Counterpoint

Why Bangladesh’s Women’s Movement Must Include Men

Asif Saleh

Frustration, when it has nowhere constructive to go, seeks a target. Too often, women become that target -- online through harassment and abuse, offline through control, intimidation, or violence.

Preserving Places of Peace for Refugee Women and Girls

Gitanjali Singh and Ivo Freijsen

Beyond food, water and shelter, refugees make it clear that safety, dignity, and purpose are also essential to a meaningful life. But cuts under the prioritization exercise jeopardize this holistic commitment to Rohingya well-being.

The World Heard “Rape Me” 30 Years Ago. Why Are We Still Here?

Tasmiah T. Rahman

We need more than purple sarees; we need greater representation of women in Parliament to steer the budget toward safety and a localized commitment to the UN Security Council’s Women, Peace and Security agenda.

A Relationship Deeper Than Headlines Suggest

Rishi Suri

Unlike many bilateral relationships in South Asia that are defined by rivalry, the India-Bangladesh relationship began with cooperation and solidarity. That legacy continues to shape perceptions and policy even today.

Call the War by its Name

Nadeem Zaman

Since 1945, and specifically since colonizing Palestine with Israel and taking the baton of Empire from Britain, the US has been waging imperial domination around the globe, with the safety of claiming the distinction of not being an overt colonial force.

The Iran Trap: Why War Could Become America’s Costliest Gamble

Serajul I. Bhuiyan

Instead of a single battlefield, the United States could find itself managing simultaneous crises across several countries, dramatically increasing the complexity and cost of military operations. Recent history offers sobering lessons about the limits of military power in such environments.

From Collateral to Customers: Rethinking Capital Allocation in Bangladesh

Waseem Alim

The country has already demonstrated remarkable resilience and creativity in its economic journey -- from garments to remittances to microfinance. The next chapter will require an equally bold shift in how capital is allocated.

Economic Crosswinds: The Taka Faces New Global Pressures

Asif Khan

While the duration of the conflict and the peak of oil prices remain unpredictable, there is a silver lining. Analysts note that the BDT is not as significantly overvalued today as it was in 2022. Consequently, any potential "crash" or magnitude of depreciation is expected to be much lower than the volatility witnessed two years ago.

Is Israel Going Broke?

Saif Sayeem

Israel’s budget deficit has tripled. Government spending has risen by 40%, while foreign investment has dropped by 60%. The economy is shrinking, and national income is falling. To cover its costs, the country is on its way to falling into a debt trap.

When Transition Becomes a Gendered Battlefield

Lubna Ferdowsi

Bangladesh does not lack visible women, women in campaigns, women in commemorative posters, women seated at consultation tables, women repeatedly invoked in speeches. But visibility without authority is not empowerment; it is performance.

Against All Odds

Yasin Shafi

To return to democracy, we endured another undemocratic government after removing one. During this time, there were many human rights violations, many provocations. The people of Bangladesh gritted their teeth and waited for stability.

The Lost Art of Getting Lost: How Smartphones Messed Up Our Mental Maps

Zakir Kibria

We now know exactly where we are, but we have lost all sense of where we could be.

What the Interim Government Gave Bangladesh

Farhana Sultana

What Dr. Yunus and his team of advisers stepped into was not a functioning state awaiting a caretaker, it was institutional wreckage requiring reconstruction.  What followed was a period of institution-building that, whatever its imperfections, deserves recognition.

An Open Letter to Barrister Zaima Rahman

Ashraf Ud Doula

Whatever path you ultimately choose, I offer you my sincere best wishes. May your journey ahead be guided by wisdom, courage, and purpose -- and may it be as smooth and fulfilling as destiny permits.

The Politics of Responsibility and Compassion

Jyoti Rahman

Every Muslim knows the phrase Ar-Rahman Ar-Rahim -- the most Beneficent, the most Compassionate. Can we reorient our moral compass towards the politics of responsibility and compassion?

Grameen University and the Global Future of Social Business Education

Serajul I. Bhuiyan

While the university’s roots lie in Bangladesh, its ambitions are unmistakably global. The challenges that social businesses seek to address -- poverty, environmental sustainability, access to healthcare, and economic inclusion -- are universal.

Women’s Empowerment: Time to Implement the Promises in the Manifesto

Subail Bin Alam

As the BNP is now the ruling party in Bangladesh, there is a growing expectation that it will implement the commitments it made in its platform. While women represent 50.83% of Bangladesh's population, their rights continue to be threatened by violence, limited political participation, and social restrictions.

Can BNP Deliver a Bangladesh-First Foreign Policy?

Mir Aftabuddin Ahmed

Bangladesh is a small fish in a big pond. Mr. Rahman must show enough courage to defend the country’s sovereignty while recognizing Bangladesh’s limits and acting rationally as a national statesman: That requires him not to design foreign policy based on whatever the prevalent mood is on social media.

The Extremely Sustainable Lifestyle of the Burnt-Out Feminist

Sushmita S Preetha

Though the International Brotherhood of Mediocre Men appears to be doing a competent job of setting the world on literal fire, feminists remain the preferred explanation for why everything is burning.

How to Fix Education

Rubaiya Murshed

I write not to add another idea to the pile, but to argue for changing how we decide which ideas deserve the limelight. The answer lies in redesigning the system of decision-making itself -- clarifying who decides, how decisions are made, and how public money is allocated.

Too Shallow to Dive

Shanim Tasnim

I’m not against using AI, I never was. I just want you to use it cautiously. Because the more you are replacing AI with your own mind, the more it will take space in your soul. If we keep asking AI solutions for every simple problem, our mind will become too fragile to face challenges.

Coups, Countercoups, and the Politics of Power

Nafew Sajed Joy

Coups are not accidents. They are outcomes of institutional design shaped by fear, mistrust, and the imperative of survival. Bangladesh’s history, from 1975’s cascading coups to 2007’s indirect intervention, shows how the struggle to control the guardians of the state can redefine politics itself.

When Elephants Fight, It is the Grass that Suffers

H.M. Nazmul Alam

It is often said that there is no personal loss to the architects of war. That statement may be rhetorically exaggerated, yet it captures an essential imbalance. Decision-makers operate at a distance from the battlefield. Their families are rarely in the line of fire.

Nine Reasons Jamaat Missed Its Moment

Mashrur Arefin

On the question of 1971 and apology, Jamaat’s tone was arrogant. Had they shown even minimal reconciliation, people might have celebrated August 5’s victory with them on the election day, specially given their alliance with the student movement.

The Looming Persian Storm: Why Bangladesh Cannot Afford to Defy Economic Gravity Again

Rushad Faridi

A prolonged conflict in the Middle East would likely trigger a slump in consumer demand in Western markets, leaving the RMG sector vulnerable to the dual blow of dwindling orders and the logistical nightmare of disrupted maritime routes.

Three Nobel laureates and Bangladesh’s Economic Future

Syed Akhtar Mahmood

Irrespective of whether LDC graduation is delayed or not, we must face the music sooner or later. It is time to bite the bullet and focus on productivity. Understanding how firms increase productivity must be at the top of our agenda.

Emerging Markets Monitor

Afshin Molavi

Key Stories Shaping Emerging Markets: Thai Election Fuels Stock Market Rise, EM Rises as Wall Street Looks Global, The Race for Brazil Rare Earths, US-Bangladesh Trade Deal, Uber Buys Getir Stake from Mubadala

The Straw-Woman Fallacy

Shanim Tasnim

Feminism has become a new F-word. But let's at least debate the issues that women are really talking about and demanding rather than a patriarchal projection of what men think women want and demanding.

Unlearning Obedience

Azeema Anhar Humaira

We’re tired of being told to wait. We’re tired of being told to be reasonable. We’re tired of being told to consider the reputations of men, the stability of institutions, the sensitivities of cultures. We’re tired of the same headlines feeling like déjà vu.

Bangladesh Chose Normal Over Revolutionary, and That Tells Us Everything

Faruq Hasan

Voters opted for political change at a moment of acute economic strain and fraying public security. They desperately want stability and tangible economic recovery. That's what they voted for. That's what they now expect to receive in return.

The J Z Show। Ep 18 । Zafar Sobhan। Jon Danilowicz

Zafar Sobhan

The J Z Show। Ep 15 । Md Rubaiyath Sarwar | Zafar Sobhan। Jon Danilowicz

Zafar Sobhan

The J Z Show। Ep 13 । Zafar Sobhan। Jon Danilowicz

Zafar Sobhan

Tarique Rahman's Homecoming and New Political Alignments

Counterpoint Generations | Ep 9

Zafar Sobhan

Episode 9 of Counterpoint Generations reflects on the immediate post-election landscape, examining voter participation, the formation of the new cabinet, and the institutional challenges facing the incoming government as parliament prepares to begin its term.

Counterpoint Generations | Ep 8

Zafar Sobhan

In Episode 8 of Counterpoint Generations, the discussion explores Bangladesh’s electoral journey from the 1970 election to the present, examining how voting behaviour, political participation, and institutions have evolved over time. The episode also addresses contemporary questions around minority voting patterns, and why opinion polls often fail to predict real outcomes. A reflective conversation on elections, uncertainty, and democratic change.

Counterpoint Generations | EP 7 | Professor Rehman Sobhan | Zafar Sobhan

Zafar Sobhan

In Episode 7 of Counterpoint Generations, Zafar Sobhan and Professor Rehman Sobhan discuss Manchester United’s recent win, revisit how their shared love for football began, and reflect on the current state of global and Bangladeshi football.