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Rased Mehedi

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Journalist, Editor, Views Bangladesh
Which direction are the upcoming election results heading?
Which direction are the upcoming election results heading?
Article

Which direction are the upcoming election results heading?

What will be the outcome of the upcoming national election? Which political party will lead the new government? Or will no party secure a majority, resulting in a coalition government? Such questions now preoccupy the public mind. The most crucial question is: Which path will the newly elected government take Bangladesh down? Given the state of Bangladesh over the past 16 years, and the political situation witnessed over the past 18 months, the new government's biggest challenge will be maintaining political and economic stability. A new question has also emerged recently: If a political party whose leadership has declared that women will never hold top positions comes to power, will women's roles in senior government posts, their participation in economic activities, and women's education be curtailed?

Bangladesh’s visa crisis: Diplomatic failure or national reckoning?
Bangladesh’s visa crisis: Diplomatic failure or national reckoning?
Article

Bangladesh’s visa crisis: Diplomatic failure or national reckoning?

Getting an e-visa for Uzbekistan, a country rich in Muslim heritage, was once remarkably simple for Bangladeshi citizens. A single-entry visa could be obtained online for just $30 from the comfort of home. Since August 6, 2024, however, Uzbekistan has suspended e-visa services for Bangladeshi citizens. As a result, Bangladesh no longer appears on the list of countries eligible for e-visa applications. Even now, in January 2026, the Uzbek government has yet to lift this restriction.

Uncompromising leader Khaleda Zia's legacy will live on in a million hearts
Uncompromising leader Khaleda Zia's legacy will live on in a million hearts
Article

Uncompromising leader Khaleda Zia's legacy will live on in a million hearts

General Ershad seized power on March 24, 1982, suspending the Constitution and imposing martial law. Ever since he seized power, protests began on the streets against him. At the forefront of that movement, the two main political parties of that time, the Awami League and the BNP, along with their political alliance, were simultaneously carrying out protests. In 1986, Ershad organized a farce of national elections. The Awami League led by Sheikh Hasina fell into the trap of that farce and 28 political parties, including Jamaat-e-Islami, participated in the elections. But BNP boycotted the elections and remained steadfast in the street protests. “No compromise with injustice, no elections under a dictator” was the declaration made by BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia. Since then, she has been an ‘uncompromising national leader’ to the people of the country.

Will the smartphone market remain hostage to smugglers?
Will the smartphone market remain hostage to smugglers?
ICT

Will the smartphone market remain hostage to smugglers?

Identified smugglers in the mobile handset market are holding the regulatory authority's headquarters hostage under the guise of a blockade, creating a standstill. By blocking roads and causing extreme suffering to hundreds of citizens, they are demanding the continuation of unrestricted opportunities for smuggling! Bangladesh is truly a strange place. This is probably a world record! In no other country besides Bangladesh have a group of smugglers dared to implement such so-called programs of gathering on the streets and paralyzing public life.

Despite justifiable initiative some important questions still remain
Despite justifiable initiative some important questions still remain
Telecom

Despite justifiable initiative some important questions still remain

The initiative to introduce the National Equipment Identity Register (NEIR) system is commendable. My point is: Mobile handsets are now being manufactured in the country. Therefore, the initiative to end the market of handsets smuggled through tax evasion to encourage local production should be viewed with appreciation. But the question is how many times will BTRC take such initiative, and how many times will we appreciate it and be disappointed?

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