Opinion - Dhaka Tribune

Tobacco control must not be ignored

Tue, 29 Sep 2026 12:43:00 +0600

Public health cannot remain dependent on legislation that exists on paper Details

Beyond the bottom line

Tue, 29 Sep 2026 10:44:00 +0600

The true cost of Bangladesh’s spectrum dilemma. This is the first part of a two-part series Details

Bangladesh’s 60-year energy test

Tue, 29 Sep 2026 10:40:00 +0600

We built a nation propped up by expensive, fleeting imports while our own gas fields remained trapped under the earth, waiting for state investment Details

Getting tough on vandalism

Tue, 29 Sep 2026 10:32:00 +0600

No one has the right to take the law into their own hands Details

The right to know matters more than ever

Mon, 28 Sep 2026 10:58:00 +0600

Bangladesh needs an independent Information Commission and a modern Right to Information law - not only to improve accountability, but also to ensure citizens can access reliable information in an increasingly chaotic information environment Details

The right to know

Mon, 28 Sep 2026 10:40:00 +0600

To build a truly democratic society, the state must treat the right to know as non-negotiable Details

Fire safety cannot remain an afterthought

Mon, 28 Sep 2026 08:45:00 +0600

Thus, it is prevention, strict compliance, and active building safety systems that must form the backbone of our national fire policy Details

Putting a price on a life

Mon, 28 Sep 2026 08:34:00 +0600

Wealth, impunity, and the commodification of justice Details

A global stage, a missed opportunity

Mon, 28 Sep 2026 00:28:00 +0600

Could Prime Minister Tarique Rahman have done more at the United Nations General Assembly? Details

The relationship between progress and cancer

Sun, 27 Sep 2026 10:46:00 +0600

The fact that we are worried about beating cancer shows how far we’ve come over the past century Details

Bridging the last mile

Sun, 27 Sep 2026 10:29:00 +0600

For marginalized communities, the lack of basic infrastructure is nothing if not a systemic failure that deprives them of fundamental socio-economic opportunities Details

A disgraceful assault

Sun, 27 Sep 2026 10:11:00 +0600

Failure to swiftly apprehend and try those responsible would signal a complete collapse of governance and a further invitation to mob rule Details

When will Bangla take its place at the UN?

Sat, 26 Sep 2026 12:33:48 +0600

With more than 350 million speakers, a historic language movement behind it, and a rapidly expanding global footprint, Bangla has a compelling case for greater recognition at the United Nations Details

AI didn't give me sight. It gave me independence

Sat, 26 Sep 2026 12:32:23 +0600

When people with disabilities participate in designing the technology, AI becomes more accurate, more useful, and ultimately more human Details

The case for digital banks

Sat, 26 Sep 2026 12:19:12 +0600

Bangladesh Bank must maintain rigorous oversight to ensure that technological convenience does not come at the expense of financial security or public confidence Details

Putting Bangladesh first

Sat, 26 Sep 2026 12:08:05 +0600

The significance of this vision will depend on how firmly these principles take root at home Details

Eviction drives are not sustainable

Fri, 25 Sep 2026 10:01:41 +0600

The recent drive by Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) to clear hawkers from the key stretch between Paltan and Gulistan once again highlights our all-too-familiar urban dilemma. While reclaiming footpaths for pedestrian comfort and relieving bottleneck traffic are necessary goals that must not be ignored, the high-handed eviction drives we have been seeing this year can never be a... Details

A call for climate action

Fri, 25 Sep 2026 10:00:15 +0600

It is certainly commendable that Bangladesh has, once again, used the global stage to make it clear that the climate crisis cannot be addressed through promises alone. For Bangladesh, a country that contributes less than 0.5% of global greenhouse gas emissions while remaining among the countries most vulnerable to climate impacts, the existential threat of climate change only grows. To that... Details

AI titans hit the brakes: What it means for Bangladesh

Fri, 25 Sep 2026 09:58:20 +0600

Recently, some leading figures in the artificial intelligence (AI) industry, including Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei, have warned that AI capabilities are advancing faster than our ability to make them safe, reliable, and controllable. This raises three questions: What has changed about AI? What risks does it create? How should Bangladesh respond? For years, the... Details

Bangladesh must become indispensable

Fri, 25 Sep 2026 09:50:56 +0600

For decades, Bangladesh has asked itself: What do we need from the world to develop ourselves? Since our independence, we have needed so much support; capital, energy, technology, markets, expertise, and development aid. As Bangladesh eventually prepares to graduate from least developed country (LDC) status, we also become ever more exposed to increasingly unstable and... Details

Getting support for the Rohingya

Thu, 24 Sep 2026 10:31:45 +0600

It is encouraging to see Bangladesh taking active measures to put renewed pressure on the international community to help resolve the Rohingya crisis, and facilitate their safe, voluntary, and dignified return to Myanmar. During his visit to New York for the UN General Assembly, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman sought continued international cooperation for a sustainable solution to the crisis... Details

Ending our culture of impunity

Thu, 24 Sep 2026 10:30:27 +0600

The deaths of two people in separate road incidents in Dhaka this week have exposed a long-standing problem that goes beyond reckless driving or unfortunate accidents: The persistence of a culture in which accountability too often comes after tragedy, if at all. 24-year-old construction worker Mehedi Hasan Mir was killed by a car that ran over him on a footpath, with a 16-year-old detained for... Details

Bangladesh’s next leap?

Thu, 24 Sep 2026 10:12:41 +0600

Over the years, I have sat on many sides of the same economic story. I have seen it through the eyes of a microfinance borrower, a migrant, a family separated by borders and, today, a technology entrepreneur building in Silicon Valley. Those experiences have convinced me of something: Bangladesh’s next great financial transformation will not come from one technology. It will come from... Details

In the global staging of a refugee crisis, language is sovereign

Thu, 24 Sep 2026 10:08:19 +0600

Language is slippery, often subversive. When Burma became Myanmar in 1989, this was the ruling junta’s most overt disavowal of the colonial past. In striking out Britain’s name for the nation, the military attempted to put forth a new image. The old name, derived from the dominant Bamar ethnic group, was replaced in a sort of semantic trick. It suggested the nation, this new... Details

Modernizing the shipping sector

Wed, 23 Sep 2026 10:42:00 +0600

A modern shipping sector, beyond being efficient, must first and foremost be safe Details

Rights for the deaf

Wed, 23 Sep 2026 10:30:00 +0600

Asking for equal access in their own country is not special treatment nor favours Details

AI will not kill us, suspicion will

Wed, 23 Sep 2026 09:53:00 +0600

The terminal damage of generative AI is not that citizens believe lies, but that they lose the will to believe the truth Details

The stranger is not always a stranger

Wed, 23 Sep 2026 08:16:00 +0600

We must reconsider how we view child safety in Bangladesh Details

We cannot forget the SDGs

Tue, 22 Sep 2026 13:12:34 +0600

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman's call for collective action to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) comes at a crucial time for Bangladesh. Our acknowledgement of the fact that the country is lagging behind on the SDGs, and that we are in need of stronger international cooperation, is a step in the right direction. But while such cooperation matters, Bangladesh must also confront... Details

Saving our children

Tue, 22 Sep 2026 13:09:30 +0600

The recovery of 36 children’s bodies in the first eight months of this year is a horrifying statistic that warrants public outrage. The truth is simple: Behind every number is a child whose life has been brutally, and unfairly, cut short, and a family left to live with an unimaginable loss. This is a barbaric scenario, and there is no way to sugarcoat this. Thousands of children... Details

The liberation of East Bengal, continuum

Tue, 22 Sep 2026 10:11:00 +0600

Political debate continues to rage and civil society remains deeply divided over competing interpretations of Bangladesh’s past Details

Why the ivory tower must fall

Tue, 22 Sep 2026 16:50:55 +0600

Understanding the complex socio-political dynamics of public trust in science and proposing a concrete roadmap to transform science from an insular, elite pursuit into a transparent, shared, and trusted public good Details

Rethinking waterlogging and flooding: Why our understanding matters

Tue, 22 Sep 2026 08:50:00 +0600

It is unrealistic to assume that development alone can completely shield cities from the forces of a rapidly changing climate Details

The court of public opinion and the iron bars of injustice

Mon, 21 Sep 2026 10:56:00 +0600

A stark, haunting reminder of what happens when societal bloodlust and media trials dictate the trajectory of justice Details

Give peace a chance

Mon, 21 Sep 2026 10:35:00 +0600

True peace extends beyond the mere signing of accords or temporary ceasefires Details

Zero tolerance for stoking public fear

Mon, 21 Sep 2026 09:42:00 +0600

The state has a fundamental duty to guarantee the basic safety and freedom of movement of the public Details

When migrants return, what does the system learn?

Mon, 21 Sep 2026 09:33:00 +0600

The economic contribution of migrant workers is beyond dispute. So why do we not do a better job protecting them? Details

The hyper-commercialization of therapy

Mon, 21 Sep 2026 09:20:00 +0600

How media romanticism and capitalist agendas turned human resilience into a consumer product Details

Humanizing our prisons

Sun, 20 Sep 2026 09:41:00 +0600

Imprisonment was never meant to strip people of basic human decency Details

The real wall blocking the Bimstec free trade agreement

Sun, 20 Sep 2026 09:03:00 +0600

Bimstec's stalled FTA is usually told as a story about mistrust between governments. That story isn't false, but it's incomplete Details

How can we tax?

Sun, 20 Sep 2026 09:19:04 +0600

Choosing between efficiency and equity Details

Ensuring megaprojects deliver

Sun, 20 Sep 2026 08:38:00 +0600

Large-scale public investment requires equally large-scale discipline Details

Finding solutions to cost of living

Sat, 19 Sep 2026 08:35:00 +0600

The objective of tax relief should ultimately be clear: Making essential goods more affordable Details

Saving Dhaka’s lakes

Sat, 19 Sep 2026 08:31:00 +0600

There is simply no justification for the city’s lakes to be in such a polluted state Details

A legacy written at the UN

Sat, 19 Sep 2026 08:29:00 +0600

From Ziaur Rahman in 1980 to Tarique Rahman now, the family’s legacy at the United Nations presents a condensed history of Bangladesh’s changing place in the world Details

Reimagining the ‘human’ in HR

Sat, 19 Sep 2026 08:10:00 +0600

What does the future of AI-powered human resources look like? Details

Tobacco price hike a step in the right direction

Fri, 18 Sep 2026 08:48:00 +0600

Every taka spent on treating tobacco‑related illness is a taka diverted from maternal health, child nutrition, and essential public services Details

Addressing river erosion requires more than temporary fixes

Fri, 18 Sep 2026 08:37:00 +0600

Riverbank protection must be engineered, not improvised Details

The case for revisiting VAT timing

Fri, 18 Sep 2026 08:35:00 +0600

Should the treasury keep lending businesses its own VAT receipts, interest-free, while it pays close to $30 for every unit of imported gas? Details

The great gas robbery

Fri, 18 Sep 2026 08:28:00 +0600

Dhaka residents are being forced to pay full bills for zero gas supply, effectively subsidizing systemic utility corruption Details

All in on nuclear

Thu, 17 Sep 2026 09:47:56 +0600

It is encouraging to see Bangladesh’s reaffirmation of its commitment to the peaceful use of nuclear science -- one that is both timely and pivotal for its future. Science and Technology Minister Faqir Mahbub Anam stressed the importance of safety, security, international cooperation, and using nuclear technology for public welfare while representing Bangladesh at the International... Details

Public safety cannot be overlooked

Thu, 17 Sep 2026 09:46:26 +0600

Two recent incidents in Dhaka have once again raised serious concerns about public safety and security: A crude bomb blast at Dhaka University, and a 24-year-old man being hacked to death while getting a haircut at a salon on the same day. These incidents, while different in nature, point to the same underlying, urgent concern: Ordinary people must be able to go about their daily lives without... Details

Before we celebrate inclusive jobs, we must build inclusive schools

Thu, 17 Sep 2026 09:44:44 +0600

Bangladesh is aiming to build a more inclusive workforce. The government is hiring persons with disabilities. Companies are introducing diversity policies. Corporate leaders increasingly view inclusion as both a social responsibility and a business necessity. These are all positives, and ought to be celebrated. However, what we need is not simply recruitment policies or employment quotas, but... Details

Do global university rankings reflect Bangladesh’s higher education and labour market needs?

Thu, 17 Sep 2026 09:40:32 +0600

Every year, global university rankings generate considerable excitement in Bangladesh. BUET, DU, NSU -- who ranked where? We spend days discussing whether a university has moved up or down, entered a particular global list, or fallen further behind internationally recognized institutions. Then, of course, come the social-media fights. There is nothing wrong with paying attention to global... Details

Electrifying our exports

Wed, 16 Sep 2026 08:47:00 +0600

Bangladesh’s export basket remains narrow, dominated overwhelmingly by the RMG sector Details

Stabilizing the economy

Wed, 16 Sep 2026 08:45:00 +0600

The stable outlook offers Bangladesh a chance to accelerate long-delayed economic reforms Details

Disciplined aesthetics: Polling day in Sweden

Wed, 16 Sep 2026 08:20:00 +0600

Elections feel boring and unremarkable in the country because it built, over generations, a state strong enough that no citizen needs to fear it Details

Turning economic challenges into opportunities

Wed, 16 Sep 2026 08:15:00 +0600

Bangladesh should use the present period of adjustment to build an economy that is stronger than the one that came before it Details

Beyond cost and capacity

Tue, 15 Sep 2026 08:55:00 +0600

Bangladesh’s apparel industry needs a modern B2B growth engine Details

Ensuring education for all

Tue, 15 Sep 2026 08:30:00 +0600

Financial assistance can help families send children to school, but the schools themselves must offer a safe, clean, and effective learning environment Details

A meeting that should faze us

Tue, 15 Sep 2026 08:07:00 +0600

A gas-dependent country cannot indefinitely defer the one task that matters most: Exploring for its own gas Details

Making public service more grounded

Tue, 15 Sep 2026 08:00:00 +0600

Respect for citizens must be reflected in efficient services, transparency, responsible decision-making, and accountability at every level of government Details

From Delhi to Makkah: Bangladesh’s calculated political gamble?

Tue, 15 Sep 2026 00:54:00 +0600

In Bangladesh’s complex political landscape, where religion and politics remain deeply intertwined, this diplomatic dance carries consequences far beyond international relations Details

Can the RMG sector maintain its position in the global apparel market?

Mon, 14 Sep 2026 08:36:00 +0600

To remain globally competitive, Bangladesh’s RMG sector must move beyond compliance-driven sustainability and establish sustainability as a core business strategy Details

Towards stronger ties with France

Mon, 14 Sep 2026 08:30:00 +0600

Strengthening ties with Paris serves Bangladesh’s long‑term interests, especially as we navigate our economic and social challenges in a rapidly changing geopolitical landscape Details

Getting serious about dengue prevention

Mon, 14 Sep 2026 08:00:00 +0600

Dengue cannot be controlled by mosquito‑killing drives alone; it requires public awareness, daily vigilance, and collective responsibility Details

The non-residential Bangladeshi: Reform or ruin?

Mon, 14 Sep 2026 08:00:00 +0600

Does the Bangladeshi soul warp or refine abroad? Details

The succession question returns to haunt Awami League

Sun, 13 Sep 2026 18:51:38 +0600

Whether it is a matter of temporary responsibility or long-term succession, there is no doubt that the Awami League must contemplate its post-Hasina future Details

Antimicrobial resistance: The silent pandemic

Sun, 13 Sep 2026 08:20:00 +0600

Despite not generating dramatic headlines of outbreaks, it is an increasingly dangerous public health threat Details

They looted the banks

Sun, 13 Sep 2026 08:10:00 +0600

But we still have to save our banks Details

The quiet strain of working mothers

Sun, 13 Sep 2026 08:10:00 +0600

Too often, working mothers are forced to choose between their career and their child Details

Do not repeat the same mistakes with cybersecurity

Sun, 13 Sep 2026 08:10:00 +0600

Protection cannot come at the cost of fundamental rights Details

Developing nations must work together

Sat, 12 Sep 2026 18:03:12 +0600

The Global South’s collective future depends on how effectively its members learn from one another and build systems rooted in solidarity rather than hierarchy Details

Protecting the hand that hurts

Sat, 12 Sep 2026 08:22:00 +0600

Why do so many women, despite years of abuse, try to protect their abusers? Details

On the road again

Sat, 12 Sep 2026 08:09:00 +0600

Travel allows us to test what we think we know against what actually exists. This is the second part of a two-part series Details

Ensuring the right to healthcare

Sat, 12 Sep 2026 08:00:00 +0600

Impromptu inspections and strong statements can only take us so far. What matters now is what actions are truly taken Details

Keeping the city clean

Sat, 12 Sep 2026 08:00:00 +0600

Bins are useful only when people actually use them, and damaging or stealing public facilities only makes an already difficult problem much worse Details

India’s BRICS leadership could offer Bangladesh an economic bridge to recovery

Fri, 11 Sep 2026 08:30:00 +0600

Disagreements between Dhaka and New Delhi will continue to require patient diplomacy Details

Clock ticking on the Ganges

Fri, 11 Sep 2026 08:22:00 +0600

Why Dhaka and Delhi cannot afford a diplomatic void Details

The need for mature cooperation

Fri, 11 Sep 2026 08:10:00 +0600

For cooperation to deepen, India must demonstrate that it values Bangladesh not merely as a neighbour Details

Talking about suicide prevention

Fri, 11 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0600

Most importantly, we must normalize speaking about mental health Details

Time to clean up our polythene problem

Thu, 10 Sep 2026 11:41:36 +0600

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s directive to intensify action against the unchecked use of polythene and plastic should not be treated as another routine instruction. Polythene bags, single‑use plastics, and unregulated packaging have been a major reason for our environmental degradation. The reality has been clogged rivers and drainage systems to contaminated farmlands and... Details

A senseless tragedy

Thu, 10 Sep 2026 11:40:18 +0600

Bangladesh has now crossed a devastating milestone in its measles outbreak, with the death toll reaching 1,000 -- a number that represents a thousand families mourning children who should have had every chance to grow up. Measles is, while highly contagious, also a preventable disease through timely vaccination, and that makes this tragedy even harder to accept. The outbreak has exposed... Details

Why the government should prioritize regional economic development, and now

Thu, 10 Sep 2026 11:38:32 +0600

Bangladesh has been given three more years for LDC graduation. The UN Committee for Development Policy has recommended deferring our graduation from least developed country status to November 24, 2029. The General Assembly is due to take the decision before November this year. The Committee attached a condition in its own words, that the extension should not be viewed as an opportunity to... Details

The invisible plastic problem we can no longer ignore

Thu, 10 Sep 2026 11:32:44 +0600

For years, the public face of plastic pollution has been easy to recognize: Bottles caught in rivers, shopping bags on roadsides, wrappers buried in rubbish dumps. But increasingly, attention is turning to particles so small that they can pass unnoticed through everyday life. In Bangladesh, that concern has recently entered an unexpectedly familiar place: The bathroom. A July 2026 study by the... Details

Your CV is not just a CV

Thu, 10 Sep 2026 11:27:22 +0600

A CV is usually treated as a piece of paper that helps someone get a job. We write our details, send it to an employer, and move on. But in the digital age, a CV is much more than an application for employment. It is a compact map of a person’s identity. It tells someone where we live, where we studied, where we worked, how to contact us and, sometimes, what we have been doing for years.... Details

Steeped in bad economics

Wed, 09 Sep 2026 08:10:00 +0600

There’s much more to tea than capitalistic analysis Details

A directive is not a river cleaned

Wed, 09 Sep 2026 08:00:00 +0600

Our rivers do not need another appeal to conscience. They need the government to act Details

Protecting small businesses from extortion

Wed, 09 Sep 2026 00:40:00 +0600

When small traders are extorted, the entire supply chain suffers. Prices rise, competition shrinks, and honest businesses lose ground to those protected by criminal networks Details

Preserving our harvest

Wed, 09 Sep 2026 00:18:00 +0600

Bangladesh needs many more such facilities, and it needs them fast Details

Bangladesh’s literacy future begins before first grade

Tue, 08 Sep 2026 08:37:00 +0600

Why inclusive pre-primary education must become the foundation of literacy reform Details

From a refugee camp in Cox’s Bazar to New York University

Tue, 08 Sep 2026 08:19:00 +0600

Education is the most powerful form of protection Details

Beyond the banana raft: Asadul’s story and the road to better education in chars

Tue, 08 Sep 2026 00:10:00 +0600

From a remote char in Kurigram to Rangpur Medical College, Asadul’s journey shows what education can make when opportunity reaches the last mile Details

Ensuring remittance keeps trending upwards

Tue, 08 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0600

The latest figures are undoubtedly positive; they demonstrate the continuing contribution of Bangladeshis working overseas Details

Literacy must mean more

Tue, 08 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0600

On this International Literacy Day, Bangladesh should remind itself that literacy is not simply about producing people who can read. It is about empowering citizens Details

Makkah Defense Alliance: Should Bangladesh step into the quicksand?

Mon, 07 Sep 2026 08:30:00 +0600

Bangladesh will have to tread very carefully here Details

Chasing blue skies

Mon, 07 Sep 2026 08:21:00 +0600

This day is meant to remind nations that clean air ought to be a fundamental right Details

Heeding the call for a liveable environment

Mon, 07 Sep 2026 08:17:00 +0600

A pollution‑free Bangladesh requires responsibility at every level, from policymakers to businesses to ordinary citizens Details

The great digital delusion

Mon, 07 Sep 2026 17:49:48 +0600

Why the content creation circus can never replace honest labor Details

What you can do to combat dengue

Mon, 07 Sep 2026 08:11:00 +0600

Dengue is more than just a seasonal public health issue. It’s growing into a national public health security threat Details