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Editorial Views
Aides to US President-elect Donald Trump have asked three senior career diplomats, including former ambassador to Bangladesh Marcia Bernicat, reports Reuters.
It is natural for people to be curious about what may happen in the world economy and trade in the coming year. Particularly, with Donald Trump being re-elected as the President of the United States, there is speculation about whether the situation will worsen. The question being raised is whether Trump will launch a full-scale trade war. According to a report by the Financial Times, there is a possibility of a full-scale trade war, but it is not guaranteed. The FT refers to a full-scale trade war as a scenario where, by the end of the year, the United States will impose at least a 10 per cent tariff on all imported goods. Trump has threatened to impose up to a 25 per cent tariff on goods from Canada and Mexico, excluding China. These two countries account for 30 per cent of US imports. They, too, will continue to exert pressure on Trump in various ways. However, FT suggests that due to the additional tariffs, Trump is likely to continue the tariff battle. Hence, they do not believe that these tariffs will be withdrawn by the end of the year.
What you understand by reform depends on who you are, what your profession is, what your political beliefs and views are, which party you support, and above all, how you think about the country.
In an effort to reform the electoral system, the Election System Reform Commission has proposed nearly 150 recommendations across 18 areas, including significant relief for independent candidates. The commission recommended replacing the requirement for 1% of constituency voters' signatures with the support of 500 voters for independent candidates.
The Constitutional Reform Commission has recommended equality, human dignity, social justice, pluralism, and democracy replacing nationalism, democracy, socialism, and secularism.
The Constitutional Reform Commission has recommended equality, human dignity, social justice, pluralism, and democracy replacing nationalism, democracy, socialism, and secularism.
In July and August, the anti-discrimination students' victory is being claimed by both the BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami. While the anti-discrimination students have recognized Jamaat, they are less inclined to give credit to the BNP. As a result, occasional verbal conflicts arise between the two factions. The BNP believes that their continuous struggle against the Awami League government for 15 years was crucial; without their efforts, the fall of the Awami League government in the July-August popular uprising would not have been possible. This statement is not entirely false. On December 6, 1971, India recognized Bangladesh as an independent nation, and the direct involvement of Indian forces led to the surrender of 93,000 Pakistani soldiers on December 16, marking Bangladesh’s victory.
The rice market in Bangladesh has been volatile for some time now. Prices initially saw a slight decline but have surged again post-elections. Currently, coarse varieties like Swarna and China are being sold at BDT 55-60 per kilogram, medium-grade BRRI Dhan 29 at BDT 61-65, and finer Miniket at BDT 70-75. The premium Nazirshail variety ranges between BDT 75-85 depending on the market, while aromatic rice varieties like Kataribhog are even pricier. This price hike during the peak Aman harvesting season is unusual and suggests that traders are exploiting consumers for undue profit, causing immense hardship to the poor.
Chief Advisor Dr. Muhammad Yunus speaks articulately, and his speeches are heard worldwide. Upon assuming power, he urged everyone to highlight the government's mistakes. He believes in unrestricted freedom of speech. He expressed a desire to free the people of the country from the closed environment of previous party governments. Not only the Chief Advisor but also the interim government has repeatedly reaffirmed this commitment. Moreover, one of the main promises emerging from the August 5 uprising is media freedom. However, the reality in the country is quite different, and it is unlikely that the Chief Advisor is unaware of it. Despite the strong call to criticize the government, the media has been more restrained than necessary in presenting true information. Fear of being attacked by 'mob justice' or labeled as 'dictator’s ally' has led the media to ensure their safety by speaking sycophantic words, much like the past 15 years. The editorial council feels that media freedom is still under attack.
Justin Pierre James Trudeau's political life began in the cradle. Born Christmas Day, 1971, to Margaret Sinclair and Pierre Elliott Trudeau, Canada's 15th prime minister, their eldest son grew up in the spotlight and an atmosphere of privilege. Now, he's out in the cold, abandoned by his closest allies and maligned by his opponents as Canada, too, joins the global anti-incumbent mood.
With the passage of time, many things change. This is not necessarily a bad thing, nor it is abnormal. However, the changes that have occurred in local government after the political shift on August 5 have not brought anything good. The mayors and councilors of all the city corporations, 61 district councils (excluding the three hill districts), upazila councils, and municipal corporations have been dismissed with a stroke of the pen. As a result, these institutions are now operating without elected representatives. Although the government has appointed administrators, minimal services are being provided. The administrators are only performing "routine work." While the union council chairmen and members have not been dismissed, the majority of them are in hiding because they were leaders and activists of the ruling Awami League, which was overthrown during the people's uprising. As a result, essential services such as birth and death certificates, heir certificates, and citizenship certificates are not being provided. Day after day, citizens are forced to go around in search of these services, and their voices are filled with frustration and disappointment. In many places, regular cleaning of waste and garbage is not being done. Roads have deteriorated, and there are no efforts to repair them.
In an effort to reform the electoral system, the Election System Reform Commission has proposed nearly 150 recommendations across 18 areas, including significant relief for independent candidates. The commission recommended replacing the requirement for 1% of constituency voters' signatures with the support of 500 voters for independent candidates.
Once considered a condition primarily affecting adults, Type 2 diabetes is now alarmingly increasing among children. According to the latest statistics from 2019, 20% of children diagnosed with diabetes were found to have Type 2 diabetes. Data from BIRDEM General Hospital in Dhaka reveals that approximately 8,000 children there are living with diabetes, of which around 1,600, aged 0–16 years, have Type 2 diabetes.
When people hear the word “animation,” they often think it’s something made for children. However, that’s far from the truth. Many animated films deliver profound messages that make viewers think differently about life. Japanese animators have taken the medium to extraordinary heights, and when discussing Japanese animation, Hayao Miyazaki is the first name that comes to mind. His works are admired by audiences of all ages due to their unique storytelling, artistry, and depth. Once you start watching one of his creations, it’s impossible to take your eyes off the screen.
Aides to US President-elect Donald Trump have asked three senior career diplomats, including former ambassador to Bangladesh Marcia Bernicat, reports Reuters.
Israel's security cabinet has voted to approve a ceasefire deal to end the fighting in Gaza. The decision came two days after mediators Qatar and the United States an agreement had been reached with Israel and Hamas on Wednesday.
Four days away from being inaugurated for a second term, Trump told the Dan Bongino Show that negotiations would have never finalized without pressure from his team, including Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, reports AFP.
Former premier Imran Khan and his spouse Bushra Bibi on Friday were convicted in the £190m Al-Qadir Trust case with the PTI founder being sentenced to 14 years in prison and a seven-year jail term handed to his wife.
The statistics grab headlines effortlessly: “Mobile internet subscriber base declines by 4.4 million.” As the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) regularly publishes data on mobile telecommunications and broadband subscribers, journalists have easy access to these numbers. By comparing data month over month, crafting a market report becomes straightforward. Mobile operators’ officials often provide insights into the business impact of subscriber fluctuations, and at times, analysts react emotionally to the figures without deeper understanding. When such reports make headlines, even the general public, regardless of comprehension, starts worrying about the market’s trajectory.
Six leaders of Jahangirnagar University unit Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal have been expelled on charges of "violating organisational discipline".
It is natural for people to be curious about what may happen in the world economy and trade in the coming year. Particularly, with Donald Trump being re-elected as the President of the United States, there is speculation about whether the situation will worsen. The question being raised is whether Trump will launch a full-scale trade war. According to a report by the Financial Times, there is a possibility of a full-scale trade war, but it is not guaranteed. The FT refers to a full-scale trade war as a scenario where, by the end of the year, the United States will impose at least a 10 per cent tariff on all imported goods. Trump has threatened to impose up to a 25 per cent tariff on goods from Canada and Mexico, excluding China. These two countries account for 30 per cent of US imports. They, too, will continue to exert pressure on Trump in various ways. However, FT suggests that due to the additional tariffs, Trump is likely to continue the tariff battle. Hence, they do not believe that these tariffs will be withdrawn by the end of the year.
On January 14, 2025, at the main auditorium of the National Museum during the 23rd Dhaka International Film Festival, I watched Shoroter Joba, a film directed by popular television actress Kusum Sikder. This film marks Kusum Sikder’s debut as a director. She also wrote the story, screenplay, and dialogue for the film. Shoroter Joba was produced under the banner of Impress Telefilm Limited and Pahardanga Pictures, jointly by Kusum Sikder and Faridur Reza Sagar.
It is reported that the Bangla Academy has allocated stalls to 86 new publishing houses without verification, excluding many regular participants.
