As per a projection put forward recently by the country's leading think-tank, the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD), we find that a 10 percent reduction in fuel prices could propel the country's GDP growth rate by 0.3 percent, or in dollar terms, nearly $5.2 billion; raise its export earnings by another 0.4 percent and household consumption by about 0.6 percent.

While many Bangladeshis recognise the environmental menace of littering, a national wake-up campaign, actively championed by the national leadership, would be far more effective than the occasional focus on the issue by the media.

If the whole point is to highlight the role of world leaders in creating and failing to manage the refugee crisis, why on earth isn't David Cameron, François Hollande, Viktor Orban or Bashar al-Assad being turned into a caricature?

The Arab Spring had deeply destabilised the Middle East. A new dimension was added to the existing instability on January 4, 2016, when the (Sunni) Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) severed diplomatic ties with (Shia) Iran.

Two reports appeared on the same day. Sal forests in Gazipur are heavily degraded. They have reduced by 79 percent within a decade.

There is no such thing as a free lunch. And even if the price is symbolically peanuts, the lunch should not be free.

The Bangladesh RTI Act is similarly geared towards changing the culture of secretive governance inherited from colonial times. The goal is to replace it with more open, responsive, law-based and citizen-friendly rule.

Believers know full well that patriotism is an inseparable part of faith. That being so, persons accused of crimes against humanity in 1971 have quite manifestly defied and defiled their own faith.

Scientists have claimed that in next five to ten years they are going to invent the cloak of invisibility.

The climate change research community in Bangladesh, which consists of several dozen organisations, including public and private universities...

I am not a film buff. But I do watch movies by actors like Aamir Khan because he appears to be a natural actor. Such actors make me...

In 1976, a book titled “Bangladesh: The Test Case of Development” drew significant attention and the hopeless implications of the title...

Beginning 2016 with a trip to the region for the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS) hosted by the Bangladesh Navy in Dhaka sets the tone for the year ahead.

Nawaz Sharif is treating the attack in Pathankot as a direct challenge for him. He is aware of the domestic consequences, but he is confident that all the opposition parties in Pakistan will stand behind him if evidence against the culprits is strong.

We must confront the uncomfortable truth that beyond paying lip-service to the “ideals of secularism and tolerance” (if that!), we have done precious little to show we care about the Hindu population of this country.

Long ago, an essay on cow was the easiest challenge of a primary examination. We were always given hints on what to write in case we chose to attempt such a “common” essay.

An unusual secrecy shrouded Bangabandhu's departure aboard a special Pakistan International Airways flight on his release from captivity in West...

No one had expected that the Modi-Sharif Lahore dialogue on December 25, 2015 would be challenged so soon.

There are other more solemn occasions where ritualistic behaviour takes on ridiculous proportions. Take the placing of wreaths at memorials on particular days.

Bangladeshis simply cannot allow extremists to triumph over liberalism and the way to defeat extremism is neither through dagger nor through 'development' but through unadulterated democracy.