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Zeauddin Ahmed

  • Economist

Former Managing Director of Bangladesh Bank and Former Managing Director of The Security Printing Corporation (Bangladesh) Limited, or Takshal 

The notes finally reach the market
notes
Economics

The notes finally reach the market

The ‘new note’ of the ‘new Bangladesh’ has finally reached the market, though it has not come into the hands of the larger public. It was possible only because there was a firm resolve to release the note before the Qurbani Eid. Before the Bakri Eid, the chief adviser, the finance adviser and the governor pressed for the printing of the note. I heard that during this great endeavour, the governor and the finance adviser regularly monitored the process. Due to this created pressure, the employees concerned of Bangladesh Bank and Bangladesh Security Printing Press were on edge, not at ease for a single moment. However, some credit for printing the note in a short time also goes to the suppliers of the note’s paper and ink.

If interim govt lacks authority, country's dev will be hindered
If interim govt lacks authority, country's dev will be hindered
State and Politics

If interim govt lacks authority, country's dev will be hindered

The interim government's initiative to hand over the management of one of Chattogram Port’s nine terminals to a foreign company is drawing heavy criticism. During a recent visit to Chattogram, Chief Adviser Professor Dr Muhammad Yunus remarked that since Chattogram Port lags behind global standards, its management should be entrusted to one of the world’s top companies—and the public must be made to understand the necessity of this move. The government has already selected a foreign firm: DP World, a state-owned company from the UAE. Dr Yunus has met its CEO twice, both at home and abroad. The company’s proposed responsibilities include easing port congestion, reducing carbon emissions, and increasing efficiency at Bangladesh’s primary maritime gateway.

Take swift action to prevent domestic violence
domestic violence
State and Politics

Take swift action to prevent domestic violence

A mother and father killed their own daughter in an attempt to frame the opposing party over a land dispute in Kurigram Sadar upazila on May 10, 2025. Late at night, with the help of the brother’s wife, the parents hacked their daughter Jannati Khatun, a ninth-grade student, to death using an iron rod and a machete, then left her body in a cornfield. To divert the case, they set fire to a haystack near the house. Exactly one year earlier, on February 8, 2024, an eight-year-old girl named Mariam was killed by her own mother and uncle for the same reason, a land dispute, at Ramballav village under Betagi Sankipur union of Dashmina upazila in Patuakhali. The mother, Rina Begum, dressed her daughter in new clothes and told her they were going to visit a neighbor’s house. Instead, she took her to an abandoned homestead next to their house, tied her mouth with a scarf, and the uncle beat her to death with a stick.

Doubtful whether Rohingya repatriation will happen at all
Doubtful whether Rohingya repatriation will happen at all
State and Politics

Doubtful whether Rohingya repatriation will happen at all

In the international arena, Dr Yunus's reputation is sky-high. At his call, UN Secretary-General António Guterres rushed to Bangladesh, wore traditional pajama-panjabi during Ramadan, and even had iftar with the Rohingyas. Dr Yunus announced that they would work jointly with the UN so that the Rohingyas can celebrate Eid next year in Myanmar’s Rakhine State. On the other hand, Dr Khalilur Rahman, the high representative of the chief adviser, said that arrangements could be made to repatriate 180,000 Rohingyas selected by the Myanmar government during the Awami League government. But after this announcement, it was heard that in the last year alone, another 118,000 Rohingyas have newly entered Bangladesh. Yet, seeing the efforts of the UN Secretary-General and the interim government, we hoped that something would finally happen. Something did happen—Chief Advisor Dr Muhammad Yunus, delivering a speech in the Chattogram regional dialect at a Rohingya gathering, reminded the world of the emotional bond between the people of Chattogram and the Rohingya.

If interim government doesn’t set an example in reform, it won't happen again
interim government
State and Politics

If interim government doesn’t set an example in reform, it won't happen again

Dr. Muhammad Yunus, the Chief Adviser of the caretaker government, has placed excessive emphasis on reform. He clearly stated, “Not flimsy reform, not superficial reform, but fundamental reform. We will do it in such a way that no one will be able to undo it.” He also remarked, “My only concern is reform. Debate all you want about what the reforms will be, but let’s not hold an election without reform… Don't miss this opportunity.” His words are commendable; however, they are not grounded in the realities of the situation. He dreams, but in trying to realize those dreams, he faces disillusionment. His claim that he will make reform irreversible is rooted more in emotion than in practical reality.

When will Bangladesh overcome the culture of denial?
overcome the culture of denial.
State and Politics

When will Bangladesh overcome the culture of denial?

On April 1, 2025, The New York Times published a report titled “Islamist Hardliners Seize Opportunity to Shape New Bangladesh.” The Press Wing of the interim government’s Chief Advisor termed the report “misleading,” claiming it highlighted selective incidents without considering the broader reality of Bangladesh’s current situation, thereby creating confusion on the global stage.

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