Weekly Bangladesh Policy Outlook: Analysis, Truth, Debate.
Bangladesh does not lack a framework for honouring its heroes. On paper, the country maintains a tiered structure of civilian and military recognition: the Swadhinata Padak at the top, the Ekushey Padak just below it, and a set of wartime gallantry awards, Bir Sreshtho, Bir Uttom, Bir Bikrom, and Bir Protik, modelled on the honour…
Six months into the new government’s tenure, Bangladesh presents an unusual democratic setup. The Awami League, dominant for fifteen years, remains barred from political activity. Its absence is shaping every parliamentary debate. Jamaat e Islami and the National Citizen Party have instead become the principal opposition, a configuration few predicted three years ago. This article…
Read More “Bangladesh’s Democracy Without a Counterweight” »
For millions of residents, Dhaka and New Delhi promise economic mobility. These massive urban centers have transformed themselves into primary drivers of regional growth, thus attracting families seeking careers, higher education for their children as well as financial security. In Dhaka alone, the population has surged past 25 million people (Onamika, 2026), while Delhi has…
Read More “Paying the Price of Survival in Dhaka and New Delhi” »
The presidential election scheduled for 20 August 2026, prompted by the resignation of President Mohammed Shahabuddin before his term expired, presents a familiar spectacle. The Election Commission has published dates, nomination deadlines have been set, and voting will occur inside the Jatiya Sangsad session hall. Everything looks constitutional. Yet the real question goes unasked: is…
Read More “Presidential Election in Bangladesh and Democracy” »
Bangladesh’s private television sector has grown quickly, but as the preceding discussion makes clear, growth in reach has not been matched by growth in institutional safeguards for accuracy and independence. Fixing this gap is not primarily a matter of individual journalists trying harder. It is a matter of institutions, government and independent alike, building frameworks…
Income inequality is rarely a simple economic metric. When wealth concentrates heavily among elites, it shapes who can exercise basic rights. India and Bangladesh are often mentioned as South Asia’s growth success stories; yet both show a familiar paradox: rapid expansion of national income has not translated into a proportionate improvement in how that income…
The true strength of a higher education institution lies not only in its research funding or physical infrastructure, but also in a transparent, accountable, and politically independent administrative system. Two recent developments at Jagannath University have brought this reality into sharp focus. On one hand, the university significantly increased research grants for postgraduate researchers. On…
August 2024, a quota dispute over Bangladeshi civil service jobs ended a fifteen-year premiership. July 2026, an exam integrity scandal forced the largest confrontation with the Modi government since the 2021 farmers protests. Just two years apart, both were Gen-Z, youth unemployment driven movements. A single institutional failure speaking broader anger at governance corruption and…
Read More “The Youths’ Frustration: Bangladesh & India’s Student Uprisings – A Comparison” »
The verdict on Bangladesh’s Fifteenth Constitutional Amendment marks an important milestone in the country’s constitutional history. The issues raised through this judgment, including the caretaker government system, the restoration of the constitutional provision for referendums, and the future of Article 7B of the Constitution, extend far beyond legal interpretation. They are closely connected to democratic…
Bangladesh’s digital rights landscape is once again in flux. On 13 July 2026, the Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology Minister announced that the government has initiated amendments to the Cyber Security Act to compel international platforms to remove defamatory content within defined timeframes. A five-member cabinet committee has been formed to review the proposed changes….
