THE THIRD VIEW
Editor and publisher, The Daily Star
A captain cannot abandon ship, especially when the sea is turbulent
Democracy does not seem to be our focus today. Because if it were, then shouldn’t we have been talking about elections more?
Reform of political parties is of urgent need
Just as the fundamental reforms are necessary for the country, so is an elected government.
Right now, there are two major issues: progress of reforms, and the prospect of election
Bangladesh needs a new political party with youthful energy, spirited patriotism, and genuine love for the poor and downtrodden.
Welcome to the latest issue of Your Property Guru, brought to you by The Daily Star. In this quarterly edition, we are excited to explore the emerging trends shaping Bangladesh’s real estate sector, equipping you with valuable insights to navigate this dynamic and ever-evolving market.
We must renew our pledge to journalistic ethos and commitment to democracy, freedom of expression, freedom of the press, and public service.
Aly Zaker, our most iconic theatre personality, has left us for eternity. He singlehandedly brought theatre out from an obscure corner of our cultural world to its very centre.
Aly Zaker, our most iconic theatre personality, has left us for eternity. He singlehandedly brought theatre out from an obscure corner of our cultural world to its very centre. He along with his co-actors in Nagarik, and fellow travellers in other theatre groups, made the stage the most powerful and effective vehicle of inculcating critical thinking and intellectual freedom so vitally needed for social change and progress.
Whether we have been able to build our Shonar Bangla (Golden Bengal) or not, Mr. Monir Hossain has certainly built his and earned himself the title of “Shona” (Gold) Monir in the process.
During the AL’s agitation for a caretaker government in the mid-90s, we carried a picture of AL leader Matia Chowdhury pinned down by the police on the Manik Mia Avenue, in front of Jatiya Sangsad, trying to protect herself from police assault while protesting against the then BNP government.
Stealing is bad, but stealing from the poor is perhaps one of the most depraved acts one can think of. But not so for those handling the government’s pandemic-related urgent cash assistance programme for the poor.
“Election is free and fair if I win it and rigged if I lose”. I wrote this sentence many times during our period of contested elections under the caretaker government system.
By the time this article goes to print, Joe Biden, the Democratic Party candidate, may have scraped through the race for the White House.
Nothing could please us more than to hear Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina reiterate her commitment to the freedom of the press and democracy. But does it match with how the Digital Security Act operates, especially against journalists?
How is our coming of age to be measured? Is it just by per capita income or GDP figures or such indices? There are many other such numbers that show us in a favourable light. They are all very important and we are proud of those achievements. But what about some other signs of development—decent and safe roads, clean air, a dependable public transport system, safe water supply, reliable public healthcare, public education measured not by quantity but quality, and most importantly, safety for women?
Last Tuesday, the home ministry issued a statement warning social media users from home and abroad against spreading “false, fabricated, confusing and inciting statements about the government, military, police and other law enforcement agencies.