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Crossing one river to civilisation on bridge of bamboo
For the 20,000-odd residents of Kalakopa village, life is a balancing act, literally. This is because a makeshift bamboo bridge over the Bhulua river in the remote hamlet is their sole means of communication.
In fact, crossing the river to civilisation has been a pain for the residents of Kalakopa in Ramgati upazila of Laxmipur district for decades. For the past 30 years, they petitioned their local authorities for a concrete bridge only to go unheeded.
Dhaka adopts 5.2% inflation target for 2022-23
The Bangladesh government has adopted an inflation target of 5.2% for the 2022-23 fiscal, a move which seems to be in line with its focus on boosting growth while keeping prices in control.
Why Bangladesh may not achieve its 2021 clean energy target
The Bangladesh government's ambitious target of generating 1152 MW power from wind energy by 2021 seems almost impossible to achieve. Experts attribute this to its failure to showcase the sector's potential in a credible way before investors.
Death penalty fails to deter rapes
The government's recent move to send rapists to the gallows seems to have done little to instil fear in the perpetrators of the horrific crime against women.
After 20 years, Bangladesh still finding its feet in Test cricket
It has been a long journey of 20 years since Bangladesh became the 10th country to attain Test status in cricket, but most observers would agree that the Tigers are yet to find their feet in the highest form of the game.
Rising veggie prices make Dhaka residents sweat in winter
When it comes to vegetables, the general rule is that you pay less in winter than in summer. But this season, the drop in mercury has failed to cool off the prices of essentials in the kitchen markets of the capital.
Bangladesh sees spike in Covid-19 infection rate
Amid the growing worry over a possible deterioration in Covid-19 situation during the winter, the coronavirus infection rate has marked a rise over the last one week as the temperature dropped a bit.
Rohingya Repatriation: Why Suu Kyi unlikely to change her position
Bangladesh and the international community must intensify pressure on the Myanmar government over Rohingya repatriation as its military is unlikely to allow Aung San Suu Kyi to shift her position, says a global affairs expert.
"It's (intensified pressure) imperative," Dr Ali Riaz, a distinguished professor at Illinois State University, told UNB sharing three reasons why Suu Kyi's position on Rohingya issue will remain unchanged.
Though Suu Kyi was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, she has widely been criticised for doing nothing to stop rape, murder and genocide in Rakhine by refusing to condemn the powerful military or acknowledge accounts of atrocities.
On three reasons why Suu Kyi is unlikely to change her position, Prof Riaz said she personally adheres to a position which does not see Rohingyas as a part of the Myanmar nation.
Secondly, he said, anti-Rohingya which is also anti-Muslim sentiment acts as a mobilizing element for Suu Kyi's support base.
Thirdly, Prof Riaz said, Myanmar’s military may not allow her to shift her position.
"There should be no doubt that military holds the real key to power," said Prof Riaz, also President of the American Institute of Bangladesh Studies (AIBS).
He said Bangladesh has previously proposed establishing a safe zone inside Myanmar as the first step.
Dhaka plans NID cards for Bangladeshi expatriates
All Bangladeshi expatriates living abroad would eventually be able to cast their votes in general elections from overseas.
Sundarbans fishermen remain a neglected lot
For a country which happens to one of the world's most important inland fishing nations, fishermen and fisheries get little to no attention from the government authorities.