OWSA Contributor

The Global Tobacco Industry Interference Index 2025 underscores that tobacco industry influence remains a formidable barrier to public health policy in Bangladesh and worldwide. While some countries demonstrate notable progress, Bangladesh’s mid-to-high interference score suggests that institutional reforms and stricter safeguards are urgently needed.

With rising effects of climate change across the globe, the world has started recognising that climate change is not just an ecological collapse, but also a human rights crisis.

The Global Health Index specifically highlights poor diet and lack of exercise as significant contributors to Sri Lanka’s low relative standing, noting that even...

According to the police, 1,663 scam cases were reported, with losses exceeding MVR 22.7 million, of which MVR 8.5 million has now been retrieved. Before the centre’s formation, authorities were only able to recover about two per cent of stolen funds.

The decision to halt salary payments has drawn concern from civil society groups and international observers, who warn that continued economic contraction could fuel social unrest or increased migration out of the country.

As of mid-December, authorities reported 643 deaths and 183 people still missing. More than 107,000 homes were damaged or destroyed, making shelter one of the most urgent needs.

For a nation of nearly 90 million people, the limits of traditional water management have been laid bare. Whether Iran’s new strategies can avert wider social and ecological breakdown remains a central question for policymakers, communities, and neighbouring countries alike.

Despite these tensions, many Sri Lankans express cautious optimism about the recent crackdown’s potential to disrupt entrenched trafficking networks, though some warn that without sustained investments in education, rehabilitation and community support, the cycle of addiction and crime will persist.