A presidential election, or another coronation?
16 August 2026
On August 20, for only the second time in our history, parliamentarians will have the opportunity to elect the president of the republic.
16 August 2026
Hasina’s media interactions are hurting bilateral ties
10 August 2026
Dhaka’s response to the decision to allow Hasina to speak remotely at the FCC-hosted event was both expected and justified, although some argue that an even stronger protest could have been lodged through a more carefully calibrated choice of words.
10 August 2026
Book Review: Nonfiction / The story of Bangladesh’s books
4 June 2026
We have long heard stories about the late military ruler H M Ershad and his deep desire to be recognised as a poet.
4 June 2026
Political shift in West Bengal and its regional ripples
7 May 2026
BJP’s victory in the West Bengal assembly elections has been widely described as a tectonic shift.
7 May 2026
World Press Freedom Day / Press freedom in a world of slopaganda and churnalism
3 May 2026
Do you feel exhausted trying to find reliable facts about everything happening around you?
3 May 2026
When reform becomes more power, less accountability
6 April 2026
With the parliamentary politics once again becoming vibrant and engaging, a clear fault line is gradually emerging between the ruling party, BNP, and the opposition, Jamaat-e-Islami (JI).
6 April 2026
A youth-quake Jatiya Sangsad must break with the past
12 March 2026
The 13th Jatiya Sangsad, which goes into its maiden session today, is in many ways a first for the country.
12 March 2026
Central bank shake-up: Why is BNP undermining its reformist legacy?
1 March 2026
The removal of Bangladesh Bank Governor Ahsan H Mansur, widely credited with steadying an economy that was on the brink of potential collapse, has been described by many as nothing short of a blunder by the new government.
1 March 2026
Misinterpreting threats of visa ban won’t do us any good
Misleading analyses can help propagate a narrative for immediate damage control, but are not helpful to overcome the real crisis.
2 June 2023
Setting rules of the game without parties’ consent may prove unwise
It is quite intriguing how the RPA amendment can be so accommodating to defaulters who are desperate to gain political power.
24 May 2023
Is an election like the UK's possible in Bangladesh?
Promising elections similar to the UK is hardly enough to allay the concerns about the future of our democracy.
11 May 2023
Why Press Council is failing to protect press freedom
Media plurality, though essential in all democracies, has sadly become a tool for drowning out independent and critical voices.
3 May 2023
How different is Dhaka’s outlook from the US Indo-Pacific Strategy?
The unveiling of the Indo-Pacific Outlook has been broadly welcomed by many Bangladeshi analysts and diplomats.
30 April 2023
Is the US really happy with our election plan?
Foreign Minister Momen’s meeting with US Secretary of State Anthony J Blinken was understandably a delicate one.
17 April 2023
OHCHR echoes our concerns about the DSA
A look at “OHCHR Technical Note to the Government of Bangladesh on review of the Digital Security Act,” will make one wonder how punishments for the same offence can vary so much depending on the law an accused is charged under.
7 April 2023
Victimising Shams shows why DSA should go
Yet another proof that the DSA has become a tool to suppress criticism and free thinking.
30 March 2023
Time to discard EVMs instead of repairing
Such an extraordinary emphasis on having elections in some constituencies make us wonder whether there’s more to this than meets the eye.
26 March 2023
Genuine elections vs participatory sham
The country needs a genuine election in its true sense, not a sham exercise under the pretence of maximum participation.
15 March 2023
The ongoing economic peril and our plundered future
'Lunthito Bhabishyat: Bangladesher Arthanoitik Shonkoter Chalchitra' gives an overview of Bangladesh's current economic crisis.
9 March 2023
No change in tune for the EC in its first year
Regaining public confidence and trust in the Election Commission, which have been systematically destroyed by two previous commissions, is undoubtedly a tough task. Unfortunately, it seems the current EC, too, is failing us miserably.
27 February 2023
Paradoxes of terrorism in Bangladesh
'The Politics of Terrorism and Counterterrorism in Bangladesh' contains insightful and critical analyses.
23 February 2023
Why the raid at BBC offices in India should worry us all
The Income Tax (IT) department’s sudden raid at the BBC premises in India has drawn widespread condemnation.
15 February 2023
Can Bangladesh get out of the Adani power deal?
Adani’s inclusion of costs that appear to be non-existent may allow Bangladesh to claim the deal invalid.
13 February 2023
Calling the by-polls 'free and fair' dims hope for 2024
These by-elections are nothing more than a mere fulfilment of legal obligations, as it won’t be able to bring in any change in parliamentary balance.
2 February 2023
Clarification, or admission of guilt?
The worst part in the academy's attempt to clear the air is the admission in its statement that it had not read the alleged offending book before deciding to exclude its publisher from the exhibition.
27 January 2023
How can breaching citizens’ privacy be lawful?
We should be concerned about the deployment of surveillance tech without any judicial oversight
18 January 2023
Hefazat’s politics and the government’s policies
As we approach another general election, the utmost thing of worry is that such appeasement will only intensify.
10 January 2023
Will pre-election politics remain peaceful or become violent?
A consensus among political parties is essential for holding a good election.
3 January 2023