Some reforms possible without consensus
The Judiciary Reform Commission has recommended that the judiciary have a separate secretariat and financial autonomy, which would reduce its dependence on the executive branch of the government.
Zeauddin Ahmed
Economist
Former Managing Director of Bangladesh Bank and Former Managing Director of The Security Printing Corporation (Bangladesh) Limited, or Takshal
Is there still more to come after Bibhuranjan Sarkar’s tragic departure
Journalist and columnist Bibhuranjan Sarkar went missing on Thursday (21 August). The following day, police recovered his body from the Meghna River at Gazaria in Munshiganj. I first learnt of his disappearance from writer Linu Haque’s Facebook post, and shortly afterwards saw the news of his disappearance spread across Facebook. I called his classmate at Dhaka University and political fellow traveller Jiban Krishna Saha, but he could not say where Bibhuranjan Sarkar’s residence was. I realised then that society had long ceased to have any use for Bibhuranjan Sarkar.
Hillocks will be gobbled up also after stones thru all-party unity
With the fall of the Awami League government on 5 August last year, the looting of stones began and continued relentlessly in mass scale over the past year. Although stories of this looting spread on social and other media, the government and local administration remained in a deep slumber like Kumbhakarna. They only woke up after the looting was over. On 13 August, the joint forces launched an operation to recover the looted white stones and seized 130 stone-laden trucks. According to the Sylhet district commissioner, the confiscated stones will be returned to the areas from where they were looted, and there is also a court order regarding this. Stone is a mineral resource, and therefore its authority lies with the Ministry of Mineral Resources. The power to permit or stop extraction lies with that ministry. However, if stone extraction causes environmental damage, the Ministry of Environment can raise objections.
Let ‘might is right’ policy end in upcoming national election
Let me begin with the words of the Chief Adviser of the interim government regarding a fair and neutral election. He said, “We want such an election that will satisfy the souls of the martyrs of the uprising.” According to him, this election will be so free, fair and neutral that it will remain memorable to the nation. He further said that the interim government is preparing for a free, fair, credible and inclusive general election to ensure justice, equality, freedom and dignity for the people, and for a smooth transition to democracy. Each of his statements contains an artistic rhythm that enchants listeners and increases the number of admirers, but does not inspire trust.
Where does Bangladesh stand amidst US's global retaliatory tariffs?
After much negotiation, the United States has agreed to reduce the imposed tariff rate on Bangladeshi goods exported to the US from 35% to 20% during the third round of discussions. On April 2, then-US President Donald Trump imposed 'retaliatory' tariffs on goods from 57 countries—a list that expanded to over 90 by July. Before the new policy was implemented, Bangladeshi exports faced an average tariff of 15.5%. The new 35% hike brought the total to 50%. However, as global economic uncertainty followed the announcement, Trump suspended the new tariffs for three months and allowed countries to negotiate fairer rates.
Why is embezzled money not being returned
The interim government has published a white paper on the corruption that took place during the Awami League’s tenure. The white paper states that over the past 15 years, $234 billion have been illegally laundered from Bangladesh abroad through 28 different means. Eminent individuals of the country prepared this white paper in a very short time. This valuable white paper is full of speculative information and inconsistencies. These capable experts described the history of corruption in a 400-page white paper within three months; yet, even after six months of publishing the white paper, the government has not managed to detain a single thief. The Awami League government had started catching thieves even without a white paper, and the corruption records of IGP Benazir Ahmed and National Board of Revenue’s Matiur Rahman were widely reported in the media. But have only Benazir and Matiur stolen the entire $234 billion? If not, there must be more thieves.
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