long become moribund. The protest against Israeli genocid
From the beginning of summer this year, a sizzling record-breaking heat wave grabbed the attention of all. Indoors, outdoors - it was impossible to miss or to avoid. It even grasped the attention of the international media because Bangladesh is known worldwide for its temperate climate and this hea
Two similar events occurred in two neighbouring countries within two weeks. In India, the Bombay High Court issued an order in the third week of April that unauthorised hawkers cannot permanently take over Mumbai footpaths and public roads. Again, last week, the High Court asked the government bodi
It is a story narrated by a senior journalist, who was once a Chhatra League leader of the Rajshahi region and claimed to have been present when it took place. Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the then Prime Minister of the newly-born Bangladesh, was staying at the Uttara Ganabhaban during one of
City residents had to put up with a lot of hassle in terms of dust, pollution and dug-out roads or overlapping barricaded medians while the first metro rail (MRT-6) was being built. There long delays and the project had dragged on for years, but residents put up with all the problems associated wit
'How universities are cracking down on a swell of tension months into student protests over Israel's bombardment of Gaza'. This sentence is the heading of a CNN report of April 28 on campus unrests in the USA. The mentioned CNN heading makes it clear that the university authorities are not listeni
It is an emotion-packed suicide note. The writer is a teenager named Israfil Hossain aged 17. Now deceased, the teenager betrothed his sweetheart Rokeya Khatun only 15 years old, whose suicide apparently prompted him to take his own life. Based on the suicide note, at least the police suspect that
Justice is blind. That means it is impartial and objective, and all citizens are equal before the law. And access to justice is neither charity nor mercy, but a basic human right. The right to a competent, independent, and impartial tribunal is articulated in the Universal Declaration of Human Righ
What should have been a time for rejoicing over the primary export sector of Bangladesh, is turning out to be a bitter pill. The readymade garments (RMG) sector has seen its share of its products in the two main markets- the United States (US) and the European Union (EU) fall in both value and volu
A pilgrim in Dhaka received a phone call a couple of months later following his return from Hajj. The caller, introducing himself as a staff of the religious ministry, provided the pilgrim information regarding the already refunded Hajj money. Under the government arrangement, all pilgrims under th
