On this International Day in Support of Victims of Torture, Bangladesh has the chance to lead, not only through words but through action.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup has arrived amid a deeply polarised political climate, with President Donald Trump facing criticism over immigration policies, foreign affairs, and economic management. The tournament thus offers an opportunity for the Trump administration to project a more celebratory image of the country to both domestic and international audiences.

Can a budget be truly gender responsive if it does not adequately address the unpaid care burden that keeps millions of women out of the labour market?

The proposed budget, the BNP government’s first in two decades, promises a shift away from physical infrastructure to human capital development and a journey towards a democratic, humane and inclusive economy. Can these promises be delivered?

How does a university student go from watching entertainment to endorsing violence?

The BNP government has recently announced a series of education reforms. A third language will become compulsory alongside Bangla and English. Vocational education will expand.

It is true that observers have so far viewed the performance of the BNP government, which took office in February 2026 following a year-and-a-half-long interim administration, with cautious optimism.

Bangladesh’s health sector has long advanced through a paradox. On the one hand, millions of people fall into financial hardship every year due to healthcare expenses

One of the most serious weaknesses in Bangladesh’s economy is that its tax collection, relative to the economy size, remains among the lowest in the world; the country ranks only slightly above war-ravaged Yemen and Sudan.

A mature democracy needs an opposition that responds to the budget with serious governing alternatives, not merely louder criticism.

When diplomatic talks fail, the language of their conclusion is usually the last to admit it.

Adaptation finance remains far below what vulnerable countries require.

While our costs have been rising sharply and continuously, the unit prices paid for apparel have been falling in real terms.

Earlier this month, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) confirmed that El Niño has an 80 percent chance of forming before September, with the potential to rival the strongest ever recorded.

Around five years ago, headlines worldwide noted Beijing’s skyline darkened by pollution.

The proposed budget for FY2026-27 indicates a welcome shift in language to back up the government’s electoral promise to gradually increase public investment in education.

Budgets often reveal more through their tensions than through their promises. The proposed budget for FY2026-27 is no exception.

Despite progress in some parts of the world, child labour remains a stark reality for millions of children globally.

The work of French philosophers Michel Foucault and Louis Althusser remains useful to understand how the modern state governs.

The proposed national budget for FY2026-27 comes at a time when the economy is seeking not only growth but also stability, confidence and direction.