A youth-quake Jatiya Sangsad must break with the past

The 13th Jatiya Sangsad, which goes into its maiden session today, is in many ways a first for the country.
12 March 2026, 00:22 AM

Ending child abuse is imperative. Can the new government rise to the challenge?

All forms of violence against children are preventable. What has been missing is consistent political will. The newly elected government has the mandate and the moral responsibility to lead.
11 March 2026, 17:00 PM

Empowering NHRC is a must for Bangladesh

National human rights institutions, like the NHRC, ought to be established either through constitutional or legislative text.
11 March 2026, 14:57 PM

Without media integrity, elections mean little for democracy

The 2026 election in Bangladesh was the first big political test after the July uprising, and it reminded us of something very basic: elections are not decided only inside polling booths.
11 March 2026, 00:22 AM

Will disability rights be finally delivered?

According to the World Health Organization (WHO) Health Equity Report 2023, some 16 percent of the global population experiences a disability.
11 March 2026, 00:19 AM

Jungle Salimpur and a warning on strategic land management

The massive joint-forces operation launched this week in Jungle Salimpur, Chattogram, did more than expose a criminal stronghold
11 March 2026, 00:16 AM

A war in the Gulf, an empty wallet in a Bangladeshi village

How women bear the brunt when remittance flow shrinks
10 March 2026, 16:00 PM

The duty to rebuild

There are moments in a nation’s life when victory does not feel like triumph at all. It feels like an inventory. One counts the broken things.
10 March 2026, 00:29 AM

Why public service reform should be our next big leap

When it comes to economic reforms, an ordinary moment when a citizen tries to access a public service and succeeds within minutes, instead of struggling for days navigating a maze, is no less significant than a successful megaproject or a new tax regime.
10 March 2026, 00:23 AM

Symbolic progress can only take women’s empowerment so far

Observed for over a century, the International Women’s Day (IWD) is more than just a celebration; it is about recognising women’s accomplishments and reflecting on progress towards achieving gender equality.
10 March 2026, 00:18 AM

Nepal election: A lesson in honouring a people's uprising

Nepal's election results point to a landslide for rapper Balendra Shah, anticipated by a few in Nepal's political establishment.
9 March 2026, 17:15 PM

Social media echo chambers and the deepening of sociopolitical polarisations

Social media platforms such as YouTube and Facebook primarily aim to increase users’ views, likes, comments, and shares.
9 March 2026, 12:38 PM

Balancing the scales for women begins with being seen

One such pause came recently when I opened an invitation in my inbox marking the International Women’s Day celebration.
9 March 2026, 00:28 AM

Middle East shipping risk: The insurance chokepoint Bangladesh cannot ignore

When drones began striking energy infrastructure across the Persian Gulf, most observers focused on the missiles. But what actually stopped the ships was not the weapons—it was the insurance paperwork.
9 March 2026, 00:25 AM

Strengthening research in science and engineering in the post-LDC era

Bangladesh is on its way to graduate from the Least Developed Country (LDC) status. However, to become a prosperous nation, it must adopt new strategies for accelerated economic growth.
9 March 2026, 00:20 AM

Keep politics out of school textbooks

Few aspects shape a nation’s future as profoundly as what it teaches its children. That is why Education Minister ANM Ehsanul Hoque Milon’s pledge to revise textbooks with the help of “high-quality experts,” and without any party consideration, carries particular significance.
9 March 2026, 00:17 AM

Global crises demand feminist lens on global governance

The current system of global governance has long been built on militarised, state-centric notions of power that marginalise the experiences of those most affected by conflict and inequality and women and girls bear disproportionate burdens during crises
8 March 2026, 17:18 PM

Women must lead, not just participate, in the labour force

Bijly Baroi is the sole breadwinner for a family of six. A caregiver in Barishal, Bijly entered the healthcare workforce after her father, a former carpenter, became unable to work due to illness.
8 March 2026, 01:40 AM

Six years on, have we learnt our lessons from Covid?

The memory of the pandemic crisis should serve as a reminder that pandemics do not just test hospitals; they also test the preparedness, coordination, and foresight of entire systems.
8 March 2026, 01:35 AM

The journey from presence to power

The Daily Star recently invited women candidates who participated in the 13th parliamentary election to share their thoughts about their campaigning experience, the challenges they each faced, and what inspired them despite all the hurdles.
8 March 2026, 00:30 AM