Analysis

Killers Cannot Hide Behind the Uniform

There can be no mercy for those who were involved in enforced disappearances or extrajudicial killings. They must be brought to justice. Mercy to the guilty is cruelty to their victims.

Reading Tarique Rahman’s Words

His BBC interview does not announce a new manifesto; it announces a new temperament. It marks the return not merely of a politician but of a political tone long missing in Bangladesh -- calm, composed, and confident in the people’s intelligence

The Ballad of the Missing Bullets

Each missing gun is a potential shooting at a street corner, a robbery, a killing. As national elections approach, the fear is not hypothetical. It is Chekhov’s gun multiplied by a thousand: if a weapon hangs on the wall in Act I, it must go off by Act III. And Act III is the election.

A Proposal to Realize Expatriate Voting Rights

Instead of asking expats to vote in their "home constituencies," we should have overseas constituencies and overseas MPs. That way the expats can be represented in Parliament by someone who can address their immediate concerns.

The Limits of De-dollarization in Asia: Insights from Bangladesh

The vision of an Asia less dependent on the US dollar is not impossible, but it is certainly difficult. Bangladesh’s experience vividly demonstrates why.

The Riddle of Shrine Attacks: Why Intra-Muslim Violence Surprised Us

To protect shrines is to protect a vision of Islam that is inclusive, creative, and rooted in ordinary life. The riddle of the shrine attacks is solved only when we see that the real threat is not just the loss of Hindu-Muslim peace, but the erosion of Muslim-Muslim coexistence.

Britain’s Rise Was Bengal’s Fall, But Now Bangladesh Can Rise Again

Britain’s industrial revolution was fueled by the plunder of Bengal. What we call progress in London was poverty in Dhaka. With Hasina gone, Bangladesh has a chance to reclaim its stolen future and build Bangladesh 2.0 -- democratic, innovative, and prosperous.

Awami League's New York Folly Points to a Deeper Problem

While this kind of hooliganism is shameful and unacceptable, this was not the first egg-throwing incident on foreign land by Bangladeshi political activists, nor will it be the last

How Not to Recover Stolen Assets

Billions could have been recovered through proper asset recovery strategy. Why was that not done? Why were experienced legal experts not retained? Serious questions need to be answered.

The Erasure of Jahanara Imam

At SUST, Bangladesh has chosen to forget Jahanara Imam. It has chosen to betray its mother to appease its murderers. It has chosen to sanctify cowardice with religion. The dormitory that should have carried her name now bears the name of a saint, not because the country lacks martyrs, but because it lacks the courage to honor them.

What if the Elections were Held Today?

The recent Innovision poll provides a very good snapshot of the political state of play with less than 6 months to go before elections

My Father’s Manila Folder and How Politics Lost Its Memory

IN a post-modern Bangladesh where everyone has their own truth and we have no shared history or experience, how do we come together to build the nation?

Lessons from Kathmandu: Why Bangladesh’s Next Government Faces an Existential Test

What can those who hope to rule Bangladesh post-elections learn from recent events in Nepal, and what are the twin threats that it will need to face down?

Bangladesh at a Crossroads: Populism or Principle?

The country stands at a dangerous precipice. Will we go down the road of division for political gain or will we get down to the hard work of building a nation? It is time to stand up and be counted.

Election is Coming

Nearly nine out of ten respondents support the February election timing, nearly seven out of ten believe the Interim Government will deliver it, and over nine out of ten say that they will vote.

Defense Modernization: Will Bangladesh Send More Troops Abroad?

Bangladesh has a long and storied history as a key player in international peace and security. Defense modernization must keep in this in mind. Upholding global peace and justice needs to continue to be part of the nation's brand.