Naimul Karim

The right to equality and the principle of non-discrimination is recognised by the constitution of Bangladesh. While article 27 of the constitution states that the people of Bangladesh are equal in the eyes of the law, article 28 forbids any discrimination on the basis of race, caste, religion, sex or place of birth.

What is the first thing that comes to your mind when you think of the Bangladesh Post Office (BPO)? 'Snail mail, stale mail, fail mail' was how a colleague of mine, who had lost a birthday gift or two sent from his friends outside the country some time ago, answers that question.

"How much money did you pay him in bribes for the papers?” asks an officer with his headphones on, while scribbling down the main points of the reply on a piece of paper. “BDT 1200… and now he wants more?” he further inquires as he briskly takes a sip of instant coffee from a disposable cup.

Myanmar's de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi's speech last Tuesday had the potential to change the scenario of the ongoing Rohingya crisis and end the misery of the more than 400,000 refugees in Bangladesh.

Barely three weeks ago, it would have taken someone a little more than 10 minutes to reach Kutupalong camp from the main station in Ukhia. Today, traffic jams on the Cox's Bazar-Teknaf Highway, arising from the increasing number of relief trucks arriving to help out the Rohingyas, has changed the scenario. But despite the admirable support of Bangladeshis for the four lakh-plus Rohingyas who entered Bangladesh in the last one month, many new refugees are still living on just muri and cha.

This year alone has witnessed the DMCH succesfully perform three rare surgeries.

Statistics related to floods and cyclones display a dramatic increase in intensity in the last three decades in Bangladesh and experts fear that the trend is likely to get worse.

In a move that seems to have garnered as much attention in Bangladesh as Neymar's record transfer to PSG and is the first of its kind, Bangladeshi cricketer Monimul Haqque has decided to apply for an Irish citizenship.

In the last one year, two Bangladeshi products—Jamdani and Hilsa—received Geographical Indications (GI) from the Department of Patents, Designs and Trademarks (DPDT). The DPDT is currently working on analysing 24 more goods.

While members of the civil society admit that the reinstatement of the No Vote system may not make a huge difference, it will give the people of Bangladesh more freedom to express themselves in 2019.

The increasing dependence on user-generated content means fact-checking has become all the more important.

Human trafficking in Bangladesh has taken a turn for the worse

On the evening of July 2, Zubin, a 30-year-old HR Manager, was on his way to his friend's house in Paltan when an SUV, owned by a high court judge, travelling on the wrong side of the road rammed into his bike and sent him flying.

Ideally, caesareans are a process that should be used only when there's an emergency and when the life of either the baby or the mother is in danger. But in Bangladesh, more than 80 percent of the deliveries in private hospitals are caesarean.

The boiler explosion in a garments factory in Gazipur last Monday once again highlighted the government's inability to monitor the 5000-odd authorised boilers across the country.

One of the special aspects about Bhutan is the way they have maintained their tourism industry—they don't overdo it.

The number of cases filed under section 57 of the ICT Act seems to be on the rise. This year has already seen more than 260 cases.

To expect Bangladesh to ease past teams like Australia, England and New Zealand in conditions that they aren't used to in would be highly impractical.

“How can anybody survive there?” a frustrated Mohammad Gul-e-Noor laments. “Whatever we planted is now under water. Even the fish is floating dead. What will they eat there?"

It's amazing how the likes of Shakib Al Hasan, Tamim Iqbal and Mushfiqur Rahim have consistently performed for Bangladesh over the years.