‘The Fourth Estate will not survive unless defended’
Martin Moore and Thomas Colley, authors of Dictating Reality: The Global Battle to Control the News (2025), discuss how governments worldwide manipulate the media, reshape public perception, and construct competing realities in an age of digital disinformation. The interview was conducted by Shamsuddoza Sajen of The Daily Star.
2 November 2025, 05:00 AM
‘The Fourth Estate will not survive unless defended’
Martin Moore and Thomas Colley, authors of Dictating Reality: The Global Battle to Control the News (2025), discuss how governments worldwide manipulate the media, reshape public perception, and construct competing realities in an age of digital disinformation. The interview was conducted by Shamsuddoza Sajen of The Daily Star.
2 November 2025, 05:00 AM
Reading power: How everyday texts shaped life under the British Empire
At the heart of Required Reading are forgotten readers from the past.
28 October 2025, 10:46 AM
Opinion / Whom will the Awami League supporters vote for?
The Awami League (AL) is very likely to haunt the entire exercise.
16 October 2025, 03:00 AM
A voice of resistance, progressive thought falls silent
Badruddin Umar, the eminent public intellectual, historian, and political activist, passed away in Dhaka yesterday at the age of 94. He breathed his last at Bangladesh Specialised Hospital, Shyamoli, around 10:05am. He was suffering from old-age complications.
7 September 2025, 18:10 PM
Badruddin Umar speaks / 'We must not lose focus from real political barriers'
Hasina took dynasty politics to levels we could not have ever imagined. What happened to Sheikh Mujib’s former residence was unfortunate. But I would say that Sheikh Hasina is partly responsible for the incident.
7 September 2025, 08:22 AM
The 36th day of July / August 5, 2024: The day the people triumphed
August 5 became a watershed in Bangladesh’s history -- the climactic peak of the July uprising.
4 August 2025, 18:10 PM
The July that rocked Bangladesh / August 4, 2024: The deadliest day of the uprising
August 4, 2024 marked the deadliest day of Bangladesh’s student-led uprising, as the non-cooperation movement entered an explosive new phase.
3 August 2025, 18:08 PM
US military supplies to Pakistan
In a report published today, The New York Times stated that Pakistan’s 29 reception centres for returning Bangladeshi refugees were clean, stocked with adequate food and medicine and well-staffed but the only thing they lacked was refugees.
28 October 2021, 18:00 PM
‘Urgent UN intervention needed’
The New York Times, in an editorial published today, stated, “The growing threat of war between India and Pakistan creates an urgent need for United Nations intervention -- but not on the terms proposed by Islamabad.”
27 October 2021, 18:00 PM
Nazrul seeks China’s support
A briefing dated October 27, 1971, prepared for US President Richard Nixon, concluded that the widespread famine with
26 October 2021, 18:00 PM
Fazlul Huq and the Bangalee Muslim question
The phrase “Bangalee Muslim” is generally regarded as a “living oxymoron,” and the Bangalee Muslims are considered to be perennially trapped in a dilemma of identity over their Bangaleeness and Muslimness.
25 October 2021, 18:00 PM
Tajuddin hopeful of Chinese support
Thirteen nations and five international organisations agreed in Paris today to a worldwide effort to meet the cost of the growing refugee problem in India.
25 October 2021, 18:00 PM
Indira bars provocation
Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi praised the Indian people for showing utmost restraint and said, “India would do nothing to provoke war”. She was addressing the Royal Institute for International Relations in Brussels today.
24 October 2021, 18:00 PM
India, Pakistan trade blame
Legendary singer, songwriter and activist Joan Baez sang at Crisler Arena in Michigan and appealed to the audience to help the
23 October 2021, 18:00 PM
Indira on mission in the West
Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi today began her 20-day tour of six western countries including the USA and Britain amid intensified military preparation by India and Pakistan in their respective border areas.
22 October 2021, 18:00 PM
Yahya urges Thant to visit India, Pakistan
US Secretary of State William Rogers, in a memorandum presented to the US President Richard Nixon today, said there remained a high potential for outbreak of hostilities between India and Pakistan.
21 October 2021, 18:00 PM
Tito calls for political solution to Bangladesh problem
The New York Times, in an editorial published today, stated, “What United Nations Secretary General U Thant called a “potential” threat to peace last August has become too imminent a peril to be longer ignored by the world organisation.”
19 October 2021, 18:00 PM
Indira rules out talks with Yahya
In an interview published today in The New York Times, Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi declared that the military situation on the borders between India and Pakistan was “quite grave”.
18 October 2021, 18:00 PM
Clemency for Bangabandhu if people want it:Yahya
Pakistan President Yahya Khan said in an interview published in Le Monde today, “ If the people want clemency for Sheikh Mujibur Rahman I would grant it.”
17 October 2021, 18:00 PM
‘An effective guerilla force’
The New York Times today reported, “From a disorganized, confused band of freedom fighters that moved into action when the Pakistani Army struck in late March to try to crush the Bengali autonomy movement,
16 October 2021, 18:00 PM
Yahya-Podgorny meeting in Iran
Pakistan President Yahya Khan returned today from Tehran after cutting short his stay for the Iranian anniversary celebration.
15 October 2021, 18:00 PM
Bangladesh requests India for recognition
The Bangladesh government-in-exile today sent a letter to Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi requesting recognition to the “free and duly constituted Government of Bangladesh”.
14 October 2021, 18:00 PM
Senate body votes for ban on all aid to Pakistan
Trimming millions of dollars from President Richard Nixon’s foreign aid requests, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee
13 October 2021, 18:00 PM
Monem Khan shot dead
While commenting on Pakistan President Yahya Khan’s broadcast of October 12, 1971, a spokesman of the Government of Bangladesh stated today that the broadcast was another exposition of his own desperate situation in West Pakistan.
12 October 2021, 18:00 PM
Yahya to call assembly session on Dec 27
US Ambassador to India Kenneth Keating in a telegram sent today informed the US state department that Indian Foreign Minister Swaran Singh claimed that the East Pakistan insurgency was not dependent upon India.
11 October 2021, 18:00 PM
Yahya accepts US proposal for mutual withdrawal
The American consulate general in Karachi in a telegram sent to the US state department today informed that Pakistan President Yahya Khan accepted the US proposal for mutual withdrawal of troops and armour by both the Government of India and the Government of Pakistan to some distance from their respective borders.
10 October 2021, 18:00 PM
Pope’s appeal for Bangladesh refugees
The roving ambassador of Bangladesh, Abdus Samad Azad, addressed a meeting in London today expressed his confidence in early liberation of Bangladesh. He stressed the unity achieved by all sections of the Bangladesh people.
9 October 2021, 18:00 PM