BNP is not entirely wrong about the NCC. But there is a solution: reinstate the Citizens Coalition’s all-party parliamentary committee proposal. That solves all the problems.
Creating satellite cities is essential to easing Dhaka’s growing urban pressures and distributing resources and population more evenly across the country
The time has come for Tarique Rahman to exercise leadership and guide his party through the reform process. Leaving it to local leaders threatens to put BNP on the wrong side of history.
Prime ministerial term limits are a red herring. The Consensus Commission is getting played if it allows BNP to accept them instead of more substantive reforms.
Given the determination of the US and Israel to bring down the Iranian government, what cards does Iran have left to play? Democratic, domestic reform is almost certainly the one durable solution.
We need women in politics, but reserved seats are not the way. A better solution would be to mandate 33% nomination quota for each party.
NBFIs can be saved -- but liquidation is not the answer. Bangladesh Bank needs to impose immediate and strict oversight, remove the compromised directors and managers, and install competent, independent professionals.
PR-based upper house is not only good for the country, it will serve BNP's interest as well. The sooner the party understands why opposing PR is self-defeating, the better for everyone. Most crucially, for itself.
There will be no winners but plenty of losers from a protracted war targeting Iran. Paradoxically, it is almost certain that the biggest losers would be Israel, and, if it gets sucked into the quagmire, America.
An Upper House based on proportional representation would be the single most valuable reform that all sides could agree to that could truly make a difference to the Bangladeshi body politic. The BNP should take that deal.
We need to empower women to move forward as a country, and direct election to reserved seats is the only way to accomplish this.
We all want greater women's representation in the political process. But it is not clear that quotas are the best way to achieve this noble goal.
We have an uneasy truce but still a long way to go. If the BNP doesn't understand that a bare minimum of reform is necessary to end the impasse, give it legitimacy , and help set the table for good governance, then the nation will lose, including BNP.
There are still many pitfalls between now and timely, good elections. But if we can all agree to one single reform: a proportional Upper House, then in time all other reforms will follow automatically.
If Netanyahu is acting on the belief that his attack on Teheran will lead to the internal overthrow of the regime, it seems that he has misunderstood Iran entirely.
It is time for UK government to get serious when it comes to cracking down on illegal money looted by despots from the developing world and parked in London.
