A Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies (BIDS) study revealed a troubling reality in Bangladesh’s healthcare system. A concerning 61 percent of Bangladeshis face financial hardship when seeking hospital treatment. The average family spends a significant Tk 55,134 for hospital admission, with over half (54pc) going towards medication alone. This translates to a harsh reality – millions of Bangladeshis are falling into poverty due to out-of-pocket healthcare costs. The BIDS study found that a substantial 3.7 percent of the population, or...
Mahbubur Rahman : Muharram is the first month of the Hijri year. The 10th day of Muharram is celebrated as...
Maj Gen Abul Kalam Mohammad Humayun Kabir, (Retd), SUP, ndu, psc : Five decades and a half ago, in historic...
Bangladesh had high hopes of a surge in Chinese investment after the COVID-19 pandemic. The logic was simple: with companies looking to diversify manufacturing hubs, Bangladesh, with its cheap labour and growing economy, seemed like a perfect fit. But reality hasn’t quite lived up to the hype. Chinese investment has fluctuated over the past six years, failing to recapture its pre-pandemic highs. The much-touted China Economic and Industrial Zone (CEIZ) remains a blueprint eight years after its inception. Even a...
Dr. Forqan Uddin Ahmed : The administrative work of the government is managed by the government officials. The first and...
Dhaka’s annual monsoon struggles are a recurring nightmare. This year, heavy rain again exposed the city’s vulnerabilities, turning streets into stagnant lakes. While the downpour was significant, it shouldn’t have crippled the city. We must say years of neglect are the real culprit. The drainage system choked with waste and crippled by encroachment, simply can’t handle the water influx. Canals, the city’s natural rainwater arteries, are either clogged or have vanished entirely under the weight of unplanned development projects. Experts...
Badrul Huda Sohel : In recent times, media outlets have brought back a little bit of respite among us on...
Badrul Huda Sohel : In recent times, media outlets have brought back a little bit of respite among us on...
Nahida Sultana : The Fulbright program, founded by United States Senator J. Willian Fulbright in 1946, has been considered one...
It is worrying to see that the ongoing severe flood in several northern districts, including Kurigram and Gaibandha, due to continuous rainfall and onrush of water from upstream, has made millions of people marooned and their lives miserable. According to media reports, vast low-lying areas have been inundated due to the rise in the water levels of the Teesta, Brahmaputra, Dharla and Dudhkumar rivers. The victim families have taken shelter on the embankment and other high places. They are in...
Dr Matiur Rahman : Foreign aid has been a significant force in shaping Bangladesh’s development since its independence in 1971....
The recent arrest of 17 individuals, including six Bangladesh Public Service Commission (PSC) officials, for allegedly leaking question papers is a devastating blow to the institution’s credibility. This is not just about a few bad actors; it exposes a systemic rot that demands a swift and severe response from the government. The involvement of high-ranking PSC officials like deputy directors and assistant directors is particularly alarming. These are the very people entrusted with safeguarding the integrity of public service recruitment....