Who do you think they (foreign observers) are?
It is quite intriguing as to why the EC felt it necessary to hold a meeting with an organisation that does not have a clean history of poll monitoring.
3d ago
Serving a party is against the oath of BPSC
Naming Prof Delwar Hossain, a member of BPSC, as a member of an AL sub-committee has stoked quite a controversy.
1w ago
What message emanates from the attack on Hero Alom?
Hero Alom may have been ostracised by our political and cultural elites, but he has a huge fan base among the poor and working class.
2w ago
Don't be fooled by the RPO amendment
The EC's rush in revising the RPO meant allowing the ruling party to impose their wish in the codification process.
3w ago
When green chillies become too hot to handle
The green chilli fiasco is not the first such failure to manage the market.
When even judicial exoneration can’t keep journalists safe
Another day, another attack on the press in Bangladesh
Shouldn’t the EC be saying how it will make elections free and fair?
There’s no reason to believe the current EC has either the will or the ability to act independently
Misinterpreting threats of visa ban won’t do us any good
Misleading analyses can help propagate a narrative for immediate damage control, but are not helpful to overcome the real crisis.
Setting rules of the game without parties’ consent may prove unwise
It is quite intriguing how the RPA amendment can be so accommodating to defaulters who are desperate to gain political power.
Is an election like the UK's possible in Bangladesh?
Promising elections similar to the UK is hardly enough to allay the concerns about the future of our democracy.
Why Press Council is failing to protect press freedom
Media plurality, though essential in all democracies, has sadly become a tool for drowning out independent and critical voices.
How different is Dhaka’s outlook from the US Indo-Pacific Strategy?
The unveiling of the Indo-Pacific Outlook has been broadly welcomed by many Bangladeshi analysts and diplomats.
Is the US really happy with our election plan?
Foreign Minister Momen’s meeting with US Secretary of State Anthony J Blinken was understandably a delicate one.
OHCHR echoes our concerns about the DSA
A look at “OHCHR Technical Note to the Government of Bangladesh on review of the Digital Security Act,” will make one wonder how punishments for the same offence can vary so much depending on the law an accused is charged under.
Victimising Shams shows why DSA should go
Yet another proof that the DSA has become a tool to suppress criticism and free thinking.
Time to discard EVMs instead of repairing
Such an extraordinary emphasis on having elections in some constituencies make us wonder whether there’s more to this than meets the eye.
Genuine elections vs participatory sham
The country needs a genuine election in its true sense, not a sham exercise under the pretence of maximum participation.
The ongoing economic peril and our plundered future
'Lunthito Bhabishyat: Bangladesher Arthanoitik Shonkoter Chalchitra' gives an overview of Bangladesh's current economic crisis.
No change in tune for the EC in its first year
Regaining public confidence and trust in the Election Commission, which have been systematically destroyed by two previous commissions, is undoubtedly a tough task. Unfortunately, it seems the current EC, too, is failing us miserably.
Paradoxes of terrorism in Bangladesh
'The Politics of Terrorism and Counterterrorism in Bangladesh' contains insightful and critical analyses.
Why the raid at BBC offices in India should worry us all
The Income Tax (IT) department’s sudden raid at the BBC premises in India has drawn widespread condemnation.
Can Bangladesh get out of the Adani power deal?
Adani’s inclusion of costs that appear to be non-existent may allow Bangladesh to claim the deal invalid.
Calling the by-polls 'free and fair' dims hope for 2024
These by-elections are nothing more than a mere fulfilment of legal obligations, as it won’t be able to bring in any change in parliamentary balance.
Clarification, or admission of guilt?
The worst part in the academy's attempt to clear the air is the admission in its statement that it had not read the alleged offending book before deciding to exclude its publisher from the exhibition.
How can breaching citizens’ privacy be lawful?
We should be concerned about the deployment of surveillance tech without any judicial oversight
Hefazat’s politics and the government’s policies
As we approach another general election, the utmost thing of worry is that such appeasement will only intensify.
Will pre-election politics remain peaceful or become violent?
A consensus among political parties is essential for holding a good election.
An uncompassionate act on a compassionate ground
Why can't Bangladesh ditch the inhumane colonial practice of arbitrary fettering?
Best World Cup for FIFA, but not for migrant workers
There has been demands for FIFA to set up a compensation fund for migrant workers.
Unfair policing of opposition making ordinary citizens suffer too
There are too many questions about the policing of the BNP rally in Dhaka.
Democracy Day 2022: Three decades of backsliding from pledges for democracy
Thirty-two years have gone by since our national leaders made a pledge to make Bangladesh a democracy.
Why sleepwalk into more sanctions?
Government threat against critics living abroad is seriously misguided and likely to harm its image even more
Why provoke the opposition and punish citizens?
Contrast in administrative actions regarding political rallies could not be starker when it comes to BNP and other parties.
When will impunity for crimes against journalists end?
Violence against journalists have been on the rise in Bangladesh and elsewhere.
Is Britain about to reunite with its ex(PM)?
Despite the hype created by Boris Johnson's loyalists and the campaign team, others have raised a number of critical questions.
Ditching the growth plan may not save PM Truss
British tabloids are having a field day due to the UK's tumultuous politics.
The shocking contempt of the EC by civil servants
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.
EVMs and a mind-reading election commissioner
Did you know that mind-reading was an essential trait for the job of an election commissioner? I did not.
What does AL gain from unleashing violence on BNP?
In the current environment, it is the ruling party that has been seen in the offensive.
Are you 'satisfied' with our diplomacy?
It is particularly disheartening and a cause for grave concern as the standard of our diplomacy has been questioned by domestic as well as foreign media.
Too many adversities await new UK PM
Given the enormity of the UK’s economic woes, the challenges she faces are multilayered and daunting.
Excessive force against protesters can’t be justified
Our police are supposed to be neutral and sincere in maintaining peace and order, but their actions and inactions these days could not be more partisan.
Why we need to rethink the Press Council
The Bangladesh Press Council is fully dependent on government funding. As a result, its independence to act as a self-regulatory body remains susceptible to government interference.
UN rights chief’s visit: Conflicting expectations and a hope for positive change
UN human rights chief's visit to Dhaka revealed contrasting expectations on the part of the government and rights groups.
Can Bangladesh follow India in redrawing its data protection law?
While the government in India has listened to opposition, in Bangladesh, the government has brushed aside the civil society’s concerns.
ICJ ruling takes Rohingyas one step closer to justice
The Gambia’s case against Myanmar for the genocide of Rohingyas is now all set to be heard and judged by the International Court of Justice (ICJ).
The forgotten mutiny for India’s independence
One of the most important but undervalued events of India’s independence movement was the naval revolt of 1946, about which Indian historian Sumit Sarker wrote,
Why should MPs have a role in school, college management?
The whole episode raises some serious questions regarding the roles of both the lawmaker and the college principals.
August 2, 2023
Who do you think they (foreign observers) are?
It is quite intriguing as to why the EC felt it necessary to hold a meeting with an organisation that does not have a clean history of poll monitoring.
July 28, 2023
Serving a party is against the oath of BPSC
Naming Prof Delwar Hossain, a member of BPSC, as a member of an AL sub-committee has stoked quite a controversy.
July 19, 2023
What message emanates from the attack on Hero Alom?
Hero Alom may have been ostracised by our political and cultural elites, but he has a huge fan base among the poor and working class.
July 15, 2023
Don't be fooled by the RPO amendment
The EC's rush in revising the RPO meant allowing the ruling party to impose their wish in the codification process.
July 4, 2023
When green chillies become too hot to handle
The green chilli fiasco is not the first such failure to manage the market.
June 18, 2023
When even judicial exoneration can’t keep journalists safe
Another day, another attack on the press in Bangladesh
June 11, 2023
Shouldn’t the EC be saying how it will make elections free and fair?
There’s no reason to believe the current EC has either the will or the ability to act independently
June 2, 2023
Misinterpreting threats of visa ban won’t do us any good
Misleading analyses can help propagate a narrative for immediate damage control, but are not helpful to overcome the real crisis.
May 24, 2023
Setting rules of the game without parties’ consent may prove unwise
It is quite intriguing how the RPA amendment can be so accommodating to defaulters who are desperate to gain political power.
May 11, 2023
Is an election like the UK's possible in Bangladesh?
Promising elections similar to the UK is hardly enough to allay the concerns about the future of our democracy.
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