Mahfuz Anam writes: What is the state of Awami League as a political party?

This election year, the question that will inevitably come to the fore is of how successful AL has been in keeping its promises.
5 January 2023

Mahfuz Anam writes: From Bangabandhu to Sheikh Hasina

Awami League’s journey from a party leading a struggle to a party long in power.
22 December 2022

COLUMN BY MAHFUZ ANAM: A competition of errors

Is our government so weak that a proposed public meeting threatens it?
8 December 2022

Big budget, bigger corruption

Lack of accountability and the culture of impunity destroyed governance from within.
1 December 2022

Will the government touch the ‘untouchables’?

The default-loan narrative has smeared our otherwise powerful story of graduation from the Least Developed Country (LDC) status.
17 November 2022

Column by Mahfuz Anam: The underlying story of a simple photograph

As an editor, I commend the photographer, the caption writer, and the news editor for depicting a sad reality with such subtle deftness.
10 November 2022

Column by Mahfuz Anam: UK’s Conservative Party and Our Politics

Recent leadership changes may appear chaotic, but ultimately demonstrate political accountability
27 October 2022

Will free media be harassed in the name of data protection?

DSA’s new curbs and OTT draft rules give the opening
20 October 2022

Bangladesh Press Council: Is the protector turning into a ‘predator’?

What is of serious concern for us is the secrecy with which the Press Council has dealt with the matter.
25 August 2022

Column by Mahfuz Anam: No govt has ever fallen for being self-critical

If we want to stop being lectured by international bodies, then we as a people, and much more so our government, must listen to our own critical voices.
18 August 2022

‘Walkman Syndrome’ afflicts the AL and our government

Nothing but their own voices reaches them
11 August 2022

CEC hits the nail on the head, but the wrong nail

“Democracy will die if people don’t vote.” This is a very powerful statement from CEC Kazi Habibul Awal.
28 July 2022

Tribute by Mahfuz Anam: A fighter for independent journalism

The fact that Latifur Rahman, Shamim Bhai to us all, is no longer among us still feels unreal.
30 June 2022

Column by Mahfuz Anam: New assault on the freedom of the press and expression

There is a new assault on the freedom of the press. This time, sadly, it comes from another section of the mass media itself – the television.
16 June 2022

Column by Mahfuz Anam: Reading into the recent speeches of the US ambassador

There was a time when the US government left no stone unturned to oust the government of President Nicolas Maduro in Venezuela.
2 June 2022

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.
26 May 2022

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 fixing, our government expects the journalists to be “fixed” first. But why?
19 May 2022

Commentary by Mahfuz Anam: Can we really have a free and fair election?

Recently, the chief election commissioner (CEC) urged all political parties to participate in the national election so that “democracy can flourish.”
21 April 2022

Column by Mahfuz Anam: Pakistan, Sri Lanka and lessons for Bangladesh

Two important members of our South Asian community stand as examples of how not to run a country.
7 April 2022

Column by Mahfuz Anam: Search Committee’s Final Hour

As announced, the Search Committee for the Election Commission will submit its recommendations to the president today, February 24, 2022.
23 February 2022