July 16 was a special day this year. On this day, we observed July Martyars Day for the first time, marking the ultimate sacrifices made by heroes like Abu Sayeed and Md Wasim Akrum. Yet, while we remained focused on post-uprising efforts to rebuild the state through forging political consensus and reforming institutions, our border management seemingly slipped into disarray. On July 17, Bangladeshi media reported that the day before, India had pushed 55 individuals across the border at four locations in Sylhet and Sunamganj. Citing Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) sources, the report noted that these push-ins took place between 4am and 1pm. The cumulative number of individuals forcibly pushed into Bangladesh may have already exceeded 2,000. Foreign Affairs Adviser Touhid Hossain acknowledged that such incidents persist despite the existence of formal mechanisms between the two countries for verifying and returning nationals. “There is a prescribed process between the two countries ...

When the Israeli newspaper, Haaretz, reported that Israeli cybersecurity companies sold spyware systems to Bangladesh – a country that does not recognise Israel – the response from our government was that it had not bought the systems “directly” from Israel. Haaretz didn’t say it either, but revealed details of the technology and the identities of the owning company and its intermediaries spread in three countries: Cyprus, Switzerland and Singapore. Just one day after this revelation, on January 12, home minister Asaduzzaman Khan told MPs that the government has taken initiative to introduce an Integrated Lawful Interception System (ILIS) to monitor social media and thwart various anti-state and anti-government activities.  First came a non-denial of the fact that the government agencies have indeed procured highly sophisticated Israeli technology, which many experts describe as a surveillance weapon; then a confirmation of the existence of an integrated interception system, which ...

Sometimes it feels intriguing why some issues kick off fierce debate and why others don’t. One such less discussed, but hugely significant development, was the Hefazat delegation’s recent meeting with prime minister Sheikh Hasina.  Very little has been divulged about the December 17, 2022 parley, other than the Home Minister telling the media that the prime minister will definitely look into the demands made by the Hefazat-e-Islam leaders and fulfil those which are deemed reasonable. Hefazat leaders, too, have said nothing much, except describing the meeting “very fruitful.” The Bangla daily Bhorer Kagoj quoted Maulana Meer Idris saying, ‘The meeting with the prime minister was very fruitful. She heard us with seriousness.” Press reports say Hefazat had a meeting on the same day under the banner of National Ulama Mashayekh Conference. The conference held at Kazi Bashir Auditorium in Gulistan was attended by representatives of the organisation from all parts of the country. A seven-...