The Bay of Bengal, once considered a geopolitical backwater, has reemerged as one of the world’s most contested maritime zones. For Bangladesh, perched on its northern shores, the region is both an opportunity and a looming risk. The United States, seeking to counterbalance China’s growing footprint in the Indo-Pacific, is eyeing Bangladesh as a critical […]
Fewer than one in five Bangladeshi women with symptoms of anxiety or depression seek help, and most turn to family rather than medical professionals, according to a new study published in BMJ Open. Researchers analyzed data from the 2022 Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey, covering 2,881 women aged 15 to 49. They found just 18.7% […]
A new study has found that Bangladesh experienced its most severe dengue outbreak in 2023, with September emerging as the deadliest month. Researchers at Jagannath University reported 396 dengue-related deaths that month, alongside 77,621 patient discharges and 76,775 infections. The analysis, covering data from 2019 to 2023, shows dengue cases consistently peak between August and […]
Bangladesh is projected to see a sharp rise in the rate of twin births over the coming decades even as the total number of babies born declines, according to a new study in Human Reproduction. Researchers from the Max Planck Institute and Stockholm University found Bangladesh had a baseline twinning rate of 8.7 per 1,000 […]
Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus has urged an urgent shift toward cleaner, safer, and affordable energy solutions to support sustainable growth. Speaking at a virtual meeting on September 18 with Carl Page of the Anthropocene Institute, Yunus said the country — one of the world’s most climate-vulnerable — cannot afford prolonged reliance on fossil fuels. He […]
An elderly man was shot dead and at least 25 others injured in Narsingdi Sadar upazila in Bangladesh early Thursday in a violent clash between supporters of the Awami League and the BNP. Police identified the victim as Idan Mia, 62, of Muradnagar village. Authorities said the clash erupted around 5 a.m. between followers of […]
Bangladesh has announced plans to make its health sector self-reliant, signaling a shift in strategy after decades of medical dependence on India. In 2023, between 449,570 and 499,951 people traveled to India for treatment, according to government and media tallies. Health officials said the country had been “dependent on one country” but is now moving […]
The government is working to build a self-reliant health sector and reduce reliance on a single foreign country, Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Adviser Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuiyan said Tuesday. “Our health system was dependent on one country. After coming out from there, we are working to achieve self-reliance in the country’s health sector,” […]
Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Pranay Verma has rightly underscored the urgency of transforming Dhaka and Delhi’s proximity into deeper cooperation. Speaking at the National Defence College in Dhaka, he called for a partnership based on mutual respect, sensitivity, and people-to-people ties, anchored in frameworks like BIMSTEC, Neighbourhood First, and Act East. We agree wholeheartedly. […]
Extreme heat led to an estimated $1.78 billion in economic losses for Bangladesh in 2024, according to a World Bank report released Monday. The study found that heat-related illnesses and reduced productivity resulted in the loss of 250 million workdays, equal to 0.4 percent of GDP. Dhaka, the capital, experienced a heat index 65 percent […]
