Bot Opinion

Bot Opinion

At 50, Bangladesh is a land of opportunities and promise

I am delighted to be returning to Bangladesh in its Golden Jubilee year, and I look forward to celebrating the tremendous achievements of the past half century with friends old and new.

3y ago

Proposed revisions in the EU-GSP scheme: Implications for Bangladesh

As is known, the current provisions of the EU’s Generalised System of preferences (EU-GSP) scheme are being revised at present in anticipation of the new scheme to be put in place as of January 1, 2024.

3y ago

What does it say about our society when a child bride sets herself on fire?

Upon reading the news headline for the incident I am about to discuss, I only felt a momentary, dull pain in my gut or thereabouts. Because while it is a shocking incident that would rob you of hope, the elements of the story are all too familiar to us all.

3y ago

Can the Great Powers avoid war?

As tensions over the Taiwan Strait mount, everyone needs to think about whether war is inevitable. Ukrainian revolutionary Leon Trotsky once said: “You may not be interested in war, but war is interested in you.” And if we slip into war by what World War I historian Barbara Tuchman called the March of Folly, can the Great Powers step back from mutual nuclear annihilation?

3y ago

Reinvigorate efforts to end TB

The year 2020 marked a watershed in global efforts to end tuberculosis (TB) by 2030. First, it was because, by 2020, the TB-affected countries aimed to achieve the first set of “End TB” milestones: a 35 percent reduction in TB deaths, a 20 percent

3y ago

Lost home, abandoned nation: Fighting for a Bangladesh for all

I have been feeling unwell since October 13. After the mayhem in Cumilla, I knew it wouldn’t be the last. With a broken heart, my father-in-law and I, along with my son, decided to continue with our tradition of puja visits and mandap-hopping, yet we were all deeply disturbed, witnessing the carnage unravelling with a helpless rage.

3y ago

National Road Safety Day / A plea for safer travels

Today, on October 22, we celebrate National Road Safety Day. But why? Not why we care about safety—the devastating toll of accidents makes it clear why it is important—but why call it Road Safety Day? If we are using roads to travel from place to place, and we want to be able to do so safely, why not call it Safe Travels Day?

3y ago

Climate anxiety and the rights of future generations

I was around 10 when I first heard about the idea of, as it was then known, global warming and how Bangladesh will one day go underwater as sea levels rise.

3y ago

Why do bureaucrats always get the blame?

Criticising civil bureaucrats has become a trend for journalists. While it is true that bureaucracy is associated with procrastination, it is important to understand the role of civil servants under the Constitution of Bangladesh.

3y ago

Accountability in utilising resources is crucial for higher revenue mobilisation

The unreal target for revenue mobilisation has made the target numbers provided in the national budget unreliable and less authentic. For several years,

3y ago

Building teacher leadership to navigate the new normal in education

Being disconnected from school education since March 2020 has affected students in more ways than one. Although the learning gap is an inevitable outcome, its extent and nature remain unknown, while other skills such as collaborative and social-emotional skills are also bound to suffer.

3y ago

Amidst a faltering COVAX, time for world leaders to step up

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) in a May 19, 2021 note uploaded on its website stated that “Pandemic policy is also economic policy as there is no durable end to the economic crisis without an end to the health crisis.

3y ago

Together we heal, learn and shine

Today, there are more than 82 million people around the world fleeing war, violence, persecution, and human rights violations.

3y ago

‘What will happen to my child?’

I first met six-year-old Amina in the Kutupalong refugee camp in 2019. I couldn't help noticing the forlorn image of life in the camps she depicted—a child alone in a corner, playing with a pair of matchboxes instead of a toy.

3y ago

After two decades of war, the US leaves an uncertain future for Afghans

June 2002. I was on my first visit to Kabul. People were trying to put together their lives with new hope. Kids seemed happy and curious. Some were walking to whatever remained of the schools. Some were playing on the streets, while others were curiously watching the foreigners.

3y ago

A Canary in the Mine

Normally, you and I would not see fairies or hear them singing. They exist in a world where we fear (or do not care) to tread (anymore). Even if we do, we will not admit it in public.

3y ago

Asia needs bold action on climate change

As the Asia-Pacific region confronts and recovers from the Covid-19 pandemic, we must continue our pursuit of sustainable development and take action on global climate change, the existential challenge of our time.

3y ago

A press release that bares it all

The news that the Dhaka University authorities said they will take legal action if the university and/or its vice-chancellor, Prof Akhtaruzzaman, is mocked in social media is quite shocking.

3y ago