Views & Opinion

Was Our Independence a Game of Chance?

Dr. Rashid Askari: One of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) top brass and its standing committee members--Babu Gayeshwar Chandra Roy recently passed a comment in public that has stirred up a real hornet’s nest. While addressing a gathering of reporters in the capital, he opined that Bangladesh gained independence from Pakistan by cha...

Bangladesh Surprise: Peaceful protests welcomed

The article was originally published in the Washington Times on 20th January 2023 ------------- Shah Ali Farhad:  Bangladesh’s main opposition party, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), spent months preparing for weekend protests in December in the capital, Dhaka. BNP Standing Committee member Dr. Khondker Mosharraf Hossai...

The Indomitable Journey towards a Smart Bangladesh by 2041

Hiren Pandit: Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the greatest son of the soil and greatest Bengali for thousands of years, the great hero of history and the father of the nation, has made the dream of Bengal a reality and given the people an independent state. Inspired by this hypnotic speech of 7 March 1971 at Racecourse ground, the Bengali na...

‘Gentlemen, I am alive and well . . .’

Syed Badrul Ahsan: The man rushed into the reception room of Bangladesh Betar, breathless and in a clear state of excitement. ‘Sheikh Shaheb ke paowa jachchhe na (Sheikh Saheb cannot be found)’, he said in a voice trembling with nervousness. Instantly everyone in the room — and it was close to the gate of the radio station in ...

Curiosity Killed the Cat: Peter Haas’ Bangladesh Mission and Russia’s Reaction

Dr. Rashid Askari:  The US envoy to Bangladesh Peter D. Haas’ clandestine visit to a BNP leader’s house, its leak to the press, his facing angry unwanted protesters airing grievances and beating a hasty retreat have had a knock-on effect on the political environment of the country. The day was December 14, 2022—the Martyr...