Asia

by Asif Showkat Kallol (Dhaka Bureau) Bangladesh will frame its upcoming national budget for the 2025–26 fiscal year with the global war environment and rising geopolitical tensions firmly in mind, according to officials familiar with the discussions. Government policymakers say…

by Rita Bhowmick (Dhaka Bureau) Discussions have commenced regarding the potential increase of reserved seats for women in Bangladesh’s National Parliament to 100, aiming to ensure effective participation and empowerment. Simultaneously, a proposal has been put forward for ‘direct elections’…

by Mohammed Kawser Ahamed (Dhaka Bureau) Bangladesh’s garment exporters are facing mounting disruption as the war in the Middle East begins to affect global transport routes, delaying shipments to Europe and raising fears of further pressure on the country’s key…

By Asif Showkat Kallol (Dhaka Bureau) Bangladesh has approved the emergency purchase of three cargoes of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from international suppliers at more than double the price paid only a few months ago, as concerns grow over energy…

Controversy Surrounding the mCash Deal in Bangladesh By Sheikh Mohammad Arif (Dhaka Bureau) Islami Bank Bangladesh PLC has planned to sell nearly half of its stake in its Mobile Financial Service (MFS), ‘mCash’, to a little-known US-based firm. This move…

Image created with the support of Arena-AI. by Asif Showkat Kallol Bangladesh’s Prime Minister, Tarique Rahman, on Tuesday launched a pilot social protection programme aimed at providing direct financial support to women-headed families, as the government seeks to expand welfare…

Wars often begin with small skirmishes, gradually escalate into larger confrontations, and eventually subside when diplomacy, exhaustion, or changing realities force the combatants to reconsider. History offers many examples of conflicts that followed this familiar pattern. The ongoing confrontation involving…

By Rita Bhowmick (Dhaka Bureau) The core theme of International Women’s Day 2026 was Rights, Justice, and Action.’ In alignment with this goal, a vibrant dialogue organized at the British Council in Dhaka showcased the dreams of Bangladesh’s youth- a…

The Philippine Misereor Partnership Inc. (PMPI) expresses its deep sorrow over the confirmed death of a bulldozer operator following the March 1, 2026 landslide at the Semirara mining pit in Antique. In a report by The Manila Times on March…

The National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), together with its partner agencies, Department of Tourism (DOT), Department of Agriculture (DA), and the Philippine Culinary Heritage Movement (PCHM), is set to celebrate Filipino Food Month (Buwan ng Kalutong Filipino)…