columnist and retired engineer
Military power is traditionally understood through air forces, tanks, warships, and vast armies. However, this notion is now changing. Because missile and drone capabilities, along with the mental resilience of the people, have emboldened weaker nations, and the new strategic challenges they are posing against powerful states are becoming evident in the course of subsequent events.
Bangladesh is currently under pressure from various directions—economic, social and environmental. We are a resource-deficient country, heavily dependent on imports for most of our energy and basic needs. Our economy is still agriculture-based, yet our population density is among the highest in the world. Every year, floods, tidal surges and the impact of climate change are increasing. Unemployment, especially among the youth, is a major crisis.
As the Israel-Iran conflict simmers dangerously, a crucial question looms over the world economy: What happens if the Strait of Hormuz is disrupted?
Some reflections on the Iran-Israel conflict and the silent suffering of ordinary people: “War is decided by a handful of leaders, but its price is paid by thousands of ordinary people. In the end, it is humanity that loses.” In today’s world, where technology has brought us closer and scientific progress has made life easier, war still remains a dark stain on our civilisation. The recent tensions between Iran and Israel starkly reveal that war continues to be humanity’s greatest failure. I am merely a general observer, not an expert in warfare.