In the context of today’s complex operational environment, interoperability is a measure of the degree to which various organisations or individuals are able to operate together to achieve a common goal. Commonly, interoperability involves parameters like standardisation, integration and cooperation.

There are over a million Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh, including the latest batch of 800,000 that came after August 25, 2017 and the 250,000 that arrived since the first exodus of mid-1990s.

For those of us who lived in the US through the horrendous build-up to the 2003 illegal war on Iraq, the growing sabre rattling in the United States against Iran brings a nasty feeling of déjà vu.

A boat carrying migrants from Libya to Italy sunk in the Mediterranean on May 10, 2019, leaving 37 Bangladeshis dead. In a similar incident this year, 90 migrants died in February, some of whom were Bangladeshis.

Can garbage make our life comfortable? Can rubbish possibly educate or entertain us? Dear reader, if you wish to get an answer to these bizarre questions, let me take you to the centre of a furnace, where temperature reaches as high as 850 degrees Celsius. It may not sound like the most pleasant destination, but I promise, you will not be disappointed at the end of this journey!

It is one of those intense moments when you immerse yourself in the television and follow every move of the actor; his grimace makes you frown and speculate what would happen next. Right then, the broadcaster fills half of the screen with an ad of what to use to be fair, if not fairer.

Of all the dysfunctions that plague life in Bangladesh today, none is perhaps more pernicious than the transport sector. Just consider the fact that an average of 20 lives is lost to road accidents every day.

"Mother I know three languages but I can’t find a job.”

The Easter Sunday terror attacks in Sri Lanka—for which the Islamic State terror outfit claimed responsibility—have brought to the fore three main disturbing developments that have serious security implications for the entire South Asian region: first, the IS poses an ever-greater threat to the region; second, its relatively new modus operandi is the adoption of the franchise model by helping local outfits to carry out spectacular attacks; and third, radicalisation.

With nearly two decades of strong economic growth, the world’s highest employment ratios and lowest unemployment rates, and massive technological innovation, some say “Asia is the future” or even “The future is Asia”.

This song “Eight Hours”, penned by IG Blanchard and composed by Reverend Jesse H Jones, gained popularity towards the end of the 19th century, eight years before the advent of May Day. They were both residents of Boston.

On April 30, 1991, 28 years ago, a devastating cyclone of the highest magnitude hit the coastal belt of Chattogram district of southeastern Bangladesh and made a landfall around the time of high tide, which was 18ft above normal. The cyclone produced a 20ft storm surge that inundated the coastline. The storm also brought winds of around 150mph which lashed a populated region of the coast for about 12 hours, as well as 12 offshore islands.

"Toxic masculinity is the practice of associating manhood with aggression, sex and status—a world where strength reigns supreme and emotions are deemed as weakness.”

The countdown for the Cricket World Cup 2019 has begun. Very few of us know the amount of planning required for such an event.

Nusrat Jahan Rafi’s murder is a gruesome tale of the systematic violation of basic fundamental rights of children and, particularly, young girls in Bangladesh.

The Rana Plaza collapse, the deadliest garment factory accident in history, carries a moral and political significance.

Six long years have passed since the horrific tragedy that engulfed Rana Plaza on April 24, 2013. Over 1,100 workers perished that day and the devastation sent shockwaves not just through the ready-made garment (RMG) sector but across the entire world.

Over four million people's lives are closely intertwined with the ready-made garments (RMG) industry in Bangladesh—as are the deaths of over a thousand workers of Rana Plaza, which collapsed on this day six years ago. I remember it was a day of scorching sunshine. The Bengali New Year had begun only ten days earlier. This is usually a time of joy and celebration when people take a fresh look at their life and make plans that would change their future. What was it like for those ill-fated workers?

Is now the right time for Bangladesh to start addressing artificial intelligence (AI)? Are there more important issues deserving of the attention of policy makers and regulators at this time?

Almost all states now agree on the emerging threats to security from climate change, especially risks from sea-level rise to global peace and security. Bangladesh is no exception. In fact, Bangladesh is one of the most vulnerable countries from the threats of sea-level rise.