Category: Columns

By Tajul Islam On August 1, 2024, Bangladesh took a decisive step in its fight against terrorism and extremism by officially banning the Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI)

M A Hossain After a recent rocket attack on a soccer field in the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights, the question of whether the Middle East is

Matein Khalid Dubai lost a national treasure and I lost an old/cherished friend on July 8th. Dr. Ram Buxani had come to Dubai as a

By Tajul Islam As global economic dynamics shift, emerging economies seek new opportunities for growth and influence. A notable development is the BRICS coalition, originally

By Tajul Islam On June 25, Liu Jianchao, the visiting Minister of the International Relations of the Communist Party of China (CPC)’s Central Committee reaffirmed China’s commitment

James M Dorsey Even by Israeli standards, Uri Tzafon (Awaken North) is a far-right fringe group. Amid mounting tension with Lebanese Shiite political group and

By Saifur Rahman Bangladesh’s economy faces multiple challenges, said the International Monetary Fund in its latest report. Bangladesh’s economy is suffering from liquidity shortage and

By Tajul Islam The recent provocations by Myanmar in the Bay of Bengal have significantly escalated tensions between Myanmar and Bangladesh, threatening regional stability and

James M Dorsey Israeli military triumphs and exploits often produce battlefield victories that fail to garner political gains. The Gaza war has changed that paradigm.

By Tajul Islam On June 11, 2024, Reuters published an interview with Mohammad Yunus, the Nobel Peace laureate and founder of Grameen Bank, which has stirred significant

M A Hossain As the European Union (EU) navigates through a turbulent political landscape, Ursula von der Leyen, the incumbent President of the European Commission,

James M Dorsey The coming week or two could determine Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s political fate and reshape the Biden administration’s support for Israel’s Gaza

M A Hossain In a dramatic turn of events, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on June 3 acquitted the founder of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Imran

By Manish Rai Pakistan's southwestern province of Balochistan has been the scene of a low-level insurgency and a brutal military crackdown for decades. However, the

James M Dorsey Jordan's King Abdullah is caught between a rock and a hard place.  Hamas and its regional supporters, as well as Israeli politicians

Europe's right-wing parties are preparing to pounce on voter dismay following years of austerity policies in many countries, say leading global governance researchers in a

By Tajul Islam The International Criminal Court (ICC) and its chief prosecutor Karim Khan, a Pakistani-British member of Ahmadiyya community, with deep-rooted connections with Buckingham

Daniel Mausoof Digital connectivity is synonymous with progress. As the United Nations highlights, it is for many people a basic service that connects them to health, welfare,

Tajul Islam The latest incident of helicopter crash involving Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi has sparked a wave of speculation and concern both within Iran and internationally. Occurring in dense

James M Dorsey US President Joe Biden doesn’t fit the mould of a high-risk gambler. Yet, gambling is the crux of his velvet glove dealings

James M Dorsey Diaspora Jews, Palestinian Israelis, and Turkish Kurds have more in common than meets the eye. The similarities in how the three minority communities define themselves

M A Hossain South Asian nations, bursting with diversity and contradictions, have long been a captivating subject for global journalism. Yet, despite their increasing importance

James M Dorsey This week’s Gazan short-lived celebration of a ceasefire that was not to be, highlights what is at stake in the seven-month-old war and Israel’s

 M A Hossain In the vibrant heart of Riyadh, amidst its soaring skyline and lively thoroughfares, a momentous gathering of global leaders, policymakers, and influential