Counterpoint

A Mandate Won. Trust Now at Risk.

Nakibur Rahman

This government came to power with a democratic mandate. But it risks squandering it. City administrations must look neutral. International crimes prosecutions must feel independent. And the central bank must signal credibility beyond politics.

Why the New Governor Won't Work

Zia Hassan

When it comes to the central bank governor, optics are everything. If he is perceived to be the government's man, then no one will have the necessary faith in him, and he will fail before he even starts.

How to Lose Friends and Alienate People

Zafar Sobhan

If the BNP's goal had been to signal to the Bangladeshi people that everything their adversaries say about them is true, that nothing has changed from the time they were last in office 20 years ago, that they remain exactly the same party of cronyism, corruption, and contempt for public opinion, they could not have done a better job.

The Real Test for Bangladesh’s New Government

A Gafur

Political criticism will persist, that is the nature of democracy. But a government that governs through law, accountability, and judicial independence will find that criticism becomes manageable, trust becomes durable, and stability becomes achievable.

A Majority Government without a Majority Mandate

Shahed Iqbal

The purpose of this article is not to belittle BNP’s victory in the 2026 election. The purpose is to peel the layers of statistics to get to the ground truth and what we can infer from them with reasonable confidence.  

What did February 12 Tell Us?

Rehman Sobhan

The immediate challenge before Prime Minister Tarique Rahman is to slow down the gyration of the turning wheel and to set us on a straight path. To assess such possibilities we need to clearly understand the political lessons from the recent elections and to explore the pitfalls which lie ahead.

Terminate the Heist, Fuel the Ghost Plants

Kawsar Chowdhury

The National Review Committee’s report is not just an audit; it is a Directive for Sovereignty. The new government must now prove its commitment to the people by executing these three non-negotiable actions. The evidence is in. It is time for the new government to terminate the heist and reclaim our energy future.

Bangladesh Bank Reaches a Crossroads

Mohammad A. Rab

Bangladesh is not on the verge of collapse, but it remains fragile. During periods of economic uncertainty, central banks must stay above politics. When monetary authority appears negotiable, inflation expectations shift, currency stability drops, and fiscal discipline weakens.

From Pitch Deck to Public Impact

Fahim Shahriar

In nascent environments such as Bangladesh, early-stage survival rates are much more precarious, with student-led ventures facing closure within one to three years offormation. The demographic dividend of Bangladesh is still one of its biggest assets. But economic transformation doesn’t come through demographics alone. Systems do.

Bangladesh Center in Houston: Bridging the Gap Between Cultural and Religious Fronts

Tamim Choudhury

Certain cultural celebrations are deemed sinful by a segment, and overt religiousness seems inconsistent with culture by another group. Even in my own clan, I have seen relatives disown placing wreaths on the Shahid Minar as un-Islamic, versus those who believe that wearing a headscarf or burqa is being culturally backwards. However, I am grateful to have a place in the US where I can offer my prayers in Arabic and then pay respect to those who died defending the Bengali language, all on the same ground.

Every Step You Take Matters

Raihana Shams Islam

This is a silent but sure shift in how our outgoing women are viewing their freedom on the move, and prioritizing their choice of shoes accordingly. They seem to have realized that every step matters, and shoes are there for liberating, not constricting.

Dhaka After Dark: Precarity, Pulse, and the Phantom Soul

Zakir Kibria

The night is not one thing. It is a thousand negotiations, a million small decisions about where to stand, how long to stay, who to trust. The city's soul is not a fixed thing but a process -- an ongoing negotiation between collapse and creation.

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?

The Other Side of the Remittance Story

Tashzid Reza

Remittance inflows are not merely a function of diaspora goodwill or seasonal rituals; they are the mirror image of confidence in the domestic market’s fairness and functionality.

The House That Divides Us: Building a Nation from the Rubble of Victory

Zakir Kibria

BNP has to govern not merely as the winner of an election but as the steward of a divided nation. Jamaat-e-Islami has to act as a parliamentary opposition, not as a liberation war revision society. The international community has to support democratic consolidation, not strategic alignment.

Why Minority Safety Is Essential for Fair Elections and Democratic Bangladesh

Opshora Islam Tondra, MD. Zarif Rahman

With the election scheduled to take place in the coming days, the need to heighten and strengthen protective measures is now immediate and critical. Preventive security, early warning, and community engagement efforts must be intensified not only on polling day but throughout the pre-election and post-election period, particularly over the next month, when risks of retaliation and intimidation have historically been highest.

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.

The Middle Eastern Job Market Is Dead

Kawsar Chowdhury

The countries that thrive in the next decade will be those that export skilled humans -- not bodies. The countries that survive will be those that build talent -- not hope for visas. And the countries that collapse will be those that cling to dead models and call it “tradition.”

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.

Where the Anti-India Current Runs Strong

Jannatul Naym Pieal

The fact that Jamaat has won so many seats for the first time ever -- most of them along Indian borders -- should be a cause for concern for India. While Bangladeshis may not have embraced Islamic fundamentalism this time, anti-Indian sentiment is clearly gaining ground.

Can We Critically Look at People’s Movements?

Muhaimen Siddiquee

If states tighten control over digital spaces to prevent manipulation, how do democracies function? How do we distinguish between organic, bottom-up people’s movements and those that are partially orchestrated or externally influenced?

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

How Do We Stop Giant Corporations Taking Over Bangladesh?

Manzur Rahman

Society needs a new compact to rein in the empire of corporate giants. This is as true for Bangladesh as it is for the rest of the world. Else we will all descend into the servitude of a new feudal system headed by giant corporations and the handful of their beneficiaries.

Building Bangladesh’s Next Multi-Billion-Dollar Export Industry

Kawsar Chowdhury

The global shortage is real. The demand is guaranteed. The opportunity is enormous.

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.

Democracy Day Special Biriyani: A Facebook Feed on Election Day in Bangladesh

Zakir Kibria

The polls close. One by one, the live streams flicker and die. The official pages go dormant, saving their energy for victory declarations or accusations of theft. The meme pages are quiet. The deepfake bazaar has shut its stalls. Your thumb, trained for twelve hours on a refresh-loop, finally has nothing to pull.

The Burning Temples of Bangladesh: Journalism, Culture, and Democracy at Risk

Nafew Sajed Joy

When a society burns its own newspapers, attacks its artists, and restricts freedom of thought, that fire does not stop there. It spreads to courts, classrooms, and homes. When a city burns, its temples do not survive. Our temples, culture and freedom of expression, are no longer matters of personal preference. They are matters of collective survival.

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.