Reimagining education as the practice of freedom

The absence of "quality" formal schooling is a major root of many of our problems. I vividly remember that I never experienced a joyful school life, neither in primary nor in secondary school. It was largely mechanical, passive, unpleasant, and lacking good teachers, adequate resources, proper infrastructure, and meaningful engagement.
8 December 2025

It is time to legally recognise climate refugees

Every year in Bangladesh, many people are being displaced as rising seas, shifting rivers, and extreme weather conditions steadily consume the land beneath their feet.
8 December 2025

The unanswered questions about women’s role in religion-based politics

Religion-based parties must clarify to the nation whether this newly gained visibility of women in their party politics is merely temporary, or...
8 December 2025

Dhaka’s fresh fruit economy can’t survive on 19th-century logistics

Dhaka's fruit economy moves through the narrow arteries of Badamtoli, where, before dawn each day, trucks laden with imported Apples from China, Oranges from Egypt, Grapes from South Africa, and dozens of other fruits push through streets never designed for heavy cargo vehicles.
8 December 2025

Uncertain politics, unsettling economy

Bangladesh's much-anticipated parliamentary elections are scheduled for next February. And they could not have come at a more fraught time for the country. More than 16 months have passed since the interim administration took office, and unofficial estimates indicate a downward trend in the government's approval ratings.
7 December 2025

Breaking down the new populist playbook in Bangladesh

Many people think that the old authoritarian chapter is over and a new era has begun.
7 December 2025

Why a supply chain mindset is key to fixing our education

In supply chain terms, the solution lies in improving the quality checkpoints—teaching, learning, and assessment criteria
7 December 2025

Israel stands exposed even if global powers fail to act

Israel's problem is that despite its military power and its economic and technological superiority in the Middle East, it has limited capacity to portray its destructiveness as successful victories.
6 December 2025

How agricultural innovations can feed a nation and keep emissions low

Climate change threatens the foundation of Bangladesh’s agriculture.
6 December 2025

Let's uplift the women who build Dhaka brick by brick

Let us not only recognise these women's labour, but uplift it through dignity, safety, and opportunity.
6 December 2025

‘Air pollution does not discriminate; it impacts everyone’

At the household level, many families still lack access to clean cooking energy.
6 December 2025

Primary teachers’ strike is a mirror held up to Bangladesh

The assistant teachers of 65,000-plus government primary schools have been pressing for a three-point demand.
6 December 2025

Can’t we all just get along?

How can we do better? First, we should cultivate the art of listening.
5 December 2025

Trump’s Venezuela problem is not about cocaine, but oil

History repeats itself too often in Latin America.
5 December 2025

Dear mothers, stop coddling your sons

If we want decent men, we must start by raising decent boys.
5 December 2025

An independent judiciary seems near at hand, but can still slip away

Judicial independence is formally guaranteed; its actual implementation will require moral courage from judges themselves.
4 December 2025

The prerequisites to creating sustainable banking system in Bangladesh

To attain viability, banks must manage the various risks they encounter in this process of intermediation.
4 December 2025

Slum fires, inequality and Dhaka’s invisible residents

Slum fires are not accidents but a predictable by-product of inequality and policy failure.
4 December 2025

There's no neutral observer in digital violence

Silence tells women that even when men see the harm, they will not intervene.
4 December 2025

COP30 brings both hope and letdowns for vulnerable countries

COP30 could not deliver concrete actions to phase out fossil fuels and advance climate finance, but some new opportunities were created for vulnerable countries.
4 December 2025