Why Bangladesh’s vegetable exports fail long before take-off

When we talk about the challenges surrounding our vegetable exports, we often frame the issue as a simple question of export promotion, certification, or country branding. But the real issue is whether our vegetable production and supply chain can consistently deliver safe, traceable, and market-ready output.
14 March 2026

The unfinished promise to Bangladesh’s women

Given the election results, one could assume that the female voters have registered a clear electoral message. They do not want to retreat into the margins of civic life. And why should they?
14 March 2026

Banning groundwater irrigation in the Barind Tract is not the answer

Groundwater overuse in some areas now demands careful stewardship.
13 March 2026

The challenges before the prime minister

High unemployment, weak investment, the need for job creation, curbing inflation, export diversification, and stabilising the banking sector are among the most urgent economic challenges.
13 March 2026

No, justice for animals and humans is not mutually exclusive

In the past few days, courts in Bangladesh have handed down two notable verdicts in cases of animal cruelty.
12 March 2026

Can we use private healthcare to improve health literacy?

No national standards define what evidence-based health education from a private provider should look like.
12 March 2026

Washington’s Iran gamble is already backfiring

The choice of the new supreme leader signals the direction of travel.
12 March 2026

A youth-quake Jatiya Sangsad must break with the past

The 13th Jatiya Sangsad, which goes into its maiden session today, is in many ways a first for the country.
12 March 2026

Ending child abuse is imperative. Can the new government rise to the challenge?

All forms of violence against children are preventable. What has been missing is consistent political will. The newly elected government has the mandate and the moral responsibility to lead.
11 March 2026

Empowering NHRC is a must for Bangladesh

National human rights institutions, like the NHRC, ought to be established either through constitutional or legislative text.
11 March 2026

Without media integrity, elections mean little for democracy

The 2026 election in Bangladesh was the first big political test after the July uprising, and it reminded us of something very basic: elections are not decided only inside polling booths.
11 March 2026

Will disability rights be finally delivered?

According to the World Health Organization (WHO) Health Equity Report 2023, some 16 percent of the global population experiences a disability.
11 March 2026

Jungle Salimpur and a warning on strategic land management

The massive joint-forces operation launched this week in Jungle Salimpur, Chattogram, did more than expose a criminal stronghold
11 March 2026

A war in the Gulf, an empty wallet in a Bangladeshi village

How women bear the brunt when remittance flow shrinks
10 March 2026

The duty to rebuild

There are moments in a nation’s life when victory does not feel like triumph at all. It feels like an inventory. One counts the broken things.
10 March 2026

Why public service reform should be our next big leap

When it comes to economic reforms, an ordinary moment when a citizen tries to access a public service and succeeds within minutes, instead of struggling for days navigating a maze, is no less significant than a successful megaproject or a new tax regime.
10 March 2026

Symbolic progress can only take women’s empowerment so far

Observed for over a century, the International Women’s Day (IWD) is more than just a celebration; it is about recognising women’s accomplishments and reflecting on progress towards achieving gender equality.
10 March 2026

Nepal election: A lesson in honouring a people's uprising

Nepal's election results point to a landslide for rapper Balendra Shah, anticipated by a few in Nepal's political establishment.
9 March 2026

Social media echo chambers and the deepening of sociopolitical polarisations

Social media platforms such as YouTube and Facebook primarily aim to increase users’ views, likes, comments, and shares.
9 March 2026

Balancing the scales for women begins with being seen

One such pause came recently when I opened an invitation in my inbox marking the International Women’s Day celebration.
9 March 2026