Credible Elections and 'Caretaker' Government

On July 26, BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia said 'a caretaker government is not a must for holding national election, but it has to be held under a neutral government, no matter what its name is'.
17 August 2015, 18:00 PM

The blameless Bangali

Imagine there is a bridge collapse. Starting from the concerned minister's naki via the chief engineer's naki through six administrative levels and two technical levels, each crossing out because of some masterly nakis; the blame ultimately falls on an MLSS, who did not report to duty on the fateful day.
16 August 2015, 18:00 PM

Some unfinished business

No doubt Bangladesh has come a long way and resolved several outstanding bilateral issues with India. Among the major ones are the finalisation of the maritime boundary between the two countries, the transfer of the enclaves to Bangladesh as opted by the residents
15 August 2015, 18:00 PM

US' 'No' to GSP: One-sided love affair!

Though US-Bangla interactions have evolved on a love-hate trajectory, an exception is made in relation to the GSP facility for Bangladesh. Dhaka's obsession with it has not been reciprocated by Washington.
13 August 2015, 18:00 PM

We have not made the transition to the constitutional imperatives: Vrinda Grover

Vrinda Grover, human rights lawyer at the Supreme Court of India and advocate for women's rights, talks to Amitava Kar of The Daily Star about the hurdles people of this region face seeking justice and how to possibly overcome them. Vrinda Grover was one of Time magazine's 100 most influential people in the world in 2013.
12 August 2015, 18:00 PM

UNLOCKING THE YOUTH POTENTIAL

On December 17 1999, the UN General Assembly endorsed the recommendation made by the World Conference of Ministers Responsible for Youth that August 12 be declared International Youth Day.
11 August 2015, 18:00 PM

THE SOVEREIGN TERROR

Political events often fade away without leaving immediately palpable effects. Loud as their arrivals are, most political events tend to disappear much like a whimper.
10 August 2015, 18:00 PM

Rough ride for Najib Razak

Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak is passing a difficult time, amid allegations of a financial scam. In early July, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) carried reports that $700 million was transferred through a complex web of transactions to Najib's bank accounts in Kuala Lumpur in 2013.
9 August 2015, 18:00 PM

“We must never have people standing while children are beaten and killed.”

Ruthless violence against children seems to have become a recurrent concern in today's Bangladesh. While the extent of the cruelty
8 August 2015, 18:00 PM

Resist "Thought Prisons"

The killers are doing their work. Are we doing ours? Need we answer?
8 August 2015, 18:00 PM

A war-cry for sustainable development goals

During the 1992 presidential campaign in the USA, candidate Bill Clinton's campaign adopted a very powerful short message to convey to the party faithfuls and voters that the poor performance of the US economy should be the centerpiece of any conversation to unseat the incumbent President George Bush.
7 August 2015, 18:00 PM

6 August 1945: A day of infamy

Seventy years after the greatest carnage of the 20th century was wreaked on a country by the dropping of the very strangely named atom bombs Little Boy on Hiroshima...
5 August 2015, 18:00 PM

Electronic Waste: The Story of Bangladesh

The vision 2021 of becoming "Digital Bangladesh" aims to make our nation stronger through effective use of modern technology on important sectors and areas like education, health, communication and alleviation of poverty levels.
4 August 2015, 18:00 PM

Opinion: Laws favouring bureaucrats!

The government's latest legislative move has made bureaucrats happy.
3 August 2015, 18:00 PM

A SMART POLICY MOVE?

In such healthy, competitive market of specialised services, the provision of entry of mobile operators and strong interest of majority shareholders of the dominant mobile operator raise serious concerns.
2 August 2015, 18:00 PM

OSCILLATING BETWEEN TWO WORLDS

After a prolonged stay in Dhaka, I am set to return “home.” Some readers may ask: “Where is home for you?” It's a pertinent question
1 August 2015, 18:00 PM

Climate Agreement in December: A Miracle in Paris?

Financing of the efforts to mitigate the climate-change effects and provide resources to the affected countries is an important element of the next international agreement. Progress on commitment of resources to fund climate projects has been, as expected, sluggish.
31 July 2015, 18:00 PM

ADIEU APJ ABDUL KALAM: THE TEACHER

I could not think of a better way to pay tribute to the former president of India, late APJ Abdul Kalam than to quote the national poet of Scotland Robert Burns (Robbie Burns, died 1793).
29 July 2015, 18:00 PM

While We Travel

A few things are necessary when one travels: a reasonable, peaceful hotel, good shopping and food, fast transport, a quick guide to the list of must-see and must-do and of course, news from home.
28 July 2015, 18:00 PM

Playing Solitaire In A Parliamentary Democracy

Democracy in a one-party state may sound like an oxymoron, but such a thing does exist in our known world. In a single-party state
25 July 2015, 18:00 PM