Counterpoint

Democracy, Rule of Law, and the Promise of Bangladesh

A Gafur

Justice must not only be done but must be seen to be done; impartially, consistently, and without fear or favor. For ordinary citizens to trust the system, they must believe that the law protects them equally, regardless of wealth, influence, or affiliation.

How Do We Keep Commodity Prices Low? Auctions are the Answer.

Zeeshan Hasan

The logical way forward is for the government to ensure that all large producers of perishable agricultural commodities set up daily auctions. Then government agencies can ensure fair prices by auditing the records of the auctions.

Why the Admission Debate Misses the Bigger Crisis

H.M. Nazmul Alam

In the end, the controversy is not about a mechanism. It is about a mindset. It reveals a society that remains deeply anxious about opportunity and deeply divided in access to it.

Behind Sufism and Politics

Jaglul Ahmed

A class of divinely chosen people has the power, endowed by God, to read the esoteric meaning of the Quran and the capacity to guide their own path and that of their followers to connect to the ultimate reality through a mystic journey, which is the foundation of the doctrine of Sufism.

From the Strait of Hormuz to Dhaka: Oil, Remittances and Geopolitical Aftershocks

Mahir Tajwar Khan Herok

International law and global stability are not distant abstractions for Bangladesh but essential pillars of economic resilience and national planning.

The Strategic Risks of the Iran Conflict

Mustafa Kamal Rusho

For the first time in decades, the United States risks strategic isolation within its own alliance network. If the United States is perceived as an unreliable negotiating partner, future mediation efforts -- both in the Middle East and beyond -- may suffer.

Where Is the Plan to Revive the Economy?

Khalilur Rahman

Bangladesh now needs a clear economic roadmap and renewed emphasis on economic and energy diplomacy.

Can Bangladesh Resurrect Saarc?

Naziba Mustabshira

Reviving Saarc is a Sisyphean task, but it is one Bangladesh is uniquely positioned to undertake. In a world of hardening blocs, South Asia cannot afford to be the only region without a voice.

From Collateral to Customers: Rethinking Capital Allocation in Bangladesh

Waseem Alim

The country has already demonstrated remarkable resilience and creativity in its economic journey -- from garments to remittances to microfinance. The next chapter will require an equally bold shift in how capital is allocated.

Nation-Building in Bangladesh and the Global South

Atif Ahmed Choudhury

Marginalizing Sylhet and other peripheral districts is more than a regional grievance. It is a strategic mistake that weakens Bangladesh’s national economy, even as policymakers tout the country’s global competitiveness. Yet it also reveals the contradictions and idiosyncrasies in modern nation-building exercises.

When Transition Becomes a Gendered Battlefield

Lubna Ferdowsi

Bangladesh does not lack visible women, women in campaigns, women in commemorative posters, women seated at consultation tables, women repeatedly invoked in speeches. But visibility without authority is not empowerment; it is performance.

Against All Odds

Yasin Shafi

To return to democracy, we endured another undemocratic government after removing one. During this time, there were many human rights violations, many provocations. The people of Bangladesh gritted their teeth and waited for stability.

How More Bangladeshi Students can get to the US

Shahreer Zahan

The goal is to have a unified and cohesive story, an antithesis to the common phenomenon of students accumulating certificates like trophies, so that when they finally face their goal, the student does not essentially become a detriment to the system.

What the Interim Government Gave Bangladesh

Farhana Sultana

What Dr. Yunus and his team of advisers stepped into was not a functioning state awaiting a caretaker, it was institutional wreckage requiring reconstruction.  What followed was a period of institution-building that, whatever its imperfections, deserves recognition.

An Open Letter to Barrister Zaima Rahman

Ashraf Ud Doula

Whatever path you ultimately choose, I offer you my sincere best wishes. May your journey ahead be guided by wisdom, courage, and purpose -- and may it be as smooth and fulfilling as destiny permits.

10 Questions for Bobby Hajjaj

Omar Shehab

The education system of Bangladesh is not merely a ministry. It is one of the largest social systems in the world. Running such a system is not simply a policy challenge. It is an administrative challenge of almost unimaginable scale.

The Myth of Rohingya Aid Dependency

Shafiur Rahman

The Rohingya are not “fully dependent” on anyone. They are dependent only to the extent that they have been made dependent -- by design, by policy, and by a system that manages dependency rather than ending it.

Judicial Reform Scheme -- From Plan to Practice

Millat Hossain

Comprehensive reform of the judicial system has emerged as a major national demand.

Three Million or Three Hundred Thousand?

Serajul I. Bhuiyan

Seeking a clearer understanding of history does not diminish the legacy of the Liberation War honors it more completely. A nation willing to examine its past with honesty shows confidence in its own story.

The Extremely Sustainable Lifestyle of the Burnt-Out Feminist

Sushmita S Preetha

Though the International Brotherhood of Mediocre Men appears to be doing a competent job of setting the world on literal fire, feminists remain the preferred explanation for why everything is burning.

How to Fix Education

Rubaiya Murshed

I write not to add another idea to the pile, but to argue for changing how we decide which ideas deserve the limelight. The answer lies in redesigning the system of decision-making itself -- clarifying who decides, how decisions are made, and how public money is allocated.

The State and the Deep State in Bangladesh

Jalal Mirza

Even if we develop our state institutions, there is no guarantee that a ‘Legal Autocrat’ or ‘Constitutional Autocrat’ will not appear in future. The stronger the State, the stronger a Constitutional Autocrat is and the more it may exercise power to prey the public. State becomes a Constitutional handle to a Constitutional Dictator or Fascist.

Why Nepal’s Youth Won and Bangladesh’s Faltered

H.M. Nazmul Alam

Bangladesh’s political terrain is considerably more rigid. Dynastic narratives continue to exert powerful influence over voter perceptions. The Awami League remains closely associated with the legacy of Sheikh Mujib, while the BNP continues to revolve around the Zia family. In such an environment, new political movements must not only compete with established organizations but also confront deeply embedded historical loyalties.

The Elephant in the Room

Rehman Sobhan

That the stability and sustainability of Bangladesh’s renewed tryst with democracy will depend on how maturely Tarique Rahman deals with the thorny issue of Sheikh Hasina and the Awami League.

The Shingara as a Geopolitical Testimony

Zakir Kibria

On gravity, and those who bear its weight.

From Raids to Reform: Why Bangla QR is the Real Solution to Market Opacity

Tashzid Reza

The transition from cash to digital is not merely a technological shift; it is an institutional reform. It requires aligning incentives, building trust, and modernizing infrastructure. But the alternative -- continuing cycles of raids, fines, allegations of harassment, and persistent opacity -- offers little hope for sustainable market discipline.

The Looming Persian Storm: Why Bangladesh Cannot Afford to Defy Economic Gravity Again

Rushad Faridi

A prolonged conflict in the Middle East would likely trigger a slump in consumer demand in Western markets, leaving the RMG sector vulnerable to the dual blow of dwindling orders and the logistical nightmare of disrupted maritime routes.

When Lullabies Become Archives

Nafew Sajed Joy

What appears as playful nonsense often functions as mnemonic residue, compressed narratives of invasion, hunger, gendered sorrow, ecological uncertainty, and communal endurance.

The Straw-Woman Fallacy

Shanim Tasnim

Feminism has become a new F-word. But let's at least debate the issues that women are really talking about and demanding rather than a patriarchal projection of what men think women want and demanding.

Unlearning Obedience

Azeema Anhar Humaira

We’re tired of being told to wait. We’re tired of being told to be reasonable. We’re tired of being told to consider the reputations of men, the stability of institutions, the sensitivities of cultures. We’re tired of the same headlines feeling like déjà vu.

The J Z Show। Ep 19: Bangladesh's Post-Election Landscape and Regional Cooperation

Zafar Sobhan

The J Z Show। Ep 18 । Zafar Sobhan। Jon Danilowicz

Zafar Sobhan

The J Z Show। Ep 15 । Md Rubaiyath Sarwar | Zafar Sobhan। Jon Danilowicz

Zafar Sobhan

Counterpoint Generations | Ep 9

Zafar Sobhan

Episode 9 of Counterpoint Generations reflects on the immediate post-election landscape, examining voter participation, the formation of the new cabinet, and the institutional challenges facing the incoming government as parliament prepares to begin its term.

Counterpoint Generations | Ep 8

Zafar Sobhan

In Episode 8 of Counterpoint Generations, the discussion explores Bangladesh’s electoral journey from the 1970 election to the present, examining how voting behaviour, political participation, and institutions have evolved over time. The episode also addresses contemporary questions around minority voting patterns, and why opinion polls often fail to predict real outcomes. A reflective conversation on elections, uncertainty, and democratic change.

Counterpoint Generations | EP 7 | Professor Rehman Sobhan | Zafar Sobhan

Zafar Sobhan

In Episode 7 of Counterpoint Generations, Zafar Sobhan and Professor Rehman Sobhan discuss Manchester United’s recent win, revisit how their shared love for football began, and reflect on the current state of global and Bangladeshi football.