Author: Md. Tauhidur Rahman

Sheikh Hasina has recently claimed that excluding the Bangladesh Awami League (BAL) from the 13th national elections is disenfranchisement. The interim government banned the BAL last year which kept the party outside the elections. In her public address at a press event on January 23, 2026 in India, she argued that the government deliberately disenfranchised millions of supporters by excluding the party (BAL) from the upcoming elections. Her comments reflect a broader narrative indicating that exclusion from elections equals a democratic deficit.  Before moving further, it is crucial to say something about the concept of “disenfranchisement.” It indicates the denial…

It might come as a shock to many, but Bangladesh hosts one of the largest refugee populations on earth, even though it is not involved in any armed conflict. Since 2017, Bangladesh has been hosting over a million Rohingya refugees from Myanmar who escaped their homeland due to extreme and systemic persecution. However, it should be noted that Bangladesh is not a signatory to key international refugee instruments such as the 1951 Refugee Convention and 1967 Protocol, nor does it have any national legislation on refugee protection, which raises several issues regarding how the rights of refugees are protected in a non-signatory…

​Imagine a South Asia where borders do not divide families, where students and workers can travel freely, where economic opportunities are shared, and where disputes are resolved through cooperation rather than conflict. This is not a naïve longing. It is a rational and pragmatic idea born out of the harsh realities we face today. ​For decades, South Asia has been a region rich in history, culture, and human potential, yet it remains poor in unity and peace. The concept of a borderless South Asia maintains sovereign political identities while removing the barriers that hinder human dignity, economic advancement, and regional…