During the long Eid holidays, Dhaka experienced a rare calm. The usual chaos, heavy traffic, constant honking and busy crowds disappeared as about 10 to 15 million people left the city and nearby areas to celebrate Eid at home. Dhaka is often called the most crowded city, the traffic capital or th

Every time a president, prime minister, minister, senior bureaucrat or influential politician travels abroad for medical care or even routine check-ups, it sends a clear message to the public: our own healthcare system is not good enough, not even for those in charge. This message is even more con

The government announced a 7-day Eid-ul-Azha holiday from 25 to 31 May and cancelled Saturday, 23 May, as a weekly holiday to offset the long break. During Eid-ul-Fitr in March last, it added March 18 as a holiday, creating another 7-day break from March 17 (Shab-e-Qadr) to March 23. This pattern

Dhaka's greatest crisis is not just pollution or falling water tables, but a rapid loss of biodiversity that threatens the city's capacity to support life. Reversing this decline must be the city's most urgent priority if it is to secure a liveable future for its people. The Prime Minister's 12-po

Each year, the government launches drives to clear Dhaka's footpaths. On day one of a 5-day effort in April 2026, authorities fined and jailed 23 people, collecting Tk 192,000. By noon, hawkers had already returned -- like clockwork. They come back not to rebel, but to survive. For years, Dhaka h

Bangladesh has advanced significantly in the last fifty years. By 2041, we are likely to join the league of high-income countries. We have also received accolades for our performance in reaching the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). However, we rank 101 out of 166 nations on the SDG ranking, sc