Feature

  By Advocate Shafiqul Haque: My position on Bangladesh’s foreign policy is straightforward: neither fear nor favour should guide us. Bangladesh’s national interest must come first. I do not believe Bangladesh should conduct its foreign policy from the shadow of any other country. Equally, hostility towards another state should not be mistaken for independence. A sovereign country must have the confidence ...

  By Advocate Shafiqul Haque:   From political reconciliation and economic renewal to institutional reform and a changing foreign policy, Bangladesh is seeking greater strategic space while reassessing its relationships with its neighbours and global partners. Bangladesh has entered a new political chapter. With Tarique Rahman as prime minister, the country is facing challenges that go well beyond the contest ...

    Advocate Shafiqul Haque:   Bangladesh is again having a public discussion about citizenship and eligibility for public office. Recent questions concerning Foreign Minister Dr Khalilur Rahman and State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humayun Kabir have brought the issue into renewed focus. This should not become a debate about personalities. The facts and the law should determine any individual ...

    By Advocate Shafiqul Haque:   A Foreign Passport, a Bangladeshi Heart: Is a New Constitutional Path for Dual Citizens Now a Matter of Time? Bangladesh’s debate over citizenship is not new. Yet during national elections, changes of government and periods of major political transition, questions surrounding citizenship naturally receive renewed public attention. In recent times, questions concerning foreign ...

  By  Shafiqul Haque:   As I mentioned in my previous article, Lutfur Rahman and I began our political journey together in May 2002, when we were both elected as Labour councillors in Tower Hamlets. I have already written about those early days, so I do not want to repeat everything here. But there is one personal memory from that ...

  By Mrs. Ayesha Chowdhury:   The continuing debate about taxation, wealth, pensions and welfare raises an important question: what does a fair society actually look like? I have paid taxes throughout my working life, and I accept the principle that those who are fortunate enough to have greater financial means should make a greater contribution to society. A civilised country ...

  By Shafiqul Haque:   When I look back at May 2002, I remember it as a very important time in my life. It was the year when Lutfur Rahman and I were both elected as councillors in Tower Hamlets. We were both members of the Labour Party. At that time, we were simply two new councillors starting our political ...

By Shafiqul Haque: The greatest tribute to the aspirations and sacrifices of July may be to transform political change into institutional reform—building a transparent, accountable, corruption-free administration and restoring public confidence in the state. Bangladesh’s 2026 should not be viewed merely as a year of political transition. Doing so would overlook perhaps the most important story unfolding beneath the change ...

  By Shafiqul Haque:  Bangladesh stands at an important economic crossroads. Over the past several decades, the country has achieved remarkable progress, lifting millions out of poverty and establishing itself as a major manufacturing and exporting economy. But the next phase of development will be considerably more demanding. The challenges are now increasingly visible: shortages of gas and electricity, rising ...

By Muhammed Shahed Rahman: Paris Grand Mosque: A historical monument to Muslim sacrifice. The Paris Grand Mosque is one of the brightest symbols of the history of Islam, the contributions of Muslims, and interfaith coexistence in France. When I visit the century-old Grand Mosque in Paris, it gives me a different touch. The century-old Grand Mosque of Paris, or Grand ...