Tasmiah T Rahman

Tasmiah T Rahman works at Innovision Consulting and is currently pursuing a joint PhD programme between SOAS University of London and BRAC University on Political Economy of Development.

The paradox of women in power and the myth of soft leadership

For 15 and a half years, Bangladesh showcased Sheikh Hasina as the ultimate symbol of female empowerment; the woman who survived assassination, exile, and persistent threats to become the longest-serving leader in our history.

3w ago

Is Bangladeshi cinema finally speaking of women's quiet revolution?

Films like Rickshaw Girl, Made in Bangladesh, Barir Naam Shahana, Priyo Maloti, and Saba portray women as workers, believers, caregivers, and artists—ordinary people navigating extraordinary pressures of life.

1m ago

Could women voters decide the 2026 election?

Women’s indecision signals both caution and opportunity.

2m ago

Why do we accept men’s bad behaviour as ‘culture’?

An article in this daily, titled “Women don’t want to be superhumans” (published on February 2, 2022), has inspired me to write this column.

3y ago

Informal labour markets must be safer for girls and women

During the pandemic, UNICEF reported on how an additional 10 million more girls were pushed into the risk of child marriage.

4y ago

What I learnt from Kamla Bhasin

Kamla Bhasin, a celebrated feminist, activist and social scientist, was born in 1946, in a village at Punjab in what is now Pakistan.

4y ago

Time to support and reskill domestic workers

Amid the ongoing restrictions meant to reduce the transmission of Covid-19, 32-year-old Nasima Begum, living with her husband and two sons in a Hazaribagh slum, has been finding it very difficult to make ends meet.

4y ago

Online skills training for women: more caveats than what meets the eye

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has been nominated as one of the top three women leaders who tackled the Covid-19 crisis well. While her efforts to bring Bangladesh into the limelight has been highly appreciated, addressing gender gaps remains a challenge that needs attention, not only through policy adjustments but also by getting down to the nitty-gritty where real challenges lie for ordinary women.

4y ago
November 25, 2025
November 25, 2025

The paradox of women in power and the myth of soft leadership

For 15 and a half years, Bangladesh showcased Sheikh Hasina as the ultimate symbol of female empowerment; the woman who survived assassination, exile, and persistent threats to become the longest-serving leader in our history.

October 31, 2025
October 31, 2025

Is Bangladeshi cinema finally speaking of women's quiet revolution?

Films like Rickshaw Girl, Made in Bangladesh, Barir Naam Shahana, Priyo Maloti, and Saba portray women as workers, believers, caregivers, and artists—ordinary people navigating extraordinary pressures of life.

October 5, 2025
October 5, 2025

Could women voters decide the 2026 election?

Women’s indecision signals both caution and opportunity.

February 28, 2022
February 28, 2022

Why do we accept men’s bad behaviour as ‘culture’?

An article in this daily, titled “Women don’t want to be superhumans” (published on February 2, 2022), has inspired me to write this column.

November 28, 2021
November 28, 2021

Informal labour markets must be safer for girls and women

During the pandemic, UNICEF reported on how an additional 10 million more girls were pushed into the risk of child marriage.

October 1, 2021
October 1, 2021

What I learnt from Kamla Bhasin

Kamla Bhasin, a celebrated feminist, activist and social scientist, was born in 1946, in a village at Punjab in what is now Pakistan.

July 15, 2021
July 15, 2021

Time to support and reskill domestic workers

Amid the ongoing restrictions meant to reduce the transmission of Covid-19, 32-year-old Nasima Begum, living with her husband and two sons in a Hazaribagh slum, has been finding it very difficult to make ends meet.

March 16, 2021
March 16, 2021

Online skills training for women: more caveats than what meets the eye

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has been nominated as one of the top three women leaders who tackled the Covid-19 crisis well. While her efforts to bring Bangladesh into the limelight has been highly appreciated, addressing gender gaps remains a challenge that needs attention, not only through policy adjustments but also by getting down to the nitty-gritty where real challenges lie for ordinary women.

February 13, 2021
February 13, 2021

Is the government doing enough for small firms?

Sadat Rahman (not his real name) has a small photocopy shop right beside a renowned university in Rongpur.

October 15, 2020
October 15, 2020

Protests against rape give us hope. But is that enough?

After the video of the Noakhali gang rape went viral, people from all walks of life were rightly outraged and joined online and offline protests demanding reforms in the relevant law against women and children repression as well as the highest punishment for rapists.