The failure of university authorities to hold election of the Dhaka University Central Students' Union (DUCSU)—violating the express provisions of Articles 4 and 20 of the Dhaka University Order, 1973 (President's Order No 11 of 1973) and the fundamental rights guaranteed under Article 27 of the constitution—for 27 years now is completely incomprehensible.

We applaud the High Court for its landmark verdict on the compensation case filed under the Motor Vehicles Ordinance 1983, by the family of Tareque Masud for his death in a road crash six years ago.

The healthcare system in Bangladesh has been under a lot of scrutiny lately. In a recent drive against private hospitals and diagnostic centres in Mohammadpur on Wednesday raid by the Rapid Action Battalion and Directorate General of Drug Administration (DGDA) and Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) found hospitals and diagnostic centres in a deplorable state.

It has been 20 years since the Accord was penned between the Shanti Bahini and the government of Bangladesh, but still one hears a murmur of frustration in the Hills over the fact that not all the provisos of the Accord have been fully implemented.

The use of noise emitting devices or “sonic weapons” by the police on Thursday, against peaceful protestors remonstrating against the government's decision to increase power prices for the umpteenth time this year—a genuine complaint—is an absolute shame.

We are deeply saddened by the passing away of Mayor Annisul Huq who has been fighting against a rare cerebral disease for the last three months. He left behind not only his family, relatives and a legion of friends from diverse walks of life but also many citizens who admired and respected him for his work as Dhaka North City Corporation's mayor.

A recent study by Manusher Jonno Foundation gave this perception a statistical foundation as it tracked incidents of violence and harassment in 2016 and came to the conclusion that around 60 percent members of the surveyed communities had experienced different forms of violence twice last year.

It has been reported that within the first seven months of this year, around 300 cases were filed under the controversial Section 57 of the ICT Act. And yet, now when the government has decided to scrap the provision from the law, it does not bring any relief.

We have both reported and editorialised how the Farmers' Bank went down under and now we are seeing a similar situation emerging with the non-bank financial institutions (NBFIs).

We would like to extend a warm welcome to Pope Francis who is in Bangladesh on a three-day visit. This is a historic moment for us and for the Christian community in Bangladesh in particular.

Asaduzzaman, who lost his legs to polio as a child, always dreamed of going to school. His enthusiasm was not shared by his family, who, like most families in Bangladesh, view the disabled as a burden.

Despite the agreement signed between Bangladesh and Myanmar on repatriating stranded Rohingyas, we are still witnessing Rohingyas crossing the border into Bangladesh. According to a report by AFP, more than 3,000 refugees have come into Bangladesh since the two sides inked an agreement on repatriation less than week ago.

Bangladesh Mahila Parishad has revealed that at least 50 women and children were raped in Thakurgaon district alone in the last ten months. They prepared the report based on the data from local hospitals where the victims were admitted or took treatment.

A report in this paper has found that spaces under most of the flyers in the city are being illegally occupied by parked cars as well as makeshift shops choking the roads and adding to Dhaka's insufferable traffic congestion.

There is much to be improved in the quality of healthcare service in the country. A report published in The Daily Star on November 27, 2017 cited a case that serves as an example of how crucial it is that maternal and neonatal healthcare be prioritised.

Bangladesh has always preferred problem-resolution with its neighbours through dialogue and negotiations. Thus the Arrangement signed between Bangladesh and Myanmar, we feel, is a positive development of sorts.

A parliamentary body recently recommended the passing of the Banking Companies (Amendment) Act-2017, which would allow for the number of directors in a bank's board from a single family to double and extend the tenure of directors.

We note with concern that the number of reported incidents of violence against women has risen in the country. Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK), a human rights organisation, reported that as many as 1,378 women in the country have become victims of different kinds of abuses this year so far—nearly 15 percent increase compared to the same period last year.

The energy advisor informed us that the latest hike in power prices is “negligible” and it won't hurt much.

According to a report published in this newspaper on Thursday, there are currently about 23,000 autorickshaws plying the streets of Dhaka. Surprisingly, almost half of them, that is about 10,000, are doing so without permission from the authorities concerned.