interim government
Has interim govt actually become a ‘government’ in a year
Just two days before the anniversary of the July uprising, on the afternoon of August 3, at a rally organised at the Central Shaheed Minar in the capital to declare the manifesto of the 'Second Republic' or New Bangladesh, several leaders of the National Citizens' Party (NCP) expressed discontent and criticism over unfulfilled expectations in various sectors over the past year. Yet the NCP is considered the main stakeholder or participant in the interim government. The government itself has, at various times, indicated its special preference or support for this party. One reason may be that the NCP was formed through the initiative of some youths who were at the forefront of the July uprising.
Why law and order situation still uncontrolled a year after mass uprising
Bangladesh is currently going through a phase of commemorating the mass uprising. Through various events, the unprecedented fiery moments of last year are being remembered with pride. But it must also be said with regret that the uprising is perhaps not being remembered with the brightness it deserves. The reason for this lies in a sense of insecurity among the people. This insecurity is not only about day-to-day life, but also about the future of Bangladesh. On one hand, the deterioration of law and order threatens public safety, and on the other, economic and political instability also leaves citizens feeling insecure about the future.
Form high-level investigative committee to probe Muradnagar incidents
Since the current interim government came to power, Muradnagar in Cumilla has repeatedly been in the spotlight for the perpetration of brutal crimes. Particularly shocking was the killings of a mother, brother, and sister from the same family by hacking and crushing with stones in broad daylight, and the stripping and torture of a local female schoolteacher inside an educational institution, which caused a nationwide uproar. In addition, a private television channel’s investigative report this week has brought to light several other horrifying terrorist incidents.
Consensus Commission: What if BNP does not agree
The National Consensus Commission is holding continuous dialogues with political parties on various issues of state reform; but on July 11, after a meeting of the commission, BNP Standing Committee member Salahuddin Ahmed expressed his anger about not being given a turn to speak before the media and was about to leave without speaking to journalists. His question was, "Is BNP the 5th party that it has to speak 5th?"
Where is interim government headed!
Where is present-day Bangladesh headed, and on which path is the interim government taking the country? Such questions are deeply troubling everyone. Over the past 10 months, a series of decisions made by the government that harm the interests of the country have pushed us into fear and anxiety. It is hard to believe that the government's intentions are noble. Instead of moving away from a one-party regime, we have ended up with another undemocratic, unconstitutional government that curtails freedom of expression. Public trust in the government is already declining due to numerous activities beyond its jurisdiction.
Shaheed Abu Sayeed, you are not a failure, nor the cry of your soul
Abu Sayeed was born in 2001 in Babonpur village of Pirganj upazila in Rangpur. His father is Mokbul Hossain, his mother Monowara Begum. Abu Sayeed had six brothers and three sisters; he was the youngest of nine siblings. He passed the fifth grade from the local Jafor Para Government Primary School with a talent pool scholarship. Afterwards, he passed SSC from the local Khalashpir Dimukhi High School with a Golden GPA-5. In 2018, he passed intermediate with GPA-5 from Rangpur Government College. Later in 2020, he got admitted to the Department of English at Begum Rokeya University. He was a student of the 12th batch (2024) of the English department at Rokeya University. Abu Sayeed was a spirited, talented young student. People in his area had dreams centred around him. It is unbearably painful to bring back the body of that same Sayeed.
Stop extortion, murder, and terrorism
After the brutal killing of scrap goods trader Lal Chand alias Sohag (39) in front of Mitford Hospital in the capital, a horrific incident related to extortion occurred last Friday (July 11) in the Pallabi area of Mirpur in the capital. A group of people, after being denied a demand of Tk 5 crore in extortion, launched an attack with weapons at a real estate company called AK Builders in the Albirtech area of Pallabi.
Interim government: Breakdown of trust and crisis of accountability
Following the mass uprising last August, the interim government of Bangladesh came to power with promises to restore democratic order and alleviate the suffering of ordinary people. It presented itself as a reform-oriented and good-governance-committed transitional caretaker government. But nearly a year later, the country is now plunged into deeper uncertainty—where extreme mismanagement, growing inequality, and a widening gap between state power and citizen welfare are becoming increasingly evident. What was supposed to be a bridge to stability is now turning into a fall into the abyss of uncertainty.
Bangladesh must break free from ‘lobbying trade’
It has long been said that nothing gets done in Bangladesh without lobbying. From getting a job to hospital admission, school enrolment, transfer, promotion, tenders, business registration—everything in this country requires lobbying. Be it a government or non-government institution. It is heard that even a peon’s job today is not obtainable without lobbying. The higher the position, the bigger the task, the higher-ranking the official one must approach. As a result, maintaining good relations with MPs, ministers, and senior government officials to secure lobbying has become a long-standing trade for a certain class of people in this country.
BTV, Betar, BSS need to be brought under one umbrella for best use of state resources
Amidst the multifaceted and multi-dimensional crisis of Bangladesh's media, the 11-member Media Reform Commission of the interim government has already submitted its report on timely and effective reforms. Under the leadership of Kamal Ahmed, the commission has made 20 recommendations on various issues including media ownership, income and expenditure, advertising market, financial security, measures regarding BTV-Betar-BSS, and the freedom and protection of media and journalists. These 20 points include several sub-points detailing various issues. Simultaneously, to implement these recommendations, the commission has also submitted a draft of the ‘Bangladesh Media Commission Ordinance: 2025’. This draft ordinance is currently under consideration by the interim government. Media stakeholders are hopeful that the proposals of this commission will soon receive legal endorsement. Rahat Minhaz, Assistant Professor of Mass Communication and Journalism at Jagannath University, had an in-depth discussion with Kamal Ahmed about the formation, operations, various obstacles and challenges of the commission. The interview is being published in series by Views Bangladesh. The forth part of the six-part interview is published today.