'With the winter breeze, a dance begins on every branch of the Amlaki tree, the leaves shiver and fall in rhythm.' In the rhythm of this poem by the revered poet Rabindranath Tagore, winter is arriving a little early this year in Bangladesh, the abode of natural beauty. In this land of six seasons, each season appears with its own distinct characteristics.
Pressure has been building for about 400 years on the tectonic plates beneath Bangladesh, specifically on the Dawki and Madhupur faults. When this strong pressure is released, the resulting earthquake could reach a magnitude of 8 on the Richter scale. This would cause extensive damage to central, northern, and north-eastern regions of Bangladesh, including Dhaka. The number of casualties would surpass all previous records. This information was revealed in a research paper published in June of this year by the geology department of the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory at Columbia University, USA.
Amendments are being brought to the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) Act-2009. These changes aim to empower the NHRC, which has been operating with limited power and independence, by enhancing its own authority and ensuring unhindered freedom in its work to guarantee the protection and development of human rights. Furthermore, the amendments mandate that the appointment of its Chairman and members must be done through a transparent, open, and competitive process. After the Law Commission's recommendations, the amendment is currently with the Ministry of Law for vetting. The Legislative and Parliamentary Affairs Division of the Ministry of Law has confirmed this information.
Conflicts among siblings and relatives over inherited property have been a long-standing issue in Bangladesh. Every day, countless civil cases are filed in the country’s courts regarding land ownership disputes. On top of that, errors in various land surveys and documentation frequently cause further harassment. However, final settlements often take years, if not decades. To address such prolonged disputes and reduce family conflicts over inheritance, the government has amended the Inheritance Law. According to the Ministry of Law, Justice, and Parliamentary Affairs, the amended law will come into effect on September 7.
At present, a total of 4,516,603 cases are pending across all courts in Bangladesh. Almost all of these cases were filed between 1990 and June 2025. Among them, the High Court Division of the Supreme Court (SC) alone has 589,751 pending cases.
Educationist, women leader, social worker, freedom fighter and the first and so far only female VP of Dhaka University Central Students' Union, Professor Mahfuza Khanam, passed away on Tuesday morning. The death of Professor Mahfuza Khanam, wife of Supreme Court senior lawyer and former Law Minister Barrister Shafique Ahmed, has cast a shadow of grief over every field that was graced by her vibrant presence.