Losing academic freedom
THERE was a time when the university was imagined as a space of intellectual risk, where thought could move freely, unrestricted by the anxieties of power or professional survival. That time is long gone.
Opinion/Editorial
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Govt should hold power-sector foul players to account
TWO major coal-run power plants 鈥� the Rampal power plant owned by a joint venture of Bangladesh鈥檚 state-owned Power Development and India鈥檚 state-owned National Thermal Power Corporation and the Payra plant owned by a joint venture of...
A strong UN for a world in transition
IN A display of staggering arrogance, even by its own standards, the United States administration recently sent a questionnaire to United Nations aid agencies, asking staff whether they held 鈥榓nti-American鈥� beliefs or affiliations...
Fixing renewable energy crisis
BANGLADESH鈥橲 renewable energy ambitions remain largely unrealised, despite more than a decade of policy commitments. Today, renewable energy contributes less than five per cent of total electricity generation, according to Sustainable and...
Interim government as political pedagogy
THE current interim government in Bangladesh is a variant of the caretaker government which was introduced in 1990 after the fall of General Ershad鈥檚 military rule. The system is a local innovation in politics and democracy.聽聽聽
ENVIRONMENTAL RISKS: Coal power generation
ENVIRONMENTAL risks associated with coal power generation in Bangladesh are extensive and multifaceted, posing significant challenges to both the environment and public health. A poor management of storage in coal yards can often...
Plain-sight breach of labour law by factory owners
SEVERAL hundred workers of two apparel factories have sat in at the labour department office in Dhaka for five days demanding their wages in arrears for two months and festival allowance have remain unpaid. An agitating worker of...
Extortion caught in police inaction, victims鈥� unwillingness
EXTORTION is reported to have marked a surge not only in the capital city but also elsewhere in outlying areas with Eid-ul-Fitre only a few days away. Dhaka city police data show that 58 cases have been filed over extortion in the...
Surrendering to authoritarianism
I WAS not surprised when Columbia University鈥檚 interim president Katrina Armstrong caved to the demands of the Trump administration. She agreed to ban face masks or face coverings, prohibit protests in academic buildings and create an internal security force of 36 New York City Police officers empowered to 鈥榬emove individuals from campus and/or arrest them when...
Internet price reduction: who benefits?
The Bangladesh Submarine Cable Company鈥檚 recent decision to reduce internet bandwidth costs by 10 per cent raises an important question: who stands to benefit from this price cut? Announced on March 22, 2025, the move is expected to ease expenses for both mobile and broadband service providers. However, whether these savings will trickle down to end-users...
Regulating Facebook commerce
AS EID approaches, Bangladesh鈥檚 annual online shopping surge is once again in motion, with Facebook emerging as the dominant marketplace. The social media platform, while convenient and accessible, has become a breeding ground for fraud and unethical business practices in the absence of adequate regulation. Consumers are left vulnerable, while...