Weekly Bangladesh Policy Outlook: Analysis, Truth, Debate.
Growth and the Gaps Over the past two decades, Bangladesh has witnessed a remarkable expansion in telecommunication access. Mobile subscriptions surged from fewer than two million in 2005 to over 188 million by 2024, and internet penetration rose from approximately 25.6 per cent in 2018 to 44.5 per cent by 2024. The launch of 4G…
For decades, the legal status of sex work in Bangladesh and India has been marked by a fundamental contradiction. Neither country directly criminalises consensual sex work among adults, but various activities associated with sex work, including procuring, operating brothels, public solicitation, exploitation, and trafficking, are treated as offences under the law. As a result, sex…
As digital connectivity deepens across South Asia, a troubling pattern is emerging in parallel across two of the region’s most populous nations. A recent investigation in The Oniket Bulletin, “Drug Problem Among Youth and Women in Bangladesh,” serves as the main reference for this analysis, documenting how substance abuse in Bangladesh has evolved from a…
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…
Bangladesh cut its rural poverty rate faster than almost any country in the region. Pakistan cut its poverty rate too, then watched much of that progress unwind. The two stories look opposite but they are not. This article argues that both countries grew rural incomes the same way: by pulling more people into work, not…
Bangladesh’s private television news industry has expanded dramatically since the sector opened up in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Today, dozens of channels compete for viewers, advertising revenue, and political relevance. This growth has broadened access to information and diversified the voices available to viewers, but it has also raised persistent questions about editorial…
A recent Oniket Bulletin article, Zahir, F. (2026) “Beyond the Feast: Bangladesh’s Food Quality Crisis,“ made an important observation that deserves to be pushed further. It noted that the issue is not limited to roadside vendors, and that restaurant kitchens, including establishments that appear clean and professional from the dining area, may struggle with poor…
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…
What if the world’s perception of corruption and informality is only telling half of the story? Bangladesh and Nigeria are often judged by corruption rankings and headlines that portray them as economies crippled by graft and informality. However, beneath these narratives, both countries demonstrate economic dynamism, innovation, and adaptation. Their reality reveals that we cannot…
The purpose of this article is to examine why Bangladesh consistently hosts foreign culinary diplomacy initiatives but rarely promotes its own cuisine through equivalent platforms abroad. While international food festivals are often presented as cultural celebrations, they are also instruments of trade promotion, tourism marketing, and economic diplomacy. The article argues that Bangladesh’s position is…
Read More “One Way Table: Why Is Bangladesh a Host in Culinary Treaties but Never a Guest?” »
