Society

Innovation in Bangladesh

Some of our policies do not even support innovation; the heavy taxation on machinery components and spare parts import is one big challenge for agro machinery manufacturers.
30 July 2017, 18:00 PM

Why is marital rape still legal in Bangladesh?

We need to acknowledge that the reluctance in our country to criminalise marital rape is rooted in the medieval notion that upon signing the marriage contract, a wife perpetually and irrevocably consents to sexual intercourse with her husband whenever he so demands.
25 July 2017, 18:00 PM

Of what value is primary school completion?

In the Primary Education Completion Exam (PECE), a mandatory national exam introduced in 2009, the latest pass rate is 98.5 percent. This is a success that cannot be ignored.
24 July 2017, 18:00 PM

Of depravity and mimicry

Recently a few students of one of the leading public universities of the country became so unruly as to assault a police sergeant when he tried to perform his duty by not letting the university bus pass through the wrong side.
23 July 2017, 18:00 PM

Seize the opportunity to make Dhaka a great, modern city

The simulation results show what a big difference a strategic approach to Dhaka's urban development would make.
18 July 2017, 18:00 PM

Confessions of a madrasah student

You can't help it. You see us from afar—our messy beard, unkempt appearance, the distinct attire that sets us apart from others.
16 July 2017, 18:00 PM

Of rats and rains

Nature, contrary to popular belief, does not work in mysterious ways. Conventional wisdom acquired over centuries as well as the rise of technology have made it possible for us to foresee changes about to occur in the natural world. It's human nature that seems mysterious to me. And the fact that we often tend to ignore the consequences of our own action makes us very dangerous, too.
6 July 2017, 18:00 PM

Cinema that reflects life

“For the truly serious, socially conscious filmmaker, there can be no prolonged withdrawal into fantasy. He must face the challenge of contemporary reality, examine the facts, probe them, sift them and select from them the material to be transformed into the stuff of cinema.”
29 June 2017, 18:00 PM

Fight against drugs — a losing battle so far

Ironically, without even being a mentionable producer of narcotic drugs or psychotropic substances, Bangladesh has emerged as a victim of the proliferation of drug abuse sponsored by underworld criminals and syndicates for the last three and a half decades.
28 June 2017, 18:00 PM

The burden of 'manning up'

Watching television snuggled between my parents or grandparents; talking to them for hours; rubbing their feet when they were tired from work. On quite a few of these occasions, my father will say something that he means as a compliment, but one that takes me by surprise every time. He wonders aloud if I'd still be spending time with them this way if I were a son. I argue, every time, that that's beside the point.
21 June 2017, 18:00 PM

Madrassahs: The invisible link in achieving equity

Since the World Conference on Women in Mexico in 1975, Bangladesh has been at the forefront among the least-developed countries (LDCs) in addressing gender disparities. The country's achievements in education and gender parity in education, has also been remarkable. However, despite its success in achieving gender parity in many areas, some sections of the population have been left behind. One such section is female students in madrassah schools.
20 June 2017, 18:00 PM

Hiring people with disabilities

According to the World Health Organisation (2011), persons with disabilities make up 15 percent of the population. Developing countries lose up to seven percent of their Gross Domestic Product (GDP) due to the exclusion of persons with disabilities from the labour market. When persons with disabilities have access to skills training, they can significantly meet the rising demand of skilled labour, which provides considerable economic advantages.
20 June 2017, 18:00 PM

Everything you don't know is a lie

Using the powers of malicious stupidity you can avoid all of these confusing, upsetting thoughts and events that force you to criticise and develop yourself. All you have to do is convince yourself that everything that challenges your views is a lie.
9 June 2017, 18:00 PM

Somewhere along the way, something went terribly wrong

Misogyny is not a new phenomenon in our country. It is an age-old trait that has somehow become a part of our national psyche.
20 May 2017, 18:00 PM

Rape and ordinary men

LAST week, the Supreme Court of India upheld the death sentence handed out by a lower court to five of the men who had raped her [the victim famously known as Nirbhaya].
14 May 2017, 18:00 PM

An evil that mustn't triumph

Comments by an American pastor on the evils of corporal punishment have set the social media ablaze. Reverend Thomas E.
22 April 2017, 18:00 PM

The malaise of antibiotic overuse

“Bangladesh needs an improved surveillance of antibiotic resistance, regulation of the appropriate use of quality medicines, and education about the consequences of overuse”
12 April 2017, 18:00 PM

The grim status of mental healthcare in Bangladesh

As a Bangladeshi-American medical student planning on pursuing the specialty of psychiatry, it became natural for me to ponder and question the condition of mental health back home in Bangladesh.
8 April 2017, 18:00 PM

The hidden problem

"He had a bottle of poison in his hands and told me he would drink it if I didn't agree to marry him."
6 April 2017, 18:00 PM

Destination unknown: A parent's perspective

I remember reading a powerful article written by a parent about how it feels when it dawns on you that you have a child with special needs. She drew an analogy with taking a vacation to Paris. Before embarking on your journey you do all your homework on Paris.
1 April 2017, 18:00 PM