Menstrual Hygiene Day 2022: Time to put policy into action
Menstruation or period is a natural phenomenon for women of reproductive age and indicates a healthy life. Yet, many people—both men and women—consider the monthly period cycle as an illness.
AMA Muhith: A few glimpses into the man
For quite some time, I haven’t been writing for national media outlets for reasons which I may share someday, if I think that would make any positive difference in the existing ecosystem of freedom...
Imran Khan’s march to chaos
Pakistan seems to be heading towards political confrontation following the government’s decision to ban the PTI march in Islamabad.
Finance for loss and damage from climate change must be ensured soon
The issue of finance for helping the victims of human-induced climate change has now become the most urgent climate issue.
Normalise happy divorces, not unhappy marriages
Why do we never question the psychological impact on children stuck between two parents in an unhappy marriage?
GDP: A misleading measure of development
Annual GDP refers to the financial value of all the products and services produced in a country in a given year. This means as a country’s financial transactions increase, so does GDP.
Bangladesh and the US need each other
Our Planet Earth was so named by human beings who are essentially terrestrial creatures. But how would a visitor from outer space, from another planet or galaxy, react on discovering our planet for...
We need consensus on climate goals
Garment makers, governments, NGOs and fashion retailers all agree on one thing: carbon emissions in the clothing production must be reduced. Our industry is one of the world’s most emissions...
Reclaiming our future
The Asia Pacific region is at a crossroads today—to further breakdown or breakthrough to a greener, better, safer future.
NGOs for road safety: #CommitToAct #StreetforLife
NGOs can collaborate with the government to implement road safety policies.
More chores for women further tilts the gender gap
"My husband says not to look for work too far from home since I have to do the household work as well and asks me to wait." Mita (not her real name) went on to express her frustration by...
Moral policing: A zombie virus
What the Narsingdi Railway incident really reveals about our society's attitude towards women.
Make the national budget relevant again
The number of risks that our economy currently faces because of all the global instabilities is perhaps unmatched since the early days of Bangladesh’s independence. Amid this reality, the...
Cumilla polls, a litmus test for EC, and the shadow of drugs
For a party so image-conscious and so demanding of "clean image" from its candidates, Awami League surely knows how to make a muck of things and draw unflattering attention.
Column by Mahfuz Anam: Why are there so many laws against free media?
With the numerous laws that already exist to regulate—or better still, suppress—the media, and the diligence with which new ones are being prepared, one would think that of all the areas that need...
Tea workers’ suffering is not just a labour issue
On May 20, 1921, around 3,000 tea labourers were waiting at Chandpur railway station.
Menstrual Hygiene Day 2022: Time to put policy into action
Menstruation or period is a natural phenomenon for women of reproductive age and indicates a healthy life. Yet, many people—both men and women—consider the monthly period cycle as an illness.
How did the Supreme Court start housing planning for Dhaka’s poor?
On August 20, 1999, over 5,000 slum dwellers mobilised from various informal settlements in Dhaka and gathered in the Supreme Court premises to protest the “wholesale eviction” that was underway...
Stuck in an endless loop of corruption and violence
While the better private universities have realigned their focuses on creating a "whole" education with a 360-degree perspective, the public system has reached the nadir from which...
Love, Death & Robots: "Jibaro" and the futile fantasy of feminine revenge
How feministic is the female revenge fantasy in films?
India’s Sri Lanka policy faces challenge
India’s Neighbourhood First Policy once again faces a challenge in view of the economic meltdown and consequent political turmoil in Sri Lanka. India’s approach in dealing with the crisis in the...
Column by Mahfuz Anam: Private Universities - A grand initiative going sour
There is a peculiar trend in Bangladesh. When someone starts something innovative, then hundreds of copycats spoil it.
Imran Khan’s march to chaos
Pakistan seems to be heading towards political confrontation following the government’s decision to ban the PTI march in Islamabad.
AMA Muhith: A few glimpses into the man
For quite some time, I haven’t been writing for national media outlets for reasons which I may share someday, if I think that would make any positive difference in the existing ecosystem of freedom...
Pollution in Bangladesh: The invisible tango with death
More than 215,000 people in Bangladesh succumbed to pollution in 2019. The ever lurking, at times invisible, killer—air pollution—alone claimed about 175,000 lives.
Finance for loss and damage from climate change must be ensured soon
The issue of finance for helping the victims of human-induced climate change has now become the most urgent climate issue.