Despite humans seldom learning from history although it invariably repeats itself, the rise and fall of empires and civilisations as well as their causes and consequences have always attracted the attention of historians and laymen alike. Treading on this same path, the Swedish scholar cum historia
“Gaayane Mukti, Agamir Vitti” (Knowledge is Freedom, the Foundation of the Future) is the theme of this year’s observance of National Library Day in Bangladesh. This theme captures a timeless truth with renewed urgency. In an era marked by information overload, digital disruption
Strategic analysts have commented that Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney accepted an invitation to visit China extended by President Xi Jinping and that this signalled a "turning point" in the countries' relationship. The invite came after the two leaders met for 40 minutes on the sidelines of t
The global economic order is undergoing a massive long-term shift away from free trade towards a more fragmented or more precisely a patchwork structure. This new emerging global economic system is largely influenced by rising protectionism, geo-political tensions and structural risks. The post WW
A pre-dawn darkness in a village in the Rajshahi district is illuminated only by the acrid scent of smoke, invigorating a woman as she rises in her mud-walled kitchen. Her hands, hardened by years of toil, tend the chula (stove) fuelled by wood and cow dung, the fire crackling as she prepares a mea
Every year, National Training Day in Bangladesh is observed on January 23. This year, Bangladesh observed the 30th anniversary to emphasise the importance of training for human resource development, skill enhancement, and economic growth. Over the years, Bangladesh Institute of Bank Management (BIB
The July 2024 Mass Movement brought to the fore the long-standing unaddressed development challenges of rising inequalities in wealth, income, and economic opportunities. A particularly concerning reflection of these inequalities is the growing incidence of youth unemployment. Addressing this matte
The T20 Men's ICC World Cup has transcended being a mere celebration of sporting success. In the Global South, particularly in South Asia, it has become one of the most ardent expressions in this age. It is in this context that the realms of sport and the construction of the post-colony become impo
Bangladesh's microcredit sector is not a conventional financial industry; it is the outcome of decades of social mobilisation, institutional innovation, and an integrated development philosophy that blends finance with health, education, disaster response, and livelihood support. The draft ordinanc
510 years ago, in 1516, Utopia by Thomas More was published in Europe. Written in Latin, the English meaning of the full Latin title is: ‘A truly golden little book, not less beneficial than enjoyable, about how things should be in a state and about the new island Utopia.’ In 1518, a re
For decades, those who feed our nation have stood at the wrong end of the market. Cost of inputs rise relentlessly, yet when harvest season arrives, prices collapse under the weight of middlemen and fragile market systems. The result is familiar: farmers sink into debt while consumers face volatili
After a week of illness, a rural doctor changed a 6-year-old's antibiotic for the third time. Two days later, the child lay in Dhaka Shishu Hospital with sepsis. Nearby in Gazipur, a farmer watched 3,000 broiler chickens die from a gut infection no longer controlled by the "growth promoter" mix in
Despite known and evolving challenges, Bangladesh economy has demonstrated good consolidation in 2025. Market liquidity especially foreign currency liquidity improved much with significant rise in wage earners' remittances, moderate rise in exports and foreign aid disbursement. Inflation continued
