What was once a startling thunderclap passed off as a whimper, what was welcomed by millions and celebrated as the rebirth of our democracy, went hardly noticed, what was termed as the victory of the people over the military did not receive any public attention.

Winston Churchill’s comment in November, 1947 that “democracy is the worst form of government except for all those other forms that have been tried before” remains as pertinent today as it was when he stated it in the immediate post war period.

Whether we have been able to build our Shonar Bangla (Golden Bengal) or not, Mr. Monir Hossain has certainly built his and earned himself the title of “Shona” (Gold) Monir in the process.

During the AL’s agitation for a caretaker government in the mid-90s, we carried a picture of AL leader Matia Chowdhury pinned down by the police on the Manik Mia Avenue, in front of Jatiya Sangsad, trying to protect herself from police assault while protesting against the then BNP government.

Stealing is bad, but stealing from the poor is perhaps one of the most depraved acts one can think of. But not so for those handling the government’s pandemic-related urgent cash assistance programme for the poor.

“Election is free and fair if I win it and rigged if I lose”. I wrote this sentence many times during our period of contested elections under the caretaker government system.

By the time this article goes to print, Joe Biden, the Democratic Party candidate, may have scraped through the race for the White House.

Nothing could please us more than to hear Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina reiterate her commitment to the freedom of the press and democracy. But does it match with how the Digital Security Act operates, especially against journalists?

How is our coming of age to be measured? Is it just by per capita income or GDP figures or such indices? There are many other such numbers that show us in a favourable light. They are all very important and we are proud of those achievements. But what about some other signs of development—decent and safe roads, clean air, a dependable public transport system, safe water supply, reliable public healthcare, public education measured not by quantity but quality, and most importantly, safety for women?

Last Tuesday, the home ministry issued a statement warning social media users from home and abroad against spreading “false, fabricated, confusing and inciting statements about the government, military, police and other law enforcement agencies.

Article by Mahfuz Anam on the International Day of Democracy

The blunt statement on September 7 of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in a virtual meeting with the Armed Forces Selection Board—that “we should exclude Martial Law from military lexicon”—was both surprising and refreshing.

The September 2 issue of The Daily Star had two contrasting stories that dramatically expose our hypocritical attitudes towards our expatriate workers.

Last Sunday, supporters of the BNP mayoral candidate for Dhaka South, Ishraque Hossain, and those of the AL councillor aspirant, Rokon Uddin Ahmed, clashed while carrying out election activities on behalf of their respective candidates.

Press freedom was a fundamental pillar of modern civilisation. Nearly all countries, save the communist bloc and the dictatorial regimes, ensured special protection for the media in their constitutions.

The attack on Twin Towers by Al Qaeda launched the so-called “war on terror”. The massacre of 50 innocent worshippers in Christchurch should now trigger a global “war on hatred”. If the jihadists needed to be reined in, and correctly so, the white supremacists need to be stopped with equal vigour and urgency.

A federal judge on Friday ordered the White House to reinstate the press credentials of CNN reporter Jim Acosta. His “pass” was revoked after a heated exchange with President Trump.

We hope that instead of a knee-jerk reaction, the present ruling leadership will see the merit of the criticisms made and do their own homework so that all the vital organs of our constitution can work together and establish a functional state under law.

The challenge now before all of us is to determine how deep and wide the spread of extremist ideologies is, how entrenched is the threat and, more importantly, how we can effectively fight it.

Fahim's was always a larger than life presence. Never a moment without his infectious smile, always the first to come up with a joke suitable for the occasion, never shying away from pulling someone's leg, almost always taking us by surprise with his ready wit and always able to turn a rather serious encounter into a more pleasant occasion with his superb social skills.