Oniket Desk Archives - Page 7 of 22

Legal Recognition, But Where Is the Protection? A Comparative Analysis of Sex Work Governance in Bangladesh and India

August 13, 2026August 13, 2026 editor No Comments

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…

Law & Local Governance

Internet, Isolation, and Intoxication: A Comparative Look at Youth Vulnerability in India and Bangladesh

August 13, 2026August 13, 2026 editor No Comments

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…

Health

Income Inequality and the Erosion of Rights: Bangladesh and India Against the UNSDG Benchmark

August 6, 2026August 29, 2026 editor No Comments

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…

Politics, Democracy & Citizen Rights

Two Rural Economies, One Fault Line: Bangladesh, Pakistan, and the Limits of Growth Without Productivity

August 6, 2026August 6, 2026 editor No Comments

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…

Economy & Policy Governance

News Quality, Authenticity, and Bias: Bangladesh’s Private Television Landscape in Global Context

August 6, 2026August 6, 2026 editor 4 Comments

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…

Media, Publishing & Digital Dissemination

Fine Dining, Fragile Standards: Why Bangladesh’s High-End Restaurants Need Real Scrutiny

August 6, 2026August 6, 2026 editor No Comments

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…

Health

Political Appointments versus Institutional Autonomy: The Reality of Research Grants and Administrative Challenges at Jagannath University

August 6, 2026August 29, 2026 editor No Comments

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…

Politics, Democracy & Citizen Rights

Perception Versus Reality: Corruption, Informality, and the Cases of Bangladesh and Nigeria

August 6, 2026August 6, 2026 editor No Comments

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…

Economy & Policy Governance

One Way Table: Why Is Bangladesh a Host in Culinary Treaties but Never a Guest?

August 6, 2026August 6, 2026 editor No Comments

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…

Trade, Commerce & Industry

Flood warnings and the must-dos

August 6, 2026August 6, 2026 editor No Comments

The recurrence of floods across northern and northeastern Bangladesh is not a surprise. It is an annual certainty with worsening intensity. The latest warnings from the Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre forecast flash flooding over low lying areas of Sylhet, Sunamganj, Lalmonirhat, Nilphamari, Rangpur, Gaibandha, Kurigram, and Naogaon, arrived after communities had already suffered extensive…

Agriculture