The question of accountability and transparency in state institutions often arise when Bangladesh faces a major public controversy.

To paraphrase the famous science fiction writer Isaac Asimov, the source of true power for a nation is the ability to get your way without having to resort to violence.

The rule of any government is difficult to judge within 100 days, but it is enough time to observe and learn about the instincts of the new leadership.

The rude disobedience shown by the field-level administrators – deputy commissioners (DCs) and superintendents of police (SPs) – to the current Election Commission (EC) has once again shown us what’s wrong at the core of our election management mechanism.

The cost of grand corruption in Bangladesh is only continuing to go up.

There is hardly any need to emphasise the importance of free media for democratic functioning in Bangladesh.

It is high time for all of us to accept our own mistakes that led us to the present state of play. Rather than transferring blame onto others, all the stakeholders must talk among themselves first, and then reinvigorate from within. Once we have done that, we can then take the next step to put a common agenda together and place it before the citizens for national consideration.